Request for Bids — International Competitive Procurement, Framework Agreement(s)
Framework Agreement for the Supply and Delivery of Cables, Conductors and 10 mm² Single Core Copper Wire in Malawi (4 Lots)
Malawi
Country
4 lots
Lots
Framework agreement, 2-year term
Contract Model
2026-11-10
Submission Deadline
01Project Overview
Project Name
Framework agreement for the supply and delivery of cables, conductors and 10 mm² single core copper wire for the Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (4 lots)
Reference
MW-ESCOM-561439-GO-RFB (World Bank notice OP00470605)
Country
Republic of Malawi
Procuring Agency
Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi Limited (ESCOM)
Source of Funds
IDA Grant E4010 under the Accelerating Sustainable and Clean Energy Access Transformation in Malawi (ASCENT) Project (Project ID P502464)
Procurement Method
Request for Bids under international competitive procurement (primary procurement for framework agreement goods, two-envelope process), subject to the World Bank Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers, Seventh Edition, September 2025
Contract Model
A closed framework agreement with a single user and a single supplier, with ESCOM as the purchaser and a term of two years extendable by a maximum of two years
Contract Scope
Supply and delivery of cables, conductors and 10 mm² single core copper wire in four lots, delivered to the Northern, Central, Southern and Eastern Regions
Language of Bid
English
Source
World Bank procurement notice (https://projects.worldbank.org/en/projects-operations/procurement-detail/OP00470605), reference MW-ESCOM-561439-GO-RFB, notice OP00470605. Published 24 Sep 2026, verified 8 Oct 2026
Background Sources
World Bank project page for the Accelerating Sustainable and Clean Energy Access Transformation in Malawi Project (https://projects.worldbank.org/en/projects-operations/project-detail/P502464), which records the project development objective, implementing agencies, financing structure and closing date
02Project Background
The Accelerating Sustainable and Clean Energy Access Transformation in Malawi (ASCENT) Project (Project ID P502464) is financed by an IDA grant of USD 245.8 million together with USD 5 million from the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program, giving total commitments of USD 250.8 million. The implementing agencies are ESCOM and the Ministry of Energy of Malawi. The project development objective is to increase clean and sustainable energy access in Malawi, and the closing date is 31 December 2030.
According to the notice, this procurement is the primary procurement of framework agreements for cables and conductors under the project, supplying materials to the distribution networks of the Northern, Central, Southern and Eastern Regions through international competitive procurement. The notice also records that this invitation follows the General Procurement Notice for the project published on 31 January 2025 under notice number OP00336801.
03Scope of Work & Technical Specifications
| Item | Content |
|---|---|
| Lot 1: Northern Region | 16 mm² twine wire 600,000 metres, 95 mm² aerial bundled cable 522,000 metres and 10 mm² single core copper wire 27,840 metres, delivered to Mzuzu |
| Lot 2: Central Region | 16 mm² twine wire 1,400,000 metres, 95 mm² aerial bundled cable 1,218,000 metres and 10 mm² single core copper wire 63,075 metres, delivered to Lilongwe |
| Lot 3: Southern Region | 16 mm² twine wire 800,000 metres, 95 mm² aerial bundled cable 696,000 metres and 10 mm² single core copper wire 41,760 metres, delivered to Blantyre |
| Lot 4: Eastern Region | 16 mm² twine wire 600,000 metres, 95 mm² aerial bundled cable 522,000 metres and 10 mm² single core copper wire 27,840 metres, delivered to Zomba |
| Choice of Lots | Bidders may bid for one or more of the lots; the goods description for every lot is cables and conductors |
| Framework Agreement Term | The framework agreement runs for a term of two years from the commencement date stated in the agreement, and the initial term may be extended by a maximum of two years |
| Call-off Contracts | Call-off contracts are awarded to framework agreement suppliers through the secondary procurement process defined in the framework agreement |
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04Key Commercial Terms
| Item | Content |
|---|---|
| Nature of the Framework Agreement | A closed framework agreement with a single user and a single supplier; ESCOM is the sole purchaser under the framework agreement, and purchases are awarded as call-off contracts through the secondary procurement process defined in the agreement |
| Call-off Obligation | Conclusion of the framework agreement imposes no obligation on the procuring agency to purchase goods under a call-off contract, nor does it guarantee that a framework agreement supplier will be awarded a call-off contract |
| Bidding Document Fee | Non-refundable, in the amount of MWK 50,000.00 or its equivalent in a freely convertible currency, payable by direct deposit to the ESCOM bank accounts designated for foreign and local currency payments; the bidding documents are issued in hard copy together with a soft copy on CD |
| Precedence of Documents | The accompanying CD is provided for the convenience of bidders in completing forms and the bills of quantities; where the hard copy and the soft copy differ, the hard copy prevails |
| Bid Submission | A two-envelope process applies: the outer envelope is marked "Original Bid" and the inner envelope "Technical Part", while the envelope marked "Second Envelope: Financial Part" is held in the safe custody of the purchaser until the second public opening; electronic bidding is not permitted and late bids are rejected |
| Beneficial Ownership Disclosure | Under the World Bank Procurement Regulations the borrower must disclose information on the successful bidder's beneficial ownership, using the Beneficial Ownership Disclosure Form included in the bidding documents, as part of the publication of the notice of conclusion of the framework agreement |
| Performance Security | Framework agreements of this type normally require a performance security expressed as a percentage of the value of each call-off contract, generally in the form of a bank guarantee |
| Taxes and Insurance | Supply contracts of this type generally place the cost of transport, insurance and packing from the place of production to the delivery point on the supplier, together with the applicable taxes at the delivery location |
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05Bidder Qualification Requirements
01
Legal Standing
Bidders must be eligible as defined in the World Bank Procurement Regulations and authorised to manufacture or supply cables, conductors and copper wire
02
Product Standards
The cables and conductors supplied must conform to the technical specifications set out in the bidding documents; product datasheets, type test reports and quality system certificates are normally required
03
Technical Capability
Framework agreements of this type generally require established production capacity or long-term supply channels for cables and overhead conductors, together with the ability to organise deliveries separately to four regions
04
Track Record
Evidence of supply experience on comparable power cable and overhead conductor contracts is ordinarily required, supported by contracts or acceptance documents
05
Compliance
Bidders must comply with the World Bank Procurement Regulations on conflict of interest, fraud and corruption, and sanctions and suspension, and must disclose beneficial ownership information as required by those regulations
06
Forced Labour Declaration
World Bank financed projects of this type ordinarily require bidders and their subcontractors and suppliers to declare any contracts suspended or terminated in the past five years for breach of forced labour obligations
06Key Milestones
24 Sep 2026
Notice Published
Available from the Chairperson of the Internal Procurement and Disposal of Assets Committee at the ESCOM House Annex Building, Blantyre, during office hours 09:00-12:00 and 13:30-16:30
Bidding Documents Available
10 Nov 2026; electronic bidding is not permitted and the technical envelope is opened publicly after the deadline, while the financial envelope remains sealed until the second public opening
Submission Deadline and Opening
Two years from the commencement date stated in the agreement, with the initial term extendable by a maximum of two years
Framework Agreement Term
31 Dec 2030 (World Bank Accelerating Sustainable and Clean Energy Access Transformation in Malawi Project)
Project Closing Date
07Evaluation Criteria
Rated Criteria — Technical and Non-Price Factors50%
- Technical and non-price factors are scored in accordance with the evaluation process set out in the bidding documents, covering conformity of the offered cables, conductors and copper wire with the technical specifications, production capacity and security of supply, the delivery programme, packing and transport arrangements, and comparable supply experience
- Rated criteria are scored, and the weighted result together with the bid price determines the ranking of bids
Bid Cost50%
- Bids are scored per lot in accordance with the evaluation process set out in the bidding documents, and the price score is weighted with the rated criteria score to determine the evaluation result for each lot
