Solar Powered Electricity Supply Systems for Sierra Leone

New amendment added #2: The Invitation to Bid is further amended as follows:Special Conditions of Contract in ITB Section IV has been revised to reflect the change of the INCOTERM2000 in the GCG 2.2. to INCOTERMS2010. Special Conditions of Contract in ITB Section IV has been revised to reflect the change of the percentage of variations in the GCG 18 from 20% to 30%.Table I in ITB Section II - Schedule of Requirements has been amended to reflect the correct number of battery banks and air conditioners for Upgrade Package 3 as well as the overall number of battery banks and air conditioners for all the systems.Bid Particulars have been amended to reflect the explanation of financial evaluation methodology in the "Evaluation Method Details" tab.ITB Annex III - BOQ for Goods has been updated to reflect the correct required quantity of Upgrade Package 4 (LOT5) and to remove the erroneously included Air Conditioner Unit from Upgrade Package 3 (LOT4).ITB Annex I - Comparative Data Tables shall be considered amended to reflect the changes specified in Q&A 51, 52, 56, 86, 88, 92, 93 and 120. Bidders are allowed to modify the Comparative Data Tables accordingly. 

New clarification added: Q140: In addition to the capacity of the battery cell as explained in chapter 2.1.2 in Annex I (Comparative Data Tables), it is described that the required nominal capacity C10/1.80 V = 1,600 Ah.  1600*48=76,800Ah, and not 80,000Ah. Are you OK with that total capacity?A140: When "Ah" is multiplied with "V" the result is "Wh". The "80,000Wh" used in the ITB is indicative. Pease refer to Annex I when sizing the battery.Q141: You set the limit size for the Solar Array for 6000Wp of the CHC and multiples of 10000Wp for the Upgrades based on 300Wp panel. We intend to use a different panel size to achieve almost the same array size.  Is there any window allowed for tolerance on the total power of the solar array (for example, ±5%)? Would, for example, 9600Wp built with positive tolerance modules be acceptable for the 10kWp Array?  It is worth mentioning that since the panels’ specs is not explicitly specified in the bid, suppliers may choose to offer PV module types with positive and negative tolerances, which may lead to having the window needed anyway. A141: The sizes indicated in the ITB are minimum requirements. Bidders may quote modules with a nominal power equal to or larger than 300 Wp per module but not smaller ones. Also, bidders may quote PV arrays with cumulated nominal power of modules equal to or larger than 6 kWp and 10 kWp respectively, but not less than these. 

New clarification added: Q139: Do bidders have to submit a bid security? We would like to seek clarification/confirmation on whether a bid security needs to be submitted as the document "ITB-2016-129_Section-I_Instructions to Bidders" mentions the need to submit a Bid Security, however the document "ITB-2016-129_Section-III_Returnable_Bidding_Forms" does not request bidders to submit any bid security. It is our understanding that the document "Returnable Bidding Forms" prevails and therefore bidders do not have to submit a bid security - please confirm this. A139: No bid security is required under this ITB.

New clarification added: Q134: For agents quoting in the name of manufacturer, does the agent submit his own or the manufacturer's track record and commercial data to confirm capacity and experience to supply the required goods?A134: In case the manufacturer is involved in project implementation along with the agent, the combined reference can be used for evaluation purposes. If the manufacturer is involved solely in providing the equipment, only the references of the implementing partner will be considered for evaluation purposes.Q135: Ref to Annex II - We noted that there were no provisions in the drawing to place the grid inv. or solar charger inside the room. Should this lead to the conclusion that those are allowed to be installed outside under the each of the solar Canopy? From pure technical point of view, this should be very practical as those systems normally come with IP65 protection level and we should offer to fasten them to the canopy structure or on the outer side of the room walls with theft proof bolts. Please advise if this is acceptable.A135: The solar PV inverters and charge controllers can be installed inside the power house. In such case bidders shall make sure that sufficient space for installation is available considering the required ventilation distances to other devices. Alternatively, the inverters or charge controllers can be installed outside, underneath the PV modules. In this case the vendor shall make sure that the IP class is IP65 and that the devices are theft protected.Q136: Ref to Q/A#84 related to Load shedding. In your answer you referred to two load shedding levels while in the bid solicitation you required 4 groups. Should we understand that this is meant for 2 groups in the CHC and another 2 groups in the Upgrades? Would you please specify how you intend to maintain the load shedding over the clearly specified 3 off-takes + self-consumption in CHC as well as in each upgrade size where you also specified 3 single phase off-takes in Lot 1&2 and 4 three phase off-takes for Lot 3&4. If it is mandatory for Load shedding to be contained both the CHC and its consequent upgrade, then this would necessitate to have at least 2 contactors in the CHC and 2 another two contactors in the Upgrade AC panels so to realize the required 2 level load shedding in both places. Please advise the load shedding percentage of each level in both CHC and Upgrade so we can may size the contactor properly.  If we simply assume that it is 50%, then the contactors’ capacity will be equal in size, which is half the capacity of all the battery inverter(s).  Perhaps you can also specify the contactors size according to your initial calculations. If we may, we would like to suggest to ignore the load shedding in CHC alone and apply it only on two levels in the upgrade. This way you may secure and protect power feeding to CHC after the upgrade. If this is not an option, then please comment on the previous argument. A136: There will be three types of loads in the system: 1. Loads which are always on. These loads can be found in the CHC as well as in the village. Of course no contactor is required for these loads. These loads can be up to 50% of the total power supplied. 2. Loads with a medium priority. These loads also can be found both on the CHC side as well as on the village side. These loads can be up to 60% of the total power supplied. 3. Loads with a low priority or deferrable loads, which are switched on only (when the battery is full and) when there is excess solar electricity available.Q137: Regarding the battery bank - Is it possible to add +/- 5% tolerance to the required capacity (80kwh)?A137: Please refer to Comparative Data Tables for specifications where it is clearly stated that (e.g. in LOT 1) the battery shall have a nominal capacity C10/1.80 V = 1,600 Ah (± 5%). The 80 kWh mentioned in other parts of the ITB are just indicative.Q138: Please clarify if transport of the packed units by 4x4 Hilux is the only way of transport wished by the client or if it is allowed to offer different ways/solutions for transport of the units?A138: Please see A42, A57 and A58 above.

New clarification added: Q125: Refer to Annex 1, LOT 1 3.11.9: Can you please clarify where will be used the 2 pieces of power meter for household appliances with plug and socket?A125: The power meters for household appliances will be used by the system's operator to train the electricity users on how to use appliances efficiently. The meter shall be adjusted to the locally available single phase British Standard Plugs and electric outlets. They will be used in the CHC, in houses as well as in commercial and public facilities.Q126: Regarding the Upgrade Package 1 to 4, can please confirm that each upgrade would be made at once? For instance, is it possible that an upgrade package 1 will be in the future upgraded to a package 4? This will impact the way of designing the system and the strings of the PV panels.A126: The upgrade packages will be installed right after delivery. Electricity demand may raise in the future warranting further extension of the systems, which may then trigger the procurement of additional hardware. Please make sure that all systems are prepared for future expansion.Q127: Is there any requirement on where and how should be installed the DC disconnection devices? For instance, the battery fuses and breakers after MPPTs. Also, where would the common DC bus bar be situated?A127: The DC disconnection devices will be preferrably installed in the same room where the battery inverters are installed. If that is not possible, they may installed in the battery room. This is acceptable as the gel type batteries specified have very low gassing. The DCC bus bar can be realized either as a cable or as a real copper bus bar. Q128: Refer to Annex 1, LOT 4 3.7.9:  Please confirm where the 18 breakers for the self-consumption of the power station would be used. In Lot1 there are already 6 Circuit Breakers required. Please confirm if the additional ones in the upgrades are redundant or not.A128: This observation is correct. The additional 18 breakers will not be required for self-consumption of the shelter. However, please add the same as spare breakers in the distribution box readily connected to take other loads like productive use of electricity close to the power station.Q129: Refer to Annex 1, LOT 4 3.7.8: Please confirm where the7 breakers of 10 A will be used? There are already breakers for the power station in other positions and there are only 4x 25mm2 cables for the public lighting.A129: All of the breakers shall be connected to the brightness sensor. The power station shall have light throughout the night while the street lights shall be switched off after some hours after sunset to be set by the operator. Three MCBs shall be assigned to power station lighting with cables of 2.5 to 6 mm2 copper to be connected, four shall be assigned to public lighting, ready to connect to 25 mm2 aluminium cables through dedicated clamps.Q130: Refer to Annex 1 LOT4 3.9.10: Could you please confirm that we need to provide the breakers for the Gensets as well, as there are no Gensets required in the Scope of work of the tender?A130: Your reference is probably Annex 1 LOT 5 3.9.10. Yes, please provide the required breakers for the connection of the gensets.Q131: Regarding grounding of the system: Is the grounding of all equipment required to be connected to the steel band?A131: Yes, please provide all material required for connection to a steel band (nuts, bolts, etc.). Q132: Regarding documents to be submitted: Is a wiring diagram of the power house required at this point?A132: As it was already described in A69 above, all information mentioned in the Comparative Data Table as “Please indicate in your quotation” shall be delivered with the bid. All information mentioned in the Comparative Data Table as “Documentation” may be delivered with the hardware / the systems. Documents listed in the “Submittals” sub-section of the ITB Section II – Schedule of Requirements, must be provided with the bid only if it is so required in the Comparative Data Tables.Q133: Regarding documents to be submitted: On page 3 of the Schedule of Requirements a list of documents to be submitted is provided. Do all of these documents need to be submitted with the bid? If yes, please provide more details on the requirements of the following document: - Drawing of schedule of operation and installation instructions.A133: Please see A132 above.

