United States Energy Association

Power Africa: A U.S. Government-Led Partnership to Increase Sub-Saharan Africa’s Access to Energy

Request for Proposal – Development of a Geothermal Data Management System for GSE and EEP in Ethiopia

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL – Development of a Geothermal Data Management System for GSE and EEP in Ethiopia

Closing date of RFP:                                     August 17^th, 2018

Implementing Organization:                       United States Energy Association

Funding Agency:                                           United States Agency for International Development

Award Ceiling:                                              $35,000 (includes only labor, fringe and overhead)

The United States Energy Association (USEA) is inviting prospective organizations or individuals through this Request for Proposal (RFP) to submit proposals for a consultancy on the development of a geothermal data management system for GSE and EEP in Ethiopia. This is an activity implemented by USEA, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) as part of the Power Africa Initiative.

Proposals are due by 17:00 hours EST of the closing date.  Please forward your proposal in soft copy (PDF form) to Ms. Ashley Ndir, Senior Program Coordinator, at [email protected]

As this is a USAID-funded program, the RFP follows USAID Procurement Regulations and Laws.  All bidder details will be kept confidential.

                                      

1. INTRODUCTION

The U.S. Energy Association (USEA) is the U.S. Member Committee of the World Energy Council (WEC). Headquartered in Washington, DC, USEA is an association of public and private energy-related organizations, corporations, and government agencies.

Through a cooperative agreement with the USAID Bureau for Economic Growth, Education and Environment (E3), USEA implements the Energy Utility Partnership Program (EUPP), available to all USAID-assisted countries and USAID Missions.  EUPP supports the efforts in USAID-assisted developing countries to increase environmentally sustainable energy production and to improve the operational efficiency and increased financial viability of their utilities and related institutions, with the goal of increasing the access of these countries to environmentally sound energy services.

USEA conducts a number of activities under the EUPP mechanism for Power Africa - a U.S. Government-led partnership to increase Sub-Saharan Africa’s access to energy.  Power Africa uses a wide range of U.S. government tools to support investment in Africa’s energy sector. From policy and regulatory best practices, to pre-feasibility studies and capacity building, to long-term financing, insurance, guarantees, credit enhancements and technical assistance, Power Africa provides coordinated support to help African partners expand their generation capacity and access.

The U.S.-East Africa Geothermal Partnership (EAGP) is a public-private partnership between the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Geothermal Energy Association (GEA), implemented by the U.S. Energy Association (USEA). It was established in September 2012 to promote the development of geothermal energy projects and increase private sector investments in geothermal in East Africa.  It also encourages and facilitates the involvement of the U.S. geothermal industry in the region.   With an estimated 15,000 MW of potential geothermal capacity in East Africa - a clean, reliable, baseload power solution – geothermal energy is critical to East Africa’s economic development especially as a base-load power source.

2. BACKGROUND
    

The Government of Ethiopia (GoE) is aggressively working to develop their nation’s 7,000 MW geothermal resources.  GoE has set a target generating capacity of 2,500 MW from geothermal resources by 2030.  In order to support the GoE’s objectives, the United States Government (USG), through Power Africa, has been collaborating with the private sector and other development finance institutions (DFIs) to accelerate the development of Ethiopia’s geothermal resources.

In 2016 the GoE passed into legislation the Geothermal Resources Development Proclamation (GRDP).  The new law set forth regulation regarding the country’s geothermal resources.  The proclamation called for the creation of a new geothermal entity, one that brought together the geothermal directorate of the Geological Survey of Ethiopia (GSE) and the geothermal projects team of Ethiopia Electric Power (EEP).  The new geothermal entity will report directly to the Ministry of Water, Irrigation and Electricity (MoWIE).  With the creation of a new geothermal entity comes the creation of new internal policies and procedures regarding geothermal data management.  In June of 2017, a team of consultants completed an assessment of GSE and EEP’s current data management systems and procedures and provided recommendations for improvements. This consultancy, funded by the U.S. – East Africa Geothermal Partnership, will implement the recommendations provided in the previous assessment. The consultancy aims to properly align the internal data policies and procedures with international best practices in geothermal data management.

