Request for Expressions of Interest
Consulting Services
Appraisal, Development and Implementation of Projects in the Climate Sector

Established in 1985, the Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank (TDB) is a multilateral, treaty-based, investment-grade development financial institution with a US$ 7.2 billion portfolio. The Bank’s mandate is to finance and foster trade, regional economic integration and sustainable development through trade finance and infrastructure projects. TDB intervenes in its twenty-two member states, in a range of sectors.

Agence Française de Development (AFD) is an industrial and commercial establishment and a specialized financial institution under French banking law. AFD has been working for over 70 years to foster economic and social development in Southern countries and the French Overseas Communities. It executes the policy defined by the French Government.

TDB has received grant financing from AFD to support the strengthening of TDB’s climate sector engagement. TDB now intends to use part of the funds for consulting services to support the appraisal, development, and implementation of projects in the climate sector.


The objectives of the assignment are as follows:

a) to assist TDB on evaluation of project technical specifications and providing independent technical review of projects under appraisal including but not limited to Project Designs and Bills of Quantities associated with civil and construction works undertaken or to be undertaken (where applicable);

b) to provide technical support in order to improve the bankability of projects including improving feasibility studies and/or business plans of prospective projects including but not limited to geotechinical studies, resource studies, design optimization, evacuation and environmental studies (where applicable);

c) to assist TDB’s in-house project teams in ensuring that any technical due diligence recommendations made by the consultant during the appraisal stage are included in the project documentation and contracts with key project parties, and further properly adopted during the project implementation stage;

d) to ensure that TDB loan disbursements are targeted and milestone based during construction in line with the budget and schedule as well as other indicators;

e) To assess the compliance of the projects against TDB ESMS Commitments, Local Legislation of the Hosting Countries and IFC Performance Standards, and propose ESAP for the closeout of identified GAPS; and
f) to assist in identifying green features of selected projects, quantiy GHG saved for each climate intervention, assess climate-related risks, and propose mitigations.
TDB hereby invites Applicants to show their interest in delivering the Services described above. This Request for Expressions of Interest is open to Consulting firms.

Eligibility criteria to AFD financing are specified in sub-clause 1.3 of the "Procurement Guidelines for AFD Financed Contracts in Foreign Countries", available online on AFD’s website: http://www.afd.fr.
The Applicant shall submit only one application, either in its own name or as a member of a Joint Venture (JV). If an Applicant (including any JV member) submits or participates in more than one application, those applications shall be all rejected. However, the same Subconsultant may participate in several applications.

If the Applicant is a JV, the expression of interest shall include:
 a copy of the JV Agreement entered into by all members,
or
 a letter of intent to execute a JV Agreement, signed by all members together with a copy of the Agreement proposal,

In the absence of this document, the other members will be considered as Subconsultants.

The experiences and qualifications of Subconsultants are not taken into account in the evaluation of the applications.
Interested Applicants must provide information evidencing that they are qualified and experienced to perform the above-described Services. For that purpose, documented evidence of recent and similar services shall be submitted.

Determination of the similarity of the experiences will be based on:
 The contract’s size; EURO 260,000
The Consulting Firm experience and qualifications should meet the following criteria:
a) Must have, in the last 10 years:
i. Completed at least three (3) assignments in relevant projects including the performance of due diligence and technical feasibility of climate projects;
ii. Reviewed loan disbursement requests submitted by banks in at least five (5) assignments and completed (3) assignments in project development
iii. Proven experience in conducting technical review, feasibility studies, gap analysis of projects in the climate sector for a wide range of clients including Development Finance Institutions;
iv. Proven expertise and in-depth knowledge of the climate financing sector, and monitoring of bank-financed projects with successful completion of at least three (3) similar nature assignments

b) Demonstrated experience to identify gaps against any agreed framework and implemented Agreed Action Plans with a diversified range of clients;

c) Demonstrated experience of supervision of climate sector projects for Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) or similar organizations to TDB and in TDB's Member States;

d) Must have relevant experience on at least 3 projects on environmental and social management systems and impact mitigation at the overall level of IFC PS and other international best practices ;

