ESMP Implementation Audits for Backbone Phase I & Phase II

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

(CONSULTING SERVICES – FIRMS SELECTION)

The Gambia

Electricity Restoration and Modernization Project (GERMP)

Loan No./Credit No./ Grant No.: IDA-D6530

Assignment Title: Independent Environmental and Social Audit of the ESMP Implementation for Backbone phase I and II

Reference No: GM-NAWEC-463129-CS-CQS

The Republic of The Gambia together with the International Development Association (IDA), European Investment Bank (EIB), and European Union (EU), collectively the “Lenders”), are implementing a new energy project to improve the power generation and transmission capacity in the country. The Gambia Electricity Restoration and Modernization Project (GERMP) will increase the generation capacity through renewable sources, reinforce the transmission infrastructure in the Great Banjul Area, and in the Provinces across the country.

The development objective of the project is to improve the operational performance of the National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC), and its capacity to dispatch variable renewable electricity. The Gambia Electricity Restoration and Modernization Project (GERMP) will improve the power generation capacity and efficiency of NAWEC’s transmission network to increase access to electricity for socio-economic development. This objective is in line with the Gambian National Development Plan (NDP-2018-2021), the Gambia Electricity Sector Roadmap (2017) and the National Energy Policy (2014-2018), among other national policies which promote the extension, reliability, and quality of the Government’s energy supply, as well as diversifying energy sources to include renewables.

The objective of the E&S audit is to perform an independent assessment of the following area of concern: the environmental and social management plan of GERMP backbone phase I and II in line with the requirements established in the ESMF, ESIA, ESMP and construction phase ESMP. Focus will be placed on examining whether a plan for addressing environmental and social aspects of the project and sub-project activities have been functional and adequately resourced and whether implementation of mitigation measures and established mechanisms as contemplated in the Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP) is in line with the Operational Policies as elaborated in the ESMF. The environmental and social audit will identify and justify appropriate measures and actions to mitigate the area of concern, will estimate costs of the measures and actions, and will recommend a schedule with agreed action plans to be implemented for the project going forward.

SCOPE OF SERVICES

The areas of concern of the Environmental and Social audit will be on GERMP backbone phase I and II works.

The audit will comprise of an independent evaluation of the overall environmental and social management in line with the GERMP ESMF, and backbone phase I and II ESIAs., ESMPs and construction ESMP.

Specific responsibilities include:

• Develop a workplan to undertake an E&S audit program that will confirm the consultant’s understanding of the audit objective, scope, methodology/approach, and schedule and prepare an audit checklist that will cover review of available literature/ documents, key persons interviews, stakeholders’ engagement with the PIU level, relevant sub-national government agencies, community facilitators, contractors, and Owner Engineer.

• Based on clear and agreed criteria, select site-specific activities to be included in the audit.

• Review and assess the adequacy of the project stakeholder identification, analysis and engagement progress and assess current and planned stakeholder engagement activities as outlined in the project’s Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP).

• ) Conduct an environmental and social audit as per the audit program approved by the PIU and as per described in the ToR.

• Assess the implementing agencies’ capacities and resources to implement environmental and social management measures.

• Assess the overall performance, capacities and resources of project consultants, contractors, and Owner Engineer in implementing and addressing all relevant environmental and social risks and impacts of sub-project activities under GERMP, including all specific E&S risks and mitigation measures that were identified in the ESMF/ESIAs/ESMPs.

• Auditing risks related to labor influx, covering Occupational, Health and Safety (OHS), signing of codes of conduct, and community, health, and safety.

• Present audit findings, including E&S shortcomings and non-compliances, and recommend and justify gap-filling and enhancement measures for the overall environmental and social management, with action plans with estimated cost and timeline agreed by the GERMP and NAWEC.

• Auditing the projects stakeholder engagement activities for GERMP backbone phase I and II throughout the duration of the project lifecycle and identify if they were sufficiently identifying stakeholder priorities.

Duration and Deliverables

The duration of the assignment is 35 working days. The consultant shall prepare a separate report for backbone phase I and phase II assessing the overall management of ESMF/ESIA and ESMP/C-ESMP implementation, and separate reports for the various activities with site-specific findings and recommendations. A synthesis report on gaps, strengths and weaknesses of both overall project and site-specific management of E&S risks, with recommendations for improvement, shall be prepared in the final report.

For an Environment and Social Management Plan (ESMP) compliance audit, key deliverables include:

• Inception report and Audit Plan and Scope Document

• Compliance Checklist

• Environmental and Social Compliance Audit Report

• Non-Compliance and Corrective Action Log

• Stakeholder Engagement and Consultation Records

• Grievance Resolution Mechanism (GRM) Review Report

• Training and Capacity-Building Evaluation Report

• Monitoring and Data Collection Review

• Incident and Accident Review Summary

• Closure and Restoration Status

• Audit Summary Presentation and Follow-up Plan

National Water and Electricity Company Limited (NAWEC) 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.

It is brought to the attention of the Consultants in accordance with paragraph 5.9 of the " Borrowers Procurement Regulations for seeking Investment Project Financing (FPI)" (July 2016), revised in November 2017 and July 2018 and November 2020 ("Regulations "Procurement"): Selection and Employment of Consultants by World Bank Borrowers, current edition of the World Bank Conflict of Interest Rules, are applicable.

Evaluation Criteria

The audit team is expected to be a firm with appropriate and sufficient capabilities, resources, and experience to execute the full extent of the scope of services to a very high quality. The team will mainly comprise relevant experts in environmental management, social risk management, and other experts in specific topics such as OHS and community, health and safety, SEA/SH. The team must have experience in environmental and social assessments and risk management in major infrastructure projects. All team members should demonstrate the following skills and experience:

• Strong and demonstrated interpersonal skills, and experience communicating with senior government officials, communities and large groups of people, ability to organize and conduct technical workshops related to audit findings

• Excellent working knowledge experience on Gambian legislation and regulations related to environmental and social risk management, and as outlined in the project ESMF/ESIAs, is required for all specialists

• Field experience and good knowledge of the implementation of World Bank’s safeguards policies (or that of other international financial institutions), including the Operational Policies, and the Environmental and Social Framework (ESF) is desirable

• Proven writing and analytical skills, ability to initiate innovative approaches

• Proven ability to work as a team-player with multi-tasking skills, experience in facilitation, presentation, communication and computational skills, attention to details and client orientation

• Competency in the use of standard desktop publishing applications (e.g., Microsoft Office); and

• Auditing Experience: At least 5-10 years of experience conducting ESMP compliance audits or similar assessments.

• Stakeholder Engagement: Experience in engaging with diverse stakeholders, including local communities, project developers, and regulators.

• Ability to communicate and write effectively in English

Environmental and Social Expertise: Proven knowledge and experience in environmental and social safeguards, including mitigation measures, monitoring, and compliance.

• Sector-Specific Knowledge: Familiarity with the specific industry or project type in energy sector.

• Understanding of ESMP Frameworks: Demonstrated understanding of ESMP guidelines, relevant laws, and international standards

• Ability to identify gaps and propose actionable recommendations.

• Experience in preparing clear, concise, and comprehensive audit reports.

• Demonstrated impartiality and absence of conflicts of interest.

• Commitment to ethical auditing practices.

• Relevant academic qualifications in environmental science, social sciences, engineering, or related fields.

• Certifications in environmental auditing, impact assessment, or sustainability (e.g., ISO 14001 auditor certification).

• Environmental Specialist (Key Specialist)

• At least a master’s degree in environmental science / engineering / planning

• A minimum of 10 (ten) years relevant professional experience particularly in environmental management of Energy infrastructu