Request_for_Proposal_No._72036718R00005_Tayar_Nepal.pdf

1. THIS CONTRACT IS A RATED ORDER RATING PAGE

PAGES

UNDER DPAS (15 CFR 700

2. CONTRACT NUMBER 3. SOLICITATION NUMBER 4. TYPE OF SOLICITATION 5. DATE ISSUED 6. REQUISITION/PURCHASE NUMBER

SEALED BID (IFB)

NEGOTIATED (RFP)

7. ISSUED BY CODE 8. ADDRESS OFFER TO (If other than Item 7)

NOTE: In sealed bid solicitations "offer" and "Offeror" mean "bid" and "bidder".

9. Sealed offers in original and _____________________________ copies for furnishing the supplies or services in the Schedule will be received at the place specified in Item 8, or if hand carried, in the depository located in until local time _______________________ (Hour) (Date)

A. NAME B. TELEPHONE (NO COLLECT CALLS) C. E-MAIL ADDRESS

AREA CODE NUMBER EXT.

(X) SEC. DESCRIPTION PAGE(S) (X) SEC. DESCRIPTION PAGE(S)

PART I - THE SCHEDULE PART II - CONTRACT CLAUSES

A SOLICITATION/CONTRACT FORM I CONTRACT CLAUSES

B SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICES/COSTS PART III - LIST OF DOCUMENTS, EXHIBITS AND OTHER ATTACH.

C DESCRIPTION/SPECS./WORK STATEMENT J LIST OF ATTACHMENTS

D PACKAGING AND MARKING PART IV - REPRESENTATIONS AND INSTRUCTIONS

E X INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE 28 x

F DELIVERIES OR PERFORMANCE

G CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA L INSTR., CONDS., AND NOTICES TO OFFERORS

H SPECIAL CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS M EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD

K REPRESENTATIONS, CERTIFICATIONS AND OTHER

STATEMENTS OF OFFERORS

NOTE: Item 12 does not apply if the solicitation includes the provisions at 52.214-16, Minimum Bid Acceptance Period.

12. In compliance with the above, the undersigned agrees, if this offer is accepted within _____180___ calendar daysfrom the date for receipt of offers specified above, to furnish any or all items upon which prices are offered at the price set opposite each item, delivered at the designated point(s), within the time specified in the schedule.

13. DISCOUNT FOR PROMPT PAYMENT 10 CALENDAR DAYS (%) 20 CALENDAR DAYS (%) 30 CALENDAR DAYS (%) CALENDAR DAYS (%) (See Section I, Clause No. 52-232-8)

14. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF AMENDMENTS AMENDMENT NO. DATE AMENDMENT NO. DATE

(The Offeror acknowledges receipt of amendments to the SOLICITATION for Offerors and related documents numbered and dated:

CODE FACILITY 16. NAME AND TITLE OF PERSON AUTHORIZED TO SIGN OFFER 15A. NAME AND

ADDRESS

OF OFFEROR

(Type or print)

15B. TELEPHONE NUMBER 17. SIGNATURE 18. OFFER DATE

AREA CODE NUMBER EXT. 15C. CHECK IF REMITTANCE ADDRESS IS DIFFERENT FROM

ABOVE - ENTER SUCH ADDRESS IN SCHEDULE

19. ACCEPTED AS TO ITEMS NUMBERED 20. AMOUNT 21. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION

22. AUTHORITY FOR USING OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION: 23. SUBMIT INVOICES TO ADDRESS SHOWN IN ITEM (4 copies unless otherwise specified)

10 U.S.C. 2304(a) ( ) 41 U.S.C. 253(c) ( )

24. ADMINISTERED BY (If other than Item 7) 25. PAYMENT WILL BE MADE BY CODE CODE

26. NAME OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (Type or print) Marva M. Butler

27. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 28. AWARD DATE

IMPORTANT - Award will be made on this Form, or on Standard Form 26, or by other authorized official written notice.

