Request for Proposal (RFP) for the Provision of Consultancy Services to Double Energy Efficiency Consumer Awareness & Advancing Efficiency-First Approach in India

New clarification added: Dear Bidders,We confirm that all returnable forms are available under "3. Section III_Returnable Bidding Forms_RFP_2026_63874.docx". The following forms must be submtted:Form A: Proposal Submission FormForm B: Financial Proposal FormForm C: Technical Proposal FormForm D: Format for Resume of Proposed Key PersonnelForm E: Performance Statement FormForm F: United Nations Supplier code of conduct declaration of eligibilityForm G: Joint Venture Partner Information FormForm H: Self Disclosure FormA separate document titled "Technical Proposal" must be submitted in addition to "Form C: Technical Proposal Form". Both, Form C and Technical Proposal, are mandatory. By signing Form C, the bidders acknowledge the techncial criteria and their respective scoring. The Technical Propsal must include all details for the successful execution of the work (e.g., approach/methodology, work plan, proposed team, etc).Best regards,UNOPS Procurement Team

New clarification added: 11. Are bidders expected to develop digital tools/calculators/dashboards for lifecycle costing, monitoring, and reporting purposes?UNOPS Response:The ToR does not prescribe specific digital tools, calculators, dashboards, or other solution formats. Bidders are encouraged to propose any impactful and innovative solutions, where appropriate, that effectively support the achievement of the assignment objectives, enhance implementation, facilitate monitoring and reporting, strengthen stakeholder engagement, and promote the practical uptake and sustainability of project outcomes. Such proposals should be adequately justified in the technical and financial proposal.12. Should all travel, accommodation, per diem, workshop venue, logistics, and event management costs be included within the financial proposal?UNOPS Response:Yes. Bidders should include all costs necessary for the successful delivery of the assignment, including travel, accommodation, workshop and event costs, venue hire, logistics, and any other associated implementation expenses, unless otherwise specified in the ToR.13. Have the locations for the required nationwide workshops and capacity-building programmes already been identified? If yes, can the indicative locations be shared?UNOPS Response:No specific locations have been finalized at this stage. Workshop and programme locations will be determined during implementation in consultation with SEforALL/UNOPS and relevant stakeholders. Bidders should make reasonable assumptions in preparing their proposals and are encouraged to propose locations, regions, and partner institutions that offer high potential for impact, scalability, replication, and adoption of the assignment outputs. The rationale for the proposed geographic focus and stakeholder engagement approach should be clearly articulated in the technical proposal.14. Several outputs require nationwide trainings, awareness campaigns, and dissemination activities. Please clarify whether participant mobilization and government nominations will be facilitated by SEforALL/BEE.UNOPS Response:SEforALL/UNOPS may provide reasonable support in stakeholder outreach and engagement where appropriate. However, bidders should assume responsibility for planning and executing participant mobilization and coordination activities necessary for successful delivery of the assignment.15. Please confirm whether costs related to media buying, campaign dissemination, workshop venues, participant logistics, translation into regional languages, printing, and digital platform development should be included in the financial proposal or will be covered separately.UNOPS Response:Bidders should include all costs required to deliver their proposed methodology and achieve the assignment objectives within their financial proposal, including costs related to communications, dissemination, event delivery, translations, printing, digital platforms, and any other associated activities they propose under the scope of work.16. Minimum Qualifications for Team LeadAdvanced university degree (Master's or higher) in Energy Policy, Economics, Public Policy,Engineering, Environmental Studies/Planning/Science, Development Studies, or a related field.Please confirm whether MBA will qualify for the role.UNOPS Response:An MBA may be considered acceptable provided it is from a recognized institution and demonstrates relevance to the assignment objectives. Compliance with the minimum qualification requirements will be assessed based on the overall academic background and professional experience of the proposed Team Lead as presented in the proposal.Best regards,UNOPS Procurement Team

