Solid Waste Management Streamlining Consultant-Short Term

SOW Title: Streamlining SWM Processes to Improve the Efficiency and Effectiveness of Service Delivery and Ensure Citizens’ Satisfaction

Estimated LOE: 75 working days for each local STTA.

Job Classification: (4) Local STTA    

Reporting to: Service Improvement Lead               

Estimated Start Date: 02 July 2024

Estimated End Date: 30 Sep 2024

Duty Station: Baghdad, Anbar, Basrah, and Najaf.

Project Background:

The USAID Iraq Together/Ma’an (معاً) activity (Ma’an hereafter), supports select Iraqi government entities at the national, regional, provincial, and district levels to improve service delivery performance through the use of technology and process standardization while increasing the availability of and access to information, particularly related to public services. Ma’an also fosters improved and inclusive relationships and engagement between the Government and the communities they serve. Ma’an’s goal is more equitable, efficient, and sustainable public services.

Ma’an’s objectives are:

 1- Targeted Iraqi government entities improve and are more inclusive in-service delivery. The government improves service delivery through responsiveness to citizen needs, consultation with citizens, improved transparency, and use of green practices technology.

2- Strengthened democratic and participatory governance of targeted Iraqi service delivery institutions. Citizen perception of government changes through increased participation in governance, improved access to government information, and stronger role of Iraqi NGOs in advocating for communities as well as increased public education regarding citizen roles and responsibilities.

3- Response to windows of opportunity for change. Gaps in expertise and information required to improve government service delivery and increase citizen participation are addressed.

Ma’an utilizes an accountability ecosystem approach grounded in inclusion and localization to improve service delivery and build trust. The approach mobilizes Iraqi government entities, civil society organizations, emerging civic movements, issue-based groups, media, and the private sector to co-create interventions. This approach allows diverse local partners to exercise their rights and responsibilities, learn by doing, analyze performance data, and scale what works.

A. Purpose:

Municipal representatives indicated at the stakeholders’ workshop that the Iraqi government has not reviewed any of the processes for decades, but kept adding additional steps, increasing the burden on citizens, and making these processes time-consuming. Streamlining some of these processes will improve SWM services to the citizens and – in coordination with intervention 2.7 – increase their likelihood of compliance and fee payment.

Ma’an will provide technical assistance to improve SWM internal processes in a way that reflects citizen needs through analysing the processes, cost, time consumed, efficiency, and coverage area. Additionally, Ma’an will work with municipalities to consider digital solutions and offer multiple avenues for women, people with disability (PWD), youth, and others who have limited time, communication, or mobility constraints to access SWM services. Ma’an will focus on streamlining processes such as, but not limited to, fuel provision to support trash transportation from intermediate (transfer) stations to landfills, maintenance of municipality equipment, cleaning main streets using machinery, solid waste collection, collection for bulk (garden waste, textiles, leather, rubber, e-waste, appliances, and other inert materials), solid waste material, tree trimming, and cleaning of public places. Additionally, Ma’an will collaborate with municipalities in the 8 districts to identify any other process issues and explore the possibility of automation.

Upon the completion of this intervention, the streamlined processes will improve service, making it easier to implement and save resources. For scaling up the streamlined processes, Ma’an will work with the GO to replicate them in non-targeted municipalities.

B. Objectives:

The main objectives of the consultancy are to

• Improve the process by streamlining some steps to make the process easier and less time-consuming.
• Increase coverage of the service and the level of the services to cover more areas and citizens.

Decrease the cost and the efforts and increase the efficiency of the process and citizens’ satisfaction.

C. Responsibilities and Key Tasks of the Consultants:

Under this Scope of Work, the SWM streamline consultants shall perform the following tasks:

– Task 1: Selection Criteria and Formation of Specialized Team

In coordination with Ma’an team, the consultant will develop selection criteria to select members of a specialized team that will serve as a focal point for Ma’an.

In coordination with Ma’an field team, the SWM streamlining consultant will perform the following:

1. Establish the specialized team in each targeted municipality directorate as below:

• Municipality Director.
• Planning Division.
• Environment and solid waste Division.
• Machinery and Equipment Division.
• Finance Division.
• City Organization Division.
• Citizen complaints unit.
• GIS Unit.
• Al Mukhtar Representatives from citizens.
• Representatives from the GO as necessary.

