CALL FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST (EOI) TO MAP THE WATER, SANITATION AND HYGIENE (WASH) FINANCING LANDSCAPE IN ZAMBIA. 

WaterAid Zambia is an international Non-Governmental Organization dedicated to the provision of safe and clean water, decent sanitation, and good hygiene to the world’s poorest.  WaterAid Zambia currently operates in Six (06) districts; Lusaka, Monze, Sesheke, Mwandi, and Nkeyema districts.

WaterAid Zambia is now inviting Expressions of Interest from eligible Consultants to map the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) financing landscape in Zambia. Consultants are encouraged to acquire data from relevant sources to inform their EOI.

Expressions of interest Application process and submission

Interested candidates (individual consultants or firms) are required to submit the following documentation:

• Cover letter detailing their suitability to undertake this assignment as per its Terms of Reference. The letter should be addressed to

The Head People & Organizational Development

Water Aid Zambia

House No. 21A Middle Way, Kabulonga

Postnet No. 81 P/Bag E891

Lusaka, Zambia

• Technical and financial proposals with specific focus addressing the purpose and objectives of the assignment, methodology to be used, key selection criteria and draft data collection tools and interview guides
• Initial work plan based on the methodology outlined.
• Company or individual profile or CV including a minimum of 3 references.
• Detailed budget breakdown.
• The CVs of key support staff (in the case of a firm)
• Full Technical and Financial Proposals together with all supporting documentation should be submitted to ZambiaCareers@wateraid.org     The subject line of your email should read “Application – WASH Financing Landscape Mapping.”
• The deadline for submission of both technical and financial proposals is Thursday 31st October 2024

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Consultancy to Map the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) financing landscape in Zambia.

WaterAid is an international, not-for-profit organization established in Zambia in 1981. We work to change the lives of the poorest and most marginalized people by making clean water, decent toilets, and good hygiene normal for everyone, everywhere within a generation. We currently operate in Lusaka, Monze, Kazungula, Mwandi, Sesheke and Nkeyema Districts.

1.    BACKGROUND

Access to water and sanitation is one of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Targets 6.1, and 6.2 collectively aim to ensure universal access to safe and affordable drinking water and achieve adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all by 2030. In Zambia, there have been considerable attempts to improve WASH services. The Vision 2030 and the 8NDP identify universal access to water and sanitation as a critical developmental goal. Yet, access to improved water and sanitation services remains one of the nation’s most pressing challenges both in rural and particularly in the densely populated Peri Urban Areas (PUAs). Basic statistics on WASH show that only 72.3% of Zambians have access to clean drinking water, while 54% have access to adequate sanitation and 24,7% have access to hygiene. [1]

Our 2023-2028 strategic Plan is working to contribute to Improved health & well-being of communities especially women and girls by empowering them to demand access to resilient, inclusive, and sustainably financed WASH services by 2028. To attain this, for one, we are working to see increased investment in WASH. The WASH sector has been consistently and significantly underfunded and defunded, especially from the public sector with budget allocations as a share of the total budget on a downward trend over the last 5years dropping from 2.5% in 2020 to 1.1% in 2025. Additionally, Budget performance for the sector remains poor averaging 37% when we compare approved allocations to disbursed funding. Further, the 2023 MOFNP development Finance assessment establishes that about 72% of the sector’s resources are donor financed. Our call: increased, sustained financing for sustainable and inclusive WASH services from diverse sources by 2028.

Given the multi-sectoral nature of water, sanitation and hygiene, different ministries implement various WASH interventions; School Health and Nutrition’s WASH pillar under Ministry of Education, Hygiene and WASH in HCFs under Ministry of Health, waste management and WASH projects under the Ministry of Local Government, WASH interventions under the Ministry of Green Economy and environment and policy direction as well as WASH interventions under Ministry of Water Development and Sanitation (MWDS). Additionally, various Cooperating Partners finance the sector. Most recently, climate mitigation and adaptation targeted sources will increasingly finance WASH.

WaterAid is therefore, seeking the services of a consultant or a firm to undertake a comprehensive mapping of the sources of WASH financing in Zambia’s public sector, establishing trends overtime, understanding the key enablers and challenges in the multisectoral implementation of WASH interventions, key gaps, and bottlenecks. The study will also need to adequately outline to the extent possible other non-public (domestic and international e.g. climate, philanthropy, private etc.) sources of WASH financing establishing the trends over the years.

2.    PURPOSE OF CONSULTANCY

The purpose of the consultancy is to

a) Scope and outline the policy, institutional and regulatory frameworks for the allocation, disbursement, and management of WASH finance in Zambia.

b) Conduct a comprehensive mapping of public sources of WASH financing, clearly identifying corresponding budget lines or the lack of/poor clarity therein.

c) Undertake a disaggregated trend analysis (by Ministries Provinces and Spending Agencies-MPSAs) of WASH financing and budget performance from 2013 to 2023.

d) Analyse factors influencing WASH related budget allocations and performance by sector detailing both challenges and opportunities in this regard.

e) Scope other financing streams for WASH from Cooperating Partners, climate finance among others highlighting key funding sources, trends (allocations and disbursements) where available, challenges and opportunities.

e) Propose actionable recommendations, and a roadmap for potentially game changing actions.

3.    SCOPE OF WORK

Specific Tasks will include:

Outlining key frameworks that govern the allocation, disbursement, and management of WASH finance in Zambia.

1. Analysis of WASH financing and budget lines by sector with a focus on budget credibility and adequacy of funding.

2. Outlining the comprehensiveness of reporting and coordination across sectors

3. Scoping the donor and climate financing landscape detailing the profile of donors/funding sources supporting or with potential to fund the water sector, key noted bottlenecks in funding the sector and opportunities.

4. Documenting key successes and challenges on WASH financing across sectors including drawing lessons from comparable countries.

5. Outline key policy actions and stakeholder roles to ensure sustained investment and improved reporting on WASH investments across sectors.

This assessment will focus on comprehensively mapping the sources of WASH financing in Zambia focusing on public, donor and climate funds. The study will also seek to understand the key enablers and challenges in the multisectoral implementation of WASH interventions, key gaps, and bottlenecks. The report will need to adequately outline to the extent possible, the diverse sources of WASH financing. The study will largely be desk review but will need to be supplemented with Key Informant Interviews with selected critical WASH stakeholders such as the Ministry of Water Development and Sanitation (MWDS), Ministry of Finance and National Planning (MOFNP), Ministry of Health (MOH), Ministry of Education (MOE), Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD), Commercial Utilities (CUs), Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), Cooperating Partners (CPs) and any other stakeholder deemed relevant to draw insights on key bottlenecks and challenges with regards WASH financing.

4. DELIVERABLES

1. Inception Report

2. A Mapping report on WASH financing in Zambia

3. A Summary Policy Brief and infographic.

4. Power point presentation on summary issues identified & recommendation for key stakeholders working on WASH financing.

5. Ethics and risks

I. The consultant is expected to comply with WaterAid’s safeguarding standards, policies, and procedures at all times. WaterAid will undertake safeguarding training for all external consultants, facilitators and research fellows that will be engaged throughout this study.

II. The consultant must adhere to government regulations and WaterAid local security protocols.

III.  The Consultant will work in liaison with Policy Team Lead to identify and obtain approvals required to conduct this work, or to engage key informants.

IV. The consultant will be bound by the General Data Protection Regulations upheld by WaterAid.

6. Outputs and timeline

The selected consultant will undertake this consultancy in Lusaka over a period of approximately 25 days from 18th November 2024 to 20th December (working days). This contract will be between WaterAid Zambia, and the Consultant selected for this work. WaterAid will engage the selected consultant at a fixed fee determined by agreement based on the number of consultancy days proposed. The consultant entering a contract with WaterAid Zambia must ensure completion of the entire scope of work within the available resources.

Proposed Schedule

S/N
Task
Duration

1. Inception meeting and safeguarding briefing – 2 days
2. Design of KII tools & briefing and review of WaterAid Safeguarding protocol – 2 days
3. Feedback and input to the existing tool – 1 day
4. Report Consolidation – 11 days
5. Review Submitted report – 3 days
6. Incorporation of inputs – 5 day
7. Submission of final report – 1 day
   Total days = 25

7.0. Methodology and sampling

This is a mixed method study involving qualitative and quantitative approaches.

The consultant will in addition to primary interviews, search the following sources:

• Internet search, identifying any published and grey literature relating to WASH financing in Zambia
• Sector documents provided by WaterAid, partners and any SharePoint sites used by sector partners.
• Review official reports from the Zambia government, particularly from the MWDS, MOFNP,
• Review research articles/papers, reports, and publications on WASH financing in Zambia.
• Conduct Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) and in-depth Interviews (IDIs) with national and international stakeholders.

8.0. Stakeholders’ involvement

Key stakeholders’ involvement will comprise of WASH-focussed/related ministries, development partners and INGOs, Local Authorities school and health administrations, CSOs, WASH service providers, the WASH Legislative Caucus, and any other resource parties deemed relevant.

9.0. Roles and responsibilities 

The role of the consultant is to:

• Ensure the analysis covers cross-cutting issues such as gender, equity, and social inclusion to address specific needs and vulnerabilities
• Undertake identification and analysis of relevant external documents.
• Validate and triangulate the data obtained from the dissimilar sources, including interviews, documents, among others to ensure accuracy and consistency of the information.
• Conduct interviews with WaterAid staff, government officials, INGOs, UN agencies, partners, CSOs and any other relevant stakeholders
• Participate in follow up stakeholder engagements as need arises.

The role of WaterAid is to:

• Lead on the WASH financing landscape study, making all strategic choices.
• Oversee and support the consultant in their work, providing clear direction and availing available WaterAid research documents.
• Agree with the consultant the methodology and tools for this study.
• Facilitate contact between the consultant and relevant WaterAid staff.
• Facilitate contact between the consultant and relevant government departments, partner organisations and other external stakeholders.
• Sign off on the consultant’s work.
• Provide overall quality assurance of the process.

10. Profile of the Consultant

WaterAid is looking for a lead consultant who meets the following requirements:

• Postgraduate qualifications in any of the following: Economics, Development Studies, Engineering, social work
• At least 10 years of relevant leadership experience, including serving as team leader.
• Demonstrated training and senior- level experience in conducting qualitative and quantitative research.
• Experience in developing data collection and analysis tools and interpreting and simplifying research data.
• Demonstrated experience of conducting similar data analysis or work, to inform policy decision-making and advocacy and planning in the last five years.
• Knowledge and experience in using statistical packages for the analysis of data.
• Strong analytical skills of both quantitative and qualitative information
• Demonstrated Knowledge of public, donor, and climate finance in Zambia (t by team members with the said expertise. Specifics tied to WASH financing will be an added advantage
• Experience in undertaking desk review and collating key information or anything similar.
• Experience in conducting interviews with diverse types of Key Informants including government officials, CSOs, among others.
• Excellent and demonstratable communication, report writing and presentation skills, especially in English.
• Basic knowledge of WASH issues particularly financing for WASH
• Timely delivery of expected outputs from the assessment
• Relevant general management or technical education and background.
• Practical working experience in the management and administration of research projects at the field level and overall administration.
• Demonstrated ability to work closely and effectively with relevant partner organizations
• Extensive in-country experience in undertaking research.

Additional Expertise and Inputs

• The Consultant will provide, for the duration of the proposed project, the full human resource complement to ensure effective completion of this assignment. The consultants are expected to commence their services as per the agreed work plan. It is expected at the very least that the consultancy team will constitute the following credentials.
• A public finance expert with demonstratable experience in undertaking tracking and analysis of various public budgets including WASH.
• A WASH expert with an appreciation of the intricacies of the sector
• A Climate finance expert with extensive knowledge/experience in Climate financing for WASH.

13.0. Proposed budget

The consulting firm or individual consultant will provide an estimated, realistic, and itemized budget to produce the expected outputs. The budget should separate consultancy fees and any earmarked reimbursable expenses.