Introduction

CLASP is collaborating with BSTI and SREDA to support the revision of minimum energy performance standard(s) (MEPS) and/or labeling policies for lighting products. The ongoing energy crises in Bangladesh has increased the urgency to improve energy efficiency across all sectors. Efficient electricity use in homes, businesses, and public facilities is one of the fastest and cheapest ways to accelerate sustainable development.

At COP4 of the Minamata Convention on Mercury in March 2022, 137 governments adopted amendments to phase out compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) by 2025 on the basis of mercury content, in a major win for environmental and human health. Last-minute interventions by other countries delayed a phase-out decision on linear fluorescent lamps (LFLs) until COP5 in fall 2023, when we expect a phase-out date to be finalized. As a party to the Minamata Convention, Bangladesh has the opportunity to begin preparing its lighting market for an accelerated transition to LED lighting, which is more energy-efficient and non-toxic.

In addition to reducing energy consumption and mercury pollution, adoption of technology-neutral lighting MEPS and labeling policies with strong quality standards would benefit Bangladesh through:

• Market protection from dumping of inefficient, low-quality lighting products banned elsewhere
• Increased household and business cost savings on electricity bills
• Improved grid reliability by reducing the power demand from lighting
• Stimulating local investment in LED assembly, including, potentially, for export to regional markets

 

A national market assessment for lighting products is critical to support the development of appropriate and robust energy efficiency and quality policies and to estimate the potential energy demand, energy consumption, and carbon emissions reductions of these policies.

CLASP is seeking a contractor to conduct a comprehensive market assessment of lighting products across all sectors in Bangladesh. This study will support BSTI and SREDA’s evidence-based policy decision-making by characterizing the lighting market and identifying barriers to an accelerated transition to LED lighting.

 

Timeline

Contract Timeframe: 4-6 months

The contractor will ideally begin the market assessment by May 2023, aiming to conclude the study between August and October 2023.

Deadline for Application: 24 April 2023 at 23:59 ET

Application includes registering as a Consulting Partner and submitting the technical and financial proposals per the instructions below.

Deadline for Questions: 10 April 2023 at 23:59 ET

All questions must be addressed in English to Asif Hassan at ahassan@clasp.ngo. We request all inquiries be made to this e-mail address and not by phone.

 

Scope of Work

The contractor will be responsible for successfully executing the following activities and tasks as part of the study, in close consultation with CLASP and government stakeholders. CLASP will use this study to inform technology-neutral MEPS and/or labeling policy recommendations for lighting products. All commonly available lighting products are in scope for this study with a particular focus on general service lamps, linear lamps, and street lighting luminaires:

• All product categories (lamps and luminaires)
• End-users across all sectors (residential, commercial, industrial, outdoor lighting)
• All technologies (LED, fluorescent, halogen)

Task 1: Data Collection

Assess the size of the national market for lighting products by conducting market surveys, interviews, visits to equipment vendors, and other data collection exercises. The data collected should include, but not be limited to:

1. Market size and characteristics: Installed stock, overall sales and production (imports vs. domestic manufacturing), demand growth, major end-use sectors, detailed market breakdown by product category/technology/wattage, segmentation of industry (small/medium/large scale) and their market share, supply chain and distribution channels of major components, main manufacturers, product efficacy (lumens per watt), and other relevant parameters
2. Product characteristics: Brand/model, country of origin, product category, sizes, energy efficiency and quality parameters, color temperature, wattage, lifetime, and prices
3. End-users: Usage patterns of lighting products (e.g., number of hours used daily)
4. Other: Any other data as may be necessary for the analysis

Task 2: Market Forecast through 2030

Develop a market growth forecast for lighting products in Bangladesh. The forecast should be accompanied by an analysis of key drivers of market penetration.

Task 3: Identify Barriers

Identify the barriers that exist to an accelerated transition to LED lighting and provide recommendations to address those barriers. This may include barriers related to manufacturing, technology, consumer issues (service, price, quality, etc.), test lab capacity, and policy implementation.