(Signature of Contracting Officer)

(REV. 9-97)

10. FOR INFORMATION CALL:

11. TABLE OF CONTENTS

STANDARD FORM 33

SOLICITATION, OFFER AND AWARD

SOLICITATION

OFFER (Must be fully completed by Offeror)

AWARD (To be completed by Government) x of x

72036718R00005

X

72000

Office of Acquisitions and Assistance (OAA) USAID/Nepal GPO Box 295 US Embassy, Maharajgunj Kathmandu, Nepal

N/A

See Cover Letter

See Attached Table of Contents

X 3

X 4

X 7

X 27

X 29

X 43

X 48 x XX

XX

x xx

$.00

72000

Office of Acquisition and Assistance (OAA) USAID/Nepal GPO Box 295 U.S. Embassy, Maharajgunj Kathmandu, Nepal

TBD

USAID/Nepal Tayar Nepal- DRM Project RFP No.:72036718R00005

SECTION B – SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICE/COSTS

B.1. PURPOSE

The purpose of the Tayar Nepal - Improved Disaster Risk Management Project is to strengthen Disaster Risk Management capacity and institutions in Nepal. The technical approach is twofold:

supporting improved governance of the disaster management cycle at the national level while also strengthening implementation of disaster risk management activities at the municipal level.

B.2. HYBRID COST REIMBURSEMENT WITH IDIQ CLIN CONTRACT TYPE

This is a FAR 16.102(b) combination award consisting of Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee (CPFF) completion type contract line items (CLINs 0001 and 0002) and a single-award Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) line item (CLIN 0003).

Under the Cost Reimbursement Completion portion of the contract (CLIN 0001 and CLIN 0002), the Contractor must furnish all personnel, materials, equipment, supplies, facilities, services (except as expressly set forth in this contract as furnished by the Government) and perform all activities necessary for, or incidental to, the Statement of Work and other sections of the contract not specifically identified under CLIN 0003 as the IDIQ Supplemental Technical Assistance.

Under the IDIQ portion of the contract (CLIN 0003), the Contractor must furnish additional technical assistance arising out of or related to the completion portion of the contract, as required by Government-issued task orders. The services must be ordered in accordance with Section H.36 entitled “Ordering Supplemental Technical Assistance (CLIN 0003)” and the IDIQ clauses in Section I. As CLIN 0003 is part of this contract and not a stand-alone award, the Government is not required to state or order any minimum number of person-days as otherwise provided in FAR 16.504(a)(1). The other CLINs contained in this contract provide sufficient consideration to make this a legally binding contract, and the Government has no obligation to fund or order under this CLIN.

B.3. ESTIMATED COST, FIXED FEE, AND OBLIGATED AMOUNT

(a) The total estimated cost for the performance of the work required hereunder, exclusive of fixed fee, if any, is $ . The fixed fee, if any, is $ . The estimated cost-plus fixed fee, if any, is $ .

(b) The total estimated ceiling cost of CLIN 0001 (Base Years) is $ , inclusive of the fixed fee is $ .

(c) The total estimated ceiling cost of CLIN 0002 (Option Years) is $ , inclusive of the fixed fee is $ .

(d) The total estimated ceiling cost of CLIN 0003 (IDIQ CLIN) is $ , inclusive of the fixed fee is $ .

(e) Within the estimated cost plus fixed fee amount specified in paragraph (a) above, the amount currently obligated and available for reimbursement of allowable costs incurred by the Contractor (and payment of fee, if any) for performance hereunder is as follows.

The Contractor shall not exceed the obligated amount unless authorized by the Contracting Officer pursuant to the clause of this contract entitled “Limitation of Funds” (FAR 52.232‐ 22).

(f) Funds obligated hereunder are anticipated to be sufficient through [to be inserted at the time of award].

(g) Any costs that exceed the obligated amount of the CLIN or total amount are unallowable.

