Electric Transport Programme Consultant

The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) was established as an intergovernmental organization to promote a model of economic growth known as “green growth”. The green growth model integrates variables measuring economic growth, environmental sustainability, poverty reduction and social inclusion. GGGI envisions a resilient world achieved through strong, inclusive and sustainable green growth, and is dedicated to supporting the transition of GGGI Member countries towards a green growth model. In pursuit of these goals, GGGI aims to design and deliver programs and services that enable new pathways for pro-poor economic growth.

GGGI has a diverse portfolio of programs in developing countries around the world. These country programs, in association with global products and services, focus on developing results through an integrated approach to planning and implementation based on evidence of green growth that articulates with countries’ development priorities. The organization also focuses on knowledge development and management activities that strengthen the conditions for a strong theoretical and empirical basis for green growth, while providing concrete options and guidance to policymakers; in addition to creating the appropriate conditions to promote public and private investment in green infrastructure.

From its inception in Mexico (2013), GGGI supported the federal government to develop the National Climate Change Strategy and the Special Climate Change Program. From there, GGGI expanded its work to support the government with tools and analyses to manage air quality, improve public transport, reduce the use of private vehicles and promote cleaner, more efficient mobility. GGGI has also partnered with the Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) to develop workstreams at the subnational level. One such initiative (2013) was GGGI’s technical and advisory role for the Environmental Commission of the Megalopolis (CAMe) – conformed by 7 subnational states: Mexico City, Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Morelos, Puebla, Querétaro and Tlaxcala) – in which GGGI supported efforts to improve the air quality of the region. In addition, GGGI worked alongside the State of Sonora to develop and adopt the Sonora Green Growth Strategy (SGGS) and governance mechanism, which has been instrumental for the development of green growth initiatives in the state in line with the priority areas of the GGS. GGGI has also partnered with Mexico’s Secretariat of Finance (SHCP) and the Green Climate Fund (GCF) to improve the climate finance architecture in the country and enhance Mexico’s access to climate finance through preparing local financing institutions to access funds from the GCF.

Between June and October 2020, GGGI conducted a consultation process among key Mexico stakeholders to draft a new Country Planning Framework for 2021-2025. The aim was to gather diverse visions around the country’s most pressing challenges, opportunities, plus prioritize sectoral approaches where GGGI is best positioned to make impactful contributions. The consultation process was two-fold: high-level dialogues with SHCP, SEMARNAT, the Secretariat for Foreign Affairs (SRE), plus a structured survey sent to a broader list of stakeholders from the Federal and subnational governments, academia, cooperation agencies, embassies, and the private sector. This exercise was instrumental to identify those programmatic solutions where GGGI is catalytic and has built track record already, plus identify emergent areas for support. This process allowed GGGI to elicit from the respondents which of GGGI’s Global Operative Priorities and Programmatic Solutions are more relevant to the country and where the office of GGGI in Mexico is better placed to provide catalytic support to federal and local stakeholders.

GGGI’s focus related to Clean Transport comprises support to relevant stakeholders (both at the federal and subnational levels) to accelerate the transition to a more inclusive and less‑carbon intensive mobility, as it is key to achieve Mexico’s NDCs. This will be accomplished through support to fund key initiatives to mainstream electric transport from virtually accredited GCF Direct Access Entities BANOBRAS (PROTRAM) and NAFIN (electric cab fleet), plus ad hoc support to relevant initiatives by the Secretariats of Economy. In parallel, GGGI will leverage the Zero Emission Bur Rapid Development Accelerator (ZEBRA) partnership, along other organizations ((i.e., P4G, ICCT, C40, WRI) to accelerate the adoption of electric buses in cities. Lastly, GGGI aims to accelerate private sector participation to advance public transport electrification and the development of integrated transport systems in Mexico, through the structuring of the blended finance.
Support to BANOBRAS

BANOBRAS is Mexico’s Public Development Bank for Public Works and Related Services. BANOBRAS has a National Transport Program (PROTRAM), which is key to catalyze a paradigm shift towards e-mobility. With this in mind, GGGI provided support conducive to BANOBRAS’s accreditation as Direct Access Entity before the Green Climate Fund, plus the development of a Concept Note regarding Electromobility for Massive Transport (2019-21). BANOBRAS’ electromobility concept note will aim to become the first national programme to provide finance to States and municipalities for electric transport units and infrastructure. The proposed programme will build in BANOBRAS’ successful Massive Transport Programme (PROTRAM), implemented through FONADIN and which operates under a PPP scheme.