New clarification added: Q120: In LOT 3 & 4 you want to have one additional battery bank. When the system is extended there will be 2 battery banks (1 for CHC LOT1 + 1 for Upgrade 2 / 3) which will find place in one battery room. So there would be actually no need for an additional air conditioner. However, in LOT 4 under 3.10.7 is an additional air conditioner specified, in LOT 3 is not specified. Please clarify.A120: Thank you for pointing this out. This is a mistake in the ITB. In LOT 4 NO additional air conditioner will be required. The ITB shall be amended accordingly. Q121: Attached the replay that we've recived from SMA's legal department due to our request to fulfil Form F (Manufacturer’s Authorisation Form): https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_LoWmwf3goUNIjTuot0qX6oTgK97-dn3RixglcKRpVZIUIGT3J4lF4LaC-I8dOL5QscztElbWfdPFqk=w1920-h950-rw. We want to know if it's accept by you.A121: This attachment could not be opened. As long as your document complies with ITB requirements as clarified in A26 above, it shall be accepted.Q122: We are forming a Joint Venture Partnership (with a Joint Venture Agreement and Name).  This Joint Venture includes an International Equipment Manufacturer and two local Renewable Energy Companies in Sierra Leone.  The Bid documents will be signed by the CEO of the International Equipment Manufacturer.  Should we use the name of the Joint Venture as the "Name of Bidder" in the Returnable Bidding Forms or should be use the name of the International Equipment Manufacturer signing the Bid Documents on behalf of the Joint Venture?A122: Please refer to A113. In your specific case it makes more sense if International Equipment Manufacturer is appointed as lead party in the JV and submits the bid on behalf of the JV. Q123: Concerning the equipment shelter, we would like to know if all 50 shelters should be identical (2 x battery rooms + 1 power conversion room = 8x2.2m overall) or should we take in account the fact that 42 villages (all except upgrades 3 and 4) will not need the second battery room and consider smaller shelters for these villages (5x2,2m).A123: Please refer to A76 above. Q124: As China market is closed from today 30th September until the 8-9th October because of public holiday, then we kindly ask for an 14 days extension of the bid submission deadline in order to finish our bid in the best way possible. Within the Chinese holiday are all manufacturers closed and will not reply on emails.A124: Please refer to A101 above. 

New clarification added: Q113: We would like to bid as a representative of the manufacturer (supplier), who is willing to provide proper authorization. But we ourselves do not have all the expertise required. Should we fill in Form A and bid in association with the manufacturer? If the bid is submitted in association, which company should fill in the forms - the leading one or both? Thank you in advance.A113: A legally binding JV or Consortia must be formed for the purposes of bid submission. The bid must be submitted either by the newly formed entity or one of the parties must be appointed as lead party for the purposes of bid submission. In case of JV or consortia formation experience and other indicators can be added to reach the minimum requirements.Q114: Can we remove air conditioner in CHC system and upgrade system as the battery we use could bear 70 degrees.A114: Air conditioners must be quoted regardless of the maximum temperature a battery can bear. The air conditioner shall be also used as a deferrable load in the system.Q115: Topology drawings: Are drawings existing of the intended topologies of the systems lot 1-5 and the topology of the resulting systems after having done the extensions?A115: Yes, please refer to the drawings provided in Annex II.Q116. AC distribution boxes: You specify quite in detail the components to be included into the AC distribution boxes and seem to have done design & engineering on these. For us to provide the AC distribution boxes according to your design, can we get circuit diagrams and drawings even if they are just tentative.A116: The distribution box designs are subject to the bidder’s selection of electronic inverters and the overall system topology proposed by the bidder. The differences can be considerable. Therefore, no drawings are provided.Q117: AC distribution box upgrades: When an installation of lot 1 is extended for example by lot 2 (upgrade package 1), the AC distribution boxes of lot 1 will need to be replaced by a new AC distribution box of lot 2. It will not be possible to expand or add on to the AC distribution boxes of lot 1 which are already in place. This will apply to all extensions. Are you aware of that in your project plan?A117: Yes, the ITB indicates that the distribution box in the CHC system (LOT 1) may be used as the point of connection for the CHC even when the system is upgraded with any of the Upgrade Systems. This can be realized by having one connection in the large distribution box (Village) to the small distribution box (CHC). In case the bidder considers replacing the CHC distribution box at the time of upgrade as more adequate, this can be also considered. Re-wiring of circuits within the distribution box on-site must be avoided.Q118: AC distribution box, expandability to three phase (point 2.4.3 for lot 2, point 3.4.3 for lot 3): Requested expandability of the single phase solar systems (lot 2 and lot 3) to three phase is not possible. The AC distribution boxes of these solar systems can either be designed for single phase or three phase. As your headline clearly shows „single phase“ for lot 2 and lot 3, we will offer single phase. But you can use the single phase solar systems lot 2 and lot 3 also in a clinic with three phase wiring. In this case only one phase will show the solar backup function. Please confirm that we will not be disqualified tick-marking „No“ for point 2.4.3 for lot 2, point 3.4.3 for lot 3.A118: Points 2.4.3 LOT 2 and 3.4.3 LOT 3 relate to the INVERTER being capable of being upgraded to a three phase system by e.g. adding additional inverters. This line is NOT related to the distribution box. Therefore, please tick-mark “YES” in case your inverter can be upgraded accordingly. For distribution upgrading please refer to A117.Q119: AC distribution boxes lot 4 & 5 (3.7.10 & 3.9.10), main circuit breakers for 2 gensets: We’d like you to confirm: 35 kW genset to be connected as standard as input for the solar power systems, 70 kW genset only started and switched manually in case of failure or maintenance 35 kW genset or more power required for special occasion, after disconnection of 35 kW genset.A119: The 35 kW genset shall be able to switch and synchronize with the battery inverter (or the other way around) automatically and all synchronization equipment required shall be delivered with the system. The optional 70 kW genset will be a backup that will not be synchronized to the battery inverter for the time being and shall be switched manually.

New clarification added: Q109: In order to provide a complete offer for the supply you need it is important for us to know the capacity of the battery system in every configuration of PV plant, and the maximum power of electrical consumption of the charge we have to supply; in addition, we have to provide the power supply for the air conditioner. About this we also want to know if they have to be supplied from us and the calculations about their cooling capacity.A109: Please see ITN Section II – Schedule of Requirements, Table I for the summary of equipment and battery sizes per system in conjunction with all other relevant clarifications that were provided so far.The maximum power of electrical consumption can be considered as well below the capacity of the battery inverters specified.Regarding the power of the air conditioners, please refer to clarifications provided earlier.Q110: Please confirm that batteries which cannot be demonstrated to comply with IEC 61427 will be judged technically non-compliant if offered under this tender.A110: This is correct.Q111: The BOQ (Annex III) includes additional air conditioner units for Upgrade 3 (Lot 4) and Upgrade 4 (Lot 5). Will it be acceptable to supply a single air conditioner with the CHC Systems which is sized to handle the heat loads for upgrades 3 and 4 as well?A111: No, this will not be acceptable. Air Conditioners for Upgrade Packages must be supplied together with the respective Upgrade Package and UNOPS should retain full flexibility of reassigning the Upgrade Packages to different sites even at a later stage of the project. Q112: Section IV-2 of the ITB (Special Conditions) against Clause GCG 7 requests that a ‘Certificate of Origin’ should be submitted for shipment/clearance purposes.  From the ‘Croners-I’ Country Guide it states that a Combined Certificate of Value and Origin, witnessed and certified by the Chamber of Commerce in the exporters country is required for Sierra Leone.  Please advise whether this is the case or whether just a declaration of origin from the manufacturer would suffice?A112: As stated, for import of goods to Sierra Leone, a Certificate of Value and Origin witnessed and certified by the Chamber of Commerce will be required. A declaration of value and origin issued by the manufacturer without certification of the Chamber of Commerce is not enough to import goods to Sierra Leone.

