Rural Electrification Agency (REA)- Invitation For Prequalification For The Africa Minigrids Program Grant For Pilot Minigrids In Rural Communities And Agricultural Value Chains Through A Public Private Partnership (PPP) Model (6 Lots)

DEADLINE: 17TH AUGUST, 2023
RURAL ELECTRIFICATION AGENCY (REA)
GEF-UNDP-REA AFRICA MINIGRIDS PROGRAM (AMP)
PROJECT MANAGEMENT UNIT-RURAL ELECTRIFICATION FUND
INVITATION FOR PRE-QUALIFICATION FOR THE AFRICA MINIGRIDS PROGRAM GRANT FOR PILOT MINIGRIDS IN RURAL COMMUNITIES AND AGRICULTURAL VALUE CHAINS THROUGH A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP (PPP) MODEL

(1.0) INTRODUCTION
The Africa Minigrids Program (AMP) is a country-led technical assistance program for minigrids, active in an initial 21 African countries. With Global Environment Facility (GEF) funding, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) will be implementing the program together with Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) and the African Development Bank (AfDB), linking up with a wide array of minigrid stakeholders in Africa and beyond. The objective of the programme is to support access to clean energy by increasing the financial viability, and promoting scaled-up commercial investment, in low- carbon minigrids in Africa with a focus on cost reduction levers and innovative business models.

The AMP Nigeria National Project is implemented by the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) through the Rural Electrification Agency (REA). The AMP is designed to implement the Agency’s Energising Agriculture Programme (EAP) which aims to address the gaps in one of REA’s strategic priorities of focusing on the unserved and underserved to increase economic opportunities through  agriculture and productive sectors in rural communities across the country.

In furtherance of these objectives, the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) hereby invites reputable and interested minigrid developers for Prequalification to deploy pilot solar PV minigrids to ground-truth the electrification of rural communities and agricultural value chains and establish the most appropriate business models for accelerating access to electricity to (rural and underserved areas across Nigeria.

(2.0) SCOPE OF WORK
(2.1) The projects are broadly categorized and identified as Lots representing each of the six (6) geopolitical zones in Nigeria:

(2.2) Each Lot is further divided into three (3) Sub-lots representing projects based on three agricultural value chain categories:

SUB-LOT A: Grain Processing Value Chains (Rice. Maize, Millet etc.)

SUB-LOT B: Non-Grain Processing Value Chains (Cassava, Oil Palm, Cocoa etc.)

SUB-LOT C: Cold Storage Value Chains (fruits, vegetables, milk etc.)

(2.3) The projects are to be funded through a one-off partial capital grant operated on a commercial arrangement, based on sustainable business models in rural and underserved communities with significant agricultural value addition activities.

(3.0) ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
(3.1) Applicants are required to submit genuine copies of the following documents as proof of their eligibility:

(i) Certificate of incorporation with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) including copies of CAC forms 1.1, C02, and C07 attached.

(ii) Three (3) years Company Income Tax Clearance Certificate (2020, 2021 and 2022) expiring 31st December, 2023

(iii) Three (3) years1 audited account (2020, 2021, 2022) and statement of management account for Q1 2023.

(iv) Sworn Affidavit:

(a) Disclosing whether or not any officer of the relevant committees of Rural Electrification Agency or the Bureau of Public Procurement is a former or present Director, stakeholder or has any pecuniary interest in the applicant.

(b) That the company is presently NOT in receivership or subject to any form of insolvency or bankruptcy or winding up petition or proceedings.

(c) That no Director of the company has ever been convicted in any country of any criminal offense bordering on fraud or financial impropriety; and

(d) To confirm that all information presented in its application are true and correct in all particular.

(v) Evidence of current Pension Compliance Certificate valid until 31st December, 2023.

(vi) Evidence of Industrial Training Fund (ITF) Compliance Certificate valid until 31st December, 2023.

(vii) Current Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) Compliance Certificate valid until 31st December, 2023.

(viii) Evidence of registration on the National Database of Federal project developers, consultants, and service providers by submission of Interim Registration Report (IRR) expiring on 31st December, 2023 or valid Certificate issued by the Bureau of Public Procurement.

(ix) Current valid NEMSA License for project developers in the Electric Power Sector issued by the National Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA).

(x) Evidence of financial capability to execute the project by submission of reference letter and statement of account from a reputable commercial bank in Nigeria, indicating a willingness to provide credit facility for the execution of the project when needed.

(xi) Duly executed Power of attorney or Board Resolution authorizing a designated officer of the company to act as a representative and to bind the company by signing all bids, contract agreement, and other documents with REA on behalf of the company, duly signed by the chairman and secretary.

(xii) Covering/forwarding letter on the company’s letterhead paper, bearing among other things the Registration Number (RC) as issued by Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Contact Address, Telephone Number (Preferable mobile No.) and Email Address. The Letterhead paper must indicate the names and Nationalities of the Directors of the company at the bottom of the page duly signed by the authorized person of the company.

(3.2) Applicants are required to fulfil the following technical and financial requirements and provide documents as proof.

