Iraq: International Individual Consultant - International Expert - Private Sector Engagement for Renewable Energy

May 14, 2022 | United Nations Development Programme
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The United Nations Development Programme is a United Nations organization tasked with helping countries eliminate poverty and achieve sustainable economic growth and human development.

Please read all details around scope, requirements, and evaluation criteria included in the TOR at the provided link.

Background

1. Facility for Economic Reform (FFEER)

Facility for Economic Reform (FFER) is a programme of support financed by the USAID and implemented by the UNDP to support the Government of Iraq (Federal) and the Kurdistan region in carrying out their economic reform agenda. Given the high importance of Climate Change, Environment and Energy issues to the reforms, based upon request of the GoI, the USAID and UNDP have agreed to provide advisory support on a number of aspects of the climate change adaptation and mitigation, especially with regards to formulation of policies and strategies.

2. Assignment Context:

Iraq is recognized as one of the most affected countries by the harmful effects of climate change. The average temperature is expected to rise by two Celsius degrees and the rainfall is expected to fall by 9% by 2050 due to climate change. Iraq ratified the UNFCCC in the end of 2009 to start its paradigm shift plan to develop non-fossil fuel – dependent industries and develop renewable energy plans and strategies as well as design its national adaptation plan to tackle climate change.

Iraq Vision 2030 is in alignment with the environmental goal to create a clean, safe and sustainable environment for the current and future generations.  Iraq ratified the Paris Agreement on January 14, 2021. President Saleh said at the United Nations Climate Ambition Summit; “This move marks the Iraqi government’s intention to shift from relying heavily on oil to more renewable energy sources.”

Iraq has approved its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), which define Iraq’s strategic objectives and commitments towards climate change adaptation and mitigation. Iraq plans for transition towards green economy. More than ever before, it recognizes that a healthy and sustainable economy is that the diversified and green one, this includes renewable energy and environmentally-sound technologies and enhance the resilience of communities most vulnerable to climate change.

According to the NDC, Iraq aims to achieve reduction between 1% and 2% of its total emissions between 2021 to 2030 through the national effort and 15% subject to the international financial and technical support. Iraq aims to develop its National Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) with priority to the electricity sector by investing in renewable energies of up to 12 GW based on the Cabinet's economic decisions for 2021.

To support the GoI with implementing its NDC and NAMA, UNDP FFER-Federal is seeking an international expert with following scope of work and qualifications.

Duties and Responsibilities

3. Scope of Work

The overall objective of this assignment is to support the Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Electricity and other line ministries of the Federal government in developing a coherent framework for effective engagement of private sector in boosting renewable energy in Iraq.

The work under this consultancy will help to review existing private sector engagement process related to renewable energy investments and identify the gaps and opportunities for effective engagement and implementation of PPP model.

For the duration of this post, the expert will be working under the overall guidance and supervision of the special advisor to the Minister of Environment/Ministry of Electricity, as well as in coordination with the Portfolio Manager of the UNDP EECC pillar and Project Manager of the FFER-Federal Project.

Key duties and responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

• Conduct desktop review of existing PPP policies that relates to use of available feasible Renewable Energy Resources in Iraq at both national and provisional levels, and identify policy types and levels of its application of policy in Iraq.
• Conduct consultation process with stakeholders including private sector investor in renewable energy any relevant government authorities. The purpose of the consultation is to identify gaps and opportunities for effective private sector engagement in boosting renewable energy in Iraq;
• Analyse market barrier for renewable energy in Iraq and identify incentives that enable renewable energy boost
• Provide input to the legal team to reflect on private sector perspectives in new legislations and incentives 
• Develop and provide the Ministry of Electricity with a toolkit which is intended to be a key reference guide for public authorities for the development of the PPP program in renewable energy, these include

• Principal characteristics of PPP projects and describes the process of tailoring the PPP project to its environment;
• Presents tools required to meet international procurement standards in dealing with Public Private Partnerships;
• Assess all the factors and risks that may impact the Project’s abilities and ensure that risks are adequately mitigated;
• Describes the public sector functions under PPP in order to ensure protection of the public interest;
• Define project basic design with performance specifications and project boundaries;
• Define and standardize the different phases of the procurement process.

• Provides a comprehensive approach to implementing renewable energy PPP at the project level through a description of the key stages for development of a specific PPP project from project identification, preparation, tendering and contract monitoring and negotiation. This include:

• With cooperation with the affiliated authority, Identification, Prioritization and Selection of a pilot PPP in the electricity sector;
• Feasibility Studies to ensure the selected project is well designed and can be successfully tendered and implemented;
• Provide hands-on support to the concerned authority to develop and establish a Term of Reference for the selected project;
• Allocate the risks of the venture fairly between the private and public sector, based on each entity's abilities to manage these risks;
• Ensure the proper preparation, structuring, negotiation, financing and implementing of the PPP;
• Prequalification of bidders, bidding and bid evaluation process and gives advice on dealing with the preferred bidder(s).