3. SCOPE OF WORK

The objectives of this Consultancy include:

• Train GSE and EEP in state of the art geothermal data management practices
• Support the development of a relational database at GSE and/or EEP
• Identify data base “custodians” at GSE and EEP and provide remote support to these data “custodians”

PROJECT TASKS AND DELIVERABLES

At the onset of this contract the Consultant(s) will review available documentation on GSE and EEP’s present data management program including the 2017 GSE and EEP data management assessment report. The Consultant(s) will then carry out the following:

Task 1: Form Committee of Geothermal Data Management Leaders from GSE & EEP

In coordination with GSE, EEP and EAGP, the Consultant(s) will identify and form a select committee of four to five staff members from GSE and EEP who will serve as “leaders” of the geothermal data management project. The committee will be composed of geoscientists from specific data types (i.e. geophysics, geochemistry, etc.)  that would make up the geothermal database and should also have considerable ICT experience.

Deliverables for Task 1:

The Consultant(s) shall submit the following:

• List of all members selected for the geothermal data management committee team and their specific role

Task 2: Define Data Types to be Contained in Local Relational Database and Select “Data Custodians” for Each Data Type

In coordination with GSE, EEP and EAGP, the Consultant(s) will define the main data types that will be contained in the local relational database. The committee along with the Consultant(s) shall designate “data custodians” for each of the main data types that will be contained in the local relational database. “Data custodians” will serve as leaders of skill development during trainings and provide ongoing internal support.

Deliverables for Task 2:

The Consultant(s) shall submit the following:

• A list of each of the main data types to be included in the relational database
• List of the “data custodians” selected for each of the main data types and the defined roles and responsibilities for each of the “data custodians”

Task 3: Provide Remote Support to GSE and EEP’s Data Management Committee

Under the direction of EAGP, the Consultant(s) will provide remote support to the GSE and EEP data management teams to:

1. Provide on-going capacity building to GSE and EEP data management teams upon approval from EAGP
2. Assist the GSE and EEP data management teams in implementing the recommendations from the data management assessment report

Deliverables for Task 3:

Consultant(s) will provide:

• Documentation of any communication with GSE and EEP data management team members
• Completed timesheet documenting time and location of hours worked provided in soft copy
• A written report detailing:
  
  • The remote support provided
  • The progress of GSE and EEP data management staffs’ technical skill development
  • The GSE and EEP data management staff’s progress in building the geothermal library
  • Outline of the status of data “custodianship” (data quality issues, and remaining barriers to be addressed) 

Task 4: In-Country Data Management Training

The Consultant(s) will make two (2), one (1) week-long in-country visits designed to provide in-person mentoring to the data management personnel, build data management personnel’s technical capacity and assist with data management project execution.  The Consultant(s) will collaborate with EAGP, GSE and EEP Data Management Committee members to coordinate the in-country visits.

USEA will be responsible for all logistical arrangements, including:

• All travel related logistics and costs for the consultant(s), in compliance with Fly America Act and the Federal Travel Regulations; this includes:
  
  • Roundtrip economy airfare;
  • Meals and Incidental Expenses stipend, calculated according to the Federal Travel Regulations, and using U.S. Department of State rates;
  • Visa costs;
  • Airport transfers;
  • Lodging;
  • Health and accident coverage.
• Meeting venue.

Task 4a: First In-Country Training

The Consultant(s) will travel to Ethiopia for the first of two, one-week long data management trainings for key GSE and EEP data management personnel. The Consultant(s) will work with EAGP, GSE and EEP to determine available dates for the trainings.

Deliverables for Task 4a:

The Consultant(s) shall also submit the following:

• Any draft-version or physical handouts to be presented as part of the training program should be submitted to USEA/EAGP no later than one week prior to the start of the training program for review and comment
• List of all training attendees
• Any digital files or physical handouts of material presented as part of the data management training
• Boarding passes for all airline travel related to this activity
• Original receipts for any other reimbursable expenses
• Brief description of the follow-up activities and an outline of any planned remote assistance to be provided prior to the next in-country training

Task 4b: Second In-Country Training

The Consultant(s) will design and deliver the second of two, one-week long data management trainings for GSE and EEP data management personnel. The Consultant(s) will work with EAGP, GSE and EEP to determine available dates for the trainings.