New clarification added: Q103: Special Conditions (Section IV of the ITB) Clause GCG 13: Please can you explain what is meant by the sentence ‘The period of repair or replacement shall be: 90 days’.  Does this mean that during the warranty period any repair or replacement should be completed/delivered within 90 days of it being reported to the manufacturer?A103: This sentence means that during the warranty period any repair or replacement should be completed/delivered within ninety days of it being reported to the Supplier or the manufacturer.Q104: Special Conditions (Section IV of the ITB) Clause GCG 13: States ‘For purposes of the warranty, the place (s) of final destination (s) shall be: Villages in Sierra Leone where the systems are installed’. Bidders are not responsible for the goods to this point only to the CPT point of delivery. In this case should this not be defined as the final destination?A104: The final destination shall be “villages in Sierra Leone where the systems are installed. Any damage caused to the equipment during the transportation from Freetown to final destinations or during the installation at final destinations shall be covered by respective insurances procured by UNOPS. However, insurance shall not cover the replacement of a faulty or malfunctioning piece of equipment, which are subject to manufacturer’s warranty. Q105: Special Conditions (Section IV of the ITB) Clause GCG 9: This states with regards to Contract 2 ‘The remaining 5% shall be paid to the vendor within 30 days upon fulfilment of all of the obligations under the contract i.e. upon completion of all deliveries and issuance by UNOPS of acceptance certificates for all associated services’. In your answer to clarification 66 you advised that ‘For settling the last instalment of the goods cost (10%) UNOPS shall consider the Contractor to have fulfilled his/her responsibilities after training of the local firm has been conducted to the satisfaction of UNOPS’. We are unsure whether your answer to Clarification 66 covers Contract 2 as well, as it stands payment for Contract 2 withholds 5% of the goods and training price after completion of delivery of goods and training services.  It would be better that Contract 2 reflects as you have agreed to for Contract 1, especially when you look at this in the light of clarification answer 68.A105: We hereby confirm that 1st paragraph of A66 applies to the 2nd Contract as well with the exception of (10%), which should be read (5%) for the purposes of 2nd Contract. Q106: The basic system is the 6kWp system. Underneath the solar support structure, a shelter is required to house the batteries and the control equipment. Apart from upgrade 1, the upgrades of 10kW come with their own battery configuration. Where are these batteries and possible basic electronics to be placed? In the existing shelter of the basic system or in a new shelter underneath another support? Or does every upgrade have to come with its own shelter?A106: The intention is to have additional electronic equipment in the same shelter as installed for the 6kW system. This however depends on the dimensions of the electronic equipment. Therefore, if shelter proposed in Annex II is found unsuitable for accommodating the equipment of future expansions, it is up to the bidder to propose an alternative shelter design with enough space to install all electronics for later expansion according to the ITB. Q107: In drawing 3/4 a site plan is shown saying maximum system size. In section II, Design and configuration requirements, V. it says the systems "shall have the option of being extended to 72kW of battery inverter power and 106kW of PV power in the future". On the mentioned drawing the maximum system size is stated as 46.8kWp. Please clarify.A107: The drawing refers to the system extension that shall be realized within 6 months after installing the first 6kW system. The shelter and all other system components have to be designed for easy integration of the Upgrade System. On top of that, the electronic equipment of each of the systems shall be capable of being extended to 72 kW of battery inverter power and 106 kW of solar PV power as well as the connection of a diesel generator of up to 100 kVA.Q108: Will UNOPS award the tender to one contractor or several contractors?A108: Both contracts shall be awarded to a single contractor.

New clarification added: Q98: With regard to your answer to the question nº62 (A62) "The criterion requires that Bidder shall have delivered at least 10 complete electrical mini-grid systems of 10 kWp or higher, powered either by a PV generator or a hybrid system", we would like to ask you the following: do you accept as mini-grid system a >10kWp solar or hybrid/solar system connected to a single user (Telecom for instance)?  Are all the solar or hybrid systems >10 kW and not connected to the grid accepted as mini-grid? What about the solar and hybrid systems >10 kW grid tie? Please specify a little more what you will accept and what you will not accept as mini-grid systems.A98: Any system (solar or hybrid) larger than 10kWp that includes a battery bank and is capable of operating independently of the national grid shall serve as reference.Q99: Is it possible to consider 2 x 5kW solar inverter or charge controllers for Upgrade size 3 and Upgrade size 4 instead of considering 1 x 10kW solar inverter or charge controller? Selecting the smaller version would optimize the solution without worsening or changing the performance of the system.A99: Smaller charge controllers and inverters will be accepted as long as all other specifications are met.Q100: In Q&A#45, you confirmed that after the Upgrade of size 3, there will finally be two battery banks (not three) connected to 6 inv. to feed three phase grid. This would be very systematic system to realize. However, in size 2, the requirement is made for single phase gird, but the system after upgrade will ultimately comprise of TWO separate battery banks that should feed THREE inverters. Would you please clarify if this is the needed setup in Upgrade size 2, or perhaps there will be only one battery bank needed for size 2 as well? A100: We confirm that in Upgrade 2 there will be 2 battery banks. In most system designs, the two battery banks will be operated in parallel on the same DC bus which feeds the three inverters connected in parallel to the single phase AC distribution network. The second battery bank will be installed within 6 months after the first one has been commissioned. According to different battery manufacturers, this should not cause any problems.Q101: Due to the complexity technology of the bid and the China National Holiday of seven days, we request another two-week extension to the bid deadline to allow us to submit the most competitive offer. A101: No further extension can be granted as it will affect the critical path of the project.  Q102: Considering that most of the design of the system was already made by UNOPS and that we have no information on the system loads (type, number, power consumption), what kind of information is expected when you ask us to "Submit calculations of system performance leading to the proposed design"?A102: The ITB leaves some degree of freedom to change parts of the system design, e.g. the shelter design which may change the cable length. In such a case the cable cross-sections need to be adjusted to the new conditions which require calculations. These should be provided. The same applies to circuit breakers and fuses that should meet the requirements of the inverters connected. Etc.

New clarification added: Q93: Refer to Annex I – Lot 1, 3.1.3, it is specified that the maximum DC power of the Charge Controller should be minimum 6000W – Is it allowed to use a Charge Controller with a maximum input power of 5800W? Taking into account the losses, a PV array of 6000W peak under STC won’t in any case produce more than 5800W.A93: The ITB shall be amended to include up to -5% deviation from the specified nominal power of the charge controller. Q94: Is it required that the systems for the CHC are designed to load the batteries from an additional AC source like generators as well?A94: No, only Upgrade Packages shall be prepared for diesel generator integration. However, since the Upgrade packages will be connected to the CHC systems, all CHC systems must be somehow capable of being upgraded to diesel generator connection in a later stage.Q95: Once the upgrade of the CHC will be implemented, will the CHC still be powered with a single phase system?A95: Yes, the CHC will always be connected on a single phase. This imbalance can be compensated by e.g. assigning more village loads to the other two phases of a three phase system.Q96: Refer to Annex I, Lot2 2.12 Accessories: why is there 3x1,5 mm2 cable required? Is this cable not used for the lighting of the powerhouse and that is already covered with the material in Lot1?A96: Yes, you are right, the power shelter cabling is already included in the CHC systems. Therefore, it does not need to be delivered a second time. However, as we said “(or adjusted according to design)” we do not need to amend the ITB for this. Q97: We want to check the possibility to ship all the equipment to a logistic centre in Freetown and then separate it into kits, this should reduce shipping costs dramatically. Is that ok with you? You should not feel the difference - and even for you it will be easier to pick it up from local warehouse and not from the port.A97: This is permissible under the ITB. Please see A44 and A63 for related clarifications.

New clarification added: Q86: Refer to Annex I – Lot 4, 3.7.8. Is this energy meter required additionally to the one mentioned already in 3.7.4?A86: Thank you for pointing out this mistake. 3.7.8 shall be amended to “Timer clock or brightness sensor with 40A contactor/relay and 7 x 10A circuit breaker for outdoor lighting of the power station building and public lighting in the village”.Q87: Refer to Annex I – Lot 4, 3.7.10 – breakers, manual switch and connection of generator for 70kW back-up generator. Are these generators already installed in the village? Please specify what connection is required and where the interface is.A87: The generators are not yet installed. However, the operator must be able to connect a diesel generator to the system, if required. Depending on the system design proposed by the bidder, the generator may be connected either on the AC or DC side. The bidder shall make sure that cable cross sections are according to international best practice and that the system can send a starting signal to the generator using a NO or NC relay. In case of AC coupled diesel generators, the bidder shall deliver equipment to synchronize the diesel generator with the AC distribution network or the other way around.Q88: Refer to Annex I – Lot 2 and 3 section 3.7: Are circuit breakers or fuses or overvoltage arrestors required for the AC board? Is brightness sensor required for the lighting line? Please confirm.A88: In LOT2 line 2.9.2 and LOT3 line 3.7.2 circuit breakers are specified (MCB = Miniature Circuit Breaker). All connections to solar inverters specified shall be protected by adequate MCBs. Single phase overvoltage arrestors Type 1 and 2 are already included in the CHC systems and therefore do not need to be included in the scope of the Upgrade systems. Thank you for pointing out that LOT1 and LOT2 do not have brightness sensors specified. This is a mistake. The ITB shall be amended to include the following text under the related lots: “Timer clock or brightness sensor with 40A contactor/relay and 7 x 10A circuit breaker for outdoor lighting of the power station building and public lighting in the village”.Q89: Regarding the trunking of the cables between PV arrays and equipment shelter: is there any preference? Is an underground trunking in PVC pipe allowed?A89: Underground trunking in PVC pipe is the preferred method. Other methods according to international best practice are permissible.Q90: Refer to Annex I – Lot 1, 1.1.5. It is specified that the lightning protection rods should be 4m height above ground, in the drawings it is shown 5m height above ground, could you please clarify?A90: Standard lightning rods are typically available with 5m length. Depending on the mounting method, the rods will be 4 or 5m above ground. The drawing considers a separate grounding rod holding the lightning rod. Therefore, in the drawings the lightning rod is 5m above ground. Please consider 4m as a minimum value for evaluation purposes.Q91: Refer to Annex I - Lot 1, 2.3.2, could you specify what is meant by minimum total cross section of 240mm2 in between the battery cells?A91: Battery cells of the size specified in the ITB typically have got more than one pole per Plus and Minus sides. There are different types of cell connectors. Some are flexible and round, some are stiff and flat. The sum of the cross sections of the flexible round battery connectors connecting one cell with the next shall be equal or larger than 240mm2.  E.g. in a battery cell with two parallel poles, each of the round connectors shall have a cross section of 240mm2 / 2 = 120mm2. In case of flat stiff connectors, a deviation of up to -33% is permissible as the flat connectors have better heat transfer characteristics than the round connectors. In case of battery cells being operated in parallel, the total battery connector cross section is the sum of all connectors connecting parallel cells.Q92: Refer to Annex I - Lot 1, 3.1.4, it is specified that the maximum input voltage should be minimum 600VDC. In case we use a DC Hybrid System, the maximum input voltage of a classic MPPT charge controller is between 150 to 200VDC, could you please clarify?A92: The maximum input voltage refers to the maximum open circuit voltage of the solar PV string connected to an inverter. This value does not apply to charge controllers. Therefore, the ITB shall be amended as follows: “In case of inverters, the max. input voltage shall be minimum 600V”.

