Belize Electricity Limited (BEL) has received financing from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) towards the cost of a power system expansion project and intends to apply a portion of the proceeds to eligible payments under a contract for which this invitation is issued. Payments by CDB will be made only at the request of BEL and upon approval by CDB, and will be subject in all respects to the terms and conditions of the Financing Agreement. The Financing Agreement prohibits withdrawal from the financing account for the purpose of any payment to persons or entities, or for any import of goods, if such payment or import, to the knowledge of CDB, is prohibited by a decision of the United Nations Security Council taken under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations. No party other than BEL shall derive any rights from the Financing Agreement or have any claim to the proceeds of the Financing.

BEL, the Executing Agency, now wishes to procure consulting services (“the Services”) for the conduct of a feasibility study and the preparation of final designs and bidding documents for the supply of electricity to three (3) load centers (San Pedro, Placencia, and Caye Caulker) via submarine cable options subject to the findings of the study.

The Services require a multi-disciplinary approach and Consultants must demonstrate in their expression of interest that they have:

1. electrical engineering/power system planning and familiarity with the technical operation of a power grid;
2. financial and economic analysis of power projects;
3. expertise and skills in the areas of tropical coastal ecology, marine biology, coastal engineering with a focus on environmental impact assessments; and
4. a minimum of 10 years of experience working on projects of similar nature.

Consultants may associate with other firms in the form of a joint venture or a sub-consultancy to enhance their qualifications.

The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to paragraph 1.9 of the CDB’s Guidelines for the Selection and Engagement of Consultants by Recipients of CDB Financing, October 2011 (“Consultant Guidelines”), setting forth CDB’s policy on conflict of interest.

BEL now invites interested eligible consulting firms to submit Expressions of Interest for the provision of these consulting services.

Consultants shall be eligible to participate if:

1. in the case of a body corporate, it is legally incorporated or otherwise organised in an eligible country, has its principal place of business in an eligible country and is more than 50 percent beneficially owned by citizen(s) and/or bona fide resident(s) of eligible country(ies) or by a body(ies) corporate meeting these requirements;
2. in the case of unincorporated firms, the persons are citizens or bona fide residents of an eligible country; and
3. in all cases, the consultant has no arrangement and undertakes not to make any arrangements, whereby any substantial part of the net profits or other tangible benefits of the contract will accrue or be paid to a person not a citizen or bona fide resident of an eligible country.

Eligible countries are member countries of CDB.

In the assessment of submissions, consideration will be given to technical competence, qualifications and experience, local and regional experience on similar assignments, financial capability and existing commitments. All information must be submitted in English. Further information may be obtained from the first address below between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (Monday to Friday) until April 4, 2016.

One original and three hard copies of each submission must be received at the first address below no later than 4:00 p.m. local time on Friday, April 8, 2016 and one hard copy must be sent simultaneously to CDB at the second address below. The sealed envelope containing each submission should include the name and address of the applicant and shall be clearly marked “EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST: CONSULTING SERVICES ‐ SUBMARINE CABLE FEASIBILITY STUDY ‐ BELIZE”.

Following the assessment of submissions, a short-list of not less than three and not more than six applicants will be provided with full terms of reference and invited to submit technical and financial proposals to undertake the assignment. BEL reserves the right to accept or reject late applications or to cancel this invitation partially or in its entirety. It will not be bound to assign any reason for not short‐listing any applicant and will not defray any costs incurred by any applicant in the preparation and submission of Expressions of Interest.