Consultancy Services For the development of a National Clean Cooking Transition Strategy and Implementation plan for the Kingdom of Eswatini.

The Kingdom of Eswatini

Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy

Request for Expression of Interest (REOI) Consultancy Services for the Development of a National Clean Cooking Transition Strategy and Costed Implementation PlaN UNDER THE Accelerating Sustainable and Clean Energy Access Transformation in Eswatini (ASCENT-ESWATINI)

Project ID No: P508960

Request for Expression of Interest (REOI)

Eswatini Electricity Company (EEC)

(Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini) Consultancy Services for the Development of a National Clean Cooking Transition Strategy and Costed Implementation Plan

First date of publication: 17 August 2026

Country: Kingdom of Eswatini

Name of Project: Accelerating Sustainable and Clean Energy Access Transformation in Eswatini (ASCENT Eswatini) Project

Sector: Energy Sector

Credit No: IDA-7700-SZ

Project ID No.: P508960

Assignment Title: Consultancy Services For the development of a National Clean Cooking Transition Strategy and Implementation plan for the Kingdom of Eswatini. Reference No. SZ-ECC-561941-CS-QCBS

The Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini (GoKE), through the Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy (MNRE), and with the Eswatini Electricity Company (EEC) as the implementing agency is implementing the Accelerating Sustainable and Clean Energy Access Transformation in Eswatini (ASCENT Eswatini) Project. As part of its commitment to achieving universal access to modern energy services under Mission 300 and accelerating the transition away from traditional biomass, the Government intends to develop a National Clean Cooking Transition Strategy and Costed Implementation Plan. The Strategy will provide a comprehensive, evidence-based roadmap for increasing access to affordable, reliable and sustainable clean cooking solutions for households, institutions and commercial users, while strengthening policy, regulatory, market, financing and institutional frameworks. The MNRE now seeks to engage a qualified consulting firm or consortium to undertake this assignment. This assignment will also contribute to the implementation of the National Energy Compact.

The consulting services ("the Services") will include, but not be limited to, the following workstreams:

a. Situational, institutional and market assessment for clean cooking. b. Policy, legal, regulatory and institutional review. c. Infrastructure, supply chain and clean cooking technology assessment, including electric cooking. d. Household, institutional and commercial demand assessment, including affordability and consumer behaviour. e. Financing, investment and carbon finance assessment. f. Environmental, climate, health, gender and social inclusion assessment. g. Development of the National Clean Cooking Transition Strategy, Costed Implementation Plan and Investment and Financing Roadmap. h. Stakeholder consultations, validation workshops and knowledge transfer.

The Terms of Reference (TOR) for the primary procurement stage for the assignment can be obtained from the EEC and the MNRE upon request or downloaded from: TERMS_OF_REFERENCE_CLEAN_COOKING_FINAL.pdf

Interested consultants must provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform all the services. The following documents shall also be submitted along with the EOI applications by all consulting firms, including each member of JV firms: Copies Certificate of incorporation/registration. Company profile. Organisational structure. Quality assurance arrangements. Availability of key technical staff. Information on software, modelling tools and analytical capacity relevant to the assignment.

The short-listing criteria are:

Demonstrated experience in developing national clean cooking, energy transition or comparable energy sector strategies. Demonstrated experience in clean cooking technologies, markets, value chains and energy access planning. Experience in policy, regulatory and institutional analysis in the energy sector. Experience in undertaking household and institutional energy demand assessments, market analysis and consumer research. Demonstrated experience in investment planning, financial modelling, climate finance and carbon finance for energy access or clean cooking programmes. Demonstrated experience integrating gender equality, social inclusion and stakeholder engagement into energy sector assignments. Experience undertaking similar assignments in Sub-Saharan Africa, preferably Southern Africa. Experience working with governments, development partners or World Bank-financed projects. Experience in developing women’s entrepreneurship programme frameworks, including business support models and financing/incubation pathways in the energy sector.

Consultants may associate with other consultants to enhance their qualifications. Where firms are associating, the submission must include verifiable evidence of association from all parties. Experience and qualifications of parent or subsidiary firms will not be considered for evaluation.

All submissions from consulting firms shall be in the English language.

The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to paragraphs 3.15 to 3.16 of the seventh edition of the World Bank Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers dated September 2025 setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest.

The Consultant(s) shall be evaluated and a maximum of eight (8) will be shortlisted based on general qualifications, experience and capability. Shortlisted Consultants will subsequently have their RFPs evaluated in accordance with the Quality and Cost Based (QCBS) selection method as per the seventh edition of Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers dated September 2025.

Interested eligible consultants may obtain further information by sending an email to the address below or visiting during office hours from 10.00 to 16.00 hrs. The Terms of Reference for the proposed consulting services can be downloaded from the Eswatini Electricity