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Terms of reference for IUCN Consultancy
Title: Technical monitoring and implementation support for WRA water infrastructure under TWENDE Project.
Objective of the Consultancy
This consultancy has the following objective(s):
Specific Objectives
The consultancy shall pursue the following specific objectives:
Undertake an independent technical assessment of all completed and ongoing water infrastructure to determine compliance with approved engineering designs, technical specifications, contractual requirements, Bills of Quantities (BoQs), and applicable engineering standards.
Assess the quality, functionality and sustainability of the water infrastructure by evaluating workmanship, structural integrity, operational performance, safety, operation and maintenance arrangements, and compliance with applicable environmental and social safeguard requirements.
Identify technical deficiencies, implementation gaps and risks affecting the functionality, safety, durability and sustainability of the infrastructure, and assess whether project resources have been utilised efficiently and delivered value for money.
Develop prioritised corrective action plans for each infrastructure, detailing the engineering, operational and management measures required to rectify identified defects, improve performance and ensure long-term functionality and sustainability.
Provide independent technical supervision and quality assurance for the implementation of agreed corrective works on existing water infrastructure, ensuring that all remedial works comply with approved engineering standards, technical specifications and contractual requirements.
Provide technical oversight and quality assurance during the construction of any new water infrastructure implemented under the TWENDE Project, including review of designs where required, verification of construction quality, materials, workmanship and compliance with approved standards and safeguards.
Provide practical recommendations and build capacity of the implementing teams through on-site technical guidance, periodic inspections and final certification of completed corrective and new infrastructure works to ensure they are fit for purpose and capable of delivering sustainable water services.
Background and about the project
Project Reference: P02886
Donor Reference: N/A
About IUCN
IUCN is a membership Union uniquely composed of both government and civil society organisations. It provides public, private and non-governmental organisations with the knowledge and tools that enable human progress, economic development and nature conservation to take place together.
Created in 1948, IUCN is now the world’s largest and most diverse environmental network, harnessing the knowledge, resources and reach of more than 1,400 Member organisations and around 15,000 experts. It is a leading provider of conservation data, assessments and analysis. Its broad membership enables IUCN to fill the role of incubator and trusted repository of best practices, tools and international standards.
IUCN provides a neutral space in which diverse stakeholders including governments, NGOs, scientists, businesses, local communities, indigenous peoples’ organisations and others can work together to forge and implement solutions to environmental challenges and achieve sustainable development.
Working with many partners and supporters, IUCN implements a large and diverse portfolio of conservation projects worldwide. Combining the latest science with the traditional knowledge of local communities, these projects work to reverse habitat loss, restore ecosystems and improve people’s well-being.
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About the Project
The IUCN Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office (ESARO) implements a diverse portfolio of programmes across twenty-four countries in the Horn of Africa, Eastern Africa, Southern Africa and the Western Indian Ocean. Among these is the Towards Ending Drought Emergencies (TWENDE): Ecosystem-based Adaptation in Kenya’s Arid and Semi-Arid Rangelands Project, a five-year initiative financed by the Green Climate Fund (GCF). The project contributes to Kenya’s Vision 2030 and the national Ending Drought Emergencies (EDE) strategy by strengthening the resilience of communities, ecosystems and livelihoods to climate change in Kenya’s Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs). The project seeks to reduce the economic impacts of recurrent drought by restoring degraded rangelands, strengthening climate-resilient natural resource management and promoting sustainable investments that enhance ecosystem services and livelihoods.
The TWENDE Project is implemented across the Sabarwawa, Mid Tana and Chyulu Hills landscapes, covering eleven counties. These landscapes are characterized by increasing climate variability, land degradation, weak landscape governance, inadequate access to climate information, and limited investment in sustainable natural resource management. To address these challenges, the project is implemented through three complementary components. Component 1 strengthens climate-informed planning and governance for drought resilience through improved climate information, participatory planning and coordinated landscape management. Component 2 supports the restoration and sustainable management of priority rangeland ecosystems and water resources to enhance ecosystem-based adaptation and climate resilience. Component 3 promotes climate-resilient public, private and community investments that improve sustainable natural resource management, livelihoods, market access and financial inclusion.
The project is implemented by IUCN as the Green Climate Fund Accredited Entity in partnership with the Government of Kenya and Conservation International (CI). The National Drought Management Authority (NDMA), the State Department for Livestock Development (SDLD) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, and Conservation International serve as the Executing Entities for Components 1, 2 and 3 respectively. To deliver project interventions, the Executing Entities engage specialized government agencies, service providers, contractors and other technical partners through subsidiary and procurement agreements.
