Contract Type: Short Term Technical Assistant-Consultancy

Terms of Reference (TORs) for the Development of Guidelines for Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Service Delivery.

Project Background:

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has launched the Expanding Water and Sanitation project (Expanding WASH) in Zambia. This is a 5-year project working to achieve three objectives namely (i) professionalize water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services (ii) promote accountability for reliable and high-quality WASH services, and (iii) promote private sector engagement (PSE) in WASH service delivery in Zambia. Research Triangle Institute International (RTII) leads the implementation of the USAID Expanding WASH Project in Zambia during the period 27th January 2022 to January 26, 2027.

The project is implemented in 12 districts in different four provinces as follows: Kalomo and Kazungula (Southern Province); Kaoma, Mongu, Kalabo, Nalolo and Sesheke (Western Province); Lunte and Mungwi (Northern Province); and Mpika, Nakonde, and Chinsali (Muchinga Province). There are three water utility companies responsible for the provision of water and sanitation services in the four provinces and these are namely Chambeshi, Southern, and Western Water Supply and Sanitation Companies. In this regard, the Project has been working with and support the three water utility companies.

Scope of Work

Under objective 3, the project aims to increase private sector participation in WASH service delivery. This will be undertaken through Task 3.2.1 under Sub-Objective 3.2 which focusses on strengthening regulatory instruments for rural water supply service delivery. In this regard, the project will support the three water utility companies to develop Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Service Delivery. The development of these guidelines by CUs is in line with the requirement by the National Water Supply and Sanitation Council NWASCO in 2019. This followed Governments directive in 2018 that Water Utility Companies should provide water supply and sanitation services not only in urban areas but in rural areas as well. NWASCO therefore developed the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Framework for Provision and Regulation to guide water utilities regarding Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Service Delivery. The framework outlines 16 sets of guidelines that were to be developed by NWASCO of which Six have been developed and these as follows:

i. Minimum service level guidelines for rural WSS – for ensuring rural water schemes adhere to set minimum service levels.

ii.Water quality monitoring guidelines – for ensuring minimum required parameters and numbers of tests and sanitary inspections are carried out.

iii.Tariff setting and accounting guidelines – for ensuring that beneficiaries contribute to the operation and maintenance and monitoring of financial sustainability of water schemes.

iv.City Wise Inclusive Sanitation (CWIS) planning guidelines.

v. Inclusive sanitation services provision guidelines; and

vi. Asset management guidelines.

Based on these guidelines, water utility companies needed to develop own context based Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to guide their operations in the provision of Water Supply and Sanitation Services to communities in Rural Areas as required of them by NWASCO.

In this regard, USAID Expanding Water and Sanitation Project is supporting three Water Utility Companies to develop own Standard Operating Procedures for the provision of Water Supply and Sanitation Services in Rural Areas. Therefore, The Project is seeking short term consultancy services to assist three water utility companies to develop SOPs for the provision of water supply and sanitation services in rural areas by water utility companies.

Key Deliverables:

The consultant will be expected to attain three key deliverables, and these are namely:

i. Prepare a status report on guidelines for rural water supply and sanitation service delivery.

ii. Identify the scope of works to be covered in the Standard Operating Procedures for the provision of Water Supply and Sanitation Services in Rural Areas by Water Utility Companies.

iii. Produce Standard Operating Procedures for the provision of Water Supply and Sanitation Services in Rural Areas by water utility companies.

Duties and Responsibilities:

i. Identify and review policies, legislation, regulations, guidelines, strategies and programmes on rural water supply and sanitation service delivery in Zambia.

ii. Undertake a comparative review of guidelines and practices/SOPs for rural water supply and sanitation service delivery in some countries within the Southern African Region.

iii. Identify the scope of work to be covered in the Standard Operating Procedures for the provision Water Supply and Sanitation Services in Rural Areas; and

iv. Develop Standard Operating Procedures for the provision of Water Supply and Sanitation Services in Rural Areas by water utility companies.

Communication and Management

The consultant will report and work closely with the Policy and Regulatory Specialist, Edwin Peteli, email address epeteli@expandingwash.org.

Working Arrangements

The Independent Contractor will undertake the assignment from the USAID Expanding Water and Sanitation Project office at Plot 610 Luano Road Rhodes Park Lusaka.

Requirements

• Minimum 5 years of progressive work experience in the WASH sector with a postgraduate degree in any of the following: civil engineering, water engineering, social work, development studies, economics, or any other related field; or minimum 10 years of work experience in the WASH sector with a bachelor’s degree or equivalent in civil engineering, water engineering, social work, development studies, economics, or any other related field.
• Relevant experience with organizations such as USAID or other international organizations, non-governmental organization, government, or water utility is essential.
•  Attention to detail, able to meet deadlines and produce quality documents.
• Excellent Microsoft Office skills (Word, PowerPoint, Publisher).
• Zambian experience preferred.

Application process

Suitably qualified candidates can submit their application letter and curriculum vitae to procurement-zewash@rti.org no later than 14th December 2023 at 5pm Zambian Time. All applications should clearly indicate in the email subject as “Application for Objective-3 Consultancy”.