HCL Samuday - DevInfo.in

Last Date for Submission is 5th January 2022

Founded in 1976 as one of India’s original IT garage start-ups, HCL is a pioneer of modern computing with many firsts to its credit, including the introduction of the 8-bit microprocessor-based computer in 1978 well before its global peers. Today, the HCL enterprise has a presence across varied sectors that include technology, healthcare and talent management solutions and comprises three companies – HCL Infosystems, HCL Technologies, and HCL Healthcare. The Enterprise generates annual revenues of over US $8 billion with more than 120,000 employees operating across 39 countries, including over 500 points of presence in India.

HCL Foundation, invites proposals from organizations for Society Formation and Capacity Building of Solar User Groups across 32 solar mini-grids in Hardoi, Uttar Pradesh, under its flagship programme HCL Samuday.

HCL Foundation (HCLF) was established in 2011 as the CSR arm of HCL Technologies. It is a not for-profit- organization, that strives to contribute towards national and international development goals, bringing about lasting positive impact in the lives of people, through long term sustainable programs. The foundation aims to alleviate poverty and achieve inclusive growth and development.

Active community engagement ensures optimal long-term gains and upward accountability. HCL Foundation works through Life Cycle Based, Integrated Community Development Approach with thematic focus on Education, Health, Skill Development & Livelihood, Environment and Disaster Risk Reduction & Response. Child protective strategies, inclusion and gender transformative approaches remain central in all initiatives of HCL Foundation, thus ensuring comprehensive development. Presently HCL Foundation is implementing five flagship programs, namely HCL Samuday & HCL Grant – Rural Development programs; HCL Uday & Clean Noida – Urban Development programs; HCL Harit (The Green Initiative) – Environment Action program and 4 special initiatives – Power of One, Sports for Change, HCL Foundation Academy and My E-Haat.

Vision

To be the source code for sustainable socio-economic and environmental development.

Mission

Nurture clean, green and healthy communities where everyone is empowered and equipped to reach their full potential in partnership with its employees, communities and stakeholders, while promoting volunteerism and establishing international standards of strategic planning, implementation and measuring impact.

About HCL Samuday

HCL Samuday, a flagship programme of HCL Foundation, is an outcome of HCL’s commitment to uplift rural India. Established in 2015, Samuday intends to develop a sustainable, scalable, and replicable model – a source code for economic and social development of rural areas in partnership with central and State Governments, local communities, NGOs, knowledge institutions and allied partners. We do this through optimal interventions across Agriculture, Education, Environment, Health, Livelihood, and WASH (Water, Sanitation & Hygiene) in selected villages. The program is designed to help the local people identify their problems, co-create solutions, and then implement the same on their own with professional support from team Samuday, thereby, lending the dimension of sustainability and ownership to the vision of development. Currently implemented in eleven community development blocks in Uttar Pradesh, HCL Samuday is operational in 1300 habitations.

Objectives of the RFP

Infrastructure improvement acts as base for further social and economic development. In line with this approach, HCL Samuday has developed renewable energy infrastructure to bring electricity to un-electrified habitations and those with erratic supply of electricity; also ensure a non-disruptive supply of electricity in health centres and schools. The former is being done by setting up solar mini-grids whose sustainable operation and maintenance is guaranteed by Solar User Groups (comprising of community members) and the latter task of facility electrification is being accomplished with rooftop solar PV systems.

Under Village Electrification project, HCL Samuday works for alleviation of energy poverty and holistic development of rural communities by making reliable and clean electricity available to habitations and its public institutions. Reliable electricity is being provided to habitations in the most productive hours of its inhabitants by establishing a network of sustainable, scalable, and replicable decentralized solar mini-grids. Sustainability of this intervention is being assured by formulating and strengthening village level organizations called Solar User Groups (SUG). With a vision to promote livelihood, various energy-based livelihood opportunities are also being promoted. For example, cheap and reliable irrigation is being facilitated by solar irrigation pumps that use energy from the established mini grids. Along with this, during night habitations enjoy street lighting in every nook and corner.

Currently 3,700 households, 68 public institutions, and 35 micro enterprises across 41 villages are being supported from 32 solar mini grids.

Working with the existing set-up of HCL Foundation, the organization shall abide with the following objectives

Society Formation by merging 32 SUGs functional across the 32 mini-grid sites.
Capacity Building of 32 SUGs for managing overall solar sites operations and fundraising.

