Consultancy Services for a Senior Distributed Renewable Energy Expert

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

(CONSULTING SERVICES – INDIVIDUAL SELECTION)

West and Central Africa

Regional Program for Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Solutions (Regional DARES)

Project ID: P507938

Credit No.:8080-LR

Assignment Title: Consultancy Services for RCU Decentralized Renewable Energy Expert

Reference No.: LR-RCU-DARES-557727-CS-INDV

The Governments of Liberia, Sierra Leone, Benin, and Central Africa Republic have received financing from the World Bank toward the cost of the Regional Program for Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Solutions (Regional DARES) and intend to apply part of the proceeds for consulting services.

The consulting services ("the Services") will include leading on the technical, commercial, and market assessment of all decentralized renewable energy (DRE) activities under Regional DARES, including minigrids, meshgrids, solar home systems (SHS), and other distributed solutions. The Expert shall act as the primary technical authority within the RCU for DRErelated matters, ensuring that proposed, approved, and implemented projects meet high standards of technical quality, commercial viability, environmental sustainability, and operational performance throughout the full project lifecycle. The duration of the assignment is approximately five years, with an expected start in October 2026.

The detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) for the assignment can be found at the following link:https://lecliberia.com/wp-content/uploads/R-DARES-TOR-POE-DRE-Expert-FINAL.docx

The RESPITE Regional Coordination Unit (RCU) now invites eligible and selected Individual Consultants (“Consultants”) to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should submit their Expressions of Interest (EOI), including their CV with information demonstrating that they are qualified to perform the services (description of similar assignments, experience in similar conditions, availability of appropriate skills, etc.), educational and professional qualification certificates.

The shortlisting criteria are:

• Advanced university degree (Master’s level or equivalent) in electrical engineering, renewable energy engineering, power systems, energy economics, or a closely related technical field.
• At least 8–10 years of relevant professional experience in the design, appraisal, implementation, supervision, or operation of decentralized renewable energy solutions including notably mini-grids, mesh-grids and solar home systems. Experience across multiple technologies and business models will be considered favorably;
• Demonstrated experience reviewing technical designs together with associated business plans and commercial assumptions, including demand forecasts, tariffs, service levels, and costrecovery mechanisms;
• Proven experience assessing technical realism and commercial plausibility of projects in donorfinanced, resultsbased, or privatesector–led programs;
• Strong familiarity with PAYGoenabled SHS business models, customer acquisition and retention strategies, aftersales service frameworks, and consumerprotection principles;
• Experience supporting implementation, commissioning, and early operations of DRE projects;
• Demonstrated experience working in close coordination with fund managers, implementing agencies, developers, and independent verification or supervision entities;
• Experience in SubSaharan Africa, including fragile or lowercapacity environments, is highly desirable;
• Familiarity with World Bank or other MDBfinanced operations and Results Based Financing (RBF) mechanisms is a strong advantage. The shortlisted candidates will be informed via email and invited for a virtual interview.

The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to Section III, paragraphs, 3.13 of the World Bank’s “Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers” September 2025 (Procurement Regulations”) as available on https://thedocs.worldbank.org/en/doc/c84273d1b230aeb2b0b8134de5dc8cd7-0290012025/original/Procurement-Regulations-7th-Edition-Sep-2025.pdf, setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest.

A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Individual Consultant Selection (ICS) method set out in the Procurement Regulations.

Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours, 0900 to 1700 hours GMT.

Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form to the address below by email or by physical mail on or before Friday, August 7, 2026.

RCU PROJECT COORDINATOR

RESPITE Coordination Unit

15th Street & Warner Avenue

Sinkor, Monrovia, Liberia

Email: [email protected] and copied [email protected]