The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is a regional grouping with 15 Member States in West Africa (three landlocked and one island) with a population of about 300million and an annual economic growth rate of around 6%. The ECOWAS Commission is one of the eight Regional Economic Communities supporting the African Union to coordinate the implementation of continental and regional integration and development programmes in the West African region.

POSITION : Consultant for the Development of Regional Strategy to Promote the Use of LPG as Cooking Energy in the ECOWAS Region

Job Summary

• For decades, ECOWAS Member States have been facing major challenges to ensure the well-being and economic development of their population, particularly increasing access to modern energy services. Despite its enormous potential in terms of natural resources on the continent, the region's energy consumption level is among the lowest in the world (1.7% of the world's commercial energy use). The population's access to electricity is only 30% throughout the region. This reflects a very low and inadequate energy consumption level to promote the population's access to basic social services and reduce poverty particularly in rural areas.
• The region's overall energy assessment is dominated by biomass, which accounts for 80% of total energy consumption. Biomass is mainly used as household energy for cooking and heating in rural, pen-urban and urban areas. Indeed, the low purchasing power of the population does not allow them to have access to modern cooking energy under current market conditions. The immediate impacts of this situation are deteriorating health of populations and environmental degradation.
• Access to LPG remains limited and well below 5% throughout the region with an offer only concentrated at over 80% in major cities. These indicators show that despite the encouraging results achieved so far, efforts should continue to be deployed at national and regional levels to make LPG the preferred domestic energy of the population in the ECOWAS region.
• The regional stakeholders consequently made a recommendation for the implementation of a regional butanization strategy to truly promote the use of LPG throughout the region.
• It is within this context that ECOWAS is seeking to engage a consultant for the development of a regional strategy to promote the use of LPG as cooking energy in the ECOWAS region.
• The study's overall goal is to develop a regional strategy to popularize the used of LPG as modern cooking fuel in the ECOWAS region in order to contribute to enhancing people's access to modern energy services including modern cooking fuels.

Duties and Responsibilities of the Consultants
The Consultant will be expected to provide the following services:

• Collect data and present a detailed analysis on the current status of LPG use in the ECOWAS region. The analysis shall review all the value chain of LPG. Identify the achievements and the main challenges and barriers to LPG promotion in the region particularly institutional, regulatory, organizational and infrastructural issues;
• Identify and assess the major national and regional programmes, projects, actions, initiatives or mechanisms implemented under LPG promotion as household cooking energy in the region;
• Develop a regional LPG popularization strategy in the ECOWAS based on an objective vision and relevant strategic objectives. This strategy will need to focus on domestic access to LPG and cooking equipment’s but also support from the private sector for the development of the supply and distribution networks.
• Recommend measures aimed at improving complementarity between the national and regional programmes to enhance the overall political efficiency (programme in environment, ECREEE programme etc.);
• Identify the region’s priorities and develop an action plan for progressive and inclusive implementation of the LPG popularization strategy in the ECOWAS region.

The study will be carried out by one (1) consultant, responding to the profile below:

• One (1) specialist in hydrocarbons, hold a Petroleum Engineering Degree or equivalent (Energy, Chemist, Chemist or Petrochemist Engineer etc.), with proven experience in defining strategy and policy in the hydrocarbons sector and in particular the downstream sector.
• He must have knowledge required in the promotion and development of LPG especially in West African sub-region and justifying a proven track record for similar studies (minimum of 2 projects) in the ECOWAS region.
• He must also have ten (10) years working experience gained in an international or national oil firm, a consultancy firm or a government.
• Must be fluent in English or French and have good knowledge of the other language (reading, writing and speaking).

The ECOWAS Commission now invites eligible Consultants (Individual) to indicate their interests in providing these services. The interested Consultants must provide all information supporting their qualification to perform the services Kindly attach detailed Curriculum Vitae that highlights the following:

• Curriculum and Certificates;
• Past Experiences of similar jobs over the past ten (10) years;
• Computer knowledge; knowledge of the area;
• Language and any other information useful for the accomplishment of this project.Please note that if individual consultants are proposed by firms, only the experience and qualifications of the individuals shall be used in the selection process, their corporate experience shall not be taken into account, and the contract, if given, will be signed with the proposed individuals.
• The selection will be done on the basis of a comparison of curricula vitae and the selected Consultant will be invited to produce Technical and Financial Proposals which will serve as the basis for negotiation for the conclusion of the Contract Agreement. (Selection method: Individual Consultant based on the Consultant’s Qualification).
• Please note that the selected consultants will be expected to submit all required reports in English or French.

The attention of interested firms is drawn to Article 87 of the ECOWAS Tender Code (“Infringements by Candidates, Bidders and Awardees”), setting forth corrupt or fraudulent practices in competing for or executing a contract. In addition, please refer to the following specific information on conflict of interest related to this assignment as per Article 17. (h) of the ECOWAS Tender Code.

How To Apply
Expressions of interest (1 Original and 3 copies) must be delivered in sealed envelopes and clearly marked (“Recruitment of a Consultant for the Development of a Regional Strategy to Promote the use of LPG as Cooking Energy in the ECOWAS Region", Do not open except in presence of the Tender Committee) to the address below:
The ECOWAS Tender Box:
The Office of the Commissioner, 
General Administration & Conference, 
5th Floor ECOWAS Commission, 
101 Yakubu Gowon Crescent, 
Asokoro District, 
P. M. B. 401,
Abuja - Nigeria.

Note
Interested consultants may obtain further information at the address below during office hours: Monday to Friday from 9: 00 a.m. (GMT+1) to 5.00 p.m. (GMT+1).
ECOWAS Commission, 
Directorate of General Administration,
Procurement Unit, 
101 ,Yakubu Gowon Crescent Asokoro District, 
P. M. B. 401,
Abuja - Nigeria.
OR
By email: procurement@ecowas.int , bangoura53@yahoo.fr , sbangoura@ecowas.int

Note

• Expressions of Interest can be submitted in any of the ECOWAS official languages (English, French or Portuguese).
• Electronic submissions are not accepted and will not be evaluated.