REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK GROUP

Southern Africa Regional Development and Business Delivery Office(RDGS) 339 Witch-Hazel Avenue Highveld Ext. 78 Centurion, South Africa

Short-Term Local/International Individual Consultant to Design a GEF Project Identification Form (PIF) for Mkhondvo-Ngwavuma Water Augmentation Program

  1. The AfDB wishes to support the Kingdom of Eswatini to develop a GEF funded project to help the Kingdom improve the management of its water resources. The AfDB hereby invites Individual Consultants to indicate their interest in the following position: Short-Term Consultancy to Design the GEF PIF for Mkhondvo-Ngwavuma Water Augmentation Program.
  2. The objective of this assignment is to develop all documents required to secure funding from the GEF to co-finance the AfDB funded Mkhondvo-Ngwavuma Water Augmentation The assignment will be under the direct supervision of the Principal Climate Change and Green Growth Officer of the AfDB. The consultant will also follow the guidance of the AfDB GEF Coordinator to align all relevant project documents to be delivered with GEF and AfDB requirements.
  3. Based on AfDB project documents related to the anchor Mkhondvo-Ngwavuma Water Augmentation Program, the Consultant will be responsible for the development of the GEF7 project documents to be submitted for financing (grant) to the December 2021 GEF Council meeting1. The main deliverable is the GEF Project Identification Form (PIF) with annexes including (as appropriate) but not limited to:
  • Project Concept Note
  • GEF information datasheet
  • Project information Document (for disclosure) o GEF 7 Core indicators

o GEF 7 Climate Change Adaptation Results Framework o GEF 7 Taxonomy

Specifically, the consultant will be responsible for the following duties:

  • Based on the Mkhondvo-Ngwavuma Water Augmentation Program documents financed by AfDB, develop the GEF7 PIF, full-sized project, including annexes, specifically, annex B (GEF 7 Core Indicator Worksheet) and annex C (Project Taxonomy Worksheet);
  • Request and integrate comments from GEF secretariat, and AfDB representatives to deliver a final GEF7 PIF;
  • Ensure the GEF7 project contributes to integrated International Waters (IW) and Chemicals and Waste (CW) focal areas;

o    Consult with key relevant stakeholders in the country as necessary to deliver a final document that captures the country aspirations and is owned by the country;

  1. AfDB Southern Africa Regional Development and Business Delivery Office (RDGS) invites Individual Consultants to indicate their interest in providing the above-described 61st  GEF Council meeting to take place on 7 – 9th December 2021 services. Interested Consultants shall provide information on their qualifications and experience (including references) demonstrating their ability to undertake this Assignment (documents, reference to similar services, experience in similar assignments, etc.) with a financial proposition not exceeding USD 40,000 (Forty Thousand United States Dollars).  The eligibility criteria, the establishment of a shortlist, and the selection procedure shall conform with the Bank’s procedure for the acquisition of consulting services funded by the Administrative budget. Please, note that interest expressed by a Consultant does not imply any obligation on the part of the Bank to include him/her in the shortlist.
  2. The services will be undertaken mainly home-based, with some travel if deemed necessary (to first be approved by AfDB). The duration of services is for 60 working days spread over a six months period starting from June 2021. The tentative staring date is 15th of June 2021; the contract will terminate on 14th of December 2021. Interested Consultants may obtain additional information at the email addresses indicated below during the Bank’s working hours: from 08:00 to 17:00 hours, Pretoria local time.
  3. Expressions of interest must be submitted by e-mail at the addresses below no later than Thursady, the 10th June 2021 at 4 p.m. Pretoria local time and must specifically mention:

“Short Term Local/International individual Consultant to Design GEF PIF for Mkhondvo-Ngwavuma Water Augmentation Program”

E-mail: [email protected] with a copy to [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]

For enquiries: [email protected]  with copy to [email protected]

ESTABLISHMENT OF THE SHORTLIST

  1. A shortlist of three to six individual consultants will be established at the end of the request of expressions of interest. The individual consultants on the shortlist will assessed according to the following criteria:

o  Educational qualifications and alignment with the task to be performed 35%
o  Experience in specific assignment described in the TOR 40%
o Experience with MDBs 10%
o Knowledge of Eswatini 15%

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Short-Term Local/International Consultant to Design a GEF

PIF for Mkhondvo  Ngwavuma  Water Augmentation

Program

  1. INTRODUCTION

The African Development Bank (AfDB) has been an implementing agency for the GEF since 2007 and facilitates access by regional member countries to the GEF Trust Fund, the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF), and the Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF).

GEF resources are mainly grants that seek to generate global environmental benefits (GEBs) and to cover the additional cost for adaptation to climate change. These grants complement the African Development Fund (ADF) and African Development Bank (ADB) resources across sectors, in particular in the areas of agriculture and natural resources management, sustainable energy, transport, and water resources management.

In 2019, the AfDB secured a total of $54 million in GEF funding, the highest amount since 2013 (during GEF-5). Going forward, the Bank will continue working with regional member countries to mobilize additional resources from the GEF to support efforts to enhance their adaptive capacities and resilience to climate change, generate environmental benefit, and to address global environmental concerns.

  1. RATIONALE

The African Development Bank Southern Africa Regional Development and Business Delivery Office (RDGS) wishes to recruit one (1) individual Short Term Local/International Consultant to develop a GEF Concept (PIF) for Mkhondvo-Ngwavuma Water Augmentation Program for submission in September 2021.

