Gambia’s NAWEC is searching for a consulting firm to update its resettlement action plan (RAP) for the Regional Solar Park of The Gambia (RSPG).

The World Bank-backed RSPG will include solar power and battery energy storage systems (BESS) awarded through competitive bidding. The first phase will involve financing, building, and operating 50 MW of solar capacity paired with 18 MWh of BESS.

The tender details state that the RAP for the project was approved in March 2023, but it has still not been implemented. The chosen consultant will evaluate, revise, and update the RAP before implementing it, ensuring the phase-one site is ready for transfer to an independent power producer selected through an auction.

The consultant must have at least 10 years of experience. The winning bidder will spend eight weeks updating the RAP and six months implementing it. Expressions of interest are due by Jan. 31, 2025.

According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Gambia had just 2 MW of installed solar capacity at the end of 2023. It commissioned its first utility-scale PV plant, a 23 MW site near the west coast, in March 2024.