About the Organization
Winrock International is a nonprofit organization that works with people in the United States and around the world to empower the disadvantaged, increase economic opportunity, and sustain natural resources.
Winrock International Welcomes Applicants from all geographic regions of the world. If you do not have a five digit zip code in your region, please populate the zip code prompt with 11111 to proceed.
Category : Consultant
Description
The USAID-funded Tanzania Water Resources Integration Development Initiative (USAID/WARIDI) seeks Short Term Technical Assistance (STTA) from an individual consultant to investigate the supply chain of analog and smart meters in rural Tanzania and make a comparison of available meters based on quality, price and their availability in the market. The consultant should make recommendations regarding how WARIDI can improve information and awareness on meters in the 20 Local Government Authorities (LGAs) where it works with Community Owned Water Supply Organizations (COWSOs), LGA Council Water and Sanitation Teams and Water Supply and Sanitation Authorities (WSSAs).
Considering the situation described above, WARIDI seeks STTA to:
1) Conduct a strategic review of available meters in Tanzania including the existing supply chain and the price, quality and value for money of the meters (geographic area to be determined but most likely concentrated to Dar es salaam and the 20 LGAs where WARIDI operates)
2) Make recommendation on how WARIDI can improve information and awareness on meters and help COWSOs/WSSAs and LGAs make informed decisions when purchasing meters
3) Make recommendations on how WARIDI, or LGAs, can improve access to quality meters in WARIDI's area of focus.
Working closely with the WARIDI WASH Technical Lead and WASH Advisor, the consultant is expected to undertake the following Tasks:
A. Develop and submit provisional methodology for completing market assessment for meters and e-meters in WARIDI's implementation zone (20 LGAs across Rufiji and Wami-Ruvu Basins).This outline must be approved by WARIDI before the market assessment takes place (steps B and C).
B. Complete a market assessment of available meters in Dar es Salaam and major commercial centers in WARIDI's area of influence (Morogoro, Iringa, Mbeya and Dodoma including a sample of small towns), and 'best value' analysis by reviewing costs and performance of selected meters and metering systems. The goal is to ascertain a practical service life versus cost (cost includes purchase price and maintenance/repair costs). This analysis would include both manufacturers' stated service life, O&M costs, and replacements costs, as well as obtaining and reviewing service references from users - obtained by previous studies/testimonials and/or by investigating operational performance of systems where the meters have been in service.
i. Meet with meter and e-meter suppliers to understand their business models and supply chains
ii. Meet with local suppliers of meters in small towns in the WARIDI LGAs and understand their level of knowledge around meters and what information, support they provide to clients purchasing the meters
C. Meet with government officials, LGAs and a select number of COWSOs and WSSAs to understand current level of knowledge around meters, how meters are procured for water supply projects and for on-going management of public and private connections, and note any innovative initiatives underway to improve meter procurement, as well as any best practices or constraints faced.
i. Meet with MOWI and other relevant agencies as well as donors, private sector and non-profit organizations operating in the rural water space
ii. Meet with LGAs to understand how they procure and manage meters and support COWSOs in the same; understand any challenges they perceive around meter quality, price and availability, understand any challenges in metering connections for rural water schemes, understand any activities they undertake to improve metering in their LGA
iii. Visit operational COWSO- and WSSA-managed water schemes to understand how they procure meters, any challenges they face with current meters, and constraints they face when purchasing meters. Understand:
a. Their process for metering public and private connections, including connection costs, tariff structure, the collection rate (the percentage of produced water that is billed and collected) for both public and private connections, the cost recovery ratio (the total amount collected divided by the total operational and maintenance cost of the system by month or by year), and the roles and responsibilities of the customer vs. the COWSO/WSSA; and what benefits or challenges they face in metering private connections (note any difference in meter usage for gravity vs. pumped schemes)
b. How they procured the meters, their level of knowledge around metering options including assessing the value for money of meters; note the make and model of current meters used and understand from whom they were procured (name and location of supplier) and any challenges faced with the model or supply chain
c. The level of knowledge the COWSO/WSSA has concerning meters being tampered with, broken, or replaced and the process for replacing and or repairing meters along with its timeline, including mitigation methods to reduce conflict and misuse.
d. How many metered vs. unmetered connections the COWSO/WSSA has and number of broken meters the scheme currently has and how long they have been broken, any reasons for non-repair/replacement
D. Based on the above, write a report on the market assessment and meter availability including quality and value for money of meter options, challenges encountered when metering water schemes, and make recommendations for how to improve information and awareness around quality meters. Recommend activities WARIDI and LGAs can undertake to improve meter supply chains in WARIDI's area of influence and a summary of any innovative practices underway to improve metering supply chain.
EOE Statement
We are an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity and sexual orientation), national origin, caste, tribe, age (40 or older), disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.
The recruiting organization, Winrock International, has either not specified a closing date for this vacancy, or continues to list jobs after their stated closing date. Because such positions may remain open, they are listed here until removed from the recruiting organization's website. Click the button below to verify its current status.
More Information and Application Detals