ToR: Powering Clean Cooking: Supply, Delivery and Installation of Solar Stoves in Iponri Market, Lagos, Nigeria

Context

Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) is an international organization working with leaders in government, the private sector and civil society to drive further, faster action toward achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7), which calls for universal access to sustainable energy by 2030, and the Paris Agreement, which calls for reducing greenhouse gas emissions to limit climate warming to below 2° Celsius.

Achieving these goals will require a radical rethink of the way we produce, distribute, and consume energy. SEforALL is at the heart of this foundational shift to ensure no one is left behind. Drawing on data and evidence, we identify a critical path to success in achieving SDG7.

Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon launched the Sustainable Energy for All initiative in 2011. Now an independent organization, we maintain close links with the UN, including through a relationship agreement, partnerships with UN agencies and with SEforALL's CEO acting as the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Sustainable Energy for All and Co-Chair of UN-Energy. These roles include advising the UN Secretary General and his staff on issues relating to sustainable energy and the implementation of SDG7 and supporting the coordination of sustainable energy issues in the United Nations system.

The ambitions of SDG7 are extraordinary. Aiming to achieve them in the context of the Paris Agreement on climate change involves transformation at a scale never undertaken before. Swift action must be taken by Leaders in governments, private sector companies, institutions, financiers, development banks, unions, communities, entrepreneurs, and civil society. As we enter the final decade to achieve SDG7, SEforALL has strategically chosen to strengthen global agenda-setting while expanding its activities to an engagement model that prioritizes data-driven decision-making, partnerships with high-impact countries and implementation on the ground. The new SEforALL three-year business plan outlines “results offers” that scope out our planned interventions and demonstrate to our funding partners the impact of their support.

Nigeria is a high-impact country for achieving SDG7 which calls for universal access to clean and affordable energy. According to the latest 2023 Tracking SDG7 Energy Progress Report, 86 million Nigerians lack access to electricity while 176 million lack access to clean cooking solutions as of 2021. At the same time, the reality and grave impacts of climate change are already manifest in the form of floods, pollution, erosion, desertification, and the associated socio-economic consequences. As a result, demanding and modelling bold action to address energy poverty and mitigate climate change is a priority for the nation.

Consequently, SEforALL alongside the UK Energy Transition Council and McKinsey supported the Nigerian Government in designing an Energy Transition Plan (ETP) to tackle the dual crises of energy poverty and climate change and deliver SDG7 by 2030 and net-zero by 2060, while also providing energy for development, industrialization, and economic growth. The Nigerian ETP is the first of its kind in Africa and details pathways for significant low-carbon development of energy systems across 5 key sectors: Power, Cooking, Transport, Industry, and Oil and Gas. The Nigerian Energy Transition Office is working with the government and a wide range of sector stakeholders to accelerate global support for the plan and deliver impactful projects and results in Nigeria.

Objective

The SEforALL Nigeria Energy Transition Office aims to implement a Clean Cooking Pilot funded by the Ford Foundation grant, with the overarching goal of advancing Nigeria's commitment to a Just and Equitable Energy Transition (JE2T). Through this initiative, we seek to enhance awareness and understanding of the Energy Transition Plan (ETP) and its decarbonization pathways among stakeholders such as Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), Community-Based Organizations (CBOs), and the media.

The Clean Cooking vertical serves as a focal point for demonstrating the principles of a just and equitable energy transition, particularly due to its direct impact on vulnerable groups like women and children. By promoting equitable access to clean energy solutions and mitigating climate inequalities, our pilot program aims to advocate for key stakeholders and action groups to address these disparities effectively. This will be achieved through deployment of cookstoves to twelve (12) businesses that cook for a living, showcasing innovative clean cooking technologies. These use of these cookstoves by the business owners will not only serve as a practical means to demonstrate the efficacy of the technology but also educate communities about the benefits of clean cooking and provide first hand experiences, allowing individuals to observe the cooking process.

The Pilot for solar cookstoves will be rolled out in Iponri Market in Lagos, Nigeria. The pilot model would be to deploy cookstoves using solar technologies to businesses owners who cook for a living and replace their existing carbon intensive cooking equipment. 