Deliverables for Task 4b:

The Consultant(s) shall also submit the following:

• Any draft-version or physical handouts to be presented as part of the training program should be submitted to USEA/EAGP no later than one week prior to the start of the training program for review and comment
• List of all training attendees
• Any digital files or physical handouts of material presented as part of the data management training
• Boarding passes for all airline travel related to this activity
• Original receipts for any other reimbursable expenses
• Brief description of the follow-up activities and an outline of any planned remote assistance to be provided post final in-country training.

4. SCHEDULE

The final report from this consultancy must be submitted to and approved by USEA no later than December 31, 2018.

5. PROPOSAL CONTENT

The proposal must contain the following:

1. A cover letter to the proposal;
2. A technical proposal, including:

• Proposed work plan and methodology;
• Description of past work on geothermal data management systems;
• A timeline for this consultancy, including proposed travel dates.

3. A financial proposal, including:

• Detailed justification (i.e. line item budget);
• Labor, other direct costs, indirect costs, and level of effort for each employee proposed for this project.

4. Short CVs/bio sketches of proposed consultant(s);
5. Summary of the work to be performed by each employee proposed for this project;
6. Company/ organization Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and confirmation of current status in the System of Award Management (SAM);
7. Completed USAID Contractor Employee Biographical Data Sheet forms for each employee proposed for this project (https://www.usaid.gov/forms/aid-1420-17).

6. Evaluation Criteria and CONTRACT MANAGEMENT/OVERSIGHT

Selection of an offer for contract award will be based on an evaluation of proposals against technical merit and budget justification. Proposals shall first be evaluated from a technical standpoint based on the consulting proposal, including prior relevant experience, without regard to proposed budget justification.  For those proposals determined to be technically acceptable, budget justification will be evaluated.

Bidders are required to have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and maintain a current registration in the System of Award Management (SAM).

A subcontract agreement between USEA and the Consultant shall be subject to all USAID Special Terms and Conditions, including all mandatory FAR Flow-Down clauses, where applicable, and the provisions included in 2CFR200 and 2CFR700. All bidders are strongly encouraged to review these provisions prior to submitting a proposal.

• Standard Provisions for U.S. Nongovernmental Organizations: https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1868/303maa.pdf
• 2CFR200: https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2014-title2-vol1/pdf/CFR-2014-title2-vol1-part200.pdf
• 2CFR700: https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2015-title2-vol1/pdf/CFR-2015-title2-vol1-part700.pdf

Subcontract agreement management, oversight and payment will be carried out by USEA.

7. QUESTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS

For all questions and clarification requests please contact Ms. Ashley Ndir, Senior Program Coordinator, at [email protected]. Please submit questions prior to 5:00pm August 8th, 2018. All questions and answers shall be made public on the USEA website on August 10^th, so that all interested parties are fully informed.

VIII. Questions submitted regarding RFP and EAGP's responses:

1. Where would the in-country training be taking place in Ethiopia? Will it be hosted in Addis Ababa?

The in-country training will be taking place in Addis Ababa. USEA will make all final logistical arrangements for the training in collaboration with the Consultant(s), EEP and GSE.

2. Will there be a software component to this project in the future?

EAGP does not currently have funding to supply software solutions to the recipients in Ethiopia, so any software purchases will be made directly by EEP and/or GSE with their available budget.

3.  My question is to confirm that our financial proposal should only contain cost associated with labor, fringe and overhead? On page 3 it says USEA will be responsible for all travel logistics and costs, including airfare, M&IE, visas, airport transfers, lodging, health and accident coverage. Should our financial proposal also include an estimate for travel costs?

No, your financial proposal will not need to include estimations for travel costs, as USEA will be responsible for all travel logistics and associated costs.

4, Would you see it as a conflict of interest if the group who was bidding also provided a data management software solution?

A data management software solution vendor is not precluded from bidding on this project, however please note that a variety of solutions at various budget levels will need to be included for this project. EAGP does not currently have funding to supply software solutions to the recipients in Ethiopia, so any software purchases will be made directly by EEP and/or GSE with their available budget.

END OF RFP