New clarification added: Q78: It was mentioned that the system should mandatory have the option to connect to local diesel Generator and that such generator be started from the system automatically when needed, but the Generator itself is not required.  Please advise if all the sites will eventually be equipped with Generator sets for contingency operation. A78: Correct, no diesel generator will be delivered by the Contractor, but the systems shall be ready for connection of a diesel generator as they may eventually be equipped with diesel generator sets in the future. Q79: In the Installation tool section there are requirements for tools including electrical driven tools. First would this be required for all the 50 sites? Would you kindly specify quantity? Furthermore, how do you plan to run such electrical tools during installation? Is this the responsibly of the contractor?A79: Please see A53 and A72 above. Tools required for the installation and commissioning of the systems shall be delivered in five sets for five teams to work in parallel at five different sites. Also, if additional tools are required to implement bidder’s design, the bidder must ensure that all the additional tools are included into the Installation Tool Kit. Please make sure that the power tools are accumulator based as there will be no power source on site for installation of the systems.Q80: We propose to bid as a re-seller, however having previously acting acted as a procurement agent we are able to demonstrate substantial track record for solar pv projects where we have been responsible for the design (gaining the clients authorisation), procured the components, our own freight forwarders having consolidated and freighted the goods, procured the installation and commissioning works, as well as project management on the ground and contract management for all project components i.e. civil works, solar installers. As we will be the bidding as a re-seller, please confirm that will our evidence of such projects where we acted as a procurement agent will suffice as being eligible to demonstrate that we have ‘delivered’ such projects as you request?A80: Please see A27. As long as you are able to demonstrate your compliance to the requirement as described in A27, it will suffice.Q81: Is it possible for UNOPS to give a document list for this tender needs? It would be easy for bidder and UNOPS to check. A81: There is already a checklist of documents in the tender. Unless you submit all the mandatory documents, you won’t be able to submit a bid.Q82: Does the community healthcare centre exist or needs to be constructed?A82: The CHC exists. The connection of the CHC to the system is outside of the scope of this tender and will be arranged by UNOPS separately. Q83: In the section II - Schedule of Requirements, the upgrade size 4 is 3 villages, but in the Annex III - BOQ for Goods the upgrade size 4 is 4 villages, which quantity is correct?A83: The total required quantity of Upgrade Package 4 (LOT5) is 3 systems. ITB shall be amended to correct the BOQ for Goods.Q84: Referring to “load shedding equipment”, please give more information on specification, quantity, installation location, application (use) and other useful data.A84: The load shedding system shall be installed inside of the power station. Off-takes of the power station shall be switched according to battery state of charge. All off-takes of the power station including those installed with the CHC system as well as those installed in the Upgrade system shall be assigned to one of the two load shedding levels. The realization of the load shedding is up to the bidder. E.g. there are some battery inverters with in-build relays that could be connected to contactors switching the respective off-takes. Alternatively, the bidder may realize the load shedding system using an SPS and direct battery voltage and current measurements or retrieval of the battery state of charge from the battery inverter.Q85: In the drawing “PV generator sizes Top view on PV modules” Type b it is mentioned that benches will be installed underneath the PV array, please confirm if those should be included in the scope of supply as they are not mentioned in Annex I.A85: The benches are not part of the scope of supply.

New clarification added: Q71: What is the load to be feed by the PV solar system? On what basis did the client define the system components’ quantities (batteries, PV, etc.)?A71: The bidder is not requested to size the system but to use the sizing as prepared by UNOPS. Therefore, the load curve will not be provided to the bidder.Q72: Is there any energy source available in the field? generator, grid?A72: For installation purposes there is generally no electricity source available on site (that is why we install the solar mini-grid). Therefore, all power tools required shall be delivered as battery based tools.Q73: In the equipment overview table it is mentioned “6kWp on a support structure integrated with equipment shelter”. What do you mean by integrated? Is the equipment shelter the one mentioned in the drawings as 4 x 10 m shelter? and is it prepared by the client or by us? if by us we need to have more information about the needed area and the required specs as well more detailed drawings for the shelter.A73: The 6 kWp solar PV are installed on top of the shelter. The idea is to use a PV support structure with increased height and close the sides with boards, doors, etc. The foundation for the shelter will be prepared by UNOPS while all equipment installed on top of the foundation shall be delivered by the Contractor. The support structure shall be bolted to the foundation. The shelter, as all other equipment, will be installed and commissioned by a local company to be contracted by UNOPS separately. The bidder shall come up with a detailed design of the shelter.Q74: The type of PV PANELS is not mentioned (poly or mono), is it our option?A74: Both “mono” and “poly” are allowed.Q75: Our experience is that having 2 unparalleled battery banks or more in a mini-grid 3P system induces a great loss in reliability and power availability. Moreover, we found out that having part of the PV generator on a DC bus through a MPPT controller allows to prevent outages due to low battery disconnection of the battery inverters. When the battery inverters are down because of low battery, the DC MPPT controller will still be able to charge the batteries and to allow the inverters to restart. This configuration does not work well on separate banks. We would recommend paralleling the banks together with a complete equalization procedure. Energy management is much more efficient this way. Please let us know if paralleling is acceptable as we are looking for reliability here.A75: The requirement is that each battery bank must have its own battery management system. The reason for this is that batteries in this system will have different ages and therefore different charging and discharging characteristics, as the system will be extended with time. Allowing each battery bank to have its own battery management systems and paralleling of the battery banks after the battery management systems shall work well.As stated in the ITB, charge controller based DC coupled systems or AC coupled or mixed AC and DC coupled systems are eligible.Modern battery inverters have got black-start capabilities. They switch on to activate the charging process from the AC side. Q76: Ref. is made to the conceptual drawing of the proposed Shelter structure Page (2) and the relevant Q&A. The shelter in the drawing is made to host 4 battery banks in two separate rooms. Nevertheless, 47 out of the 50 sites will only need to have either one or two battery banks, thus one room with one AC would be enough for those 47 sites. Please advise if one room arrangement for those sites will not be technically disqualified.A76: Please prepare the shelter with enough space to host four battery banks of the size specified in order to have sufficient space for future expansion of the system when electricity demand grows.Q77: Further to above, please advise if it is mandatory to separate the Battery bank from the inverters. Would it be acceptable to have them all in one air conditioned room in such a case?A77: As the batteries are gel type batteries and therefore gassing is minimal, all components can be in one room. Anyway, for the cooling concept, please make sure that ventilation at the top of the room allows any hydrogen produced by the batteries to leave the room without interfering too much with the cool air from the air conditioner.

