The UNHCR Green Fund is in the final stages of preparing the first round of a tender to finance, build and operate solar plants at up to ten (10) UNHCR sites located in Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda, with an individual project size ranging from 60kW to 500kW and an estimated total solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity of up to 1,800kW. It is anticipated that each new PV system will be installed in combination with batteries and/or residual diesel generation. All sites will include diesel backup. Bidding companies will be expected to bid on all the sites eventually selected for the tender.
This tender will be run as a two-stage process and is scheduled to launch in November 2020 with an initial Expression of Interest (EOI). The EOI will include pre-qualification criteria and is intended to lead to the selection of the prospective bidders that will be invited to participate in the second stage, the formal solicitation process. The EOI criteria will focus on the experience, expertise, capability and financial resources required to execute the envisaged projects. The EOI stage will be followed by a Request for Proposal (RFP) with the pre-qualified bidders, which is expected to begin in early 2021. Bids by consortia will be permitted, subject to specific qualification criteria.