GRMF HEAT – Expressions of Interest
The GRMF HEAT bid opening took place on 27thMarch 2023 at 10:30 am (EAT).
The following Expressions of Interest (EoI) were received.
| Project Code | Name of Bidder | Project |
|---|---|---|
| 01-SSH-01-KE | GDC | Menengai West |
| 01-SHH-02-DJ | ODDEG | Lac Abhé |
| 01-SHH-03-DJ | ODDEG | Ambado |
| 01-SHH-04-RW | EDCL | Gisenyi |
| 01-SHH-05-ET | EMS Consulting | Gedemsa |
| 01-SHH-06-KE | GEG | Akiira |
| 01-SHH-07-KE | GEG | Suguta |
| 01-SHH-08-KE | Hudson Drilling | Eburru |
| 01-SHH-09-ET | 4th Resource Corp | Harmokale |
| 01-SHH-10-KE | Mumbi Limited | Elementaita |
| 01-SHH-11-TZ | Diageo Great Britain Limited | Serengeti Brewerey |
| 01-SHH-12-KE | Rift Valley Institute of Science and Technology | Nakuru |
| 01-SHH-13-TZ | TGDC | Ibadakuli |
| 01-SHH-14-TZ | TGDC | Kisaki |
| 01-SHH-15-TZ | TGDC | Manyara |
| 01-SHH-16-UG | Ministry of Mineral Development Uganda | Kabuga |
| 01-SHH-17-UG | Ministry of Mineral Development Uganda | Karungu |
Expression of Interest (EoI) Stage
Please find the GRMF HEAT Background Documents here.
GRMF HEAT provides grants to developers through competitive, transparent and rigorous two-stage application and evaluation processes:
- The first stage is an open pre-qualification process inviting potential Applicants to submit their Expressions of Interest (EoI) by a specified closing date. Based on the evaluation of these EoI, shortlisted developers will be invited to participate in the application stage.
- In the second stage, applications from shortlisted developers will be accepted by a specified closing date.
The pre-qualification process comprises the following activities:
- Potential Applicants of the Request for EoI will be informed by means of promotion activities (e.g. the kick-off workshop).
- Request for EoI will be posted on the Facility webpage.
- For inquiries for clarifications regarding the EoI, Applicants shall submit questions via e-mail to the following addresses: grmf@africa-union.org and grmf@roedl.com. The deadline for inquiries is 14 days before the closing date of the pre-qualification. Inquiries received after the deadline will not be considered. Inquiries will be collected and answers will be published, without eligible entity’s or inquirer’s details, on the GRMF webpage.
- The deadline for submission of pre-qualification documents may be extended by issuing an amendment or addendum. Also, the content of the Request for EoI might be changed by amendment.
- The Applicant shall send one electronic version of the completed pre-qualification document as well as one signed original hard copy of required declarations and cover letter as specified in the Request for EoI to the tender box within 8 weeks of the Request for EoI being posted on the Facility webpage (the precise date will be indicated in the Request for EoI). The arrival date and time of the document is relevant for consideration of the EoI. EoI received after the deadline or not in the required manner will not be evaluated but will be returned unopened to the Applicant.
- Only complete EoI which are in line with the required submission form will be considered for evaluation.
- Expressions of Interests will be evaluated according to a predefined methodology that will be specified in the Request for EoI.
- Applicants will be provided with the feedback presumably within 12 weeks after the submission deadline for EoI.
- Shortlisted Applicants will be invited to participate in the mandatory pre-bidding workshop and in the application stage.
On 1st December 2022 from 3 pm to 5 pm (EAT)
the GRMF HEAT kick-off workshop took place in form of a webinar.
The webinar started the Expression of Interest phase.