The Client will also take into account for the evaluation of the applications the following items:
a) Have a diversified pool of experts in the technical due diligence field with a particular focus on climate finance debt financing.
b) The .consultant must demonstrate the availability of the following core team of experts;

i. Lead Project Consultant with BSc or Master’s Degree in Engineering or other relevant degree and 10 to 15-years of professional experience in appraising, managing and supervising climate sector projects preferably in Africa,

ii. Climate Expert with BSc or Master’s Degree in Environmental Studies or other relevant degree and at least 10 years of experience in all stages of design, installation, testing and commissioning of climate sector projects in Africa,

iii. Financial and Market Expert with BSc or MA in finance or Management with extensive experience in infrastructure finance and 10 years’ experience in Infrastructure finance (climate, logistics, energy, waste, biodiversity) sectors.

iv. Environmental and Social Expert with BA or Master’s degree in Environmental or Social Studies and 10-years’ experience in Environmental & Social assessment and due diligence and monitoring.
c) Local representatives/partners;
d) The capacity to mobilise additional experts if necessary for specific assignments.

Statement of Integrity, Eligibility and Environmental and Social Responsibility (Appendix to the Request for Expressions of Interest) must be also submitted with the Application, duly signed and unaltered
For a JV, its leader and any member that has its registered office outside the Client's country shall fulfill each of these criteria.
An application that does not meet any of these requirements will be rejected.

Among the submitted applications, TDB will shortlist a maximum of six (6) Applicants, to whom the Request for Proposals to carry out the Services shall be sent.

The Expressions of Interest must be submitted to the email address below, specifying in the subject line: " Climate Sector: Appraisal, Development and Implementation of Projects Consultancy " no later than 3rd October 2022 before 12:00 Nairobi time.
Email: procurement@tdbgroup.org

Interested Applicants may obtain further information at the address below during office hours:
wbtaprocurements@tdbgroup.org
Interested Consultants shall follow up on the TDB's Website and AFD's Website http://afd.dgmarket.com for any supplements that may be issued on the Procurement Notice.


Appendix to The Request for Expressions of Interest
(To be submitted with the application, signed and unaltered)
Statement of Integrity, Eligibility and Environmental and Social Responsibility

Reference of the bid or proposal (the "Contract")
To: (the "Contracting Authority")

1. We recognise and accept that Agence Française de Développement ("AFD") only finances projects of the Contracting Authority subject to its own conditions which are set out in the Financing Agreement which benefits directly or indirectly to the Contracting Authority. As a matter of consequence, no legal relationship exists between AFD and our company, our joint venture or our suppliers, contractors, subcontractors, consultants or subconsultants. The Contracting Authority retains exclusive responsibility for the preparation and implementation of the procurement process and performance of the contract. The Contracting Authority means the Purchaser, the Employer, the Client, as the case may be, for the procurement of goods, works, plants, consulting services or non-consulting services.

2. We hereby certify that neither we nor any other member of our joint venture or any of our suppliers, contractors, subcontractors, consultants or subconsultants are in any of the following situations:

2.1 Being bankrupt, wound up or ceasing our activities, having our activities administered by the courts, having entered into receivership, reorganisation or being in any analogous situation arising from any similar procedure;

2.2 Having been:
a) convicted, within the past five years by a court decision, which has the force of res judicata in the country where the Contract is implemented, of fraud, corruption or of any other offense committed during a procurement process or performance of a contract (in the event of such conviction, you may attach to this Statement of Integrity supporting information showing that this conviction is not relevant in the context of this Contract);
b) subject to an administrative sanction within the past five years by the European Union or by the competent authorities of the country where we are constituted, for fraud, corruption or for any other offense committed during a procurement process or performance of a contract (in the event of such sanction, you may attach to this Statement of Integrity supporting information showing that this sanction is not relevant in the context of this Contract);
c) convicted, within the past five years by a court decision, which has the force of res judicata, of fraud, corruption or of any other offense committed during the procurement process or performance of an AFD-financed contract;

2.3 Being listed for financial sanctions by the United Nations, the European Union and/or France for the purposes of fight-against-terrorist financing or threat to international peace and security;

2.4 Having been subject within the past five years to a contract termination fully settled against us for significant or persistent failure to comply with our contractual obligations during contract performance, unless this termination was challenged and dispute resolution is still pending or has not confirmed a full settlement against us;

2.5 Not having fulfilled our fiscal obligations regarding payments of taxes in accordance with the legal provisions of either the country where we are constituted or the Contracting Authority's country;

2.6 Being subject to an exclusion decision of the World Bank and being listed on the website http://www.worldbank.org/debarr (in the event of such exclusion, you may attach to this Statement of Integrity supporting information showing that this exclusion is not relevant in the context of this Contract);

2.7 Having created false documents or committed misrepresentation in documentation requested by the Contracting Authority as part of the procurement process of this Contract.

