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Tender: Geothermal Project preparations in Saint Lucia, Caribbean

Tender: Geothermal Project preparations in Saint Lucia, Caribbean View over Soufriere, St. Lucia, Caribbean (source: flickr/ donnierayjones, creative commons)
Francisco Rojas 29 Aug 2014

The development objective of the project is to provide support for the Government of Saint Lucia to make an informed decision regarding geothermal exploration and development in Saint Lucia by undertaking upstream preparatory activities.

The Government of Saint Lucia is expecting funding in the amount of two million United States dollars equivalent from the World Bank towards the cost of the Geothermal Resource Development Project, and it intends to apply part of the funding for payments for goods, works, related services and consulting services to be procured under this project.

The development objective of the project is to provide support for the Government of Saint Lucia to make an informed decision regarding geothermal exploration and development in Saint Lucia by undertaking upstream preparatory activities.  Such support would help the Government of Saint Lucia confirm areas for drilling, partner with a qualified developer, and design a geothermal exploration/resource confirmation program for sustainable implementation – all in line with good industry practices and international standards.

The project will include the following components:

Component 1: Upstream geothermal development preparation and project management.This component will aim at advancing surface level reconnaissance that is necessary to determine whether several areas identified maybe suitable for geothermal exploration within the Qualibou region.  It will also include a review of previous analysis such as geological, geophysical and geochemical surveys, as well as available data from previously drilled wells. The component will also initiate environmental and social evaluations, including stakeholder consultations, to ascertain baseline conditions and the steps that may be necessary to mitigate any impacts so that geothermal can be developed in a safe and sustainable manner. Funding will also be applied towards technical advisory support to coordinate the technical assessments and integrate the results in a pre-feasibility study. Funding will also be allocated to cover incremental operating costs for project implementation and management including hiring local specialists to manage grant activities, enhancing domestic capacity by transferring knowledge through on-the-job training and workshops:.

Component 2: Transaction and regulatory support. The component will support the GoSL in designing, structuring and negotiating an equitable agreement with a potential qualified geothermal developer; and will ensure a fair allocation of potential risks.  It will also help facilitate initial off-take arrangements with the power company that is essential for moving forward with potential investments.  The work will also help ensure that the legal and regulatory framework provides an adequate investment climate for a potential power project; and it will lead to the inclusion of geothermal as a part of LUCELEC’s formal expansion plans, providing the certainty for investing in exploration drilling.

The project is expected to be completed by January 31, 2017.

Procurement of contracts financed by the World Bank will be conducted through the procedures as specified in the World Bank’s Guidelines: Procurement under IBRD Loans and IDA Credits (January 2011), and is open to all eligible bidders as defined in the guidelines. Consulting services will be selected in accordance with the World Bank’s Guidelines: Selection and Employment of Consultants by World Bank Borrowers (January 2011).

Interested eligible bidders who wish to be included on the mailing list to receive invitations to bid, and interested consultants who wish to receive a copy of advertisement requesting expressions of interest for consultancy contracts, or those requiring additional information, should contact the address below:

 

Project Coordination Unit

Project Coordinator

Attn: Ms. Cheryl Mathurin,

5th Level Conway Business Centre

Waterfront – Castries

Tel: 1-758-468-2180 ext 2413/5814/5/6

Fax: 1-758-453-0417

E-mail: slupcu@gosl.gov.lc

Website: http://finance.gov.lc/

Source: Ministry of Finance, Economic Affairs, Planning and Social Security of Saint Lucia Website