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Request for consultancy services (REF: RLC-NB-NY-024)

/ Terms of Reference
Consultancy for the Development of ACF – Pentair Foundation
Clean Water Access Initiative in East Africa

Reference:ACF – Pentair Foundation/ Clean Water Access Initiative – Phase 2

Location:East Africa Region (assignment includes time in Nairobi, the USA)

Area of Interest:Business Development

Position Type:Consultancy

Duration:up to 6months

Recognized as a leader in the fight against malnutrition, Action Against Hunger | ACF International saves the lives of malnourished children while providing communities with access to safe water and sustainable solutions to hunger. With 30 years of expertise in emergency situations of conflict, natural disaster, and chronic food insecurity, ACF runs life-saving programs in some 40 countries benefiting five million people each year.

Established in 1998, The Pentair Foundation funds programs that promote education, sustainability in water and energy, and workforce readiness. Pentair, a global water, fluid, thermal management, and equipment protection industry leader, dedicates two percent of its annual pre-tax income to charitable efforts. Over the years, The Pentair Foundation has directed more than $50 million to Pentair communities.

Background:

ACF and The Pentair Foundation are linked through the Clean Water Access Initiative (CWAI). Since 2010, under this global partnership, a number of projects were developed and executed in various contexts, from acute emergency response (water delivery, hygiene items) in Pakistan and Kenya to longer term water supply systems in remote areas of Indonesia and DR Congo, using ACF’s core competencies and field presence with Pentair’s materials and funding.

Scope of Work:ACF and The Pentair Foundation have decided to further strengthen this partnership with the development of an ambitious multi-year and multi-country program, building on the initial years of collaboration through the CWAI.

The partnership will focus on the East Africa region, where ACF operates in Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Djibouti and Somalia. Several of these countries, particularly Kenya and Uganda, have progressed significantly in indicators for growth and development and require new or adapted approaches to continue building country capacities and reach communities which remain excluded from growth. These approaches are expected to focus on local and national capacity building, with consideration for the role of the private sector. Likewise, there is growing recognition of an invisible crisis for the urban poorest of the poor, due to a comparatively low percentage of the population without services that masks the high total caseload. In Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs), poverty rates are between 60 and 80%, and are highest amongst female-headed households. There is a clear need for longer term, multi-year programming to help address both the immediate issue of service provision and the societal and structural issues around operation, maintenance, and equality.

Many of the development challenges of the region are directly or indirectly related to water resources and water-related services for domestic and economic ends. Access to basic infrastructure remains limited for many people in the region, with the WHO/Unicef Joint Monitoring Program recording regional coverage of 64% and 34% of households accessing improved water supply and sanitation, respectively. This has major health impacts, with high morbidity and the associated vulnerability to malnutrition which contribute to preventing people from breaking out of the cycle of poverty. Additionally, climate change and management of natural resources poses major threats to livelihoods, with droughts, recurring shocks and conflicts further decreasing the resilience of many. Low sanitation coverage has particular consequences on health and risk of disease outbreak in populous centers and contributes to chronic undernutrition. The most affected by chronic emergency are those with high market dependency, which includes pastoralists, agro-pastoralists, and marginal farmers, totaling about 3 million people, in addition tothe urban poor. Arid areas are water scarce by definition, with negative impacts on both health and livelihoods, where many settlements entirely rely on water trucking during the dry season. Service provision by local governments and maintenance remain challenging.Adding to frequent natural disasters, conflicts related to natural resources, tribalism, and political interest increase tension and vulnerability of already marginalized communities.

Given this context, ACF plans to shape the proposed program with a mix of urban and rural interventions. integrating Water, Sanitation and Hygiene services in the prevention of under-nutrition, as well as the potential inclusion of livelihoods and agriculture, including irrigation. Additional areas of interest for development include involvement of the private sector and natural resource management linked to disaster risk reduction.

Kenya and Uganda will be the primary targets of this program, but it will be envisaged to consult additional ACF country teams in the region such as Ethiopia and Djibouti. The humanitarian emergency relief component from the initial CWAI will be kept to support ACF’s effort in every region in the world.

Overall Objective

The consultant will design and develop the next 3-5 years CWAI partnership framework and operational plan through consultation with key stakeholders such as IO/INGOs, national governments and county authorities, regional and national coordination mechanisms, private sector and the donor community in the primary countries targeted.

The work will be overseen by ACF-USA HQs and will be regularly submitted for discussions to The Pentair Foundation team.

Specific objectives

The consultant will take the following steps:

  • Provide an inception report outlining the ACF-Pentair Foundation common strategies and vision.
  • Identify trends and opportunities for the partnership in East Africa through the review of previous CWAI documents, country strategies, needs analysis, policy and institutional capacity assessments, existing development plans and programs, and any relevant documents and consultations with stakeholders, local andnational authorities.
  • Coordinate the consultation of ACF Country and HQ Teams, Pentair Foundation and external stakeholders through interviews, emails, meetings and the organization of a workshop in East Africa.
  • Analyze the synergies of Pentair products and technical competencies that could be used within an ACF-managed program
  • Develop a minimum of 2 brief concept notes outlining options for the partnership, for The Pentair Foundation and ACF’s review.
  • Develop a full program proposal based on the chosen option, including budget,means, logistics, timeframe, outputs and external visibility, with the support of ACF teams.
  • Formalize the governance structure for the partnership (job descriptions steering committees, reporting lines and formats, etc.).

Summary of Deliverables

  • Inception report
  • Minutes from workshop, consultations, meetings
  • Concept notes (2 minimum)
  • Full multi-annual, multi-country proposal, including all operational and communication components (East Africa and global emergency components)
  • Governance structure

Methodology:

The assignment will include desk review as well as physical consultations with the involved parties and stakeholders in the USA, East Africa and field visits.The methodology will start with the review of existing information and material from previous CWAI projects, country strategies and documents, relevant East Africa-related external data and Pentair technical catalogues.

Consultations of stakeholders (ACF, Pentair Foundation and external) should happen with face-to-face meetings, phone interviews and emails. A minimum of one workshop should take place in East Africa to define to ensure the adequacy of the strategy. Meetings with Pentair Foundation and ACF will be planned in Minneapolis (Pentair HQ) and New-York (Action Against Hunger HQ).

To develop the proposal, needs assessments may be undertaken with the support of ACF Country teams in identified locations of East Africa, with a priority for urban centers.

Timeframe

The assignment is expected to be ofup to 6 months, starting in February.

A precise plan will determined based on the candidates proposal.

Envisaged milestones are:

-Month 1: Inception report and workshop in East Africa

-Month 3: Submission of concept notes

-Month 6: Submission of full program proposal and governance structure

-Fall 2014: Launch of the program following validation by the Pentair Foundation

Required competencies

  • Master degree or relevant academic education, with competencies in water-related engineering and international development
  • Minimum 10 years of experience with Water, Sanitation and Hygiene programming in developing countries, including in urban contexts
  • Proven record in grant development of complex long term programs, including proposal and budget notes,
  • Sound knowledge of East Africa, ideally with experience in regional program design and implementation
  • Up-to-date with current debates of resilience, climate change, natural resources management, conflict mitigation, needs of displaced populations, changing of livelihood and urbanization,
  • Good understanding of the undernutrition conceptual framework and explicit linkages with Water, Sanitation & Hygiene
  • Understanding of humanitarian and development organizations, experience in needs assessment and design of a response
  • Demonstrated experience with working with local and national institutions, including assessment of capacities
  • Experience in partnerships, including the private sector
  • Working proficiency in English.

Budget and contract

CWAI Year 3 budget allocation will cover the cost of the partnership development over a 4-6 months period in 2014.

The assignment will be contracted by Action Against Hunger.

Installments and conditions to be determined based on profiles and applications.

Application Process

Interested parties must submit their applications by email referenced under title

Consultancy for the development of Clean Water Access Initiative in East Africa

at

Deadline for submission: Thursday20 February 2014 at 17:00 (GMT+3).

Action Against Hunger will consider applications from both individuals and teams. Applications shall clearly identify a team leader, who will be the sole responsible to deliver the outputs of the assignment.

Applications should include:

-Up-to-date curriculum vitae,

-One supporting document of max 3 pages outlining core competencies in line with the assignment, the proposed methodology of work including timeframe and location and the financial expectations,

-Evidence of past experience in undertaking similar assignments (three most recent documents preferred) of similar works done,

-Three (3) references of previous assignments.

Only shortlisted applications will be contacted.

The final selection will be done by Action Against Hunger in consultation with the Pentair Foundation.

For more information, prospective consultants may contact Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm (GMT+3) at the following email address or by phone:

Email: or tel: +254 721 12 64 81.