REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST
(CONSULTING SERVICES – FIRMS SELECTION)
The Gambia
Regional Solar Park of The Gambia (RSPG)- P504421
Loan No./Credit No./ Grant No.: IDA- D4080
Assignment Title: Update of the Resettlement Action Plan of the Regional Solar Park of The Gambia (RSPG)
Reference No.: GM-NAWEC-447227-CS-CQS
The Republic of The Gambia is implementing Regional Solar Park of The Gambia Project (RSPG) financed by the World Bank. National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC) is an Implementing Agency for RSPG. The main Project Development Objective is to mobilize private investments through the piloting of a sustainable solar and battery energy storage system competitive bidding process.
With the assistance of the World Bank and the ECOWAS West African Power Pool (WAPP), NAWEC has developed a Resettlement Action Plan whose cutoff date was on 05th April 2022, and the RAP was approved in March 2023 by the World Bank. That means it has been almost two years, and the RAP is still not implemented. Meanwhile, NAWEC has hired a consortium of consultants composed of EY, Mayer Brown and Imara Solar (the “Transaction Advisor”) to develop an auction system in The Gambia for the selection of one or more IPPs to finance, build and operate the first phase of the Regional Solar Park (50 MWp solar with 18 MWh of BESS, (Battery Energy Storage System) the “Project”).
Contractually, the transaction support for the solar auction is divided into two phases, with the first phase focusing on the design of the auction, with the WAPP as the leading client (the “Phase 1”), and the second phase providing support for the launch and running of the auction, with the Government of The Gambia as the client (the “Phase 2”). As required by the Request for Proposal dated May 6, 2021, the Transaction Advisor had provided a technical and financial proposal both for Phase 1 and 2 selected in its offer dated July 12, 2021.
Phase 1 has been successfully completed, and in Phase 2, the Transaction Advisor will support the Client in launching a solar + BESS solar park tender until financial close of the winning bidder. That means by the time the bidder will be chosen, the two years required to update a RAP not implemented yet will be reached.
Prior to handing over the site to the IPP contractor, the RAP should be updated to ensure that the rates used reflect current value replacement rates, consult stakeholders and affected communities to make sure that they are updated on the progress of the project and the planned activities including the timeline of planned resettlement activities. After updating the RAP, it should be implemented without delay and compensate all the affected PAPs both individual and institutional PAPs.
The project is being prepared under the World Bank Groups Environmental and Social Framework (ESF). The projects private sector partners may also use the Environmental and Social Performance Standards of the private sector international financial institutions like IFC, as well as the Gambian Land Acquisition and Compensation Act (LACA).
The objective of this assignment is to assess the overall compliance of the WB ESS 5 with the resettlement process, the valuation of the affected parties’ assets, the consultation process established during the development of the RAP, the Grievance Mechanism proposed, the matrix of the valuation for the compensation, the identification of vulnerable PAPs, the proposed livelihoods restoration plans, and also identify potential gaps with the ESS5.
After the approval of this first phase, the firm will proceed with the implementation of the RAP to compensate all the PAPs prior to it being handed over to the contractor to start the physical work at the RSPG Phase 1 site.
Scope of work:
The overall responsibility of the Consultancy firm will be ensuring strict compliance of the already developed and approved RAP with the World Bank Group Environmental and Social Standards ESS5 on Land Acquisition, Restrictions on Land Use and Involuntary Resettlement guidelines and The Gambia Land Acquisition and Compensation Act. And the implementation of the RAP following its update to make sure all the affected persons are duly consulted and compensated before handing over the site to the Contractor. The Consultant will assess, revise, update, and implement the RAP:
Task 1: Implementation of mitigation measures, land acquisition and livelihood restoration of the approved RAP
Task 2: Dissemination of Information and Consultation
Task 3: Land Acquisition
Task 4: Verification
Task 5: Distribution of Identity Files
Task 6: The final RAP implementation report shall include the following: Category of household, asset lost, compensation and all types of assistance, alternate livelihood options, details of resettlement, specific training requirement for skill up gradation and institutions responsible for training.
Task 7: Disbursement of Assistance and Delivery of Entitlements
Task 8: Relocation
Task 9: Grievance Mechanism
Task 10: Coordination between PAPs and NAWEC
Task 11: Conduct Public Information Campaign
Task 12: Awareness Creation on Gender Mainstreaming and Systemic inequalities
Update of the RAP – Phase 1
– Revise the identification of all potential project affected persons and the impacts of the proposed projects on their livelihoods and recommend measures to minimize resettlement
– Revise and update the socio-economic survey to generate a more up to date baseline data for use in the description of PAPs and which will form baseline for monitoring and evaluation of land acquisition, resettlement and compensation.
