Myanmar: Consultant - Energy Market Development - Myanmar

1. Background / Purpose

Mercy Corps is an international NGO working in the field of community and market driven development since 1979. Mercy Corps works in 40 countries, with more than 4,000 professional staff and a budget of ~$320 million per year. Mercy Corps has been active in Myanmar since 2008 operating in three key thematic areas: agricultural value chains, peace and governance, and energy. Mercy Corps Myanmar has about 380 staff employed in nine offices around the country.

Within the energy portfolio, Mercy Corps Myanmar is a leader in the clean cooking sector through our partnership with Soneva Foundation, UNDP, the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves, and Envirofit. Our work has focused on creating a new market for highly efficient stoves that reduce firewood consumption and toxic emissions. Rural entrepreneurs, supported by our field teams, have sold more than 19,000 stoves to date. Mercy Corps Myanmar seeks to grow its energy portfolio beyond clean cooking to tackle broader energy poverty opportunities such as off-grid, mini-grids and electricity productive uses.

Mercy Corps see its role as a market facilitator for clean cookstoves. In this role, Mercy Corps will drive demand and reduce investment risk in Myanmar’s fragile market through the following ways:

• Broker the delivery of commercial energy services in high risk and/or low return environments such as underserved, remote geographies.
• Stimulate the productive use of energy to ensure that energy services are provided reliably and sustainably
• Work with businesses and industry to diffuse cleaner and more efficient energy solutions, build market linkages, and strengthen distribution networks in last mile markets. The organization will also look for opportunities to dovetail our energy market development with our larger country strategy of promotion and protection of rights, climate resilient communities, and responsive governance.
  

Consultant Objectives

Mercy Corps Myanmar seeks an experienced consultant to achieve two objectives: 1.Internal energy strategy - the consultant will develop an internal strategy for energy poverty alleviation that matches internal core competencies with market conditions. The strategy will be used to guide the organization as we expand beyond clean cooking projects.

2.Increase sector knowledge on productive electricity uses - the consultant will research and organize a workshop that furthers dialogue and understanding on productive uses of electricity, an already identified area of interest for Mercy Corps Myanmar.

Consultant Activities

1. Review research and reports on the Myanmar energy sector to understand existing projects and future trends within the donor, private, and public sectors
2. Consult with the local and international Mercy Corps team to identify core competencies in energy market development
3. Interview external stakeholders from the donor, private, and public sectors to understand trends and opportunities in energy development
4. Facilitate an internal workshop to develop energy poverty strategy
5. Write energy poverty strategy and share with the team
6. Conduct research on productive uses of electricity through desk reviews, interviews and internal consultations
7. Visit villages with recent access to electricity and interview stakeholders (e.g., business owners, villagers, farmers) to understand impacts, opportunities, and constraints
8. Write report on productive energy uses that incorporates global experiences and field findings
9. Organize and facilitate a large, one-day workshop to share findings of report and convene stakeholders (e.g., donors, private sector, NGOs) to further dialogue on productive uses of electricity
   

Consultant Qualifications

1. Demonstrable experience developing business or organizational strategies
   
2. Deep understanding of the energy sector, market development, and entrepreneurship
   
3. Proven history of organizing successful, multi-stakeholder workshops
   
4. Excellent knowledge about Myanmar and its context
   
5. Knowledge of institutional/corporate donors and private sector companies engaged in the energy sector
   
6. Excellent English writing and speaking skills
   
7. Ability to work under pressure and deliver on time
   
8. Ability to work as part of a team
   
9. Ability to speak Myanmar language an asset but not required
   

Consultant Deliverables

• Internal energy market development strategy
  
• Report on productive uses of electricity
  
• Workshop on productive uses of electricity
  

Timeframe / Schedule

1 May 2017 to 30 June 2017

• Reporting Report to Market Development Program Director and work closely with the Senior Program Manager for Energy

Applyhere:: http://app.jobvite.com/m?3LKoviwb

• Application

Interested individuals or consulting groups are requested to submit a proposal that outlines capacities and experience, methodology, proposed budget (maximum $35,000), and proposed timeline. Submissions should also include CVs of all individuals involved and samples of previous work as annexes. Maximum length of submission is five pages, not including annexes.

Budget should include all costs associated with the assignment including human resources with daily rates, transportation, and materials.

Timeline should align with the above activity list and include start and finish dates. The submitting individual or group can also propose new activities relevant to achieving the assignment objectives. Proposed activities should be clearly delineated and rationale provided.