Public procurement notice: Contract Notice
Published: 2020-11-02
Buyer: European Union, represented by the European Commission
Country: KZ
Contract type: Services
Procedure: Restricted procedure
CPV classification: 73220000
Estimated value: 8000000 EUR
Submission deadline: 2020-12-03
Award criteria: The most economic tender

Technical requirements: Procurement award procedure applying to European Union external actions financed from the general budget of the European Union and the European Development Fund (EDF)
The action entitled ‘EU Support to Sustainable Energy Connectivity in Central Asia’ to be financed under the Development Cooperation Instrument will aim to promote a more sustainable energy mix in the Central Asia region in line with EU best practices and to work through a range of activities for achieving concrete outputs to strengthen public capacity (institutional, human, regulatory, and financial), raise awareness, improve data and modelling, facilitate the identification of bankable projects, and boost regional cooperation, eventually setting the seed for connectivity.
The Action ‘EU Support to Sustainable Energy Connectivity in Central Asia’ (SECCA) builds on the INOGATE programme, the Central Asia Sustainable Energy Programme, and most recently the EU4Energy programme. SECCA is guided not only by the Central Asia Multi-annual Indicative Programme and its focal sector ‘Regional Sustainable Development’ but also by the Joint Communication on ‘Connecting Europe and Asia: Building Blocks for an EU Strategy‘ (2018), as well as the Joint Communication on ‘The EU and Central Asia: New Opportunities for a Stronger Partnership’ (2019).
In line with the above-mentioned strategic framework documents, the lessons learnt from previous programmes, and persisting challenges, the overall objective is to promote a more sustainable energy mix in the Central Asia region in line with EU best practices. Specifically, the technical assistance programme will work through a range of activities to achieve concrete outputs to strengthen public capacity (institutional, human and regulatory, financial), raise awareness, improve data and modelling, improve the identification of bankable projects, and boost regional cooperation, eventually setting the seed for connectivity.
The Action will address environment and climate change by promoting Energy Efficiency (EE) and Renewable Energy (RE) and integrating climate change concerns in developing capacity, strengthening the regulatory and policy framework. The Action will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, adapt the energy sector to climate change impacts and enhance the efficient use of natural resources through increased energy efficiency, further use of renewable energy sources. Indirect effects (or positive externalities) of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies include the improvement of the safety and health of citizens by providing appropriate energy solutions notably to support off-grid developments (e.g., mountainous areas in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan). Thirdly, this project will act as a catalyst in developing economic and climate resilience in the region, notably for small and medium sized businesses getting access to funding that enables more cost-efficient energy consumption and development of climate proof energy models, and RE and EE infrastructure. The Action will also mainstream gender by supporting evidence-based and EU best practice gender inclusive policies and legislation both for EE and RE, and bottom-up activities like training and capacity building. Gender equality and Women’s and Girls’ Empowerment is perceived as a significant objective of SECCA.
Although this is a regional programme, the intervention will work both at the regional and national level.
A combination of International and Local-in-Country Experts configuration will be strongly recommended in order to strengthen capacity building and grow internal national competencies.
The results of the proposed Action will enhance capacity, knowledge and understanding of the stakeholders through notably regionally designed and organised discussions, meetings, workshops, seminars, conferences, study tours, events, on-the-job trainings, paper, drafted reports, legislation, regulations and other documentation to increase substantially the likelihood of ownership and deployment and implementation of the policy, regulatory and institutional mechanisms enabling the penetration of renewable energy sources in the energy mix of Central Asian countries as well as increasing the energy efficiency. The range of activities undertaken will promote closer collaboration and cooperation between the countries within their energy administrations and sectors through further awareness of EU best practices, lessons learnt and knowledge of shared benefits.
Subsequent to the initial contract resulting from the current tender procedure, the contracting authority may, at its own discretion, extend the project in duration and/or scope subject to the availability of funding up to the estimated amount of approximately EUR 4 000 000 by negotiated procedure. Any extension of the contract would be subject to satisfactory performance by the contractor.
Participation is open to all natural persons who are nationals of and legal persons (participating either individually or in a grouping – consortium – of tenderers) which are effectively established in a Member State of the European Union or in a eligible country or territory as defined under the Regulation (EU) No 236/2014 establishing common rules and procedures for the implementation of the Union's instruments for external action (CIR) for the applicable instrument under which the contract is financed (see also heading 29 below). Participation is also open to international organisations.
Please be aware that after the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the EU, the rules of access to EU procurement procedures of economic operators established in third countries will apply to candidates or tenderers from the United Kingdom depending on the outcome of negotiations. In case such access is not provided by legal provisions in force at the time of contract award, candidates or tenderers from the United Kingdom could be rejected from the procurement procedure.
A consortium may be a permanent, legally-established grouping or a grouping which has been constituted informally for a specific tender procedure. All members of a consortium (i.e., the leader and all other members) are jointly and severally liable to the contracting authority.
Central Asia inter-state regional organizations or institutions being one of the target groups of this service contract cannot apply, either individually or in a grouping (consortium) of tenderers.
The participation of an ineligible natural or legal person will result in the automatic exclusion of that person. In particular, if that ineligible person belongs to a consortium, the whole consortium will be excluded.
No more than one application can be submitted by a natural or legal person whatever the form of participation (as an individual legal entity or as leader or member of a consortium submitting an application). In the event that a natural or legal person submits more than one application, all applications in which that person has participated will be excluded.

Eligibility requirements: n.a.

Award value: 8000000