The presentations can be downloaded here:
| Presentations |
|---|
| GRMF HEAT |
| Application Procedure |
| Technical Aspects |
| Procurement |
| Environmental and Social Safeguard Requirements and Applicable Standards |
To participate in the tender one electronic copy (searchable PDF file) of the complete pre-qualification documents has to be submitted to:
Email: tender@africa-union.org
Copy to: TizitaT@africa-union.org;grmf@africa-union.org;grmf@roedl.com
The subject line of the email has to include the procurement number: AUC/IED/DU-AR01/001/22
The size of email attachments shall not exceed 10 MB. In case the attachments are larger than 10 MB, an upload link can be requested from grmf@roedl.com. However, to participate in the tender, an email containing the following signed and stamped scanned documents has to be sent to the email addresses above:
- EoI – Cover Letter
- EoI Appendix 1 – Declaration of Acceptance and Adherence to Procurement Standards
- EoI Appendix 2 – Declaration of Non-Existence of Rejection Grounds
The deadline for submission of the Expression of Interest (EoI) applies to the email, as well as to the upload via upload link.
The deadline for all submissions was: 16:00 H Ethiopian Time on 16th March 2023
While the deadline still applied, the bid-opening was postponed to 27th March 2023, 10:30 am (EAT) due to IT problems at the African Union Commission.
The Applicant has the full responsibility that the original version of the cover letter and the declarations are in total compliance with the electronic copy. Evaluation results coming up from discrepancies of submitted versions (original or electronic copy) are not disputable. The arrival date and time of the documents is relevant for consideration of the EoI. EoI received after the deadline or not in the required manner will not be evaluated. The AUC may extend the deadline for submission of pre-qualification documents by issuing an addendum.
| Download the GRMF HEAT Expression of Interest (EoI) Documents: |
|---|
| GRMF HEAT Developer Manual |
| GRMF HEAT Request for EoI |
| GRMF HEAT Request for EoI Annex I |
| GRMF HEAT Request for EoI Annex II |
Questions and Answers
Any inquiry regarding the pre-application process shall be submitted via e-mail to both of the following addresses:
grmf@africa-union.org and grmf@roedl.com.
Deadline for all inquiries is on, or before 12:00 H (noon) on 2nd March 2023, Ethiopian time. Inquiries received after the deadline will not be considered. Answers will be published, without eligible entities or inquirer’s details, below.
| No | Question | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Are only registered companies eligible for GRMF HEAT? Can self-help groups, learning institutions, community based organizations and other similar entities participate? | Public or private organisations as well as public private partnerships (eligible entities) are eligible to apply to the Facility.
The beneficiary’s legal status, legitimating the beneficiary to enter into a grant contract, will have to be confirmed by a reputable third-party lawyer from the beneficiary’s country of origin before signing a grant contract. Please see GRMF HEAT Developer Manual Chapter 7 and 12 f) for more information. |
| 2 | What is the payment schedule for the disbursements? | Milestones / Grant disbursement schedule will be included in the grant contract. Achievement of milestones will trigger any grant disbursements. Relevant disbursement schedules shall be communicated during the RfA phase.
On achievement of milestones in the surface studies plan and according to the disbursement schedule included in the grant contract, the developer shall send the payment request and supporting information to the AUC address specified in the Request for Application (one original). Supporting information can be e.g. copies of receipts and/or invoices, reports on milestones reached or pictures of infrastructure established. |
| 3 | Are the payments based on actual costs? | The upper limits for financial support of the approved eligible costs at the time of proposal submission (as stated in the eligible activities), fixed in the form of a grant contract to winning Applicants for surface studies, are as follows:
The final grant volume will be based on actual costs up to the limits as set out in the Grant Contract. |
| 4 | Is it possible to get a copy of the draft Grant Contract? | A draft Grant Contract will be available for developers who received an awarding letter after the full-application phase. |
| 5 | Is the grant contract negotiable? | Grant amount and Grant Contract are not negotiable. |
| 6 | How are the budgets for anticipated internal and external costs to be documented during the application phase and in the execution phase? | Applications shall, as part of their full Application (not during the EoI phase) include a Cost Estimate containing a detailed breakdown of anticipated costs for surface studies which are eligible for support by the Facility.