4. Key Deliverables Expected:

The consultant is expected to prepare a detailed work plan in coordination with the Government counterparts (Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Electricity and others as needed) and the Portfolio Manager of EECC, UNDP. It should be noted that the following list of deliverables might be subject to review and revision by UNDP in discussion with the consultant in the event of unexpected changes to the context or request from the Government of Iraq during the consultancy period. Payments will be made on deliverable basis upon acceptance and approval by UNDP of the planned deliverables. In case the quality of deliverables is not satisfactory to the UNDP or the GoI, the payments may not be processed until the satisfactory completion of works.

The expenditures for mission travel will be paid separately upon submission of the relevant documents and receipts duly approved by the Supervisor.

5. Location and Timeframe for The Assignment Process

An assignment implementation workplan will be agreed-upon between the Consultant and UNDP. The assignment will take place between May 2022 – April 2023. The security situation in each location will be reviewed to make a decision on different activities. The assignment and final deliverables are expected to be completed no later than 30th April 2023 as per the details in the Scope of Work and the Deliverables tables. The consultant may carryout certain activities from home, however, the consultant will have to travel to Iraq (Baghdad, Basra, Erbil and other places) for completion of certain activities, meetings, interviews, consultations, training and presentations.

6. Management and Implementation Arrangements

The assignment is commissioned by UNDP Iraq’s Energy, Environment and Climate Change Pillar (EECC) with funding from the FFER Project. The main UNDP Focal Point will be the Portfolio Manager (PM) of the EECC pillar. The Portfolio Manager will serve as the focal point to provide substantive and logistical support to the Consultant/s. Assistance will be provided by the PM to make any refinements to the work plan of the selected Consultant/s (i.e. coordination with target entities, access to relevant documents, survey coordination and organization of interviews). This TOR shall be the basis upon which compliance with assignment requirements and overall quality of services provided by the Consultant will be assessed by UNDP.

As part of the assignment:

• UNDP will provide office space with access to the internet and printer when in-country
• UNDP will provide the following list of additional documents to the selected Consultant

• Share any relevant reports or documents 
• Connect to the Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Electricity and any other relevant stakeholders
• Support in the holding of stakeholder consultations

The Consultant is expected to

• Have/bring their laptops, and other relevant software/equipment.
• Use their own mobile and personal email address during the consultancy period, including when in-country.
• Make their own travel arrangements to fly to Baghdad and transportation arrangements outside work hours.  UNDP will make arrangements for in-country travel to any other locations, as required.

UNDP will make arrangements for interpretation services locally, as required

Competencies

7. Required Competencies, Qualifications and Experience:

The consultant will require the following qualifications, experience, competencies and language skills. Only applicants who meet these criteria will be short-listed and will be contacted.

A. Education and Professional Qualifications Required:

• A Master’s Degree or equivalent in business development, laws, Energy, Climate Change, Economics, or related field.

B. Experience Required:

• At least 10 years of relevant working experience in Public Private Partnerships, business development, laws, energy and climate change-reform work, with past actual experience of working in renewable energy private sector engagement;
• Expertise in conducting situation analyses and needs assessments related to private sector engagements in developing countries;
• Demonstrated expertise in mobilizing public-private partnerships for energy transition and renewable energy;
• Experience in facilitating dialogue among multidisciplinary stakeholders at a high political level to formulate, validate and adopt reform priorities;
• Experience of work in resource rich economies and conflict-affected states would be an advantage.
• Experience with and knowledge of UNDP policies and procedures.
• Experience with UN or international organization working in Iraq would be an advantage
• Fluency in written and oral English required
• Fluency in Arabic an advantage

Documents to be included when submitting the proposals:

Interested international Consultant must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications in one single PDF document:

• Personal CV or P11, indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references.

All materials developed will remain the copyright of UNDP Iraq.  UNDP Iraq will be free to adapt and modify them in the future.

Annexes (click on the hyperlink to access the documents):

• Annex 1 - IC Contract Template (for information);
• Annex 2 – IC General Terms and Conditions (for information);
• Annex 3 – RLA Template (if consultant wishes to be recruited through an employer) - (for information).
• Annex 4 _ Code of conduct forms (The Consultant Firm and each member of the Assessment Team consultant will be requested to read carefully, understand and sign the “UN Code of Conduct”).