New clarification added: Q67: Dimensions of the solar panel to be used (300w) as well the sizes of certain components of the steel shelter (like the doors) can not shipped on euro pallets (800 x 1200mm) which is, (see A35) a requirement for shipping.A67: The requirement for shipping is defined in ITB Section II - Schedule of Requirements, A. Summary of Requirements, Implementation Considerations, point (ii). A35 only clarified the requirement to an extent. Further clarifications on packing and shipping are given in A42 and A57. Please refer to those for a complete picture.Q68: Contractor is responsible to deliver at Freetown, UNOPS is responsible for in-country logistics, were Contractor then again is responsible for commissioning and testing with a certain deadline. Please clarify how UNOPS can guarantee timely and delicate (solar power technology is fragile) transport as it is also indicated that  "access to many villages will be very difficult sincere there are hardly any roads and some villages only can be reached by boats.." The chance that goods will not arrive in time and or may be damaged exists... Contractor should be liable for this - Please clarify that any costs for waiting of Contractors crew because goods do not arrive will be compensated - or please clarify how we (as vendor) ensure that we are not held responsible for delays caused by something "out of our hands" and/or force majour like bad weather conditions etc...A68: Risks associated with late delivery of the goods to the installation sites as well as damage of equipment during transportation shall be born and dealt by UNOPS. In an unlikely event of delays caused by UNOPS to the work of Contractor’s crew, the Contractor will be compensated according to the rates agreed in the contract.Q69: ITB Section II – Schedule of requirements, on page 3, under Submittals, UNOPS asks for quite extensive system design information such as calculations, schematics, drawings and technical descriptions.  The question we have is: Does UNOPS want all the above submitted with our bid, by the deadline, or is this the design package that is to be submitted by us after we are, or would be, awarded the contract?A69: Please refer to Comparative Data Tables, which segregate the documents by purpose, i.e. those required for evaluation and those required to be supplied with the systems. All information mentioned in the Comparative Data Table as “Please indicate in your quotation” shall be delivered with the bid. All information mentioned in the Comparative Data Table as “Documentation” may be delivered with the hardware / the systems.Q70: Same as above, the spreadsheet:  ITB-2016-129_Annex_I_Comparative_Data_Tables again list many requirements for design such as calculations, schematics, drawings and technical descriptions.  Our question again is: Does UNOPS want all the above submitted with our bid, by the deadline, or would this information be included as part of the design package that is submitted by us after we are, or would be, awarded the contract?A70: Please see A69 above.

New clarification added: Q66: Our understanding is that installation is not the responsibility of Contractor but of UNOPS who will appoint a local company for this per Section II "A' Summary of requirements, Implementation considerations, point (vi), with or without the involvement of Contractor. Then in Implementation considerations, point (viii) it states that Contractor may or may not be responsible for testing and installation. In the power business installation, commissioning and testing are in fact unseperatable since, as in this case, the last payment installment for the hardware depends on it. If a third party is responsible for installation, the Contractor has no control over the quality of such work (a training to people who may have never done this type of work before is certainly no comfort here). Whether or not Contractor will be involved in the selection of the local company for installation is unclear at present (see A33). This is complicating things badly and places a serious (additional) risk on the Contractor. If the installation is not done properly, payment of the last installment may be (long) delayed or even disputed. Also under Implementation considerations, point (viii) Contractor shall  indicate number of engineers, time allocations etc. without any indication of site location, quality of the installation etc. This, separation of installation, commissioning and testing - and possibly no control over the selection and supervision of the installation company - can be considered as a large risk for the contractor. Please clarify how UNOPS intends to place responsibilities.A66: For the purposes of settling the last instalment of the Goods’ cost (10%) UNOPS shall consider the Contractor to have fulfilled his/her responsibilities after Training(s) of local firm(s) has been conducted to the satisfaction of UNOPS. Contractor’s “Testing and Commissioning” services are considered optional from this perspective (since they shall heavily depend on the quality of the local firm’s services) and therefore will be dealt with separately. We hope this addresses your main concern.Capacity and qualifications of the local firm(s) that shall be engaged for the installation of systems is perhaps a bigger concern to UNOPS than it is to a prospective Contractor since UNOPS needs to ensure the services to local population regardless of the responsible party. Therefore, UNOPS intends not to disadvantage the prospective Contractor, but rather to establish a full cooperation and ‘team work’ with the prospective Contractor in order to ensure smooth implementation of the activities, including but not limited to, defining the TOR for the installation, selection of local firm(s), joint development and delivery of training, joint testing and commissioning (if necessary), etc. Depending on quality of the firm(s) engaged to undertake the installation works, UNOPS may opt to procure additional services from the prospective Contractor for overseeing and supervising the installation works in situ. It is impossible to consider all the possibilities from the outset. Therefore, to broaden the options to the extent possible, we have provided the opportunity to the bidders to provide rates for various services that may or may not be used at a later stage.

New clarification added: Q64: The described inverter points at SMA (spec's, weight, colour...). But this brand doesn't produce 6 kWp inverter anymore. Therefore, would you accept:a.  either 2 SMA inverters of 3 kWp each?b.  or that we slightly differ from your inverter specifications and propose another brand (which would be cheaper by the way)?With those 2 solutions, we insure there is a perfect communication protocol between the inverter and the monitoring. While with a non-SMA 6 kWp inverter and a SMA monitoring, we will have a protocol problem.A64: SMA is not the only brand that fits the description provided in the ITB. All inverter brands fitting the provided specifications will be accepted. If 6kWp cannot be offered as one piece of equipment, a combination of pieces (more than one inverter or charge controller) covering the 6kWp requirement may be offered. Q65: The tender documents Section II, under "D" Delivery place and Incoterm states explicitly CPT Freetown; the same document under "A" Expected outputs, Implementation considerations point III, states: The prospective Contractor will be responsible for the supply of the systems only up to FCA point or to CPT Freetown Port, whichever transpires to be the most favorable and least costly option for UNOPS..." Given the string of uncertainties about if and how to reach some of the villages (see reply A35 by UNOPS) any quotation on in-country logistic at this point is impossible and therefore we kindly ask for confirmation that sec quotation CPT Freetown will apply.A65: Please see A63 with regards to applicability and definition of FCA point of delivery. With regards to “… whichever transpires to be the most favourable and least costly option for UNOPS…” – it means that UNOPS reserves the right to compare freight prices of Bidders with rates of reputable freight forwarders and to consider such rates for the purpose of bid evaluation. In the event of freight prices of Bidders being found less competitive than rates offered by freight forwarders, UNOPS may issue a Contract on FCA basis to the prospective Contractor instead of CPT, and issue a separate contract for freight to a freight forwarder, if deemed in the best financial interest of UNOPS. In the event of an order where UNOPS utilizes its own freight forwarder, the awarded supplier shall be required to cover the difference in freight cost resulting from higher weight/volume than initially stated in the bid.For avoidance of any misunderstanding and misinterpretation, Bid Particulars shall be amended to reflect the above statement.

New clarification added: Q57: Quality batteries in this ampacity range weigh in excess of 100kg. Given the intent of transporting everything by Hilux or equivalent which are typically one tonne rated vehicles this would result in a maximum of ~8 batteries per trip which is not standard pallets for these items. It is also not clear whether the batteries are also to be supplied in kit form, i.e. groups of 24, 48 and 72. Please clarify the transportation and shipping requirements for the batteries.A57: For packing and packaging please refer to A42 above. On weight limitations, under no circumstances the weight of a single package should exceed the maximum allowable payload of a Hi-Lux pick-up vehicle.Q58: Transporting palletised panels within Sierra Leone in a Hilux is strongly discouraged! Similar to the batteries it is unclear if they need to be supplied in kit form and are supposed to be transportable by Hilux. A standard Hilux bed is not long enough or wide enough for typical packaging of panels and the one tonne weight limit would be exceeded.A58: We understand of course that panels cannot be bent to fit the required size. Therefore, for packing and packaging, please refer to A42 above. On trucks: as it has been repeated few times already, there is no way to reach many of the sites other than using a light truck. Trucks of appropriate size and payload shall be used wherever feasible. For harder-to-reach locations, if truck with appropriate load-bed size and payload cannot be used, the load-bed of a standard pick-up can be modified as necessary. Therefore, under no circumstances the weight of a single package shall exceed the maximum allowable payload of a Hi-Lux pick-up vehicle.Q59: Does the supplier need to provide the GPRS (or CDMA) modems to facilitate the remote monitoring? If so, please provide confirmation of local SIM types and availability.A59: Yes, GPRS is required as per 3.9.1 of the Comparative Data Tables. The supplier shall deliver the modems and antennas according to SIMs and networks available in Sierra Leone.Q60: Can we supply the bidirectional integrated inverter instead of the single grid connected inverter and the battery inverter?A60: Both, AC and DC coupled designs are eligible as long as all requirements as specified in the ITB are met (e.g. the requirement for extendibility, the requirement for each battery bank having its own individual battery management system).Q61: Can we use three phase output voltage in upgrade size1 and upgrade size2 like upgrade 3 and upgrade 4?A61: The system shall enable electricity consumers to use heavily loaded single phase electric induction motors of up to 1 kW even in cases of base loads reaching 50% of the nominal inverter power. This is typically not possible with smaller three phase inverters. Therefore, single phase shall be used for Upgrades Size 1 and 2.Q62: Could you clarify what you exactly expect by the experience criteria "Bidder shall have delivered at least 10 complete solar powered or hybrid electrical mini-grid systems of 10 kWp or higher". Should we undestand that the bidder shall have delivered:a.  either "10 complete solar powered of 10 kWp or higher" orb.  "10 hybrid electrical mini-grid systems of 10 kWp or higher"?A62: The criterion requires that Bidder shall have delivered at least 10 complete electrical mini-grid systems of 10 kWp or higher, powered either by a PV generator or a hybrid system.Q63: In section II, chapter D, "delivery time", you mention "FCA or CPT". But in "delivery place and incoterm rules", you mention only "CPT". Could you confirm FCA is also applicable?A63: FCA is definitely applicable. Please see ITB Section III – Returnable Bidding Forms, Form C: Price Schedule Form. In addition to prices Bidders shall also specify their preferred FCA point(s) of delivery, delivery time to FCA, as well as weight and volume information of their offered goods in this returnable bid form. This FCA point may be a place (outside of Sierra Leone) where systems shall be integrated and pre-assembled prior to being shipped to Sierra Leone. Or, in case your workshop, where systems’ integration and pre-assembly shall take place, is located in Sierra Leone, the FCA location(s) may be the point(s) of loading of the components by manufacturer(s) prior to their shipment to Sierra Leone.

