Request for Expression of Interest (EOI) For the Appointment of Inspectors for the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Nation Wide

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) was established by the Electric Power Sector Reform (EPSR) Act, 2005 with the mandate to amongst other things. Create, promote and preserve efficient electricity industry and market structures, as well as ensure that regulation is fair and balanced for licensees, consumers, investors and other stakeholders.

Request for Expression of Interest (EOI) For the Appointment of Inspectors for the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC)

Part XI Section 95 (1) (2) of the Act empowers the Commission to appoint Inspectors under its employ that will be responsible for inspecting undertakings to ensure the safety of operations and conduct accident investigations.
In its quest to execute its mandate, the Commission is desirous of engaging the services of Firms with Specialist Technical, Health & Safety Inspection and Accident or Major Incident Investigation experience that will carry out, on its behalf, the following functions:

• General Engineering Inspections and Testing of Generation, Transmission (including Market Operator and System Operator ICT systems) and Distribution Projects at Design, Construction, Pre-commissioning and Commissioning stages;
• General Engineering Inspections, Testing and in some cases Audits of Generation, Transmission (including Market Operator and System Operator ICT systems) and Distribution facilities post-commercial operations period;
• Health & Safety inspections & Testing, Audits of Infrastructure & Work Practices and Programs, and Accident or Major Incident investigations in the Generation, Transmission (TSP, MO, SO) and Distribution facilities who are licensed to participate in the Nigerian Electricity Market;

Objective:
The overarching objective is to appoint Firms (Inspectors) that will carry out, on behalf of the Commission, Inspections, Testing, Audits and Accident or Incident Investigations in generation, transmission and distribution to ensure that all major electrical installations are tested and certified safe for both users/employees and members of the public and to further establish whether licensees are in compliance with the NERC technical and safety standards.

Scope of Work:
The following are the scope of work for the conduct of technical and safety inspections and testing of electrical installations in generation, transmission and distribution:

• All Electrical Power Generating Plants with associated switchgears and installations;
• All 330kV and 132kV Transmission lines with associated 330/132/33kV substations;
• All 33kV Sub-transmission lines with associated 33111kV Injection substations and switchgears; and 33/0.415kV Distribution substations and switchgears:
• All 11kV lines and associated 11/0.415KV distribution substations and switchgears; and 0.415kV lines;
• All electrical installations in factories, industries, commercial premises, high rise buildings, etc;
• All electric (steel/concrete/wooden) poles to ensure that only good quality materials are used in their production;
• In collaboration with Department of Petroleum (DPR), electrical installations in hazardous locations like petrol/filling stations, prospecting oil companies (e.g. Shell , Mobil, Chevron, etc), OFF and ONShore flow stations, oil wells, floating production storage, etc.;
• All electrical installations of privately owned electric generating plants/sets;
• Carry out periodic Inspection, Monitoring and Assessment of existing power plants, Extra High and High Voltage transmission lines, associated transmission/switching stations, distribution networks etc. to assure safety/reliability of supply to customers in accordance with the relevant rules/regulations;
• Monitoring the licensees’ compliance level with relevant Regulations whenever required by the Commission;
• Investigation and reporting in accordance with NERC approved format of electrical accidents and electrocution (including injury & fatality) in connection with generation, transmission and distribution of electricity with a view to finding out the root causes and the enforcement of remedial measures to avert reoccurrence.
• The inspection and test results of the Inspectors shall be used by the Commission to assess the level of compliance of Licensees with the Technical & Safety Standards, as well as to issue appropriate certifications for new or modified engineering projects in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI). While Accident Investigation shall be conducted on an ‘as is required basis’ where an enforcement action after an investigation leads to a hearing by the Commission or arbitration, the Inspector shall act as an ‘expert witness’ to give ‘expert opinion’ or ‘firsthand information’

Coverage Area
Considering the size of the country in addressing this assignment, the Commission has structured the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI), into Six (6) Monitoring Zones as follows:

Monitoring Zone One (MZ1) constitutes the following:

• Abuja Distribution Company
• Shiroro Transmission Region comprising of the following: B/Kebbi, Jebba, Kainji, Shiroro, Abuja, Ajaokuta, Geregu Transmission Work Centers and all 132kV Stations
• Shiroro Kainji, Jebba, Geregu I & II Generation Companies and any other licensed IPP and NIPP Power Plants.

