eC2: Scaling Solar – Independent Engineer Register

Deadline: 21-May-2018 at 11:59:59 PM (Eastern Time – Washington D.C.) scaling+solar+main+banner

Description: The World Bank Group’s Scaling Solar program aims to accelerate the roll out of competitively priced, utility-scale solar photovoltaic power in Sub-Saharan Africa (see http://www.scalingsolar.org). The template Scaling Solar power purchase agreement (PPA) requires an Independent Engineer to act as an impartial technical expert for the two main PPA parties (the Purchaser and the Seller). The role of the IE is adjusted depending on the requirements of each transaction but it would normally include tasks such as: – monitoring progress in the implementation of the project – reviewing proposed commissioning procedures – witnessing completion and performance tests A shortlist of 4 potential IEs is included in each Scaling Solar PPA. Firms with relevant expertise are invited to submit EOIs to be considered for inclusion on future IE shortlists. Selected firms will be contacted to confirm their willingness to be included in specific transaction shortlists in due course. N.B. This selection is to identify a register of potential IE firms to be included on transaction-specific shortlists only. The ultimate selection of the preferred IE for each transaction will be conducted by the PPA parties for that transaction in due course.
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Getting to zero traffic fatalities: What will it take?

pe-bus-to-barranco-geraint-rowland-flickrWe must stop deaths on the roads. No one would argue with that, of course. But for us who live in Peru and many other developing countries, the importance of making road safety a global development priority really hits home—especially after a string of dramatic crashes that have made headlines across the country.

Last February, a bus fell to the bottom of a 200-metre ravine and left 45 dead in Arequipa, including several children. A month before, the country witnessed its deadliest traffic crash on record when a bus plunged down a cliff in Pasamayo, just north of Lima, killing some 52 people.

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eC2: ABP2 Mekong Delta Pillar: Firm consultants for climate-resilient livelihood models and transition strategies in the Mekong Delta

Deadline: 17-May-2018 at 11:59:59 PM (Eastern Time – Washington D.C.) sunrise-phu-quoc-island-ocean.jpg

Objective: The Consultant will provide technical expertise across a range of fields including agro-ecology, livelihood adaptation, agricultural economics and value chain, and community and gender, to review, identify and provide analysis of sustainable climate-resilient transition models in agriculture, aquaculture, and horticulture livelihoods in the Mekong Delta. 1. Task 1: Define and describe the context and trends in at least six (06) agro-ecological sub-regions in the Mekong Delta: Plain of Reeds, Coastal LXQ, Mid-Tien and Mid-Hau River, West-Hau River, Ca Mau Peninsular, and West Coast Peninsula . 2. Task 2: Describe the most prevalent livelihood models in the six (06) agro-ecological sub regions. 3. Task 3: Assess the performance of the viable potential livelihood models. 4. Task 4: Identify livelihood transition pathways and strategies. Details in TOR attached.

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How is your life different from that of your parents?

Yunus owns a fabric store in Blantyre, Malawi. The store was founded by his inheritpossibility_780x439_1grandfather, who immigrated to Malawi in 1927, and has now been in his family for three generations. Business is good, Yunus said, but that the cost of essential services like electricity and water has gone up since his grandfather and father owned the store. Even so, he remains optimistic.

Marija Bosheva is a student at an agriculture and forestry vocational high school in Kavadarci, Macedonia. Like many high school students around the world, she takes daily lessons in history, math, biology, and chemistry. However, unlike many of her peers, she is also studying oenology — the art of making wine.

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May 15-16: IFC Global Agribusiness Conference in The Netherlands

pexels-photo-264537.jpegIFC Global Agribusiness Conference, May 15-16 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands

International Finance Corporation invites investors, private companies whose supply chains rely on smallholder farmers, organizations offering products and services, donors, and government officials to join its Global Agribusiness Conference.

The conference will focus on practical solutions to the challenges of building smallholder professionalism and closing yield gaps between commercial operations and smallholder farmers.

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eC2: Increasing Rail Freight Share in India

indexDeadline: 24-May-2018 at 11:59:59 PM (Eastern Time – Washington D.C.)

Indian Railways has many freight marketing policies which are designed to increase rail freight share, however, it has not been able to meet its stated objective. A few of the strategies include: 1)Development of Private Freight Terminals by private sector to provide intermodal transport connectivity and serve as a marketing interface in between IR and intended customers 2)Rating mechanisms which leans on what the cargo can bear and favours long lead movements 3) Private Sidings and Own your wagon schemes which induce private equity, ownership and increase in infrastructure to assist movement of cargo on rail.

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eC2:Consulting Service for Situation Assessment and Analysis of Risk Communication in Vietnam

Deadline:  15-May-2018 at 11:59:59 PM (Eastern Time – Washington D.C.) lr-after-ebola-liberias-health-system-on-path-to-recovery-780x439

Objective: The evaluation will focus on four main objectives as below: (i) Prevention and control of communicable diseases and newly emerging epidemics. (ii) Prevention and control of risk factors of non-communicable diseases. (iii)Food safety. (iv) Communication during events of public health importance and health emergencies.

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A Strong Foundation for Greater Impact

devcomm_leaderDespite expectations that growth will be robust in the near term, developing countries face challenges to keep up the pace of progress and ensure inclusive, sustainable growth amid structural changes to the global economy. The World Bank Group is uniquely placed to address global challenges and help countries achieve their goals in today’s increasingly complex development landscape.

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World Bicycle Day: Meet the man who made it happen

bf-hauling-water-on-bike-cifor-flickrThree years ago, Professor Leszek Sibilski embarked on an academic project to explore the role of bicycles in development. Little did he know then that his project would evolve into a massive advocacy effort, backed by the Sustainable Mobility for All initiative, to have the United Nations designate a day to celebrate and promote bicycle use around the world. He succeeded. On April 12th 2018, all 193 UN member states adopted General Assembly Resolution A/Res/72/272, which declared June 3 as World Bicycle Day. The resolution was sponsored by Turkmenistan and co-sponsored by some 56 countries.

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eC2: Technical Assistance to County Health Systems: Planning, Budgeting, Monitoring and Reporting

Deadline:  23-May-2018 at 11:59:59 PM (Eastern Time – Washington D.C.) medical-appointment-doctor-healthcare-clinic-health-hospital-medicine[7]

Objective:  The selected firm (s) will provide technical support to county health planning, budgeting, monitoring and reporting (PBMR) processes. The TA will support capacity building of the County Departments of Health (CDOH) on preparation of key PBMR tools that will include Annual Performance Review (APR), preparation of Annual Work Plans (AWP) and Programme Based Budget (PBB) using the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) to ensure linkage between planning and budgeting processes at the county level as well as review of the previous fiscal year PBB budgets using Public Expenditure Review (PERs) approach and methodology. The TA will be expected to start from August 2018 up until May 2019. The Firm will be expected to prepare training, guidelines and other tools that will facilitate delivery of a standardized and harmonized PBMR TA; provide hands on TA from August until May throughout the planning and budgeting cycle; appraise health sector AWP and other plans to ensure alignment with the sector budgeting processes; and appraise the county health budget and expenditure framework to ensure inclusion of sector conditional grants and use of SCOA and budget structure.

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