Request for Consultant Services Proposal (RFP)

Solicitation Title: Solar Power and Electro-Mechanical Design and Supervision Consultant

Solicitation Number: FY21-10272-02

Project Number (Top Level Only): 102672

Date of Issue of RFP: 05/10/2021

Date Proposal Due: 05/20/2021

Approximate Date Consultant Contract Issued to Successful Candidate(s): Mid-Late May 2021

Background

FHI 360’s Scaling Up Humanitarian Assistance to Yemen (SU_IHAY) project has planned to execute installation of solar-powered systems for 9 target health facilities and two community water supply systems among other WASH infrastructure related undertakings. The solar power system that will be installed in health facilities will have two main components: one providing power supply for electrical appliances, medical equipment, lighting, and fans, and the other providing 24/7 power supply for air conditioning of pharmacy units within the health facilities to ensure pharmaceutical cold chain. On the other hand, the solar system for the two (more to come) community water supply will power submersible well-pumps to ensure adequate abstraction to elevated tanks in a cost and environment friendly manner. 

Taking into consideration the highly technical expertise required for the task, which is not part of FHI 360 Yemen’s standard business needs, and the high value procurement involved, the WASH team has requested specific technical support on design and supervision of electromechanical components through a short-term consultancy service.

Scope of Work

The main objective of the consultancy assignment is to ensure that the design and implementation of FHI 360’s solar power systems comply with standard requirements and the specific power needs at each health and water supply facility.

The objective will be achieved through a phased arrangement which will have an assessment and design review stage and implementation and quality control stage.

The assessment and design review stage will include:

1. Review of power needs at each health facility. Measuring reporting the electrical load analysis or load requirements for each health facilities.
2. Review of design for solar electrification for health facilities both for solar panels and for other electrical power demands.
3. Providing recommendations on how existing solar systems can be integrated to the new one FHI 360 will install.
4. Review of available budget, FHI 360 intentions and current market and recommend adjustments when necessary.

The implementation and quality control stage will include:

• Supervise the process of AC inverter and solar system installation, testing, commission and handing over to the health facilities (HF).
• Provide additional technical supervision to ongoing solar panel installation for non-air conditioning purposes.
• Provide technical inputs to electro-mechanical works planned at community water sites at Al Rao’a and Al Camel.

Specific Tasks:

• Assess the functioning of existing solar energy systems to address shortcoming and propose corrective measures and remedies to ensure long life span and sustainable use of the provided solar energy systems.   Assessment
• Undertake rapid rural assessment of DHO & HF management’ energy vulnerability and work in close coordination with the local authorities and consult with all stakeholders at local level to prioritize solar energy component interventions among different targeted social services and productive assets in the two districts in coordination with the project team. Assessment
• Improve the institutional arrangement and technical installations monitoring mechanisms for planned solar energy systems to be provided for different social services and productive assets in close coordination with the local authorities and the project team.
• Work with HF management and health offices at governorate and districts level on the pre-identified potential sites for social services and identify proper sites and appropriate locations for solar energy interventions in health units and make a case-by-case study for energy requirement, load and design a suitable solar energy system for each intervention according to the required energy for each use. Identifying Locations: Solar Energy (Social Services)
• Coordinate with the consultant in charge for preparing technical specifications of solar energy systems to be provided for social services, productive assets, and different uses in the targeted governorates to ensure preparation of suitable specifications and technical standards for each case according to the energy requirement to operate the social services and productive assets efficiently. Coordinate (Technical Specifications)
• Follow up implementation of awareness raising and capacity building programs and other initiative to enhance rural energy and build resilience of the targeted HFs. Follow up (implementation of awareness raising and Capacity Building Program)
• Supervise field implementation of solar energy component activities, liaise with local authorities and arrange for periodical field visits of project team to oversee progress of implementation of activities and organize with the project team the delivery events and communication coverage. Supervise field implementation (installation, delivery, and commissioning of the solar energy systems), arrange for periodical field visits of project team and related activities.
• Verify institutional arrangement with the beneficiaries/recipient of the solar systems to ensure proper use, management and control of any misuse or other risks. Verifying.
• Prepare a solid system for hand-over of solar energy systems and to beneficiaries including all necessary registration documentation, distribution receipts and information of beneficiaries’ obligation.
• Verify, collect and document all data and information on the operation/service of the beneficiaries/receiving institutions including the names of the communities and population benefiting from the services as well as producing communication materials. Collect beneficiary data.
• Build rural community energy resilience through conducting capacity building/training sessions and awareness raising campaigns on solar uses, applications and maintenance.
• Develop an appropriate documentation and communication materials before, during and after interventions in close coordination with the project team including donor requirements and document all process, lessons learnt, success stories and direct impact. Administration.
• Test all solar energy systems on sites and verify that all solar energy systems properly provided for different uses requirement and installed in the targeted areas and ensure their reliability, durability and sustainability. Technical Action (system and use) suitability of the use.
• Ensure fulfillment of all compliance requirements, quality standard, technical specification, and safety norms for all components to be installed in an integrated and compatible manner. Ensure safety, quality standard and technical specifications.
• Set up a system for sites assessment, preparation for solar systems installation, and hand over mechanism to beneficiaries including their maintenance obligation for sustainability.
• List all essential issues that require attention during operation and maintenance of solar energy systems to include all proper use, management, and operation process of the delivered solar systems as well as regular maintenance procedures to be given to the beneficiaries as their own obligations. Beneficiary Obligations.
• Supervise take-over from the supplier to the beneficiaries and assure delivery, installation and operation of all solar energy systems is smooth and well performed. Supervision.
• Document all process, lessons learnt, and impact and provide recommendations. Reporting.
• Conclude the delivery and receipt agreements signed by the beneficiaries/receiving institutions approved by respective local authorities at the different administrative levels. Administration.

