Recruitment of an individual consultant for the preparation, monitoring and implementation of preparatory activities for the study of the revolving liquidity support fund (FRSL)

• Project: P178923 - Ghana-Côte d'Ivoire Interconnection Strengthening and Operationalization of the ECOWAS Regional Electricity Market
• Financing: IDA Grant - E4040
• Country: Multinational
• Title: Recruitment of an individual consultant for the preparation, monitoring and implementation of preparatory activities for the study of the revolving liquidity support fund (FRSL)

INTRODUCTION

The West African Power Pool (WAPP), a specialized ECOWAS institution based in Abomey-Calavi, Benin, has been working since its creation in 2006 to integrate national electricity systems into a unified, competitive, reliable, and sustainable regional electricity market. Significant progress has been made, notably with the physical interconnection of the 14 continental ECOWAS countries, enabling the synchronization of the regional interconnected grid to begin. The completion of regional interconnection projects such as CLSG (Côte d'Ivoire – Liberia – Sierra Leone – Guinea), the OMVG energy project, and others marks a decisive step towards a fully operational regional market.

However, the stability and sustainability of this market also depend on financial security mechanisms, particularly for cross-border electricity exchanges. In this regard, with the support of the World Bank through the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP), WAPP has initiated the process of establishing a Revolving Liquidity Support Fund (RLSF).

The RLSF aims to strengthen the confidence of market participants by ensuring payment security in regional transactions. The RLSF will be a strategic instrument supporting the viability of the regional electricity market and energy integration in West Africa by providing concrete solutions to the liquidity and bankability challenges of power purchase agreements.

To support the design and implementation of the RLSF, WAPP intends to recruit a Transaction Advisor (Firm) whose responsibilities include defining structuring options, identifying financing sources, and overseeing the fund's implementation. The recruitment of the Firm will be the subject of a separate contract, separate from that of the Individual Consultant, the subject of this solicitation.

In this context, the WAPP General Secretariat is recruiting an Individual Consultant to coordinate, monitor and implement all preparatory activities related to this study.

SCOPE OF CONSULTANT SERVICES

The Consultant will support the WAPP General Secretariat in the preparation, as well as in the technical, administrative and financial monitoring of the FRSL study. The main tasks of the consultant are:

1. Serve as a focal point for all stakeholders (WAPP, World Bank, donors, Steering Committee, electricity companies, etc.).
2. Participate in the selection process of the Transaction Advisor (Firm).
3. Review the reports submitted by the Transaction Advisor and consolidate feedback with WAPP experts, the Project Team, the Steering Committee, the Extended Finance Committee Taskforce, technical and financial partners, and stakeholders in the countries concerned.
4. Organize debriefing meetings and coordinate stakeholder participation.
5. Produce additional ad hoc reports on project progress.
6. The Consultant shall organize, if necessary, short training sessions on the commercial and legal aspects of guarantee mechanisms for stakeholders.
7. Carry out any other tasks assigned by WAPP in relation to the FRSL study.

The detailed Terms of Reference for the assignment can be viewed and/or downloaded HERE

The WAPP General Secretariat invites eligible individual Consultants to express their interest in providing the required Services specified in the Terms of Reference. Interested Consultants must provide information indicating that they possess the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services by submitting (a) a cover letter and (b) a detailed, up-to-date CV.

QUALIFICATION AND EXPERIENCE

1. Higher degree (minimum master's degree) in management, economics, engineering, finance or a related discipline.
2. Good knowledge of the commercial and legal aspects of commercial guarantee mechanisms, particularly in the electricity sector.
3. At least 10 years of professional experience in managing donor-funded projects (at least 5 years in the energy or infrastructure sector).
4. Knowledge of the procedures of technical and financial partners, particularly the World Bank.
5. Strong communication, writing and analytical skills.
6. Fluency in French or English and good knowledge of the second language (English or French).
7. Good command of Office 365 tools.

DURATION OF THE MISSION

The assignment is initially planned for a duration of 12 months, with the possibility of extension depending on needs and the project's progress. The consultant's services will be carried out at the WAPP General Secretariat in Abomey-Calavi (Republic of Benin). Occasional assignments may be conducted in ECOWAS countries.
The assignment is scheduled to begin in October 2025.

SELECTION METHOD

The Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Individual Consultant Selection method through open competition described in the World Bank's "Procurement Regulations for Borrowers Requesting Investment Project Financing (IPF)" (February 2025 Edition).

SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS

Applications will be submitted exclusively online by email and will bear the subject line "Application for WAPP support for the FRSL study." They must be sent in either French or English to: procurement@ecowapp.org

The application will include (i) a cover letter and (ii) a detailed CV. In particular, relevant references from similar assignments completed must be highlighted and clearly described. The deadline for receipt of applications is September 15, 2025, at 10:00 a.m., Cotonou local time. Further information can be obtained by emailing the following address:
andorere@ecowapp.org; copies to: msdiedhiou@ecowapp.org and iimorou@ecowapp.org