REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST
(NON-CONSULTING SERVICES – FIRMS SELECTION)
Country: Kingdom of Lesotho
Procuring Entity: Ministry of Energy and Mining
Title of Assignment: Implementation and Operation of a Turnkey Fuel Marking Programme (FMP) Solution
Reference No.: 002/DOE-2025/2026
1. Background
The Government of the Kingdom of Lesotho, through the Ministry of Energy and Mining, intends to establish a national Fuel Marking Programme (FMP) to strengthen petroleum product integrity, improve fuel quality monitoring, enhance Government revenue assurance, and combat fuel adulteration, smuggling, under-declaration, and tax evasion.
The programme shall be implemented under a turnkey commercial arrangement, whereby the successful firm shall design, finance, supply, implement, operate, maintain, and manage the programme’s infrastructure and operations at its own cost, subject to the agreed commercial recovery mechanism.
The Ministry hereby invites suitably qualified firms or consortia to submit Expressions of Interest (EoIs) for the design, financing, implementation, operation, maintenance, and management of a turnkey FMP covering petrol, diesel, and illuminating paraffin imported into Lesotho.
2. Objectives of the Assignment
The objectives of the programme are as follows:
- Ensure mandatory marking and monitoring of all imported petroleum products (petrol, diesel, and illuminating paraffin).
- Improve fuel quality assurance and product integrity.
- Reduce fuel adulteration, dilution, and illegal fuel trade.
- Enhance Government revenue protection and compliance monitoring.
- Improve traceability and accountability within the petroleum supply chain.
- Strengthen petroleum sector regulatory oversight.
- Support legal enforcement through scientifically verifiable forensic evidence.
- Establish a sustainable and self-financing operational model.
3. Summary Scope of the Assignment and Duration
The successful contractor shall provide a complete end-to-end FMP solution. The scope of services shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
- Inception and programme design and mobilization
- Supply of fuel marking technology
- Installation and operation of marking systems
- Supply of FMP monitoring and testing technology
- Inspection, monitoring and enforcement support
- Data management system
- Capacity building and institutional strengthening
The initial contract period shall be five (5) years, renewable subject to satisfactory performance and the Procuring Entity’s approval.
4. Competence Requirements of the Firm
Interested firms must provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the services.
The following requirements, to be considered in alignment with the scope of the services and the objectives of the assignment, shall form the minimum qualification requirements for shortlisting:
- Minimum three (3) years’ experience implementing and operating all aspects of a national fuel marking programme to at least one national government as the main contractor/service provider.
- Minimum three (3) years of proven experience in implementing and operating turnkey fuel marking programmes of similar scope and complexity, providing the client’s name, address, performance dates, project overview, project value and capacity of operational role performed.
- Experience in operating actual marking and monitoring operations within African jurisdictions.
- Demonstration of the firm’s strong institutional (technical and managerial) project management and operational capabilities.
- The firm’s overall human resource capacity and possession of the right skills mix, to be evidenced by the company’s organogram indicating the positions and a summary description of the role of each personnel.
Note: Individual key experts’ academic qualifications and experience shall not be assessed at the Expression of Interest stage.
- Evidence of the company’s good financial standing to execute the assignment.
Administrative Compliance Documents
Submission of valid administrative compliance documents as follows:
- Cover letter signed by the authorized personnel with Power of Attorney letter or company board’s resolution.
- Valid Trader’s Licence or equivalent.
- Valid Tax Clearance Certificate (if appropriate in country of registration/incorporation).
- Proof of patent/ownership of the fuel marking technology components.
- Evidence of form of association (joint venture or sub-consulting) where applicable, signed for by the relevant personnel for each party in the association.
5. Shortlisting and Qualification Criteria
The criteria for shortlisting and selection of the winning firm shall adhere to the Lesotho Public Procurement Act 2023 and the relevant guiding principles as well as best practice. Interested firms are therefore urged to pay attention to the relevant sections of the Act for additional compliance requirements.
The shortlisting process shall follow the following scoring and rating criteria allocated out of 100 points:
| No. | Criteria | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Experience implementing and operating national fuel marking programmes for national governments | 30% |
| 2 | Experience with turnkey fuel marking programmes of similar scope and complexity | 25% |
| 3 | Experience operating fuel marking and monitoring operations in Africa | 20% |
| 4 | Institutional technical, managerial and operational capacity | 10% |
| 5 | Financial capacity and good standing | 15% |
Minimum qualifying score for shortlisting of a firm shall be 75%.
6. Information
- Consultants may associate with other firms to enhance their qualifications but should indicate clearly whether the association is in the form of a joint venture and/or a sub-consultancy. In the case of a joint venture, all the partners in the joint venture shall be jointly and severally liable for the entire contract, if selected.
- Full Terms of Reference shall be shared with the shortlisted firms for preparation of the Request for Proposals.
- Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours, i.e. 08:00 to 16:00 hours, local time.
7. Submission
Expressions of Interest must be hand delivered with three (3) hard copies and one (1) additional copy in a USB Flash drive enclosed in a sealed envelope containing the original, marked:
“EoI Fuel Marking Relaunch”
Submissions must be made no later than 02 October 2026 at 10:00, local time, at the address shown below:
Tender Box DoE
2nd Floor, Sekhametsi Building
Kingsway Street
Maseru, Lesotho
The EoIs shall be publicly opened at the same venue and date at 10:30 local time, and the name of the firm/JV and submission of registration documents shall be read out.
Late submissions shall be rejected.
Clarifications and Queries
All requests for clarifications and/or queries pertaining to this Request for Expression of Interest must be submitted in writing to the below contact on or before 17:00 on 18 September 2026.
Clarification requests or queries received later than the aforesaid date shall not be responded to.
Attention: Secretary of the Procurement Committee
Email: [email protected]
CC: [email protected]