Broad Activities

Capacity Building and Society Formation

Building capacity of solar user groups and identifying key potential members to be in board of society
Creating a society, merging all the SUGs, and transferring the money present in respective SUGs’ bank
accounts to the newly formed Society’s bank account

Agenda for Capacity Building

Identifying the opportunities and process to raise funds for the society
Managing operations and maintenance of solar 32 mini-grids
Collection of tariff and its optimization in better way

Defining the by-laws of society in consultation with HCLF which should include

Mentioning Society formation agenda.
Defining process to Constitute board of members.
Defining the way for any asset hand-over to the society and its regulation.
Defining operation and maintenance process and society roles

Staff Deployment

Project Management Team Mobilizers,
Trainers & Implementers

Monitoring and Evaluation Plan

The Project shall be monitored at community and field office level. The organization shall monitor the programme through monthly reviews of progress reports. HCL Foundation’s members would also undertake field visits to see the progress and guide the team. The organization shall meet every month to review progress, take decisions to address any issue affecting the smooth implementation of the project and review and approve monthly activity plan. Collection of data to assess progress towards effective capacity building of Solar user group and Society formation.

▪ Maintaining Meeting and activity records for Capacity building Activities.
▪ Monthly reports including monthly progress report and action taken for follow up.

Project Duration

The duration of the project could be 8-16 months based on outputs and reviews.

Geographical Location

The 32 solar mini-grids are spread across three blocks – Kachhauna, Kothawan, and Behendar, in Hardoi district of UP.

Who Can Apply

All credible organisations with at least 3 years of relevant experience are welcome to apply. Prior trade centric expertise shall be preferred.

Points of consideration

Compliance to core humanitarian standards
System Strengthening approach leading to sustainable solutions
Cross-cutting issues: inclusion of women, children, age and disabled, marginalized groups, etc.
All measures undertaken should follow ‘do no harm’ principle and limit the adverse impact of natural
hazards, environmental degradation and technological hazards
Proposed objectives and indicators should be achievable and measurable within the timeframe of the
project (SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Timely)

Adherence to Child Safeguarding Policy of the organization

HCL Foundation is committed to safeguard the interests of all children under its purview. HCL Foundation follows a Zero Tolerance mandate towards any incidence of Abuse/harassment with a Child. Therefore, the NGOs/CSR Implementing Agencies will be requested to sign and comply with HCL’s Child Protection Policy.

Terms & Conditions

Sub-granting: Project must be directly implemented by applicant organization and sub-granting of the same to any other NGO / organization is not allowed.

Deadline: Proposals received after the designated deadline may be subject to rejection by HCL Foundation Validity: Your proposal must remain valid for a minimum of three (3) months from the date of receipt by HCL Foundation.

Negotiations: The most competitive RFP is requested. It is anticipated that the contract will be awarded on the basis of merit of proposal. However, HCL Foundation reserves the right to request responses to questions and conduct negotiations with any potential agency/consultant prior to awarding a contract.

Rejection of RFP: This document is an expression of request only, and in no way binds HCL Foundation to make an award. HCL Foundation reserves the right to reject any and all offers received and/or to cancel the RFP. HCL Foundation will not be obliged to either inform or provide a justification for rejection of proposals.

Incurring costs: HCL Foundation will not be liable for any cost incurred during preparation, submission, or negotiation of an award for this RFP.

Financial responsibility: RFP must certify the financial viability and adequacy of resources of the agency/organization to complete the proposed assignment within the agreed time frame and in conformity with the agreed terms of payment. HCL Foundation reserves the right to request and review up to the last three financial statements and audit reports including schedules and annexures, as part of the basis of the award if required.

Copyright and Patents: HCL Foundation shall be entitled to all copyrights, patents and other proprietary rights and trademarks with regard to the products or documents and other materials which bear a direct relation to or are produced or prepared or collected in consequences of or in the course of the execution of the contract. All plans, reports, recommendations, estimates, documents and data compiled by the service providers under the contract shall be the property of HCL Foundation and shall be treated as confidential. All confidential documents should be delivered to the relevant people within HCL Foundation during the project duration and upon completion.

Submission Details

Applicants are requested to duly fill in the Annexures and send it to the below mentioned email To: vinaykumar-s@hcl.com; Cc: a.sharma@hcl.com; kishore-ku@hcl.com