REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST (REOI)

(CONSULTING SERVICES – FIRMS SELECTION)

Republic of Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the Republic of Rwanda Ruzizi III Regional Hydropower Project

Assignment Title: Probity Assurance Provider

Reference No.: Ruzizi III_PAP

The Borrower (Ruzizi III Energy Limited (REL) and the Contracting States (Republic of Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and Republic of Rwanda)) has secured from the African Development Bank (AfDB) approval for part of the funding for the 206 MW Regional Hydropower Project (the “Project”). In addition, the Borrower is currently negotiating the difference in the amount required to finance the Project with the following development banks: the World Bank (WB), European Investment Bank (EIB), Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW), the French Development Agency (AFD), the European Union (EU), and British International Investment (BII). The Borrower intends to apply part of the proceeds for consulting services.

The Project will be constructed and owned as a public-private partnership (PPP) among the Contracting States and REL. REL (the “Employer”) is a special purpose vehicle registered in Rwanda for the development, construction, and operation of the Project. During construction and operation REL will be owned by the Contracting States and the Sponsors (Industrial Promotion Services and SN Power AS (owned by Scatec ASA)). The CEPGL Organisation pour l’Énergie des Pays des Grands Lacs (“EGL”) acts as the agent for the Contracting States.

The Project will include the design, construction, commissioning, testing, operation and maintenance of (i) a hydroelectric power production facility with an installed capacity of 206 MW, comprising of a 45 m high embankment dam with associated spillway, low level outlet, and eco-flow powerhouse, a 3.8 km long, 6.7 m diameter concreate-lined headrace tunnel, penstock and unit penstocks, power station comprising three generating units, access roads, and all ancillary and related works (the “Facility”) and (ii) a 7.3 km long 220 kV doublecircuit transmission line to evacuate the electricity from the Facility to the regional dispatch station in Kamanyola (DRC) (the “Transmission Line”).

The main construction contract for the Project will be a single Engineer-Procure-Construct (EPC) contract (the “EPC Contract”). REL is implementing an open international competitive tender for the EPC Contract (the “EPC RFP”), using the World Bank Request for Proposal Model 2 (streamlined) selection method with negotiations.

The consulting services (the “Services”) include providing probity assurance services for the procurement process of the EPC RFP. The Services are detailed in the Terms of Reference (TOR). In summary, they include monitoring the opening of the EPC RFP proposals and the evaluation, and the EPC Contract negotiations and award. The estimated level of effort is sixty (60) professional staff-days over a period of nine months between September 2024 and June 2025. 

The TOR for the assignment can be obtained from the Employer by sending an email to PAP_procurement@ruzizienergy.com.

The Employer now invites eligible consulting firms (“Consultants”) to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services. The following information shall be provided when submitting an Expression of Interest (EOI): 

• A cover letter expressing interest in performing the Services, clearly stating the Consultant’s name (and if a joint venture (JV) the names of the JV members), address(es), and authorized person;
• Consultant’s (if applicable, JV members’) company registration documents, demonstrating shortlisting criteria A below;
• Consultant’s overall company organization structure, relevant capabilities, and relevant experience;
• General statement of current capability to perform the Services, including:
• Overview of the Consultant’s management and technical / professional expertise capabilities (do not provide CV’s or nominate specific individuals);
• Capability to perform the Services;
• Consultant’s (if JV then lead JV member’s) quality management system and / or ISO accreditation;
• Details on experience, responding to shortlisting criteria B below, including:
• Project name, date, and location;
• Details of the project;
• Details of the services performed by the Consultant and how they meet the shortlisting criteria;
• Client name and contact details;
• Audited (or equivalent) financial summary / report for the last three (3) years (2021, 2022, and 2023), demonstrating shortlisting criteria C below;
• Confirmation that the Consultant meets the applicable shortlisting criteria D to F stated below relating to:
• Conflict of Interest;
• Ineligibility, debarment or sanctions; and
• Previous and/or current litigation.

When responding to shortlisting criteria, provide information about all relevant experience and qualifications. The shortlisting criteria are: 

• Consultant must have been in business for a minimum of seven (7) years;
• Consultant must have demonstrable experience with probity auditing:
• for a minimum of five (5) years;
• on the same or similar Services;
• on a project funded by a development bank;
• Demonstrated sound financial situation over the last three (3) years (2021, 2022, and 2023).
• Consultant has no conflict of interest in accordance with the requirements stated in this REOI below.
• Consultant is not currently ineligible, debarred or sanctioned:
• by any signatory to the Agreement of Mutual Enforcement of Debarment

Decisions among Multilateral Development Banks ii. by the United Nations Security Council under Chapter VII of the Charter of the

Unite Nations iii. as a result of any corruptive, fraudulent coercive or obstructive practices or illicit payment by any individual Contracting State or the country of an individual Sponsor 

• Consultant has not been subject to or is not currently subject to litigation or arbitration as a result of the claimed non-performance of the same or similar Services by the Consultant within the past three (3) years.

Key Experts will not be evaluated at the shortlisting stage.

The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to Section III, paragraphs, 3.14, 3.16, and 3.17 of the World Bank’s “Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers” July 2016, Fifth Edition, September 2023 (the “Procurement Regulations”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest. In addition, the Consultant shall not: 

• have a conflict of interest with an individual Borrower, Sponsor, or EGL; or
• have other existing or previous engagement on the Project with an individual Borrower, Sponsor, or EGL.

Consultants may associate with other firms to enhance their qualifications, but should indicate clearly whether the association is in the form of a joint venture and/or a subconsultancy. In the case of a joint venture, all members in the joint venture shall be jointly and severally liable for the entire contract, if selected.

A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Consultant’s Qualifications Based Selection (CQS) method set out in the Procurement Regulations. 

Further information can be obtained by sending an email to

PAP_procurement@ruzizienergy.com during office hours (Monday to Friday, between 09:00 -17:00).

The EOI must be in English and delivered electronically in a secure, searchable, and single Portable Document Format (PDF) format to the following email address by 14:00 Kigali time on Thursday 01 August 2024: PAP_procurement@ruzizienergy.com.

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