Procurement Notice

The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) has applied for financing from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) towards the cost of the OECS Geothermal Energy: Capacity Building for Utilisation, Investment and Local Development ( GEOBUILD) Programme and intends to apply a portion of the proceeds of this financing to eligible payments under a contract for which this invitation is issued. Payments by CDB will be made only at the request of OECS and upon approval by CDB and will be subject in all respects to the terms and conditions of the Financing Agreement. The Financing Agreement prohibits withdrawal from the financing account for the purpose of any payment to persons or entities, or for any import of goods, if such payment or import, to the knowledge of CDB, is prohibited by a decision of the United Nations Security Council taken under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations.  No party other than OECS shall derive any rights from the Financing Agreement or have any claim to the proceeds of the Financing.

The OECS Commission, the Executing Agency, now wishes to procure consultancy services for Regional Geothermal Engineering and Technical Advisor (GETA) for the Eastern Caribbean.

The overall objective of the consultancy is to strengthen the technical capacity of the countries of Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines by providing technical advisory services to ensure Geothermal Energy (GE) development risks are actively managed and that developments proceed as cost effectively as possible throughout the project cycle. The GETA will provide lead and back-stopping support to governments to enable them to fulfill their roles as a key stakeholder in the GE development project in their countries. The key tasks/activities include but may not be limited to:

• Provide advice on Geothermal Resource Development in the region including the review of technical documents, reports, outputs and technical approaches, propose recommendations for further technical studies and actions and drilling programmes and assist governments with understanding the risks and opportunities.

• Support the Exploration, Production, and Injection Drilling activities in the region by providing advice on drilling programmes (including engineering and technology, site layout, infrastructure requirement, project management, reservoir modelling, procurement, documentation, tender processes, request for proposals, integrated drilling services contracts and budgetary estimates)

• Provide advisory support to the government on the analysis of well testing results and the implications for the geothermal project.

• Conduct analyses and research to assess risks and viability of the loop technologies proposed as alternate approach for any country.

• Provide technical advice to countries on Project Concept and Power Generation for geothermal energy projects (including review of power plant technical specifications, Engineering Procurement and Construction contracts, civil works design, power system studies, plant operating regime and capacity factor, equipment selection influence on environmental and social factors and reservoir management approach and additional drilling requirements).

• Support the technical review of commercial drilling programme documents including assessing the ability to meet technical specific requirements of the Power Purchase Agreement, geothermal concession agreement and how this may influence plant operation, shareholders agreements and special project vehicle, interconnection agreements, land concessions and permits and lease agreements.

• Provide advice on the key elements of Project Delivery of the region including a review of project management approach, structure and capacity of developer, the government’s responsibilities in relation to Public-Private Partnerships or Joint Ventures; capital cost estimates; constructability and approach to managing logistical constraints of working in a small island; and the overall programme/schedule, etc.

• Provide capacity strengthening, knowledge, and awareness building support including provide training and awareness presentation session for OECS staff and government representatives and make technical inputs and support the development of communication materials.

• Coordinate efforts with the OECS Project Implementation Unit (PIU) to identify where training and information sharing can be provided by the various GE expert advisors engaged as part of the GEOBUILD Project.

The GETA may be required to, inter-alia, provide an assessment of: construction arrangements and compliance with national permitting requirements and international best practice; arrangements of the project for interconnection to the grid and compliance with national grid codes; technical aspects of the project contracts; arrangements for long-term operation of the project; technical and technology risks of the project; and capacity, skills and experience of the project company in implementing and operating the proposed project.

The GETA will provide support to the GE Regional Environment, Social and Gender Specialist Consultant, contracted as part of GEOBUILD, to provide comments to specific questions related to providing perspectives based on international experience.

The GETA may be required to provide advice related to the technical aspects of the development of direct use of geothermal resources projects.

The duration of the assignment is expected to be for a period of thirty-six (36) months on a “call down” basis under a framework agreement.