Advancing Egypt’s Energy Transition - AEET

The European Union (European Commission on behalf of Egypt) is procuring a fee-based technical assistance service contract titled Advancing Egypt's Energy Transition (AEET) to support energy efficiency, large-scale renewable integration and grid resilience, and the privatization readiness of electricity distribution companies. The contract has a maximum duration of 36 months, an estimated budget ceiling of €3,500,000 (excluding VAT) and includes fixed provisions for incidental expenditure and expenditure verification. Deliverables include NEAP and legal drafting, grid integration and resilience studies, ISO 50001 implementations and asset valuation/transaction advisory, with regular interim and final reporting and mandatory agreed‑upon procedures for invoice verification. The procedure is restricted; requests to participate must be submitted via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal by 11 May 2026 at 15:00 Africa/Cairo and tenders only by invited shortlisted candidates using eSubmission.

Key dates

Deadlines and timings

TED ref 77/2026. Procedure:Restricted. Deadline for receipt of requests to participate: 11 May 2026 15:00 Africa/Cairo. Intended contract start: May 2026; maximum duration: 36 months.

What it funds:Technical assistance services to support Egypt’s energy transition: national energy efficiency roadmap and NEAP 4; drafting an energy efficiency law and MEPs; ISO 50001 implementations and energy audits; grid integration, resilience and RE deployment studies; MACC and action plans; and a utility asset valuation and privatization/transaction support.

1. 1Type of contract: services, award by best price-quality ratio.
2. 2Place of performance: Egypt; implementation managed by EU Delegation to Egypt in coordination with MoERE and MoPMR.
3. 3Key outputs: inception report, interim technical reports, NEAP 4, energy law draft, MACC and privatization readiness work.

Who can apply:this is a restricted procedure — only invited / short-listed economic operators may submit a tender (requests to participate were handled prior to invitation). Consortiums are allowed but any subcontractors or capacity providers must meet eligibility and exclusion checks.

Indicative budget:Maximum contract value reported in the tender documentation: approximately €3,500,000 (fees, lump sums; incidental expenditure and expenditure verification allocated separately) ¹.

1. 1Contract model: fee-based service contract with key experts; fees are payable per working day and incidental costs reimbursed.
2. 2Pre-financing and interim payment rules apply; expenditure verification by an approved auditor is mandatory.

How to apply and portals:tender published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal; electronic submission via eSubmission is required. The call documentation and all annexes (ToR, evaluation grid, budget template, templates for key experts and expenditure verification ToR) are available on the portal. ¹

Footnotes

1. 1Official tender page and download area on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal: EU Funding & Tenders Portal.

Core facts

Title:Advancing Egypt’s Energy Transition (AEET). Procedure type: Call for tenders, Restricted procedure (invitation to selected candidates). TED reference: 77/2026 272432-2026. Lead contracting authority: European Union, represented by the European Commission (Delegation of the EU to Egypt) on behalf of and for the account of Egypt. Place of performance: Egypt (primary) and Near & Middle East region. Nature of contract: Services (service contract). Main CPV classification: 73000000 Research and development services and related consultancy services. Award method: Best price-quality ratio. Maximum contract duration: 36 months. Estimated maximum contract value (budget ceiling published): €3,500,000 (maximum budget available stated in the tender dossier). Submission method: Electronic via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal eSubmission (EU Login required). Key dates: Invitation to submit request to participate published on 21/04/2026; deadline for receipt of requests to participate: 11/05/2026 15:00 Africa/Cairo; TED publication date: 21/04/2026; intended contract start date: May 2026 (36 months implementation).

Deadlines and milestones:Deadline for receipt of requests to participate: 11 May 2026, 15:00 (Africa/Cairo). TED publication date: 21 April 2026. Provisional award & contract dates published in procurement timetable: notification of award ~11 June 2026; signature by ~30 July 2026; intended start 01 September 2026. Electronic submission via F&T Portal; EU Login account and, from 30 June 2026, 2-factor authentication required.

What the tender procures (scope)

Purpose:a technical assistance (TA) contract to accelerate Egypt’s energy transition by supporting: (1) development and implementation of national energy efficiency policy and NEAP 4 focused on thermal energy (natural gas and petroleum products) and sectoral measures for industry, tourism, transport and households; (2) large-scale renewable energy integration and grid resilience planning (transmission and distribution assessments, stability and resilience analysis, storage and smart grid feasibility, geospatial mapping and input to an updated Egyptian Energy Strategy to 2050); and (3) technical advisory to prepare and pilot privatization / partnership options for electricity distribution companies (DISCOs), including asset registers, independent valuation, regulatory and transaction readiness, stakeholder engagement and socioeconomic impact assessment.

Core tasks and deliverables:Deliverables are structured into Tasks 1–3 with inception reporting and regular interim reporting: Inception report (desk review, stakeholder mapping, gap analysis, data needs and detailed methodology). Task 1: National Energy Efficiency Roadmap and NEAP 4 (AR/EN); Energy Efficiency Law and Executive Regulation (AR/EN); KPI framework and electronic KPI tracking; Marginal Abatement Cost Curves (MACC), sector action plans; energy audits in six petroleum facilities; ISO 50001 implementation in five facilities. Task 2: Grid integration assessment and geospatial mapping; resilience risk assessment and mitigation strategy; stability studies and simulations; advanced grid management feasibility and a roadmap; capacity‑building and an interim technical report. Task 3: DISCO privatization support including valuation reports, asset register, due diligence, transaction structuring, legal/contractual documents, readiness and social safeguard plans. Reporting: Interim reports bi‑monthly/6‑monthly as specified; final report; expenditure verification report (audited) accompanying invoices. Communication and visibility must respect EU external action visibility rules.

Who can apply and eligibility

Procedure:Restricted tender. Participation is limited to entities invited/shortlisted following the published request to participate. Eligible applicants are legal persons or consortia named in the invitation (or those who completed the request to participate and were shortlisted). Eligible nationalities follow the EU rules in the procurement dossier; the place(s) of performance are Egypt and the Near & Middle East region. Subcontracting is allowed but subcontractors and capacity‑providing entities must meet eligibility and exclusion criteria and must not be subject to EU restrictive measures. The Personal Identification Code (PIC) is mandatory; organisations must use the PIC for submissions. EU Login account required for eSubmission.

Eligible applicant types (detailed):Eligible applicant types include: large consultancies, international and regional consulting firms, consortia/joint ventures of firms, engineering and technical advisory companies, research institutes, universities (as lead or consortium members), specialist valuation/financial modelling firms, NGOs with technical capacity (where invited), and international audit/verification firms for the required expenditure verification. Subcontractors may include national utilities, technology providers, niche technical experts and local partners. Individuals cannot be sole tenderers; experts are submitted as personnel within a tender.

Contractual and procurement details

Nature of contract:service contract (fee-based). Procedure identifier: EC-MENA/CAI/2025/EA-RP/0015. Procedure type: Restricted procedure (invited candidates) with an Invitation to Submit a Request to Participate and an Invitation to Tender (ITT) published on the F&T Portal. Award criterion: Best price-quality ratio; weighting published in the evaluation grid: technical quality (80) / price (20). Maximum duration: 36 months. Place of performance: Egypt (Cairo HQ place of performance with missions across Egypt and region). Framework agreement: not indicated as multiple beneficiaries; single contract to one contractor covering all tasks. The contract requires an approved external practitioner (auditor) to perform expenditure verification (provision for expenditure verification €35,000 fixed in budget). Provision for incidental expenditure is foreseen (€350,000 fixed).

1. 1Procurement type: Tender (restricted) — electronic submission only via F&T Portal eSubmission (EU Login required).
2. 2Evaluation stages: (1) Request to Participate shortlisting (administrative, selection). (2) Invitation to tender — technical evaluation (organisation & methodology, key experts) and financial evaluation (budget breakdown).
3. 3Selection criteria published: technical quality assessed by evaluation grid (organisation & methodology + key experts); minimum technical threshold 75/100 and strict minimum requirements for key experts (YES/NO compliance for mandatory minimums).
4. 4Key experts required in Annex IV: Team Leader (Renewable Energy Integration & Grid Resilience; 528 man‑days minimum), Utility Asset Valuation (528 man‑days min), Energy Efficiency Policy & Implementation (528 man‑days min).
5. 5Financial instruments: fee-based budget template (Annex V) with: fees by expert category, lump sums, provision for incidental expenditure, and fixed expenditure verification budget item.
6. 6Expenditure verification: mandatory external agreed‑upon procedures engagement (AUP) by an approved practitioner following ISRS 4400 criteria and the ToR in Annexes (auditor report must accompany each interim and final invoice).

Application and submission requirements

How to apply:This is a restricted tender. Only shortlisted applicants who received an invitation may submit a tender. Submission is electronic only via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal eSubmission. A valid EU Login/Organisation PIC is mandatory. All required forms, Annexes and templates must be completed and uploaded under the Technical Tender and Financial Tender attachments in eSubmission. The technical offer must include: Tender Submission Form with signed declarations (exclusivity and availability signed by each key expert), Organisation & Methodology (Annex III), Key Experts CVs and Annex IV completed, Estimated number of working days worksheet (from Annex V budget spreadsheet), and evidence to support non-exclusion and selection criteria when requested. The financial offer must use the Annex V fee‑based budget spreadsheet and present amounts in EUR; indicate VAT separately. The incidental expenditure and expenditure verification amounts published in the Terms of Reference are mandatory and must be included unchanged (€350,000 travel/other; €35,000 expenditure verification).

Application stages:Stage 1: Request to participate (shortlisting) — administrative and selection checks: eligibility, exclusion, financial/technical capacity (documents kept on file; contracting authority may request documentary proof). Stage 2: Invitation to tender — invited candidates submit full tenders (technical and financial). Technical evaluation performed first; only tenders meeting minimum technical thresholds proceed to financial evaluation. Preferred tenderer undergoes verifications prior to contract award (documentary evidence on exclusion, selection, confirmation of key experts and auditor/practitioner). These stages mean an application process of at least two formal stages.

Consortium requirement and subcontracting

Consortium:The procedure allows consortia (groupings) and joint ventures. Tenderers must submit the same entity(ies) that filed the Request to Participate; changes to composition after shortlisting require prior written authorisation from the contracting authority. If the tender is submitted as consortium, one legal entity must be designated lead and provide the PIC. Members of a consortium are jointly and severally liable for contract performance. Subcontracting is permitted but subcontractors and capacity‑providing entities must be declared in the tender, must satisfy eligibility and non‑exclusion criteria and must be subject to approval by the contracting authority where requested. Where experts are provided through a third party, that third party is considered a subcontractor and its experts are treated as personnel of the contractor for the purposes of the contract.

Evaluation, scoring and templates

Evaluation approach:Technical evaluation uses an 100‑point grid (example weighting in ITT): Organisation & Methodology (max 60 points) broken down into rationale/strategy, support facilities, consortium involvement and timetable; Key experts (max 40 points). Mandatory pass: overall technical score at least 75/100 and each key expert meeting the mandatory minimum requirements on a YES/NO basis. Financial evaluation: only fees and lump sums are considered (incidental expenditure and AUP provision are not compared in scoring). Best price-quality ratio applied with technical 80 / price 20 weighting to rank tenders.

1. 1Templates and mandatory annexes in the tender dossier: Invitation to Tender / Annex II Terms of Reference; Annex III Organisation & Methodology; Annex IV Key Expert Profile templates; Annex V Budget breakdown (fee-based) spreadsheet including 'Estimated number of working days' worksheet; Annex VI Financial Guarantee template; Annex VII agreed‑upon procedures AUP ToR and report templates; administrative forms including Tender Submission Form and declaration templates.
2. 2Key supporting documents to be ready for verification if shortlisted/selected: certificates of registries, audited accounts (if requested), proof of absence of exclusion situations, CVs and diploma copies for key experts, references and contracts, confirmation of auditor/practitioner for expenditure verification.
3. 3Expenditure verification: the contract mandates an independent agreed‑upon procedures engagement to verify invoices and financial reports (ISRS 4400). The tender dossier includes the AUP ToR and reporting template: the AUP report must be provided with each invoice and final report as required in Article 28 of General Conditions.

Key personnel and expert requirements

Key experts are mandatory and described in Annex II and Annex IV:Team Leader (Renewable Energy Integration & Grid Resilience) — minimum 10 years power sector experience; heavy emphasis on system modelling (PSS/E, DIgSILENT PowerFactory, ETAP, HOMER), grid resilience, storage and policy/market reform experience; minimum time input 528 man‑days. Key Expert: Utility Asset Valuation — advanced degree in finance/economics/engineering; minimum 8 years’ relevant valuations experience covering generation, transmission, distribution and privatization support; minimum 528 man‑days. Key Expert: Energy Efficiency Policy & Implementation — advanced degree, 10+ years’ experience designing national EE programs and legal drafting experience; minimum 528 man‑days. The tenderer must provide signed statements of exclusivity and availability for each key expert, CVs limited to 3 pages for the expert profile template and documentary evidence of qualifications and prior assignments. Non-key experts must meet minimum experience profiles and are to be made available as required; their profiles are not scored but must be demonstrably available.

Budget, payment and audit arrangements

Budget structure:fee-based contract—tenderers must use the Annex V budget spreadsheet to present: estimated working days (home‑based and place‑of‑performance), daily fee rates per category, lump sums for defined activities (if any), provision for incidental expenditure (fixed amount €350,000 in ToR), and a fixed provision for expenditure verification (€35,000). Maximum contract value excluding VAT is the relevant ceiling for financial evaluation (€3.5M). VAT and indirect taxes if applicable must be indicated separately. Payments: pre‑financing (up to 20% for fee‑based contracts subject to financial guarantee), interim payments on submission of interim reports and expenditure verification report, final payment upon approval of final report and final expenditure verification report. A financial guarantee may be required for pre‑financing (Annex VI template). Expenditure verification: every interim and final invoice for fee‑based contracts must be accompanied by an independent agreed‑upon procedures (AUP) report prepared by an approved practitioner in line with Annex VII AUP ToR (ISRS 4400). The AUP practitioner must be independent, meet minimum qualifications and be approved by the contracting authority; AUP reporting templates and sampling rules are in Annex VII.

Compliance, legal and data protection

Mandatory compliance:tenderers and subcontractors must not be in exclusion situations (fraud, corruption, bankruptcy, restrictive EU measures). The contracting authority may impose administrative penalties and exclusion from EU procedures for grave misconduct. The contract is governed by EU/partner country law rules indicated in the Main Conditions and Annex I General Conditions (data protection obligations per Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 apply). Personal data processing and privacy statements are provided in the tender dossier (Annex: privacy notice).

1. 1Procurement channel and portal: EU Funding & Tenders Portal — tenders submitted via eSubmission only; EU Login required (2FA from 30 June 2026).
2. 2Language: English (reports submitted in English; legislative drafts and Arabic translations required for national legal instruments as specified).
3. 3Place of performance: Cairo with at least 30 missions in Egypt and field visits to grid, substations, gas installations, wind/solar farm sites; up to 20% of man‑days home based.
4. 4Reporting: Inception report within 1 month; bi‑monthly or 6‑monthly interim progress and financial reports and AUP; draft final report one month before end of contract; final report and final AUP on completion.

Eligible countries / geography

Primary beneficiary country:Arab Republic of Egypt. Place(s) of performance also identified as Near and Middle East region. The programme is part of the EU Neighbourhood programme/ENI/NDICI regional envelope interacting with other donors and IFIs. Shortlisted tenderers from eligible nationalities as identified in the tender dossier (EU rules apply) may participate; subcontractors must not be subject to EU restrictive measures.

Other practical details and risks

Risks highlighted by the Terms of Reference:(i) regulatory and legislative delays that may affect implementation of market reforms and privatization; (ii) grid connection and stability risks when integrating large volumes of renewables; (iii) data gaps and capacity constraints affecting energy efficiency and MACC analysis; (iv) political and social sensitivities around DISCO privatization (transparency, safeguards and stakeholder engagement crucial); (v) security, travel and logistical constraints for field missions. Assumptions include sustained government commitment to reforms, availability of donor/IFI financing and timely grid investments.

Success rates and co‑funding:Success rates: not published in the dossier. Restricted procedure means only shortlisted candidates may submit full tenders; number shortlisted is limited (procurement long list and shortlist process described in dossier). Co‑funding: no co‑funding contribution from the contractor is required; the contract is a procurement of services paid by the contracting authority. No matching funds for this TA are requested in the tender documentation.

Templates, forms and application structure (how to prepare a compliant tender)

The tender dossier contains mandatory templates and forms. Tenderers must follow exact structure and use the provided templates (Annexes). Key template checklist:

1. 1Tender Submission Form (Part D) including declarations and signatures and signed statements of exclusivity and availability per key expert.
2. 2Organisation & Methodology document (to become Annex III to the contract) that includes technical approach, methodology, workplan, risk mitigation, monitoring & evaluation approach, and the Estimated number of working days worksheet exported from the Annex V budget spreadsheet.
3. 3Annex IV Key Expert Profile template: one profile per required key expert position (max 3 pages each) with documentary evidence (diplomas, employer attestations) available on request.
4. 4Annex V Budget breakdown (fee-based) spreadsheet: complete both the Budget Breakdown and Working days worksheets, include fee rates, estimated days, lump sums if any, incidental expenditure subtotals and fixed expenditure verification amount (€35,000).
5. 5Annex VI Financial Guarantee template (only if pre‑financing requested: bank guarantee or approved instrument).
6. 6Annex VII Expenditure Verification ToR and AUP report template: confirm the independent practitioner to be used for AUP verification of invoices and financial reports; the practitioner must be independent and meet ToR qualifications.

Tenderers must be prepared to provide upon request documentary evidence supporting declarations and eligibility (company registration, audited accounts, PIC validation, proof of no exclusion, references) and to confirm key experts’ availability if selected. The contracting authority may require clarifications and has the right to reject tenders with missing or non‑compliant mandatory annexes or where key experts fail to meet the mandatory minimum criteria.

Final summary — what is this opportunity about and who should consider it

This is an EU‑funded procurement tender (restricted) for a 36‑month technical assistance contract to support Egypt’s energy transition across energy efficiency, renewable integration & grid resilience, and DISCO privatization readiness. The TA is comprehensive and multi‑disciplinary: it requires strong power systems and grid modelling expertise, large‑scale renewables integration experience, energy economics and policy/legal drafting skills (energy efficiency law / NEAP), financial modelling and utility valuation knowledge for privatizations, ISO 50001 implementation experience, and capacity building skills. The contract is service‑oriented, fee‑based and procured under a restricted tender (only shortlisted candidates invited). The successful contractor will deliver policy, technical and transactional outputs (roadmaps, laws/regulations, MACCs, feasibility studies, asset registers, valuations, OECD/IVSC‑standard reports, ISO 50001 certifications support), regular reporting, stakeholder engagement and EU visibility actions, and must arrange independent agreed‑upon procedures (AUP) expenditure verification for invoicing. Organisations that should consider this opportunity are large international consultancy teams, consortia of technical and financial advisory firms, or specialised groups combining engineering, policy/legal and financial advisory expertise with a proven track record in donor‑funded energy transition programmes, grid integration projects, and privatization transactions in developing or transition economies. Shortlisted applicants should carefully follow the dossier templates, ensure their key experts meet the mandatory requirements and are available for the indicated time inputs, and be ready to engage an independent practitioner for invoice expenditure verification as specified in Annex VII. For documentation and full tender dossier consult the EU Funding & Tenders Portal tender page and the attached Annexes in the ITT. ¹

Footnotes

1. 1Full procurement dossier and annexes available on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal tender details page: ec.europa.eu

Funding Opportunity Overview

This is a European Union-funded technical assistance service contract designed to support Egypt's energy sector transformation. The initiative aligns with Egypt's international climate commitments and the EU's Transitional Mutual Energy Dialogue (TMED) initiative. The program promotes cleaner and more efficient energy technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase renewable energy adoption, and improve energy efficiency across key sectors, while advancing privatization in the publicly owned electricity distribution sector.

Opportunity Details

Opportunity Type and Reference:Service Contract (Restricted Procedure). Publication Reference: EC-MENA/CAI/2025/EA-RP/0015. TED Reference: 77/2026 272432-2026. Published on 21 April 2026.

Contracting Authority:European Union, represented by the European Commission on behalf of and for the account of the Arab Republic of Egypt. The Delegation of the European Union to Egypt manages the contract in close collaboration with the Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy (MoERE) and the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources (MoPMR).

Contract Duration and Start Date:Maximum duration of 36 months. Intended start date is May 2026. Implementation period runs from May 2026 to May 2029.

Maximum Budget:€3,500,000 (estimated total value). This amount includes fees, lump sums, incidental expenditure, and expenditure verification provisions. Only the price without VAT/indirect taxes will be considered for financial evaluation.

Submission Deadline:11 May 2026 at 15:00 Africa/Cairo time. This is the deadline for receipt of requests to participate in the restricted procedure. Tenders must be submitted exclusively via the EU Funding and Tenders Portal (F&T Portal) using eSubmission.

Scope of Work and Key Deliverables

The technical assistance comprises three interconnected main tasks spanning 36 months, with continuous stakeholder engagement and capacity building throughout.

Task 1: Energy Efficiency, Emissions Reduction and Energy Transition

This task focuses on improving energy efficiency and reducing emissions across Egypt's gas, electricity, tourism, industry, and mineral sectors. Key deliverables include: (1) National Energy Efficiency Roadmap and NEAP 4 (in Arabic and English) covering all priority sectors with benchmarking against international best practices; (2) Energy Efficiency Law and Executive Regulation for thermal energy (natural gas and petroleum products) targeting industry and tourism sectors; (3) Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), benchmarking systems, and Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPs) with electronic tracking systems; (4) Marginal Abatement Cost Curves (MACC) and action plans for renewable energy, methane abatement, and flare gas reduction, including GIS-based deployment models; (5) Energy efficiency audits across six petroleum facilities with cost-classified implementation roadmaps; (6) ISO 50001 Energy Management System implementation in five oil and gas facilities with certification support.

Task 2: Renewable Energy Integration and Grid Resilience

This task addresses the integration of approximately 3 to 4 GW of renewable energy annually between 2030 and 2040. Deliverables include: (1) Grid Integration Assessment Report with geospatial mapping identifying congestion areas and renewable energy potential; (2) Grid Resilience Risk Assessment and mitigation strategy addressing physical and cyber threats; (3) Transmission requirements and renewable energy guidelines; (4) Stability assessment reports and simulations; (5) Advanced grid management feasibility study and deployment roadmap for smart grid technologies; (6) Economic impact assessment and investment plan; (7) Capacity building training plans and reports; (8) Regulatory gap analysis and reform plan; (9) Resilience performance metrics and monitoring framework; (10) Interim technical report with phased implementation roadmap; (11) Updated Egyptian Energy Strategy extended to 2050 using the Times Egypt Model (Markal).

Task 3: Privatization of Electricity Distribution Companies

This task supports the privatization of distribution companies (DISCOs) to unlock investment and improve operational performance. Deliverables include: (1) International case study review informing Egypt's regulatory approach; (2) Comprehensive asset valuation using multiple methodologies (Book Value, Replacement Cost, Market Value, DCF, RAB); (3) Asset inventory and technical audit; (4) Financial, legal, and contractual reviews; (5) Privatization readiness assessment covering governance and market preparation; (6) Operational efficiency planning and business plan development; (7) Privatization model selection and transaction structure; (8) Stakeholder engagement plan with social safeguards; (9) Risk mitigation strategy; (10) Digital readiness assessment for smart meter integration; (11) Phased privatization roadmap with clear milestones and performance criteria; (12) Sensitivity analysis and impact assessment on grid resilience and service quality.

Eligibility and Participation Requirements

Procedure Type:Restricted procedure. Only invited tenderers may participate. Participation is limited to short-listed candidates from the pre-qualification stage.

Eligible Applicants:Natural or legal persons (including consortia and joint ventures) with eligible nationalities and no exclusion situations. Applicants must not be subject to EU restrictive measures. Civil servants and public administration staff from Egypt may only be approved as experts if well justified, with proof of secondment or personal leave. Subcontractors and capacity-providing entities must also meet eligibility criteria and not be in exclusion situations.

Exclusion Criteria:Applicants are excluded if they are bankrupt, subject to insolvency procedures, have suspended business activities, are guilty of grave professional misconduct, have committed fraud or corruption, are involved in criminal organizations, money laundering, terrorist financing, child labour, or human trafficking, or have resisted investigations or audits. Applicants subject to EU restrictive measures are also excluded.

Conflict of Interest:Applicants must not have any conflict of interest or professional conflicting interest. Key experts proposed must not be part of any other tender in this procedure and must commit exclusively to the tenderer. Experts cannot have overlapping commitments as key experts on other EU/EDF-financed contracts during the same period.

Key Expert Requirements

The contract requires three key experts, each with a minimum level of effort of 528 man-days over the 36-month period. All key experts must meet minimum requirements or the entire tender will be rejected. Minimum requirements are assessed on a YES/NO basis.

Key Expert 1: Team Leader - Renewable Energy Integration and Grid Resilience

Minimum Qualifications:Advanced university degree (Master's or PhD) in Electrical Engineering, Renewable Energy, Power Systems, or closely related field. Minimum 10 years of proven professional experience in the power sector with strong focus on power system planning, renewable energy integration, and grid modernization.

Required Professional Experience:At least 10 years of direct experience designing, managing, or advising on renewable energy integration into national or regional power grids, including large-scale grid-connected solar PV, wind, and hybrid systems. Proven involvement in grid resilience enhancement including planning and deployment of energy storage systems, smart grid technologies, demand-side management, and grid reliability solutions. Demonstrated expertise in technical and regulatory assessments for grid codes and connection standards (ENTSO-E, IEEE, IEC standards). Hands-on experience working with transmission and distribution system operators, utilities, and energy regulators in both developing and developed country contexts. Prior involvement in policy and institutional reform programs related to renewable energy and energy transition is an asset. Experience with projects funded by international development institutions (World Bank, EU, AfDB, GIZ, USAID) is highly desirable.

Key Skills:Proficiency in advanced power system simulation and modeling tools (PSS/E, DIgSILENT PowerFactory, HOMER, ETAP). Strong grasp of economic dispatch, load forecasting, grid impact studies, and renewable energy forecasting models. Demonstrated ability to lead and coordinate multidisciplinary teams in complex technical environments. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with proven ability to facilitate stakeholder engagement, technical capacity building, and high-level policy dialogues. Fluent in English (spoken and written); knowledge of Arabic is an advantage.

Key Expert 2: Utility Asset Valuation

Minimum Qualifications:Advanced university degree (Master's or PhD) in Finance, Economics, Engineering, or related discipline. At least 8 years of professional experience in utility asset valuation, financial modelling, or infrastructure investment analysis, particularly within the energy sector.

Required Professional Experience:8+ years of hands-on experience valuing public and private utility assets including power generation, transmission, and distribution infrastructure. Proven application of internationally recognized asset valuation methodologies (cost-based, income-based, market-based approaches) in at least 3 separate valuation assignments. Minimum 5 years of experience working directly with or advising energy regulators, utilities, or government entities on asset valuation, tariff setting, or financial performance assessment. Demonstrated involvement in at least 2 projects related to privatization or commercial restructuring of state-owned utilities. At least 3 years of experience assessing or valuing renewable energy assets (solar PV, wind, hybrid systems) in addition to conventional assets. Familiarity with utility valuation practices in developing or transitioning economies, particularly under donor-funded projects (World Bank, EU, USAID, AfDB).

Key Skills:Over 5 years of experience developing and applying complex financial models including DCF, NPV/IRR analysis, scenario planning, and sensitivity analysis using MS Excel, Python, or R. Experience writing and delivering at least 2 asset valuation manuals or guidance documents for public or private sector stakeholders. Proven ability to design and deliver technical training programs with at least 3 workshops or capacity-building sessions facilitated for regulatory bodies, utilities, or ministries. Strong written and verbal communication skills with ability to explain financial and technical concepts clearly to non-specialist audiences. Fluent in English; knowledge of Arabic is considered a plus.

Key Expert 3: Energy Efficiency Policy and Implementation

Minimum Qualifications:Advanced university degree (Master's or PhD) in Public Policy, Energy Engineering, Environmental Policy, or related discipline. Minimum 10 years of professional experience in energy efficiency policy development, legal and regulatory reform, and implementation support, particularly in the public sector or international development context.

Required Professional Experience:At least 10 years of experience developing and/or advising on energy efficiency regulations and institutional frameworks at national or regional levels. Proven involvement in drafting or revision of at least 3 national energy efficiency regulatory frameworks incorporating both public and private sector enforcement mechanisms. Minimum 5 years of experience supporting implementation strategies for energy efficiency programs across multiple sectors (industry, gas, tourism). Demonstrated track record in designing or evaluating national energy efficiency action plans (NEEAPs), energy performance standards, or incentive mechanisms (audits, subsidies, tax credits, ESCO frameworks). Experience advising ministries, energy regulators, or legislative bodies on legal and institutional requirements for scaling up energy efficiency at national level. Familiarity with international energy efficiency frameworks (EU, IEA, UNEP, Energy Charter Treaty) is highly desirable. Experience in energy efficiency targeting thermal energy is an asset.

Key Skills:Strong understanding of legal drafting principles, public administration processes, and energy governance. Experience coordinating multi-stakeholder consultation processes and aligning policy reform with cross-sectoral development goals (climate change, competitiveness, energy security). Proven ability to lead or contribute to development of policy guides, regulatory toolkits, or compliance manuals with at least 2 published or adopted documents in the field. At least 3 years of experience delivering training workshops or legal briefings to policymakers, legal drafters, or implementing agencies. Excellent communication, legal writing, and advisory skills with ability to translate complex technical and legal information into actionable recommendations. Fluent in English; working knowledge of Arabic is considered an asset.

Non-Key Experts and Support Staff

Non-key experts will provide specialized technical support across project components. Minimum requirements include: Bachelor's degree or higher in relevant field (Engineering, Economics, Policy, Environmental Science, or related); at least 10 years of relevant professional experience in the energy sector or related fields; demonstrated expertise in renewable energy, grid systems, energy efficiency, utility regulation, asset valuation, or energy regulations; strong analytical and problem-solving abilities; proficient written and verbal communication in English; proven ability to work effectively in multidisciplinary and multicultural teams; experience working under tight deadlines and delivering quality outputs. Experience with donor-funded projects and knowledge of local/regional energy context are advantageous. Additional language skills are a plus. Non-key experts are engaged on an as-needed basis and do not require individual expert profiles to be submitted.

Tender Submission Requirements

Technical Offer Components:Tender submission form with signed statements of exclusivity and availability for each key expert; duly authorized signature documentation; Organization and Methodology document (Annex III format) including the Estimated Number of Working Days worksheet; Key Experts profiles (Annex IV format) with maximum 3 pages per expert including copies of diplomas and employer certificates or references proving professional experience; documentary evidence on exclusion criteria (to be kept available and provided upon request); documentary evidence on selection criteria including financial and economic capacity and technical and professional capacity (to be kept available and provided upon request).

Financial Offer Components:Budget breakdown in Euro indicating net total amount excluding VAT, VAT amount, and total amount; working days schedule showing estimated number of working days for each expert category during the implementation period; fee rates for each category of expert; lump sums for required items if applicable; subtotal for travel costs and other incidental expenditure costs; subtotal for expenditure verification. Only fees and lump sums are considered in financial evaluation; incidental expenditure provisions are not compared.

Submission Method and Language:Tenders must be submitted exclusively via the EU Funding and Tenders Portal (F&T Portal) using eSubmission. All offers, correspondence, and documents must be written in English. Supporting documents and literature may be in other official EU languages, but English takes precedence for interpretation. Tenders received after the deadline will be rejected. The eSubmission timestamp constitutes proof of compliance with the submission deadline.

Evaluation and Award Criteria

Evaluation Process:Technical offers are evaluated first according to award criteria and weighting specified in the evaluation grid. Only tenders with an average score of 75 points or more proceed to financial evaluation. The evaluation committee may interview key experts proposed in technically compliant tenders. Interviews are conducted by telephone or alternative communication tools with at least 10 days' notice. If a key expert cannot attend due to force majeure, one alternative appointment is arranged; failure to attend the second appointment results in tender elimination.

Award Criteria and Weighting:Best price-quality ratio is established by weighting technical quality against price on an 80/20 basis. Technical quality is weighted at 80 percent; price is weighted at 20 percent. Tenders exceeding the maximum budget of €3,500,000 are not accepted and not further evaluated.

Verification with Presumed Successful Tenderer:The contracting authority requests the presumed successful tenderer to provide within 7 days: documentary evidence on exclusion criteria; documentary evidence on selection criteria; confirmation of key experts; confirmation of auditor/practitioner for expenditure verification. If key experts are unavailable, up to three replacement key-experts may be proposed for the same position within the 7-day period. Replacement experts must meet minimum requirements and achieve at least the same score as initially proposed experts. If suitable replacements are not proposed or if the proposal amends award conditions, the contracting authority may notify the next best ranked tenderer.

Financial Terms and Payment Conditions

Contract Type and Payment Structure:This is a fee-based service contract. Payments are made as follows: (1) Pre-financing payment up to 20 percent of contract value within 30 days of invoice receipt or contract signature, subject to financial guarantee validation; (2) Six-monthly interim payments within 60 days of receiving invoice, interim progress report, and expenditure verification report, subject to report approval; (3) Invoices paid such that sum does not exceed 90 percent of maximum contract value, with 10 percent minimum final payment; (4) Final balance within 90 days of receiving final invoice, final progress report, and final expenditure verification report, subject to approval.

Financial Guarantee:Unless otherwise provided, the contractor must provide a financial guarantee for the full amount of pre-financing. The guarantee may be provided as a bank guarantee, banker's draft, certified cheque, bond from insurance/bonding company, irrevocable letter of credit, or cash deposit. The guarantee remains valid until released by the contracting authority in accordance with contract terms. For fee-based contracts, the guarantee is released when pre-financing is reimbursed.

Incidental Expenditure:Provision for incidental expenditure is €350,000, included unchanged in the budget breakdown. This covers travel costs (missions outside place of performance), per diems at published rates, software and licenses (up to 3 calendar years), workshops and conferences with translation, training and capacity strengthening workshops with interpretation and translation. Provision for expenditure verification is €35,000, included unchanged in the budget breakdown. Prior authorization by the contracting authority is not needed for use of travel costs and other costs in incidental expenditure.

Expert Remuneration and Working Days:Payment is based solely on working days actually worked. Fee rates must include remuneration, administrative costs, equipment, relocation and repatriation expenses (including flights for mobilization and demobilization and leave), accommodation, expatriation allowances, leave, medical insurance, and other employment benefits. Fee rates also include margin, overheads, profit, and support facilities. Experts work 80 percent on-site (place of performance) and 20 percent home-based. Annual leave entitlement does not exceed 60 calendar days per year and is approved by the project manager. Days taken as annual leave are not considered working days. A minimum of 7 hours worked equals one day worked; less than a day is indicated as a fraction.

Late Payment Interest:Once payment deadline expires, the contractor (unless a government department or public body in an EU Member State) receives default interest within two months of late payment at the rate applied by the European Central Bank to its main refinancing transactions in euro (or rediscount rate of the central bank of the contracting authority's country) plus 8 percentage points. Interest is payable for the time elapsed between expiry of payment deadline (exclusive) and the date the contracting authority's account is debited (inclusive). When calculated interest is €200 or less, it is paid only upon demand submitted within two months of receiving late payment.

Reporting and Monitoring Requirements

Interim and Final Reports:Interim reports must be prepared every six months during implementation. The narrative report is based on the monitoring and evaluation system using the Logical Framework Matrix. Each report must consist of narrative and financial sections. Interim reports must be accompanied by invoice, financial report, and expenditure verification report. A draft final report must be submitted at least one month before the end of implementation. A final report, final invoice, and final expenditure verification report are required at the end of the implementation period.

Submission and Approval:Reports must be submitted to the project manager identified in the contract. Reports must be written in English. The project manager is responsible for approving reports. As this is direct management, the partner country (Egypt) must be involved in commenting on and approving reports. In the absence of comments or approval by the partner country within 30 days, reports are deemed approved.

Monitoring and Evaluation Framework:The contract includes a Logical Framework Matrix with indicators at overall goal, purpose/outcomes, outputs, and activities levels. Overall goal indicators include national reduction in GHG emissions by end of project and improved reliability and sustainability of electricity supply. Purpose/outcome indicators include share of renewables in electricity mix increased to 7 percent, AT&C losses in privatized utility reduced by 5 percent, energy use per unit GDP in project sectors reduced, and private capital investment in electricity sector increased. Output indicators include grid upgraded to integrate 10 GW renewables, NEAP drafted, KPIs and MEPs designed and piloted, privatization transaction completed, and energy audits and capacity building completed. Means of verification include national energy and emissions statistics, utility reports, energy regulator reports, investment tracking, KPI/M&E databases, transaction closing documentation, and training attendance records.

Implementation Location and Logistics

Place of Performance:The contract is implemented in Cairo, Egypt, with 20 percent of total man-days permitted to be home-based. At least 30 missions are foreseen to locations outside the usual place of performance to visit different parts of the grid, control centres, substations, gas installations, and wind farm locations in the Red Sea or South of Egypt.

Office Accommodation:The contractor must provide office accommodation of reasonable standard, approximately 10 square metres for each expert working on the contract. Costs of office accommodation are covered by fee rates.

Key Dates and Timeline

General Conditions and Contractual Obligations

Code of Conduct and Ethics:The contractor must act impartially and as a faithful adviser in accordance with professional code of conduct and with appropriate discretion. Physical abuse, sexual abuse, harassment, and verbal abuse are prohibited. The contractor must respect human rights, applicable data protection rules, environmental legislation, and core labour standards (ILO conventions). The contractor must comply with anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws and regulations. Zero tolerance applies to sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment. Unusual commercial expenses are prohibited. The contractor must commit to and ensure respect for basic EU values including human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, rule of law, and human rights.

Conflict of Interest and Professional Conflicting Interest:The contractor must take all necessary measures to prevent or end any situation of conflict of interest or professional conflicting interest that could compromise impartial and objective performance. Any conflict must be notified in writing to the contracting authority without delay. The contractor must ensure all personnel are bound by obligations preventing conflicts of interest. The contractor must replace immediately any member of personnel exposed to such situations without compensation from the contracting authority.

Intellectual Property Rights:All results obtained in performance of the contract, including copyright and other intellectual or industrial property rights, are irrevocably and fully vested to the contracting authority from the moment results are delivered and accepted. The contracting authority may use results as it sees fit, including storage, modification, translation, display, reproduction, publication, communication, assignment, and transfer. The contractor must ensure delivered results are free of rights or claims from third parties. The contractor must not retain copies of documents and data and must not use them for purposes unrelated to the contract without prior contracting authority consent. The contractor warrants that transfer of rights does not violate any law or infringe any rights of others.

Liability and Insurance:The contractor assumes full responsibility for maintaining integrity of services and risk of loss and damage until completion of implementation and approval of reports. Compensation for damage to services resulting from contractor liability is capped at contract value, except for fraud or gross negligence which cannot be capped. The contractor is responsible for and indemnifies the contracting authority for any damage caused during service performance. Compensation for contractor liability in respect to the contracting authority is capped at one million euros if contract value is less than or equal to one million euros, or at contract value if greater than one million euros, except for bodily injury (including death) or fraud/gross negligence which cannot be capped. The contractor must indemnify the contracting authority from all actions, claims, losses, or damage arising from contractor acts or omissions, including violation of legal provisions or third-party rights. The contractor must take out adequate insurance with recognized international insurance companies unless the contracting authority consents otherwise. Insurance must cover professional liability, medical expenses, repatriation costs, accidental death or permanent disability, accident at work, and personal effects of employees.

Suspension and Termination:The contracting authority may suspend contract execution on its order or in case of force majeure. The contractor must take protective measures during suspension. Additional expenses incurred for protective measures may be added to contract price unless suspension is due to contractor breach or confirmed breach of obligations. The contracting authority may terminate the contract with 7 days' notice in cases of serious breach, failure to comply with project manager notices, refusal to carry out administrative orders, unauthorized assignment or subcontracting, bankruptcy or insolvency, organizational modifications, legal disability, failure to provide guarantees or insurance, grave professional misconduct, fraud, corruption, criminal organization involvement, money laundering, terrorist financing, child labour, human trafficking, or resistance to investigation. The contracting authority may also terminate if the contractor is in breach of code of conduct, conflict of interest, data protection obligations, or if manifest that the contractor will materially fail to perform. Upon termination, the contractor must bring services to close promptly and reduce expenditure to minimum. The contracting authority may complete services itself or contract with third parties at contractor's expense.

Force Majeure:Neither party is in default or breach if performance is prevented by unforeseeable circumstances beyond control and which cannot be overcome by due diligence. Force majeure includes acts of God, strikes, industrial disturbances, acts of public enemy, wars, blockades, insurrection, riots, epidemics, landslides, earthquakes, storms, lightning, floods, civil disturbances, explosions, and EU decisions to suspend cooperation with the partner country. Force majeure either suspends contract performance or leads to termination. The contractor is not liable for liquidated damages or termination for breach if delay or failure results from force majeure. If force majeure continues for 180 days, either party may serve 30 days' notice to terminate; if situation persists at expiry, contract terminates and parties are released from further performance.

Data Protection:Personal data included in or relating to the contract is processed in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 solely for implementation, management, and monitoring purposes by the data controller. Data subjects have rights to access, rectify, erase personal data, restrict processing, object to processing, or data portability. The contractor processes personal data only on documented written instructions and under supervision of the controller. The contractor must grant personnel access to data only to the extent strictly necessary and ensure personnel are bound by confidentiality. The contractor must adopt appropriate technical and organizational security measures including pseudonymization, encryption, confidentiality, integrity, availability, resilience, and regular testing. The contractor must notify relevant personal data breaches to the controller without undue delay and at latest within 48 hours. The contractor must maintain records of all data processing operations, transfers, security breaches, and responses to rights requests. The contractor must return or delete personal data upon expiry of processing period unless Union or national law requires longer storage.

Tender Validity and Binding Period

Tenderers are bound by their tenders for 110 days after the deadline for submitting tenders. Unsuccessful tenderers remain bound until the end of the validity period even if they receive a non-award notification. The contracting authority may request extension of the validity period for a specific number of days not exceeding 20 days before the period expires. This period can be further extended when the contracting authority must obtain panel recommendations, up to adoption of that recommendation. The successful tenderer must maintain its tender for a further 60 days added to the validity period regardless of notification date. This period can be further extended by mutual agreement. If the contracting authority suspends contract signature after the standstill period, all tenderers are informed within 3 working days, automatically extending tender validity for the appropriate period. During the tender validity period for unsuccessful tenderers, the contracting authority reserves the right to send a notification of award to the next best ranked tenderer, with validity extended by 60 days upon notification. A tenderer may refuse award if tender validity has expired when receiving notification.

Additional Information and Clarifications

Any request for additional information must be made in writing on the F&T Portal by clicking Create a Question in the Questions and Answers section at the latest 21 days before the submission deadline. The contracting authority has no obligation to provide clarification on questions received after this date. Clarifications are published on the F&T Portal at the latest 8 days before the submission deadline. It is the tenderer's responsibility to check for updates and modifications during the submission period. No information meeting or site visit is planned. Individual meetings with the contracting authority, government of the partner country, or European Commission during the tender period may result in tenderer exclusion.

Context and Strategic Alignment

Egypt's energy sector is undergoing transformative changes to satisfy domestic energy demand, strengthen regional energy partnerships, and accelerate renewable energy adoption. The country operates four Floating Storage Regasification Units (FSRUs) with combined capacity of €2.7 billioncubic feet per day. Installed electricity capacity totals 60 GW with peak summer loads of 39.8 GW. Renewables represented 21 percent of peak load in 2025, with targets of 30 percent by 2030 and more than 60 percent by 2040. Solar capacity stands at 2.2 GW including Benban Solar Park, with 3.7 GW more planned. Wind capacity is 1.7 GW with major projects underway. Battery storage of 2,840 MWh is planned. Egypt has ambitious strategy for green hydrogen targeting production of up to €8 milliontons annually by 2040 and attracting foreign direct investment of up to USD €85 billion. The EU has committed €7.4 billion package to Egypt including up to €5 billion in macro-financial assistance and significant funding for renewable energy, energy efficiency, and climate initiatives. The EIB has provided €135 million loan supplemented by EU grants to mobilize €271 million for climate-focused investments. The EU-Egypt Investment Guarantee for Development Mechanism, launched in June 2025, is designed to fast-track strategic investment projects and attract up to €5 billion in investments from public and private sources between 2024 and 2027. Other key multilateral institutions supporting Egypt's energy transition include the African Development Bank (USD €746 millionin 2025), European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, World Bank Group, Clean Technology Fund, USAID, German Development Bank (KfW), GIZ, Green Climate Fund, and Islamic Development Bank. Bilateral donors including United Kingdom, France, Japan, and Denmark also contribute funding, policy support, and technical expertise.

Footnotes

1. 1The contract is financed under EU financing decision NDICI-GEO-MENA/2023/045-247 from the general budget of the Union. The Neighbourhood Programme funds this initiative as part of the EU's broader engagement with Egypt on energy transition and climate action.