B.4. CONTRACT LINE ITEM SCHEDULE

CLIN 0001 Tayar Nepal Program: Years 1-3

CLIN 0001a Program Implementation TBD

CLIN 0001b Nepali Small Grants Fund (Grants under Contract) $5,000,000

CLIN 0001c Indirect Costs TBD

CLIN 0001d Fixed Fee TBD

CLIN 0001 Total:

TBD

(Total of CLIN 0001a-d)

CLIN 0002 Option Years 4 and 5 CLIN 0002a Program Implementation TBD CLIN 0002b Indirect Costs TBD CLIN 0002c Fixed Fee TBD

CLIN 0002 Total:

TBD

(Total of CLIN 0002a-c) CLIN 0003 Supplemental Technical Assistance CLIN 0003a Supplemental Technical Assistance TBD

CLIN 0003 Total:

TBD

(Total of CLIN 0003a)

TBD TOTAL AWARD AMOUNT:

B.5. FIXED FEE (CPFF)

CLIN 0001 CLIN 0002 CLIN 0003 TOTAL

Pursuant to FAR 16.306(d), the fixed fee payable under CLIN 0001 and CLIN 0002 is tied to the accomplishment of the deliverables outlined in Sections C and F that are specified in Table 1 below.

Upon successful achievement of the deliverable, the Contractor shall provide evidence of the achievement to the Contracting Officer’s Representative and the Contracting Officer. Upon acceptance by USAID and receipt of approval from the Contracting Officer, the Contractor shall submit an invoice for the amount of the fee associated with the deliverable.

The contractor will be paid the amount of fee specified for each denoted performance objective, deliverable or output set forth in the table below upon acceptance by the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR). Because the clause entitled “Allowable Cost and Payment” (FAR 52.216-8) is incorporated into the RFP and applicable to this order, the terms and conditions of this clause apply after total payments of fixed fee reach eighty‐five percent (85%) of the total fixed fee.

Table 1 – Fixed Fee Payment Schedule

[Amount of fee to be filled by offerors and results to be filled in by offerors where indicated below]

# Performance

Objective/Deliverable/Output Reference Amount($)

1 Co-Creation Work Planning Conference held F.6.2.1 $_____________ 2 Year 1 Work Plan approved F.6.1.1 $_____________ 3 Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning Plan approved F.6.1.2 $_____________

4 Grants under Contracts Manual approved F.6.1.3 $_____________ 5 Gender and Social Inclusion Analysis approved F.6.2.2 $_____________

6 Baseline Data collected and Analysis Report submitted and approved

F.6.1.10 $_____________

7 Capacity Needs Assessment and Development Plan conducted and approved

F.6.2.3 $_____________

8 Year 1 Political Economy Analysis conducted F.6.1.9 $_____________ 9 Partner municipalities identified and methodology for Risk sensitive land use planning finalized

C.4.1.2 $_____________

10 National level disaster simulation exercises successfully conducted in Year 2

C.4.1.1 $_____________

11 Year 2 Political Economy Analysis conducted F.6.1.9 $_____________ 12 Risk Sensitive Land Use Plan conducted in each project municipality F.6.2.4 $_____________

13 Municipality Disaster Risk Management Action Plan developed in project municipalities

F.6.2.5 $_____________

14 At least one disaster addressing intervention implemented per project municipality in Year

C.4.1.2 $_____________

15 Year 3 Political Economy Analysis conducted F.6.1.9 $_____________ 16 National level disaster simulation exercises successfully conducted in Year 3 C.4.1.1 $_____________

17 At least one disaster addressing intervention implemented per project municipality in Year

C.4.1.2 $_____________

18 Year 4 Political Economy Analysis conducted F.6.1.9 $_____________ 19 National level disaster simulation exercises successfully conducted in Year 4 C.4.1.1 $_____________

