SOW.docx

Environmental and Social Performance Kosovo

STATEMENT OF WORK

A. Introduction

On January 23, 2003, the United States established the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), an innovative foreign assistance program designed to reduce poverty by promoting sustainable economic growth. MCC, a U.S. government corporation, is based on the principle that aid is most effective in countries that promote good governance, economic freedom, and investments in people.

MCC recognizes that the pursuit of sustainable economic growth and a healthy environment are related. Economic growth that doesn’t adequately address the associated risks of environmental degradation can leave the poor particularly vulnerable. MCC’s Environmental and Social Performance (ESP) Practice Group works with partner countries to integrate internationally-accepted principles of environmental and social sustainability into the design and implementation of MCC funded programs. In collaboration with MCC, partner countries are striving to achieve sustainable economic development through their MCC-funded activities while at the same time minimizing environmental and social risks and enhancing environmental and social benefits.

B. Scope and Objectives

MCC seeks an Environmental and Social Performance Consultant (hereinafter referred to as “consultant”) to assist and advise MCC’s ESP team members in their efforts to assess environmental and social impacts, risks and opportunities associated with compact development in Kosovo and any other eligible MCC countries. The Consultant will assist MCC’s efforts to integrate environmental and social sustainability into the design and implementation of MCC funded programs. Assistance includes but is not limited to; strategic and integrated program planning, defining project components and requirements, identification of environmental and social risks and impacts associated with MCC investments, identification of means to mitigate identified risk as well as monitoring and evaluation of project and program implementation.

The initial expertise being sought is in the development of the MCC Compact in Kosovo, with a focus on providing inputs into strategic environmental and social assessments, alternatives modeling and analysis, and analytic frameworks to assess the environmental, social and health impact(s) of potential/proposed Compact activities.

C. Countries

Kosovo and any other eligible MCC country, if required.

D. Tasks

Tasks include supporting the design and implementation of activities in various sectors, including (but not limited to):

Strategic Compact and Project Assessments

· Strategic environmental and social assessment: Development of quantitative and qualitative inputs into strategic environmental and social assessments

· Alternatives analysis: Development of analytical models to identify and quantify environmental, social, health and safety (ESHS) impacts among different project alternatives.

· Project context analysis: Conduct political, economic, regulatory and institutional analysis with respect to strategic planning and project level environmental and social performance.

· Cost Benefit Analysis: Incorporate environmental economics (particularly indicators relating to GHG emissions, pollution and human health) into cost benefit analysis and assessments of Social Cost of Carbon (SCC) and Marginal Abatement Cost (MAC).

· Climate change analysis: Conduct climate risk assessments, hazards mitigation/infrastructure protection measures, carbon budgeting, Economic Rate of Return (ERR)-related environmental sustainability

· Industry assessment: Carry out site evaluation, facility energy audit, pollution abatement, risk management, resource efficiency, waste disposal assessments.

· Conduct national and regional stakeholder engagement, including attendance at workshops, conferences and donor/industry events.

MCC Environmental and Social Performance - Practice Group Advisory Services

1. Identify major environmental and social risks (including health risks), impacts and opportunities associated with MCC’s investments; identify means to mitigate identified risks and significant adverse impacts throughout the Compact cycle;

2. Provide recommendations on projects and project elements MCC considers for investment including ways of enhancing project design and/or benefit streams from an environmental and social perspective;

3. Provide economic evaluations associated with environmental risks and resources that can be incorporated into MCC’s investment evaluation and ensure that different plausible scenarios are reflected in each ERR calculation.

4. Identify direct and indirect environmental benefit streams as well as intangible social and economic benefits that can result from a project’s beneficial or detrimental effect on environmental resources and systems;

5. Review and suggest appropriate guidance, tools, and assistance to help strengthen institutional capacity and policies to integrate internationally accepted principles of environmental and social sustainability into the design and implementation of MCC-funded projects.

General Technical Advisory Support

In addition to the above, the Consultant may be asked to provide general technical advisory support, including:

1. Advise MCC on the use of GIS and associated technologies for MCC funded activities, including stakeholder engagement;

2. Review proposal evaluation reports from technical panels and procurement agents;

3. Review proposed implementing entity agreements and cooperation agreements between government entities;

4. Assist MCC in reviewing qualifications of key MCC-eligible country technical staff prior to their engagement;

5. Assist MCC in reviewing the adequacy of all deliverables that are provided by country counterparts, contractor(s), Implementing Entity and Accountable Entity, and ensure that reports fulfill requirement obligations of these entities under their specific Program to assist MCC’s authorization of disbursement requests; and

6. Undertake Missions to project sites, as required by MCC, and provide review of project risks and recommend mitigation regarding environmental and social performance.

