SOW.docx

STATEMENT OF WORK

Gender and Social Inclusion in Benin and other countries

A. Introduction

The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) is a U.S. Government corporation whose mission is to provide assistance that will support economic growth and poverty reduction in carefully selected developing countries that demonstrate a commitment to just and democratic governance, economic freedom, and investments in their citizenry. For more information on the MCC please visit www.mcc.gov.

MCC recognizes that gender inequality can be a significant constraint to economic growth and poverty reduction. MCC’s Gender Policy and operational guidance ensure that gender will be considered in the selection of eligible countries and integrated into the development and design of Compact programs, the assessment and implementation of projects by the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA), the monitoring of program results, and the evaluation of program impacts. MCC’s Gender Milestones and Operational Procedures strengthen and concretize the requirements of the Gender Policy and contribute to the MCC’s and the Country Core Team’s ability to ensure gender integration and social inclusion in projects.

On September 9, 2015, acting on behalf of the United States Government (USG), MCC signed a second Compact with the Government of Benin (GoB) focused on the electric power sector. The Compact, comprised of a $375 million grant from the USG and a $28 million matching contribution from the GoB, aims to strengthen Benin’s national utility, attract private sector investment, and fund infrastructure investments in electric generation and distribution as well as off-grid electrification for poor and unserved households. The Compact in its entirety can be found at www.mcc.gov; Annex I to the Compact contains a detailed program description. The second compact between the GoB and MCC, the Benin Power Compact targets lack of electricity infrastructure, a binding constraint to economic growth in Benin, where an insufficient quantity and quality of electricity results in reduced productivity, output, and investment for businesses, less effective delivery of public and social services, and diminished well-being and economic opportunity for households.[footnoteRef:2] The root causes of these problems lies not only in the poverty of the country but in the policies, institutions, and actors comprising the sector. [2: Benin completed its first compact in October 2011. The $307 million program included the following projects: (i) modernizing and expanding the Port of Cotonou; (ii) promoting land security; (iii) improving access to capital for micro- and medium-sized enterprises; and (iv) creating a more efficient judicial system. ]

The Compact aims at addressing these core problems through policy reforms and institutional strengthening, large-scale investments in energy generation and distribution infrastructure, as well as off-grid electrification and is comprised of the follow four projects:

· Policy Reform and Institutional Strengthening Project: This project will advance far-reaching policy reforms and strengthen institutions through improved regulation, tariff reform, utility operations and management, energy efficiency, and private investment in power generation. This will also include building the capacity of energy sector institutions to plan for and serve the unique energy needs of various population groups including women and the poor. Proposed tariff reforms will consider affordability of electricity and the implications of changing prices on the poor as well as mechanisms for sustainably reducing the cost of connecting to the electricity grid. Integrated into other institutional support, the Compact will conduct an analysis of gender policy and practice within the electricity utility in order to further best practices in the areas of recruitment, hiring, training and promotion.

· Electricity Generation Project: This project will increase the amount of effective installed generating capacity in Benin by 78 megawatts (“MW”) – equivalent in capacity to one-third of the country’s current peak demand – while helping the country decrease its reliance on unreliable energy imports. This will be achieved through the installation of 45 MW of solar photovoltaic generation and the rehabilitation of 33 MW of thermal and hydroelectric generation infrastructure that will complement the solar investment. Gender and Social Inclusion implications of these projects include contributing to processes and tools that investigate potential impacts of the projects on vulnerable populations and seek to expand benefits and mitigate harm. GSI will specifically consider how women may be employed in construction or permanent jobs created by the project.

· Electricity Distribution Project: This project will modernize Benin’s electricity distribution infrastructure to expand grid capacity to accommodate future growth, improve reliability, and reduce losses and outages. The project will improve the grid serving Cotonou, the commercial capital, and selected regional networks as a complement to proposed solar generation investments. It will also build a modern distribution dispatch and control center to more effectively manage the network, including intermittent power from renewable sources. In addition to the construction and employment related considerations described above, GSI will collaborate with other sectors to design and implement 10,000 new connections targeted at poor consumers.

· Off-grid Electricity Access Project: This project will expand access to electricity in a country where only one-third of the population has electricity through funding of an off-grid energy grant facility along with policy and institutional strengthening to support the entire off-grid power sector in Benin. GSI is playing an active role in the design of the facility to ensure targeting of poor, rural customers and benefits to women through productive use of electricity and/or time and labor savings. GSI is also managing a $1 million project promoting women’s entrepreneurship related to the energy sector.