Under Component 2, the Water Resources Authority (WRA) as service provider to the State Department for Livestock Development (SDLD) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development has implemented a portfolio of climate-resilient water infrastructure interventions, including water pans, sand dams, spring protection systems, rainwater harvesting facilities and groundwater monitoring boreholes. These investments are designed to improve access to water for domestic, livestock and ecosystem needs while supporting landscape restoration, groundwater recharge, climate resilience and sustainable livelihoods in the target landscapes.
Following the substantial completion of these infrastructure investments, IUCN intends to engage an independent engineering consultancy to undertake a comprehensive technical assessment, quality assurance and compliance audit of the completed and ongoing works. The assignment will independently verify compliance with approved engineering designs, technical specifications, contractual obligations and applicable engineering standards, while assessing construction quality, structural integrity, operational functionality, sustainability and value for money. The findings will provide assurance on the quality and performance of the completed infrastructure, identify any technical deficiencies requiring corrective action, strengthen accountability for project investments, and generate lessons to inform the design and implementation of future climate-resilient water infrastructure programmes.
Description of the Assignment
The purpose of this consultancy is to undertake an independent technical assessment of all water infrastructure constructed by WRA under the TWENDE Project to determine whether the completed/ongoing works comply with approved engineering designs, contractual requirements and applicable quality standards. The assignment will evaluate the structural integrity, operational functionality, sustainability and value for money of the investments while identifying defects, risks and corrective measures required to ensure long-term performance and service delivery.
Rationale
The TWENDE Project has invested substantial financial resources in the development of climate-resilient water infrastructure across the three target landscapes. As the Accredited Entity responsible for fiduciary oversight and quality assurance, IUCN, in its role as accredited entity to GCF, has an obligation to verify that these investments have been implemented in accordance with approved engineering standards, contractual obligations and applicable environmental and social safeguard requirements.
This independent assessment will establish whether the completed/ongoing infrastructure meets the required technical standards, is structurally sound, safe and fully operational, and is capable of delivering the intended services throughout its expected design life. The assignment will further evaluate the adequacy of operation and maintenance arrangements, identify technical deficiencies and implementation gaps, assess risks that may compromise sustainability, and determine whether project resources were utilised efficiently and effectively. The findings will provide an evidence base for improving infrastructure quality, strengthening accountability and informing future investments in climate-resilient water infrastructure. The Consultant will also provide practical, prioritized recommendations for addressing identified deficiencies, including corrective and remedial measures required to restore or enhance the functionality of any affected water infrastructure so that it can effectively serve its intended purpose.
Scope of the assignment
The consultancy shall cover all water infrastructure developed by the Water Resources Authority (WRA) under the TWENDE Project, including 12 water pans, 19 sand dams, 4 spring protection systems and 2 groundwater monitoring/exploratory boreholes across the three landscapes The consultant shall undertake a comprehensive assessment to establish whether the completed infrastructure complies with approved engineering designs, contractual obligations and applicable regulatory and quality standards, and whether the investments are functioning effectively and are sustainable over their intended design life.
The assignment shall commence with a detailed review of all relevant project documentation, including engineering designs, technical specifications, Bills of Quantities (BoQs), contract documents, supervision reports, quality assurance records, laboratory test reports, completion certificates, payment records, environmental approvals, Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMPs), operation and maintenance manuals, and any approved design variations.
Following the document review, the consultant shall undertake field inspections of all completed infrastructure to verify construction quality, structural integrity, workmanship, material quality and compliance with approved designs and specifications. The consultant shall confirm completed quantities through physical measurements and compare the completed works with approved drawings, contract requirements and as-built records. Where necessary, the consultant may apply appropriate engineering tests and assessment techniques to validate the quality and structural performance of the infrastructure.
The consultancy shall further assess the operational functionality of each facility by determining whether it is performing as intended, delivering reliable water services and meeting the needs of the targeted beneficiaries. The assessment shall also evaluate infrastructure safety, accessibility, operational efficiency and any defects or operational constraints that may affect long-term performance. The consultant shall evaluate the sustainability of the investments by assessing the adequacy of operation and maintenance arrangements, institutional and community management structures, financing mechanisms for maintenance, environmental sustainability measures and the capacity of responsible institutions to manage the infrastructure throughout its expected service life.
As part of the assignment, the consultant shall engage key stakeholders, including IUCN, WRA, respective County Government department of Water, Water Resource Users Associations (WRUAs), supervising engineers and beneficiary communities, to validate technical findings, gather operational information and document lessons learned.
