Cote d'Ivoire - Complementing HFC mitigation and reducing cooling-related emissions by improving energy efficiency of cooling equipment in Cote d’Ivoire  - CI-24-005

Overview

This project responds to the request by Cote d’Ivoire’s Ministry of Petroleum, Energy and Renewable Energies and Ministry of Environment to develop Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) and label policies regulating domestic refrigerators and air conditioners, and recommendations for Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP) best practices for refrigerators and room air conditioners. 

The growing demand for cooling appliances in the country showcases the need to transition the market to energy-efficiency and climate friendly (low GWP refrigerant gases) products. Without appropriate regulations on the type of cooling equipment allowed to be commercialized in the market, such as Minimum and High Energy Performance Standards (MEPS and HEPS), Labels and appropriate Monitoring, Verification and Enforcement procedures for market surveillance, there will be a very strong increase in the use of obsolete cooling appliances with the consequent rise of electricity demand and use of non-climate friendly refrigerant gases (high GWP HFCs). 

In this context, Côte d’Ivoire has clearly expressed its objective of sustainable energy development in line with the Development National Plan 2016-2020 and National short-lived climate pollutants (SLCP) Plan. Despite the high energy consumption and emissions contribution coming from domestic refrigerators and RACs, no MEPS have been implemented yet in Côte d’Ivoire, either mandatory or voluntary.  The outputs of this project should complement and be harmonized with the country’s Kigali Implementation Plan and bridge policy, regulatory, and technical criteria gaps with the adoption and implementation of measures, tools and policies, such as effective national Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS), labels, Monitoring Verification and Enforcement (MVE) and Sustainable Public Procurement.  

This project will also build the capacity, systems, and networks to improve sectoral expertise and carry on policy and technical enhancement for Energy Efficiency and Climate-Friendly cooling. Public institutions will be engaged on the purchase of energy-efficient appliances through a sustainable public procurement best practice programme.  

More information on Cote d’Ivoire’s efforts to address short-lived climate pollutants is available on its Partner Page.    

Who to involve

The Ministry of Petroleum, Energy and Renewable Energies, Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, National Ozone Unit, Côte d’Ivoire’s Association of Normalisation (CODINORM), National Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (ANRMP), Laboratoire National d’Essais de Qualité de Métrologie et d’Analyses (LANEMA), Customs and importers.  

Expected results  

Outcome 1: Relevant government stakeholders have strengthened capacity and systems to support the planning, programming and implementation of energy efficiency and SLCP related regulations/policies by the end of the project or soon after.

Indicators: Number of government entities with a demonstrated improved capacity for SLCP action

Output 1.1: Policy Working Group established to ensure involvement of all necessary stakeholders to facilitate the identification, pursuit of strategic priorities and endorsement/implementation of policy/technical recommendations.

Output 1.2: National market assessment and international best practices analysis to support the implementation of policy activities for domestic refrigeration and room air conditioners in Cote d’Ivoire are undertaken. The assessments shall include at a minimum:

• Information on the current policy status on MEPS, Labels, testing standards, MVE systems in place.
• Incentives for promoting energy efficiency appliances, if any
• Characteristics of the local cooling market (products available, stock, level of efficiency, etc.).  

Output 1.3: Training delivered to procurement officers and technicians from the different Ministries or single procurement national bodies on the Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP) best practices on refrigerators and room air conditioners.

Outcome 2: The Government of Cote d’Ivoire endorses Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) and label policies regulating domestic refrigerators and air conditioners by the end of the project or soon after.

Indicator: Number of laws, regulations, or other policy mechanisms with SLCP targets or mitigation measures formally adopted, endorsed, and/or implemented

Output 2.1:  MEPS and labels policies regulating the sale of Domestic Refrigerators and Room Air Conditioners are drafted, including at a minimum:

MEPS and labels policy for residential refrigerators and room air conditioners based on the market assessment results (output 1.2), inputs from the PWG (output 1.1)  

Technical workshops with relevant stakeholders (e.g. government, manufacturers, suppliers, consumer groups, environment groups) convened to communicate the results of the market assessment and the implementation of new/updated policies/ regulations.

Capacity-building for the Ministry of Petroleum, Energy and Renewable Energies, Ministry of Environment and Customs and enforcement officers on the implementation of MEPS and label policies in conjunction with training for Kigali Implementation to prevent the environmental dumping of inefficient cooling appliances with banned or soon to be banned refrigerants.

Outcome 3: The Government of Cote d’Ivoire adopts recommendations for Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP) best practices for refrigerators and room air conditioners by the end of the project or soon after.

Indicator: Number of laws, regulations, or other policy mechanisms with SLCP targets or mitigation measures formally adopted, endorsed, and/or implemented

Output 3.1: Recommendations for Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP) best practices (e.g., high energy performance standards, product technical characteristics and criteria for tendering process, introduction of tools and resources available to government officials, etc.) for refrigerators and room air conditioners  

Output 3.2: Recommendations for the inclusion of the technical and administrative requirements for sustainable/green public procurement for domestic refrigerators and room air conditioners are developed.

Output 3.3: Guidelines for sustainable procurement of refrigerators and room air conditioners are developed and distributed with the institutions in charge of public procurement to be adopted in their sustainable public procurement activities.

Outcome 4: The Government of Cote d’Ivoire adopts a Sustainable National Monitoring, Verification and Enforcement (MVE) framework that includes SLCPs for cooling appliances, as well as related tools and resources in line with the recommended MEPS and Labels policy by the end of the project or soon after.

Indicator: Number of monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) systems developed or updated that include SLCPs  

Output 4.1: Develop a comprehensive Monitoring, Verification and Enforcement (MVE) framework for cooling appliances, incorporating SLCP monitoring.  

Output 4.2:  Training is provided on the Monitoring, Verification and Enforcement (MVE) framework to related stakeholders, such as customs officers, certifying national bodies, supervisory agencies, importers, etc. with the key recommendations for its improvement.

Outcome 5: National laboratories strengthened to verify compliance with updated standards and protocols by the end of the project.

Indicator: Number of non-government entities with a demonstrated improved capacity for SLCP action  

Output 5.1: Capacity Building for national testing laboratories that covers at a minimum: an introduction to the proposed test methods for energy efficiency/ Montreal Protocol controlled substances and how to inspect technical documentation for the MVE purpose based on the recommended test methods for refrigerators and room air conditioners.

Output 5.2: Study tours to international testing facilities organized to develop knowledge on equipment, testing standards and international best practices for domestic refrigerators and room air conditioners.

APPLICATION PROCESs

Eligibility requirements

To be eligible for consideration, project proposals must meet the following requirements:

• Complete and submitted before the deadline
• Submitted by a non-governmental organization (NGO), intergovernmental organization (IGO), or other not-for-profit entity. 
• Requested funding is within the estimated budget amount, or includes a clear justification for additional expenses 
• Project duration is less than 24 months
• Budget criteria are met and spending caps on expenses are respected. 
• Please note that entities will be required to provide the last three (3) audited financial statements to be eligible for CCAC funding. These statements may be provided along with the application for funding or at the request of the CCAC Secretariat during the evaluation process.

For-profit entities may only participate in the project as stakeholders, co-funders, or end users. Applicants are encouraged to include for-profit entities in the development of the project proposal and/or during project implementation if their ownership of the proposed solution is key to the project’s success.  

How to apply

Eligible applicants are invited to apply using the Application Form and Excel Budget Form. Specific instructions on completing these forms are available in both documents.

Applicants may choose to follow the cost range proposed above OR propose a different budget supported by a clear justification. However, applicants should note that cost efficiency will play a significant role in the selection process.

The completed Application Form and Excel Budget Form should be submitted to secretariat [at] ccacoalition.org.

Evaluation criteria

Proposals will be evaluated against the following criteria:

• Presents a clear plan to achieve the required outcomes during the lifetime of the project or soon after
• Includes a plan or activities to enable the scaling up of, replication of, or sustained use of project results over time
• Sets out a clear approach for enabling or contributing to SLCP emissions reductions and resulting co-benefits
• Involves relevant stakeholders 
• Approach is grounded in a strong understanding of relevant risks
• Complements other relevant initiatives, funding mechanisms, and existing policy processes
• Applicant demonstrates necessary capacity and experience to perform the work
• A realistic, cost-effective, and clearly justified budget and approach is proposed
• Project meets the minimum requirements for the OECD DAC gender equality marker Score 1
   
  Selection process
• A preliminary review of proposals submitted by the deadline will be conducted by members of the CCAC Secretariat, Funding Task Team, and Board, in consultation with relevant CCAC Partners. 
• Shortlisted applicants will be invited to present their proposals in further detail and to respond to follow-up questions about their application.
• Successful applicants will be invited to develop a Project Implementation Plan and Detailed Budget in consultation with the CCAC Secretariat and relevant CCAC Partners.
• The selection process may take up to 6 months after the closing date of the call for proposals. Due to the high volume of requests, the CCAC will not respond to requests for updates or feedback during this time.

NOTE: DUE DILIGENCE 

In addition to eligibility criteria outlined above, qualified UNEP/CCAC implementers* must meet the following criteria: 

• Have adequate financial resources to perform the contract and meet all existing commitments (financial health)
• Be able to provide proof of registration, proof of not-for-profit status and audited financial statements for the last three completed fiscal years 
• Have a record of satisfactory performance with UNEP/CCAC, when applicable; and  - Not have been suspended or debarred by UNEP/CCAC or another UN agency. UNEP/CCAC also considers entities included in the Security Council Resolution Lists to be ineligible for UNEP/CCAC agreements.
  * (inter)governmental entities/ United Nations are exempt from this requirement

Procurement

As a general rule, Implementation Agreements allow for incidental procurement only, and as such, total costs in the following categories must fall below a certain threshold*:

• Contractual Services
• Equipment, Vehicles and Furniture
• Operating and other Direct costs

• Supplies, Commodities and Materials

  
  *Agreements of $200,000 and below: up to $20,000 or 15% of total budget, whichever is lower.

  *Agreements of above $200,000: up to $40,000 or 15%. * United Nations agencies are exempt from this requirement