Owner's Engineer for Supervision of Works for 220 kV Cahama-Xangongo-Ondjiva Transmission Line and Associated Substations

Huila-Cunene Interconnection Project (PIHC) - P512716

Loan No./Credit No./ Grant No.: 98860

Assignment Title: OWNERS ENGINEER TO SUPERVISE THE CONSTRUCTION OF 220 KV TRANSMISSION LINES FROM CAHAMA TO XANGONGO AND ONDJIVA INCLUDING EXPANSION OF 400/220/60 KV CAHAMA SUBSTATION, CONSTRUCTION OF 220/60 KV XANGONGO SUBSTATION AND EXPANSION OF 220/132/60 KV ONDJIVA SUBSTATION

Reference No.: (as per Procurement Plan): AO-RNT-525422-CS-QCBS

The Government of the Republic of Angola (“GoA”) has received financing from the World Bank under the Huila–Cunene Interconnection Project (“PIHC”) and intends to apply part of the proceeds to consulting services for the supervision of the Cahamma-Xangongo-Ondjiva 220 kV Transmission Project, including transmission line works and associated substations.

The Project is implemented by Rede Nacional de Transporte de Electricidade (“RNT-EP”), under the supervision of the Ministry of Energy and Water of Angola. PIHC is a strategic initiative supporting regional power system integration, strengthening transmission reliability in southern Angola, and enabling future interconnection with the Southern African Power Pool (“SAPP”) and Namibia.

Under Subcomponent 1.2 of PIHC, the Project finances the development of a new 220 kV corridor between Cahama, Xangongo and Ondjiva, including transmission line infrastructure, substations, and associated grid integration works.

The assignment covers Owner’s Engineer (“OE”) services for the management, supervision, monitoring, and technical oversight of two EPC contracts:

• Contract 1 – Transmission Line Works: Construction of approximately 200 km of 220 kV transmission line between Cahama, Xangongo and Odnjiva, including civil works, foundations, towers, conductors, OPGW, grounding systems, access roads, and related infrastructure.
• Contract 2 – Substation Works: Expansion of Cahama 400/220/60 kV substation with one additional 220 kV line bay, construction of the new Xangongo 220/60 kV substation, and expansion of the existing Ondjiva 220/60 kV substation with 220 kV line bays including protection, control, SCADA, telecommunications, metering, and auxiliary systems.

The OE services include construction supervision, contract administration, review and approval of detailed engineering designs, quality assurance, inspection and testing, schedule monitoring, commissioning support, acceptance procedures, and technical assistance during the Defects Liability Period (“DLP”).

The Consultant will work closely with the PIHC Project Implementation Unit (“PIU”) and ensure full compliance with: (i) applicable laws of Angola; (ii) contract documents and technical specifications; (iii) World Bank Environmental and Social Framework (“ESF”) and Environmental and Social Standards (“ESS”); (iv) Environmental, Social, Health and Safety (“ESHS”) requirements; and (v) project safeguard instruments, including ESMPs, RAPs, Labour Management Procedures (“LMP”), Stakeholder Engagement Plans (“SEP”), grievance mechanisms, and GBV/SEA mitigation measures.

Key responsibilities include: review of contractor designs and submissions; supervision of civil, electromechanical, protection, SCADA and telecom works; outage planning and execution in live systems; QA/QC monitoring; coordination of Factory Acceptance Tests (“FAT”), site testing, energization and commissioning; ESHS compliance supervision; contract management support including variations, claims, and payment certification; progress reporting and coordination meetings; capacity building of RNT-EP staff; and post-construction support during DLP.

The assignment is structured in three phases:

1. Pre-Construction Phase: review of documents, contractor mobilization, design review, outage planning, and establishment of supervision systems.
2. Construction Phase: full-time supervision of EPC works, including technical, environmental, social, quality, testing, commissioning, and reporting activities.
3. Post-Construction / DLP Phase: defect monitoring, final inspections, acceptance procedures, and completion documentation.

The estimated duration is thirty (30) months, excluding final reporting and DLP support. The overall project completion horizon is approximately forty-two (42) months.

The Terms of Reference (“TOR”) are available at the address below during office hours.

RNT-EP now invites eligible consulting firms to express interest in providing the Services. Interested firms must demonstrate relevant qualifications and experience.

Shortlisting criteria include:

1. at least ten (10) years of experience in supervision of high-voltage transmission systems EPC contracts (lines and substations), with at least two (2) projects at ≥220 kV;
2. experience in supervision of implementation as well as testing and commissioning of SCADA, protection, telecommunications, and outage management in live systems;
3. experiences in IFI-funded projects (preferably World Bank); ESHS and GBV/SEA implementation; similar supervision contracts in Sub-Saharan Africa, and utility capacity building experience (advantageous).

• Key Experts will not be evaluated at this stage.
• Attention is drawn to World Bank Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers (7th Edition, September 2025), particularly conflict-of-interest provisions.
• Consultants may associate in Joint Ventures or sub-consultancies, with joint and several liability in case of JV selection.
• Expressions of Interest should not exceed forty (40) pages (excluding annexes).
• Selection will follow Quality and Cost-Based Selection (QCBS).

Submissions of Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form to the address below (in person or by e-mail), no later than June 24, 2026 at 15:00 (Luanda Time), clearly marked: “Expression of Interest – Owner’s Engineer for Supervision of the Cahama-Xangongo-Ondjiva 220 kV Transmission Project”.

PIU Office Located at RNT-EP’s Headquarters

Attn: Mauro Hernany Ferreira Martins (PIU Coordinator)

Address: Gaveto entre a Via Expressa e a Estrada do Camama, junto à Subestação Eléctrica do Camama

Luanda, Angola

Tel: (+244) 222 704 400 / (+244) 704 401

E-mail: procurement_525422@pihc.ao