Consultancy to Conduct a Baseline Study For The Drip Fundi Program at Millennium Water Alliance

• The consultant should collect a comprehensive set of data as per the information needs described above. Where data availability is limited, the consultant should combine different techniques to ensure an informed conclusion of the situation, including tapping into the implicit knowledge of local experts and communities, and using local data from routine information systems and recent studies.

Role of Millennium Water Alliance

The Millennium Water Alliance will collaborate with the selected consultant to undertake the following roles:

• Provide the consultant with background documents, reports, and available secondary data for review.
• Work with the County water departments to sensitize communities and mobilize respondents.

Provide oversight for the data collection.

• Review and provide input on the consultant’s deliverables.
• Organize validation and dissemination workshops for the presentation of preliminary findings to the program stakeholders.
• Review the draft report and provide the consultant with feedback.
• Review the lists of boreholes, asset inventory and fast-moving spare parts and provide feedback.
• Ensure smooth flow of consultancy engagement processes including contractual obligations.
• Share the final evaluation report with all key stakeholders, including key program staff, partners, donor representatives and county governments.

Role of Consultant

• Conduct a desk review of relevant program documents and other secondary sources.
• Develop an inception report, detailing the agreed-upon study design, methodology, indicators, data-gathering tools and work plan schedule to carry out the assignment, in consultation with MWA.
• Develop qualitative data-gathering tools in consultation with MWA.
• Plan and coordinate qualitative data collection.
• Arrange travel, accommodation, and per-diem for the consulting team during the fieldwork stage.
• Oversee the recruitment of qualified research assistants/enumerators with adequate knowledge in electro-mechanical engineering and a strong understanding of borehole operations.
• Pay allowances to the data collectors after successful completion of tasks.
• Conduct training for the data collection teams including pre‐testing of data collection tools.
• Review, clean and analyse data collected.
• Produce a detailed excel workbook capturing the data for all the boreholes visited. One sheet should feature data on all boreholes (estimated to be 300) visited during the baseline, while the second should feature a list of 200 boreholes shortlisted based on pre-set criteria.
• Prepare a borehole asset inventory report and a list of fast-moving spare parts.
• Write the evaluation report capturing findings and recommendations.
• Present preliminary findings and draft report to program stakeholders for validation
• Incorporate input from program stakeholders and submit the final evaluation report.

DELIVERABLES

The consultant will be expected to deliver the following:

• Inception report detailing the agreed upon study design, methodology, indicators, data-gathering tools, and work plan schedule to carry out the assignment.
• Copies of original and cleaned data sets including field notes, audio tapes, photographs, and transcribed material including documentation of the processes followed in data verification and cleaning.
• A detailed excel workbook capturing the data for all the boreholes visited. One sheet should feature data on all boreholes visited during the baseline, while the second should feature a list of 200 boreholes shortlisted based on pre-set criteria.
• The asset inventory for each of the boreholes visited. The inventory should contain specifications of the control panel, solar pumping modules, pump type, mortar output, pump rating among others.
• A list of fast moving-spare parts for each of the boreholes. The list can be summarized based on common features/components witnessed in a group of boreholes.
• Draft evaluation report (for review and feedback)
• Short PowerPoint presentation of preliminary findings to be presented to key stakeholders for validation before the final evaluation report is completed.
• Final evaluation report (long and popular versions).

TIMELINES

• The information below presents a tentative guide to the timelines for the deliverable/Activity attached to this consultancy service, with an anticipated start date of Monday 16th October 2023.

Inception report

• Within 8 calendar days after the first meeting between MWA and the consulting team.

Data Collection Tools

• Within 8 calendar days after the kick-off meeting between MWA and the consulting team.

Field data collection

• 15 days

Final excel workbook of all the baseline boreholes visited and a shortlist of 200 boreholes.

• Within 10 calendar days after the end of fieldwork

Draft baseline report

• Within 14 calendar days after the end of fieldwork, the consultant must submit a consolidated draft evaluation report, including all data aggregated per county and combined for preliminary comments

Presentation of the report

• Within 5 calendar days after submission of the draft report, a debriefing/presentation of the results will be done

Final baseline report

• Within 14 calendar days of the debrief, a final baseline evaluation report shall be presented.

Final fieldwork datasets

• To be shared 30 calendar days after submission of the final baseline report.

Edited and graphically designed report

• To be submitted by 15th January 2024

A popular version report

• To be submitted with the edited and graphically designed report. The report should not exceed 15 pages.

List of borehole asset inventory for all the baseline boreholes

• To be submitted by 10th January 2024

List of the fast-moving borehole spare parts for all the baseline boreholes

• To be submitted by 10th January 2024

EXPERTISE REQUIRED

Lead Consultant

• A PhD or a Masters degree in any of the following or related fields: water engineering, Governance, Monitoring and Evaluation, Research, Statistics, and Social Sciences.
• Experience in leading large-scale consulting assignments and baseline studies is a must.
• Over five years of hands-on experience in USAID programs or related evaluation consultancies is required.
• Excellent skills in quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis.
• Skills in spatial analysis software such as Arc GIS or Q-GIS will be an added advantage.
• Experience working in the ASAL counties.
• Experience with mobile data collection systems such as mWater, KoBoCollect, SurveryCTO or Commcare.
• Exemplary report-writing, presentation, and communication skills.

Economist

• A Masters degree in Economics, Business, Finance, or a related field.
• Experience in conducting market assessments is required.
• Experience in developing financial models is preferred.
• Demonstrated understanding of the water market in rural Kenya/Sub-Saharan Africa.
• Excellent report writing skills are required.
• Experience in working in fragile or marginalized markets like the ASALs is necessary.
• Experience with mobile data collection systems such as mWater, KoBoCollect, SurveryCTO or Commcare.
• Excellent skills in quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis.
• Demonstrated excellent skills in data analysis software such as SPSS or STATA and ATLAS, NVivo.

Data Analyst

• A Masters Degree in Statistics, Actuarial Sciences, or any field relevant for the assignment.
• Excellent report writing skills are required.
• Experience with mobile data collection systems such as mWater, KoBoCollect, SurveryCTO or Commcare.
• Excellent skills in quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis
• Demonstrated excellent skills in data analysis software such as SPSS or STATA and ATLAS, NVivo.
• Experience working in the ASAL counties would be preferred.

Water Engineer

• A Masters in Engineering, Water Systems Engineering, Water Resources Management, or related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in the implementation of development programs including rural water supply systems.
• Experience in developing technical water infrastructure design drawings, technical specifications, feasibilities and environmental assessment and bill of quantities.
• Experience in developing design drawings, technical specifications, feasibilities and environmental assessment and bill of quantities.
• Previous experience working on USAID or BHA grants is desired.
• Knowledge of WASH systems strengthening is preferred.
• Excellent and persuasive oral and written communication skills, including report writing.
• Previous working experience in Arid and Semi-arid Land (ASAL) counties.
• Experience with mobile data collection systems such as mWater, KoBoCollect, SurveryCTO or Commcare.

Five (5) Technicians

These will be engineers embedded in each field team to oversee assessments of the boreholes. Their CVs must be submitted as part of the application.

• A minimum of a Diploma in Water, Electrical or Mechanical engineering or related field.
• Minimum of 2 years of experience in the implementation of development programs including rural water supply systems.
• Experience in developing technical water infrastructure design drawings, technical specifications, feasibilities and environmental assessment and bill of quantities.
• Experience in borehole operations.
• Excellent and persuasive oral and written communication skills, including report writing.
• Previous working experience in Arid and Semi-arid Land (ASAL) counties.
• Experience with mobile data collection systems such as mWater, KoBoCollect, SurveryCTO or Commcare.

REPORTING AND COMMUNICATION

• Internal: The consultant will be reporting to the DRIP FUNDI program manager while keeping a close working relationship with the Water Systems and MERL Managers at MWA. The consultant will be expected to communicate regularly with the team during the exercise.
• External: The consultant will be in close communication with other stakeholders including County Government staff, Private Sector goods and service providers, water management committees and the community members served by targeted boreholes. Consultants must adhere to the MWA Code of Conduct and Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) policies when carrying out their duties and interactions with external parties.

PROPOSAL SUBMISSION

Each application must consist of:

An application/cover letter. The letter should be no longer than two pages.

Technical proposal for the evaluation not exceeding 10 pages. With the following as annexes:

• The CVs of the team leader and key team members not exceeding 4 pages per CV.
• The CVs of the 5 technicians who will be embedded in each of the teams in the 5 counties. Each CV should not exceed 2 pages.
• One sample report produced for a similar assignment within the last three years.
• Contact details of three organizations that have contracted the firm to carry out a similar assignment within the last 3 years.

A separate financial proposal. The fees proposed must be a total “fixed price” quotation indicating the overall total amount in Kenya Shillings inclusive of all taxes.

• The calculation of fees should indicate a detailed breakdown of costs calculation, specifying:
• Details of daily professional fees and time input.
• Detailed breakdown of reimbursables including logistics, travel, per diem, communication, and any other related costs.
• Payment terms.

A copy of the company valid tax compliance certificate, certificate of incorporation, and the company KRA pin.

EVALUATION CRITERIA

• Proposals will be evaluated to ensure that they meet all mandatory requirements and are responsive. To be determined responsiveness, a proposal must include all documentation as listed in section H. Proposals that fail to meet these requirements will receive no further consideration. Responsive proposals will be evaluated and ranked according to the criteria below.

Technical Qualification

• Education and technical experience of team
• Understanding of the scope and/or assignment
• Proposed methodology and approach.
• Demonstrated experience in conducting and coordinating similar studies.