In the context of the recently approved second GCF Readiness Programme for Mexico (2022-25), GGGI (as Delivery Partner) will provide technical support to modify BANOBRAS’s policies and procedures to incentivize an accelerated low carbon transition in the public transport sector.

Gap assessment of FONADIN and PROTRAM’s current processes, policies, governance and rules of operations (and assess their suitability and relevance for the structuring, management and evaluation of electromobility project proposals);
Elicit entry points for changes in policies, processes and governance structure that the existing programme would need to develop/adjust for enabling and accelerating the adoption of electromobility in cities
Closer accompaniment for candidate cities/states policy, regulatory, political, legal and financial challenges (both in terms of socialization and the provision of relevant inputs)

There is an opportunity to link these needs with the current work in GGGI Mexico in helping Mexico catalyze financing for e-mobility projects in the short- and mid-terms. In this sense, the GGGI Mexico programme seeks the support of an Individual Consultant to articulate a relevant workplan which responds to the aforementioned needs.

 

OBJECTIVES OF THE ASSIGNMENT
Lead the provision of technical assistance to BANOBRAS, subnational counterparts and GGGI, conducive to the advancement of relevant policies and processes, plus catalyze funding by BANOBRAS to electric mobility projects in the country.

DELIVERABLES AND PAYMENT SCHEDULE
Activities

The Individual Consultant is expected to carry out the following activities:

Develop a work plan that includes the methodological framework and timeline of the activities indicated in these terms of reference, as agreed with GGGI and BANOBRAS;
Consolidate robust communication channels (virtual/face-to-face meetings) with key stakeholders from BANOBRAS (e.g. General Directorate for Transport/FONADIN/PROTRAM) and subnational stakeholders (e.g. candidate cities/states with clear electrification mandates and/or eligible for the PROTRAM current window).
Carry out a gap assessment and develop recommendations to BANOBRAS’s relevant e-mobility policy, programme and rules of operation;
Liaise with selected subnational cities/states susceptible to be eligible for PROTRAM’s financing window, to elicit potential supply (PROTRAM) and demand (cities/States) unmet needs and/or mismatches;
In line with (4), develop technical inputs (e.g. criteria selection checklist for project portfolio) qualifying maturity, requirements, and challenges of subnational cities/states susceptible to be eligible for PROTRAM’s financing window;
Provide support to cities/states in refining their pre-feasibility studies and other relevant information conducive to the structuring of projects for PROTRAM’s pipeline;
Provide support to the development of three (3) socialization workshops conducive to the strengthening of BANOBRAS’s Electric Massive Transport (EMT) Concept Note (CN) before the GCF.
Develop a final report with a summary of the consultancy.
Provide ad hoc support conducive to the consolidation of relevant workstreams within the GGGI Mexico and LAC Regional offices (e.g. e-mobility/subnational)
Deliverables

With guidance from GGGI and BANOBRAS, the Consultant will develop the following deliverables:

Deliverable 1. One (1) detailed work plan that includes at least the following aspects:
Methodology, approach, phases, deadlines, and responsibilities.
Detailed timeline.
Deliverable 2. One (1) Gap assessment Report assessing current readiness of FONADIN and PROTRAM’s policies, governance and internal processes to finance e-mobility projects. One (1) technical document with a structure to be agreed by BANOBRAS and GGGI.
Deliverable 3: One (1) Recommendations Report with technical inputs and enhanced versions of policy, procedures and PROTRAM’s operational rules to make them compatible with the needs of e-mobility projects. One (1) technical document with a structure to be agreed by BANOBRAS and GGGI.
Deliverable 4. One (1) report compiling evidence of support provided and recommendations to subnational States/cities which are potentially eligible to access PROTRAM’s funding window. This report must detail nature of support provided to candidate cities.
Deliverable 5. Three (3) reports summarizing the socialization workshops held in eligible candidate cities. This report must include at least the agenda, participants, summary of findings and next steps agreed in 3 socialization workshops conducive to BANOBRAS’s EMT Concept Note.
Deliverable 6. One (1) Final report. One (1) document with a structure to be agreed by BANOBRAS and GGGI.
Deliverables, times and payments

Payments
Deliverables
Delivery Time
Quantity

(% over total rate)
Payment No. 1
Deliverable 1. Work plan (1)
1 week after the signing of the contract
10%
Payment No. 2
Deliverable 2. Gap Assessment (1)
9 weeks after the signing of the contract
15%
Payment No. 3
Deliverable 3. Policy Recommendations (1)
18 weeks after the signing of the contract
25%
Payment No. 4
Deliverable 4. Subnational Report (1)
27 weeks after signing the contract
25%
Payment No. 5
Deliverable 5. 3 Socialization workshop reports (3)
36 weeks after signing the contract
25%
Deliverable 6. 1 Final Report
All products (documents with their annexes and infographics, schematics, tables, diagrams, cartography, and other graphic aspects developed to facilitate the understanding of the technical contents) will be delivered in a digital medium, in open files that allow their editing.

Total fee: up to USD 40,500 depending on candidate’s crendentials

 

Suggested methodology and competition requirements

The consultant can use primary and secondary sources of information to prepare the required results.
Meetings with entities through interviews, workshops, discussions groups with stakeholders and relevant authorities will be necessary to validate and prioritize the actions that will be developed.
Technical integrated work is considered decisive for the achievement of the objectives.
It is the consultant’s responsibility to attend all required technical events and meetings.
The Consultant shall submit the Final Report which should reflect the outcome of all activities prepared by the consultant. The report should also give recommendations for further activities to be carried out in order to secure a long-term sustainable development of the measure.
All relevant technical papers, reports, and other documents prepared from the start to the end of the assignment shall be attached to the Final Report.
The final report must be approved by the GGGI. The Consultant shall consider the comments and necessary revisions proposed. Within 14 days from the receipt of the comments or modification proposal from the GGGI, the Consultant shall prepare and submit the final versions of the report.
Reports and Coordination

The development of the consultancy will be monitored and coordinated mainly through meetings related to periodic review and planning. The schedule will be defined in coordination with the Mexico’s Sr. Officer / Subnational Coordinator (primary contact) and the Sr. Associate, Climate Finance and Subnational (secondary contact). These review meetings will address topics such as the strategic direction of activities, coordination of actors and the definition of inter-agency conciliation tables, as well as reporting on progress about the objective of consulting and deliverables.

Upon agreement with GGGI and the main counterpart (BANOBRAS), all deliverables must be delivered both in Spanish and English, in accordance with GGGI’s formatting requirements, and must be sent in electronic copy along with the detail of the products associated with the deliverables, including attendance lists of the concertation spaces and memory aids generated.

 

Supervision

The consultant will be supervised directly by GGGI Mexico´s Subnational Coordinator.

 

EXPERTISE REQUIRED
The consultant must meet the following requirements:

(REQUIRED) Must be able to reside and work in Mexico.
(REQUIRED) Undergraduate studies in transport/civil/industrial/environmental/mechanical/electrical engineering, public policy, economics, environmental science, or the like.
(REQUIRED) Specialization or master’s studies in sustainable development, public policy, project planning and management, environmental management, environmental economics, environmental engineering, transport engineering or similar.
(REQUIRED) Relevant professional experience of at least five (5) years in implementation and/or evaluation of public policies, preparation of project proposals, project/finance structuring, monitoring and evaluation of mobility and transport programs.
(REQUIRED) Excellent writing and report preparation skills.
(REQUIRED) Prior work and familiarity with the Government of Mexico – GoM., international organizations and/or relevant policy-oriented think tanks (e.g. World Bank, WRI, ITDP, ICCT).
(REQUIRED) Excellent knowledge on the Transport/Mobility Mexican sector (e.g. stakeholders, regulation, policy framework, etc.).
Excellent skills in data analysis and critical thinking.
High level of critical thinking, results-based performance and autonomy.
Strong skills in assertive communication.
Excellent English writing skills (for the proposal writing).