81286284-Consultancy for Water Utility Support

Since 2011, GIZ is supporting decentralized water utilities in South Sudan on behalf of the German Federal Ministry of Development Cooperation (BMZ). The institutional and legal sector set up in South Sudan is still weak. To provide reliable and standardized water services in such a fragile environment, it is imperative that local authorities are included in decision-making processes. Therefore, the institutional set up consists of a utility management that operates under the supervision of a board of directors (BoD) which represents stakeholders from different levels; ensuring transparency in decision-making; respecting interests of residents and observing sustainability aspects e.g. cost recovery. BMZ through Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KFW) with UNICEF as implementing partner, has set up a water supply system in Lologo, Rejaf Payam (South of Juba). UNICEF is currently establishing a formal water utility (WU). Another water supply system under implementation by the International Committee of the Red Cross is expected to start operating in 2023. A water utility was established in Gumbo, Rejaf Payam (East bank of the Nile). Both water supply systems treat Nile water (max. 4650 m3/day in Lologo, max. 5260 m3/day in Gumbo), provide storage and distribution to customers through networks and water kiosks. Water treatment plants (WTP) are operated by operators which are temporarily financed by the respective donors. The objective of the consultancy is to capacitate both WU"s to operate the assets efficiently and to serve the customers professionally. Shadowing WTP operation shall help formulate mid-term operational requirements. All activities will be closely coordinated with the GIZ-REBASE project and management of the water utilities. 3 work streams describe the expected support for the duration of the consultancy (min. 1 year): 1) IMPROVEMENT OF THE INSTITUTIONAL ENVIRONMENT: (i) assess options for transferring operational responsibilities to WU (ii) shadowing operations of the WTPs to monitor operational parameters and key performance indicators (KPI), iii) build a robust data base for informed future decision making in operational management and tariff design. (iv) Develop organigrams and job descriptions for staff, capacitate utility staff to take over operational responsibility. 2) FINANCIAL AND COMMERCIAL MANAGEMENT: Financial analysis have revealed that both systems can be operated sustainably. Risks are low collection efficiency, high non-revenue-water, lower than expected demand, high energy costs, etc. The consultancy will capacitate the WU to identify and address and mitigate these risks. Starting with several relevant KPI the consultant will: (i) introduce business planning to the WU. (ii) develop options for pro-poor water tariffs that covers O&M costs based on findings of a socio-economic survey (available) (iii) support the WUs in adopting a Financial Accounting Software (FAS). With a very limited number of customers and a few reports the objective is to increase robustness of financial accounting, transparency, and accountability. (iv) support the WUs to set up a simplified customer database, including a billing and performance reporting system - ideally in conjunction with the FAS. (v) introduce a communication strategy with the public and specifically the customers (vi) introduce a customer dialogue and simple complaints management routine 3) OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE: requires the consultancy to facilitate the process of know-how transfer. Routine procedures will be subjected in SOPs and routine maintenance interventions will be trained at the WTP and/or the Vocational Training Centre (VTC) for water technicians that was established under the GIZ project at Don Bosco in Gumbo.