RFI USAID New Energy Activity.pdf

KAZAKHSTAN TAJIKISTAN KYRGYZ REPUBLIC TURKMENISTAN UZBEKISTAN

41 Kazibek Bi Street, Almaty 050010, Kazakhstan

Request for Information (RFI)

Subject: USAID New Energy Activity in Central Asia

Reference: RFI No. 72011524RFI00001

Issued: November 8, 2023

Due Date: December 12, 2023, 10:00 AM Almaty Time

The United States Agency for International Development, Central Asia (USAID/Central Asia) is in the process of gathering information to inform anticipated project design in support of the U.S.

Government’s efforts to increase regional electricity interconnection, promote and incorporate green energy, catalyze investment in energy efficiency, and increase transparency in energy markets throughout Central Asia.

This Request for Information (RFI) offers the opportunity for interested individuals and organizations to provide recommendations on how USAID should structure its assistance to the Central Asian countries to reform and modernize their energy sectors.

Release of this RFI in no way obligates the United States Government or USAID to release a funding opportunity or solicitation for this proposed activity, nor are either responsible for any costs incurred in preparing responses to this RFI.

Responses to this notice are not considered a proposal or application and will not be accepted or evaluated by the Government as a result of this RFI. Only responses with the information requested in this RFI will be reviewed. Responses received may be used for planning and design purposes.

Thank you for your interest in this Request for Information.

Sincerely, /S/ Raphael Metzger Supervisory Regional Contracting/Agreement Officer

USAID/Central Asia

RFI NO. 72011524RFI00001

USAID New Energy Activity in Central Asia

Request for Information

I. Background

USAID has partnered with the Central Asian countries in the energy sector for well over 10 years, which has led to marked progress. But there are still barriers to achieving energy interconnectivity and regional energy independence, decreasing energy intensity, and building political will, mutual trust, and sufficient energy sector investment. USAID is preparing to launch a new energy activity that will succeed USAID’s flagship energy activity Power Central Asia (PCA).

The following table lists the current state of the energy sector and examples of what USAID believes could be achieved through this future energy activity:

Table 1: What Success in Central Asia’s Energy Sector looks like.

Current Status (2023)

What success looks like (2030 and beyond)

Limited regional energy trade Regional power market prerequisites in place to enable its phased operation

Limited regional cooperation Knowledge sharing and cross-border exchange

Lack of coordinated use of energy and water resources

Energy-water nexus integrated into decision making

Limited participation of disenfranchised groups Inclusive of women, marginalized groups, and youth

Government owned energy companies Market-oriented and transparent, with private sector participation

Geopolitical power derived from oil and gas Highly-diverse energy sources utilized

Over-reliance on foreign, state-owned entities Diverse national and international investors

Vulnerable to climate change Climate conscious with lower greenhouse gas emissions

Public awareness of energy efficiency and renewable energy is donor driven

Private sector advertising their services & benefits to clients

Insufficient quantity and quality of energy auditing professional; lack of EE enforcement

Increased enforcement and investment drives an energy audit market

Donor driven energy efficiency investments Readily available government funding or commercial financing for energy efficiency interventions at affordable rates.

Region overly reliant on trade with Russia and PRC Well diversified trading partners established and diverse routes enhanced that do not rely on the PRC or Russia.

Negligible e-vehicles and charging infrastructure. And carbon intensive power source for vehicles

E-vehicles represent the majority of vehicles on the road and are powered by clean energy.

Industry in Central Asia consumes two hundred to three hundred times more energy than in Western Europe (GDP per tonne of energy).

Reduction of Energy Intensity of GDP by 30% by 2030

Additional context for the above request can be found in the mission’s Regional Development Cooperation Strategy (RDCS) (please see Attachment “Regional Development Cooperation strategy” to this RFI).

II. Questions

USAID is requesting information to inform its prioritization of focus areas within the design of this planned new activity.

1. Respondents are free to answer any or all of the questions below. It is recommended that the number of pages for responses to 8 questions listed below not exceed 4 pages, Calibri, 12 font size. In your responses, please provide any relevant sources for the information, including peer-reviewed or gray literature, expert opinion, project evaluation reports, and other documents.

Questions:

a. How can USAID spur both public and private investment in energy efficiency and renewable energy throughout the region? Noting that currently, subsidized energy tariffs limit cost recovery of many investments.

b. What are the biggest barriers to USAID’s goal of regional energy interconnectivity? And what are the opportunities that USAID should prioritize to overcome these barriers?

c. What are the biggest barriers related to USAID’s goal of promotion of green energy/energy efficiency across Central Asia? And what are the opportunities that USAID should prioritize to overcome these barriers?

d. What existing or emerging regional and/or technical trends do you envision will be central to energy sector transformation over the next few years?

e. How can this mechanism provide expertise while enabling and promoting locally led development (communities, private entities, NGOs, women-led and youth-led organizations, etc.)? Propose an illustrative activity(s) that that you and your partner organization(s) could implement that would achieve one or several impacts listed in table 1.

f. What transformative impacts, listed in table 1, can realistically be achieved in the regional electricity sector within the given time frame (five years)? Propose illustrative activities that can be implemented to achieve these goals.

g. Central Asian countries have ambitious plans for e-vehicle growth, which includes domestic production of e-vehicles, significant investment in charging infrastructure, and tax exemptions for e-vehicle purchases. What are the challenges in achieving these plans and are there opportunities for USAID to support the adoption of green transportation in the region?

h. Are there other areas of interventions that USAID should be considering for future energy sector programming?

2. Organizational Capabilities relative to the planned Central Asia regional energy activity [1 page max, Calibri, 12 font size]:

Please provide your relevant organizational capabilities in this sector and region. Respondents may include organizational information such as: past experience working in any of the noted technical areas in Central Asia or elsewhere; core capabilities; experience working with other stakeholders; experience with implementing pilot projects that has led to wide adoption without further donor funding; or other information relevant to an organization’s ability to successfully undertake this activity.

III. Submission Instructions

Responses must be submitted electronically to AlmatyAASolicitations@usaid.gov with a copy to Jannat Koksalova, Administrative Agreement/Contracting Officer, at zkoxalova@usaid.gov and Raphael Metzger, Regional Supervisory Contracting Officer at rmetzger@usaid.gov by the date and time indicated in the cover letter with the subject line “RFI No.72011524RFI00001 – USAID New Energy Activity in Central Asia”

Submissions will receive an electronic confirmation acknowledging receipt. USAID/Central Asia will not provide feedback or suggestions in response to the RFI and no applications or resumes will be accepted or considered. Responses will not be made public. No basis for claims against the U.S. Government shall arise as a result of a response to this RFI or from the U.S.

Government’s use of such information. Specific questions about this RFI should be directed only to the email addresses identified above. USAID/Central Asia will not respond to any telephone or other inquiries regarding this notice.

Please note USAID is not seeking technical or cost proposals/applications at this time. Responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the U.S. Government to form a binding contract/assistance award. Responses to this RFI are voluntary and USAID will not pay respondents for any information provided in response to this RFI. If a future solicitation is issued, it will be announced at www.sam.gov or at www.grants.gov at a later date.

Please include the following information in all submissions:

Reference Number: USAID New Energy Activity in Central Asia Date:

Organization:

Business Address:

Representative Name / Email:

A short technical narrative that includes responses to the Questions in the RFI and other information as provided in the section above.

Thank you for your assistance and interest in USAID programs.

[End of RFI No.72011524RFI00001] mailto:AlmatyAASolicitations@usaid.gov mailto:zkoxalova@usaid.gov mailto:rmetzger@usaid.gov http://www.sam.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/