E. Deliverables

The Consultant will provide services to MCC on an as needed basis, and support MCC in a flexible and timely manner needed to meet the evolving needs of Compact development and implementation. Should Missions to project sites be required, trip reports will be completed within 5 days of completion of that Mission. No additional tasks shall imply any additional costs to the Government beyond the amount allowed for in the initial call order; however, this call order may be amended to reflect additional costs associated with implementation planning and oversight requirements in additional countries.

The initial deliverables of the consultant’s services will include the following:

Deliverable 1: Kosovo Compact Recommendations for Enhancing Energy Security and Decarbonization

Based on a review of Kosovo Compact documents and key informant interviews, provide recommendations for viable next steps towards leveraging the Compact to accelerate Kosovo’s transition to cleaner energy consistent with Energy Community agreements and the Government of Kosovo (GoK) objective of accession to the European Union (EU).

Deliverable 2: Kosovo Compact Human Health Risk Assessment

Using a systems approach methodology, the consultant will explore the air-pollution related risk associated with MCC’s potential Compact activities for Kosovo. The consultant will calculate the human-health risks in the context of MCC’s 20 year ERR; also using scenario analysis to factor in proposed legal/regulatory changes that may affect Kosovo’s economic growth (e.g. the European Commission’s proposed “Carbon Border Tax”).

Deliverable 3: Kosovo Compact Environmental and Social Performance Concept and Design Recommendations

Using the results of Deliverables 1 and 2, the consultant will analyze alternatives and “value added” project options for ESP and suggest those that align most with maximizing environmental and social performance of the potential Compact activities (including poverty reduction).

F. Period and Place of Performance

All work under this contract will be completed between effective dates of the contract award for a two year period. The estimated level of effort is 640 hours per year with an estimated 3 trips per year. MCC anticipates this level of effort but does not guarantee this level of effort as it may increase or decrease.

Consultant will perform the tasks under this contract in MCC-eligible countries, in MCC offices in Washington DC, and at Consultant’s own facilities, as necessary.

G. Timing and Reporting

All formal communication with MCC, including reports, will be submitted to the Contracting Officer Technical Representative (COR), Program Monitor (PM), and other designated MCC personnel. The COR/PM for this requirement will be identified via separate correspondence.

The COR/PM will have technical responsibility for monitoring the contractor’s performance. The COR/PM will review and evaluate the contractor’s performance, and also will coordinate any communications with relevant counterparts and other donor agencies and organizations.

Any changes in the terms of the SoW will 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 SoW or of the terms and conditions of the SoW unless confirmed in writing by the Contracting Officer. The contractor must communicate with the Contracting Officer on all matters that pertain to the Contract terms. Proceeding with the work without proper contractual coverage could result in nonpayment for that work.

H. Conflict of Interest

The Consultant would be precluded from bidding on work and services (design, assessment, program implementation) to be procured by the host country’s Compact program management entity or using funds advanced under a Compact or Threshold Program in the country where services are being provided to MCC. The designated Consultant would be expected to coordinate with local authorities responsible for MCC Compact implementation as well as other donors, where relevant. However, designated Consultant would report directly to the designated COR/PM.

I. Required Qualifications

Mandatory Requirements:

· A degree in natural sciences, environmental economics, planning or a related field, plus training and professional experience in the energy sector (particularly natural gas and renewable energy) in developing countries;

· Professional experience and working familiarity with the energy sector and context in Kosovo and the broader Western Balkan region;

· Applied coursework and professional experience in systems modelling, economics of environmental systems and associated benefit-cost models;

· Knowledge of Climate Change consequences related to risk assessment and hazards mitigation. Knowledge of climate change effects on human health and economic development;

· Demonstrated experience working as part of multi-disciplinary project teams involving environmental, social, legal and regulatory activities typically associated with the energy sector;

· Language requirement: English (spoken, written and reading proficiency);

· Mid-level professional with minimum five (5) years of combined coursework and professional experience providing technical support on the assessment of environmental and social risks/impacts and/or promoting sound environmental and social performance of development projects;

· Applied knowledge and experience with environmental accounting and emissions modelling;

· Proven competency with the following software: HOMER, SWITCH, EcoSenseLE, Adobe Premiere Pro, Microsoft Office.

Preferred Qualifications:

· Previous experience working with MCC and MCC country partners, or other large-scale multilateral development organizations.