“Partnerships for sustainable energy- Champion District Partnership in rural Uganda”

CALL FOR PROPOSALS
FOR A CONSULTANCY:
“Partnerships for sustainable energyHow to realise the full potential of the
Champion District Partnership in rural Uganda”
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Background
In the beginning of 2012, WWF1 started a broad partnership in Uganda that we believe has the potential
to deliver “bottom-up” solutions to accelerate clean energy for the rural poor, with efforts focused in the
district of Kasese that has been chosen as a demonstration district named the “Champion District”. The
partnership consists of civil society organisations, companies, local government, central government,
academia and more, who have voluntarily joined as a result of successful mobilization carried out by
WWF, and the momentum created by that mobilisation. WWF has defined ambitious objectives for the
Champion District project that exceeds what WWF can do alone (and some parts are also beyond our
control), assuming Kasese local government led approach for a transformational change that makes the
Champion District project different to “any energy access project”. Various activities have already been
carried out by partners, such as piloting three business models for household lighting and cooking energy
needs.
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Why we need the study
WWF-Norway wants to commission a consultancy study to help us reach the ambitious objectives of the
Champion District project in Uganda. Partners must have clear roles, critical contributions must be
identified and the partnership must consist of partners who are successfully making these critical
contributions. WWF has an MOU in place with the district which defines the roles of the district, WWF
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“WWF” is to be understood as WWF-Uganda office, WWF-Norway, WWF-Denmark and WWF-Sweden. WWFUganda is the implementing party for the Champion District project, with technical and financial support provided
by WWF in Norway, Denmark and Sweden.
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and other partners. We now want to evaluate whether those roles are clear, well understood and acted
upon. Furthermore, if all partners are filling their role, is this enough for us to reach our goals?
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Objectives of the study and deliverables
The objective of the study is
1) Describe the partnership the way it works today
2) Describe how the partnership needs to work if WWF objectives are to be met
3) Recommend organizational changes and other actions that WWF and partners need to take in
order to reach the objectives
The deliverable is a consultancy report with the preliminary title “Partnerships for sustainable energyhow to realise the full potential of the Clean Energy Champion District Partnership in rural Uganda”.
The recommendations in the report will be used by WWF to develop the Champion District project in the
coming years. Further, WWF-Norway will use the report to write a proposal to Norad for additional
funding for 2014-2016. The report will be shared with Norad.
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Objective of the Champion District project
The objective for WWF is to develop an approach that will expand access to clean energy for the rural
poor, and to capture that know-how into a functional model that can be replicated elsewhere in Uganda
and ultimately, beyond Uganda. WWF key strategies to develop the Champion District model are as
follows, in steps:
1. Support a district-owned process towards creating an enabling environment for clean energy
access initiatives to be piloted and scaled up (“preparing the garden”)
2. Supporting the development and starting-up of business models that combine social,
environmental and economic sustainability (“planting the seeds”)
3. Support the scaling up/multiplying these business models and creating a wider enabling
environment for these models to thrive and grow within and beyond the district (“making
the seeds grow”)
4. Increasing commitments in central and district governments to replicate elements of the
district model in other districts in Uganda.
We have defined the enabling environment for sustainable energy businesses serving the poor as:
 Policy, regulation and institutions
 Access to finance
 Access to technology
 Awareness and capacity
The objectives are WWF objectives and the above strategies are what we in WWF think will work at this
point, ref Concept Description for more detailes. There is probably not a common understanding of
these objectives in the partnership. Over the past 12 months we have done a lot in concretizing the
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change process in WWF, however, we have not done so well in re-packaging and re-selling these refined
objectives to our partners.
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Scope of Work
The Scope of Work has three parts as follows:
1. Describe the partnership the way it works today
The partners are civil society organisations, companies, local government, central government, academia
and more. Map who they are, what roles they take and what contributions they have made so far.
Further, investigate how they understand the WWF objectives of the Champion District and how they
see their role and contribution in relation to these WWF objectives.