New clarification added: Q49: The design of the battery rooms appears to violate best practices regarding access to batteries which may present a safety hazard. Can we propose a different layout that provides four-sided access to the batteries?A49: Although UNOPS is not aware of such best practise on an international level, bidders are free to suggest a different layout. In any case the ground slab area must not increase by more than 10% compared to the size that was suggested in the drawings provided. Q50: The control room would not provide enough wall space for manufacturer recommendations regarding clearances to be adhered to. Can we propose and alternative control room configuration and size? Both 49 and 50 would be provided we keep the same requirements for shading and compartments listed.A50: Bidders are free to suggest a control room configuration and size according to their selected inverter technology. Q51: In the BOQ, it lists fuses for all disconnects. Our preference and strong recommendation is to use circuit breakers and not fuses due to poor maintenance practices associated with fuses, ie bridging after they burn, rather than troubleshooting and replacing. Are we able to provide circuit breakers to the appropriate ratings rather than fuses?A51: Yes, circuit breakers may be provided instead of fuses where currents and inverter specifications meet the specifications of available circuit breakers. The ITB specifications shall be amended to reflect this change and allow both “fuses” and “circuit breakers”. Q52: In the tools kits it does not list any DC rated measurement tools? Should the supplied multimeters and clampmeters be DC compatible and if so to what desired range?A52: Yes, clamp meters and multimeters shall be DC compliant and capable of measuring the maximum open circuit voltage of the PV modules quoted as well as the maximum DC current that the battery inverters quoted can draw from the batteries. The ITB specifications shall be amended to reflect this modified requirement. Q53: How many installation kits are required?A53: Five sets of installation tools are required. Q54: Regarding the lightning rod assembly: Typical recommendations for aluminium assemblies suggest not having the aluminium embedded into either concrete or the ground due to corrosion concerns. Are we able to propose an alternative methodology for the below grade portion of the lightning rod configuration?  A54: Yes, Bidders are free to propose alternative methodology for lightning rod mounting. Q55: How many theft proof bolt/nut pieces per panel? Or recommendation is one due to cost concerns.A55: All nuts and bolts used shall be theft proof in order to avoid any mistakes during installation. Q56: In the Comparative Data Table it lists 50mm2 cable for the battery fuse (breaker) to inverter connection. This would not meet typical specifications for cable sizing both related to ampacity or voltage drop/line loss considerations. We recommend a larger cable size that adheres to the manufacturer recommendations, however that would put our bid at a cost disadvantage. A56: Thank you for pointing this out. 50mm2 should be replaced with 70mm2. The ITB specifications shall be amended to reflect this modified requirement. Bidders are requested to consider this cable cross-section (70mm2) as the minimum requirement. In case the bidder changes the shelter design and increases the length of the cables, a larger cross-section may be necessary and must be quoted accordingly. 

New clarification added: Q41: Please provide some details about the customs and clearance changes for all equipment as we will ship to Sierra Leone port, but we could not figure out how much the charges to clear them out inside the country. Please advise.A41: Please see ITB Section II - Schedule of Requirements, A. Summary of Requirements, Implementation Considerations, point (iii), which states that “customs clearance" at port shall be UNOPS responsibility. Q42: The shelter's walls, the PV modules (and it's construction), the lightning pole and other parts of the system cannot be loaded on a standard EURO pallet (1200X800mm) due to their size. I'm asking for your reference regarding this problem.A42: Please see ITB Section II - Schedule of Requirements, A. Summary of Requirements, Implementation Considerations, point (ii), which states that “The packages shall be sized to be loaded/unloaded by a standard forklift and carried on a light truck (4x4 Hi-Lux double-cab pickup or similar). Use of standard euro-pallets (or similar) for packaging is highly encouraged”. It means, items that cannot be packed on a standard euro-pallet should be packed in a way that will enable their handling by a forklift, i.e. we should be able to load them on a light truck using a forklift. It is imperative that all items are grouped and packed for each destination separately.Q43: As items such as installation tools, lights, Air conditioners, etc. are required in 230V configurations, is it acceptable to have these shipped separately from the solar items provided they were separated into similar kits? If not, it appears to put bidders from other electrical markets at a sever disadvantage.A43: Yes, a separate shipment of 230V appliances will be acceptable as long as they are grouped and packed for each destination separately.Q44: Related to above (Q43), we are planning on bidding in a consortium involving an International manufacturer, an International supplier/distributor and a local solar provider. Is it acceptable to have the local provider assemble kits in Sierra Leone for distribution as required under the bid documents? This would allow for more direct supply and also enable more local norms to be utilised.A44: Yes, this is permissible under the ITB.Q45: In the Comparative Data Table and in the BOQ for Goods under Upgrade 3 it lists 'One Battery Bank' but in the Schedule of Requirements it lists 2. Which is correct?A45: For Upgrade 3, one battery bank is correct. Table I in ITB Section II - Schedule of Requirements shall be amended to reflect the correct number.Q46: Are we able to reduce the quantities of panels provided the overall array wattage remains above the minimum values listed, i.e. 6kWp? Some freedom in panel size allows for more tailored and efficient designs.A46: There is no restriction in this regard in the ITB. ITB specified the nominal (minimum) power per module and the nominal total power of PV generator. There are no quantities of panels specified. As for the ITB drawings – they are indicative only and if your offer deviates from the provided drawings, you only need to submit your own drawings.Q47: Regarding the mounting structure: Our local provider has recommended a design that uses 100% locally available materials with the exception of the security fasteners, which would allow for more straightforward long term maintenance. Are we able to quote this option with the local provider doing any necessary prefabrication and supplying UNOPS ready-made kits? Or could we assume the local installer (TBD) will have the capability for basic welding?A47: The local installer will not have the option of welding anything on site. All materials must be plug-and-play meaning that all joints must be based on bolt and nut fastening or similar. Q48: Are we able to propose an alternative mounting orientation and layout? This would allow for more tailored and efficient wiring and mounting structure design.A48: Yes, you are free to propose an alternative mounting orientation as long as the overall ground space required does not increase by more than 10% compared to the drawings provided. Also, people who want to access the battery and inverter shelter shall not be forced to pass through PV ground mounting structures.

New clarification added: Q38.    Law and Jurisdiction: We note that any contract award would be subject to the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules in accordance with Clause 33 of the UNOPS General Conditions for Goods. However, Clause 33 does not specify the seat of any arbitration or the applicable law. We would therefore request that UNOPS please confirm the seat or legal place of any arbitration and the governing law that is to apply to any arbitration and consequently the agreement itself.A38.    Disputes under UNOPS contracts are settled in accordance with UNICITRAL Arbitration Rules. No seat of arbitration or applicable law can be included in the contract due to UNOPS’ privileges and immunities.Q39.    Privileges and Immunities: We note that UNOPS is to benefit from privileges and immunities in accordance with Clause 34 of the UNOPS General Conditions for Goods. We would be grateful if UNOPS could clarify the effect of such privileges and immunities, or refer us to a document that contains this information.A39.    UNOPS enjoys the privileges and immunities of the United Nations pursuant to the 1946 Convention on Privileges and Immunities (http://www.un.org/en/ethics/pdf/convention.pdf)  which in essence states that UNOPS enjoys immunity from every form of legal process and thus cannot be subjected to legal proceedings in national courts. Q40.    Power of Attorney: Under ‘Stage: Eligibility and Formal Criteria’ where it states that the bid should be “accompanied with a written confirmation authorising the signatory of the Bid to commit the Bidder”.  Are you meaning a Power of Attorney here?A40.    Yes. Power of Attorney fulfils this requirement.

