Strengthening Utilities and Promoting Energy Reform (SUPER) Task Order

Through USAID Missions and Bureaus, SUPER partners with countries to assess existing sector conditions, prepare new strategies and operational plans, design and implement new market structures and models for private sector participation, build energy sector entities' institutional capacity, test new commercialization technologies and approaches, and report and build upon lessons learned. The initial geographic focus of this work is the Caribbean region, where inefficient, high-cost electricity systems pose a major challenge to the region's economies and undermine their resilience. Technical and non-technical losses are very high in several countries, undermining Caribbean national electricity sector financial viability. Many Caribbean countries have poor credit ratings and are unable to take on more public debt to strengthen their utilities or to make new-generation capacity investments. The purpose of this Work Assignment is to improve the resiliency of electric utilities, regulators, energy authorities, regional organizations, and other energy sector stakeholders to manage cybersecurity challenges. The objectives of the Work Assignment are to assess and identify options to strengthen Caribbean and NT energy stakeholders' uptake and integration of digital technologies in support of greater efficiency and resiliency in planning, development, and operations; analyze stakeholders' cybersecurity challenges, especially in the face of grid modernization; support energy stakeholders to develop or update policies, protocols, and practices to prevent cybersecurity vulnerabilities and respond to cybersecurity events; and build capacity of stakeholders to apply and maintain digitalization and cybersecurity processes. The Work Assignment will be broken into two parallel tracks: Track 1, Assessment, Roadmaps, and Implementation for Utilities, and Track 2, Leading Practice Materials. Deloitte will develop an initial Year 1 Workplan, which will be reviewed and updated quarterly with the COR and Activity Manager. A new Year 2 Workplan will be drafted and agreed with USAID for the July 2022 to July 2023 period, which will also be reviewed and updated quarterly with the COR and Activity Manager. Deloitte will work closely with NREL over the duration of this Work Assignment. NREL and USAID have developed a number of cybersecurity resources, including assessments, trainings, platforms, and tools, for partner country energy sector entities to assist with cyber security and resiliency. Through its partnership with USAID, NREL has been supporting the LAC Bureau's Caribbean Energy Initiative to help develop Caribbean regional capacities for managing cybersecurity threats since June 2020 and is anticipated to continue this support through June 2022. The Work Assignment's anticipated period of performance is July 12, 2021 – July 11, 2023 (24 months). The USAID Activity Manager for this Work Assignment will be Christine Pendzich, USAID/LAC Senior Energy and Environment Advisor. The Deloitte Technical Lead for the initial work planning phase will be SUPER Chief of Party (COP) Sophia Peters, to be succeeded by a designated WA Lead based on staff availability and technical alignment.