The complete document can be accessed via the Kenya Red Cross Society website. The link for the same is as below:
https://www.redcross.or.ke/tenders
Introduction
KRCS was created by Act of Parliament in 1965. It is auxiliary to Central and County governments but maintains an autonomous status which allows it to act at all times in accordance with the Fundamental Principles of Red Cross Red Crescent Movement
The Kenya Red Cross is currently supporting the Norwegian Red Cross (NorCross) Regional office in Nairobi to implement some of her activities in the region, one of them being in Somalia, in partnership with the Somali Red Crescent Societies (SRCS).
For this reason, on behalf of NorCross, KRCS is sending this Request for Proposal document seeking for a consultant for the Greening project of the health and Rehabilitation facilities in Mudug Region, Somalia
The consultant KRCS is looking for is expected to provide technical guidance/specifications and supervise the implementation of the recommendations from the assessment report, that recommended approaches and strategies aimed at improving WASH status in the eight SRCS Health Facilities (HCFs), to largely benefit from opportunities for “green” technology.
1.1.1 SRCS AND NORWEGIAN RED CROSS – BACKGROUND IN SOMALIA
Decades of protracted conflict, coupled with natural and climate change related hazards such as drought, cyclone and flooding have increased the Somali population vulnerability to chronic food insecurity, diseases outbreak, malnutrition, and resulted in inadequate access to safe drinking water, sanitation and basic health care services[1].
Drought has driven food insecurity to crises levels across the country, with losses of livestock, pastureland and food. Drought led to the displacement of an estimated 943,000 people across the country from November 2016 to October 2017. 6.2 million people (corresponding to half of the population in Somalia) are acutely food insecure and in need of urgent life-saving assistance. This, together with a lack of clean drinking water and access to health facilities, are causing rising morbidity and mortality rates and severe long-term impacts on livelihoods and assets. Somalia displays one of the worst infant and young children feeding and micronutrient indicators in the world. As of end of October 2017, over 363,000 children were suffering from acute malnutrition and in need of urgent treatment and nutrition support[2].
Despite the progress that has been made by the Somalia government in re-establishing state structures, there remains a lack of public health service institutions to meet all the humanitarian needs of the population. The SRCS, which was established in 1963, continues to play a significant role in filling the gap in the health service delivery system. SRCS is currently the second largest primary health care service provider in Somalia and operates through a network of 19 branches and 130 sub-branches with activities spread all across the country. With the support of Red Cross Red Crescent Movement (RCRC Movement) partners, SRCS has been running over 150 health clinics, stationary (100) and mobile (50) clinics. SRCS works in close cooperation with the Federal Ministry of Health, the Ministries of Health of the Federal Member States and other health actors, with the aim of the governments, with time, taking over more of the health services.
While Norcross started working with SRCS since the early sixties, the first signed co-operation agreement between NorCross and SRCS is dated 1982. Following this, the physical rehabilitation program in Somalia was launched following the 1993 telethon fundraising. The bilateral relationship between SRCS and NorCross has always been very close, with different operational modalities at different times – based on the prevailing situation. In addition to the support on health interventions, NorCross is also one of the main supporters to the core structures of SRCS, which has contributed to reinforce the national society’s position and capability to respond to humanitarian needs and crises in Somalia. NorCross is continually engaged in strengthening SRCS capacities through the national society development activities, with current focus on finance development and resource mobilisation[3].
1.2 Project background and description
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) call for universal access to safe water, dignified sanitation and hygiene (WASH) for all by 2030. For children, this extends beyond the confines of the household to a child’s place of school and play. With children spending several hours a day and over a decade of their growing years in schools, basic access to sustainable WASH in schools is not only crucial for their health and well-being, but also a fundamental human right. The SDGs exhort countries to build and upgrade education facilities that are child-, disability- and gender-sensitive, and equipped with basic drinking water, single-sex basic sanitation and basic hand washing facilities[4].
Safe and high-quality WASH interventions are fundamental to preventing and controlling infection in health facilities, tackling antimicrobial resistance, and ensuring quality of care – a prerequisite for achieving universal health coverage. WASH in health facilities broadly refers to the quantity and quality of, and access to, water, toilets, health care waste management, and hand hygiene facilities; the cleanliness of the environment; and the knowledge and practices of safe hand hygiene.
In addition, when it comes to healthcare facilities, there are several sources of environmental emissions which can negatively contribute to the SDGs. These sources include use of energy, health waste management, water, procurement, and transport. There is also increasing evidence to show how energy-efficient and climate-friendly health services can improve health, while contributing to savings in resources and costs[5].
1.3. Assessment rationale
Rationale for the WASH assessment in health facilities and schools:
Due to the conflict, Somalia has limited resources and capacities to deliver on the needs of their vulnerable population, such as in the case of health and WASH services. Because of this, Norcross through external consultants completed an assessment to provide useful information and evidence to improve the WASH status in the 8 SRCS HCFs[6] and 14 selected schools in the Mudug region of Somalia. The HCFs would also benefit from an assessment of their environmental impact and opportunities for “green” technology.
The results produced by the assessment informed the most appropriate ways to improve WASH services and strengthen their capacities, with a special emphasis on environmentally friendly solutions. This assessment further hoped to support local authorities and public institutions, to reprioritize WASH activities and Green health solutions in the areas where the crisis has weakened their capacities for surveillance and action.
1.4. Assessment recommendations
The study recommended possible approaches/strategies that could be adopted to enhance efficiency and effectiveness of project interventions as well as engagement of all relevant stakeholders, thereby building on the capacity, clear roles & responsibilities, data & information, financing, monitoring & evaluation, stakeholder engagement, and integrity & transparency.
1.5 Project Deliverables and other requirements
The key deliverable of this consultancy are as follows:
- Provide technical guidance and supervise the Implementation of recommendations from the assessment, this includes:
Theme
Definition
Innovation Opportunities
Safe, sufficient and skilled workforce
Adequate numbers of skilled human resources with decent working conditions, empowered and informed to respond to these environmental challenges.
- Capacity Development:
- Training, information and knowledge management targeted to health care workers to respond to climate risks and environmental threats resulting from the operation of the health care facility.
- Capacity development on basic maintenance of installed technologies
Optimal water use (including WASH & Waste)
Sustainable and safe management of water, sanitation and health care waste services
- Replacement of current water faucets to low-flow faucets with basic communication material on proper usage and water conservation
- Training on waste types and waste segregation and disposal
- Incinerator mapping and rehabilitation
- Development of proper waste disposal mechanisms
- Collaboration with district on proper disposal/general knowledge sharing
- Rainwater catchment
- Storage Tanks
- Construction of Hand Washing Facilities
Optimal energy use
Sustainable energy services
- Building characteristics: Window shading through tree planting
- Utilize tree planting to inform facility staff behaviour change and kickstart community conversation on environmental sustainability.
- Energy efficiency: mapping and Rehabilitation of dysfunctional solar panels ensuring that they meet the minimum standards; increasing the solar panels capacity based on United Nations Development Programme (UNPD) guideline and The African youth Consultancy Association Company (AYCA) recommendations.
- Investigating utilization of cost savings from rehabilitated solar system for continued sustainability, leveraging on the local solar energy market
Sustainable health care infrastructure and technologies
Appropriate infrastructure, technologies, products and processes, including all the operations that allow for the efficient functioning of the health care facility.
- Change of lavatories to eco-friendly Ecosan Toilets
1.6 Roles and responsibilities of the consultant
The Consultant will have the following responsibilities:
- Provide technical advice on the best greening methods for the 7 health facilities.
- Drawing a schematic about a typical climate friendly clinic and its components Mapping of greening materials available in the Somali market and those to be procured internationally.
- Development of technical specifications for proposed greening solutions, drafting (from sketches) of BOQ’s that shall be used for tendering to identify contractors who would implement the proposed greening solutions
- Review of technical offers for works and greening equipment received from contractors.
- Supervision and Monitoring implementation of works and the proposed greening solutions.
- Provision of Capacity Development to relevant health facility staff, Includes the development of appropriate maintenance guidance material in consultation with contractors and associated trainings to clinic staff.
- Provision of comprehensive monthly progress reporting and status updates
- Provision of completion report upon successful completion of activities and oversee project handover.
- Provision of workshops (possibly online) at the beginning and end of the project to guide planning and ensure proper dissemination of information respectively.
The NorCross programme team will have the following responsibilities:
- To review TOR and make recommendations.
- To ensure that the implementation process meets the standards of quality and apply the procedures outlined in the SOPs for Quality Assurance and Ethical Standards in NorCross
- To review implementation reports and final reports to ensure they meet NorCross’ quality assurance and ethical standards.
- To provide technical advice and support to the implementation of activities
- To provide funding for implementation
- To provide final approval and sign off work done.
1.7 Quality Monitoring
- This assignment will be monitored by a working committee comprising of the Norwegian Red Cross and Somalia Red Crescent Society
- The consultant will conduct briefings to the working committee before starting the assignment to discuss expectations.
- The consultant will organize regular progress calls/meetings with Norcross to provide updates on activities and progress.
1.8 Timeline
The technical consultant/consulting firm is expected to sign a contract with Norcross around 1st March 2023. The implementation of the assignment is expected to be finalized no later than the end of September 2023.
Consultant’s input days:
1 Day Inception meeting
1 days Review of the assessment report
4 Days Interpreting the recommendations of the assessment report into technical specifications (for equipment and fittings) and BoQs for construction.
1 Day Review of the draft Tender documents (for equipment and procurement of works)
2 days technical bid evaluation
6 days Development of maintenance guidance materials in consultation with contractors and support associated trainings to clinic staff.
10 days Supervision/monitoring of works, preparation of progress and completion reports and project handover as well as project review meeting.
1.9 Profile of the consultant
A Consultant/Expert with the following profile will carry out the assessment:
- Advanced University degree in Public Health Engineering or related discipline
- Proven previous experience in humanitarian contexts implementing WASH and greening infrastructure rehabilitation.
- A high level of organizational and coordination skills and willing to travel to and stay in various parts of Somalia.
- At least 5 years of field experience in developing countries.
- Excellent report writing, communication and presentation skills.
- Understanding of regional context is desirable.
- Fluency in English. Working proficiency of Somali is an asset.
[1]SOMALIA COUNTRY BRIEF.docx (sharepoint.com)
[2]SOMALIA COUNTRY BRIEF.docx (sharepoint.com)
[3]Partnership Memo Somali Red Crescent Society 09012017.docx (sharepoint.com)
[4]Scoping Study of WASH in Schools (WinS) Programming in Eastern and Southern Africa
[5] Greening health systems, Expert Meeting Report, August 2013 World Health Organisation
[6] The 8 healthcare facilities include 7 SRCS clinics and 1 physical rehabilitation center in Mudug region
How to apply
https://www.redcross.or.ke/tenders
Proposals from bidders should be submitted in two distinct parts, namely technical proposal and financial proposal and these should be in two separate folders, both of which should then be sent via email
PRF11458 – Consultancy Services for the Implementation of Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) and Environmental Impact Assessment in Eight Health Facilities (HFs) in Mudug Region, Somalia.
The two separate inner envelopes should be clearly marked “Technical Proposal”, and “Financial Proposal”, respectively, and should bear the name of the Bidder.
The above requirement applies to bids being sent via email to tenders@redcross.or.ke
