REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST
(CONSULTING SERVICES – INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT’S SELECTION)
THE GAMBIA
ELECTRICITY RESTORATION AND MODERNIZATION PROJECT (GERMP)
Loan No./Credit No./ Grant No.: IDA- D6530
Assignment Title: Social Risk Management Specialist for the Project Implementation Unit (PIU).
Reference No.: GM-NAWEC-339342-CS-INDV
The Republic of The Gambia with the support of the International Development Association (IDA), European Investment Bank (EIB), and European Union (EU), collectively the “Lenders”), are implementing an energy project approved in 2018 to improve the power generation and transmission capacity in the country. The Gambia Electricity Restoration and Modernization Project (GERMP) will increase the generation capacity through renewable sources, reinforce the transmission infrastructure in the Great Banjul Area, and in the provinces across the country.
The development objective of the project is to improve the operational performance of the National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC), and its capacity to dispatch variable renewable electricity. The Gambia Electricity Restoration and Modernization Project (GERMP) will improve the power generation capacity and efficiency of NAWEC’s transmission network to increase access to electricity for socio-economic development. This objective is in line with the Gambian National Development Plan (NDP-2018-2021), the Gambia Electricity Sector Roadmap (2017) and the National Energy Policy (2014-2018), among other national policies which promote the extension, reliability, and quality of the Government’s energy supply, as well as diversifying energy sources to include renewables.
The Social Risk Management Specialist’s overall responsibility will be ensuring compliance of project preparation and implementation activities with social risk management regulations and policies of the financing institutions and Gambian legislation.
The incumbent will be responsible for providing advice and technical assistance to the project and all stakeholders to ensure acceptable quality of social risk and impact management in accordance with the World Bank’s Operational Policies and EHS guidelines and, where applicable, national regulations in The Gambia.
Activities to be performed by the Social Safeguard Specialist include but are not limited to the following:
- Ensure the diffusion of the project’s safeguard instruments and contribute to the stakeholders’ appropriation.
- Provide overall technical social safeguards oversight for the project preparation and implementation under the general management of the PIU Coordinator.
- Participate systematically in the development of terms of reference (TOR) for the conduct of specific social assessments and other social studies (i.e., RAP, ESIA, ESMP, and/or Audits, etc.) of the Project.
- Evaluate the gaps between Gambian legislation and the World Bank’s standards on social issues, including compensation, eligibility, vulnerability, etc.…
- Focus will be on social risk management, including measures for addressing inclusive stakeholder engagement, social accountability, social inclusion, conflict reduction, addressing disadvantage and vulnerability, restoration of livelihoods, gender mainstreaming and considerations in risk management, and familiarity with social methodologies, and other social issues that may arise in the project. Familiarity addressing gender-based violence (GBV)/sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment (SEA/SH), violence against children (VAC) is also preferred.
- Participate in the selection process of service providers to carry out environmental and social studies and be involved in the implementation and/or control/monitoring of social safeguards during the works and ensuring service providers are strictly following the E&S clauses.
- Providing necessary coordination, review, and relevant input into preparation of Environmental and Social Impacts Assessment (ESIAs)/Environmental and Social Management Frameworks (ESMPs) and Resettlement Action Plans (RAPs) for projects under preparation and implementation.
- Conduct a quality review of documents related to social and environmental activities carried out and facilitate the process of approval and disclosure of safeguard instruments (i.e. RAP, ESIA, ESMP, Audits, Grievance Mechanism [GM], Contractor-ESMP, etc.) and their implementation (i.e. payment of compensation, social support for PAPs, with particular attention to vulnerable groups including women, youth and the elderly, the disabled, etc.), in accordance with current national regulations and the World Bank’s environmental and social standards.
- Ensuring that bidding documents and contracts include necessary social safeguards provisions.
- Ensure the development and quality of the C-ESMPs and other instruments for mitigating social risks and impacts and gender and vulnerability aspects by the contractors in charge of the works and their approval by the Owner Engineer.