Applications shall demonstrate that anticipated costs are reasonable and adequate and that they represent value for money, i.e. that costs and quality of all goods and services are at a minimum consistent with market norms and country standards, and preferably represent a discount compared to market norms and country standards. As such, Applications should include as attachments documentation such as quotations or estimates from different suppliers of services and goods as well as costs of previous projects in the region and internationally or any other justification of costs that substantiate the cost estimate. During the financial evaluation, the cost estimates from the applicants will be checked for completeness and eligibility. Subsequently, the adequateness and reasonability of the cost estimates based on the justifications given will be determined. All contingencies stated will also be checked for eligibility and reasonableness. Any adjustments necessary as the basis for the grant level offered in the contract negotiation phase will be proposed. For the sake of clarity, if the cost estimates or contingencies are found to be higher than the actual estimate of the evaluation experts, the grant level will be adjusted to match the estimated costs of the GRMF experts. After execution of the project, the actual cost will be confirmed in a financial report, containing and audited expenditure verification report (EVR), which will be a pre-condition for the final disbursement. |
| 7 | Are risk contingencies and allowances allowed? How to deal with uncertainties related to early phase cost estimates? | Reasonable and agreed contingencies are eligible for Infrastructure & Surface Studies. Please see Chapter 7.4 Eligible Costs of the GRMF HEAT Developer Manual. |
| 8 | Is it possible to operate on a reimbursable model where certain budgets are uncertain? | The grant amount will be based on anticipated costs and fixed within the Grant Contract. |
| 9 | What is the process and what are the criteria for the technical evaluation of the application? | Information on the full-application phase will be made available during the pre-bidding workshop.
For the Expression of Interest a description of the evaluation process can be found in Chapter 10 of the GRMF HEAT Developer Manual. A description of evaluation criteria can be found in Annex 1 of the GRMF HEAT Developer Manual. |
| 10 | What are the environmental and social permits required for projects in Ethiopia? | It is the Developer’s responsibility to carry out its operations at all times in compliance with all applicable national environmental, occupational health & safety, public health and safety, labour and social laws and regulations.
Unfortunately, the Regional Geothermal Coordination Unit (RGCU) cannot provide information on which specific permits must be obtained in the respective eligible countries. |
| 11 | Please elaborate on the two-stage process for international competitive bidding for consulting services? Are for example pre-qualification documents / templates to be used? | International Competitive Bidding by public advertisement is the preferred method of GRMF procurement. Public advertisement has to be made by international online tender publication.
The procedure for procuring consulting services usually comprises an international, public and unrestricted invitation to tender conducted in two stages, namely prequalification and competitive tendering. In the first stage of the procedure the general suitability of the bidders is examined; in the second stage a competition among the prequalified bidders is held to select the bidder who has submitted the best bid in terms of the quality of services offered and the price for those services. The deadlines for preparation of the prequalification documents and for preparation of the bids must take due account of the particular circumstances of the project, its size and complexity, and ensure sufficient and transparent competition. Deadlines shall be at least 30 calendar days for prequalification procedures and 45 calendar days for bids. For more information, please see GRMF Developer Procurement Guidelines (Sixths Edition). |
| 12 | Is it possible to add additional countries to the eligible list for this application round? | As the Expression of Interest Phase already started, it is not possible to add additional eligible countries for this Application Round. |
| 13 | Is it possible to add countries outside of East Africa to the eligible list (at any point in the future) if there is sufficient evidence of a geothermal resource suitable for a geothermal heat project? | Countries can be added to the list of eligible countries for future Application Rounds. To do so, an official letter to the African Union Commission is required. Afterwards a decision will be taken by the GRMF Oversight Committee. |
| 14 | In case a site has already been subject to of a complete surface study and on-site exploration has already begun, is it possible to directly proceed with the drilling phase? | Currently we do not offer funding for Drilling Programmes related to direct use. However, pending the results of a first application round, the facility might be extended to also support drilling and testing of wells. |
| 15 | Does the deadline stated under 4.4 of the Request for Application Document (16th March 2023, 4 pm East African Time) also apply to the originals of the following documents?
|
Only the electronic versions and their receipt by email are relevant for the GRMF HEAT EoI deadline of 16 March 2023 at 4pm (EAT).
The originals can still be sent to the GRMF Project Manager after the deadline: African Union Commission Infrastructure and Energy Department JOSEPH MWANGI Roosevelt Street, W21K19; P.O. Box 3243 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |