R -- USAID/Brazil Capacity Building Program for the Development of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Projects

This is a pre-solicitation announcement. This is NOT an invitation for Bid (IFB), Request for Proposal (RFP), or a Request for Application (RFA) and in no way obligates the US Government to award a contract or cooperative agreement. The United States for International Development (USAID) plans to support a new program that seeks to increase the capacity and ability of Brazilian counterparts to effectively promote sustainable energy generation and use through the provision of training and capacity building activities in the following areas: Energy Sector Regulation; Energy Efficiency Concepts & Technologies; Renewable Energy Project Development; and Renewable Energy/Energy Efficiency Financing. Since 1996, USAID/Brazil has financed an Energy Program supporting the Government of Brazil's(GOB) energy sector restructuring and privatization efforts. The overarching goal of this program has been to reduce the threats of climate change by focusing on the promotion of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies. While the program has many accomplishments, notably in the fields of policy and regulatory reform and technical capacity building, a number of barriers continue to limit the implementation of these technologies in the marketplace. Despite economic, environmental and societal benefits of renewable energy technologies, the market implementation of these by potential users, governments and utilities has been far short of the potential. Barriers to the effective application of these technologies include policies that have limited effectiveness in achieving the needed market transformation and private sector participation, perceived economic/financial constraints, social perceptions, and lack of information about these technologies. Institutions, contractors, for profit and non profit organizations that may be interested in participating in this renewable energy program to be implemented in Brazil are requested to contact USAID/Bolivia. Interested institutions must be able to achieve results in some or all of the thematic areas: (i) Policy and Regulatory Framework: capacity building activities play an important role under this IR as they may be designed to: (a) help identify policies and regulations or lack of enforcement, that pose the most serious impediments to promoting renewable energy and energy efficiency; (b) promote institutional strengthening; and (c) allow for local institutions to learn from international regulatory experiences; (ii) Technology Transfer and Cooperation: workshops, trade missions and invitational travels are key tools for the promotion of U.S.?Brazilian trade and cooperation; and (iii) Market Development: insufficient information about renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies has prevented the development of these two markets in Brazil. In addition, there is a lack of qualified professionals/entrepreneurs with adequate entrepreneurial capacity to design related projects, prepare business plans and feasibility studies, etc. USAID/Brazil encourages qualified offerors to submit thoughtful and innovative approaches that have a high potential for achievement of the project objectives. We anticipate issuing the RFP o/a March 6, 2003. Proposals due date will be April 24, 2003.