REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST (2022/EOI/003) FOR THE SOLARIZATION OF UNHCR DEEP FIELD COMPOUNDS - ETHIOPIA

1.    Purpose of this document

UNHCR seeks qualified companies for the provision of solar electricity as a service. The purpose of this Expression of Interest (EOI) is to:

a.     Obtain information on the experience, expertise, capability and financial resources of interested companies/consortia; and

b.     Establish a shortlist of pre-qualified bidders for the next tender stage.

This tender will be run as a two-stage process with this first EOI stage followed by a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the pre-qualified bidders, which is planned to be launched during Q2 2022.

2.    Project background

UNHCR is committed to improve its environmental performance, climate compatibility and resource efficiency by reducing its use of fossil fuels, purchasing green energy from reliable suppliers and undertaking other sustainability initiatives. However, the upfront investment needed to support such a transition to clean energy and sustainable infrastructure can be significant and for UNHCR to provide this, it would compete for limited resources with humanitarian priorities.

UNHCR’s compounds, premises, and offices generate greenhouse gas emissions amounting to an estimated 97,136 tons of CO2 annually. One major source of emissions is linked to the fact that UNHCR runs diesel generators, particularly in large field compounds in ‘deep field’ Africa operations. Converting these compounds to solar energy could have both a positive carbon impact and a positive financial impact, since solar energy is expected to be cheaper than existing diesel/fossil fuel generation in many geographies.

The compounds considered for solarization under this tender generally comprise offices hosting UNHCR’s administrative, support and management services and, in certain locations, accommodation hosting UNHCR staff and/or partner organizations’ premises. Although adjacent to or located near the operational sites managed by UNHCR, compounds are distinct from the actual sites hosting refugee communities.

1.    Purpose of this document

UNHCR seeks qualified companies for the provision of solar electricity as a service. The purpose of this Expression of Interest (EOI) is to:

a.     Obtain information on the experience, expertise, capability and financial resources of interested companies/consortia; and

b.     Establish a shortlist of pre-qualified bidders for the next tender stage.

This tender will be run as a two-stage process with this first EOI stage followed by a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the pre-qualified bidders, which is planned to be launched during Q2 2022.

2.    Project background

UNHCR is committed to improve its environmental performance, climate compatibility and resource efficiency by reducing its use of fossil fuels, purchasing green energy from reliable suppliers and undertaking other sustainability initiatives. However, the upfront investment needed to support such a transition to clean energy and sustainable infrastructure can be significant and for UNHCR to provide this, it would compete for limited resources with humanitarian priorities.

UNHCR’s compounds, premises, and offices generate greenhouse gas emissions amounting to an estimated 97,136 tons of CO2 annually. One major source of emissions is linked to the fact that UNHCR runs diesel generators, particularly in large field compounds in ‘deep field’ Africa operations. Converting these compounds to solar energy could have both a positive carbon impact and a positive financial impact, since solar energy is expected to be cheaper than existing diesel/fossil fuel generation in many geographies.

The compounds considered for solarization under this tender generally comprise offices hosting UNHCR’s administrative, support and management services and, in certain locations, accommodation hosting UNHCR staff and/or partner organizations’ premises. Although adjacent to or located near the operational sites managed by UNHCR, compounds are distinct from the actual sites hosting refugee communities.

In close collaboration with the German Cooperation (GIZ), UNHCR has conducted a first round of competitive procurement of electricity from private sector independent power producers (IPPs) for a first set of diesel-powered operations in East Africa.