20 At least two disaster addressing intervention implemented per project municipality in Year

C.4.1.2 $_____________

21 Year 5 Political Economy Analysis conducted F.6.1.9 $_____________ 22 National level disaster simulation exercises successfully conducted in Year 5 C.4.1.1 $_____________

23 At least two disaster addressing intervention implemented per project municipality in Year

C.4.1.2 $_____________

24 Capacity of local grant recipients assessed C.4.1.1 $_____________ 25 Endline Data collected and Analysis Report submitted and approved F.6.1.10 $_____________

26 Final Report Approved F.6.1.12 $_____________

B.6. LEVEL OF EFFORT, FIXED FEE (IDIQ) AND OTHER DIRECT COST

LIMITATIONS (CLIN 0003)

a. In performing Government orders for Technical Assistance under CLIN 0003, the Contractor is obligated to provide up to a maximum of 3,000 person-days.

b. The fee set forth in B.3.d is based upon furnishing the level of effort specified in B.6.a. The total estimated cost and fixed fee will be established in the individual Government issued Task Order and will not exceed the amounts set forth in Section B.3.d.

c. The estimated cost of this CLIN includes estimates for materials, equipment, subcontracts, travel and training required for performance of the total amount of work that can be ordered by the Government under this CLIN during the life of the contract. The amount of ordered Other Direct Costs will not exceed 20% of the total estimated cost of the CLIN 0003.

B.7. INDIRECT COSTS (CPFF)

Pending establishment of revised provisional or final indirect cost rates, allowable indirect costs shall be reimbursed on the basis of the following negotiated provisional or predetermined rates and the appropriate bases:

Description

1/Base of Application:

Type of Rate: Period:

2/Base of Application:

3/Base of Application:

Note: The Contractor is allowed to recover applicable indirect costs (i.e., overhead, G&A, etc.) on other direct costs (ODCs), if it is part of the Contractor’s usual accounting procedures, consistent with FAR Part 31, and Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA).

B.8. CANCELLATION CEILING

CLIN 0001 is considered non-severable, and is therefore a multi-year contract as defined in FAR 17.103.

Therefore, this Contract is subject to the requirements of FAR 17.106.

Cancellation Dates:

Contract Year 2: March 29, 2020 Contract Year 3: March 29, 2021 Contract Year 4: March 29, 2022 Contract Year 5: March 29, 2023

Cancellation Ceiling:

This hybrid contract contains a CPFF completion type portion where the Contractor is authorized to be reimbursed for all costs which are allowable in accordance with FAR 52.216-7, “Allowable Costs and Payment.” Therefore, the contractor is expected not to incur any costs which would have been amortized over the life of the Contract should the contract be cancelled in accordance with FAR 52.217-

2. Therefore, the cancellation ceiling for each cancellation date is [TBD- to be inserted at time of award].

[END OF SECTION B]

Rate Base Type Period

% 1/ 1/ 1/ % 2/ 2/ 2/ % 3/ 3/ 3/

SECTION C- DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS/STATEMENT OF WORK

C.1 TITLE OF PROGRAM

The title of this program is Tayar Nepal- Improved Disaster Risk Management.

C.2 PURPOSE

The objective of this five-year Tayar Nepal activity is to strengthen disaster risk management capacity and institutions in Nepal in a way that is inclusive, makes use of known best practices and technological interventions, and is adaptive to changing circumstances. The support provided in this project will help the GON achieve its goal of more disaster resilient development. The technical approach is twofold: supporting improved governance of the disaster management cycle at the national level while also strengthening implementation of disaster risk management activities at the municipal level.

C.3 BACKGROUND

C.3.1 IMPACT OF NATURAL DISASTERS

Nepal is prone to a myriad of natural disasters including floods, landslides, fires, earthquakes and disease outbreaks. Lying athwart the Main Himalayan Thrust (MHT) fault line caused by the collision of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates, the potential impact of earthquakes on Nepal cannot be understated. The 2015 Gorkha earthquake and its aftershocks caused over $7 billion1 in losses and damages and killed nearly 9,000 people. At 7.8 on the moment magnitude scale, the earthquake is considered a major seismic event, however, the timing of the quake likely reduced casualties and the tremor only broke a part of the MHT, a small portion of the larger Himalayan arc. Scientists forecast that larger earthquakes, potentially exceeding 9 in magnitude, will strike Nepal in the future.2

In addition to earthquakes, Nepal faces seasonal monsoon (June to September) flooding and landslides that kill an average of 300 people per year. An economic assessment of historical information on floods and landslides between 1983 and 2010 revealed the direct economic cost of water-induced disasters was equivalent to approximately 1.5 percent of annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP), averaging $270 million per year (2013 dollars). Major events have much higher costs of up to five percent of GDP or more and significantly hinder growth prospects for years in the future. Indirect effects from these disasters include business disruption and lost wages. Other disasters, such as drought, fire, and glacial lake outburst flooding are also significant risks for Nepal.

Since 2005, around 35 disaster events (floods, landslides and earthquakes) have affected approximately

7.8 million people and killed more than 10,000 people. In 2008, Nepal faced some of the worst recorded floods with multiple incidents of flooding and landslides affecting more than 250,000 people.

In August 2014, heavy rainfall caused floods and landslides across 17 districts killing 134 people and affecting over 45,000 families. Four districts of Nepal’s Mid-Western Region witnessed the most

1 National Planning Commission, Post-Disaster Needs Assessment, 2015 2 Robinson, et al., “Modeling Earthquake Disaster Risk to Aid Humanitarian Contingency Planning” Durham University, 2017. Also, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), there is an approximately 1-in-20 chance that a magnitude of 8.5 to 9 earthquake will occur within the next 30 years along the central gap (the portion of the fault that was affected in 2015). Moderately large earthquakes such as the Gorkha earthquake, with magnitudes close to 8, will occur more frequently in Nepal, with a roughly 1-in-3 chance over the next 30 years.

severe devastation with nearly 29,000 affected families and 28,000 damaged houses.3 Floods during the 2017 monsoon killed 149 people and displaced approximately 92,000 families.4 Over the period of 1971 to 20065, floods, landslides, fires, and earthquakes had a greater economic impact than disease outbreaks during the same period. Also between 1971 and 2006, floods alone had affected more than

3.3 million people, and the 2015 Gorkha earthquake is estimated to have caused damages and losses valued at more than one-third of annual GDP.6

Disaster Effects by Type of Disaster in Nepal, 1963 - 2016

Source: Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters, Emergency Events Database (http://www.emdat.be/database, last accessed October 12, 2017)

Disaster impacts in Nepal are not limited to loss of life and economic losses. While data describing the social and development impacts of disasters are inconsistently recorded, the 2015 earthquake provides some insights into the non-economic impacts of natural disasters in Nepal. Information collected in the wake of the earthquake indicated that emergency conditions and the destruction of health infrastructure resulted in a high rate of undernutrition affecting approximately 250,000 children from the ages of six months to 59 months, and 135,000 pregnant and lactating women in the 14 districts most affected by the earthquake.7 In addition, while comprehensive data is not available, research indicates that school enrollment and attendance were negatively impacted by the earthquake.8

Nepal has made steady development progress and met three out of eight Millennium Development Goals9; however, the impacts of natural disasters continue to slow and threaten to derail this progress.