In addition to its policy and guidelines, the major tool of the GSI Practice Group in the implementation phase is the Social and Gender Inclusion Plan (SGIP). The SGIP comprehensively describes Social and Gender objectives, activities, outputs, responsibilities, and timelines. It functions as a reference document for other sectors, implementing entities and contractors, and a mechanism for soliciting inputs and agreement within MCC and MCA and among other relevant stakeholders.

B. Country

Benin and other MCC eligible countries

C. Scope

MCC seeks a consultant to work with the Gender and Social Inclusion (GSI) team during the detailed design phase of compact development through Entry into Force and the implementation phase in Benin.[footnoteRef:3] [3: Currently this work is focused on Benin. If skills allow and the scope is relevant, the consultant may be asked to work on other countries as needed.]

D. Tasks and Deliverables

Tasks

Provide social and gender expertise to MCC during the detailed program design and implementation phases, after the Compact’s Entry Info Force in approximately May 2017. Tasks include but are not limited to:

· Undertake desk research to provide memos or papers on specific best practices as needed. Provide technical input and advice related to:

· Gender, social inclusion and poverty reduction in the energy sector;

· Gender mainstreaming in energy policy and institutions;

· Prevention of sexual harassment, child labor, gender-based violence and Trafficking in Persons on construction sites;

· Women’s employment in non-traditional industries; Productive use of electricity;

· Time and labor savings for women through electrification;

· Training and capacity building for women and youth entrepreneurship;

· Output based aid, particularly related to electricity connections;

· Targeting subsidies to the poor;

· Monetizing benefits of electricity access.

· Review and provide input into Terms of Reference, Requests for Proposals, contracts, project designs documents and deliverables drafted by MCC, MCA and other consultants. This will likely include:

· Deliverables from the MCC GSI due diligence consulting firm providing design recommendations;

· Deliverables from the MCA GSI consultants executing activities;

· Environmental and Social Impact Assessments;

· Environmental and Social Management System;

· Resettlement Action Plans;

· Management plans for HIV/AIDS, Trafficking In Persons and other identified risks such as child labor, gender-based violence and sexual harassment; and

· Health and Safety Plans.

· Conduct desk reviews and research on poverty, gender and social issues in Benin to support the MCA Gender and Social Inclusion Lead and local Director for Gender and Social Inclusion to support the implementation of the Social and Gender Implementation Plan. Assist with the annual renewal of the Social and Gender Implementation Plan.

· Provide support to MCC and MCA GSI teams for the development of training materials and workshops with internal and external stakeholders.

· Provide recommendations for or participate in consultations, stakeholder engagement and information, education and communications activities conducted by MCA.

· Support MCA staff in the development of gender-responsive and socially inclusive performance monitoring and evaluation plans with indicators specific to GSI.

· Assist MCC GSI staff in monitoring compliance with Gender Integration Guidelines and Operational Procedures.

· Accompany MCC staff and/or travel to project areas as necessary.

Deliverables

· Trip reports

· Ad hoc reports, as requested by MCC GSI

· Contributions to technical documents, as requested by MCC GSI

Deliverables may be requested in English and/or French.

E. Period and Place of Performance

The period of performance of this contract is a base period of five years with approximately 3 trips the first year and 2 trips each year for the remaining 4 years.

The estimated level of effort is approximately 720 hours for first year and 480 hours per year for the remaining 4 years. MCC anticipates this level of effort but does not guarantee this level of effort as it may increase or decrease.

The consultant will work from his/her home office and/or any MCC eligible country.

F. Contracting Officer Representative/Project Monitor

The COR/PM shall have technical responsibility over the Consultant. Any change in the terms of the Call Order must be made in writing and approved by the Contracting Officer. No representation of the COR/PM shall serve as a basis for an alteration in the general scope of this Contract or of the terms and conditions of the Contract unless confirmed in writing by the Contracting Officer. The Consultant must communicate with the Contracting Officer on all matters that pertain to the Contract terms. Proceeding with work without proper contractual coverage could result in nonpayment for that work.

G. Evaluation Criteria

· Minimum of 10 years of experience in gender integration and social inclusion in large-scale international development programs.

· Demonstrated experience providing substantial input into social and gender assessment in policy analysis, research, program design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation.

· Experience carrying out social and gender analysis in feasibility studies, environmental and social impact assessments (ESIA’s), environmental and social management plans (ESMP’s), resettlement action plans (RAP’s), and/or risk management plans.

· Demonstrated capacity to work in multicultural, interdisciplinary teams

· Strong communication and writing skills

· Working experience in West Africa

· Fluency in written and oral French is required

· Experience with large infrastructure projects and expertise in the energy sector or utilities strongly preferred.

· Previous experience working in Benin is desired but not required.

H. Other requirements

International travel may be required. The Contractor may be requested to mobilize on a short notice and will be expected to deliver high quality finished products in a timely manner.

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