New clarification added: Does the assignment envisage engagement across all States/UTs or a selected group of priority states? If selected, will the list of states be provided by the Client?UNOPS Response:The assignment is expected to support activities at the national level and across selected states, as required to achieve the objectives of the project. The specific states and locations for engagement will be identified during implementation in consultation with SEforALL/UNOPS and relevant stakeholders. Bidders should propose a flexible approach that can be adapted to varying geographic requirements. Will SEforALL and/or BEE facilitate stakeholder engagement through official communication, nominations, and meeting coordination with government entities?UNOPS Response:SEforALL/UNOPS will provide reasonable support in facilitating engagement with key stakeholders where appropriate. However, bidders are expected to proactively plan, coordinate, and manage stakeholder engagement activities required for successful implementation of the assignment. The ToR requires delivery of 10 capacity-building programme sessions. Please clarify whether these sessions are expected to be conducted physically, virtually, or in a hybrid format.UNOPS Response:The capacity-building programme sessions are expected to be conducted in person (physical format). Bidders should plan and budget for the delivery of all sessions as physical events, including all associated venue, logistics, travel, accommodation, and event management requirements necessary for successful implementation. What is the expected participant profile and expected number of participants per capacity-building session?UNOPS Response:The participant profile and number of participants will vary depending on the specific programme objectives and target audience. These may include representatives from government agencies, public institutions, utilities, industry, academia, and other relevant stakeholders. Bidders should propose reasonable assumptions and an appropriate approach to ensure effective delivery of the capacity-building programmes. Have any national or state administrative training institutes already been identified for integration of EE-First content into existing training programmes?UNOPS Response:No specific training institutes have been pre-identified at this stage. The identification and engagement of relevant national and state-level training institutions will be undertaken during implementation in consultation with SEforALL/UNOPS and other relevant stakeholders. Is the consultant expected to develop Training-of-Trainers (ToT) modules as part of the institutional integration plan?UNOPS Response:Bidders are encouraged to propose any capacity-building methodologies, including Training-of-Trainers approaches, that they consider effective in achieving the objectives of institutional integration and long-term sustainability of the programme outcomes. Is the consultant expected only to develop communication assets and campaign toolkits, or also to implement and manage nationwide dissemination activities?UNOPS Response:The scope includes both the development of communication assets and support for dissemination activities as required to achieve the communications and outreach objectives of the assignment. Bidders should propose an appropriate implementation approach, including dissemination strategies, in their technical and financial proposals. Will the Client provide any baseline consumer awareness and behavioural data to support campaign design and measurement?UNOPS Response:Any relevant information and data available with SEforALL/UNOPS may be shared during implementation, subject to availability. However, bidders should not assume the provision of baseline data and are encouraged to propose an appropriate methodology for undertaking any required assessments or baseline analysis. Is there an expectation that the procurement guidelines developed under the assignment will be formally notified, adopted, or endorsed by central and/or state government entities?UNOPS Response:The assignment seeks to support the development of procurement guidelines and related tools with the objective of facilitating their practical uptake and application by relevant government stakeholders. While any formal notification, adoption, or endorsement will remain subject to the respective government processes and decisions, the assignment is expected to pursue tangible outcomes and support pathways for implementation, institutionalization, and wider adoption of the developed guidelines and tools. What level of detail is expected for the state-specific procurement tools, reporting modules, and guidance materials?UNOPS Response:Bidders are expected to propose fit-for-purpose tools, templates, reporting modules, and guidance materials that support effective implementation of the project objectives at the state level. The detailed scope and specifications will be refined during implementation in consultation with SEforALL/UNOPS.Best regards,UNOPS Procurement Team  

New clarification added: 1. Form F: The “Previous Experience Form” is referenced in the RFP; however, it is not included in Section III – Returnable Bidding Forms (RFP/2026/63874). Could you please share the prescribed Form F template.UNOPS Response:Form F will be uploaded shortly.2. The ToR requires delivery of 10 capacity-building programme sessions under Output 2 and programmes across 10 locations under Output 4. What is the expected number of participants and expected duration for each programme/session?UNOPS Response:The number of participants and duration of each capacity-building programme/session are not predefined in the ToR and may vary depending on the target audience, location, and specific objectives of the activity. Bidders are expected to propose an appropriate approach, including assumptions regarding participant numbers, session duration, and delivery format, to ensure effective achievement of the intended outcomes. The proposed approach should be adequately reflected in the technical and financial proposal.3. Could you please clarify whether participants’ travel, accommodation, and other participation-related costs will be borne by the consultant, SEforALL/UNOPS, or the participants themselves? We understand that the consultant’s responsibility is limited to arranging the programme logistics, including the venue and on-site arrangements; please confirm.UNOPS Response:Yes, the bidder's scope includes all programme-related costs, including participant travel, accommodation, logistics, venue arrangements, and other associated expenses. Bidders are expected to account for these costs in their financial proposals.4. The ToR requires the development and dissemination of multimedia content and social media assets under Output 3. Could you clarify the number of multimedia content required to be developed. Could you clarify target audiences, geographies, languages, channels, deliverables and approval responsibilities?UNOPS Response:The specific number, format, and scope of multimedia content and social media assets are not predefined and will be determined during implementation based on project requirements and communications objectives. Target audiences, geographies, languages, dissemination channels, and associated deliverables will be identified and agreed upon in consultation with SEforALL/UNOPS. Bidders are encouraged to propose an appropriate and flexible approach for the development and dissemination of content. All materials will be subject to review and approval by SEforALL/UNOPS prior to publication or dissemination.5. Could you confirm whether the maximum level of effort of 900 person-days is an indicative estimate for the 18-month assignment?UNOPS Response:The 900 person-days indicated in the ToR are provided as an indicative estimate of the anticipated level of effort for the 18-month assignment. Bidders are encouraged to propose the staffing mix, level of effort, and implementation approach they consider most appropriate to achieve the assignment objectives and deliver the required outputs. The proposed level of effort should be adequately justified in the technical and financial proposal.6. Could you clarify whether there is an indicative budget ceiling for the assignment?UNOPS Response:Bidders are encouraged to propose a competitive and realistic budget commensurate with their proposed methodology, team composition, and level of effort required to deliver the assignment objectives.7. We request an extension of the proposal submission deadline to allow sufficient time to assemble the most suitable team, prepare a strong proposal, and complete the required internal compliance procedures.UNOPS Response:The submission deadline has been extended until October 14, 2026, 12:00 UTC/14:00 CEST.Best regards,UNOPS Procurement Team

New clarification added: Dear Bidders,Please be informed that the deadline of the proposal submission has been extended until October 14, 2026, 12:00 UTC/14:00 CEST.Best Regards,UNOPS Procurement Team

New amendment added #1: Dear Sir/Madam,Please be informed that the deadline of the proposal submission has been extended until October 14, 2026, 12:00 UTC/14:00 CEST.Best Regards,UNOPS Procurement Team