3. We hereby certify that neither we, nor any of the members of our joint venture or any of our suppliers, contractors, subcontractors, consultants or subconsultants are in any of the following situations of conflict of interest:

3.1 Being an affiliate controlled by the Contracting Authority or a shareholder controlling the Contracting Authority, unless the stemming conflict of interest has been brought to the attention of AFD and resolved to its satisfaction;

3.2 Having a business or family relationship with a Contracting Authority's staff involved in the procurement process or the supervision of the resulting Contract, unless the stemming conflict of interest has been brought to the attention of AFD and resolved to its satisfaction;

3.3 Being controlled by or controlling another bidder or consultant, or being under common control with another bidder or consultant, or receiving from or granting subsidies directly or indirectly to another bidder or consultant, having the same legal representative as another bidder or consultant, maintaining direct or indirect contacts with another bidder or consultant which allows us to have or give access to information contained in the respective applications, bids or proposals, influencing them or influencing decisions of the Contracting Authority;

3.4 Being engaged in a consulting services activity, which, by its nature, may be in conflict with the assignments that we would carry out for the Contracting Authority;

3.5 In the case of procurement of goods, works or plants:
a) Having prepared or having been associated with a consultant who prepared specifications, drawings, calculations and other documentation to be used in the procurement process of this Contract;
b) Having been recruited (or being proposed to be recruited) ourselves or any of our affiliates, to carry out works supervision or inspection for this Contract.

4. If we are a state-owned entity, and to compete in a procurement process, we certify that we have legal and financial autonomy and that we operate under commercial laws and regulations.

5. We undertake to bring to the attention of the Contracting Authority, which will inform AFD, any change in situation with regard to points 2 to 4 here above.

6. In the context of the procurement process and performance of the corresponding contract:

6.1 We have not and we will not engage in any dishonest conduct (act or omission) deliberately indented to deceive others, to intentionally conceal items, to violate or vitiate someone's consent, to make them circumvent legal or regulatory requirements and/or to violate their internal rules in order to obtain illegitimate profit;

6.2 We have not and we will not engage in any dishonest conduct (act or omission) contrary to our legal or regulatory obligations or our internal rules in order to obtain illegitimate profit;

6.3 We have not promised, offered or given and we will not promise, offer or give, directly or indirectly to (i) any Person who holds a legislative, executive, administrative or judicial mandate within the State of the Contracting Authority regardless of whether that Person was nominated or elected, regardless of the permanent or temporary, paid or unpaid nature of the position and regardless of the hierarchical level the Person occupies, (ii) any other Person who performs a public function, including for a State institution or a State owned company, or who provides a public service, or (iii) any other person defined as a Public Officer by the national laws of the Contracting Authority’s country, an undue advantage of any kind, for himself or for another Person or entity, for such Public Officer to act or refrain from acting in his official capacity;

6.4 We have not promised, offered or given and we will not promise, offer or give, directly or indirectly to any Person who occupies an executive position in a private sector entity or works for such an entity, regardless of the nature of his/her capacity, any undue advantage of any kind, for himself or another Person or entity for such Person to perform or refrain from performing any act in breach of its legal, contractual or professional obligations;

6.5 We have not and we will not engage in any practice likely to influence the contract award process to the detriment of the Contracting Authority and, in particular, in any anti competitive practice having for object or for effect to prevent, restrict or distort competition, namely by limiting access to the market or the free exercise of competition by other undertakings;

6.6 Neither we nor any of the members of our joint venture or any of our suppliers, contractors, subcontractors, consultants, or subconsultants shall acquire or supply any equipment nor operate in any sectors under an embargo of the United Nations, the European Union or France;

6.7 We commit ourselves to comply with and ensure that all of our suppliers, contractors, subcontractors, consultants or subconsultants comply with international environmental and labour standards, consistent with laws and regulations applicable in the country of implementation of the Contract, including the fundamental conventions of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and international environmental treaties. Moreover, we shall implement environmental and social risks mitigation measures when specified in the environmental and social commitment plan (ESCP) provided by the Contracting Authority.

7. We, as well as members of our joint venture and our suppliers, contractors, subcontractors, consultants or subconsultants authorize AFD to inspect accounts, records and other documents relating to the procurement process and performance of the contract and to have them audited by auditors appointed by AFD.

Name: In the capacity of:
Duly empowered to sign in the name and on behalf of :
Signature:
Dated: