Terms of reference for the consultancy Services to review and/or amend the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for District WASH Boards (DWASHBs) Tender at IRC

1. Background and Context

The Government of Rwanda (GoR) recognizes that sustainable and inclusive access to water and sanitation services is central to national socio-economic transformation and public health. In 2023, the GoR adopted the National Water and Sanitation Policy, which redefined institutional roles and clarified the mandate of the Water and Sanitation Corporation (WASAC Group) as the national utility responsible for water service provision in both urban and rural areas, with delegated management of rural water services through private operators.

In this new framework, District WASH Boards (DWASHBs) remain key multi-stakeholder coordination and accountability platforms for WASH service sustainability at district level. However, their current operational guidance; the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) of 2020 needs to be aligned with NST2 as well as the new water and sanitation policy of 2023, especially with the consideration of the following:  

• The shift of the delegating authority for rural water service management from Districts to WASAC.
• The adoption of the delegated management model for rural water supply.
• The new institutional arrangements and policy commitments under the 2023 National Water and Sanitation Policy.

To ensure DWASHBs function effectively under this new governance and service delivery architecture, there is a need to develop a revised SOP that clarifies their roles, composition, procedures, reporting lines, financing mechanisms, and collaboration frameworks with both WASAC and Districts.

It is against the above-mentioned background that Isoko y’Ubuzima Project through IRC in collaboration with Ministry of Infrastructure is hiring a consultant to revise the current operating procedures (SOP) of district WASH Board
 

2. Objective of the Assignment

The overall objective of this consultancy service is to develop updated and harmonized Standard Operating Procedures for District WASH Boards that are fully aligned with the National Water and Sanitation Policy (2023) and the delegated management model for rural water services, providing clear guidance on their mandate, composition, operations, coordination, and performance monitoring.

Specific Objectives

1. Review the existing 2020 DWASHB SOPs and assess their relevance under the new institutional and policy context.
2. Analyse the 2023 National Water and Sanitation Policy, the 2024–2029 WASH sector strategic plan, and the delegated management model to determine implications for DWASHB functions.
3. Define updated roles, responsibilities, and accountability mechanisms of DWASHBs vis-vis WASAC, District Councils, and private operators.
4. Develop a revised SOP including internal rules, coordination and reporting frameworks, financing mechanisms, and monitoring and evaluation components.
5. Facilitate national and district-level consultations to validate the draft SOP with key stakeholders.
6. Produce the final SOP document ready for submission and adoption by MININFRA.
    

3. Scope of Work

The consultant will carry out the following tasks:

1. Desk Review – review existing SOP, policies, and relevant laws.

• Review the 2020 DWASHB SOP, ministerial instructions establishing DWASHBs, and related governance tools.
•  Review some of the DWASHB meeting reports and documents available to know which topics are discussed, the limitations they have, and the challenges they face.  
•  Review the 2023 National Water and Sanitation Policy, particularly institutional arrangements and policy objectives specifically those related to water and sanitation. 
• Review the guidelines and regulations related to Water and Sanitation as stipulated by RURA
•  Review of the Operationalization Report of the Delegated Rural Water Supply Management Model (2025), especially section 6.2.2 and related institutional framework clarifications.
• Review relevant laws, guidelines, and strategic documents (NST2, WASH Sector strategic plan 2024–2029, RURA regulations and other WASH sector relevant documents for the assignment, etc.).
• Review the existing funding mechanisms of DWASHBs and analyze the performance challenges of DWASHBs

2. Stakeholder Consultations 

• Conduct consultations with MININFRA, WASAC, RURA, MINECOFIN, MINALOC, LODA, District representatives, and WASH partners to collect views on DWASHB performance gaps and expectations under the new model

3.  Institutional role redefinition – clarify linkages between DWASHBs, District Councils, WASAC branches, and private operators.

• Clarify new institutional and functional links between DWASHBs, District Councils, WASAC branches, and private operators.

Define clear reporting and feedback mechanisms between DWASHBs and national institutions.

• Review and propose the financing mechanisms for DWASHB’s activities.

Development of the Revised SOP – covering governance, roles, financing, coordination, and M&E.

• Prepare an updated SOP structured around:

• Internal governance and structure
•  Roles and responsibilities
• Financing and sustainability mechanisms
• Coordination and reporting frameworks
• Monitoring and evaluation tools and indicators
• Compliance and performance standards

4. Validation and Finalization 

• Facilitate a national validation workshop.
• Incorporate feedback and submit the final SOP document with a summary implementation guide.

4. Deliverables

5. Methodology

The consultant shall devise the best methodology to conduct the assignment which will include but not limited to:

• Thorough desk-based review of existing frameworks and relevant literature.
• Key informant interviews and focus group discussions with national and district stakeholders.
• Participatory validation through technical workshops.
• Close coordination with IRC, Water for People, MININFRA, WASAC and RURA throughout the process to ensure alignment and quality assurance.

6. Duration and Level of Effort

The consultancy is expected to take 45 working days over a 12-week period (January – March 2026).

7. Reporting and Coordination

The consultant will work under the overall supervision of IRC WASH Rwanda (and in close coordination with MININFRA and WASAC. Regular updates will be shared through bi-weekly check-ins or as agreed.

All deliverables will be submitted electronically in English (Word and PDF formats).

8. Required Qualifications and Experience

• Master’s degree in public administration, WASH Management, or Policy Studies.
• Minimum 10 years of professional experience in the WASH sector, preferably in Rwanda.
• Proven experience in institutional development, policy implementation, and WASH governance.
• Experience in facilitating multi-stakeholder consultations and developing operational SOPs.
• Excellent English writing and communication skills (Kinyarwanda/French an asset).

9. Application Requirements

Interested applicants should submit:

• A technical proposal describing understanding of the assignment, proposed methodology, and work plan.
• A financial proposal (in Rwandan Francs) detailing consultancy fees and any related costs.
• Updated Curriculum Vitae (or team CVs if applying as a firm).
• Evidence of previous similar assignments (assignments performed in the past three or five years with minimum three references).
• Relevant legal and tax registration documents (Company Registration certificate (RDB), VAT certificate, tax and RSSB clearance certificate Where applicable).

10. Technical Evaluation Criteria

11. Financial evaluation

Following the technical evaluation, only bidders who score 80% or higher will advance to the financial evaluation stage. The bidder must attain a minimum score of 80% for each of the technical evaluation marks scoring sections: 1. Understanding methodology, work plan; 2. Experience and Qualifications; and 3. Three evidence of previous similar assignments. 

At this stage, financial proposals will be assessed, and the bidder with the lowest price will be selected. Financial proposals must be password-protected, and passwords will only be requested from bidders who qualify for the financial evaluation.

Note: Any arithmetic error in the financial report will result in an automatic disqualification.

12. How to apply

If you feel qualified and interested in the assignment, please send your documents (including the technical and financial proposals as two separate documents) to: mutesi@ircwash.org  
no later than 10th December 2025 with the following subject: “Consultancy Services to review and/or amend the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for District WASH Boards (DWASHBs)”. Hard copies and late submissions shall be rejected.

Done at Kigali, on November 26th ,2025.