81305096-Financing Energy for Low-carbon Investment - Cities Advisory Facility - Eastern Partnership and Central Asia Program (FELICITY II)

The project "Financing Energy for Low-carbon Investment - Cities Advisory Facility - Eastern Partnership and Central Asia Program (FELICITY II)" supports the preparation and implementation of low carbon infrastructure projects in Partnership Countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

In Ukraine, the focus of FELICITY II is on the water and wastewater sector, which shows significant scope for investment to improve services and water security, to reduce environmental pollution and to reduce GHG emissions. The project is jointly implemented with the European Investment Bank EIB which is financing low-carbon infrastructure investment measures in the water and wastewater sector.

A Contractor is required to provide technical assistance to project promoters in Ukraine, in particular water and wastewater utilities, in the development of bankable low-carbon infrastructure projects in the water and wastewater sector. The Contractor shall contribute to the achievement of Output III related to the scope of project activities in Ukraine in close coordination with the GIZ project team in Ukraine. The focus of Output III is to enhance project development skills of project promoters in-participating countries to identify, prioritize, pre-appraise and co-develop low-carbon and climate-resilient urban infrastructure projects for consecutive funding appraisal.

Tasks of the Contractor are divided into the following work packages (1) Gap analysis, capacity needs assessments and TA roadmap development (2) Improvements to studies, assessments and plans for projects to meet EIB requirements (3) Support to the establishment of project implementation structures (4) Support the procurement of project implementation consultants (5) Support to knowledge management to facilitate up-scaling

It is anticipated that the Contractor will support the preparation of 5 water and wastewater projects of different maturity and complexity levels. This shall include 3 projects which are already prepared but require a moderate level of support to meet EIB requitements for tendering and 2 additional projects with a high level of preparatory support to meet EIB requitements (including project selection, preparation of feasibility studies, and preparation of tender documents).

A team of experts shall be provided by the Contractor for this purpose. This shall include (1) a team leader and infrastructure planning specialist with international profile, (2) a water and wastewater planning specialist and deputy team leader, (3) a pool of international short-term experts and, (4) a pool of national short-term experts. Services of the international expert team shall be performed mostly in the home office with occasional visits to Ukraine while services inside Ukraine shall be primarily provided through the deputy team leader and members of the national pool of short-term experts. Close collaboration with project promoters as well as coordination with the GIZ project team in Ukraine will be required.

The Contractor may be a single firm or a consortium of various consulting firms. The involvement of consulting firms from Ukraine within subcontracting or joint venture arrangements will be permitted.

The estimated duration of the contract is 18 months from the contract award (anticipated in June 2024).