Fund Manager for the RBF program (solar home systems, mini-grid, Energy-as-a-service model for public facilities electrification)

Republic of Liberia

Rural and Renewable Energy Agency (RREA)

Request for Expression of Interest Consultancy Services for Fund Management for Results Based Financing Facilities for Stand-alone solar PV rooftop systems (public institutions through energy-as-a-service), Solar Home Systems (households and PUE) and Isolated Mini Grids

(CONSULTING SERVICES – FIRM SELECTION)

Liberia Renewable Energy Access Project

Contract Reference No: LR-RREA-480463-CS-CQS

Issue Date: May 8, 2025

Deadline: May 22, 2025

1.0 Background

The Government of Liberia, through the Rural and Renewable Energy Agency (RREA), is implementing Phase II of the Liberia Energy Sector Strengthening & Access Project (LESSAP II), supported by the World Bank. This phase focuses on accelerating off-grid electrification to achieve universal electricity access by 2030 under the National Electrification Strategy (NES), using both grid and off-grid solutions. To reach underserved rural populations, the NES outlines a least-cost approach that includes mini-grids, stand-alone solar systems, and electrification of public institutions. Under this framework, the World Bank is supporting Liberia through the multi-phase Liberia Energy Sector Strengthening and Access Project (LESSAP). The current phase (LESSAP II) focuses on accelerating off-grid access through public-private partnerships, with targeted support for schools, health facilities, households, and productive uses of energy. This effort aligns with the Government’s Mission 300 initiative and broader development goals under the ARREST Agenda.

2.0 Objective of the Assignment

The objective of the assignment is to support the Rural and Renewable Energy through LESSAP II Project Implementation Unit; the Private Sector including RBF grantees and the local & foreign off-grid electrification industry, philanthropic/commercial financiers/investors (DFIs, CFIs, impact investors etc) to strengthen, mobilize and attract the needed public and private investments, expertise, innovation, strategies/enabling environment and capacities to achieve the off-grid electrification targets through RBFs under LESSAP II and overall in advancing the achievement of Mission 300 and Liberia’s National Electrification Strategy for universal access by 2030

3.0 Scope of the Assignment:

The scope of this assignment is to provide comprehensive technical, operational, and strategic support for the implementation of the Results-Based Financing (RBF) mechanisms under the off-grid electrification component of LESSAP II. This includes contributing to the finalization of the off-grid operations manual; evaluating project and business plan viability; managing the development, launch, and evaluation of Calls for Proposals (CfPs); overseeing grant award and contract management; supporting investment readiness and private sector engagement; facilitating regulatory compliance; mobilizing private finance; and advising on necessary policy and institutional reforms. The consultant will also support knowledge transfer to RREA’s REFUND Management Committee to ensure sustainable fund management. A detailed breakdown of the scope of work is outlined in the full Terms of Reference (ToR).

4.0 Qualification, Experience and Competencies for Consulting firm Requirements

The selected Fund Manager will have a demonstrated track record of supporting the public and private sector including RBF grantees, local & foreign off-grid electrification industry actors, philanthropic/commercial financiers/investors (DFIs, CFIs, impact investors etc) in mobilizing up to $1million of private financing and managing up to $7.5million of public financing; in addition to strengthening the needed expertise, innovation, strategies/enabling environment and capacities to deliver up to 200,000 solar home system connections, 50 stand-alone solar PV for public facilities connections and 7,500 mini-grid connections through RBFs in similar markets within the last 3 years as follows:

• RBF portfolio management for off-grid electrification infrastructure including mini-grids, stand-alone systems for public institutions electrification through energy-as-a-service and solar home system for productive use & households electrification including supporting the development of an operations manual; receipt and processing of applications; evaluation, due diligence and award of grants award; processing of claims including verification and disbursement of claims where contractually applicable,

• Appraisal/review of projects/business plan viability and potential risks(technical, environmental, social, economic & financial),

• Investment readiness & private-sector led business development: support grantees in identification of pipeline of technically and financially projects/business plans; identify & address relevant capacity needs for grantees and local/foreign investors/financiers; and linking grantees along with their viable project/business plans to relevant local/foreign commercial/philanthropic investors and financiers,

• Project facilitation: support to public institutions in creating the enabling de-risking policy, legal, regulatory, institutional, market facilitation, financing environment and guide grantees in meeting relevant off-grid electrification legal and regulatory requirements,

• Transactions Advisory & resource mobilization: bringing up to $1million of affordable, low-risk, convenient payment terms of private financing (concessional debt, equity and/or guarantee instruments) to financial close,

• Reforms to enhance public-private models for off-grid electrification: Appraising and recommending, through a strategy paper for consideration by the Government of Liberia through relevant public institutions, in keeping with context-specific and regional best practices; needed policy, legal, institutional, regulatory and market facilitation reforms to enhance public-private models for off-grid electrification,

• Knowledge transfer to relevant public or private institution in mobilizing and administering the needed public and private financing for delivering off-grid energy access.

The RREA now invites eligible Firms to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants must provide information indicating that they are qualified to perform the services (profile, description of similar assignments, experience in similar conditions, availability of appropriate skills, etc.) Submissions must be in a single file and should not exceed 10 megabytes (MB) in total size.

The attention of interested individual Consultants is drawn to Section III, paragraphs, 3.14, 3.16, and 3.17 of the World Bank’s “Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers” dated July 2016, revised November 2017, and August 2018, November 2020, September 2023 and revised in February 2025 setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest. Please refer to paragraph 3.17 of the Procurement Regulations on conflict of interest related to this assignment which is available on the Bank’s website at http://projectsbeta.worldbank.org/en/projects-operations/products-and-services/brief/.

A Consulting Firm will be selected in accordance with Consultant Qualification Selection (CQS) method set out in the Procurement Regulations.

Further information and the detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) for the assignment can be obtained electronically at the following email addresses and Website, from Mondays to Fridays, from 0900 to 1600 hours GMT:

Email: [email protected],[email protected],[email protected],[email protected],[email protected], [email protected]

Website: www.rrealiberia.org

Expression of Interest clearly marked Consultancy Services for for Fund Management for Results Based Financing Facilities for Stand-alone solar PV rooftop systems (public institutions through energy-as-a-service), Solar Home Systems (households and PUE) and Isolated Mini Grids must be delivered in an electronic/mail copy to the address below, on or before 4:00 p.m. Local Time, on May 22, 2025.

Attn: Samuel Bocay Nagbe Jr.

Executive Director

Rural and Renewable Energy Agency

LEC Sub-station, Newport Street

1000 Monrovia 10, Liberia

Email: samuelnrrealiberia.org

Electronic submission should also be copied to the following addresses:

[email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected],[email protected],[email protected], [email protected].

Only the highest ranked firm will be issued the Request for Proposals.