BOTSWANA ENERGY SECTOR

ADVERTISEMENT FOR THE HIRING OF A COMMUNICATION CONSULTANT

Country:                                             Botswana
Name of Project:                                Morupule B Generation and Transmission Project
Name of Assignment:                          Strategic Communication Services
Project ID No.                                    P112516

The  Government of Botswana has applied  financing from the World Bank toward the cost of the Morupule B Generation and Transmission Project, and intends to apply part of the proceeds for consultant services for Strategic Communication Services.

 BACKGROUND

 The Ministry of Minerals, Energy, and Water Resources is committed to improving its communications capacity and communicating to the public – as well as to regional and international audiences – its energy sector strategy and plan of response to the energy crisis.  The Government of Botswana acknowledges that the communication challenges faced in the energy sector will require the professional support of a reputable communication firm with international experience.  For this purpose, it intends to hire for an initial period of 15 months a first-class communication firm (“the Communication Firm”) that will help guide and implement the communication program while strengthening the Government’s capacity to engage with its stakeholders.

To address the communication issues around its energy program and the broader need to boost communications capacity, the Ministry of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources (MMEWR) has set up an Energy Communication Cluster (“the Cluster”) that comprises communication professionals from the power utility BPC and the various ministries involved in the energy related issues.

ASSIGNMENT’S MAIN OBJECTIVE

The main objective of the Communication Firm will be to enable the Government of Botswana to successfully implement an ambitious energy program and communicate this program in a proactive way to stakeholders and the public at the local, national, regional and international level. 

TASKS

The Communication Firm will be recruited under quality and cost based selection procedures for a 15 month period to assist the Ministry of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources (MMEWR) in accomplishing three main goals:

1. Building capacity, in form of a fully trained team composed of members of the Energy Cluster, to implement a sophisticated communication program and develop it further;
2. Developing a comprehensive communication program in support of energy policy - that focuses on the responsible use of coal in the short term-  at the national, regional and international levels.  The communication program should be strategically oriented,  have been tested and  ensure that it can work in practice; and
3. Assisting the Ministry carry out consultations around its large energy initiatives and helping it implement the transparency measures necessary to earn public trust; as part of this, working to establish a platform for regular, sustained dialogue on energy between the Government and local civil society.

This activity will involve a 15 month contract - subject to a review after the initial 5 months- with a communication firm with international experience, the key role of which will be to help MMEWR build its communications capacity and  develop and implement a long-term communication program and action plan.  After an initial period of five months, and upon satisfactory assessment by MMEWR of the work undertaken by the Communication Firm, this one will be allowed to proceed with the contract for the remaining 10 months. The contract may be renewed, extended or renegotiated beyond the 15 month period according to the joint assessment of MMEWR of performance and continued need for the Communication Firm's services.

The level of effort is expected to be 20 consultant months. The Communication Firm selected is expected to provide a resident expert (expected to live in Gaborone and work at the Ministry) as well as a team of experts with a minimum of ten years professional experience at the international level meeting the following functional expertise requirements: communications strategy, media management, communications training, consultations, opinion research and analysis, event organization, production of materials.  Various elements of the expertise required might be fulfilled by any individual with specialization in more than one area, and it is anticipated that certain specialists will only be needed in the project area for limited periods of time.

Call for Expression of Interest

Therefore, the Ministry of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources invites eligible consultants to indicate their interest in providing the services. Interested consultants must provide information indicating that they are qualified to perform the services which may include brochures, description of similar assignments, experience in similar conditions, availability of appropriate skills among staff, etc. Consultants may associate to enhance their qualifications.

A consultant will be selected in accordance with the procedures set out in the World Bank’s Guidelines: Selection and Employment of Consultants by World Bank Borrowers dated May 2004 revised October 2006.  The Ministry of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources will consider and evaluate all expressions of interests and shortlist a maximum of six firms who will be issued Request for Proposal documents to provide their technical and financial proposals.

Interested consultants may obtain further information at the address below during office hours ( i.e 07:30 – 12:45 and 13:45- 16:30 hours local time except for weekends and public holidays)

Expressions of interest must be delivered to the address below by September 25, 2009.

Ministry of Minerals, Energy, and Water Resources
Attention: [Kenneth Kerekang, Acting Director of Energy Affairs]
[Queens’s road, Mail Mall, Plot 169, Shriram House, 2nd Floor]
[Private Bag 00378, Gaborone, Botswana]
Tel: [+267 3914221]
Fax: [+267 3914201]
E-mail: ead @ gov . bw