SOLICITATION NOTICE
R -- Integrated Water Resources Management Consultant - Niger - Attachment
- Notice Date
- 3/20/2014
- Notice Type
- Combined Synopsis/Solicitation
- NAICS
- 541611
— Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services
- Contracting Office
- Millennium Challenge Corporation;Contracts and Grants Management Division;875 15th St, NW;Suite 200;Washington DC 20005
- ZIP Code
- 20005
- Solicitation Number
- MCC14RFQ0038
- Archive Date
- 4/4/2014
- Point of Contact
- Regina Maxwell
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- MCC-14-RFQ-0038 MCC-14-RFQ-0038.docx CONSULTANT SERVICES Hydrologist/Hydro geologist for Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) A.Introduction The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) is a U.S. Government corporation whose mission is to provide assistance that will support economic growth and poverty reduction in carefully selected countries that demonstrate a commitment to just and democratic governance, economic freedom, and investments in their citizenry. For more information on the MCC, please visit www.mcc.gov. B.Background The Governments of the Republic of Niger and the United States are in the process of preparing the basis for an agreement for MCC grant funding to implement a development program. The program will be implemented through a five (5) year agreement ("Compact"), whose goal is to reduce poverty through economic growth by increasing agricultural productivity and to expand access to markets and services through critical infrastructure investments, and policy reform. Agriculture, livestock, natural resources management, and land tenure will likely feature prominently in the compact, coupled with reforms and other activities aimed at improving cross-border trade and government regulation of business. The compact development studies will be carried out in two phases: "Phase 1 will intensively review existing information and experience to date, assess alternatives and define in preliminary terms the content, scope, cost, implementation and management arrangements for a five year compact. This will be expressed in a Concept Paper. "Phase 2 will involve a more detailed project definition and assessment, leading to an Investment Memo, as the basis for a compact agreement between MCC and the Government of Niger. The combined Core and Country Teams (the Team) have developed three project concepts addressing the three constraints to economic development that have been identified through previous analysis: a."Access to Water for Agriculture and Livestock Production" Four inter-related activities are proposed in the context of the "access to water for agriculture and livestock production" constraint, all of which are aligned with a national-level GON and donor strategy to improve food security: a.Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM). Basin-level inventory and monitoring of water resources will allow communities to maximize economic and social welfare derived from water resources without compromising the sustainability of vital ecosystems and the environment. b.Drought-resilient rain-fed agriculture and livestock production. This sub-activity, which builds in part on the successes of projects that resulted in a "re-greening" of portions of the Sahel, will include community-implemented techniques and strategies aimed at soil and water conservation to be carried out on scales from individual farms to entire watersheds. Farmers and herders will also benefit from access to relatively new but tested technologies and knowledge - "climate smart agriculture" - that will help to buffer their production systems from drought. c.Producer-owned irrigation and livestock water points. Small-scale, farmer-owned, market-driven irrigation gives farmers - private sector operators - the technology to tap into shallow aquifers and efficiently apply water to crops. This approach to irrigation mitigates the significant risks related to elite capture, market distortion, and tragedy of the commons that are inherent in large-scale public good irrigation projects. Livestock water points allow herders access to underutilized pasture in the pastoral zone, and provide an opportunity to reduce conflict with farmers in the agricultural zone whose farms border transhumant migration corridors. d.Agriculture and livestock value chain development. Recognizing that increasing crop and livestock production are necessary but not sufficient conditions for increasing farmer and herder net incomes, this sub-activity will strengthen value chains to ensure that farmers and herders have access to required inputs and are capable of selling surplus (i.e. beyond what will be consumed by the household) production. b."Government Regulation of Business" The proposed concept project is comprised of four activities that address root causes of the inefficient and over-burdensome regulation of business by government. Improving government regulation of business could be expected to have a positive impact on the Agriculture sector, the dominant economic activity in Niger, thereby increasing the impact of the "access to water for agriculture and livestock production" project described above. Four activities are proposed to improve government regulation of business: e.Modernizing the tax code and increasing the institutional capacity of the tax authority. The activity would focus on simplifying tax procedures, developing a tax code that is equitable in its treatment of formal and informal firms, increasing transparency and raising awareness of tax responsibilities, and provide training and equipment to the tax authority. f.Revising the Investment Code to provide equitable opportunities for small and medium enterprises (SMEs). This would include efforts to raise awareness of new opportunities as well as ensure the effective implementation of investment incentives. g.Simplifying administrative procedures to reduce the number of procedures and the time lost in administrative formalities by businesses. This would address all licensing, permitting, regulations, and other procedures during the entire life-cycle of a business. h.Developing and operationalizing a formal system to help resolve commercial disputes. Although an important component of the business environment, this activity has the most tenuous link with the CA and IOP findings. c."Barriers to Trade" Niger exports large quantities of vegetables and livestock to other countries in the sub-region, primarily on the West African coast (e.g. Nigeria, Benin, Ghana, and Côte d'Ivoire). Manufactured agricultural inputs such as fertilizer and pesticides are all imported, as is all modern farming equipment. Reducing the barriers to and cost of trade could, therefore, have a positive impact on the access to water for agriculture and livestock production project described above. The following four activities are proposed: i.Improving the Regulatory and Institutional Framework: This activity would focus on updating Niger's customs code and modernizing its customs administration, including the establishment of a system of monitoring, control and sanctions of informal practices at border crossings. j.Increasing Competition in Trade and Transport: This activity would identify and implement steps to eliminate practices that restrict competition in the trade/transport sector, such as a queuing system, additional costs imposed by truckers' unions and associations, informal road blocks, etc. k.Improving Road Maintenance: This activity would focus primarily on ensuring the implementation of Niger's three-year road maintenance plan (by the Caisse Autonome de Financement et d'Entretien Routier (CAFER)), reducing the road maintenance gap, and ensuring the sustainability of road maintenance. More recently, CAFER has asked that this activity include the rehabilitation of existing roads; thereby addressing past/current roads maintenance needs and ensuring that the three-year road maintenance plan would focus on future road maintenance needs. l.Farm to market roads: Improving access for communities eventually identified for activities related to improving access to water for agriculture and livestock production, this sub-activity would, focus on cost-effective solutions, such as spot improvements, to achieve all-weather links to markets, services and the wider network. Any such activity would have to make sure that sustainable maintenance arrangements are in place. C.Scope MCC is seeking an experienced Hydrologist/Hydrogeologist with particular expertise in integrated water resources management (IWRM) and experience in Niger, to assist in due diligence of proposed project concepts for the "Access to Water for Agriculture and Livestock Production Activity." This will include field work reviews and oversight of detailed studies leading to a Concept Paper and eventually an Investment Memo, which would be the basis for a compact between MCC and the Government of Niger. Should these efforts result in a signed compact, the consultant may assist MCC in overseeing implementation activities. D.Tasks The consultant's assignment shall include the following: 1.Home office review of proposed compact IWRM concepts and background information for the Access to Water for Agricultural and Livestock Production Activity. 2.Participate in field missions to review, explore and update compact design and review and evaluate progress with Niger Core Team and other actors as requested during the Concept Paper, Investment Memo and Implementation phases. 3.Interview appropriate government agency staff, NGO and research organizations and other stakeholders related to rural access to water issues. 4.Participate in on-demand internal MCC and MCC-Niger teleconferences and email exchanges. 5.Respond to ad hoc requests to review official documents, terms of reference, work plans, contract deliverables and other reports. 6.Provide requested inputs to MCC trip reports and other reports and memoranda. E.Conflict of Interest The consultant would be precluded from bidding on work and services (design, assessment, construction and supervision) to be procured by the local MCA accountable entity or using funds advanced under a Compact in the relevant country, unless the consultant submits a mitigation plan sufficient to ameliorate any conflict of interest pursuant to the rules applicable to the procurement process. F.Deliverables Trip Reports for each field mission. Other reports specified in requests from MCC. Acceptance Criteria "The deliverables will be evaluated according to the following criteria: "Thoroughness and timeliness in complying with all of the elements in the tasks specified. "Quality and clarity of analyses and work produced. "Timeliness and efficacy of communications with relevant counterparts at MCC, MCA, and other relevant organizations. "All reports are to be submitted in English in hard and electronic copy (in MS Word), with tables, data and calculations in MS Excel. G.Period and Place of Performance All work will be completed between the dates of award (through a one year base period (the estimated level of effort is 560 hours for the base period). MCC may extend the contract for up to one additional year (the estimated level of effort is 560 hours for the option year) depending on MCC continued requirement, consultant's performance and MCC satisfaction (see Clauses "Increase in Services' and "Option to Extend the Term of the Contract"). The estimated level of effort required to complete the tasks included in this technical directive is indicated in the following table. MCC anticipates this level of effort but does not guarantee this level of effort as it may increase or decrease. The consultant will work from its home office and/or MCC headquarters or any MCC eligible country. Subcontracting The consultant is authorized to subcontract data collection, data preparation, economic analysis, and related services as needed. The overall costs for subcontracting shall not exceed 25% of the consultant's total negotiated unloaded direct labor cost. Other requirements: International travel will be required. The Consultant may be requested to mobilize on a short notice and will be expected to deliver high quality finished products in a timely manner.
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