Energising Development Programme – Sierra Leone

Call for Expression of Interest (EoI) from a consultant to conduct an Assessment on the impacts of Goods-and-Services-Tax (GST) on Solar Products in Sierra Leone

PN: 14.2275.7-215.00

Cosoft No: 86460624

Background

The multi-donor initiative Energising Development (EnDev) is financed by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (NORAD), the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). Since 2014, Energising Development (EnDev) is active in Sierra Leone and works on enhancing the availability of affordable, reliable, cost effective, modern renewable energy (electricity and cooking) solutions for households and social institutions in Sierra Leone.

• Standalone solar energy, Solar Home System (SHS) and Pico PV are some of the most popular forms of electricity use in communities beyond the national grid in Sierra Leone. Due to its easy installation and utilization, the majority of the private sector players are actively involved in the importation, sales, and installation of standalone solar energy products across the country.
• As recognized development partner, EnDev augments the efforts of the government of Sierra Leone to increase access to electricity through the utilization of renewable energy sources by promoting and supporting the private sector. Therefore, the project intends to support its key partners from the private sector in approaching the government for negotiating the re-introduction of Goods and Services Tax (GST) waiver for the importation of solar energy products in Sierra Leone. 
• The essence of the GST waiver on solar energy products, is to encourage the private sector players to increase the importation of standardized quality and durable solar energy products and making them available in the market at an affordable cost. This will enable communities beyond the national grids to purchase a set of solar energy products for either basic lighting or for productive use of electricity (PUE). Moreover, this will increase the economic activities of community residents thereby improving the living conditions of the people, giving opportunity to school-going kids to study longer hours at night, thereby achieving the universal goal (access to electricity). 

• EnDev is devoted to promoting access to sustainable, reliable, affordable clean energy (electricity) solutions for all including the last mile in Sierra Leone through the private sector support, has the aim to support REASL and other RE companies to approach the government of Sierra Leone through its relevant stakeholders to have a round table discussions on the importance of GST waiver on the importation of Solar Energy products in Sierra Leone.

• To tackle this issue, EnDev hereby seeks to hire a local consultant on service contract base, who will support EnDev and the key stakeholders lobbying for a reintroduction of the GST waiver in formulating their arguments and underpinning these with hard facts and external expert opinion. The location of the assignment will be Freetown and surroundings, with key government actors and private sector associations (REASL) to be visited for interviews and data collection.

Objective of the consultancy:

The objective of this assignment is to have a consultant to conduct a survey and have a convincing report developed and presented, which includes striking evidence in support of EnDev’s and partners’ efforts to lobby to the government of Sierra Leone for reintroducing the GTS waiver on standardized solar energy products that are imported by the private sector investors or companies.

Responsibilities:

Key outputs required for achieving the objectives:

• Firstly, the assignment is to compile- and prepare a synopsis of individual imports, sales, and installations records of solar energy products during the GST exemption period from 2017 to 2023 and after the reintroduction of the GST on the importation of standardized solar energy products in Sierra Leone in the year 2023.
• Moreover, this assignment has to provide a projection of sales, imports and other impacts on the solar PV industry in Sierra Leone in case solar products become GST exempted again. 
• At the end of the assignment – and after review by EnDev and selected partners – the final report of the consultant will be presented to the Ministry of Energy and other relevant stakeholders including private sector players, who will lobby for the re-introduction of GST waiver on the importation of solar products in Sierra Leone.
•  

Function:

Description of works

The contractor shall provide the following services.

Work package 1: Assessment of the past import and sales of solar products in relation to the GST (during GST waiver and reintroduction of GST on solar products)

• A desktop study to compile the imports, sales, and installation records of solar energy products using the appropriate government agencies websites such as National Revenue Authority (NRA) and Customs office, Sierra Leone Port Authority (SLPA), Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Energy (MoE), and individual private companies that are member of the Renewable Energy Association of Sierra Leone (REASL).
• A face-to-face interaction with the above-named government agencies and exemplary private companies for a realistic facts and analysis. 
• Verify and compile government data on the importations of solar energy products through the main importation entry points during the period of GST waiver, and during the period, the GST was enforced again. 
• The consultant will compare government data and private sector companies’ data on the importations, sales, and installation of solar energy systems in Sierra Leone.

Work package 2: Projection of potential imports and sales if GST exemption is reintroduced.

Basing on the earlier findings and further discission with private sector stakeholders and others, the following projections should be developed for the case, if the GST exemption is reintroduced: 

• Projections of private RE companies’ importation and sales figures of standardized solar energy products. 
• Projections of standalone electrification in rural communities within the next five years. For example, one system can, be counted for one household at 5 persons, but the exact methodology can be discussed with GIZ after award of contract. 
• Projection of additional jobs created, and technicians trained due to anticipated growing business of the solar companies. 

Work package 3: Reporting and presentation of results

• Redact a report (20 pages minimum) with synopsis of collected information and data, analysis and recommendations in support of a reintroduction of the GST exemption for standardized solar PV products. Moreover, the report must have an “Executive Summary” with the most striking facts and key arguments. 
• Presentation of a PowerPoint-Presentation (PPT) that summarizes in a concise and appealing manner the key findings and key recommendations of the report. 
• Submission of both, draft report and PPT to GIZ and REASL for comments. 
• Finalization of report and PPT 
• Presentation of the report (via PPT) at a stakeholder event organized by GIZ and REASL with key stakeholders and decision makers from the government, private sectors and others will participate. If required, the consultant is to participate in a panel discussion and Q&A sessions during that meeting.  

Key Deliverables

• Final report as per description in the work package, 20 pages minimum. 2x hardcopy (bound) and softcopy.
• PowerPoint presentation as per description in the work package (softcopy)
• Physical participation in the stakeholder workshop including presentation of the report and participation in panel discussions + Q&A sessions. 

Implementation time frame

For the whole assignment, GIZ shall hire the contractor for the anticipated contract term, from 1^st April  to 30^th April, with a maximum of 15 (fifteen) billable expert days.

 Eligibility criteria and documents to be submitted by the Consultant.

Tender requirements

Qualifications of proposed staff

1. General qualifications 

Education: B.Sc. in Economics, energy economics, Business Administration, Development studies or any related field of study.

1. Professional experience: 

Minimum 5 years’ experience in renewable energy business sector, profound research experience and connections with key government stakeholders within the energy sector and financing. 

1. Language skills: Business fluency in English and Krio.

A detailed CV (max. 5 pages) is to be submitted together with the technical and financial bid.

Daily Consulting Fee Rate:

• To be determined by the consultant as it relates to the services to be provided within his/her capacity in line with GIZ’s planned budget.

Travel and other expenses (as lump sums) 

• Travel cost and accommodation expenditure within Sierra Leone for the consultant will be borne by the consultant within the financial proposal.  

Submission of Expressions of Interest

Interested Individuals should submit their “Expression of Interest” via Email to SL_Quotation@giz.de with the subject “EoI Application for Assessment of the impacts of Goods-and-Services-Tax (GST) on Solar Products in Sierra Leone, Cosoft No: 86460624”

Not later than 13^th March , 2024, 4:00 PM local time. Submission should not exceed two pages (excluding copies of documents) using font and font size of Arial and 11 respectively, at line spacing 1.15. For any questions, contact SL_Inquiry@giz.de with the subject “EoI Application for Assessment of the impacts of Goods-and-Services-Tax (GST) on Solar Products in Sierra Leone”.

Only prequalified interested individual consultant or enterprises will be contacted with a template for detailed elaboration of the proposal. However, a brief profile that details your experiences in similar partnership will be required (see “Submission condition” above).