The role of the Kasese district local government is especially important to understand. We call for a
district-owned approach. We realise that this could easily be our Achilles Heel; some of the district
leaders are well motivated and eager to support the initiative, however, the entire structure from the
centre through sub-county, parish to village levels are not yet fully engaged in the process.
In terms of roles and contributions, we need to know the core competency of each partner, and we also
need to know additional necessary contributions that make the potential value of the partnership much
higher than simply a collection of individual contributions. We assume the key value of the partnership is
innovation. Identify key additional necessary contributions such as leadership, advocacy,
communication, sharing of knowledge, learning, adapting, clean energy solutions (this list is to be
validated and revised by consultant as relevant).
The following tasks are anticipated:
1. Mapping of partners and stakeholders (Uganda and beyond)
2. Mapping of other initiatives also aimed at accelerating energy access for the rural poor that can
provide lessons learnt to the Champion District project, with focus on Africa
3. Carry out interviews with partners (face to face meetings in Uganda), applying the agreed
methodology to be developed by the consultant
Use the findings to describe the partnership the way it works today. Use the findings from the mapping
of other initiatives to set the partnership description into a larger context (Africa), and identify key
similarities and differences. Illustrate key points by using concrete examples from the work done in
piloting the three business models. The smaller partnerships that are operating within the context of the
grand partnership are also to be examined, e.g. JEEP and the traditional king, and WWF and the
community based organisations.
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2. Describe how the partnership needs to work if WWF objectives are to be met
Once the mapping is done, assess whether roles are clear, well understood, and whether they are acted
upon, and if not, how can this be improved? What roles may not currently be defined which would be
important to ensure success of the champion district? Are some roles crowded with partners while
others are leanly supported? Identify opportunities and limitations of the way the partnership is working
today, measured up against WWF objectives. Identify key roles and contributions needed for existing
partners.
A district-owned approach will take a well-crafted, systematic and sustained engagement of the political
and technical leadership of the district; drawing a mechanism that works in spite of the severe technical
capacity, human resource, political and administrative challenges inherent throughout the district.
Identify the most critical bottlenecks to district engagement and district leadership. Recommend a
strategy and initial actions needed to address these most critical bottlenecks. Identify how WWF and
partners can support the district in this process. Analyze what would be the best role for WWF to play,
with respect to its unique capabilities, but more importantly with respect to the various roles played by
others.
Evaluate the opportunities and limitations in the “loose nature” of the partnership and compare to a
more formalized partnership. Make recommendations as appropriate. In the MOU it was agreed that the
teams, with WWF and partners on the one hand, and district government on the other hand, would
develop joint annual workplans. Beyond the MOU and its reference to a joint annual workplan, there is
no formalization of the partnership.
3. Recommend organizational changes and other actions that WWF and partners need to take in order
to reach the objectives, and set up an overall implementation plan
The piloted business models are to be used as a basis for recommending actions needed to be taken by
WWF and partners in order to realise the full potential of the Champion District partnership. WWF and
key partners have piloted three different business models (JEEP cookstove model, Light up a Village,
Friends of the Earth Uganda model) for basic household energy needs, of which two have been subject
to an evaluation of the potential for these models to become sustainable and replicable. This evaluation
process was led by WWF. The real power of these piloted models is that they allow for learning lessons
that can be used to identify what needs to be done to create a more enabling environment for
sustainable and scalable business models. Evaluate the process we have used to do the evaluation and
suggest how to improve it in order to ensure lessons learnt/recommendations are captured and
implemented.
Formulate key lessons learnt from these three business models in terms of how to improve the enabling
environment in Kasese district. The lessons learnt are to be extracted from the reported findings of the
two evaluations carried out, and with input from key partners. Based on these lessons learnt, identify
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actions that need to be taken by WWF and partners in order to create a more enabling environment for
these models to be sustainable and scalable. Finally, propose how to implement these actions and set up
an overall implementation plan.
