Accelerating Sustainable & Clean Energy Access Transformation Program Using the Multiphase Programma ( - Тендер #68835525) | ||
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Страна: международный Организатор тендера: The World Bank Номер конкурса: 68835525 Дата публикации: 26-11-2025 Источник тендера: Тендеры всемирного банка |
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P180547
Accelerating Sustainable & Clean Energy Access Transformation Program Using the Multiphase Programma
Eastern and Southern Africa
OP00411595
Request for Expression of Interest
Published
ZM-COMESA -508717-CS-INDV
Individual Consultant Selection
English
Nov 25, 2025 17:00
Nov 25, 2025
COMESA
Malama Chileshe
Ben Bella Road, P. O. Box 30051, Lusaka
Eastern and Southern Africa
Eastern and Southern Africa
260 211 229725
The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) is a regional integration grouping of 21 African States which have agreed to promote regional integration through trade development and transport facilitation. COMESA has also established a number of institutions to support integration.
The Accelerating Sustainable and Clean Energy Access Transformation (ASCENT) Program is an ambitious leap toward universal energy access and the clean energy transition in the Eastern and Southern Africa (AFE) region, home to 656 million people. ASCENT presents a programmatic framework for the World Bank to support acceleration of access to electricity in AFE, which utilizes the Multiphase Programmatic Approach (MPA). The Project activities are based on known technologies and business and implementation models. Grid electrification will use well-established technologies and methods. The typical investments will include extensions and strengthening of low-voltage (LV) and medium-voltage (MV) lines, substations, transformers, and service drops. The projects may finance ready boards and internal wiring to increase affordability of connections, as well as appliances and productive-use equipment. Country-specific projects may also include variable renewable energy (VRE) integration investments and equipment, including battery storage. Financing of large-scale transmission is not expected; however, on case-by-case basis.
2.0 PROJECT BACKGROUND:
Accelerating Sustainable and Clean Energy Access Transformation (ASCENT) (P180547) is a multi-year, multi-billion-dollar programme aimed at scaling-up energy access in the Eastern and Southern Africa (AFE) Region. The ASCENT program seeks to increase access to sustainable and clean energy, enhance energy security, promote renewable energy solutions, and strengthen climate resilience throughout the region.
Funded by a $5 billion financing envelope from the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA), ASCENT aims to mobilize an additional $10 billion from public and private sources. The project will span over 20 countries in Eastern and Southern Africa during a seven-year period (FY24–FY30). Key targets include providing electricity access to 100 million people and clean cooking solutions for 20 million people.
The ASCENT focuses on three key pillars:
The Regional Energy Access Acceleration Platform (REAAP) is part of ASCENT Phase 1 pillars for delivery. Managed by COMESA, REAAP aims to provide comprehensive technical assistance (TA) and capacity building for participating countries and the private sector. REAAP will drive the acceleration of energy access in the region and provide support to countries that have joined the ASCENT programme, as well as those that are preparing their projects for program entry. The REAAP includes the following components:
i.Component 1: Digital Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (D-MRV) Platforms for Energy Access and Climate Finance. The Platform is supporting countries with adoption of D-MRV platforms and other digital technologies to improve sector planning; implementation of project activities; and monitoring, reporting, and verification of countries’ energy-access efforts; as well as enabling access to climate financing, including facilitating participation in carbon markets
ii. Component 2: Project Preparation Facility (PPF). The PPF is a critical component of the ASCENT MPA, offering support to governments and the private sector in developing bankable, investment-ready projects through a demand-driven approach.
ii. Component 3: Advisory support facility. This component is supporting participating countries on strengthening the policy and regulatory environment for energy access.
iv.Component 4: Knowledge exchange, skills development, consumer engagement, convening and partnerships. This component is building data, knowledge, and skills for energy-access planners, funders, and providers, as well as their current and prospective employees and energy-access consumers. It will enable participating countries to share both technical knowledge and experience in energy-access interventions, thus facilitating faster learning and replication of successful approaches.
2.0 PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION UNIT
As part of the implementation of the project, the COMESA secretariat will set up an integrated Project Implementation Unit to support the implementation of the above-mentioned project. The Unit will be based mainly within the infrastructure with the respective technical experts integrated into respective technical divisions and units at COMESA Secretariat.
The COMESA Secretariat intends to recruit staff for the Project Implementation Unit as described in the job description below
|
No. |
POSITION |
NO. OF POSTS |
|
1. |
Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist |
1 |
|
2. |
Distributed Renewable Energy (DRE) Finance Specialist |
1 |
|
3. |
Distributed Renewable Energy (DRE) Technical Specialist |
1 |
|
4. |
Grants Officer |
1 |
|
JOB TITLE |
: |
Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist |
|
|
SALARY |
: |
USD 78,000 Per Annum all inclusive |
|
|
PROGRAMME |
: |
Accelerating Sustainable and Clean Energy Access Transformation (ASCENT) |
|
|
DUTY STATION |
: |
COMESA Secretariat, Lusaka, Zambia |
|
|
CONTRACT DURATION |
: |
Two (2) years with a possibility of extension subject to availability of funds for continued project implementation and satisfactory performance. The initial contract period shall include a six (6) months probationary period. |
|
|
REPORTING TO |
: |
Project Coordinator with dotted line to the Head of COMESA Monitoring and Evaluation Unit. |
SCOPE OF WORK
Under the direct Supervision of the Project Coordinator and the overall supervision of Head of COMESA Monitoring and Evaluation Unit, the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Specialist will provide technical expertise to design, implement, and manage the monitoring, evaluation, and learning systems for activities under COMESA’s Regional Energy Access Acceleration Platform (REAAP).
The specialist will play a key role in ensuring results-based management, tracking performance indicators, and generating data-driven insights to enhance the effectiveness, efficiency, and sustainability of ASCENT Projects. This position also plays an important role in supporting results monitoring as part of the deployment of the digital Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (dMRV) platform.
The Monitoring and Evaluation Expert will will perform the following main functions in order to ensure overall delivery of the project:
a. Monitoring and Evaluation Systems Development
b. Performance Monitoring and Reporting
REQUIRED Skills and Competencies
EDUCATION QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
A minimum of 8 years directly applicable experience, of which at least 2 years should be in the energy sector (in energy access environment in providing management advisory services, hands-on experience in design of monitoring and evaluation tools at the systemic level in development contexts;
Demonstrated experience of working on the World Bank or donor funded projects;
Proven experience with statistical applications and data analysis; familiarity with both qualitative and quantitative information analysis tools;
Proven experience in designing M&E tools, systems, and procedures, including logical frameworks, indicator development, and performance monitoring plans in development contexts;
Demonstrated experience in working with global, regional and country partners and other agencies in planning of monitoring activities; and
Prior experience in the energy sector M&E, including tracking indicators relevant to energy access, will be an added advantage.
B. JOB DESCRIPTION FOR POSITION TWO
|
JOB TITLE |
: |
Distributed Renewable Energy (DRE) Technical Expert |
|
SALARY |
: |
USD 78,000 per annum all inclusive |
|
PROGRAMME |
: |
Accelerating Sustainable and Clean Energy Access Transformation (ASCENT) |
|
DUTY STATION |
: |
COMESA Secretariat, Lusaka, Zambia |
|
CONTRACT DURATION |
: |
Two (2) years with the possibility of extension subject to availability of funds for continued project implementation and satisfactory performance. The initial contract period shall include a six (6) months probationary period. |
|
REPORTING TO |
Technical Manager under overall supervision of ASCENT Project Coordinator |
The Distributed Renewable Energy (DRE) Technical Expert will provide specialized technical expertise on decentralized renewable energy systems to ensure efficient, sustainable, and scalable energy access solutions across the ASCENT programme. This includes support in the implementation of various DRE projects (whether in grid-connected, mini-grids or off-grid settings) of the REAAP. Depending on the activity, this may include oversight of the design, installation and maintenance of specific DRE projects in some cases; or the recommendation of suitable technical specifications, service standards and commissioning protocols for regional or national DRE programs in others
Under the direct supervision of the Technical Manager and overall supervision of the ASCENT Project Coordinator, the DRE Technical Specialist will contribute technical expertise to the project components, in particular the Project Preparation Facility (PPF) and the Advisory Support Facility as follows:
Project Preparation Facility (PPF): Support the PIU’s Technical Manager in implementation of the PPF subcomponents,
Project development support to national agencies to prepare investment ready and bankable projects,
Cross-border solutions through identification prioritization, and facilitation of cross-border energy provision among multiple countries, spanning grid connections, on-grid renewable energy, and DRE solutions, as well as clean cooking, with the objective of accelerating energy access in COMESA border areas,
Support to private-sector DRE and clean cooking companies to prepare investment ready and bankable private-sector DRE and clean cooking projects. The PPF will be managed by a consultant (the “PPF manager”) and technical assistance to projects delivered by a roster of experts. The DRE Technical Expert within the PIU will participate in PPF oversight and may however have a more hands on role on the support to governments (ie i. national agencies and ii. cross border solutions).
Advisory Support Facility (ASF): Support the PIU’s Technical Manager in delivery of the ASF services to ASCENT participating countries on strengthening their policy and regulatory environment for acceleration of energy access. The DRE Technical Expert shall provide technical inputs in the accomplishment of the following specific activities:
supporting governments in preparing, updating, and operationalizing national electrification strategies and plans;
preparing regional and country-specific energy-access investment prospectuses and roadmaps and supporting associated convening and roadshows to mobilize financing;
supporting the adoption of best practices in energy policies and regulations driving regional harmonization,
supporting harmonization of technical and quality standards for grid equipment, mini grids, off-grid solutions, including a review of policies and technical assistance related to e-waste and other environmental and social (E&S) policies and regulations affecting the DRE and
convening knowledge exchange, including skills development, consumer engagement, convening and partnerships, building data, knowledge, and skills for energy-access planners, funders, and providers, as well as their current and prospective employees and energy-access consumers.
The DRE Technical Expert will also provide technical support in the development and implementation of two key programmes under ASCENT: the Electrification of Public Institutions (eg schools and health facilities) through a private sector-led, service-based model; and the Scale-Up in Deployment of Productive Use of Renewable Energy (PURE) (eg water pumping and irrigation, cooling, agro-processing).
The DRE Technical Expert will have the following key responsibilities to support the successful implementation and scaling of DRE components under PPF and ASF:
Strategic Planning and Technical Advisory:
Provide technical inputs to the development and implementation of ASCENT strategies, work-plans, procurement plans, schedules and activities.
Support the development and implementation of technical designs for DRE systems, considering factors like energy demand, available resources, energy security, gender inclusion, climate compatibility and availability of finance.
Act as the regional focal point in the development and adoption of best practices in installation, maintenance, and repair guidelines of DRE systems (off-grid, mini-grid, grid-connected).
Provide technical guidance and expertise on various DRE technologies, including their performance, reliability, and cost-effectiveness.
Support the development of DRE information repository databases on renewable energy companies, stakeholders, ongoing projects and planned projects in the region and the continent.
Provide technical support and assistance on the energy audits, and assessments using IoT devices for energy consumption.
Lead the field assessments and technical surveys including technical design of renewable energy and energy efficiency interventions that are gender-responsive and are based on environmental and social screening for shortlisting of facilities.
Implementation and Oversight of the Project Components:
Work closely with the procurement unit to come up with detailed technical specifications of the clean energy systems and identify strategies for expedited implementation of contracts.
Supervise and manage the contractor, vendors and suppliers to ensure their deliverables are on time as agreed.
Participate in the technical evaluation panels to support the capacity assessment of contractors.
Ensure project data is available and up to date for timely ASCENT/RIFF progress reporting.
Partnerships and Stakeholder Engagement
Facilitate the development of COMESA wide DRE network of technical partnerships with governments, regional and national institutions and private sector in providing DRE policy guidance and technical expertise during the implementation of the ASCENT.
Prepare substantive briefs on possible areas of cooperation, identification of opportunities for joint initiatives, and recommend approaches for resource mobilization and growth of the DRE energy portfolio.
Contribute to the reports developed for internal and external audiences and are useful in resource mobilization.
Attend and coordinate technical working group meetings with various stakeholders including donors and relevant actors working in the energy sector.
Advise and support the project coordinator, the technical manager and the PIU in communicating the project results and its impact on the energy sector in the region.
Ensure regular updates on project activities are available and are up to date.
Represent ASCENT at regional and international conferences, workshops, and meetings.
Performs any other job-related duties as assigned by the Supervisor from time to time .
Required Skills and Competencies
Technical Knowledge: A strong understanding of DRE technologies applied to energy access; ie different renewable energy sources (solar PV, wind power, mini hydro, etc) in off-grid, mini-grid and grid-connected contexts; for different types of uses (households, public institutions, productive uses). Up-to-date knowledge of technological alternatives, quality and energy-performance standards, design considerations, best practices in O&M, costs (capex and opex) and cost modelling, and business models.
Communication skills: Presentation and ability to communicate technical information clearly and effectively to both technical and non-technical audiences
Interpersonal and negotiation skills: A good listener who is able to provide a positive, useful response. Patient, adaptable professional who creates win-win situations with integrity.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills: Ability to parse energy access data and information to develop creative, rational solutions focusing on making sense of the facts and figures and using logical thinking practices to come up with energy access solutions. Computer skills with practical knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite of applications.
Safety Awareness: Understanding and adherence to safety regulations and best practices in the renewable energy industry.
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPEREINCE
A bachelor’s degree in electrical /Electronic/ Civil Engineering/Energy/ Environmental Management, or any other related field is required.
