TERMS OF REFERENCE

BACKGROUND

The Renewable Energy Association of Nigeria (REAN) is the umbrella industry association representing stakeholders across Nigeria’s renewable energy value chain. REAN promotes renewable energy deployment through policy advocacy, stakeholder coordination, research, market development, industry representation and engagement with government, regulators, development partners and private-sector actors.

Nigeria’s renewable energy market has grown significantly, particularly in solar home systems, mini-grids, commercial and industrial systems, and other distributed energy solutions. However, rapid market expansion has also brought quality assurance and compliance challenges, including sub-standard components, inconsistent installation practices, inadequate application of technical standards, installation failures and safety concerns, and limited awareness of applicable regulatory and conformity-assessment requirements. These challenges can undermine consumer confidence, market integrity and investor confidence.

The REAN Standardization & Compliance program was developed to address these challenges by improving awareness and application of technical standards, strengthening industry capacity, promoting regulatory and standards harmonization, improving quality assurance, consumer protection and market confidence, and positioning REAN as a credible quality champion and self-regulatory industry body.

Under the Program, the Consultant will support REAN to establish and operationalize the Standardization and Compliance function. The Program will include the development of practical, sector-specific compliance toolkits and guidance materials; pre-certification advisory clinics; sector-wide standards and regulatory mapping; compliance baseline and gap assessments; and continuous engagement with relevant regulators, standards bodies, industry stakeholders and other institutions.

The Program will further establish mechanisms for member compliance recognition and certification, sector-specific technical training, standards and regulatory harmonization, and policy advocacy. The Program will also develop longer-term pathways for Nigeria-specific renewable energy standards, regional and mobile testing infrastructure, performance reporting, standards-compliant local manufacturing, OEM technology-transfer partnerships and REAN participation in relevant national, regional and international standards-development processes.

The Consultant shall ensure that all outputs are mutually reinforcing, avoid duplication and are incorporated into a unified implementation, monitoring and sustainability framework for REAN.

The Program is expected to deliver measurable Year 1 progress, including sensitization of industry players, publication and dissemination of practical standards and compliance guidance materials and technical communications, and enrollment of approximately 30–50 companies in the pilot REAN compliance recognition framework. 

Over the broader program period, REAN will progressively strengthen its institutional systems, member services, technical capacity, regulatory relationships and quality-assurance mechanisms, ultimately positioning the association as a credible industry quality champion and self-regulatory body that contributes to improved standards compliance, safer and higher-quality renewable energy products and installations, stronger consumer confidence, reduced system failures and greater investor confidence in Nigeria’s renewable energy market.

REAN therefore seeks to engage a suitably qualified Consultant for a 90-day consultancy to consolidate and translate these existing commitments into an operational Standardization & Compliance Framework, establish the required institutional and technical systems, initiate priority activities, develop practical tools and provide a clear pathway for medium- and long-term implementation.

OBJECTIVES

Overall Objective

To establish and operationalize a credible and sustainable REAN Standardization & Compliance Framework that strengthens adherence to recognized technical, safety and performance standards, improves industry capacity and consumer protection, facilitates regulatory harmonization and positions REAN as a credible quality champion and self-regulatory industry body.

Specific Objectives

The Consultant shall:

1. Operationalize the REAN Standards & Compliance Desk as the central coordination point for standards and conformity-assessment matters.
2. Conduct a sector-wide compliance baseline and identify standards priority gaps and intervention areas.
3. Map relevant standards, regulations, certification and conformity-assessment requirements affecting the renewable energy sector.
4. Develop practical compliance toolkits, checklists, SOPs, templates and guidance materials for REAN members.
5. Design and pilot pre-certification advisory clinics and develop a standards, training and certification roadmap
6. Develop a REAN Compliance Recognition Framework covering compliance tracking, monitoring and reporting systems, and initiate pilot enrollment

SCOPE OF WORK

The Consultant shall undertake the following integrated workstreams.

WORKSTREAM 1: INCEPTION, DIAGNOSTIC REVIEW AND IMPLEMENTATION MAPPING

The Consultant shall commence with a detailed review of all relevant REAN documentation, relevant REAN strategic documents, existing standards-related materials, previous stakeholder engagement records and relevant regulatory/standards documents. The Consultant shall consolidate all outstanding standards and compliance commitments into a single implementation framework and identify activities that are to be completed, initiated or prepared for subsequent implementation.

Deliverables

1. Inception Report;
2. Consolidated Standards & Compliance Deliverables Framework;
3. 90-Day Implementation Workplan;
4. Responsibility/Accountability Matrix;
5. Multi-Year Standards & Compliance Implementation Roadmap.

WORKSTREAM 2: SECTOR COMPLIANCE BASELINE AND STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT

The Consultant shall undertake a sector-wide compliance needs assessment to establish an evidence base for REAN’s standards and compliance interventions. The assessment shall examine awareness of applicable standards; current compliance practices; technical capacity; certification and testing status; installation quality assurance; documentation practices; common technical non-conformities; regulatory challenges; barriers and costs associated with compliance; access to testing and certification services; member needs for technical support; standards interpretation gaps; post-installation quality issues; and priority areas for REAN intervention.

The Consultant shall also develop a stakeholder map covering regulators, standards bodies, certification/testing institutions, government agencies, development partners, financiers, manufacturers, importers, suppliers, developers, EPCs, installers, professional bodies, academia and consumer representatives. Priority institutional engagements should include SON, NEMSA, NERC, REA, NESREA and, where relevant, the Federal Fire Service and other technical institutions.

The Consultant shall facilitate structured technical engagements and establish an engagement tracker documenting issues discussed, institutional positions, commitments and follow-up actions.

Deliverables

1. Compliance Needs Assessment Methodology, Instruments and Dataset
2. Compliance Intervention Priority Matrix
3. Stakeholder Mapping and Engagement Database
4. Sector Compliance Baseline and Gap Assessment Report

WORKSTREAM 3: STANDARDS, REGULATORY AND CONFORMITY-ASSESSMENT MAPPING

The Consultant shall undertake a structured mapping of technical standards, regulations, conformity-assessment procedures, certification requirements and institutional responsibilities relevant to renewable energy technologies and businesses in Nigeria.

The assessment shall cover, as applicable: Solar Home Systems; mini-grids; commercial and industrial renewable energy systems; hybrid systems; relevant electrical and mechanical components; installation and electrical safety; product testing; conformity assessment; certification; environmental and safety requirements; applicable Nigerian standards; relevant IEC/ISO standards; SON requirements; NEMSA requirements; REA requirements; NERC requirements; NESREA requirements; and those of other relevant institutions. 

The mapping shall identify the applicable requirement, responsible institution, affected technology/business segment, documentation and testing requirements, compliance pathway, areas of ambiguity/overlap, implementation gaps and recommended actions.

Deliverable

1. Renewable Energy Standards, Regulations & Conformity-Assessment Mapping Report.

WORKSTREAM 4: SECTOR-SPECIFIC COMPLIANCE TOOLKIT

The Consultant shall develop a simplified, practical compliance resource that translates applicable technical and regulatory requirements into actionable guidance for REAN members. At minimum, the initial toolkit suite shall cover: Solar Home Systems; Mini-Grids; and Commercial & Industrial Renewable Energy Systems.

The toolkit shall, as applicable, cover: applicable standards; regulatory requirements; compliance pathway; pre-installation requirements; product documentation; testing requirements; installation requirements; safety requirements; quality assurance requirements; documentation checklist; inspection checklist; common non-conformities; compliance self-Assessment tool; compliance/Inspection checklist; pre-Certification checklist; corrective action plan template; technical guidance notes; self-assessment requirements; relevant regulatory contacts; and FAQs.

The toolkit shall also contain generic SOP and compliance templates that can be adapted to additional technology segments.

Deliverable

1. Comprehensive RE Compliance Toolkit with relevant SOP and Compliance Templates

WORKSTREAM 5: PRE-CERTIFICATION ADVISORY CLINICS

The Consultant shall design and pilot one or two REAN Pre-Certification Advisory Clinics to provide members with practical support before formal testing, certification or regulatory assessment. The clinic shall provide a structured process for the intake and identification of member needs; preliminary compliance assessment; technical guidance; identification of gaps/non-conformities; corrective-action recommendations; referrals to appropriate regulatory/testing institutions; engagement of technical experts/regulators where appropriate; and documentation of recurring sector compliance challenges.

Deliverables

1. Pre-Certification Advisory Clinic Framework, including  agenda, technical Clinic Materials; and Referral Protocol
2. Intake and Assessment Forms;
3. Pilot Clinic(s);
4. Pilot Clinic Report and Lessons Learned;
5. Recommendations for institutionalization and scaling.

WORKSTREAM 6: REAN COMPLIANCE RECOGNITION FRAMEWORK

The Consultant shall design and pilot the ‘REAN Standards Compliant Member’ framework as a voluntary mechanism for recognizing members that demonstrate compliance with applicable standards and quality requirements. The framework shall establish the eligibility criteria; minimum compliance requirements; compliance categories; application process; self-assessment; documentary evidence requirements; technical assessment methodology; verification process; corrective-action procedures; approval mechanism; validity and renewal requirements; suspension/withdrawal provisions; badge/recognition use; public disclosure requirements; complaints and appeals; conflict-of-interest safeguards; and monitoring requirements.

The Consultant shall develop the necessary tools and initiate a pilot enrollment process aligned with the program’s 30–50 company batch 1 target.

Deliverables

1. REAN Compliance Recognition Framework covering eligibility criteria, assessment checklist, verification protocol, and others.
2. Pilot Implementation Report and Scale-Up Recommendations.

 WORKSTREAM 7: MEMBER VALUE PROPOSITION AND FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY

The Consultant shall ensure that compliance is positioned not merely as a regulatory burden but as a member value proposition and market differentiator for renewable energy service providers. The Consultant shall also develop a preliminary sustainability model for REAN’s Standards & Compliance function, considering paid compliance advisory; pre-audit readiness support; verification services; technical advisory; compliance training; certification-related services; testing coordination; membership-integrated compliance services; and strategic partnerships.

The model shall define the proposed service catalogue, target customers, delivery model, pricing methodology, cost and revenue assumptions, partnership requirements, risks and implementation pathway. The model shall also cover recommendations for REAN on standards-based branding; quality assurance as a competitive advantage; alignment of member SOPs with applicable NIS/IEC standards; staff technical training; pre-import/pre-distribution product testing; participation in REAN compliance recognition; and integration of quality assurance/testing into member pricing and service offerings.

Deliverables

1. Standards & Compliance Service Catalogue & Sustainability Model.

CONSULTANT QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

The Consultant or lead consultant of a consulting firm should possess:

Education

1. Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Renewable Energy Engineering, Energy Engineering, Mechanical Engineering or a related technical discipline.
2. Master’s degree in Renewable Energy, Energy Policy, Standards & Quality Management or a related discipline is an advantage.
3. Professional certification in Quality Assurance, Standards Development, Conformity Assessment, ISO systems or related fields is highly desirable.

Professional Experience

• Minimum 3–5 years’ relevant experience in technical standards, quality assurance, regulatory compliance, renewable energy or renewable energy project implementation.
• Demonstrated experience developing SOPs, technical toolkits, compliance frameworks and guidance materials.
• Experience with post-market/post-installation surveillance and quality assurance monitoring.
• Experience engaging standards-development bodies, regulators, government agencies or industry associations.
• Experience in stakeholder engagement, technical working groups or committee participation.
• Experience with resource mobilization, proposal development, donor-funded projects, M&E frameworks and relevant professional bodies such as COREN, NSE, IEEE or equivalent will be an added advantage.

Technical Competencies

• Strong understanding of renewable energy technologies, particularly solar PV, SHS, mini-grids and hybrid systems.
• Working knowledge of relevant Nigerian and international standards, including SON, IEC, ISO and applicable NEMSA/REA/NERC requirements.
• Familiarity with conformity-assessment procedures and regulatory compliance pathways.
• Ability to analyze technical information and develop compliance dashboards, reports and advisories.
• Strong technical writing and documentation skills.
• Proficiency in Excel, Power BI, Google Data Studio or comparable data-analysis tools.
• Ability to develop and manage compliance databases and digital document repositories.

Communication and Interpersonal Competencies

• Excellent technical writing and communication skills.
• Ability to translate complex technical standards into clear guidance.
• Strong facilitation skills for technical workshops, clinics and roundtables.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and representation skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively with committees, regulators, members and cross-functional teams.
• High integrity, professionalism and attention to detail.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving ability.
• Ability to manage multiple deliverables and meet tight deadlines.

PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

Interested Consultants/Consulting Firms shall submit:

1. Technical Proposal;
2. Understanding of the assignment;
3. Proposed methodology and approach;
4. Detailed 90-day workplan;
5. Proposed approach to stakeholder and regulatory engagement;
6. Proposed approach to deliverables and knowledge transfer;
7. CV(s) of proposed consultant(s);
8. Evidence of relevant assignments;
9. At least two client references;
10. Financial Proposal;
11. Key assumptions and dependencies and identified risks and mitigation measures.

The proposal should clearly demonstrate the Consultant’s ability to deliver the required outputs within the 90-day consultancy period.

PERFORMANCE INDICES FOR  DELIVERABLES

The Consultant’s performance shall be assessed based on:

• Timely delivery;
• Completeness and technical quality of outputs;
• Practical usability of tools and systems;
• Quality of stakeholder engagement;
• Evidence-based recommendations;
• Achievement of agreed milestones;
• Responsiveness to REAN feedback;
• Quality of documentation;
• Knowledge transfer; and
• Readiness of the outputs for continued implementation by REAN.

All substantive deliverables shall be submitted in editable and PDF electronic formats, together with supporting datasets, templates, source materials and documentation.

CONFIDENTIALITY, DATA AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

All information obtained by the Consultant through this engagement shall be treated as confidential and shall not be disclosed to third parties without REAN’s prior authorization, except where disclosure is required by law.

All reports, frameworks, databases, toolkits, templates, SOPs, training materials, policy documents and other materials developed specifically under this consultancy shall become the property of REAN upon payment for the relevant deliverables. The Consultant shall provide all editable source files and supporting materials at the end of the engagement.

KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER AND HANDOVER

Knowledge transfer is a mandatory component of the assignment. Before the conclusion of the consultancy, the Consultant shall conduct a structured handover to designated REAN personnel. The Consultant shall provide REAN with a final Standards & Compliance handover package containing all editable documents, databases, templates, datasets, presentations, stakeholder records, technical resources and implementation guidance.

Submission Guidelines

All qualified applicants are required to:

1. Complete the Expression of Interest (EOI) Google Form: https://forms.gle/MPA9sWEdRomCPBq46
2. Submit their CV and all required supporting documents through the REAN Jobs Portal:  jobs.hr@rean.org.ng

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for further engagement.