New clarification added: Q34:  Delivery Periods for Contracts 1 and 2: In Section II of the ITB under ‘implementation considerations’, it states ‘The initial contract shall be issued for CHC systems only.  Issuance of contract for upgrade packages shall be subject to successful supply of CHC Systems’.  We have two questions here:a.  Please can you advise whether Contract 2 will only be placed once those goods under Contract 1 have been ‘accepted’ by UNOPS once commissioning and testing has taken place?b.  If this is the case, CPT delivery would be calculated from this period (30 June 2017) and the 28 weeks delivery period for Contract 2 would extend into 2018. As such, the completion of testing and commissioning for Contract 2  would not be able to be achieved by 30 November 2017 as required in the tender document. Please could you explain?A34:  There is no intention of waiting until “testing and commissioning has taken place” for the 1st contact. Once UNOPS receives reasonable assurances that the prospective Contractor is capable of supplying the systems, UNOPS will initiate the award of the 2nd contract. UNOPS shall work with the prospective Contractor to obtain those “reasonable assurances” as early as possible during the 1st contract’s implementation and issue the 2nd contract as early as possible in order to achieve the targeted timelines. Q35:  Delivery to Sites: With reference to your response to Q9, could you please:a.  Confirm the dimensions of the load bed and payload capacity of the delivery trucks which UNOPS intend to use for equipment delivery to the sites;b.  Confirm the number of CHCs that are accessible only by these trucks and which upgrade size(s) correspond to those sites? A35:  This information is not available at the moment and cannot be provided. Detailed surveys of the sites are currently ongoing and when completed, their results shall be used by UNOPS for proper planning of in-country logistics. However, from the results of the initial reconnaissance surveys that were conducted on 98 villages we know that access to many villages will be very difficult since there are hardly any roads and some villages are accessible only by boats. Therefore, ITB requires that goods are packed on standard euro-pallets, so then they can be easily loaded onto light trucks (4x4 Hi-Lux double-cab pickup or similar) in Freetown and delivered to final destinations or to an interim transshipment point with minimum problems. When delivered to a final destination or to an interim transhipment point, people should be able to simply break/open the pallets/packages on top of the vehicle’s load-bed and offload the system components manually for installation or onward transportation using a different mode of transportation, as the case may be. Q36:  Warranty: In document IV of the ITB it states "The period of validity of the Warranty shall be: as per ITB/2016/129, Section IV, Schedule of Requirements".  Is this referring to Section II of the ITB (the ‘Schedule of Requirements’)?  If so, we are unable to locate a statement of the period of validity of the Warranty in the Schedule of Requirements.  Please clarify this requirement.A36:  Please see Annex I - Comparative Data Tables, which is incorporated into the Schedule of Requirements by reference. The warranty requirements for each component are specified there. Q37:  Budget Ceiling: Could you provide indications of the budget ceilings for Contract 1 (Lots 1 & 6) and for Contract 2 (Lots 2,3,4,&5)?A37:  Nice try! :-) but this information is confidential and cannot be provided.

New clarification added: Q29:  INCOTERM: The UNOPS General Conditions for Goods (August 2005) refer to Incoterms 2000.  However, ‘Section 1: Instruction to Bidders’ refers to the 2010 edition of Incoterms.  Please confirm that any subsequent Contract would be governed by Incoterms 2010?A29:  Pursuant to ITB Section I – Instructions to Bidders, Clause 15, INCOTERM2010 applies. We shall amend the Special Conditions of Contract in ITB Section IV to reflect the change of the INCOTERM in the GCG 2.2.Q30:  Advance Payment: The ‘Tender Particulars’ advise that Advance Payment is allowed up to USD500,000 or 25% of the total Contract Price.  Does this apply to each Contract, i.e. CHC System Contracts and the Upgrade Contract?A30:  Advance payment applies to each Contract, i.e. there may be two separate advance payments under two separate contracts. Q31:  Payment:  For the 1st Contract, should there be more than one delivery, will the 90% payment be made against the partial shipments, when delivered on the contracted incoterm or once all systems have been delivered?  The ‘Tender Particulars’ states this for the 2nd Contract but not the 1st Contract?A31:  Partial payment against partial delivery is envisaged for the 2nd contract only. For the 1st contract 90% of the Contract Price shall be paid on receipt of the ALL THE GOODS as per the applicable INCOTERMS and the remaining 10% of the Contract Price shall be paid to the Vendor within 30 days after the date of issuance by UNOPS of acceptance certificate for the associated services. Q32:  Variation of Scope: UNOPS General Conditions for Goods (Clause 18) state a variation on the general scope of Contract by 20% above or below the original Contract price, whereas Section II, part C of the ITB gives 30% for variances.  Please advise which of these takes precedent?A32:  30% applies. We shall amend the Special Conditions of Contract in ITB Section IV to reflect the change of the percentage of variations in the GCG 18.Q33:  Procurement of Local Company: Section II: ‘Schedule of Requirements’ under paragraph ‘Implementation Considerations’ point v, states that ‘Selection of Local Company (ies) for installation, testing and commissioning, operation and maintenance shall be the responsibility of UNOPS. The Contractor however may be fully engaged to develop the associated tender for the selection of local company(ies) and in the evaluation of offers.’Please can you provide a brief Terms of Reference for the Contractor's role in constructing the tender and taking part in the evaluation for the local company?A33:  The word “may” has been used in the referenced sentence as we do not yet know if we shall use this service or not. Accordingly, there is no TOR available for this service. If we decide to use this service, we shall discuss it with the winning bidder and shall jointly determine the required TOR and the associated level of effort. 

New clarification added: Q26: Bid as a Re-seller: We submitted a clarification in respect of Q2: Section III Returnable Bidding Forms, (Form F ‘Manufacturer’s Authorisation Form) to which UNOPS responded via its e-portal site on 13 September 2016.  We wish to take this opportunity to clarify further its position and seek your confirmation that our proposal will satisfy the bid eligibility criteria.We propose to bid as a re-seller of the required goods and services. Under any subsequent Contract with UNOPS, we would purchase the goods from the manufacturer and then supply the goods and services to UNOPS. We will submit with its bid a letter from the manufacturer confirming that we will act as a reseller of the required goods. Please could UNOPS confirm whether this is acceptable to them and satisfies the bid eligibility criteria?A26: The proposed wording of the Manufacturer’s Authorisation is provided in the respective Returnable Bid Schedule uploaded into the Documents’ tab. If this wording cannot be exactly reproduced, then as minimum, the provided authorisations and undertaken obligations by the manufacturer in its letter must comply with those defined in the Manufacturer’s Authorisation Form. Q27: Qualification Criteria: We wish to raise a clarification in respect of the third criteria in this section which begins "Bidder shall have delivered at least ten (10) complete solar powered or hybrid electrical mini-grid systems of 10kWp or higher during the last 5 (five) calendar years……."We have delivered solar-powered and hybrid-electrical mini-grid systems for numerous projects of a similar scope, but only in instances where we have acted as procurement agent for donor clients under these projects, rather than as the manufacturer of the systems.  We would therefore be grateful if UNOPS could confirm whether our strong track record of acting as a procurement agent for such systems would satisfy the eligibility criteria for this particular tender?A27: If we looked at this criterion in isolation, an experience as procurement agent would suffice. However, we have to look into this criterion in the context of the overall qualification criteria, which require that bidders must possess adequate capacity and experience (both technical and commercial) for the supply of the required Goods and associated services. This means experience with detailed design of the systems, procurement of components and their consolidation in one location for systems integration works, packaging and shipment of systems to final installation locations, installation and commissioning works, parameters’ setting for all electric components, communications and data transfer between various system components, safety protection including lightning protection, etc.. Accordingly, when a bidder claims it has delivered a complete solar powered electricity supply system, we expect that bidder had done all of the above and shall be able to demonstrate it. Thus, a strong record as a procurement agent only does not satisfy this criterion.If a bidder does not have all the expertise required for the provision of the goods/services to be provided under the Contract, such bidder may submit a bid in association with other entities, particularly with an entity in the country where the goods and/or services are to be provided. Q28:  Sites: Would you be able to provide a list of the names of the 50 CHC sites?A28: Detailed site surveys as well as detailed demand surveys are currently ongoing in the villages. Unless all survey works are finalised and results discussed among the project stakeholders, decision on the final 50 cannot be taken. Therefore the final list cannot be provided at the moment. Based on our assumptions on the underlying reasons for asking this question, we advise the following:a.     Sites are  distributed all across the country with all different terrains and all different climatic conditions, as available in Sierra Leone.b.     In case the question relates to transportation issues, please see A35 below.c.     In case the question relates to the sizing of the air conditioners, please use an air conditioner of around 1 kW single phase electrical power. Air conditioner(s) shall be mainly powered by the excess solar power generated during the daytime.If above doesn’t cover the reasons why you asked this question, please revert with more specific questions and we shall respond accordingly.

New amendment added #1: The Invitation to Bid is hereby amended as follows:Bid submission deadline has been extended for 2 weeks. The revised Bid Submission Deadline is 10 October 2016, 10:00am GMT.Deadline for clarification requests has been extended for 2 weeks. The revised deadline for requesting clarifications is 05 October 2016, 10:00am GMT. Manufacturer's Authorisation Form has been revised to remove the "Sole Representative" requirement. The revised form has been uploaded onto Documents' Tab.  