According to The World Bank estimates, the 2015 Gorkha earthquake caused more than 700,000

3 UN OCHA Emergency Response Preparedness Package (https://www.humanitarianresponse.info/system/files/documents/files/npl_bkgd_emerg-resp-plan_2015.pdf, last accessed October

24. 2017) 4 Nepal Red Cross Society, September 8, 2017 5 National Strategy for Disaster Risk Management in Nepal, March 2008. (http://www.nrcs.org/sites/default/files/pro-doc/NSDRM%20Nepal.pdf, last accessed October 12, 2017) 6 Page XIV, Post-Disaster Needs Assessment; Volume A: Key Findings, Government of Nepal, 2015 7 PDNA, pg. 9 8 Center on Conflict and Development at Texas A&M University, “The Impact of Natural Disaster on Childhood Education:

Evidence from Nepal” (http://condevcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Policy-Brief-Impact-of-Natural-Disaster-on-Child- Education.pdf, last accessed November 28, 2017) 9 MDG Overview for Nepal (http://www.np.undp.org/content/nepal/en/home/post-2015/mdgoverview.html, last accessed September 12, 2017) http://www.emdat.be/database https://www.humanitarianresponse.info/system/files/documents/files/npl_bkgd_emerg-resp-plan_2015.pdf http://www.nrcs.org/sites/default/files/pro-doc/NSDRM%20Nepal.pdf http://www.nrcs.org/sites/default/files/pro-doc/NSDRM%20Nepal.pdf http://condevcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Policy-Brief-Impact-of-Natural-Disaster-on-Child-Education.pdf http://condevcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Policy-Brief-Impact-of-Natural-Disaster-on-Child-Education.pdf http://www.np.undp.org/content/nepal/en/home/post-2015/mdgoverview.html

Nepalis to fall back below the poverty line10, a substantial blow for a country that had reduced extreme poverty from 46 to 15 percent over the past two decades. While the earthquake caused the most economic losses and loss of life of any single disaster, annual monsoon-related flooding and landslides often cause greater damage in a concentrated area and contribute to a cycle of vulnerability where those who cannot rebuild safely are continually placed at risk to future disasters.

C.3.2 CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

USAID/Nepal has identified several factors that exemplify the challenges and opportunities toward improving disaster risk management in Nepal.

(1) Nepal lacks sufficient systems, institutions, legal framework, and human capacities to adequately address the risks posed by disasters; yet new legislation aiming to improve Nepal’s DRM legal framework presents an opportunity to work with the GON to institute critical changes.

Nepal has a complicated and incomplete legal framework, comprising of more than a dozen different acts that assign disaster management roles and responsibilities to different Government of Nepal (GON) entities, and resulting in inefficiencies and confusion during and after disaster events.

Until late 2017, the Natural Calamity Relief Act 2039 of 1982 was the primary legal instrument addressing disasters in Nepal. However, the Act was limited to disaster response leaving ambiguous mandates for other parts of the disaster management cycle such as disaster mitigation and reconstruction11. Following widespread flooding in 2008, the government, with substantial support from the international community, formulated the National Strategy for Disaster Risk Management (NSDRM) in 2009. NSDRM focused on building institutional capacities, assessing risk factors, installing early warning systems, developing a culture of disaster resilience, and improving preparedness and coordination for effective responses. It remains the principal framework for disaster response.

In September 2017, the Act to Amend and Consolidate Laws Concerning Disaster Risk and Management, also known as the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) Act 2074 (2017), formally replaced the 1982 Natural Calamity Act. This act includes the establishment of a National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and articulates intent to more holistically12 address the full disaster management cycle through the NDMA and other new structures. Many aspects of the NDMA’s powers and authorities remain vague and are to be determined through regulation and bylaws making its future role in disaster risk management uncertain. The NDMA will reside within the Ministry of Home Affairs (MOHA), which has historically focused on disaster preparedness and response thus highlighting the uncertainty of NDMA’s mandate for risk mitigation and reconstruction.

In association with GON commitments under the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (see Section C.3.5 below for more details on Sendai), the GON is in the final stages of developing a

10 PDNA, pg. XVI 11 USAID envisions the disaster management cycle as composed of four phases: Mitigation - reducing the likelihood that a natural disaster will cause harm; Preparedness - preparing for a natural disaster; Response - immediate, life-saving humanitarian response in the wake of a natural disaster; and Recovery (including Reconstruction) - the longer term physical, economic and social rebuilding to bring populations back to the level they were at prior to the event. Also, please see the graphic in Section C.3.6.

