Electricity grid expansion programme for productive development and energy transition

Description

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), in co-financing with the European Investment Bank (EIB) and in technical coordination with the National Administration of Power Plants and Electrical Transmissions (UTE) of Uruguay, is calling for specialized consulting firms to prepare the project's socio-environmental management instruments. The consultancy must ensure compliance with national regulations, the IDB's Environmental and Social Policy Framework (ESPF) (NDAS 1 to 10) and the EIB's Environmental and Social Standards (1 to 10), applying the strictest regulatory standard in the event of any discrepancy.

1. Review of layout and socio-environmental assessment (EAS)
Basic engineering validation: Review, complement and technically document the analysis of route alternatives for the 500 kV Chamberlain–Cardal–Pando Transmission Line (LT) and the location of its three associated substations, previously defined by UTE.

Diagnosis of affectations and easements: Evaluate the impacts of land acquisition and release of rights of way. The firm must validate through satellite images and fieldwork the absence of physical displacement, in addition to executing a socioeconomic census focused exclusively on businesses with potential economic displacement.

Biotic and ecosystem audit: Identify, map and quantify the different intercepted land uses to classify modified, natural or critical habitats, assessing the vulnerability of local ecosystem services.

Mandatory cross-sectional studies: Develop gender-specific analyses, tangible and intangible historical heritage, contamination of natural resources (air, soil, and water), and occupational health and safety (both for workers and surrounding communities).

Climate modeling: Perform the Disaster Risk Analysis (DRA) applying the IDB's MERDCC methodology and calculate the estimate of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions during the construction and operation phases.

2. Action, Mitigation and Resettlement Plans
The consultancy should structure a dynamic portfolio of mitigation instruments based on the international remediation hierarchy:

Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP): Integrating document that will include labor management plans, biodiversity, operational contingencies, gender and a detailed environmental monitoring program (parameters, frequencies, costs and responsible institutions).

Livelihood Restoration (PRRMS): Design compensation measures to replace lost assets and restore income, closing technical gaps between Uruguayan national legislation and IDB and EIB safeguards standards.

Climate Risk Management (PGRD): Structure the operational actions derived from the disaster risk analysis to shield the electrical infrastructure from extreme events.

3. Governance, public consultation and management system
Citizen Participation (PPPI): Develop the Stakeholder Participation Plan and design an auditable Complaint Response and Resolution Mechanism.

Support in consultations: Provide technical and methodological assistance to the executing agency during public hearings with local communities, systematizing the inputs received to adjust the final environmental studies.

Institutionalization of the system (ESMS): Prepare the project-specific Environmental and Social Management System, delimiting the roles of control of documents, records and responsibilities of the borrower and contractors.

Due Diligence Closing (ESAP): Formulate the matrix of recommended actions for the Environmental and Social Action Plan to be formally annexed to the loan agreement with commercial banks.

Note: Interested companies should review the requirements on the BEO Bidder Portal.