Monitoring Zone Two (MZ2) constitutes the following:

• Jos and Yola Distribution Companies
• Bauchi Transmission Region comprising of the following: Maiduguri, Gombe, Jos, Yola, Makurdi Transmission Work Centers and all 132kV Stations
• Dadin Kowa, Yankari Power, NESCO Generation Companies and any other licensed IPP and NIPP Power Plants.

Monitoring Zone Three (MZ3) constitutes the following:

• Eko and Ikeja Distribution Companies
• Lagos Transmission Region comprising of the following: Akangba, Aja Ikeja West, Egbin Transmission Work Centers and all 132kV Stations.
• Egbin, Ijora, AES Power Plants and any other licensed IPP.

Monitoring Zone Four (MZ4) constitutes the following:

• Enugu and Port Harcourt Distribution Companies
• Enugu and Port Harcourt Transmission Regions comprising of the following: Enugu, New Haven, Onitsha, Afam, Ahoada, Calabar, Ikot Ekpene, Owerri Transmission Work Centers and all 132kV Stations
• Afam 1-V, Afam Shell, Rivers Afam, Rivers State IPP Generation Companies and other licensed IPPs and NIPP Power Plants.

Monitoring Zone Five (MZ5) constitutes the following:

• Ibadan arid Benin Distribution Companies
• Benin and Oshogbo Transmission Regions comprising of the following: Benin, Benin North, Delta, Sapele Ayede, Ilorin, Oshogbo, Olorunsogo, Omotosho Transmission Work Centers and all 132kV Stations
• Delta, Ughelli, Sapele Omotosho, Olorunsogo Generation Companies and other Licensed IPPs and NIPP Power Plants.

Monitoring Zone Two (MZ2) constitutes the following:

• Kaduna and Kano Distribution Companies
• Kaduna Transmission Region comprising of the following: Kaduna, Gusau, Dutse, Kano Transmission Work Centers and all 132kV Stations
• KAPSCO and any other licensed IPP.

Eligibility Criteria

• Evidence of registration with Corporate Affairs Commission;
• Current tax clearance certificate for the immediate past three years;
• Certificate of VAT registration with evidence of VAT remittance
• Evidence of compliance and remittance with the Pension Reform Act, 2004
• Last Three (3) years Audited Accounts of the Company duly stamped by a certified Auditor or as applicable.
• Evidence of financial capability and banking support;
• Evidence of registration and remittance with the Industrial Training Fund (Amended) Act 2011;
• Firm must have sufficient cognate work experience in the Power Industry in Nigeria or any other part of the world.
• Evidence of compliance with Financial Reporting Council (FRC) of Nigeria;
• A sworn affidavit of disclosure, if any, of the officers of NERC or Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) was a former or present employee of the firm.
• Firms shall have in its portfolio experts with cognate experience required for the inspection, testing, and auditing of power systems and investigation of incidents or accidents. Such experts shall include amongst others: Electrical Engineer (specialized in Protection, Control and Metering), Mechanical Engineer, Civil Engineer, ICT specialist and Certified Health & Safety Professional.
• Firm, s shall have engineering monitoring and testing equipment that will enable them conduct all necessary tests required for inspections and commissioning of power systems in generation, transmission and distribution. In addition to the above requirements, Firms shall have ICT testing kits and environmental monitoring equipment including Dosimeters, Air Samplers, Multi-Gas Monitors, Water Testing Equipment, Radiation Testing Equipment etc.
• The testing equipment shall be in good condition and sufficient quantity to enable the completion of assignments within stipulated timelines at the required level of precision.
• All relevant information concerning location, contacts persons, telephone numbers and email addresses etc.
• International Firms are encouraged to apply in collaboration with their Local Indigenous Partners.

Closing date: 12th March, 2014

Time: 2:00pm

Submission of Expression
Expression of Interest (EOI) must be submitted in three (3) hard copies with one original on or before the closing date with the inscription on the Top left side of the envelopes: “Expression of Interest for the appointment of Inspectors under... Monitoring Zone" and must be dropped into the tenders box located in the Commission’s Secretariat at room 203, 2nd floor.

Note:

• Firms will be selected in accordance with the procedures set out in the Public Procurement Act 2007, and the Procurement Procedure Manual published by the Bureau for Public Procurement (BPP) in January 2011.
• It is required that firms are expected to express their interest in the Monitoring Zone where they belong to (experience of the regions matters). And firms are also required to express their interest in any one zone only.