Environmental and Social Impact Assessment for Gambia's Second Submarine Cable Project

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST Consultancy Service for the Development of an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment for the deployment of a Second Submarine Cable, Construction of a Beach Manhole & Cable Landing Station. Country: The Republic of The Gambia Project Name: Digital Transformation for Africa / Western Africa Regional Digital Integration Program (DTfA/WARDIP SOP1) Project ID: P176932 Reference: WARDIP/C2.7.1/2026/CS/CQS001 Assignment Title: Consultancy Service for the Development of an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment for the deployment of a Second Submarine Cable, Construction of a Beach Manhole & Cable Landing Station. Duration of the assignment: Three (3) months Date of Advertisement: 12:00pm (Gambian Time) Deadline of submission: 5th March 2025, 16:00 GMT Selection Method: QUALITY AND COST BASED SELECTION (QCBS) Background: The Government of The Gambia has secured funding from the International Development Association (IDA), hereinafter referred to as ‘the Bank,’ under the Digital Transformation for Africa - Western Africa Regional Digital Integration Program (WARDIP) Series of Projects (SOP)-1, with an allocation of USD 50 million. The primary goal of DTfA/WARDIP-SOP1 is to expand broadband access and usage while strengthening the foundation for Digital Financial Services (DFS) and selected digital public services, ultimately advancing the creation of a Single Digital Market in Western Africa. This initiative will accelerate the achievement of national digital development objectives, while also aligning with regional digital transformation goals. The Gambia currently relies on a single submarine cable for connectivity, ACE Cable which will meet its end of life soon. To meet the country’s increasing digital needs, the arrival of a second submarine cable is a critical step. This new infrastructure will not only support the rapid expansion of digital services nationwide but will also provide redundancy for the existing cable, enhance overall connectivity, and improve service quality and cost for the public, businesses, and e-governance services. In view of the above, DTfA/WARDIP, through the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy (MOCDE), is seeking to engage a qualified firm to conduct an ESIA study for the deployment of a second submarine cable, construction of a beach manhole & cable landing station. Objectives of the Assignment The objective of this consultancy is to develop a comprehensive Environmental and Social Impact Assessment that aligns with the national environmental and social laws and guidelines: NEMA 1994, EIA Regulations 2014 (revised ESIA regulations 2025), EIA Guidelines 1999 (ESIA Guidelines 2025), Labor Act 2024, EIA procedures and related instruments) and the WB ESSs. The Assessment will focus on: Scope of Work The Terms of Reference have been developed to recruit a qualified firm to conduct an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) for both the Marine & Coastal Segment (MCS) and the Terrestrial Segment (TS). The MCS involves designing and laying the cable from deep sea to the shore, while the TS includes the construction of a Beach Manhole (BMH) and Cable Landing Station (CLS), as well as the operation and maintenance of the cable. Additionally, the TS encompasses the creation of an access road from the CLS to the BMH and the connection of the cable from the BMH to the CLS building. Firm Qualifications The firm selected must have the following qualifications: Experience of the firm:

• The firm should demonstrate a proven track record of successfully completing at least five (5) ESIA assignments,
• demonstrate that they have professional skills and proven experience in carrying out similar projects over the past ten (10) years,
• Provide administrative documents proving the legal existence of the firm and its organization (administrative or technical staff of the firm/group, organizational capacity, etc.),
• Demonstrated understanding and experience in working with government agencies, multilateral and bilateral organizations on developmental issues in developing countries,

A successful firm must partner with a local firm. Proposed Team Composition Team Leader: An MSc in Project Management, Development Studies Economics, Environmental Management/Planning, Natural Resources Management or related fields with at least 10 years of professional work experience leading ESIAs studies for similar projects. Environmental Expert: An MSc in Environmental Engineering or related field with at least 8 years of professional work experience in conducting at least 3 assignments in developing ESIA/ESMP for civil works or similar projects. Socioeconomic Expert: An MA in Economics, development studies, statistics, or related discipline with at least 5 years of professional work experience in socio-economic studies, particularly in West African countries. Gender/GBV Expert: An MA in Gender and Development, Development Studies, Sociology, or a related social science discipline with at least five (5) years of progressive professional experience in gender and social development is required. Fiber Optic/Submarine Expert : An MSc in Telecommunications or a related field with proven experience and understanding of fiber-optic or submarine cable systems and have technical knowledge of submarine cable technology, network planning, design and deployment . (Marine) Ecologist : An MSc in Biology, Marine ecology, or related discipline with at least 5 years of professional work experience in ecological assessment, Coastal zone management and marine ecology studies; specializing in aquatic ecology (marine and fluvial, estuaries), particularly in West African countries. Submission of Expressions of Interest (EOI) Interested firms must submit the following documents:

• CVs of key experts with relevant qualifications and experience.
• Evidence of similar assignments completed, including references

The attention of interested firms is drawn to Section III, paragraphs, 3.14, 3.16, and 3.17 of the World Bank’s “Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers” (July 1st, 2016, revised in November 2017, Augus 2018,September 2023 and September 2025) (“A Candidate will be selected in accordance with the CONSULTANT QUALIFICATION SELECTION (CQS) method set out in the Procurement Regulations. Further information and the full TOR can be obtained from the email addresses below during office hours from 08:00 to 16:00 GMT on Mondays to Thursdays and from 0800 to 12:30 GMT on Fridays. Expressions of interest together with relevant documents must be delivered in a written form or via email addresses below not later than 16:00 GMT 5th March 2025 . Submissions should be in hard, or softcopy marked as Expression of Interest for the Consultancy Service for the Development of an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment for the deployment of a Second Submarine Cable, Construction of a Beach Manhole & Cable Landing Station . All interested firms are urged to send their expression of interest letters with attached documents to the following email addresses:

• Sent to the Project Coordinator: slowe@wardip.gm
• Attention to the Project Procurement Specialist: adanso@wardip.gm and abdouliedanso64@gmail.com

Physical Address of the Project: Digital Transformation for Africa/Western Africa Regional Digital Integration Program C/O Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy Bertil Harding Highway, Stadium Junction, Bakau, The Gambia, West Africa. Digital Address (Google Maps): F889+WWH Agency: Ministry of Information and Communication Infrastructure Procurement method: Consultant Qualification Selection Notice type: Request for Expression of Interest Status: Published Value: 200000.0 USD