Scope of Work

To fulfil the above objective, SEforALL seeks to engage a contractor that will be responsible for supply of twelve (12) solar cookstoves, installation, commissioning, start-up of the equipment and training to users for the equipment installed. The selected contractor for this project component will be responsible for:

1. Technology: providing solar cookstoves for the selected businesses in Iponri Market, ensuring product quality and safety standards

2. Deployment: 
   1. The Contractor will identify viable businesses within the market which engage in cooking as a service i.e. selling food to customers in the market. These businesses will serve as demonstrators for the technology. Additionally, the Contractor will also be responsible for determining the placement and installation methods of the stoves within the business premises. 
   2. The Contractor shall be responsible for all costs associated with sourcing the goods, including but not limited to clearance permits and import duties (if applicable).
   3. In addition to the services mentioned herein, the contractor must adhere to the DPU, Iponri Market, Lagos, Nigeria (INCOTERMS 2020)
   4. Cost of shipping should be indicated in the proposal
   5. Insurance: 110% of the total equipment value

3. Warehousing and Installation: The Contractor is responsible for coordinating all logistical requirements, including the transportation of the stoves to their final location in Iponri Market for installation. These cover, including but not limited to, warehousing the stoves until deployment and arranging insurance coverage, including the preparation of a bill of lading (if applicable) for the stoves 

4. Training: The Contractor shall furnish comprehensive initial training to the businesses identified to use the cookstoves for optimal operation and maintenance. Additionally, the Contractor shall develop and deliver comprehensive training resources for future reference

5. Commissioning and Acceptance: Upon successful completion of the performance testing and verification of all specified functionalities of the Solar Stoves, the Contractor shall formally transfer ownership of the Stoves (the "Assets") to the Beneficiary through a documented Acceptance Certificate

6. Disposal of Former Cooking Equipment: The Contractor will be responsible for the safe disposal of any former cooking equipment replaced by the solar cookstoves, in compliance with local regulations and environmental standards 

The stoves must meet the minimum criteria in the table below. The Contractor should specify any additional features of their stoves in the Technical Proposal, using the table in Annex II. Additional points will be awarded for specifications that exceed the requirements stated below:

Approach, Timeline, and Deliverables

Approach: 
The successful bidder shall maintain a continuous line of communication with designated ETO contact(s) to provide periodic progress updates and ensure relevant staff are kept apprised throughout the project duration.

Deliverables:

The cookstoves are required to be delivered by 31st May 2024 tentatively and deployed by 6th June 2024 mandatorily. As part of the deliverables, the Contractor must provide the following:

1. Work Plan: in addition to the Technical and Financial Proposals, the Contractor must provide a detailed work plan outlining plans for the installation of the stoves and training of users, a timeline outlining how long the sourcing of stoves will take and comprehensive warranty and after-sales service details 
2. Stove Specifications: detailed technical specifications of the chosen solar cookstoves, including information on power capacity, dimensions, materials, and any additional features within the Technical Proposal.
3. Quality Assurance: relevant documentation certifying compliance with safety standards and regulatory requirements.

Timeline: 
The Contractor must adhere to the timelines outlined below to ensure timely completion of the project and seamless implementation of all activities:

Language:

All documentation, including catalogues, instructions, and operating manuals, shall be available in English.

Site Safety and Security:

The contractor and the businesses will jointly be responsible for ensuring the safety and security of personnel and system installations throughout the duration of the contract. The contractor shall implement comprehensive safety and security measures at the project sites.

Anti-theft measures shall meet industry standards and best practices, and their implementation shall be subject to approval by SEforALL. The contractor shall provide detailed plans and specifications for the anti-theft measures at the project site and, where possible, to be incorporated into the equipment, ensuring their effectiveness in deterring theft and unauthorized access.

The contractor and SEforALL will cooperate closely to identify and mitigate potential safety and security risks, taking proactive measures to address any concerns that may arise during the contract. 

Travel

Travel outside of Nigeria not anticipated. 

Eligibility Criteria and Qualification Requirements

•  Eligibility Requirements:
  • Legal Entity: Bidders shall be a duly registered company/legal entity in good standing with the Nigerian Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) for a minimum of two (2) years prior to the Bid Submission Deadline. A scanned copy of the valid Certificate of Incorporation shall be submitted with the Bid.
  • Financial Capability: Bidders shall demonstrate their financial capability to undertake this project. This shall be evidenced by the submission of the following documents:
    • Bank Details Form: A completed and signed Bank Details Form, providing details of a reputable Nigerian bank account in the name of the Bidder.
    • Tax Clearance Certificate: A valid Tax Clearance Certificate issued by the relevant Nigerian tax authority, demonstrating the Bidder is compliant with their tax obligations.
    • Audited Financial Statements: Audited financial statements for the past year prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) or Nigerian Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (NGAAP).

