Operation & Maintenance of Water Treatment Plants Consultant-Short Term

SOW Title: Work with Water Directorates and Relevant Entities to Engage the Private Sector in the Operation and Maintenance (O&M) of Existing Water Treatment Plants.

Estimated LOE: 120 working days

Job Classification: (1) Local STTA    

Reporting to: Service Improvement Lead               

Estimated Start Date: 02 July 2024

Estimated End Date:  27 February 2025

Duty Station:  Baghdad with frequent travel to the other locations in Anbar, Najaf and Basrah.

A. Project Background:

The USAID Iraq Together/Ma’an (معاً) activity, launched in November 2023, Ma’an supports select Iraqi government entities at the national, regional, provincial, and district level to improve service delivery performance through use of technology and process standardization while increasing the availability of and access to information, particularly related to public services. The Ma’an also fosters improved and inclusive relationships and engagement between the Government and the communities they serve. The Ma’an goal is more equitable, efficient, and sustainable public services. The Ma’an’s objectives are:

 1- Targeted Iraqi government entities improve and are more inclusive in-service delivery. Government improves services 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.

 

Iraq Together/Ma’an utilizes an Accountability Ecosystems 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.

B. Purpose:

Water directorates do not have the capacity to operationalize and maintain the existing water treatment plants (WTPs), and the new ones that are being constructed. This is due to the limited resources at WTPs, resulting in low performance in the operation and maintenance (O&M) area leading to an inefficient treatment process and shortage in the provision of water. Traditionally, the water directorate operated and maintained the WTPs. However, with the expanding communities, maintaining the same level and quality of service has become challenging. This inability to provide quality service and adequately respond to citizen complaints has eroded trust in the government among citizens.

To address these challenges, Ma’an will support the provincial water directorates (PWDs) in the 4 targeted provinces (Baghdad, Anbar, Najaf and Basrah – the 4 provinces hereafter), Governor Offices (GOs), and the Coordination Commission among Provinces (CCP) in engaging the private sector in the O&M of selected water treatment plants. This intervention aims to alleviate pressure on water directorates and enhance the efficiency of WTPs. Additionally, these pilot WTPs will serve as successful models for replication in other districts and other provinces. CCP will encourage provincial governments across all 15 provinces of federal Iraq to conduct field visits to these pilot WTPs to adopt similar approaches.

To implement this intervention, Ma’an will engage one local STTA consultant in the procurement area and one local STTA consultant in the  operation & maintenance of water treatment plants (O&M of WTPs) who will both work with (PWDs) and contracts departments in (GOs) in targeted provinces to develop the term of reference (TOR) and all the relevant contractual documents. These two documents will include technical specification, conditions and commercial instructions where the private sector will be in charge of the O&M area  at selected WTPs. The two consultants, in collaboration with each other, will develop one model of TOR and the relevant contractual documents to be used by the four targeted provinces and later shared with all the provincial governments in federal Iraq through (CCP). In addition, the two consultants will develop guidance and provide technical support to PWDs and contracts departments in GOs  to use the models of TOR and the relevant contractual documents for selected WTPs that are in the Ma’an targeted districts or supplying to them. The two consultants will provide onsite technical support to targeted water directorates’ staff to replicate the model at other non-targeted WTPs.   

C. Objectives:

The main objectives of the O&M of WTPs consultant are to:

Engage the private sector in the delivery of services and expose the provincial government to the private sector contribution to improve service delivery.

Support provincial government in targeted provinces to outsource the O&M of selected WTPs to improve operations, reduce the burden off the PWDs and improve the provision and quality of the water services in targeted districts in the four targeted provinces.

Support provincial governments in the four targeted provinces to identify the appropriate mechanism to engage the private sector.

D. Responsibilities and Key Tasks of the Consultant:

Under this Scope of Work,  the O&M of WTPs consultant shall perform the following tasks:

Task 1: Work with Ma’an Identify Specialized Team Selection Criteria.

The O&M of WTPs consultant will consult with Objective (1) lead, water advisor and field staff to develop a selection criterion for selecting specialized team members.

Task 2: Hold Introductory Meetings with Stakeholders to Introduce the Intervention obtain buy-in and Create a Specialized Team.

In coordination with Ma’an field team, The O&M of WTPs consultant will hold meetings with relevant stakeholders to introduce Ma’an activity, the interventions, and the results that will be achieved upon the completion of the intervention. The O&M of WTPs consultant will obtain buy-in from all the relevant stakeholders and will request the formation of a specialized team per a pre-defined selection criterion.   

– Task 3: Provide Technical Support to the Specialized Team to Start the Data Gathering Phase.

In coordination with Ma’an field team, The O&M of WTPs consultant and the procurement consultant will conduct a one-day workshop to provide orientation session on the approach of developing the TOR based on the instruction of MOP. The O&M of WTPs will present the developed data collection tools related to the O&M of WTP to be finalized in cooperation with specialized team.

In coordination with Ma’an field team, the O&M of WTPs consultant will provide on-site technical support to the specialized team to start the data-gathering phase. The data gathering shall consist of all technical specifications, environmental regulations, and training requirement that is essential for the proper operation and maintenance of the equipment and facilities, including monitoring of water quality.

– Task 4: Support the Specialized Team to Develop the Terms of Reference to Engage the Private Sector in the O&M of the Existing WTP.

The O&M of WTPs consultant in collaboration with the procurement consultant will conduct a 2-days’ workshop to support the specialized team to develop an effective TOR aiming to engage the private sector to take the role of O&M works for exiting WTPs. This will involve also assessing the plants and analyze of the challenges and obstacles facing the existing WTPs and how they will be improved. 

– Task 5: Support the Water Directorates and the Senior Official in the GOs to Develop the Appropriate Contractual Documents.  

The procurement consultant in collaboration with the O&M of WTPs consultant will conduct a 3-days’ workshop to support the selected entities to develop the appropriate bidding documents in cooperating  the TOR developed in task 4 above. Ma’an team will support the relevant entities to introduce the appropriate model of the bidding documents for all the relevant entities (CCP, water directorates and GOs in targeted provinces). Ma’an team will define a specific mechanism for the implementation and financing of the pilot WTPs to engage the private sector in addressing the deficiencies in the O&M area.   

The procurement consultant will build the capacity of contracts departments’ staff at the GO in targeted provinces on bid announcement, bid analyses and awarding.

– Task 6: Support the Water Directorates and Senior Officials in the GOs to Develop the TOR and Bidding Documents for the Selected WTPs.

The O&M of WTPs consultant will provide technical assistance to the targeted water directorates to develop specific TOR for the selected WTPs. At the same time, the procurement consultant will provide technical assistance to contracts departments in the GOs to develop the specific bidding documents for the selected WTPs.

– Task 7: Develop the Final Report.

The O&M of WTPs consultant in collaboration with the procurement consultant will develop a final comprehensive report including all supporting documents developed during the implementation of the intervention. The report will include a general description of developed Term of Reference (TOR). 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.   

  

 

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering required; master’s degree preferred.
• Minimum of seven (7) years of experience working in the operation and maintenance area of water treatment plants.
• Demonstrate in-depth knowledge with the operation and maintenance of water treatment plants.
• Prior experience working with the provincial water directorates to conduct an assessment and improving the operation and maintenance of water treatment plants.
• Demonstrate good knowledge in the Ministry of Planning’s instruction regarding the development of the term of reference (TOR).
• Minimum four (4) years’ experience with a 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 professional proficiency in Arabic is required and good English language skills is desired.

 Duty Station:

The local STTA O&M of WTPs consultant will be based in Baghdad with travel to various locations in Anbar, Najaf, and Basrah.

Under this SOW. Under this SOW, 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, colour, 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.