Review of mineral resource potential and mineral value addition including mineral processing industries within the East Africa Community

Reference: PX/EAC/04111
Location: UK and travel to EAC region
Duration: 40 person days
Closing Date: 30 Apr 2012

Brief background

The Commonwealth Secretariat through the Economic and Legal Section (ELS) of the Special Advisory Services Division (SASD) is assisting the East Africa Community to formulate a programme of measures to facilitate and regulate the development of extractive and mineral processing industries.

The East African Community Secretariat (EACS) is an intergovernmental organisation of the East Africa Community (EAC) which consists of the following countries Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Burundi, and Rwanda. It is responsible for the development of policies and programmes aimed at widening and deepening co-operation among its member countries including regional economic developments.

The EAC countries are known for their rich mineral resources potential ranging from gemstones to metals, construction and industrial minerals. However, the exploration, extraction and development of these minerals has been limited and largely based upon production of raw mineral commodities for export without further processing to add value in the form of intermediate goods or final products.

In its Private Sector Development Strategy of 2006, the EAC has identified natural resources as one of its priority sectors, which has the potential for poverty reduction, intra-regional trade, and private sector investment. The strategy provides for the need to assess the available mineral resource potential in the region and use this information to promote both private sector and public-private partnership (PPP) investment in mineral resources. Also, in its Industrialisation Policy of 2010, the EAC seeks to promote value added industries in the region that use abundant mineral resources available in the region to promote linkages among industries within the EAC through diversification, specialisation and complementarities.

The EAC’s regional efforts to promote and attract investment in the extractive and mineral processing industries has been wrought with numerous challenges, including lack of comprehensive information on the region’s mineral resources and utilisation potential; lack of necessary capital and skills, and technologies to develop these industries.

In this regard, the EACS is seeking to improve knowledge on the availability and utilisation potential of minerals in the region through information dissemination and sharing mechanisms among Partner States and investment community, and identify a selection of minerals for targeted investment promotion on mineral extraction and processing for value addition within the EAC region.

In this context, the ELS is seeking to engage the services of a Consultant to undertake technical analysis on mineral resources availability and potential for mineral value addition in the EAC region with a view to determining targeted investment promotion for specific minerals of economic and commercial significance to the region. The advisory services shall be provided in written form in consultant reports.

The consultant will be required to:

1. Based on information provided by ELS and/or EACS on mineral resource potential within the EAC region, further research, review and prepare an assessment of mineral resource availability (a) with respect to each EAC country and (b) on an EAC regional basis, collating and organizing such information on available minerals in keeping with internationally known standard on mineral classification with regard to the extent and types of minerals providing for such classification as Energy Minerals, Metallic Minerals (e.g. base metals, precious metals), Non-Metallic Minerals (e.g. construction minerals, industrial minerals and gemstones).
2. In light of (1) prepare an assessment of mineral utilization and processing potential along the value chain from mineral production to processing of semi-finished and finished products within the EAC region taking into account such factors as chemical and physical properties of the minerals and their productive use, technologies and production processes, finished and semi-finished products, etc, as may be appropriate.
3. On the basis of (1) & (2), identify two to three minerals of economic and commercial significance potential for mineral processing industry establishment within the EAC region for targeted investment promotion by the EACS.
4. For minerals identified under (3) above, use a standard analytical framework for analyzing competitiveness of a mineral industry taking into account such factors as comparative and competitive advantages, economies of scale and scope, market barriers, location, capital, energy and infrastructure requirements, technologies, etc, as may be appropriate: (a) identify such critical requirements for successful establishment of such industries in the region; and towards this end, (b) recommend measures for addressing any obstacles and exploiting any inherent comparative advantages in the region.
5. Accept any directives from ELS on this project and prepare such other documents, consultant reports and drafts in relation to 1, 2, 3 and 4 above and on other related matters as may be appropriate.
6. Perform such other tasks as are reasonably related to the Terms of Reference as ELS may require.
   

Key deliverables

• In accordance with Task 1, the consultant will be required to deliver a written report to ELS on the technical assessment of the mineral resource availability (a) with respect to each EAC country and (b) on a EAC regional basis on or before 30 May 2012 or a such later date as may be agreed between ELS and the EACS
• Based on Task 2, the consultant will be required to deliver a written report to ELS on the assessment of the mineral utilisation and processing potential in the EAC region on or before 15 June 2012 or a such later date as may be agreed between ELS and the EACS;
• Based on Task 3, the consultant will be required to deliver a written report to ELS on the selection of the 2-3 minerals setting out the economic and commercial considerations taken into account for their selection on or before 30 June 2012 or a such later date as may be agreed between ELS and the EACS;
• Based on Task 4, the consultant will be required to deliver a written report to ELS on the competitiveness of the selected 2-3 mineral industries including the required recommendations on or before 20 July 2012 or a such later date as may be agreed between ELS and the EACS; and
• Advice on and delivery of such other written documents, consultant reports and drafts in relation to 1, 2, 3 and 4 above and on other related matters as may be appropriate.
  

NB: Drafts and final deliverables produced during this assignment will be the property of the Commonwealth Secretariat and the East African Community Secretariat, which will hold the copyright to their use.

Technical expertise and professional experience

Consultant(s) should possess the following minimum qualifications and experience:

• At least 10 years’ experience in technical and economic/commercial analysis related to mineral resource assessment, mineral valued addition, and mineral industry competitiveness.
• Experience in technical research and analysis of mineral resources; and analytical framework for evaluating mineral industry competitiveness.
• Demonstrable involvement and good understanding of issues and industry performance relating to extractive and mineral processing industries.
  

Consultants can team up to cover the expertise required for undertaking the assignment. In such a case, there should be a lead consultant who will submit the proposal and assume delivery responsibility.

Fee and basis of payment

The Secretariat will offer a consultancy fee at a daily rate of £450 per day for a maximum of 40 person days upon the following payment terms:

• 20% of the consultancy fee after signature;
• 20% on submission of the first drafts of the reports under deliverables 1 and 2 in respect of Task 1 and Task 2 to a standard deemed satisfactory to the Secretariat;
• 20% on submission of the first drafts of the reports under deliverables 3 and 4 in respect of Task 3 and Task 4 to a standard deemed satisfactory to the Secretariat;
• 40% of the fees after completion of the work to the satisfaction of the Secretariat.

How to apply

Download the Terms of Reference