Engagement of an Individual Consultant (Procurement Specialist) to assist with all procurement activities of the PAU.

Request for Expressions of Interest

Consulting Services – Individual Consultant Selection

Project: Technical Assistance to the SAPP (RETRADE SAPP)

Position: Procurement Specialist, PAU

The Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) is a regional platform for coordinated power system planning, system operations, and cross-border electricity trading among its 12 member countries. Its operational hub, the SAPP Coordination Centre (SAPP CC) in Harare, oversees day-to-day market and system operations, as well as regional planning. The Project Advisory Unit (PAU) was established within the SAPP CC in 2015, with support from the World Bank, to coordinate and facilitate the development of selected regional energy projects from early-stage preparation through to bankability.

In November 2025, the World Bank approved a grant for the Technical Assistance to the SAPP (the “Project”)[1], known as RETRADE SAPP. The Project forms part of the Regional Energy Transmission, Trade and Decarbonization in Southern Africa Multi-Phase Programmatic Approach (RETRADE-SA MPA) Program, which also finances several interconnector investments in the SAPP region.

With the objective to increase and expand the regional electricity market in the SAPP, the Project provides technical assistance to SAPP and the Southern African Development Community’s (SADC) energy institutions—namely, the SADC Secretariat, the Regional Energy Regulators Association of Southern Africa (RERA), and the SADC Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (SACREEE)—through three components:

• Component 1 equips these regional institutions with technical experts, laying the foundation for the implementation of Components 2 and 3;

• Component 2 supports upstream preparation for selected regional energy projects and private sector mobilization, including the operationalization of the Regional Transmission Infrastructure Financing Facility (RTIFF); and

• Component 3 finances analytical work, stakeholder engagement, and capacity building activities essential for advancing regional energy infrastructure development and cross-border power trade.

While the PAU is funded by the Project to carry out its mandate of advancing the preparation of selected regional energy projects — focusing on cross-border transmission but also potentially including in-country backbone projects and other energy investments such as renewables and battery storage supporting regional trade — it also plays a central role in the overall implementation of the RETRADE SAPP Project.

SAPP now invites suitably qualified and experienced individuals (“Consultants”) to indicate their interest in providing the Services for the consultancy position of Procurement Specialist to be based at the SAPP CC Offices in Harare, Zimbabwe. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services.

Key Responsibilities:

• Review all relevant Project documents to establish robust procurement procedures for the implementation of RETRADE SAPP and develop and maintain a procurement management system aligned with the World Bank guidelines and procedures and the SAPP CC manuals.

• Develop Procurement Plan for Works, Goods and Services under the Project, and update the Plan as and when needed (at least quarterly) through the Bank's Systematic Tracking of Exchanges in Procurement (STEP) system.

• Closely monitor procurement activities in reference to the Procurement Plan timeline and the procurement approval process of the SAPP and bring any slippage of activities immediately to the attention of the Programmes Manager.

• Liaise with relevant members of the SAPP CC and PAU, as well as other beneficiary regional institutions (namely, SADC Secretariat, RERA, and SACREEE), and prepare and submit periodic reports on procurement status and procurement risk mitigation framework to the Bank.

• Maintain a centralized procurement filing, ensuring that all related documents are properly filed and easily retrievable, and that clear audit trail is available.

• Prepare, review, and periodically update the procurement section of the Project Operations Manual.

• Manage and carry out the procurement activities required for implementation of RETRADE SAPP according to the provisions of the World Bank’s and other relevant guidelines and Project documents.

• Manage the procurement processes, ensuring compliance with agreed procurement methods, prior review requirements, and World Bank no-objection procedures.

• Coordinate with technical staff members and/or consultants to prepare of Terms of Reference (TOR) for consulting assignments, and specifications for goods and works.

• Prepare Request for Expressions of Interest (REOI), Invitation for Bids (IFB), Invitation for Prequalification (IFP), Bidding Document, Prequalification Document (PQD), Request for Proposals (RFP), and Pre-Bid Meeting Minutes, as per World Bank Procurement Regulations.

• In cases of procurement actions requiring World Bank no-objection, coordinate the dispatch of procurement documents to the World Bank through STEP, monitor World Bank response on issuing no-objection at different levels of the procurement process and follow up as needed.

• Participate in the evaluation of EOIs for shortlisting, as well as in bid opening sessions, evaluating goods and works bids and consultants’ proposals, recording minutes, drafting evaluation reports, formulation of recommendations for award, and coordinating negotiations, ensuring that the appropriate guidelines are followed.

• Help address the procurement related complaints, including review of the complaints vis-à-vis the respective procurement processes and documents, and participation in discussions with complainants.

• Draft contracts and distribute all relevant procurement and contract documents to relevant parties, including technical staff/consultants, suppliers, contractors and the World Bank.

• Oversee contract administration, including processing variations, monitor contract performance and timelines (expiration and completion).

• Ensure timely receipt and review of the goods and/or deliverables from suppliers, contractors, and consultants, verifying acceptability and recommending payments as they fall due.

Qualifications & Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Procurement, Purchasing and Supply, Business Administration, Business Law, or equivalent. Master’s degree in any of these fields is an added advantage.

• Corporate membership in a recognized professional body is desirable.

• Minimum of 10 years’ relevant experience in procurement and contract management, including at least 5 years procuring works, goods, and consulting services under World Bank-financed or other donor-funded projects.

• Strong knowledge of procurement processes across various funding institutions.

• Proven knowledge and experience with procurement policies and procedures of the World Bank, cooperating partners, and other international organizations.

• Proven track record in working effectively within multi-disciplinary teams.

• Ability to work under pressure with minimum or no supervision.

• Good communication skills coupled with a good command of spoken and written English.

• Eligible and free from any conflict of interest, in accordance with the World Bank Procurement Regulations.

Submission

Interested candidates are requested to submit the Application, relevant experience and qualification accompanied by a comprehensive CV.

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” 7th edition, September 2025, setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest.

A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Individual Consultant Selection method set out in the World Bank Procurement Regulations.

Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours [i.e. 0800 to 1630 hours].

A TOR can be found at the following website: (www.sapp.co.zw or can be obtained at the address given below).

Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form to the address below (in person, or by mail, or by e-mail) by 03 April 2026.

The Executive Director

Attn: Chrispen Zifuke, Human Resources Specialist

Southern African Power Pool Coordination Centre

24 Golden Stairs Road

P.O. Box EH52

Emerald Hill

Harare

ZIMBABWE

Tel: (263)-242-(335517, 335468, 335558 ,782708798/9)

E-mail: [email protected] or [email protected]

[1] For further details on the Project (project no. P512662), refer to the Project Appraisal Document.