Funding Opportunities

Request For Proposals: Nepal Country Action Plan Development

Summary

The United Nations Foundation’s Clean Cooking Alliance (CCA) is accepting proposals for the Nepal Country Action Plan Development.

At the request of the Government of Nepal (GoN), CCA is leading the development of a Country Action Plan for Transforming the Cookstoves and Fuels Market in Nepal (Country Action Plan) to leverage the momentum of Nepal’s broader energy access goals, especially those related to the promotion of electric cooking. This Request for Proposals (RFP) solicits proposals to develop the Country Action Plan, a tailored and applicable market-based roadmap for the GoN towards accelerating the scale-up of clean cooking throughout the country. The Country Action Plan should offer a clearly defined and evidence-based strategy that will inform the country’s transition to clean cooking for Nepal. The plan should be holistic and guide the sector on what must occur in Nepal in the next five years to achieve universal access to clean cooking by 2030.

Background of Organization

The Clean Cooking Alliance works with a global network of partners to build an inclusive industry that makes clean cooking accessible to the three billion people who live each day without it. Established in 2010, the CCA is driving consumer demand, mobilizing investment to build a pipeline of scalable businesses, and fostering an enabling environment that allows the sector to thrive. Clean cooking transforms lives by improving health, protecting the climate and the environment, empowering women, and helping families save time and money.

Objective

CCA is seeking as a firm to develop the Country Action Plan, a tailored and applicable market-based roadmap for Nepal. CCA recognizes the GoN’s commitment to achieving SDG 7 by 2030 as a crucial opportunity to accelerate Nepal’s large-scale transition to cleaner cooking solutions.

Scope of Work and Deliverables

At the request of the Government of Nepal (GoN), CCA is leading the development of a Country Action Plan for Transforming the Cookstoves and Fuels Market in Nepal (Country Action Plan) to leverage the momentum of Nepal’s broader energy access goals, especially those related to the promotion of electric cooking.

The Country Action Plan supports the GoN’s vision for electricity-based cooking in every household, leveraging the total potential surplus electricity supply planned to reach 5,000 MW in five years and 15,000 MW in fifteen years. The National Planning Commission’s five-year plan (2019/20–2023/24) also targets a minimum of one million electric stoves, an upgrade of the electricity supply infrastructure, an adjustment of electricity tariffs to support uptake, and the development of standards for electric cookstoves. The five-year plan further includes the promotion of 500,000 improved cookstoves, 200,000 household biogas digesters, and 20,000 metric tons of pellets and briquettes per year.

CCA recognizes the GoN’s commitment to achieving SDG 7 by 2030 as a crucial opportunity to accelerate Nepal’s large-scale transition to cleaner cooking solutions. The Country Action Plan will help the government achieve its goal by providing a clear, practical roadmap for incorporating clean cooking in Nepal’s integrated energy planning. The Country Action Plan will:

• Provide a robust evidence base to inform policy recommendations and support the implementation of government programs;
• Identify the potential role of various partner organizations to support the GoN in delivering complementary programs; and
• Articulate a clear path for the GoN and sector actors to achieve SDG 7 by 2030.

The Country Action Plan should offer a clearly defined, evidence-based strategy for accelerating the scale-up of clean cooking throughout the country. The plan should be holistic and guide the sector on what must occur in Nepal in the next five years to achieve universal access to clean cooking by 2030.

The Country Action Plan must define a tailored and applicable market-based roadmap for Nepal towards (1) improving and increasing the availability of appropriate, affordable, high-quality clean cooking solutions, (2) generating demand among consumers who are aware of the benefits associated with clean cooking options, and (3) creating a strong enabling environment to support sustainable market growth, especially those related to the electric cooking promotion. The plan must identify key opportunities and barriers present in the sector and make a case to prioritize essential activities moving forward. The Country Action Plan must be integrated into the national energy agenda and must be aligned with state and local plans on clean cooking. Activities recommended should also complement the ongoing efforts in Nepal and avoid duplication of efforts. The Country Action Plan should also have a clearly defined timeline with key milestones present.

The Country Action Plan will identify key stakeholders’ roles and showcase how CCA can best align its actions to help achieve clean cooking for all in Nepal by 2030. In addition, the plan will demonstrate how CCA should leverage its unique strengths and resources to enhance cooperation, coordination, and collective effort throughout the sector. The plan will also inform how CCA, in collaboration with local stakeholders, can best add value to accelerate clean cooking access in Nepal and provide CCA with an actionable roadmap for continued engagement in Nepal.

In 2021, CCA expects to complete the development of Country Action Plan, which will guide the country’s transition to clean cooking. The development of the Country Action Plan is expected to last four months and involve close collaboration with CCA. In support of developing the Country Action Plan, the selected Consultant will undertake the following activities:

Utilize past and ongoing efforts by CCA and partner organizations to support the Country Action Plan Development

CCA has already completed some small-scale efforts in Nepal, including a Health Demonstration Project in the Kavre region, which found that study participants transitioned to electric cooking leading to a significant reduction in the use of LPG and traditional stoves. The project provided recommendations to scale up electric cooking, biogas, and, if desired, LPG in Nepal. The Country Action Plan will be informed by key results and insights from the Health Demonstration Project,CCA-commissioned foundational research conducted in 2020-21, and various research activities by partner organizations in Nepal. CCA will share with the Consultant results from the various foundation research conducted to leverage the available data and findings for the Country Action Plan development: landscape analysis of cookstove sector in Nepal, assessment on the readiness for widespread adoption of electric cooking in Nepal, consumer assessment to support the adoption of electric cooking in Nepal, development of a spatial platform to support Clean Cooking in Nepal, electric cookstove standards and implementation strategy, understanding the supply value chain, and assessment of the tax, tariffs, and subsidy in Nepal.

The selected Consultant will utilize research outcomes, stakeholder consultations conducted, and data gathered to support the Country Action Plan development.

Engage with the relevant stakeholders during the development and finalization of the Country Action Plan

The successful development of the Country Action Plan will be based on the active engagement of the GoN and other relevant stakeholders; feedback from relevant stakeholders on the Country Action Plan’s usefulness and applicability; and the commitment, actions, and collaborative efforts of the GoN and other stakeholders to implement the plan. To ensure the Country Action Plan is both actionable and achievable, CCA is playing a central role in coordinating with the GoN and an extensive network of in-country partners and stakeholders working on energy access. CCA has been in close coordination with the Alternative Promotion Center (AEPC) for the Country Action Plan development. Alternative Energy Promotion Center (AEPC), as the lead national-level government agency, now plays a vital role in supporting local governments and coordinating among the three levels of the government (federal, provincial, and local) towards promoting clean cooking throughout the country. CCA and AEPC are in the process of engaging a steering committee consisting of key government stakeholders to ensure alignment with the government’s priorities and gain government support and buy-in for the Country Action Plan. CCA has also been coordinating closely with key stakeholders (e.g., MECS, ESMAP, Energia/Hivos, GIZ, SNV, WHO, USAID, FCDO, ADB) in Nepal to share and gather information on Nepal’s ongoing and planned activities.

During the Country Action Plan development, the selected Consultant, in close coordination with CCA, will conduct individual and group consultations and peer reviews to collect continuous feedback with the goal of improving and honing the Country Action Plan.

Develop a clearly defined, strategic, and evidence-based plan Country Action Plan

The Country Action Plan should provide a holistic plan and guide the sector on what needs to occur in Nepal to achieve universal access to clean cooking by 2030. The Consultant(s) is expected to work closely with CCA throughout the development of the Country Action Plan. The Consultant(s) will ensure clear and concise writing while maintaining cohesiveness across all the sections. In the Country Action Plan, the selected Consultant will:

• Identify opportunities to drive investments, innovations, and operations to scale towards transforming the sector;
• Recognize barriers and define potential intervention options;
• Illustrate essential activities to strengthen the supply, enhance demand, and foster the environment to accelerate the scale-up of clean cooking;
• Showcase the Clean Cooking Explorer’s utilization to support data-driven planning, coordination, and implementation for large a scale national transition; and
• Define the roles and strengths of key stakeholders in Nepal and propose an optimal mechanism to ensure coordination and collaboration.

The Country Action Plan should provide the GoN a clear direction regarding specific activities, associated targets, and timeframes. The plan should provide a holistic guide on steps forward for the next five years to strengthen the supply of clean cooking, expand demand generating efforts, and support the GoN in executing a large-scale clean cooking effort in Nepal. The plan should highlight the strengths of stakeholders and support work across sectoral boundaries to push for an integrated approach.

Project Period of Performance

This project is planned to begin in June 2021 and take about four months to complete. The following deliverables are expected throughout and at the end of the project period:

• Detailed work plan including a clear timeline of activities and a budget to be delivered within ten business days of the start of the contract;
• A 25-30 paged Country Action Plan;
• A 2-3 paged executive summary;
• Executive summary of the report in PowerPoint format; and
• A webinar for relevant stakeholders to present the complete Country Action Plan.

Technical Requirements

The selected Consultant must showcase

• Relevant expertise and experience with similar projects, including the development of other Country Action Plans. The selected Consultant must include 2-3 examples of current or past work to demonstrate leadership to develop plans/strategies.
• Relevant experience in the clean cooking or broader energy sector, previous experience in Nepal, would be a plus. CCA has a strong preference for submissions to include a Nepal-based expert in the team.

The Consultant must demonstrate strong written communication skills, including articulating complex concepts in a concise and compelling manner and communicating compelling narratives to relevant stakeholders (e.g., policymakers, implementers).

Timeline

Budget

A total budget of up to $75,000 is available to support the completion of deliverables related to this RFP. A detailed budget in US Dollars must be submitted. The budget should include both pre-tax and net of tax values. The budget should include direct costs (Personnel, Fringe Benefits, Travel, Sub-Agreements, etc.), as well as indirect costs (overhead). Overhead costs must be reasonable and appropriate, not exceeding 20%. For indirect costs, please indicate a list of expenses covered by the indirect rate. For all direct costs, please include assumptions that were made to arrive at line item costs (e.g., 2 trips @ $1,500/trip = $3,000 or 20 staff hours @ $40/hour = $800). If a budget has a mathematical discrepancy, CCA may correct the budget and notify the consultant of the adjustment.

Evaluation process

The Clean Cooking Alliance will review all written proposals and may request a phone interview and/or updated submission to address questions or provide clarification. CCA will use the following criteria in our evaluation.

Intent and disclaimer

This RFP is made with the intent to identify a Consultant to deliver results as described in this RFP.  UNF/the Clean Cooking Alliance will rely on the Consultant’s representations to be truthful and as described.  The Clean Cooking Alliance assumes it can be confident in the Consultant’s ability to deliver the product(s) and/or service(s) proposed in response to this RFP.

If the Clean Cooking Alliance amends the RFP, copies of any such amendments will be sent to all respondents to the proposal.

Proposal Guidelines and Requirements

• The proposal should be no longer than 12 pages in length (PDF document) and include the following sections:
  • Section A. Background and Objectives (1 page)
  • Section B. Description of Investigative Team (1-2 pages); Include Organizational Qualifications as Relevant
  • Section C. Related Previous Work (1 page)
  • Section E. Work Plan and Methods (not to exceed 6 pages)
  • Section F. Literature Cited
  • Section G. Detailed Budget
  • Section H. Detailed Gantt Chart
  • Section I. Writing Sample (does not count towards the word limit)
• This RFP is open to multiple partners and is a competitive process.
• Proposals received after May 13, 2021 by 11:59 PM EDT will not be considered.
• The price provided should be in US dollars, and should contain both pre-tax and net of tax values. If the process excludes certain fees or charges, the applicant must provide a detailed list of excluded fees with a complete explanation of the nature of those fees.
• CCA prefers a single point of contact who manages deliverables. If the execution of work to be performed by the Consultant requires the hiring of sub-contractors, the Consultant must clearly state this in the proposal. Sub-contractors must be identified and the work they will perform must be defined. Subcontractors are subject to vetting and approval of UNF/CCA.
• CCA will not refuse a proposal based upon the use of subcontractors; however, we retain the right to refuse the sub-contractors you have selected.
• Provisions of this RFP and the contents of the successful responses are considered available for inclusion in final contractual obligations.

Format for Proposals

Proposals must include applicant signature as well as a signed declaration form. Proposals must include the full legal name of applicant, as well as legal formation and ownership structure (e.g. incorporation certification, tax status and ID, etc.).

Contracting and Compliance

CCA will negotiate contract terms upon selection. A copy of the contract terms and conditions will be provided upon selection. All contracts are subject to review by the UN Foundation’s Business Services and Budget Reporting team. The project will start upon the complete execution of the contract. The contract will outline terms and conditions, scope, budget, and applicable flow down terms. Selected recipient(s) must comply with CCA, United Nations Foundation, and funder compliance requirements. The selected recipient(s) must also undergo detailed legal, financial, and commercial due diligence.

Release

The Consultant understands that the Clean Cooking Alliance has chosen to solicit an RFP for consulting services, and that the Consultant’s response does not guarantee that the Clean Cooking Alliance will enter into a new contract with the Consultant or continue any current contract(s) with the Consultant.

The Consultant agrees that Clean Cooking Alliance may, at its sole discretion:

• Amend or cancel the RFP, in whole or in part, at any time
• Extend the deadline for submitting responses
• Determine whether a response does or does not substantially comply with the requirements of the RFP
• Waive any minor irregularity, informality or nonconformance with the provisions or procedures of the RFP
• Negotiate with all Consultants UNF deems acceptable
• Issue multiple awards
• Photocopy the responses for evaluation/review

This RFP is not an offer to contract.  The Clean Cooking Alliance assumes no responsibility for Consultant’s cost to respond to this RFP. All responses become the property of the Clean Cooking Alliance.

The Consultant, by submitting a response to this RFP, waives all right to protest or seek any legal remedies whatsoever regarding any aspect of this RFP.

The Consultant represents that it has responded to the RFP with complete honesty and accuracy. If facts provided in the Consultant’s response change, the Consultant agrees to supplement its response in writing with any deletions, additions, or changes within ten (10) days of the changes. The Consultant will do this, as necessary, throughout the selection process.

The Consultant understands it may receive proprietary and confidential information from the Clean Cooking Alliance during the RFP process (“Confidential Information”). The Consultant and CCA agree to not use Confidential Information for any purpose other than the Consultant’s participation in the RFP process, and to not reveal Confidential Information directly or indirectly to any other person, entity, or organization without the prior written consent of the other party. The Consultant and CCA further agree to exercise all reasonable precautions to maintain the proprietary and confidential nature of Confidential Information where it can best demonstrate its value and capacity to delivery ecosystem-wide, meaningful value.

Grounds for Exclusion

Material misrepresentations, including omissions, may disqualify the Consultant from a contract award.

Submissions will be rejected in the Clean Cooking Alliance’s sole discretion if it finds that the Consultant has engaged in any illegal or corrupt practices in connection with the award.

The Consultant will be excluded from participation for the reasons below. By submitting a proposal in response to the RFP, the Consultant confirms that none of the below circumstances apply:

• The Consultant is bankrupt or being wound up, is having their affairs administered by the courts, has entered into an arrangement with creditors, has suspended business activities, is subject of proceedings concerning those matters, or is in any analogous situation arising from a similar procedure provided for in national legislation or regulations.
• The Consultant or persons having powers of representation, decision-making or control over them have been convicted of an offence concerning their professional conduct by a final judgment.
• The Consultant has been found guilty of grave professional misconduct; proven by any means which CCA can justify.
• The Consultant has not fulfilled obligations relating to the payment of social security contributions or taxes in accordance with the legal provisions of the country in which they are established, or within the United States of America, or those of the country where the contract is to be performed.
• The Consultant or persons having powers of representation, decision-making or control over them have been convicted for fraud, corruption, involvement in a criminal organization or money laundering by a final judgment.
• The Consultant makes use of child labor or forced labor and/or practice discrimination, and/or do not respect the right to freedom of association and the right to organize and engage in collective bargaining pursuant to the core conventions of the International Labour Organization (ILO).

Principal Point of Contact

Questions should be sent by email to info@cleancookingalliance.org and agurung@cleancookingalliance.org by April 20, 2021. Responses will be posted to https://cleancookstoves.org/funding-opportunities/ by April 22, 2021.

Submission details

The application should be submitted as a PDF to CCA by email with the subject line ‘Nepal Country Action Plan  Proposal – [Consultant name]’ to info@cleancookingalliance.org and agurung@cleancookingalliance.org no later than May 13, 2021, 11:59 pm EDT.