– To verify compliance with the relocation and resettlement process that govern similar projects according to the ESS 5.
– To provide guidelines to stakeholders participating in the minimizing resettlement impacts of the project.
– To recommend cost effective measures to be implemented for livelihoods impacts management.
– To update the Regional Solar Park in The Gambia Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) report compliant with the World Bank Environmental and Social Standards.
– To revise and assess the public consultations conducted and verify if meaningful stakeholder engagement with all projects affected persons was properly implemented and updated where gaps are identified.
– Identification of deviations from the WB ESS5 and Land Acquisition and Compensation Act (LACA) with a view to prepare a compliance matrix
Implementation of the RAP – Phase 2
– Prepare resettlement action plan (RAP), monitoring reports, stakeholder engagement plan, implementation of the grievance system, all relevant legal documents, compensation agreements, socio-economic assessment and any relevant third-party documents
– Prepare a digital map of the site with the identification of all affected parties plots including their affected assets linked in the map database to ease the implementation of the RAP process and the verification of the real owners
– Implementation of mitigation measures, land acquisition and livelihood restoration of the approved RAP:
– The consultant will be required to mitigate the adverse effects of involuntary resettlement, while also aiming to improve their standards of living or at least restore them in real terms to pre-displacement levels or to levels prevailing prior to the beginning of project implementation, whichever is higher.
– Dissemination of Information and Consultation.
– Land Acquisition
– Verification
– Distribution of Identity Files.
– The final RAP implementation report shall include the following.
– Disbursement of Assistance and Delivery of Entitlements.
– Relocation.
– Conduct Public Information Campaign.
– Awareness Creation on Gender Mainstreaming and Systemic inequalities.
– Develop a georeferenced RAP database based on the updated socio-economic data collected on PAPs and the information on losses (land, assets, revenue, access).
– The preparation of an updated RAP report which will be validated nationally and receive non-objection from the World Bank.
– The SEA/SH channel proposed in the GRM will be duly followed up by the consultant to manage sensitive grievances and those from vulnerable groups and persons.
Duration:
The consultant will work for a maximum of 8 weeks for the update of the RAP and six months to complete the implementation of the RAP.
Deliverables and Timeline
For the RAP Update:
The expected reports should be delivered in 8 weeks and must be written in English, and the following specific reports are:
A. Inception report (which will include a stakeholder engagement plan) and a review of project documentation and other relevant third-party documents and proposed site visit agenda (1 week after contract signature)
B. Draft RAP update report, including additional action plan (5 weeks after return from site visit)
C. Final RAP report, including supplemental action plan and (2 weeks after World Bank and NAWEC comments and observations are addressed and report updated) including the georeferenced database.
For the implementation of the RAP:
The following deliverables must be prepared and submitted in six months:
a) Inception Report: The consultant shall submit to the NAWEC PIU an inception report detailing plan of action including stakeholder engagement, the team which will implement the assignment deployment, time schedule, and detailed methodology, within 21 working days of the commencement of the assignment
b) The monthly and quarterly progress reports shall have to be submitted before the 10th of the following month
c) Consultation record keeping: The consultant shall document in full detail, the consultation processes (including dates, time, location, persons present, efforts to ensure women and other vulnerable groups attended and participated, noting if they are community meetings or individual/one on one meeting, etc. Photos of consultations shall only be taken with the expressed consent of participants and should be noted in consultations notes that consent was asked for and if it was obtained. No photos shall be taken of children and of women participating in women only focused discussions. Any concerns or issues which may be raised during consultation by PAPs why may impact implementation of the RAP should be brought to the attention of the PIU within 24 hours.
d) Training: full description of the training imparted (or facilitated) as part of the assignment (The GRC will need to be trained on how to manage complaints).
e) Draft Final Report: Consultant shall submit a Draft RAP Implementation Report at the end of the contract period summarizing the actions taken during the project, the methods used to carry out the assignment, and a summary of support, compensation and assistance given to the PAPs. This draft will be reviewed by NAWEC and commented upon. The progress archived in land acquisition as per entitlements shall be documented and shall be submitted to the NAWEC PIU as a part of the monthly progress report.
f) Final Report: Consultant shall submit final RAP implementation report complying with all the remarks / comments of NAWEC PIU, the World Bank on Draft Final Report at the end of the contract period summarizing the actions taken during the project, the methods used to carry out the assignment, and a summary of support, compensation and assistance given to the PAPs. The final digital map of the site with all the affected persons and their assets included in the map.