(i) Applicant’s company profile showing capacity in renewable energy, off-grid or rural electrification and agriculture value addition

(ii) CVs and professional certificates of 5 key personnel of the applicant comprising of:

(a) 3 experts (at least 1 female and 1 being a COREN registered Electrical Engineer) with a minimum of 5 years’ experience relevant to design, building, operations, and maintenance of Solar PV minigrid: and

(b) 2 experts (at least 1 female) with a minimum of 3 years experience relevant to the implementation of Solar powered equipment in agricultural value chains

(iii) Verifiable evidence of the applicant’s experience on 3 projects in the past 7 years relevant to:

(a) design, building, operation and maintenance of Solar PV mini grids

(b) deployment of Solar PV minigrids in rural communities

(c) implementation of Solar powered equipment for use in the agricultural value chain

(d) acquisition of grants equity, or debt for implementation of solar PV minigrid or agricultural value chain projects.

(3.3) In case of a Joint Venture or Consortium applicant:

(i) All parties must submit the eligibility requirements as listed in 3.1 (i) and 3.1 (iv) above.

(ii) Only the Lead Member should submit the eligibility requirements as listed in 3.1 (v) to 3.1 (xii) above.

(iii) All parties must submit a board resolution and letter authorizing the Joint Venture or Consortium.

(4.0) RESPONSE TO INVITATION FOR PREQUALIFICATION
(4.1) Interested applicants are requested to respond to this Invitation for Prequalification – with all required documents as stated in section 3.0 – through the following end-to-end Web-based Grant Management Platform: https://grants.amp.gefundp.rea.gov.ng

(4.2) Submission deadline is 1:00 pm (WAT) on Thursday, 17 August, 2023. applicants, Applications received after the deadline will not be considered. Documents sent by hand will not be accepted.

(4.3) Further instructions and the prequalification document are available on the Web-based Application Platform.

(4.4) Deadline for submitting requests for clarifications or questions /queries about the contents of the Prequalification application is Thursday 10 August, 2023. Answers to questions/inquiries will also be posted on the Application Platform.

(5.0) OPENING OF PREQUALIFICATION RESPONSES
(5.1) Submissions will be opened in a hybrid physical-virtual ceremony in the presence of the applicants’ designated representatives at 1.00pm (WAT) on Thursday, 17 August, 2023.

(5.2) Further information on the Opening will be provided on the Platform to each applicant upon submission of the application.

(6.0) EVALUATION OF APPLICATIONS
(6.1) The Agency shall use the factors, methods, criteria, and requirements defined in the Evaluation Criteria attached to the prequalification document to evaluate the qualification of the Applicants.

(6.2) The evaluation will focus on (i) eligibility and (ii) technical and financial capacity of applicants to deliver the project – as demonstrated by the Applicant’s responses in the forms attached to the Prequalification document.

(6.3) Following a thorough evaluation of the submissions, the Agency shall send a notification of the results of the Prequalification to the applicants via the Grant Management Platform and issue a public notice of the names of the shortlisted developers.

(6.4) An invitation to Request for Grant (RfG) shall be sent to the prequalified applicants – via the Grant Management Platform – containing the bidding document and other associated documents.

(6.5) A Bidder’s Workshop shall be organised to prepare the bidders for the submission of the technical, socio-economic, and financial bids in the Request for Grant (RfG).

(7.0) IMPORTANT GENERAL INFORMATION
(7.1) Prequalification responses must be in English language and signed by an official authorized to so do by the applicant.

(7.2) Each applicant is required to apply for 2 Lots and 2 sub-lots under each Lot making a total of 4 sub-lots.

(7.3) Only shortlisted applicants will be invited later to submit a detailed technical, socio-economic, and financial bid in the Request for Grant (RfG).

(7.4) Companies found to have the same directors or personnel shall be disqualified.

(7.5) Failure to adhere to the instructions in the Prequalification Document adopted for this Procurement shall result in disqualification. It is mandatory to complete all the relevant sections of the Prequalification Document.

(7.6) Project developers with a history of abandonment / non-completion of rural electrification projects or other government contracts shall be disqualified.

(7.7) Submission of fake documents in support of an application may lead to prosecution as all documents received shall be referred to the issuing authorities and/or security agencies for verification.

(8.0) DISCLAIMER
(8.1) This advertisement is published only for information purposes and does not constitute an offer, commitment, or obligation by REA to transact with any party nor entitle any project developers to make any claims, whatsoever, or seek any indemnity from the Agency.

(8.2) The applicant shall bear all costs and expenses incurred in connection with the preparation of documents or submissions made in response to this invitation or in response to any inquiry or clarification arising from this exercise The Agency will in no case be responsible or liable for those costs, regardless of the conduct or outcome of the prequalification process.

(8.3) REA reserves the right to adjust the project scope at any time prior to conclusion of the procurement process, and cancel the procurement proceedings in the public interest, without incurring any liability to the applicants.

(9.0) ENQUIRIES
All enquiries and requests for clarification regarding this publication may be directed to:

PROJECT MANAGER,
AFRICA MINIGRIDS PROGRAM (AMP)
RURAL ELECTRIFICATION AGENCY,
22 FREETOWN STREET, WUSE 2, ABUJA
E-mail: amp@rea.gov.ng
SIGNED:MANAGING DIRECTOR/CEO, REA