The assignment shall conclude with a comprehensive analysis of findings, identification of technical defects and implementation gaps, assessment of value for money, and preparation of practical recommendations to improve the quality, sustainability and long-term performance of climate-resilient water infrastructure investments.
Methodology
The consultant shall propose a robust methodology demonstrating how the assignment will be undertaken. At a minimum, the methodology shall combine document review, field inspections, engineering measurements, technical compliance verification, stakeholder consultations and comparative analysis of approved designs against completed works. The consultant shall employ appropriate engineering assessment techniques, including non-destructive testing where necessary, supported by geo-referenced photographs, GPS data and drone surveys where applicable.
The methodology shall include a clear quality assurance framework outlining procedures for data collection, verification, analysis and reporting to ensure that the assessment findings are technically sound, objective and evidence based.
Proposal Format: To ensure a focused evaluation, the Technical Proposal must not exceed 15 pages (excluding annexes such as CVs, company profiles, and the financial proposal). The technical proposal must include:
Understanding of the ToR.
Detailed Methodology and technical approach.
Work plan and delivery schedule.
Team composition and task allocation.
Duration of the Assignment
The assignment is expected to be completed within thirty (30) calendar days from the date of contract signing, including submission of all reports and incorporation of comments from IUCN.
Deliverables
The consultant will provide the following deliverables and carry out the following activities:
Deliverable/Activity
6/10/2026
Inception report
Outlining the assignment methodology, work plan, inspection framework, quality assurance approach, and data collection tools.
22/10/2026
Draft technical assessment report
Presenting findings from the document review, field inspections, compliance assessment, functionality assessment, sustainability analysis, value-for-money assessment, and identified technical risks.
22/10/2026
Infrastructure defects and corrective action register
Detailing identified defects, non-compliance issues, risk ratings, recommended corrective measures, estimated level of effort, and proposed implementation priorities for each water infrastructure facility.
22/10/2026
Technical supervision and quality assurance reports
Documenting the consultant’s oversight of corrective works on existing infrastructure and the construction of any new water infrastructure, including verification of compliance with approved designs, technical specifications, engineering standards, and quality requirements. These reports may be submitted periodically or upon completion of each supervision assignment, as agreed with IUCN.
22/10/2026
Geo-referenced water infrastructure database
Containing GPS coordinates, geo-tagged photographs, inspection records, and other relevant spatial information collected during the field assessments and supervision visits.
26/10/2026
Final technical assessment and supervision report
Incorporating comments from IUCN and other stakeholders, summarising the assessment findings, corrective actions undertaken, quality assurance results, lessons learned, and recommendations for improving the planning, design, construction, operation, and maintenance of climate-resilient water infrastructure.
Payment Schedule
The Timetable below summarises the chronological order of deliverables and indicates milestones at which IUCN will pay the Consultant.
Deliverable and Milestone payment
Inception report-20%
Draft technical assessment report-60%
20%
Infrastructure defects and corrective action register
Technical supervision and quality assurance reports
Geo-referenced water infrastructure database
Final technical assessment and supervision report
Skills and Experience
Team Composition and Qualifications
The assignment shall be undertaken by a competent consultant with demonstrated experience in engineering assessment, construction quality assurance and water infrastructure development. At a minimum, the proposed team shall comprise the following key experts:
Position, Minimum Qualification and Minimum Experience
Team Leader / Senior Civil or Water Engineer
Master’s degree in civil or water engineering and registered Professional Engineer
10 years
Water Resources Engineer
Bachelor’s degree in civil or water engineering
7 years
Qualifications of the consulting Firm
The consulting firm shall demonstrate substantial experience in engineering consultancy, construction supervision and technical assessment of water infrastructure projects. The firm shall have proven expertise in engineering quality assurance, compliance audits and technical inspections of donor-funded infrastructure projects, preferably within the water, natural resources or climate resilience sectors.
The firm shall demonstrate successful completion of at least five comparable assignments within the last ten years involving technical assessment, quality assurance or supervision of water infrastructure projects. Experience working with government institutions, development partners and international organizations will be an added advantage.
Supervision and Coordination
The consultant shall report directly to the TWENDE Chief of Party and work closely with the IUCN technical team throughout the assignment. Coordination with SDLD, WRA, County Governments and other relevant stakeholders shall be undertaken as necessary to facilitate access to project sites and technical documentation.
All reports shall be submitted in both editable (Word, Excel) and PDF formats. Spatial data, maps and other geo-referenced information shall be provided in GIS-compatible formats, while all photographs shall be submitted in high-resolution digital format.
How to apply
https://procurement.iucn.org/