Consultancy for the development of a Geographical Information System (GIS) and Integrated Management Information System (IMIS) for Southern Water and Sanitation Company in Choma Town

SNV Netherlands Development Organisation

SNV is a global development partner, deeply rooted in the countries where we operate. Driven by a vision of a better world where all people live with dignity and have equitable opportunities to thrive sustainably, SNV strengthens capacities and catalyses partnerships that transform agri-food, energy, and water systems. We help strengthen institutions and effective governance, reduce gender inequalities and barriers to social inclusion, and enable adaptation and mitigation to the climate and biodiversity crises. With 60 years of experience and a team of approximately 1,600 people, we support our partners in more than 20 countries in Africa and Asia, tailoring our approaches to different contexts to achieve large-scale impact and create more equitable lives for all.

Management of Water Resources and Sanitation for Medium-Sized Cities (MWRS4MC) Project With support from KfW, SNV in collaboration with the Southern Water and Sanitation Company (SWASCO) and local authorities, is implementing a transformative sanitation project in Overspill and Zambia compounds of Choma Town. The MWRS4MC project is for four years, from 2024 to 2028. It is committed to delivering business-driven, climate-resilient service provision, ensuring the safe management of the entire sanitation chain, including treatment and re-use stages. The project aims to address the sanitation status that has compromised the public health of 31,705 inhabitants in the two compounds, as most of the sanitation containments in place are either unlined or inadequate and unsafe disposal of solid waste to cope with the frequent and intense floods that both areas experience. In addition, the project focuses on capacity strengthening of the stakeholders responsible for planning, managing, monitoring and enforcing safe sanitation. A key component of the project involves raising awareness among the affected populations to create demand for safe containment and professional services.

Key design principles driving the solution include:
1. Introduction of innovative and/or improved containment facilities, flood-proof, that do not allow leakage of faecal matter into the water sources even during flood events
2. Decommissioning and replacement of any existing sub-standard facilities that do not ensure safe containment of faecal matter
3. Scheduled emptying as the preferred business model, to minimize risks of
toilets overflowing and of illegal sludge dumping, and to enable efficient
management and business opportunities at the treatment/re-use ends
4. Coherence of the technical and business options proposed across the multiple nodes of the chain to achieve maximum efficiency, also in relation to re-use processes
5. A focus on tangential aspects that heavily impact sanitation conditions, namely solid waste management, drainage systems management and water supply
6. A deliberate attention to climate change adaptation and mitigation

Background Information

SNV in-conjunction with SWASCO is implementing the Management of Water Resources and Sanitation for Medium-Sized Cities in Overspill and Zambia compound of Choma Town. The project involves addressing problems along the service chains. To gain a better understanding of the project areas, SNV seeks to engage a consultant to develop a comprehensive GIS-referenced database for all households and public places in Overspill and Zambia compound concerning sanitation and water supply conditions, roads and the drainage system in place. The data will be incorporated into a SWASCO-led, transferable, open-sourced Integrated System for Information Management (IMIS).

Objective

The primary objective is to create an accurate and detailed geospatial database and an integrated management system for monitoring sanitation and water supply conditions. The database will serve as a baseline for measuring project progress and facilitate effective monitoring and reporting of standard indicators

Scope of Work

The GIS/IMIS Consultant will be responsible for the following tasks:

i. System Development (GIS/IMIS): Develop and incorporate/link the collected data into a SWASCO-led, transferable, open-sourced Integrated System for Information Management (IMIS). Also ensure the system is user-friendly, scalable, and interoperable with other platforms. Additionally, the system should be able to capture data along the sanitation service chains (Container Based and Conventional Sanitation, Solid waste)

ii. Training and Capacity Building:

a) Develop user manuals and training materials
b) Provide training to SWASCO and Local Authority (LA) staff on using the IMIS system and managing geospatial data.

iii. Reporting and Documentation: Prepare detailed reports on data collection methodologies, findings, and system development. Document all processes and workflows used in developing the IMIS.

Activities

Activities associated with this assignment include but not limited to the following:

1. Preparation of base maps and land use maps for Zambia and Overspill compounds in standard scale format
– Collection of existing maps
– Scanning of the maps
– Georeferencing of maps
– Sourcing of an updated satellite image
– Digitization of data
2. Creation of IMIS for SWASCO and LA for all service chains
– A fully developed and functional IMIS that is user-friendly, scalable, and interoperable with other platforms. The system should be designed to allow easy data integration and management by SWASCO and LA
3. Provision of support in data analysis, preparation for various analysis and map generation
– Design a training module for information users
– Conduct a training to SWASCO and LA staff
– Support and generate queries for different users and partners as per their needs.
– Presentation of obtained results through geospatial maps and other formats
4. Development of a GIS/IMIS database for managing sanitation in overspill and Zambia compounds
– Entry of all collected data into one central database for different users to access
5. Creation and institutionalisation of a GIS for overspill and Zambia to manage sanitation and solid waste services
Explore how other existing utility data sets related to sanitation can be integrated into the newly created system

Deliverables

The GIS Consultant will deliver the following:

S/N Activity Deliverable

1 Data System Development

i. Integrated Management Information System (IMIS)-A fully developed and functional IMIS that is user-friendly, scalable, and interoperable with other platforms. The system should be designed to allow easy data integration and management by SWASCO and LA.
ii. Data Integration Report: A comprehensive report detailing the methodologies used for data integration, the structure of the integrated system, and how it links and incorporates the collected data into the IMIS.
iii. System Transferability and Open-Source Documentation-Documentation outlining the steps for inputting and transferring the IMIS to other systems, along with open-source licensing information and guidelines for use by other entities.
2 Training and Capacity Building i. User Manuals and Training Materials- Complete user manuals and training materials tailored to the SWASCO and LA data needs, detailing how to use the IMIS system, manage geospatial data, perform queries and basic troubleshooting.
ii. Training – Conduct training for SWASCO and LA staff in the IMIS.
iii. Capacity Building Report-A report summarizing the training sessions and participants’ attendance sheets, participant evaluations, training content covered, and post-training recommendations.
3 Reporting and Documentation i. Data Collection Methodologies Report- A detailed report documenting the data collection methodologies, including the tools used, data sources, and any challenges encountered during the data collection process and solutions.
ii. System Development Workflow Documentation-A comprehensive documentation of the processes, workflows, and technical steps followed in developing the IMIS, including diagrams, code snippets, and configuration files as necessary.
iii. Final Assignment Report- A consolidated final report that includes all observations, summaries of each deliverable, lessons learned, and recommendations for future improvements or expansions of the system.

Duration of the Engagement
The engagement will be for a period of 60 days, starting from 1st March to 30th April 2025. The duration may be extended based on project needs and performance.

Qualifications and experience

The GIS Consultant(s) should possess the following qualifications and experience:

1. Educational Background: BSc. in Computer Science, Surveying, GIS, Cartography, water Supply, Engineering, Geography, Geospatial Science, Environmental Science, or a related field.
2. Technical Skills: Proficiency in GIS software (e.g., ArcGIS, QGIS) and related tools.
3. Experience: At least 5 years of experience in GIS data collection, analysis, and system development.
4. Analytical Skills: Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
5. Communication Skills: Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
6. Project Management: Experience in managing GIS projects and delivering within deadlines.

Reporting and Supervision

The GIS Consultant(s) will be accountable to the SNV Zambia Country Director. For the day-to-day operations the consultant will report to the Project Manager who will provide overall supervision and guidance. Regular progress reports will be submitted as per the agreed schedule.

Payment Terms

The payment terms will be based on the completion of deliverables and milestones as outlined in the contract. Payments will be made upon satisfactory completion and approval of each milestone.

Confidentiality

The GIS/IMIS Consultant will maintain the confidentiality of all project-related information and data. Any breach of confidentiality will result in termination of the contract.

Documents to be submitted as part of the Consultants application:

1. Bidder Profile

1.1 Document summarizing the bidder’s background, qualifications and experience
1.2 If a team of individuals/consultancy firm, all the CVs of the proposed individuals by the firm to work on the assignment

The submission requirements

Interested consultants or firms should submit the documents specified below to zambiaprocurement@snv.org by close of business on 28-02-2025.
1. A detailed proposal outlining the approach, methodology and the timeline for the study
2. A budget breakdown including fees or any other costs
3. CVs of the key team members and relevant work experience
4. Examples of similar work previous conducted

2. Past Performance

2.1. Include three references related to similar assignments within the past five years (max), attaching contact details and evidence of the work produced

3. Mandatory Requirements

5.1 For Zambian national individual consultants: copies of Tax Registration certificate and the most recent tax clearance certificate.
5.2 For a firm registration document: Business license/Certificate of Registration for all, Tax Registration, Current Tax Clearance Certificate, certificate of incorporation and VAT if applicable

Failure to provide a full package of documents listed above them will result in disqualification of the whole bid. Only Shortlisted Candidates will be contacted.

Detailed specifications and requirements are well stated in the RFP which can be found on this link https://smrtr.io/pGRwr

Application Criteria:

• Only electronic submissions will be accepted.
• Submission should be made through zambiaprocurement@snv.org not later than 08:00AM, 28th Feb 2025.
• For any clarifications, contact zambiaprocurement@snv.org.

Note: SNV Zambia may request for necessary and/or more information during the evaluation. SNV will only contact the successful bidder (s) within the period of 2 weeks from the closing date of submission.