Deliverables:

1. Summary report of the power demands at each health facility both for air conditioning and other electrical functions.
2. Review report on the designs with two sections: a) the solar power system for air conditioning of pharmacy units, and b) solar system for Health facilities and submersible pumps in the water community project
3. Summary report on existing solar systems already installed at target health facilities with specific actionable technical recommendations on how to integrate them with the newly planned ones.
4. Budget estimate, power sizing, and technical requirement summary table that provides clear information for decision makers on costs involved, components, and economical options for different size of health facilities based on the power demand analysis indicated on #1.
5. Weekly or Per trip site supervision report until the works indicated are complete. The supervision reports shall be submitted within two days of the actual trip each time a supervision trip is made.

Additional Information  

Location of Work: FHI 360 field sites in Aden, Taiz (Mokha, Dhubab), Hudaydah (Khawkhah). Only vehicles from FHI 360 office to field sites will be provided.  Yemen. The consultancy may require as much as 50% time in FHI 360 field implementation sites,

Level of Effort: 60 days (approx.). This can include weeks with extended work hours to meet the deliverables to support WASH department needs.

Period of Engagement: June1 – July 31, 2021 (approx.)

Qualifications

• Requires a Bachelor’s degree in engineering and 7+ years of relevant experience; a Masters Business Administration (MBA) or an advanced degree in engineering, finance, business, or related management area, with a minimum of 5 + years of relevant experience is preferred.
• Relevant experience in the engineering design, evaluation of technology, performance modeling/analysis/testing or operations and maintenance of PV and/or other renewable generation facilities.  Previous experience working as a developer, independent engineer, and/or on a performance optimization team is a plus.
• Deep understanding of PV modules and inverters, including first principles understanding of how the design, manufacture, quality control, and installation of these technologies affects PV plant performance and reliability in the short and long-term.  This includes cell design and manufacturing techniques, standards, and quality control programs.
• First principles understanding in module degradation, and project-level useful life.
• Experience in and understanding of statistics.
• Understanding of market trends in technology and technology, installation, and O&M costs.
• Understanding the similarities and differences in the design and modeling of residential, C&I, and utility-scale projects.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to work independently or as part of a team.
• Ability to successfully meet deadlines under pressure.
• Ability to be a successful Supervisor  of a team using proven project management skills preferred.

Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated in accordance with the following criteria:

• Possesses the Qualifications as specified above
• Oral interview
• Sample of work
• Cost reasonableness

FHI 360 Disclaimers

• FHI 360 may perform a background check on any selected Consultant candidates.
• FHI 360 may cancel the solicitation and not award
• FHI 360 may reject any or all responses received
• Issuance of the solicitation does not constitute an award commitment by FHI 360
• FHI 360 reserves the right to disqualify any offer based on failure of the offeror to follow solicitation instructions
• FHI 360 will not compensate any offeror for responding to solicitation
• FHI 360 reserves the right to issue award based on initial evaluation of offers without further discussion
• FHI 360 may choose to award only part of the activities in the solicitation, or issue multiple awards based on the solicitation activities
• FHI 360 reserves the right to waive minor proposal deficiencies that can be corrected prior to award determination to promote competition