- Conduct/participate, together with the environmental safeguard specialist, in supervision missions to verify and attest to the status of implementation of social safeguards, as well as gender, social inclusion, vulnerability, etc.
- Supervise and monitor contractors’ performance in handling specific social issues; provide corrective instructions as needed.
- Prepare relevant parts of required social monitoring reports, including reports on ESMP implementation status.
- Undertake regular field visits to project sites to assess social impacts and verify social monitoring information provided in the reports of contractors and implementing partners, including photo documentation as applicable.
- Keep accurate records of social supervision of project activities in a systemic manner that allows easy search-and-find of all documents upon request of, the World Bank, and national authorities.
- Supervise and participate in the implementation of stakeholder consultations and coordinate the implementation of the Stakeholder Engagement Plan.
- Suggest appointing stakeholder focal points to facilitate and sustain engagement with stakeholders.
- Ensures good collaboration with government agencies, decentralized institutions, and local civil society
- Analyzing project implementation reports to ensure that all work is completed in full compliance with Safeguards Policies; supervising contractors’ performance in handling specific social issues, such as GBV/SEA/SH/VAC (and monitoring measures related to the Codes of Conduct); providing corrective instruments as needed.
- Monitor the development, dissemination, accessibility, and functionality of the project’s Grievance Mechanism, in particular the settlement of disputes and conflicts arising from the implementation of the RAPs and the C-ESMPs and propose appropriate corrective measures; ensure the consolidation of data and periodic reporting in conjunction with the GRC and all other relevant stakeholders Ensures that complaints related to SEA/SH are properly handled
The successful applicant shall be engaged immediately on a full-time basis for one year (in three months contract basis extendable depending on the satisfactory performance in the contract duration) and for additional years during the project implementation period.
The detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) for the assignment can be obtained from the link below.
GERMP Social Risk Management Specialist PIU TOR
Required qualifications:
a) Master of Arts degree in social sciences such as political science or policy, sociology, anthropology, gender studies, social assessment studies, or related fields (with experience in areas relevant to social safeguards such as land acquisition or resettlement, vulnerable groups and individuals, gender, livelihoods, participation and civic engagement, social impact analysis, assessment of social risks).
b) At least 5 years’ experience in the region in compliance with social safeguards policies including involuntary resettlement.
c) Good knowledge of the relevant regulations/directives and operations of multilateral development organizations and executing agencies.
d) Demonstrated experience and knowledge of Bank operations and social safeguard policies, especially, experience and familiarity with complex safeguard work.
e) Proven experience and skills in managing projects.
f) Proven capacity to work across multiple stakeholders, including government entities, civil society organizations (CSOs), local communities, and the private sector.
g) Demonstrated experience in the World Bank project cycle and procedures.
h) Fluent in English with excellent written and oral skills.
i) Advanced computer skills and full proficiency in the use of relevant software applications in using computers and software such as Microsoft Office suite.
j) Participate in capacity-building training to strengthen competencies as need be.
k) Work with GBV consultant to strengthen capacity on addressing SEA/SH risks in the project.
l) Knowledge of local language like Mandinka, wolof, fula, or serere is an important asset since the project is intervening in rural areas also.
m) Familiarity with risks and mitigation measures related to gender-based violence (GBV) and Sexual Exploitation and Abuse/Sexual Harassment (SEA/SH) to ensure such risks/mitigation measures are included in safeguard instruments.
n) Applications from women are highly recommended.
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” July 2016 and revised November 2017 and July 2018 and November 2020 (“Procurement Regulations”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest. A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Individual Consultant selection method set out in the Procurement Regulations. Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours from 08:00 to 16:00. 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 close of business 30th March 2023.
Managing Director
Attention: Mrs. Haddy Njie – Project Coordinator
Address: National Water & Electricity Company Limited, Project Implementation Unit
Emporium III Building, Fajara
114 Kairaba AvenueFloor/ 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)
