REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

CONSULTANT TO DEVELOP WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT PLAN (WRMP) FOR 8 DISTRICTS

1. CONTEXT AND BACKGROUND

Isoko y’Ubuzima is a five-year Rwanda Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) activity funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID), awarded in July of 2021. The activity is being executed by a consortium led by Water For People including IRC, CARE International, and VEI. It will take place in ten districts namely Rwamagana, Kayonza, Ngoma, Kirehe, Nyagatare, Nyanza, Ruhango, Nyamagabe, Ngororero and Nyabihu. 

The overall goal of the Isoko y’Ubuzima project will be achieved through three interrelated and mutually reinforcing strategic objectives: 1) Improving decentralized WASH Governance; 2) Improving Rural Drinking Water Services, and 3) Improving Rural Sanitation and Handwashing Services and Products.

Isoko y’Ubuzima in its year one has supported the 8 targeted districts in different WASH-related components including to avail water supply detailed engineering designs and related detailed studies as essential tools for resource mobilization by potential donors/ partners to reach district universal clean water access. The detailed engineering studies for the districts mentioned are ready for both existing and newly proposed options.

The detailed engineering designs of Districts where Isoko y’Ubuzima intervenes have shown a list of proposed new Water supply systems and existing ones that need rehabilitation to achieve universal access to drinking water for 25 years horizon.

In Rwanda, water resources are already scarce, and climate change will reduce them further.  It is therefore paramount that we plan for the long term.

To achieve a secure and sustainable availability of supply of water for the community while protecting and enhancing the environment, Water For People through the Isoko y’Ubuzima would like to hire consultancy firms to develop a Water Resources Management Plan (WRMP) per district to meet the objectives as follows: 

1. OBJECTIVE OF THE CONSULTANCY

The overall objective of the consultancy is to develop comprehensive water resources management plans for each of the 8 districts namely Rwamagana, Kayonza, Ngoma, Kirehe, Nyagatare, Nyanza, Ruhango, and Nyabihu Districts as grouped into two lots (Lot1: Kirehe, Ngoma, Kayonza and Nyagatare, Lot2: Rwamagana, Nyabihu, Ruhango and Nyanza). The consultancy firm will propose concrete measures for effective protection and use of water resources to supply the proposed new systems and those that need rehabilitation.

The specific objectives include the following:

1. To assess the characteristics of all the water resources and their respective catchment area, for all the proposed new water supply systems and those that need rehabilitation

2. To prepare Water Resource Management Plan that recommends mitigation measures needed to protect the concerned water resources.

• SCOPE OF WORK 

The WRMP will be carried out for each of the 8 districts and on all the water sources (springs, rivers, and lakes) and related catchment/watersheds supplying all the proposed new water supply systems and existing ones that need partial or total rehabilitation (See below the number of targeted water systems per district).

The Water Resources Management Plan (WRMP) will be developed to protect and manage the water supplies in the 8 districts to meet current and future needs over a minimum of 24 years.

1. TASKS TO BE CARRIED OUT

1. Literature review

• Identify data availability and gaps for conducting the assessment (Note: Isoko y’Ubuzima will share Detailed engineering designs of all water supply systems per district)
• Determine the extent of additional data collection required to ensure the qualitative depth of this study and the steps required (site visits, interviews, literature review, etc

2. Data collection
3. Database of the potable water sources in the concerned districts that include the following components:

• Compile all GPS locations of all water sources
• Delineation of the sub-catchments associated with the water sources identified.
• Water quality tests of the new proposed water sources and WSS that need total rehabilitation (springs and surface water). The main parameters to be tested are PH, Turbidity, Temperature, Total Coliforms, E. Coli, Faecal Coliform, Hardness, Arsenic, fluoride, Chloride, Nitrate, Electro-conductivity, Total dissolved solids (TDS), Iron, Phosphates, Copper, Manganese, Aluminium, Ammonia, nitrogen.

1. Water demand compilation

• Assess the identified water users and their water demand and interpolate the gap where applicable, (data already available).

1. Watershed characteristics (land use, land cover, slopes, erosion potential and land ownership, current and potential source of contamination of sources, hydrological information)
2. Existing or current watershed protection measures and challenges. 