SEforALL reserves the right to request a Performance Guarantee or Bank Guarantee from the successful bidder. This decision will be based on a risk assessment considering the bidder's financial standing and project complexity.

•  Permit Requirements
  • Import Activities:
    • If sourcing solar cookers through imports, Bidders must possess all necessary permits and licenses mandated by Nigerian law for:
      • Importation of goods
      • Business operations
      • Warehousing of the solar cookers within Nigeria

Bidders must submit copies of these relevant permits with their proposals.

• Business Presence Requirement
  • For consortia participating in the bidding process, a demonstration of their ability to conduct business activities in Nigeria is mandatory. This can be established by providing evidence of one or more of the following:
    • Physical Presence: 
      • Registered office address within Nigeria
      • Local representatives authorized to act on the consortium's behalf
      • Valid Nigerian business permit
    • Planned Establishment: (If not currently established) 
      • A clear and detailed plan outlining how the consortium will establish a physical presence in Nigeria upon selection as the winning bidder. This plan should align with the Legal Entity requirements outlined above.

Bidding Process

Proposals can be submitted as a single entity or consortia. Interested and qualified bidders should submit one Technical Proposal and one Financial Proposal as separate documents. Proposals must be submitted either in PDF or PPT format and should include the following:

Technical Proposal

• Brief background about your organization.

• The organization’s experience in carrying out similar work including relevant skills, qualifications, and knowledge.

• Your understanding of the assignment, approach/methodology as well as proposed workplan as described in Section 4. Any deviations from the Terms of Reference should be clearly indicated. 

• Three (3) relevant organizational/client references from the last three years.

• Project team organogram and CVs of key personnel.

Financial Proposal, outlining the costs associated with carrying out the scope of work, including:

• Equipment costs 

• Labor costs (personnel, LOE)

• Travel costs

• Other costs

• All costs must be in USD and inclusive of all taxes.

Bidders should make use of the cost breakdown supplemented within this TOR as Annex II

Evaluation, Conflict of Interest and Terms of Payment

• Bidders are requested to disclose and explain any potential conflicts of interest. 

• The evaluation of proposals will be based on a 70 – 30 split for technical proposal and financial proposal, respectively. Details of the evaluation criteria are attached as Annex I.

• SEforALL utilizes a deliverable-based payment schedule. The corresponding payment terms will be detailed in the contract awarded to the successful bidder.

Award Conditions

SEforALL reserves the right to split an award between any suppliers in any combination, based on factors such as price competitiveness, capability, or geographical coverage, as it may deem appropriate. Suppliers are encouraged to provide clear and detailed information in their bids to facilitate the evaluation process.

If the bid is submitted on an "all-or-none" basis, suppliers are required to clearly state this in their response to this tender. Failure to do so may result in the bid being evaluated based on the terms specified in the tender documents.

Submission of Proposals

Please submit your proposal to procurement@seforall.org by Monday, 13th May 2024 at 17:00PM Central European Summer Time. In case of questions or queries contact SEforALL at procurement@seforall.org 

Annex I – Evaluation Criteria

1. Compliance with eligibility criteria: Pass/Fail
    
2. Technical Evaluation Criteria
   1. Technical Capacity: 40 points
      1. Compliance with the Terms of Reference and quality of the submitted proposal. (15 points)
      2. Quality and quantity of clean cooking stoves sourced or manufactured by the company. (15 points)
      3. Proven track-record of supplying clean cooking solutions to relevant stakeholders, Quality and quantity of similar clean cooking projects completed in the past 5 years. (10 points)

   2. Approach and Methodology: 20 points

      1. Alignment with Project Objectives (4 points)

      2. Suitability for Project Scope (4 points)

      3. Efficiency and Resource Management (3 points)

      4. Strength and Comprehensiveness of Bidder's Warranty and After-Sales Service Offerings (4 points)
      5. Clarity and feasibility of delivery timeline and delivery schedule (3 points)
      6. Feasibility and Risk Management (2 points)

3. Team Composition: 10

   1. Human and technical resources to deliver quality services. (5 points)

   2. Qualification and experience of the team leader and the proposed team. (5 points)

Minimum technical passing score is 55 points. Contractors who pass the min. passing score will be considered for the commercial evaluation.

5. Commercial Evaluation Criteria

Budget and Cost-effectiveness: 30 points

Annex II – Cost Breakdown Structure

*) compliance must be confirmed in detail by the contractor’s offer and technical documentation and will be verified by SEforALL during evaluation.

**) if not compliant with SEforALL's required specifications, the contractor must indicate their parameters in this column.