AFGANISTAN – INVITATION TO TENDER FOR CONSULTANT HYDROGEOLOGICAL, GEOPHYSICS AND RELATED STUDIES OF SUBSURFACE AND GROUND WATER SOURCES IN THREE DISTRICTS OF NIMROZ AND FARAH PROVINCE, AFGHANISTAN
Date : August 26th 2024
Deadline date for reply : 9 September Midnight
Start Date: 17 October
End Date: 8 December
Location: NIMROZ AND FARAH PROVINCE, AFGHANISTAN
Reference of the CFT/Consultancy: HYDROGEOLOGICAL, GEOPHYSICS AND RELATED STUDIES OF SUBSURFACE AND GROUND WATER SOURCES IN THREE DISTRICTS OF NIMROZ AND FARAH
PROVINCE, AFGHANISTAN
ABOUT SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL
Solidarités International (SI) is a French non-governmental organization (NGO), independent of any political, economic, ethnic, or religious affiliations. For over 40 years, SI has been providing humanitarian aid to populations affected by armed conflicts and natural disasters, addressing their vital needs for water, food, and shelter, and enhancing their resilience. SI is particularly dedicated to combating water-borne diseases, the leading cause of death worldwide. The organization offers expertise in access to safe drinking water, sanitation, hygiene promotion, and food and livelihood security. SI operates in more than 23 countries, with a team of 2,400 individuals, including expatriates, national staff, permanent headquarters staff, and volunteers.
ABOUT THE MISSION
The Taliban’s takeover in August 2021 marked the end of 45 years of conflict in the country. While it brought relative security for the population, it also ushered in significant challenges, such as the exclusion of half the population from economic and political life due to the authorities’ discriminatory policies against women. Furthermore, the country is experiencing a severe economic crisis partly caused by international sanctions and is also heavily impacted by the consequences of climate change, including the increasing frequency of droughts with the current drought having lasted for three years now. The absence of sustainable management of natural resources and the collapse of traditional production systems over the past forty years due to war have greatly increased the population’s vulnerabilities. At the same time the effects of the economic and climate crisis are being keenly felt by the Afghan people. SI was established in Afghanistan in the 1980s, with a continuous presence in the country until 2018. Following the Taliban take over, operations were resumed in the second half of 2021. Since its reopening SI had operations in Kapisa which closed in January 2024 and are currently operational in Bamyan, Kabul, Nimroz and Farah provinces. SI works in 23 countries globally and has developed technical expertise in three sectors: Food Security & Livelihoods (FSL), Water Sanitation & Hygiene (WaSH) and Shelter. In Afghanistan specifically, SI has invested a lot in the FSL and WASH sectors, implementing more than 120 projects in the country between 1980 and December 2018, benefitting approximately 3,200,000 people in 10 different provinces. Since the re-opening of the mission in 2021, SI has conducted several needs assessments, strengthening SI’s technical knowledge and understanding of its areas of interventions, while involving the communities as much as possible to build SI’s expertise on local practices and the preferred modalities of intervention. In its current projects, SI’s expertise is strong and focuses on integrated WASH and FSL interventions. SI has been providing access to safe water, hygiene and sanitation to the most vulnerable communities, including the construction / rehabilitation of water infrastructures, support to build safe and adapted latrines together with hygiene promotion (HP) sessions in the communities. In addition, recently SI started developing / rehabilitating irrigation infrastructures, and expanded its FSL activities to agriculture with the launch of kitchen gardening and poultry activities in Southwest region (Nimroz & Farah) and Central Highlands region (Bamyan). In all locations, SI benefits from a very positive reputation at community level, while managing to maintain a good working relation with the De facto Authorities (DfA). Indeed, SI has built constructive and principled relations with the De facto Authorities’ administration, which allows implementation of projects with limited interferences. Of course, one of the main challenges since December 2022 remains the ban on Afghan women working for NGOs. The takeover of power by Talibans has resulted in some areas to be accessible to NGOs (due to security issues). Some districts of Nimroz province were until recently not accessible, which probably explains the poor coverage in water supply services. SI is operating in three districts of Nimroz which are (Khashrod, Chakhansoor and Charburjuk) and 3 districts of Farah (Gulistan, 3 Bakwa and Bala Buluk) where SI is proposing hydrogeological and geophysics studies to be done. Assessments done by SI in Nimroz and Farah provinces have shown that access to water is a challenge to 73% of the households resulting in negative copying strategies.
PURPOSE OF THE CONSULTATION – ABOUT THE MARKET
The main objective of this study is to improve knowledge of the hydrogeological and hydrochemical characteristics of the study area to support the development of a sustainable water supply and water management strategy in Nimroz and Farah provinces, and more specifically where Solidarités International plans to implement activities in future.
This would enable SI to achieve the following specific objectives :
– Improve the siting of groundwater resource development infrastructure.
– Provide operational recommendations for the design, operation and maintenance of groundwater supply systems.
– Support the development of groundwater quality and quantity monitoring systems.
– Increase local knowledge on water resources and support future community
-based discussions on sustainable allocation of water between uses and users.
This will be done through a:
– (i) desk top study that can include GIS geological mapping
– (ii) a field level hydrogeological survey in the districts of Farah and Nimroz provinces, where Solidarités International is working, namely: o Khashrod, Chakhansur and Char Burjak (Nimroz) o Bakwa, Bala Buluk, Gulistan (Farah)
Note: After a fast pre-study of the area, through relevant proofs and data he/she got, the expert contracted will propose a list of districts to assess on the field in priority, 3 to 4 districts will be chosen.
The study will update the latest available hydrogeological and related scientific knowledge of studied catchments in the studied locations; recommend practical actions to establish (or input existing) aquifer and hydrochemistry monitoring mechanisms and involve communities as to increase their awareness and knowledge on local groundwater resources availability, use and management.
TIMETABLE FOR THE CONSULTATION
33 days
REQUIRED PROFILE
▪ The research team shall include at least a senior Hydrogeologist and Geophysicist with versatile user experience in computer applications and GIS mapping as well as hydrochemistry skills (water quality sampling, testing and analysis).
▪ The bid is open to national structure and having demonstrated experience of accomplishing similar works and international ones demonstrating capacities around the world in security sensitive, and water scarce and fragile environments, but particularly in Middle East, Asia or Africa. Both need to have more than 8 years experience, and the latest job performed within the past 3 years.
▪ Experience in the application of hydrogeological and geophysics assessment to propose water facility development, operation and maintenance strategies including determination and siting of ground and surface water sources.
▪ Good grasp of international, macro, meso and micro level water sector governance issues, as well as experience and skills of conducting climate change and environmental assessments, development of environmental management and water governance frameworks and water safety plans is an added advantage.
▪ A previous work on Afghan context is an asset
HOW TO APPLY
The bids shall be in English language delivered electronically via email, and clearly marked in the email subject bar: “HYDROGEOLOGICAL, GEOPHYSICS AND RELATED STUDIES OF SUBSURFACE AND GROUND WATER SOURCES IN THREE DISTRICTS OF NIMROZ AND FARAH PROVINCE, AFGHANISTAN”.
▪ Bids shall be submitted by Midnight Afghanistan time on Monday 9th of September 2024 to (log.bid@solidarites-afghanistan.org) indicating earliest availability for a mission to Afghanistan. The expression of interest should contain: (i) a technical offer and (ii) a financial and administrative offer: