Procurement of Consultancy Services for the Feasibility Study Phase I: Lobito Co

Introduction

This TOR governs Phase 1 of a two-phase consultancy engagement. Phase 1, covered by this document, focuses on creating the preferred project technical and financing configuration. Phase 2, to be undertaken at a later stage and covered under a separate TOR, will commission the detailed feasibility study, full ESIA/ESMP, RAPs, ESMS, detailed engineering, and bidding documents, once the preferred investment configuration has been agreed by the relevant stakeholders.

Phase 1 shall establish the corridor-wide strategic framework and define the Initial Investment Package at the analytical levels specified in Section 3.2. Phase 2 shall be commissioned separately and shall cover detailed feasibility and site-specific preparation for the selected investments in Benguela and Bié only.

Objectives of the Assignment

The primary objective of this Assignment is to produce the “Feasibility Study – Phase 1” report that enables ENDE, MINEA, UNDP Angola, PISTA, and prospective financiers to identify, assess and define the preferred electrification investment strategy for the Lobito Corridor provinces of Benguela, Huambo, Bié and Moxico, while defining the preferred configuration of investments in Benguela and Bié for subsequent Phase 2 preparation. The key question to be answered is: “what should be built?”. The purpose of the Assignment is to determine the most viable, financeable and developmentally beneficial electrification configuration for the target geography (the “Project”).

The Assignment shall be explicitly decision-oriented and in particular:

·        Define the corridor demand and development envelope that integrates household access, productive-use demand, industrial and mining demand and corridor-driven economic development;

·        Assess ENDE’s capacity to absorb, deliver, operate, maintain, and financially sustain alternative investment configurations over the asset life cycle;

·        Identify and compare technical options, including transmission expansion generation integration, renewable energy opportunities, alternative network configurations, and phased development scenarios;

·        Identify the strategic environmental, social, right-of-way, and cumulative impact constraints that must shape investment configuration decisions, while avoiding premature progression into full Phase 2 ESIA, RAP and detailed design tasks;

·        Identify the gender equality risks, opportunities and enabling measures that should inform investment configuration decisions and provide strategic guidance for Phase 2 gender-responsive project design and implementation;

·        Assess how alternative investment configurations affect gender equality, social inclusion and equitable access outcomes;

·        Assess the climate vulnerability and resilience implications for investment siting, sizing, phasing and design; and

·        Establish a corridor-wide investment-planning framework identifying priority investment opportunities, indicative financing requirements, preparation needs and potential co-financing pathways, including for future investments in Huambo and Moxico;

·        Integrate the findings into a clear recommendation on the preferred investment option, recommending phasing, indicative costs, financing pathways, key risks and next-step requirements including studies and timelines.

Evaluation Methodology

Technical Evaluation

The TOR establishes the following technical evaluation structure:

Stage I - Technical Proposal Evaluation (700 points)

Minimum score to proceed to Stage II:

490 points (70%).

Stage II - Virtual Presentation (300 points)

Only firms that obtain a minimum of 700/1000 technical points proceed to the financial evaluation. 

Financial Evaluation

Financial proposals of technically qualified bidders only will be opened.

Final Award Formula

The award will be made to the proposal that obtains the highest combined score.

Pre-bid conference

  Will be conducted

Time and time zone: 10hrs, Angolan Time

Date : 03 November 2026

Venue : Virtual via teams

Important: Bidders should confirm their interest in participating in the Pre-Bid Conference by emailing the eTendering email address. The Microsoft Teams meeting link will be shared only with bidders who confirm their participation.

The focal point for the arrangement is: Angola Procurement team

E-mail: etendering.ao@undp.org

Office Telephone: N/A

Designated Position (i.e Procurement Analyst): Head of Procurement

The Pre-bid conference is:

☐ mandatory

☒ not mandatory