A master’s degree in the areas mentioned above would have an added advantage
Minimum 8 years of relevant experience in clean energy including renewable energy and energy efficiency and project management.
At least five years of experience in planning, design and implementation of DRE systems applied to energy access (off-grid, mini-grid or grid-connected).
Experience promoting or supporting the implementation of private-sector-based models to deliver DRE for energy access
Experience in the electrification of public institutions (eg schools and health facilities) and PURE will be an added advantage.
Experience in energy audits, surveys, and data collection will be an added advantage.
Experience in providing technical support to renewable energy and energy efficiency-related projects.
Proven experience and strong knowledge of renewable energy system design and optimizing system components, including off-grid, on-grid, and hybrid renewable energy solutions.
Prior experience with multilateral and bilateral aid organizations will be an asset.
D.JOB DESCRIPTION FOR THE POSITION THREE
|
JOB TITLE |
: |
Distributed Renewable Energy (DRE) – Finance Specialist |
|
SALARY |
: |
USD 78,000 per annum all inclusive |
|
PROGRAMME |
: |
Accelerating Sustainable and Clean Energy Access Transformation (ASCENT) |
|
DUTY STATION |
: |
COMESA Secretariat, Lusaka, Zambia |
|
CONTRACT DURATION |
: |
Two (2) years with the possibility of extension subject to availability of funds for continued project implementation and satisfactory performance. The initial contract period shall include a six (6) months probationary period. |
|
REPORTING TO |
: |
Technical Manager under overall supervision of ASCENT Project Coordinator |
Scope of Work
The Distributed Renewable Energy (DRE) Finance expert will provide specialized financial expertise to support the scaling and sustainability of decentralized renewable energy systems across activities of the COMESA’s Regional Energy Access Acceleration Platform (REAAP). The expert will play a key role in developing, implementing, and strengthening financial mechanisms, business models, and investment strategies to accelerate energy access and support clean energy market development in COMESA Member States. This position also includes active engagement with governments, development partners, private sector actors, investors, and other stakeholders to mobilize resources and create enabling financial environments for DRE solutions.
Under the direct supervision of the Technical Manager and the overall supervision of ASCENT Project Coordinator, the DRE Finance Specialist will contribute financial expertise to several components, in particular the Project Preparation Facility (PPF) and the Advisory Support Facility:
Project Preparation Facility (PPF): Support the PIU’s Technical Manager and the PPF Manager in the design and implementation of TA and grants that lead to unlocking finance for DRE projects. The DRE Finance Specialist will support the PPF’s three subcomponents:
The DRE Finance Expert shall provide leadership in the accomplishment of the following specific activities:
The DRE Finance Expert will have the following key responsibilities to support the successful implementation of the PPF and ASF:
|
JOB TITLE |
: |
Grant Officer |
|
SALARY |
: |
USD 72,000 per annum all inclusive |
|
PROGRAMME |
Accelerating Sustainable and Clean Energy Access Transformation (ASCENT) |
|
|
DUTY STATION |
: |
COMESA Secretariat, Lusaka, Zambia |
|
CONTRACT DURATION |
: |
2 years with a possibility of extension subject to availability of funds for continued project implementation and satisfactory performance. The initial contract period shall include a six (6) months probationary period. |
|
REPORTING TO |
: |
The Director Budget and Finance with dotted reporting responsibilities to Project Coordinator. |
The Grant Officer will provide grant support to the ASCENT Project Implementation Unit (PIU), under the overall supervision of the Director of Budget and Finance with dotted reporting responsibilities to Project Coordinator. The primary responsibility of this role is to ensure effective planning, management, and oversight of all grant-related activities to support smooth and compliant project implementation.
Specific tasks and responsibilities include:
I. Grant Planning and Management:
II. Support the Call for Proposals Processes
III. Support to Award and Contracting
IV. Grant Administration and Monitoring
V. Reporting and Compliance
VI Performs any other job-related duties as assigned by the Supervisor from time to time
Applicants must meet the eligibility requirements for selections and contracts funded by proceeds from a World Bank funded project. Citizens of COMESA Member states are encouraged to apply.
Applications MUST be submitted electronically through email on the prescribed COMESA APPLICATION FORM which can be accessed at the following COMESA website: http://www.comesa.int/, Opportunities, COMESA Job Application Format. Applications without the COMESA Job Application Format will not be considered.
Application should reach the address below not later than Friday 26th December 2025 at 17:00 hours Lusaka, Zambia time.
The Director of Human Resources and Administration
Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa
COMESA Centre
Ben Bella Road
P.O Box 30051
LUSAKA
Zambia
Email: recruitment@comesa.int