The agricultural sector in Eswatini is dominated by subsistence farming with low productivity, highly exposed to frequent droughts, and lacks adequate infrastructure such as irrigation schemes. The poor performance of the country’s agricultural sector is threatening the livelihoods and limiting smallholder farmers’ access to the regional markets. To improve the performance and the resilience of the agriculture sector, reduce poverty, and enhance national climate change resilience, the Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini has put in place a National Water Resources Management Master Plan. The plan has identified some key investments in integrated water resources management and infrastructure development to support agricultural transformation and water sector governance. This includes the construction of the Mpakeni Dam on the Ngwavuma River and the Mahamba Gorge Dam on the Mkhondvo River to improve the irrigated land areas. In a related development, the Mkhondvo-Ngwavuma Water Augmentation Program aims to divert water from the Mokhondvo River (a tributary of Assegaai River) into the Mahosha River (a tributary of Ngwavuma River) to improve the low river flow of the latter especially in the dry season and support the development of irrigation schemes. The program is designed to be implemented in three (3) phases with associated components:

  • Phase I: Construction of a dam at the Mahamba Gorge on the Mokhondvo River for the diversion of water into the Ngwavuma River,
  • Phase II: Construction of diversion works and transfer canal or pipeline for water conveyance between the two rivers, and irrigation works covering about 10, 000 ha.

o  Phase  III:  Construction  of  a  dam  on  the  Ngwavuma  River  at  Mpakeni,  and  three 3 distribution canals downstream of the proposed Mpakeni Dam to irrigate a further 20 000 ha in the Mconcwane/Maloma, Matsanjeni and surrounding area, and the Nsoko and Lavumisa areas. The Bank provided a MIC TAF Grant to support detailed feasibility studies, detailed design studies, and impact assessment which are currently being prepared.

However, additional resources are needed for co-financing and to integrated climate change; land degradation; biodiversity and transboundary water management issues as these will provide additional beneficial outcome to the project in improving the livelihoods adaptive capacities and enhance the environmental benefit of the project as well as improve cross border cooperation in water management. The integrated options to improve water governance in Eswatini are likely to impact South Africa or Mozambique as water sharing countries (the 3 countries have joint water commission (JWC)). Therefore, assessing options to enhance water governance among the 3 countries will enhance the project effectiveness. Moreover, integrating opportunities for pollution management and promoting circular economy will likely enhance the project’s environmental benefit for communities in the project area and downstream. For these latter two reasons the planned actions fit well with the International Waters (IW) and Chemicals & Waste (CW) focal areas of GEF7.

  1. SCOPE

Under the overall supervision of the Principal Climate Change and Green Growth Officer, the project Task Team Leader in Water Development and Sanitation Department (AHWS), and the AfDB-GEF Coordinator, the Local Individual/International Consultant is expected to prepare all a GEF PIF and required documents (including annexes required) for Mkhondvo Ngwavuma Water Augmentation Program.

Major Duties and responsibilities will include the following among others:

  • Engage with the project Task Manager and the Principal Climate Change, Green Growth Officer, and AfDB-GEF team in developing the project GEF PIF documents focusing on land degradation, international waters, biodiversity, and climate change adaptation;
  • Collect all documentation on the anchor project including documents on the Mkhondvo Ngwavuma Water Augmentation Program available from AfDB project task team;
  • Prepare Project Identification Form (PIF) and annexes required;
  • Review the GEF 7 Replenishment Programming Directions to ensure full compliance of the PIF with GEF programming requirements.
  • Under-take stakeholder consultation to facilitate review and validation of the prepared draft documents;
  • Participate in relevant meetings of the Mkhondvo Ngwavuma Water Augmentation Program which could provide guidance in the development of the PIF;
  • Communicate with the relevant authorities and stakeholders in Eswatini, Mozambique and South Africa including but not limited to water management agencies, GEF political and operational Focal points in the three countries;
  • Revise the PIF and associated documentation in accordance with comments from the GEF Secretariat.
  1. CONSULTANT PROFILE

The individual consultant should:  have

  • Should possess a Master’s degree in Agriculture, integrated water management, Civil engineering, Environmental Sciences, or Environmental Management or equivalent in similar disciplines.
  • Broad knowledge of Eswatini context, including climate change adaptation, with specific experience in project design in the Southern Africa setting;
  • A broad knowledge of transboundary water management in Southern Africa and specifically knowledge of the transboundary cooperation between the three SADC states of Eswatini, Mozambique and South Africa.
  • Strong computer skills and ability to use standard technology packages software (word, excel, outlook, power-point);
  • At least 10 years of relevant sector experience;
  • At least 05 years of cumulative experience in designing GEF proposals.
    • Full understanding of the principles of the GEF strategic priorities and project design;
    • Proven planning and organizational skills.
    • Excellent writing and oral skills in English;
  • Proven ability to interact competently with technical and administrative staff.
  1. EXPECTED OUTPUTS

 Project Concept Note (GEF PIF) and relevant annexes. Including as appropriate:

  • GEF information datasheet
  • Project information Document (for disclosure) o GEF 7 Core indicators

o  GEF 7 Taxonomy

Formats and outlines for AfDB reporting will be agreed upon at inception; deliverables for submission to GEF Secretariat will adhere to prevailing GEF guidelines.

  1. SCHEDULE

The services of the individual local/international consultant will be required for 60 working days spread over a six months period starting from June 2021. The tentative staring date is 15th of June 2021 and to terminate at th 14 of December 2021.The individual consultant will undertake the assignment mainly remotely and any missions to project region to be approved by AfDB.

  1. REPORTING AND SUPERVISION

The consultant will report to the Principal Climate Change and Green Growth Officer (PECG2), the program Team Leader in Water Development and Sanitation Department (AHWS), and the AfDB-GEF Coordinator or any other officer designated by the Bank.

  1. LANGUAGE

The language of this assignment will be English which is the official language in The Kingdom of Eswatini.