The Government of Benin, acting through the Millennium Challenge Account - Benin II (MCA-Benin II), has received a grant amounting to Three Hundred and Ninety-one Million (391,000,000) US Dollars ("MCC Funding") from the Millennium Challenge Corporation (“MCC”), an agency of the Government of the United States of America for the implementation of the MCC Compact (“the Program”) to promote poverty reduction and economic growth in Benin. Under the Program, it intends to use a portion of the funds for payments for contracts for individual consultant services under the contracts covered by this Request for Applications (“the RFA”). The contribution of the Government of Benin to this Program is Thirty Million Four Hundred Forty-five Thousand (30,445,000) US Dollars. Any payments made by the MCA-Benin II in accordance with the proposed contracts will be subject, in all respects, to the terms of the Program/Compact and related documents, including restrictions on the use of the MCC Funding and disbursement conditions of the MCC Funding. No party other than the Government and the MCA-Benin II will obtain any right under the Program/Compact or have any right in relation to the amounts of the MCC Funding. 2. MCC’s funding is appropriated by the U.S. Congress and obligated to the Compact up-front, with no incremental or partial funding. So, when a contract is signed with an MCA Entity, money is already available to the MCA Entity and, for most contracts, invoices are paid directly to Contractors/Consultants/Suppliers by the US Treasury. 3. The Benin power program consists of four (4) projects: (i) Policy Reform and Institutional Strengthening Project; (ii) Electricity Generation Project; (iii) Electricity Distribution Project; and (iv) Off-grid Electricity Access Project. The objective of the programme is to increase the productivity and production for businesses, generate more economic opportunities for households and improve the capacity to provide public and social services by improving the quantity and quality of power supply. The Compact will be executed during a period of five years after its entry into force, that intervened on June 22, 2017. To face the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Compact has been extended to June 22, 2023. 4. MCA-Benin II now invites Individual Consultants to submit their applications for the execution of the following consultant services (Individual Consultants): • Lot 1: PP18-COM-EDP-30: Recruitment of a software maintenance Expert specialized in software security and the fight against cybercrime to list and set up secure procedures and systems for monitoring and maintaining the operating software, deployed under the modernized distribution network. • Lot 2: PP18-COM-EDP-32: Recruitment of a Telecom Expert to support the Beninese Electric Energy Company (SBEE) in monitoring the implementation of the SBEE/Beninese Digital Infrastructure Company (SBIN) Agreement relating to the operation of the Electrical Community of Benin (CEB)'s dark optical fibers of the OPGW Backbone for the proper functioning of the national electrical energy distribution network. • Lot 3: PP18-COM-EDP-34: Recruitment of a SCADA/DMS Expert for the capacity building of Beninese Electric Energy Company (SBEE) operators in the secure operation and management of the Gas Insulated (GIS) /Air Insulated (AIS) sub-stations built under the MCA-Benin II Program. • Lot 7: PP18-COM-EDP-38: Recruitment of a Telecom Expert for capacity building of Beninese Electric Energy Company (SBEE) operators in the secure operation and management of Gas Insulated (GIS) / High Voltage sub-stations built under the MCA-Benin II Program. • Lot 8: PP18-COM-EDP-39: Recruitment of an Expert in the operation of High/Medium/Low Voltage Power Transformers to build the capacity of Beninese Electric Energy Company (SBEE) operators in the safe operation and management of Gas Insulated (GIS) / High Voltage sub-stations built under the MCA-Benin II Program. • Lot 9: PP18-COM-EDP-40: Recruitment of an Environmental, Health and Safety Expert to build the capacity of Beninese Electric Energy Company (SBEE) operators in the safe operation and management of Gas Insulated (GIS) / High Voltage sub-stations built under the MCA-Benin II Program. Specifically, the main mission of the Consultants above is to strengthen the capacity of SBEE's specialized operators and technicians to operate directly in an optimal and secure manner, the new sub-stations and lines as well as their related associated systems, built within the framework of the MCA-Benin II Program. Interested candidates must demonstrate relevant experience in the area of expertise concerned and have sufficient qualifications and experience to complete the assignment within the time allowed. The qualifications and experience that the Individual Consultant must have to be qualified are indicated in Section 5 (Evaluation Criteria) of the Terms of Reference. 5. The Consultant services will be required for an estimated duration not exceeding June 22, 2023. The estimated level of effort required to accomplish this assignment is indicated in the respective Terms of Reference. 6. The Request for Applications is open to all eligible persons (“Individual Consultants”) who wish to participate. Individual Consultants may neither join forces nor subcontract services. 7. All applicants must be eligible Individual Consultants in accordance with the eligibility criteria set out in clause 6 of the General Instructions to Consultants (IGC) of the Request for Applications, including the restrictions applicable to civil servants. In the event that an applicant falls under IGC 6.9(a) - 6.9(e) and is found to have left the MCA Entity within twelve (12) months of the date of the Application, he must obtain a "notice of no objection" from the MCA Entity to consider this person, before submitting his application. 8. This Request for Applications follows the Compact General Procurement Notice No. 18, published on dgMarket on October 13th, 2022, on the MCA Entity website - www.mcabenin2.bj - on October 14th, 2022, in the UN Development Business Online ("UNDB") on October 18th, 2022, and in the local newspapers "La Nation" on October 20th and 27th, 2022 and "Le Matinal" on October 20th and 24th, 2022 . 9. The Consultant shall be selected through the Individual Consultant selection procedures as specified in the MCC Program Procurement Guidelines (PPG) (P.1.B.3.9.), available at www.mcc.gov. Interested consultants should express their interest by sending a message (with the subject line: "Selection of ten (10) individual consultants for capacity building of SBEE specialized operators and technicians in charge of operating the new sub-stations and lines built under the MCA-Benin II program, Lot n°...... (to be specified)" to the email address of the Procurement Agent:
[email protected] and by communicating full contact details. The Request for Applications, the Terms of Reference, as well as all the documents to be completed and submitted by the candidates will be sent to them following this request. 10. The Application documents must be submitted in accordance with the procedure for electronic submission of Application documents (by DropBox) as described in Annex 1 of the Request for Applications. Applications submitted by email or on paper will not be accepted. The deadline for receipt of Application Documents is Thursday, January 26, 2023, at 03:00 pm local time in Cotonou, Benin. The Application Documents received after this time and date shall not in any case be accepted or opened. They will be deleted from the place where they were submitted. It should be noted that Consultants are entitled to submit their applications for one or more lots. However, it will be up to MCA-Benin II to award more than one lot to one and the same Consultant. 11. Contact Information /Address: Millennium Challenge Account - Bénin II 95, rue 5073, Zongo Nima Immeuble Kougblénou, 3ème étage Domaine de l’OCBN Derrière la Compagnie Territoriale de Gendarmerie du Littoral Cotonou, République du Bénin
[email protected] http://www.mcabenin2.bj DISCLAIMER: THIS NOTICE IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. FOR UPDATES ON THIS SOLICITATION PLEASE FOLLOW THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT AT THE LINK PROVIDED. THIS PROCUREMENT IS NOT CONDUCTED UNDER THE FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATIONS, IS NOT ADMINISTERED BY THE US GOVERNMENT, AND THE RESULTING AWARD WILL BE MADE BY THE COUNTRY INDICATED IN THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS PROCUREMENT PLEASE CONTRACT THE PERSON NAMED IN THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT.