Request for Proposals for Humanitarian Productive Uses of Renewable Energy in Rwanda (H-pure Rwanda)

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS: HUMANITARIAN PRODUCTIVE USES OF RENEWABLE ENERGY IN RWANDA (H-PURE Rwanda)

Empowering Refugee and Host Communities in Rwanda through Modern Energy Service Delivery to Improve Livelihoods

1.0. Introduction

Practical Action – About Us 

We are an international development organisation putting ingenious ideas to work so people in poverty can change their world. We help people find solutions to some of the world’s toughest problems. Challenges made worse by catastrophic climate change and persistent gender inequality. We work with communities to develop ingenious, lasting, and locally owned solutions for agriculture, water and waste management, climate resilience and clean energy. And we share what works with others, so answers that start small can grow big.

We’re a global change-making group. The group consists of a UK registered charity with community projects in Africa, Asia and Latin America, an independent development publishing company and a technical consulting service. We combine these specialisms to multiply our impact and help shape a world that works better for everyone. We believe in the power of small to change the big picture. And that together we can take practical action to build the future that is free from poverty.

In the context of Rwanda, our ambition is that the needs of rural communities and refugees are integrated in rural energy provision systems to increase opportunities for livelihood diversification and access to social services.

Project background 

Practical Action are implementing a project that aims to empower refugee and host communities in Rwanda through modern energy service delivery to improve livelihoods in refugee camps (Nyabiheke, Kiziba and Mahama). The initiative is supported by funding and technical expertise from Energy Saving Trust under the Low-Energy Inclusive Appliances Programme (LEIA).

Access to energy in refugee camps is extremely limited, hindering economic development opportunities for refugee-operated small businesses and perpetuating dependence on humanitarian aid. In such settings, the promotion of Productive Use of Renewable Energy (PURE) appliances is a pivotal strategy for first-time electricity access, increasing incomes, enhancing energy security, reducing vulnerability, and fostering self-reliance. Practical Action has an established presence in all five refugee camps in Rwanda. Under the ongoing second phase of the Renewable Energy for Refugees Programme (RE4R2), Practical Action is actively collaborating with local and international partners to extend energy access to over 100,000 refugees by developing inclusive energy markets. Building on the foundation laid out by Re4R2, this new project focuses on improving access to standalone off-grid PURE for households and businesses in refugee camps and host communities lacking access to grid electricity. The proposed initiative will generate additional livelihood opportunities for refugees and enhance market opportunities for PURE appliance distributors. The aim is to provide access to previously unavailable technology and establish a foundation for PURE entrepreneurs and distributors to sustain operations in refugee camps and host communities beyond the program’s conclusion.  Refugee entrepreneurs will own the PURE assets and use them to generate income, whilst distributors will sell and install appliances, provide after-sales services such as repair, and potentially provide consumer financing.

This material has been developed by Practical Action and Energy Saving Trust as part of the LEIA programme, which is co-funded by UK aid from the UK government, via the Transforming Energy Access platform, and IKEA Foundation; however, the views expressed do not necessarily reflect the UK government’s official policies.

Refugee context

As of March 2024, Rwanda hosts 135,109 displaced individuals, including 114,708 refugees and 8,054 registered asylum seekers. Rwanda’s policies promote refugee inclusion in national services such as education, health care, and financial services, as outlined in Article 21 of Law n°042/2024, ensuring that refugees enjoy rights consistent with international standards.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) plays a crucial role in providing shelter and essential services to refugees. It guarantees access to life-saving health care through primary facilities for camp-based refugees and integrates urban refugees into the national Community-Based Health Insurance (CBHI). The World Food Programme (WFP) provides targeted cash assistance for food, with 87% of refugees classified as highly vulnerable.

Access to reliable energy sources remains a challenge for refugee businesses operating in the camps, limiting their potential for growth. Many businesses still rely on diesel generators for power and candles for lighting while lacking efficient appliances. Over 60% of refugee households use liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) or pellets for cooking and more than 4,000 households have acquired solar home systems for lighting and small business needs.

With the unprecedented global increase in forcibly displaced people, Rwanda in its role as a host to a significant and growing refugee population, presents a complex context for humanitarian support and development. The proposed initiative aims to enhance and bridge gaps in the existing ecosystem of humanitarian energy interventions in Rwanda, specifically by focussing on stand-alone off-grid solar PURE demonstrations.

2.0. Request for proposals summary

Practical Action, in partnership with Energy Saving Trust, invites qualified suppliers and distributors of standalone off-grid Productive Use of Renewable Energy (PURE) appliances to submit proposals for the supply of PURE appliances to Mahama, Kiziba, and Nyabiheke refugee camps in Rwanda. Applicants may include both the appliances they currently offer and those they wish to add to their catalogue to offer in this project. If applicants are unfamiliar with the technical specifications of the appliances they intend to offer, they may simply specify the appliance category. Energy Saving Trust will support successful applicants by suggesting product options in that category and facilitating connections with manufacturers as needed.

The technical response document, financial proposal and appliance catalogue (attached) request detailed plans from applicants regarding their proposed activities under this project, as well as the funding and technical assistance required to implement them. Additionally, the accompanying survey (included in the technical response document) collects information regarding applicants’ businesses, including their experience with PURE and their operations in the target locations. This Request for Proposals (RFP) strongly encourages applications from women owned and women-led companies to ensure inclusive participation.

The timeline for this project is March 2025 – June 2026.

In the context of this proposal request, suppliers may be manufacturers or wholesalers located domestically or internationally. They can also be companies that do not have a presence in Rwanda but wish to partner with a local distributor during the bidding process. The distributor may already have an established partnership with an international company and possess authorized dealership rights, or they may be open to establishing a partnership with an international company to sell PURE products.

Submitted proposals will be used to assess the needs and capacity of potential suppliers and distributors, as well as to evaluate their operational strengths, resource availability, and market reach. Applicants are asked to specify what financial and technical support they need to deliver on their plans.

Project funds may be utilized in either, or both, of the following ways:

• Cost of Goods: To acquire new stock, where the program will pay suppliers a percentage of the total landed cost upon proof of stock order
• Operational Costs: To cover expenses related to sales, marketing, distribution, consumer financing, or after-sales services, where the program will reimburse distributors upon proof of sales and installation.

On the basis of the support needed by the companies, Practical Action will offer tailored technical assistance to successful applicants, which may include:

• Business and financial advice for operating in refugee camps
• Market development activities
• Awareness-raising initiatives within refugee communities
• Technology support
• Gender inclusion strategies
• One-on-one advisory support

2.1. PURE appliances and technologies 

The selected suppliers and distributors will be responsible for providing PURE appliances or technologies from one or more of the following categories:

• Solar refrigerators
• Solar freezers
• Solar grain mills
• Solar dryers
• Solar egg incubators
• Sewing machines
• Solar lighting systems for small enterprises
• Solar enterprise kits (including hair clippers, radios, TVs, speakers, phone chargers, etc.)

Applicants should clearly explain how the appliances they are offering will be utilized for productive purposes, such as supporting businesses to generate income.

2.2. Partnerships between suppliers and distributors

Suppliers submitting their proposals are required to clearly outline their approach to collaborating with distributors who will be distributing in refugee camps and host communities. They should specify whether they have existing relationships with distributors, plan to establish new ones, or intend to submit a joint application with a distributor. Similarly, distributor applicants should detail how they currently collaborate or plan to collaborate with suppliers of PURE appliances.

Applicants can engage with potential partners prior to submitting their proposal. Proposals that demonstrate the potential for rapid deployment of technologies in the camps will be given priority.

2.3.  Gender inclusion, and environmental responsibility 

Applicants are strongly encouraged to maximise the participation of women in their projects as end-users, entrepreneurs, and staff/agents/leaders within participating companies. Prior to contract signing, Practical Action will discuss with all applicants the scope to maximise the participation of women in the project at all levels. The project will put in place a gender inclusivity strategy most likely involving the use of a combination of financial incentives, technical support, and eligibility requirements to maximise the inclusion of women in the project.

In line with this strategy, the project also aims to support female refugee enterprises in accessing PURE appliances to power their businesses. It will specifically target 50% female participation and will continuously engage in awareness-raising efforts to ensure that an increasing number of women have access to PURE technology.

Practical Action will work with the selected entrepreneurs to develop an e-waste management plan, most likely involving product takeback and reverse logistics followed by repair, recycling or if necessary safe disposal. Successful applicants will be expected to adhere to the Contract Clauses and Compliance Conditions, including the quality assurance requirements set out in section 6.1.

2.4 Funding disbursement 

 Prior to contract signing, Practical Action will share with successful applicants, details of the process by which applicants will be able to claim for grant funding, including the process for verification of stock orders and of sales/installations, and any data the distributors are expected to collect in support of their claim.

3.0.  Request for proposal process and indicative timeline

The Request for Proposal process will conduct in the following steps:

4.0.  Submission guidelines and contact details 

• Applicants are requested to complete the Technical Response Document, including the relevant survey, the Financial Proposal template, and the PURE Appliance Catalogue template (all attached / available on the site).
• Proposals shall be submittedby e-mail to RE4Rtender@practicalaction.or.ke by 6^th January 2025. Proposals must clearly indicate the RFP reference number PA/RWA/RFP/2024/001.
• For further information or any queries relating to this Request for Proposals, please contact the RE4R Tender Committee using the following email address: RE4Rtender@practicalaction.or.ke.Any request for information should be received at least 5 days before the RFP Closing Date. Responses to questions submitted by any Applicant will be circulated by Practical Action to all Applicants to ensure fairness in the process.

Interested companies can attend an online webinar on 17^th December from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM (Rwanda time) where Practical Action and Energy Saving Trust will present the RFP, outline its objectives, and address questions from potential applicants. To participate, please submit the following information by 12^th December 2024 to RE4Rtender@practicalaction.or.ke with picton@est.org.uk and Mutalindwa.Robert@practicalaction.org in copy:

• Company name and type
• Company representative or focal person contact details
• Any questions on areas you would like us to address during the webinar
• Once we receive your information, Practical Action will share the webinar details via email.
• Companies interested in submitting an application are encouraged to send an email toRE4Rtender@practicalaction.or.ke by 20^th December 2024 indicating the name of their company (or companies if joint application between a supplier and a distributor). This is not a strict requirement for applicants, but it is strongly encouraged.
• The Tender Committee shall consider any reasonable request from any unsuccessful Applicant for feedback on its Proposal and, where appropriate, provide the unsuccessful Applicant with reasons why the Proposal was rejected. Where applicable, this information shall be provided within 15 business days from (but not including) the date on which the Tender Committee receives the request.

5.0.  Terms and conditions

The following expressions in this Request for Proposal shall have the following meanings:

Applicant – A person or organization or company who responds to the Request for Proposal.

Goods and/or Services – Everything purchased by Practical Action under the Contract(s) placed with the successful applicant(s).

Supplier – A manufacturer or wholesaler located domestically or internationally.

Distributor – A company that buys products from a manufacturer and sells them to other businesses, stores, or customers.

Entrepreneurs – Individuals or groups who are interested in starting a business using Productive Use of Renewable Energy (PURE) or are already running micro-enterprises in the refugee camps or host communities.

Proposal – The completed Technical Response Document, relevant survey, Financial Proposal and PURE Appliance catalogue submitted by the Applicant.

5.1.  Terms of proposal submission

• Neither issuance of this RFP nor receipt of Proposals represents a commitment on the part of Practical Action to fund any proposal.
• Signing of the Contract between Practical Action and the successful applicant(s) is conditional on prior execution of the contract between Practical Action and Energy Saving Trust. Practical Action reserves the right to delay or amend the execution of this Contract until such time as the contract with Energy Saving Trust has been finalised. In the event that Practical Action does not enter into an agreement with Energy Saving Trust, the Contract shall be rendered null and void, and neither party shall have any obligations or liabilities arising from the Contract.
• Proposals will be evaluated by the Tender Committee. Proposals will be evaluated on merit against the evaluation criteria outlined in this document. Practical Action ultimately reserves the right throughout this process to select any servicing option that best meets its requirements and to hold discussions with all Applicants. Practical Action is under no obligation to accept the lowest or any Proposal.
• Practical Action shall not be responsible for, or in any way liable for, any costs incurred by Applicants in the preparation of any responses or presentations relating to this tender.
• Neitherparty shall use the name of the other in publicity releases, referrals, advertising, or similar activity without the prior written consent of the
• Proposals shall remain open and valid for a period of at least 90 days from the designated Closing Date. Once a Proposal is accepted during this period, the price quoted must remain unchanged for the entire period of the resulting Contract unless otherwise specified in this RFP.

5.2.  Exclusion criteria

• Companies blacklisted/suspended by the Rwanda Public Procurement Authority for whatsoever reason, are not eligible to tender.
• Applicants will automatically be excluded from the tender process if it is found that they are guilty of misrepresentation in supplying the required information within their Proposal or fail to supply the required information.

6.0.  Contract details

Following the selection and notification of the successful Applicant(s) the Contract will be awarded. The Contract shall be for the supply of PURE appliances, in Mahama, Kiziba and Nyabiheke Refugee Camps, and will be subject to Practical Action’s Contract Terms and Conditions of Purchase which shall include commitments to upholding Practical Action’s policies (available on request) for:

• Safeguarding
• Codeof Conduct
• ComplaintsFramework
• EqualOpportunities and Dignity at Work
• ProtectingPractical Action from Financial Crime

Practical Action reserves the right to request the successful Applicant(s) and their staff to undergo a security and/or due diligence process.

6.1.  Contract clauses and compliance conditions

The project is committed to ensuring that all PURE appliances distributed are high-quality, remain operational throughout the project and beyond, and are disposed of responsibly at the end of their lifecycle. To ensure this, the following clauses shall be included in the Contract at award:

• All PURE appliances should be standalone solar powered systems
• The contracted distributor and supplier will ensure proper distribution and installation of PURE appliances and will offer training for entrepreneurs to ensure proper and efficient use, maintenance, and troubleshooting of the appliances.
• The contract distributor and supplier must supply and install appliances that meet the required quality, and minimum standards, and should be tested or have a test report from recognised certifications or test reports conducted by third party test laboratories to appropriate and relevant international test methods and standards.

Successful applicants shall provide a minimum of 3-year warranty for the appliances, under which faulty products will be repaired or replaced at no cost to the entrepreneurs, and this will start from the date of receipt of the goods by the entrepreneurs.As a result, untested or experimental innovations will not be included.

• The warranty must cover, at a minimum, manufacturing defects that impede operation under normal use and protection from early component failure.
• The consumer-facing warranty must explain how the consumer can access the warranty (return to point of purchase/distributor/service centre, call or SMS a number, etc.), how the warranty will be executed (repair, replacement, etc.), and should advise the customer to inquire about the warranty terms prior to purchase.
• The consumer-facing warranty must be available to the consumer in writing in a way that enables the end user to verify and understand the terms of the warranty prior to purchase. The written information should be in a regionally appropriate language.
• Consumer-facing warranties could be included on the product box, or on a user agreement or warranty card that is easily accessed prior to purchase.

• Suppliers will be responsible for any license, tax, fee, customs duty, and other official authorizations that may be necessary for the dispatch and delivery of the goods.

7.0. Proposal evaluation

The Tender Committee will evaluate the submitted proposals in two stages. The first stage in the process will involve an assessment of whether certain “Qualification” criteria are met (see section 7.1 for more details). For all applicants that are treated as having met the relevant Qualification criteria, the second stage in the evaluation process will involve an assessment of the proposals against the “Evaluation” Criteria (see section 7.2 for more details)

7.1 Qualification criteria

The relevant qualification criteria for this procurement exercise will be treated as having been met where all of the following apply:

• The applicant has fully completed the attached Technical Response document (including the survey in Section 3 of the document), as well as the attached Financial Proposal and the PURE Appliance catalogue.
• All necessary information/document has been provided or, if a particular question is not applicable or particular information cannot be provided, a satisfactory explanation has been provided and (where applicable) suitable alternative information has been provided instead.
• None of the Exclusion grounds set out in section 5.2

7.2. Evaluation criteria and weighting

Proposals will be evaluated on merit against the evaluation criteria outlined below: