Site assessments, solar energy designs and training for healthcare personnel for determining energy needs and infrastructural condition of Primary Health Care facilities in Guyana to create plans for

Background

UNICEF Guyana Country Office is committee d to scaling up sustainable energy integration in priority programme areas (e.g., Health, and related WASH interventions) with the goal of promoting positive social benefits for children and young people.

Positive correlations between electricity access and health outcomes have been demonstrated during routine maternal, new-born and child health services and emergencies. The interruption and availability of electricity is a bottleneck in using life-saving equipment especially for new-borns and children which has resulted in many preventable deaths. Similarly, during the COVID-19 pandemic, electricity in health facilities is critical to treat patients and operate vital, lifesaving medical devices to manage cases. Health facilities with un-interrupted, stable, and suitable electricity supply are resilient and have continuity in delivering health services. Besides enabling a proper cold chain and improving diagnostic and curative services, the availability of reliable electricity leads to a better administration of the health facilities.

Access to reliable electricity in health facilities is therefore an important enabler of quality health,  and related WASH services and is necessary to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in energy, health, and WASH. Some of the solutions to increase energy access in health facilities include connecting to decentralized solutions such as mini-grids or stand-alone solar Photovoltaics (PV) systems. Decentralized solar energy solutions are promising options that can also simultaneously transform the sectors to a low carbon and climate resilient development pathway. This is a powerful benefit to children and young people in the face of a changing climate and environment.

Guyana is a signatory to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and has developed a National Climate Change Policy and Action Plan 2020 – 20230 and a Low Carbon Development Strategy 2030. Both documents outline actions for Guyana to transition to renewable energy sources including solar energy to reduce climate risk and carbon emissions. Moreover, in Guyana, the hinterland regions (Regions 1,7, 8 and 9) have disproportionate access to specialized health services and quality healthcare due to underdeveloped infrastructure such as limited or no electricity. To improve services in the hinterland regions, the Government of Guyana has equipped  health facilities with solar electricity however many facilities remain with insufficient or no electricity supply.

With the objective to provide reliable electricity to the Primary Health Care (PHC) facilities through solar PV systems, UNICEF Guyana is seeking to identify and carry out site assessment of  44 PHC facilities suitable for solar energy in Guyana to determine the energy needs and infrastructure condition of the PHCs in order to prepare for next phase of solar installations.

Purpose and Objectives

The purpose of this consultancy is supporting training for and carry out site assessments of 44 Primary Health Care (PHC) facilities suitable for Solar energy in Guyana, to determine the energy needs of the facilities and infrastructural information which will provide information to plan for solar PV installation project at the PHCs in the country.

The general objectives of this consultancy are to:

1. For Five (5) Health facilities - Site assessments and solar energy designs:

1. Conduct an energy demand assessment for all defined HF - Collect energy needs data from PHCs suitable for solar energy based on the template designed for the assessment, collect infrastructural condition and site layout details to inform on solar PV installation plan.
2. Evaluate the technical, logistical social, and security conditions for implementing solar solutions in each facility.
3. Determine the optimal solar capacity and define the main equipment. Develop a specific design for large health centers and a standard design for small ones.
4. Define the budget and operation and maintenance (O&M) strategy.

Expected Results:

1. Detailed excel template (consist of HFSE assessment using ODK Collect and HFSE equipment tool) filled containing energy needs and infrastructural information for each of the 5 health facilities.
2. Photos per facility organized by the Facility Name. Organized and properly named photographic record for each healthcare facility.
3. Sizing and design of each Solar Photovoltaic Solution SSFV for each large healthcare facility: location of solar panels and connection equipment, complete solar design for large healthcare Centers, including: SSFV sizing in kWp, battery Ah sizing (if applicable), roof analysis (feasibility for solar panel installation), AC and DC wiring routes, connection point, selection of inverter or inverters, SSFV monitoring. Selection of main equipment and technical specifications (panels, support structure, cabling, inverters, batteries, and cabinet). General plans for equipment location in the facility and detailed cabling route plan. Complete budget in USD including total cost of goods and services for each SSFV.
4. Standard sizing for small health facilities: Define the best location for each SSFV. Focus on the condition of the roof and access. Group health Centers into a maximum of four groups based on energy demand and similar conditions, location, surface area, among others. Standardize the design (standard design) of the SSFVs and define for each one: Solar capacity kWp, Number and capacity of panels kWp, Number of inverters kW, Number of batteries (if applicable) and capacity Ah. 4. General plan: general location, building layout (main electrical board) and location of the SSFV. General budget in USD including all goods.
5. General Operation and Maintenance (O&M) strategy for future SSFVs, recommendations based on field reviews and analysis.
6. Summary Presentation of key findings and recommendations of sites: capacity, budget, beneficiaries.

2. For thirty-nine (39) Health facilities - Training and site assessments:

2.1 Provide training, follow up, and manage the information that will be collected by health personnel for health posts.

2.2 The health personnel will collect energy needs data from health posts suitable for solar energy based on the template designed for the assessment

2.3 The health personnel will collect infrastructural condition and site layout details to inform on solar PV installation plan.

Expected Results:

1. Detailed excel template (consist of HFSE assessment using ODK Collect and HFSE equipment tool) filled containing energy needs and infrastructural information for each of the 39 PHC facilities.

2. Summary Presentation of key findings and recommendations of sites 

3. Photos per facility organized by the Facility Name.

- The UNICEF Latin America and Caribbean Office (LACRO) will provide online training to the selected consultant on the use of tools so that the consultant can multiply the training sessions.

- The consultant must provide in-person training sessions in Regions 1 and 9 in at least 3 groups per region, as well as online training, continuous monitoring, guidance, and serve as data manager for the information collected by healthcare personnel.

- The consultant should not visit the planned health posts only the five larger health facilities where they will conduct Site assessments and solar energy designs.

Scope of work

UNICEF Guyana seeks to engage a qualified contractor/firm to support training and conduct site assessments at 44 PHC facilities suitable for solar energy in the country. The list of sites is attached as Annex 1 with this TOR. UNICEF aims to complete training and assessments of all 44 PHC facilities within 8 - 12 weeks for which contractor should engage multiple teams simultaneously to cover the assessments within the allotted timeframe.

The site assessments will be carried out based on the template, attached as Annex 2. This template already includes all the parameters deemed necessary to be collected from the sites that will allow UNICEF and future solar PV system suppliers to size the solar PV system and estimate the material required per site.

The detailed services required under this assignment are:

1. Coordinate with UNICEF and counterparts on the adjustment of the tool and ensure assessor participation in the training workshops.
2. Collect Health facility level data using the template attached as Annex 2:
3. Develop the sizing, design, budget, and operation and maintenance strategy for health centers.
4. Provide training, guidance and follow up to the health personell for the 39 health posts.

The company will use the prepared Site Assessment Template to collect information from the health facilities. Please see link for template.  The template may go through revision and updated based on the feedback from the selected contractor. The key points for data collection are

• All collected data will be submitted for each facility to UNICEF in digital Excel format
• All required photos will be submitted in jpeg or similar format organized in folder named after the facility name.

1. Before the visit:

• Socialize the project: Emphasize the request for support in gathering the most reliable field information.
• Validate that they are operational.
• Request preliminary information: electricity bills (for HC connected to the grid), available floor and land plans, and the total population served by the HC's area.
• Coordinate the presence of the following staff from the HC on the day of the visit: The current person in charge and a person who has worked there for at least the last 5 years and knows the Health Center's history.

The following type of information will be collected:

Site/Infrastructure Assessment:

• Facility profile: verify the existence of the health facilities at the provided location, basic information, GPS coordinates of the facility, etc.
• Record the names and contact details of key facility personnel and local government officials with a stake in the healthy functioning of the facilities
• Building layout (dimensioned plan), structural condition, physical infrastructure integrity and suitability for the installation of solar PV system to power the facility and community receptivity, electrical power distribution system, etc.
• Determine the network connectivity situation and level of mobile phone service (voice/text only, GPRS, 3G, 4G, none) at each facility (to determine if remote monitoring technology can be deployed at the site)
• Describe the operation activity of the facility, including the operating hours, etc.
• Describe the current level of functionality of the facility (fully functional, partially functional, etc.) and highlight key constraints to functionality (medicine, vaccinations, water supply, electricity supply, etc.)
• Record the number of rooms, list the potential / earmarked electrical equipment per room and the expected daily usage pattern of electricity
• Record the average number of patients/days, no. of beds, services provided, etc. for health facilities – these can help estimate the size of the system and the needs in terms of equipment use, mobile phone/device charging
• Grid power availability (facilities and community), quality (reliability), connectivity arrangements, plans for grid supply in the community
• Other additional assessment, as necessary.

Detailed load assessment of the facilities (or kW requirement) to meet the existing and future demand for improved service delivery, including but not limited to the following:  

• The current electricity needs of the facility and future needs depending on any planned upgrades to the facility.
• Identify the types of services and associated electrical appliances that are deemed highest priority for current needs and future upgrades.
• Stock-take of existing energy consumption at facilities (including electricity via diesel generators, batteries, or other means, and the use of any liquid or solid fuels). This stock-taking should:
• List electrical appliances present at the site, their Wattage, and hours of usage in daytime and night-time
• Describe the current source of lighting and electricity and how it is perceived in terms of reliability and service quality. Provide photographs of existing lighting sources (e.g., candle, kerosene lamp, battery-powered torch, etc.) and/or any existing electricity source (e.g., diesel generator or solar system). Record the age of the existing diesel generator (if any), cost of installing the energy system and the average energy expenditure (per month) on the different energy sources, and O&M costs.
• The amount of downtime due to lack of fuel budget or generator being out of order
• If one or more solar PV systems already exist, record information regarding their specifications (1) A picture of the solar panel specifications 2) Total number of panels, number of panels in series, and number of series in parallel. 3) Inclination and azimuth of solar panel array 4) calculated PV array peak output voltage, current, and power (wattage) (if available). 5) charge controller size and type. 6) battery size, type, age, and typical depth of discharge 7) battery inverter/variable frequency drive/3-phase inverter size and type (if used)) and typical usage profile
• Record data on refrigeration used (model(s), size, and nameplate data). If the refrigerator is powered by a separate solar electric system, record solar panel peak Wattage (Wp)
• For other equipment already powered by solar, length, terms, and conditions of the operation and maintenance contract, age of the system, battery life, etc.
• Identify loads not suited to being powered from a solar PV system

All the above points are already included in the questions in Template attached as Annex 2.

A summary presentation is to be prepared with key findings across all facilities and recommendations on implementing solar PV systems in these facilities.

The contractor, at their own expense and risk, may use electrical energy consumption measurement equipment such as a datalogger or network analyzer to refine their analysis.

Energy Efficiency Considerations: The contractor must recommend implementing potential Energy Efficiency measures at each facility. They should prioritize these measures based on a cost-benefit analysis, focusing on: 1. Equipment that consumes the most energy, 2. Technological obsolescence, and 3. Passive measures in buildings.

These measures will be proposed for the entities to implement prior to the installation of the Solar Photovoltaic Solutions (SPVS) to achieve greater efficiency in the use of energy from the solar solutions.

Just for the PHC with scope: Site assessments and solar energy designs:

Sizing and Design of Solar Photovoltaic Solutions (SPVS): Based on the information collected in the field, the general sizing and design of the SPVS must be developed, considering the following scope:

Sizing and design of each SPVS for each large health facility: This should include, but not be limited to:

-Sizing of the SPVS in kWp

- Sizing of the battery in Ah (if applicable)

- Roof analysis (viability for solar panel installation, validate access for maintenance). If the roof is not suitable, define the optimal space on the ground, ensuring it is unshaded and has the possibility of being enclosed and secured.

- Definition of AC and DC cable routes and connection point to the main electrical panel of the facility - connection conditions.

- Selection of the inverter or inverters, and SPVS monitoring.

- Selection of the main equipment and technical specifications (panels, support structure, wiring, inverters, batteries, and enclosure).

Budget: A general budget in Guyana dollars must be prepared for each of the proposed SPVS for each facility, detailing the quantity and cost of the main equipment: itemized panels, itemized inverters, itemized batteries (if applicable), itemized support structure, and a general global item for the enclosure, wiring, protections, fencing, etc. This includes supply, transportation, installation, and taxes.

For all PHC: health centers and health post:

Prepare site plans for each facility: Three plans must be presented for each facility: 1. A general aerial view plan (which can be created from satellite information like Google Maps) highlighting the general location of buildings and available spaces. 2. A general layout plan of the main buildings, highlighting the location of the electrical service entrance, the main electrical feeder, and the distribution panel. And 3. A site plan that identifies the location for the installation of the solar photovoltaic panels and the appropriate location for the installation of the controller, inverter, and batteries, as well as the connection points to the main panel and the estimated cable lengths from the main grid to the solar panel.

Operation and Maintenance (O&M) Strategy: Based on the consultant's observations in the field, experience with these types of solutions, the capabilities of the health facility staff, the resource management considerations of each entity and the Ministry of Health, the technical specifications of the equipment, and the technical, social, and cultural conditions, the contractor must propose an optimal general operation and maintenance strategy for the SPVS. This strategy should guarantee: 1. The continuous operation of the SPVS, 2. The execution of preventive and corrective maintenance, and 3. The correct administration and sustainability of the infrastructure to ensure its longevity.

This deliverable is essential for establishing the investment and operation conditions of the assets to be built and thereby managing the mobilization of funds that will allow the project to be materialized in the near future.

A summary presentation will be prepared for each facility with the key findings at all installations, recommendations on the implementation of solar photovoltaic systems at these facilities, sizing, budget per facility and total, and O&M considerations.