New clarification added: Q22. The size of the solar plants units in the first phase as indicated is 6kw. Is this the actual expected net output? If yes, the size should be over 6kw since internal power consumption by the air conditioning units, depending on quantity and size of the units might consume easily 500 to 1000w. Has this (power consumption airco's for the battery room) been taken into consideration?A22: The size of the solar PV plant does NOT specify the output of the power station. The size of the PV plant is the actual rated power capacity of the PV modules under standard conditions. Q23: In conjunction with "Q22" has battery capacity taken into account that airco's may need to operate until late in the evening to guarantee battery rooms be kept at outside temperature minus 10°C?A23: The requirement of outside temperature minus 10°C for battery room temperature is rather indicative. For more specific control features of the automatic air conditioner load management, please refer to A15 above. Q24: Please provide underlying calculations for Q22 and Q23.A24: Kindly deliver according to the specifications provided in ITB Annex I and clarifications provided in A15 above.   Q25: In stage 2 plants of 20, 30 and 40kw will be needed: in the tender these are all based on modules of 10kw. From a cost, energy and maintenance efficiency point of view we believe that 20, 30 and 40kw as one would be a better option. Will UNOPS allow this?A25: Yes, according to the ITB this is permissible. Please provide the updated drawings with your bid.

New clarification added: Q15: In Section II - Schedule of Requirements, Table 1: Equipment Overview, there is one equipment named Air Conditioner. Is it used for solar system, such as to cool battery bank, or a load in CHC? how long is it working per day?A15: The Air Conditioner is an integral part of the power station. It will cool the batteries in order to prolong the lifetime of the batteries. The Air Conditioner(s) shall be delivered by the prospective Contractor and shall be integrated into the load management system (fully automatic switching) of the power station in a way that uses excess electricity from solar PV to power the A/C for cooling the battery as much as possible with a lower limit of 10°C while preventing temperatures above 40°C inside the battery room under any circumstances. If the battery state of charge crosses the 40% limit (towards lower state of charge values), the Air Conditioner(s) shall be switched off by the load management system automatically.Q16: In upgrade size 1, there is no requirement for battery bank, so can we design a seperate system for the whole village?A16: Upgrade Package Size 1 must be designed as an extension of the CHC System and must consider the use of the battery bank already installed as part of the CHC System. Q17: Battery converter: do you mean it is for DC to AC, to connect to the AC load directly from battery?A17: The battery converter can be an inverter (DC to AC) or a bi-directional converter (DC to AC and AC to DC). One of the main features of the inverter as specified in the ITB is the capability to connect individually managed battery strings. Each battery string shall have its own battery management (voltage controlled according to IUoU charging cycle and cell temperature, as well as State of Charge calculation for each string individually, independently of other battery strings connected to the same system). One option to meet this criteria is a battery converter with a power output that can be extended by adding more converter modules. Alternatively, the criteria can be met by individual charge controllers with DC/DC converters per battery string. A battery string is defined according to the definition of one battery in the ITB. Additionally, the converters shall be readily prepared to work with one diesel generator per system. The diesel generator shall NOT be an alternative power source (e.g. connected through a transfer switch) but shall be capable of supplying the loads (directly in case of bi-directional converters or through the unidirectional inverter) while charging the batteries. The converter system shall be extendable.Q18: SOD (scope of delivery): All "hardware" to be provided - please confirm if civil works are to be done by Vendor? If civil works are included will the allocated terrain be made suitable for construction (f.e. flattened) by the local community or a third party or is Vendor also supposed to do this?A18: Civil works are not included in the scope of this tender. Please read ITB Section II - Schedule of Requirements, Implementation Considerations, point (vi).Q19: Locations of the villages; Please provide GPS location so we can check terrain settings (flat/hills etc) in order to see if we can get there as well may the actual terrain situation have an impact on the civil works. The actual and precise location of all village is also relevant given the applicable Incoterm CPT. Any additional info relevant for construction here is welcome f.e. swampy or rocky underground etc. A19: Civil works are not included in the scope of this tender and you do not have to worry about actual terrain situation at the sites. Q20: Can access ways to the villages carry 40f loaded containers, will bridges to be crossed from Freetown to the various villages allow this kind of weight (30 tons)?A20: Please read ITB Section II - Schedule of Requirements, Implementation Considerations, point (ii) and also see A9 above.Q21: Please clarify weather conditions at time of the indicated period of installation. A21: If goes as planned, the installation works shall take place at the end of dry season and the beginning of monsoon reason. Therefore, all equipment shall be ready to be shipped and installed during heavy rain falls. The prospective Contractor shall comply with packing and shipping instructions given in Section IV - Contract Forms, Form IV-2 SCC, GCG 4. Also the prospective Contractor shall be expected to additionally wrap each pallet with electronics components with plastic foil in order to protect them from water.

New clarification added: Q14: We would like to request a clarification for the "TOR/SOW for “Testing and Commissioning” services with articulated Level of Effort" and "Trainings’ Curriculum outline with articulated Level of Effort" documents. Document category: Technical proposal. Please advise.A14: AAA. As provided in ITB Section II – UNOPS shall hire a local firm or firms through a different tender process to deliver and install the systems at their respective final destinations. The local firm’s personnel shall be trained by the prospective Contractor on how to properly undertake installation works, how to test and commission the systems, how to operate and maintain them. Depending on the offered systems’ features and characteristics, the prospective Contractor must determine the scope of the training, i.e. what shall be taught and how long it shall take (outline Curriculum) as well as what resources it shall require and how much it shall cost (articulated Level of Effort). This is what the “Trainings’ Curriculum outline with articulated Level of Effort” document must include.It is envisaged that the local firm shall provide at least five teams, each comprised of one foreman, one electrician, one technician and labourers. The teams shall be trained by the prospective Contractor in understanding the full documentation of the provided systems (i.e. step-by-step installation guidelines, testing and commissioning guidelines, operating and maintenance guidelines, troubleshooting guidelines, etc.), all related instructions on systems’ packaging (i.e. where and how the components, tools and installation materials can be found within the packages); how the components need to be mounted, how to use any special tools, etc. The theoretical part of the training will take place in Freetown. The practical part of the training shall be conducted on site as on-the-job-training while installing the first 2 systems at minimum. UNOPS will test the capacities of the teams after training and must be satisfied with the capability of all teams to install and commission (if relevant) the systems and operate and maintain them in the long term.As per ITB requirement, the systems must be plug-and-play in order to reduce the level of effort required for training and installation. E.g. battery cables should be delivered labelled and “ready for connection” instead of requiring the local firm to cut and crimp the cable lugs on site; the inverters should be delivered fully parameterized instead of requiring the local firm to set each parameter individually on site, etc.BBB. The prospective Contractor must determine the scope of the testing and commissioning service they shall provide for all systems, i.e. what shall be done and how long it shall take (TOR/SOW) as well as what resources it shall require and how much it shall cost (articulated Level of Effort). This is what the "TOR/SOW for “Testing and Commissioning” services with articulated Level of Effort" must include.Depending on the quality of installation works performed by the local firm, UNOPS and the prospective Contractor may either agree to limit the “Testing and Commissioning” services of the prospective Contractor only to the first few installations or to extent the “Testing and Commissioning” services to all of the installations.

New clarification added: Q6: Due to the complexiy of the bid and the delays needed to design the system correctly, we request the subission date to be postponed of at least a week.A6: Following the numerous requests for deadline extension, after internal discussions it has been agreed to extend the bid submission deadline to 10 October 2016 and the deadline for the clarification requests to 05 October 2016. The ITB shall be amended accordingly. Q7: We are going to submit documents for this bid, but time is really a challenge and we request a 2-4 weeks extension for us to prepare.A7: Please see A6 above. Q8: Will UNOPS be responsible for the following works at the Sites: laying underground cable tubes; excavation and laying of the lightning rods?A8: Yes. These works shall be executed by UNOPS independently from the scope of this tender under a separate contract.Q9: Are any of the CHCs accessibly only by 4x4 pick-up or is it possible to use a larger vehicle to distribute the plug and play systems for Lot 1?A9: Yes, some of the sites are accessible only by 4x4 pick-up trucks.Q10: In ITB document, it's said to use crystalline in Lot 2, Annex 1. To be clear, should all system use crystalline, how about using other solar generators, such as thin film or CSP? Can bidder choose or not? Please clarify.A10: All systems shall use crystalline technology only.Q11: Regarding the commitment to a model - due to short delivery time is it possible to submit a number of models in case one of the vendors won't be able to manufacture or supply the goods on time we'll have the option to work with a different vendor and get another approved model.A11: Bidders can quote different options for PV modules and batteries, provided that all quoted options comply with the technical specifications outlined in the ITB. However, a single price per component must be quoted irrespective of the number of offered options for that component. The documentation requirement (manufacturer's authorisation, copy of manufacturer's quality management certificate, product data sheets, etc.) must be complied with for each offered option.Q12: Do we have to supply the insulated  polyurethane walls and structure for building the structure, equipment for building the walls? Same question regarding the air conditioners and lighting pole, that appear in the tender description. A12: Yes, all required material to build a shelter in accordance with the specifications in Comparative Data Tables (Annex I) and Drawings (Annex II) is to be provided by the bidder as requested. All the materials have to be prepared and packaged as a plug-and-play system. All tools for installation and commissioning of the shelters have to be provided with the package as outlined in the ITB.Q13: Is it possible to change some of the payment terms, only for the solar modules, to cash? The amounts are round XXX USD at the delivery of the first phase and additional YYY USD at the delivery of phase 2, against an invoice. A13: Payment terms are non-negotiable and must comply to the conditions set in the Bid Particulars. For specific details, please visit or re-visit the Bid Particulars' section.