The following tasks are anticipated:
1. Facilitate workshop for key partners
2. Consult outside experts for expert opinion
The three piloted business models in brief:
For profit- The Light up a Village: WWF and Barefoot Power Uganda (solar lighting) are working
with a Savings and Credit Organization (SACCO) of Karambi, Kasese, in implementing the Light Up
A Village (LUAV) project. Karambi SACCO was provided with an interest free loan from MESICS
Foundation (based in Netherlands) to start implementing the LUAV project in November 2012.
As of February 2013, the SACCO has installed 76 solar units in 76 homes across two parishes in
Kasese district.
For profit- Friends of Nature Uganda: Friends of Nature Uganda is a local community based
organisation that is undertaking a revolving scheme for solar installation in Ihandiro sub county,
Kasese district. Friends of Nature Uganda purchased 4 lights solar systems and installed for the
first 25 households. Using the partial payments collected, it was able to acquire an additional 17
units which have now been installed as well (as of end of March 2013).
Not-for-profit JEEP stove model: JEEP (Joint Environment and Energy Program) is an Ugandan
NGO that carries out training of trainers in the construction and usage of the Lorena cook-stove,
an improved rocket stove, insulated to retain heat and with a chimney to take away the smoke.
As a result, a total of 3000 households in Kasese have an improved Lorena cookstove. JEEP is one
of the key parnters in the partnership.
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Preliminary time line
The estimated duration is June 5th to September 30th, 2013. The preliminary time line is given in the
table below.
Preliminary time line
Activity
Jun
1-15
1 Planning and data collection part 1,
including stay in Uganda (mid June)
2 Data collection part 2,
Including work in Uganda
3 Analysis and reporting
x
1630
x
July
1-15
1631
x
x
Aug
1-15
1631
X?
Sept
1-15
1630
Oct
1-15
1631
X?
X?
x
x
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Time is of importance to this assignment, both in terms of a swift kick-off and in terms of finalizing
deliverables in due time for Norad application deadline (October 15).
The main milestones are:
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Contract is signed on June 5th , kick-off meeting with WWF-Norway the same day
Planning and data collection trip to Uganda in the time frame June 10-20 (to be confirmed)
Delivery of plan for Data Collection part 2 and methodology: before start of data collection
Data collection part 2 in Uganda in August (time to be agreed)
Delivery of report outline: before start of reporting
Draft report on Sept 13th (WWF-Norway to deliver a set of consolidated comments to draft final
report within 5 working days- Sept 20th)
Final report: + 1 week after receiving WWF’s set of consolidated comments-Sept 30
The first trip to Uganda will be together with the WWF-Norway representative. The aim of this trip is for
the consultant to get familiar with the project and to plan the work with WWF Uganda project manager
and rest of the energy team in Uganda. A rough methodology and practical arrangements related to
August interviews and workshop should be more or less agreed during this visit, including how and when
the interviews should take place. The consultant will be asked to present clear requests for support from
WWF Uganda.
The second trip to Uganda will be for the main bulk of the data collection. WWF-Norway may join (parts
of) the activities to be carried out by the consultant.
WWF estimates that scope of this report entails 30 working days, including travel time, with the
following allocation:
1 Planning and data collection part 1:
2 Data collection part 2:
3 Analysis and reporting:
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10 days, including 5 days in Uganda
10 days, all in Uganda
10 days
Data input
WWF-Norway will upon contract signature provide the following WWF produced project documents:
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Concept Description, current version
MOU between WWF-Uganda and district government of Kasese
MOU between Champion district, Access2Innovation, WWF Uganda and Frederikshavn
Kommune
Reports on the piloted business models + concept for System Teknik
Access2Innovation – WWF Denmark contract
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Energy Access Baseline Study for Kasese district, draft version
In addition, the following external publications are to be considered input data:
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Sustainable Energy for All - Uganda Energy Rapid assessment and Gap Analysis, Ministry of
Energy and Mineral Development, The Republic of Uganda, June 2012
Uganda – country report, Economist Intelligence Unit, July 2012
These above publications provide a gap analysis at the national level of the actions required to enable all
Ugandans access energy in line with the UN SEfA objectives of energy access for all by 2030, as well as
providing the political context which extends and impacts on political and development trends in the
champion district as well.
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Deliverables in detail
The deliverables are as follows:
1. Report with illustrative examples, figures and pictures, to a large extent using non-technical
language not to exceed 25 pages. The report is to be delivered digital in MS Word. Annexes are
in addition to the 25 pages.
2. A PowerPoint presentation of key findings, maximum 10 slides
A draft final report for WWF-Norway review is to be delivered as a digital copy in MS Word format.
As soon as possible, and at the latest before the reporting phase starts, a report outline for WWF
approval is to be delivered, showing all headings and sub headings in order to demonstrate the intended
structure of the report. We highlight the importance of using a non-technical language to the degree
possible and to in other ways strive to make (parts of ) the report useful for communication purposes,
for instance through illustrations. The language is English.
WWF-Norway retains the sole rights with respect to all distribution, dissemination and publication of the
deliverables.
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Selection criteria
There are 6 main selection criteria, as follows:
1. A demonstrated understanding of the assignment, including a description of an appropriate
methodology to be used.
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2. Relevant experience working with issues related to civil society and local development in Africa.
Is to be demonstrated through a short summary of project references that explicitly explains the
relevance for this assignment.
3. Qualifications and skills are to be demonstrated through summary of CVs:
a. A higher academic degree in relevant field
b. At least 5 years of relevant work experience in on or more of the following disciplines:
environment and development, development cooperation, Capacity building in civil
society organisations, conservation/natural resource management (Government and/or
NGO), political science/law; Human Geography, resource economics
c. Fluency in English is required
d. Computer literacy: Microsoft products (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), email, skype
e. Experience of working in the developing world, particularly East Africa will be an added
advantage.
4. Price
5. Implementation capacity and Availability is to be demonstrated.
6. The quality assurance system is to demonstrate quality assurance of work processes and
deliverables.
10 Implementation arrangements
The consultant is to lead the collection of information, processing, analysis and report-writing, in close
cooperation with WWF-Norway. It is assumed necessary to have regular contact in order to clarify scope
of work and plan the data collection.
The consultant can assume that the interviews of parnters in Uganda will take place both in Kampal and
in Kasese. The workshop is probably best to arrange in Kasese town. This will be done in close
cooperation with WWF Uganda. WWF-Norway will facilitate contact with WWF Uganda office and other
key WWF resources.
WWF-Norway through WWF Uganda office will make hotel reservation in Kampala and Kasese town and
arrange for transportation between Kampala and Kasese, and while in Kasese.
The consultant should make note that WWF-Norway will have close to zero capacity for follow-up of this
work in July due to summer vacation.
11 Budget
The budget is to include key activities and costs for travel (flights, accommodation, per diem*, local
travel costs) to Uganda. Travel expenses are reimbursable costs. Further travel is not anticipated.
* Per diem at 75% of standard Norwegian state rate (‘statens satser’).
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12 Invoice schedule
Upon signature of contract, 50% of approved budgeted funds will be disbursed upon invoice from
consultant.
The remaining 50% will be disbursed upon the successful completion of the assignment.
13 Instructions for submitting a proposal
Interested candidates should submit a proposal that includes:
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A proposal document, maximum 4 pages, outlining:
o how the consultant meets the selection criteria (including methodology)
o company affiliation and support systems
o proposed budget and timeline
CVs as attachment
Project references as attachment
The assignment is fixed price (incl VAT), based on estimated time spent on the assignment, and given in
Norwegian kroner (NOK), with a budget for travel expenses in addition, to be reimbursed.
Details of WWF standards and additional project information can be obtained by contacting senior
advisor Marte Ness ([email protected]) at WWF-Norway.
Bids should be sent to [email protected] or to WWF-Norway, P.O. Box 6784, St Olavs plass, 0130 Oslo,
Norway, or delivered at the reception in our office in Kristian Augusts gate 7A, Oslo, by 16:00 CET on May
27th 2013. NB: Mark the envelope or e-mail clearly with “Champion District”.
Bids will be opened 28th of May 10:30 in our office in Kristian Augusts gate 7A.
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