3. Develop Water resources management plans

Water resources management plan shall include but not be limited to the following sections:

1. Characterization of potable water sources and related watersheds
2. Water balance analysis for 24 years (2023-2047)

• Current and proposed legal and institutional framework for water resources management

1. Proposed protection and mitigation measures
2. Proposed monitoring framework and tools
3. Prioritization of watersheds protection measures based on the risk of contamination and water demand analysis

• Outline the risks and uncertainties of future planning.
• Estimated budget for the implementation of recommended WRMP

1. Dissemination/ training plan of key stakeholders on the WRMP

1. EXPECTED DELIVERABLES

The consultant shall prepare and submit to the client the following:

1. Inception report describing the methodology of the study, timeframe for the assignment, structure of the final report, and proposal of any amendments to the terms of reference.
2. Interim report highlighting key findings and preliminary recommendations.
3. Draft report including the WRMP for the eight (8) districts with individual reports per district, Hydrological models, and Maps (Hydrological maps, land use, catchment delineation, source location, administrative map...)
4. Final reports including all comments from validation meetings
5. All deliverables mentioned above with all attachments will be produced and submitted to the client in soft and 2 hard copies.

N.B: The consultant is not limited to the above-proposed tasks and deliverables. Based on his/her experience the consultancy firm is encouraged to propose any relevant deliverables and tasks to ensure the completeness and quality of the study.

1. TERMS OF MANAGEMENT OF THE CONSULTANCY

Consultancy Nature: Short-term, Consultancy firms (only)

The maximum time required to perform the work: 90 calendar days, excluding the validation period and must cover both rainy and dry seasons.

Consultancy Oversight: The consultant will report to the Senior Water Supply Project Manager and will work closely with Water Supply Engineers, and the respective district officials. 

• CONSULTANCY QUALIFICATIONS

The consultancy firm should present a list of key experts including but not limited to:

• Water resources specialist: Having a master’s degree in water resources management or any related field with at least five (5) similar studies with the same complexity as a water resources specialist.
• Hydrogeologist: Having a master’s degree in hydrogeology or any related field with at least five (5) similar studies with the same complexity as a
• GIS Specialist: He/she should have a bachelor’s degree (A0) in land surveying, Geomatics, or another related field with at least 5 years of general experience. He/she must have work experience in at least three projects relevant to the construction of water supply systems proven by certificates of service rendered.
• At least one liaison person per district with at least a degree in civil engineering/ water engineering or any related field with a proven experience in the use of engineering and spatial software.

The application file should contain the following documents:

1. Administrative documents

Bidders are required to submit scanned copies of the below documents:

• Company registration certificate
• VAT registration certificate
• Valid Tax clearance certificate
• RSSB clearance certificate 

2. Technical offer

• A technical proposal with an understanding of TORs, a clear description of the proposed methodology detailing how the deliverables will be achieved, and the corresponding timeframe.
• Up-to-date and detailed Curriculum Vitae of the proposed team of experts to carry out the work (if a team is envisaged, ensure the repartition of roles and responsibilities is clearly explained).
• Evidence of the consultant’s experience in a similar assignment: Copies of similar assignments (with evidence of good completion of the previous similar assignments).
• Submit at least 3 references with their contacts and addresses. 

3. Financial offer

A financial offer detailing the various costs associated with the delivery of the above services, in protected excel format and must be a separate document from the technical offer (in Rwanda Francs).

The selected bidder will be contractually required to comply with Water For People’s Vendor Code of Conduct https://www.waterforpeople.org/Vendor-Code-of-Conduct and will be required to deliver a Conflict-of-Interest Certificate prior to execution of the contract. The Conflict-of-Interest Certificate requires the disclosure of any potential or actual conflicts of interest with Water For People employees or their relatives including past, current or proposed business transactions, employment, or offers of employment or certain gifts or entertainment. Water For People will evaluate any disclosures of conflicts of interest; if Water For People determines it cannot waive or mitigate the conflict of interest it will result in the disqualification of the selected bidder.

How to Apply:

Interested consultancy firms are requested to submit electronically their application files no later than 11^th January 2023 with the following subject: "Water Resources Management Plans for 8 Districts/ Isoko y’Ubuzima Project" to the following e-mail address: RWProcurement@waterforpeople.org.

The Client will open in public the financial Proposal on 12/01/2023 at 10 AM in Water For People office.

Done at Kigali, December 22^nd 2022

Eugene Dusingizumuremyi

Country Director