2. Identify the functions that need to be streamlined.

– Task 2: Develop the AS-IS Report

The objective of this task is to develop a comprehensive understanding of the existing processes, tools, regulations, and systems used in delivering of the specified service(s). This task includes assessment, analysis, results, indicators, and recommendations. In specific, the consultants in coordination with Ma’an field team will work closely with the directorate of municipality’s staff and Al-Mukhtar and citizens representatives to conduct the following:

1. Agree on the functions to be improved in (solid waste management services).
2. Agree on the assessment form.
3. Obtain Ma’an activity approval on the selected functions and the assessment form to be analyzed, assessed, and improved.
4. Conduct external assessment with people and employees from different departments, Analyze the data obtained through the assessment.
5. Conduct meetings and identify the service provider in the target area to discuss and map out the detailed steps and information pertaining to delivering this service (Business Process Mapping).
6. Information gathering should be based on a questionnaire developed by the consultants and approved by Ma’an in advance of the data collection.

– Task3: Conduct a Workshop to Present the Findings of the AS-IS Assessment

In coordination with Ma’an field team, the consultant shall conduct a workshop to present the AS-IS report, problems, and challenges. The consultants shall present the AS-IS flow chart and identify the overlap and unnecessary steps. The workshop will also focus on developing recommendations to streamline the process and overcome difficulties and obstacles.

 – Task 4: Design TO-BE Models

The consultants will describe the improvement process, explain what the streamlined process will address, the estimated impact, and develop the new process flow chart based on the data gathered during the extensive interviews with each service provider. The consultants in coordination with Ma’an field team, will work with the specialized team to review and analyze the data to present the new model for the specialized team and discuss the way of implementation. The consultants and specialized team will identify the factors that will be taken into consideration when developing the new model such as:

• The status of planned service delivery.

• The status of SWM legislation related to the process.
• Cost, time, and manpower. 

– Task 5: Conduct a Workshop to Finalize, Agree, and Highlight the Feasibility of the TO-BE Model through Comparison with AS-IS

In coordination with Ma’an field team, the consultants will conduct a two-day workshop to the targeted districts and municipalities in Baghdad, Anbar, Najaf, and Basrah to present and test the new model for the specialized team in each province and discuss the final comparison between the two models and highlight the feasibility of the TO-BE model. The consultants and the participants will produce and agree on an action plan with concrete action steps and timelines to implement the TO-BE model.  

– Task 6:  Implement the TO-BE Model

In coordination with Ma’an field team, the consultants and specialized team will Implement the newly adopted TO-BE model per the approved action plan.  Observe and report on the impact and obtain the adoption letter from the targeted municipality.

– Task 7: Develop the Final Report.

Each consultant will develop a final comprehensive report including all supporting documents developed during the implementation of the intervention. The report will include a comparison between AS-IS and TO-BE. The report will highlight achievements and results accomplished for each task, recommendations and next steps, challenges, lessons learned, and proposed future interventions (if any). The report should be submitted in English and Arabic.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, public management, or equivalent; master’s degree preferred.
• Minimum of four (4) years’ experience in developing streamlining processes.
• Demonstrate in-depth knowledge of business process improvement.  
• Minimum four (4) years of experience with USAID or other donor-funded projects is strongly preferred.
• Overall Iraq contextual knowledge with demonstrated ability to communicate clearly with stakeholders.
• Clear and concise communication approach both orally and in writing, and lead presentations, trainings, and effective meetings with stakeholders.
• Excellent report writing skills.
• Full proficiency in Arabic and good English language skills is desired.

Duty Station:

Ma’an will cover all other indirect implementation costs, including air and ground transportation, and phone communications. This position is open to Iraqi nationals residing in Iraq.

Application Instructions:

To apply please fill out this form: Iraq Together Job Application Form (smartsheet.com)

Chemonics is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in its selection and employment practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, or other non-merit factors.  

Applications reviewed on a rolling basis. Position closes upon candidate selection. Early submissions encouraged for best consideration.