USAID Sector Reform and Utility Commercialization (SRUC) Task Order – Quarterly Performance Report (Q1 FY2016)

The project is funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and aims to promote utility commercialization and equitable, effective reforms in developing countries' electricity systems. The project's primary goal is to enhance the financial viability and long-term sustainability of these systems, enabling their expansion and growth and establishing the necessary preconditions for clean energy investments. The SRUC Task Order is implemented by Deloitte Consulting LLP, which works directly with USAID to assist countries and counterparts in assessing existing sector conditions and preparing new strategies and plans. Deloitte also designs and implements new market structures and models for private sector participation, builds institutional capacity with utility partners, tests new commercialization technologies, and reports lessons learned and results for broader dissemination in the sector. In Q1 FY2016, the Deloitte team continued the implementation of technical assistance SOWs in Jamaica and Indonesia and finalized several home office-based work products. Highlights from the quarter include hosting a Knowledge Exchange Working Session with JSIF, JPS, and other Jamaican agencies, submitting the final Best Practices Report to USAID and PLN, and requesting energy savings and greenhouse gas emission data from eight utilities under CLEER. The Deloitte team also organized a community engagement Knowledge Exchange Working Session with JSIF, JPS, and other Jamaica agencies active in the Community Renewal program. The session aimed to brainstorm a plan for the upcoming year and understand how to improve current programming on loss reduction. The outputs from the knowledge exchange working session will be a community sensitization plan and a manual on how to best work with communities on electricity issues. In addition, the Deloitte team prepared and released two "request for quotes" (RFQs) for a set of 400 electrical and lumber components for the readyboard assembly. The quotes are due January 22, 2016, and the pricing analysis, notification of the procurement to the CO, and the actual procurement of materials and transfer to JSIF will be finalized in Q2. The Deloitte team also finalized its subcontract with Hope Caribbean Ltd. and engaged in kick-off meetings between Hope, the Jamaican counterparts, and USAID/Deloitte. The team worked with Hope to draft a baseline instrument and put in place an implementation plan to carry out the survey. The SRUC project has several core activities, including technical functions such as evaluations, hosting sector reform workshops and forums, designing and implementing new market structures, and developing appropriate legal and regulatory frameworks. Administrative functions include planning the execution of technical functions, resource approval and deployment for technical projects, and budget, administrative, and technical trackers. The project's geographic focus is on Jamaica and Indonesia, with a focus on promoting utility commercialization and equitable, effective reforms in these countries' electricity systems. The project's timeframes are quarterly, with Q1 FY2016 being the focus of this report. The project's recommendations include continuing to implement technical assistance SOWs in Jamaica and Indonesia, finalizing home office-based work products, and requesting energy savings and greenhouse gas emission data from eight utilities under CLEER.