 

Key Milestones and Deliverables

1. Inception report, detailing initial progress on data collection, issues identified (and plans for resolution) and next steps
2. Interim report, detailing progress on the data collection
3. Excel spreadsheet which includes all the collected data
4. Draft final report, encompassing all data analysis, recommendations, and qualitative observations
5. Final comprehensive report, responding to comments provided by CLASP on the draft final report

 

Key Qualifications

• Experience conducting market studies for appliances and equipment in Bangladesh
• Demonstrated ability to collect comprehensive market data for energy-consuming products in Bangladesh
• Understanding of the Bangladeshi energy efficiency policymaking ecosystem
• Experience with and understanding of appliance and equipment standards and labeling policies

 

Submittal

Register as a Consulting Partner

Interested parties must register as a CLASP Consulting Partner.

 

Submit Technical and Financial Proposals

Interested parties should submit separate technical and financial proposals electronically, in English, via this form link (preferably in PDF format). The files should be named as per the following example:

[CONTRACTOR_NAME] _Technical Proposal_ RFP 2023-03-27

[CONTRACTOR_NAME] _Financial Proposal_ RFP 2023-03-27

 

The length of the technical proposal should not exceed 20 pages and should include:

• Detailed approach and methodology for the design, implementation, and management of the project
• Detailed timeline for all project activities, tasks, milestones, and deliverables for the project within the time frame indicated above
• Background and experience of conducting similar activities
• A summary of qualifications and experience of key personnel that will execute the project

The financial proposal (in USD) should include a detailed budget with all direct and indirect cost estimates for executing the project, including a breakdown (in days) of the level of effort and costs associated with each team member that will be engaged in the project.

CVs and related summaries of experience and qualifications of proposed project team staff should be included in an Annex and should not exceed 10 pages.

 

Optional At This Stage – Fill Out Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ)

All contractors must fill out the PQQ before working with CLASP. This can be voluntarily completed at the RFP stage but will be mandatory if a contract is awarded.

The PQQ is a thorough due diligence screening aimed at gathering legal and financial information on prospective partners/vendors. Contract awards are conditional upon passing the due diligence screening. Organizations that have already completed the PQQ do not need to complete it again unless the structure of the business has changed. If you are unsure, please email Andrea Testa (atesta@clasp.ngo) to determine next steps.

 

Evaluation Procedure

A committee appointed by CLASP will evaluate proposals received. Selection of qualified companies or organizations will be based upon the following criteria:

• Technical Evaluation Factors
• Financial Evaluation Factors

All bids will be evaluated and ranked using Quality and Cost Based Selection (QCBS), with 80 percent of the score accorded to the technical proposal, and 20 percent to the financial proposal. The detailed evaluation criteria can be found in Annex A.

 

ANNEX A: EVALUATION CRITERIA

Technical Approach (35 points): The technical approach described in the proposals will be evaluated on:

• The demonstrated understanding of the overall project context (15).
• The detailed work plan and approach clearly defining the target objectives and the strategy to achieve the objectives as outlined in the scope of work (20).

Management Structure and Staff Qualification (25 points): The proposed management structure and staff will be evaluated on:

• The professional qualifications and the extent to which the requisite expertise and experience of the key personnel will directly contribute to the completion of the tasks (25).

Past Performance and Corporate Experience (20 points): The experience and capacities of the contractor will be evaluated based on:

• The past performance, familiarity, and experience in understanding policies and program related to standards and labelling (10).
• Extent of local expertise including experience, qualifications, and track record in implementation of similar programs (10).

Cost Evaluation Factors (20 points): While the overall Technical Evaluation is the key factor in reviewing the proposal, the cost evaluation will be an essential factor in determining the final contract award and ability to remain in the competitive range and will be evaluated for feasibility, completeness, and practicality.

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CLASP looks forward to reviewing your responses and would like to thank you in advance for your participation in this Request for Proposals. CLASP will notify all respondents who submit proposals when a decision has been made.

CLASP is an equal opportunity employer that celebrates diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. CLASP’s goal is to be a diverse workforce that is representative, at all job levels, of the citizens we serve. CLASP complies with all federal, state and local employment law in the countries we operate and is committed to providing equal opportunity for all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, disability, political affiliation, personal appearance, family responsibilities, matriculation, genetic information, military or protected veteran status, credit information or any other characteristic protected under federal, state or local law.

Each person is evaluated based on personal skill and merit. CLASP’s policy regarding equal employment opportunity applies to all aspects of employment, including recruitment, hiring, job assignments, promotions, working conditions, scheduling, benefits, wage and salary administration, disciplinary action, termination, and social, educational and recreational programs.