National Water and Electricity Company Limited (NAWEC) now invites eligible consulting firms (“Consultants”) to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services.
QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:
The Consultant firm should have a minimum of ten (10) years’ working experience in social assessment, involuntary resettlement other relevant fields. The consultant team should have experience working with international development institutions like the World Bank and working in the energy sector, both on Transmission infrastructure and solar park. Knowledge about World Bank Environmental and Social Standards and experience in similar operation is required. The consultant’s team shall be composed of professionals with experience in socio-economic analysis, surveying and valuation, inclusive consultation, inclusion of vulnerable groups in the compensation process and management of complaints and grievance during the resettlement and/or relocation of affected persons.
– Social Development Specialist: He/she should be a post-graduate, preferably in social sciences with land management background. S/he should have 10 years’ experience in development and implementation of resettlement plans and development of reports with good knowledge on GIS and mapping of Project affected area and PAP plots of land. S/he should have held responsible position in the previous assignments and should possess participatory management skills. Knowledge of local languages (Mandinka, fula, wolof) will be a good asset. The specialist must have at least 3 previous roles leading RAPs for projects financed by the World Bank or other similar international financial institutions. This Specialist should also have GIS and database management skills to be able to update the RAP database during implementation.
– Gender Specialist: She must have: Minimum advanced university degree (master’s or equivalent) or higher degree preferably in gender studies, communications, international development, public administration, or other relevant fields is required. A first university degree (Bachelor’s or equivalent) preferably in above-mentioned fields with two (2) additional years of relevant experience may be considered in lieu of an advanced degree or higher degree.
A minimum of 5 years of relevant work experience in social and international development, with some experience in the execution of projects related to resettlement, gender mainstreaming, analysis of sex-disaggregated data. She will define the monitoring and reporting on gender mainstreaming activities and projects in the field of resettlement, guidance of vulnerable PAPs and those victims of SEA/SH. She should establish and develop strategy to support the GM regarding the management of vulnerable PAP and PAPs victim of SEA/SH. She must have experience in/facilitation skills for meetings and training, including capacity development and consultative workshops. SHe must have been involved in at least in two (2) RAPs studies and implementation on power project specifically in grid extension or reinforcement projects or electrification projects HTA/BTA/BT or Power generation (Solar Park) in the last five (5) years
– Land Acquisition Specialist / Livelihood Restauration Specialist: Must be a graduate or equivalent in the social sciences with five years field experience in Land Acquisition, using maps to identify PAP assets, should have knowledge of prevailing land acquisition and compensation Act and WB Environmental and Social Standards. This Specialist should also have GIS and database management expertise and will be responsible for to manage RAP database and GIS applications during the update and implementation of the RAP until it is closed, and the database is handed over to NAWEC. The specialist should have at least 3 previous roles as land acquisition and livelihood restoration specialist for RAPs in projects financed by the World Bank or other similar international financial institutions.
The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to Section III, paragraphs, 3.14, 3.16, and 3.17 of the World Bank’s “Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers” September 2023 (“Procurement Regulations”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest.
Consultants may associate with other firms to enhance their qualifications but should indicate clearly whether the association is in the form of a joint venture and/or a sub-consultancy. In the case of a joint venture, all the partners in the joint venture shall be jointly and severally liable for the entire contract, if selected.
A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Consultant’s Qualification-based Selection method set out in the Procurement Regulations.
The detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) for the assignment can be obtained at the address given below or click on the following link:
TOR RAP Impl RSPG Dec 2025
Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours:
Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form to the address below (in person, or by mail, or by fax, or by e-mail) by January 31st, 2025.
Attention: Mrs. Haddy Njie – Project Coordinator
Address: National Water & Electricity Company Limited,
Project Implementation Unit
Emporium III Building, Fajara
114 Kairaba Avenue
Floor/ Room number: Conference Room, 1st Floor
City: Banjul
Country: The Gambia
Telephone: +220 3664125/ 3182113/ 7009342
Electronic mail address: hnjie@nawec.gm, (and copy to mfsanyang@nawec.gm)