REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FOR FIRMS TO UNDERTAKE A PROOF OF CONCEPT ON THE USE OF UAV TECHNOLOGY (DRONES) TO PROVIDE NETWORK SUPPORT AND MAINTENANCE SERVICES

KENYA POWER AND LIGHTING COMPANY TENDER DECEMBER 2021  

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FOR FIRMS TO UNDERTAKE A PROOF OF CONCEPT ON THE USE OF UAV TECHNOLOGY (DRONES) TO PROVIDE NETWORK SUPPORT AND MAINTENANCE SERVICES

BACKGROUND

The Kenya Power and Lighting Company PLC is a public utility company established with the mandate of distributing and retailing electricity. The company currently incurs huge costs while undertaking network maintenance and support functions. This functions include, Inspection of grid infrastructure, Network Maintenance and Support, Vegetation Management, Network Design, Power Line Construction and Emergency Network Response. These tasks are currently performed manually by employees, third-parties and depend to a large extent on the use of the company’s aerial function which relies on its single existing helicopter. The company is also facing a varying mix of regulatory requirements, increased public scrutiny, growing operational costs, tight profit margins, and demands for better quality of service delivery. The combination of these pressures has compelled the company to re-evaluate its approaches to distributing power through business innovation. Through innovation the company aims to be in better position to serve its customers, cut costs and substantially grow its revenue so as to remain competitive in the fast growing energy market.

OBJECTIVE

The company now intends to implement on a turnkey basis, a Pilot, UAV based technology plat­form that will be used to carry out various services for the company through. The services to be offered will include, Inspections (power lines, substations), Vegetation Management, Corridor Mapping, Digital Terrain Modelling (DTM), and Line Construction. The UAV platform will have a major impact on the company’s business and will be used alongside the existing company heli­copter. The adoption of UAV based technology platforms are not only just cost effective but they also increase reliability, improve safety and reduces response times. The adoption of UAV us­age by Kenya Power will further future-proof the company’s utility business and result in reduced power costs to customers and better customer experience. Kenya Power will therefore greatly benefit from an in house end-to-end UAV based technology platform developed collaboratively with a suitable technology and inspection partner on a turnkey basis.

PROOF OF CONCEPT

In order for Kenya Power to develop a business value thesis for the full adoption of the UAV and related technologies in its network operations, the company will undergo a two stage implementation process, the Proof of Concept and Pilot Phase. The Proof of Concept phase will ensure that Kenya Power fully understands the value proposition offered by the UAVs and related technologies. This phase will be used by the selected service providers to clearly demonstrate to Kenya Power within a limited scope and time period, the following;

1. Technical Requirements; UAV Technologies, Payload Technologies and Mobile Deploy­ment Vehicles.
2. Operational Requirements; Mission Planning, Operations and Control.
3. Data Processing and Analysis; Capability, Data Stitching, Big Data, Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence and Reporting.
4. Cost Indicators and Drivers; Business Model (as a service or purchase) for UAVs, Operations and Control Systems and Data Processing

(including storage).

The scope of the Proof of Concept process will include the following;

ELIGIBILITY AND QUALIFICATION CRITERIA

Kenya Power is now seeking for a suitable UAV Technology Service Providers through this Expression of Interest, EOI. The submission of an EOI will not constitute a bid but the information will be solely used by Kenya Power for the purpose of completing its prequalification exercise and thereafter in the preparation of a Request for Proposal (RFP) document which will be issued only to the final prequalified service providers or consortia.

1. Participating bidders shall be required to meet the requirements under Section 55 of the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act 2015 (Kenya).
2. The UAV Technology Service Providers must provide adequate information regarding their company profile, qualification and competence to undertake such a project and specific experience in performing similar work projects. In addition, the service provider must meet the following minimum requirements;
3. a)They should be currently involved in offering Commercial UAV Technology Services and in possession of a current Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems Operator Certifi­cate (ROC) from Kenya Civil Aviation Authority, KCAA, an appropriate Training Cer­tificate from a recognized training body and approval from the Ministry of Defense to overfly restricted security areas. They should provide proof of each certificate and clearance approval.
4. b)They must have completed at least three (3) similar projects involving use of UAVs within a commercial environment with at least one being within the power utility industry within the last 3 years. They should provide a list clearly showing the Scope of Work, Sector/Industry, Duration, Total Order Value and Status (ongoing/com- pleted). They should provide supporting documents in the form of Reference Let­ters, Letter of Completion or Purchase Orders). The reference documents must be provided with Name, Designation, Mobile Number and Email Id of the relevant point of contact at the referenced client organisation.
5. c)They must provide their audited financial accounts for the last three (3) years clearly showing profit, turnover and company’s capital. The consolidated audited revenue of the bidder for the last three (03) years must be a minimum of KShs.3 Billion or its USD equivalent.
6. d)They should provide ownership documents of their company and consortia members where applicable. This should include certificate of incorporation, beneficial share­holder information, VAT Certificate and Tax Compliance Certificate.
7. They should meet all the costs related to the Proof of Concept phase which will include cost of making and conduction the POC to Kenya Power in an area(s) that will be identified by Kenya Power. The POC will be undertaken within 3 days for each bidder (excluding travel time to locations).
8. Where the service provider is a Joint Venture (JV), the Expression of Interest shall include a copy of the JV Agreement entered into by all members. Alternatively, a letter of intent to execute a JV Agreement in the event of a successful proposal shall be signed by all mem­bers and submitted with the Expression of Interest, together with a copy of the proposed Agreement.

This invitation for Expression of Interest shall lead to the Short-Listing of eligible Service Provid­ers who meet the above minimum requirements and who will then be invited to undertake the Proof of Concept, POC. The successful completion of the POC by an eligible Service Provider will further lead to their Pre-Qualification. The pre-qualified service providers will then be invited through a Request for Proposal (RFP) to submit both technical and commercial proposals to carry out the assignment starting with the Pilot Implementation Phase.

Interested bidders may obtain further information at the address below during office hours, be­tween 0900 to 1200 Hours and 1400 to 1630 Hours (East Africa time) or send e-mails to the addresses shown below.

Completed Expression of Interest are to be submitted in electronic format on the KPLC’s E-pro­curement portal in PDF format on the due date and time published on the portal. Tenderers are required to visit the portal and KPLC’s website (www.kplc.co.ke) from time to time for revised closing dates and addendums. Prospective bidders should register for E-Procurement to enable them access the KPLC portal under” New Supplier Registration” found under the Tenders Tab. The Tender is to be submitted ONLINE on or before 12th January 2022.

Tenders will be opened electronically promptly after closing time and Bidders or their represen­tatives are welcome to witness the opening at the Stima Plaza Auditorium.

The Kenya Power and Lighting Company PLC

Kolobot Road, Parklands, Stima Plaza, 7th Floor

P.O. Box 30099 – 00100

Nairobi, Kenya

Tel: +254 20 32013201/+254 711 0311334 Website: www.kplc.co.ke

E-mail: PMuchori@kplc.co.ke, TOgutu@kplc.co.ke, LKisame@kplc.co.ke