12 A holistic approach to DRM is one that incorporates all four-phases of the disaster risk management cycle: mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. See Section C.3.6

National Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Policy and Strategic Action Plan, which builds from the NSDRM of 2009 and provides a road map for all sectors to prepare sector-specific DRR programs and formulate the policies necessary for mainstreaming DRR into national development processes.

Following the 2015 earthquake, the need for legislation governing disaster recovery and reconstruction as well as a more comprehensive approach to disaster risk reduction was underscored. Eight months after the earthquake, the GON approved the Earthquake Affected Infrastructure Reconstruction Act, 2072 (2015), which established the National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) and provided a legal basis for Nepal’s reconstruction program. The NRA has developed substantial policy and implementation guidance for large scale reconstruction in the wake of the earthquake. However, the NRA has a time-limited mandate (expiring in 2020) and it remains unclear which government body may take on the mandate for reconstruction or how this experience will translate to improved recovery and reconstruction for future disasters.

While there were numerous disaster preparedness and response success stories stemming from the 2015 Gorkha earthquake, the event highlighted significant gaps in the fundamental ways in which Nepal has addressed disaster risk management. In the most-affected districts, approximately 77% of residential buildings were destroyed13 from what was considered a strong, but not catastrophic, magnitude quake. While earthquakes of similar magnitude have struck developing countries14 in recent years, the number of damaged or destroyed buildings was significantly higher in Nepal, suggesting the need for improved and enforced building codes and land use planning.

(2) Nepal is one of the least urbanized yet most rapidly urbanizing countries in Asia.15

While the 2011 census put the urban population at 17.1% of the population16, a reclassification of subnational governments in 2014 raised the urban population to nearly 40% of the population.17 This percentage is misleading as many urban municipalities in Nepal have a small urbanized nucleus, large areas of peri-urban expansion and outlying rural areas. The sprawling character of Nepal’s municipalities also makes service delivery - including disaster mitigation, response, and recovery services - a challenge for municipal authorities. Under recent changes to the structure of government, the number of “urban” municipalities has increased to 263, further exacerbating the challenges faced by local governments.

Labor migration is the primary factor driving Nepal’s high urbanization rate of 5.3 percent.18 This high rate of urban expansion, compared to approximately 1.1% for South Asia overall19, has not been met with adequate resources for a subsequent expansion of infrastructure and services in urban areas, 13 National Reconstruction Authority MIS (https://ehrpmis.nra.gov.np/, last accessed October 12, 2017) 14 Pakistan (2005): 7.6 magnitude, 73,000 deaths, 600,000 buildings destroyed; Haiti (2010): 7.0 magnitude, 230,000 deaths, 293,000 buildings destroyed; Nepal (2015): 7.8 magnitude, 9,000 deaths, 750,000 houses, 8,200 public schools, and 1,127 public health facilities destroyed.

15 Nepal’s 5-year average urbanization rate is 3.2%; 67th out of 261 countries with available data and above the South Asia rate of 2.6%. (https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.URB.GROW?year_high_desc=true) 16 Ministry of Urban Development (2017). National Strategy on Urban Development 17 Ibid.

18 Ibid.

19 Ellis, Peter and Roberts, Mark, “Leveraging Urbanization in South Asia: Managing Spatial Transformation for Prosperity and Liveability” The World Bank, 2016, (https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/bitstream/handle/10986/22549/9781464806629.pdf, accessed May 15, 2018) https://ehrpmis.nra.gov.np/ https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/bitstream/handle/10986/22549/9781464806629.pdf further taxing existing infrastructure. For example, the high profile Melamchi water project was initiated nearly two decades ago when the Kathmandu valley’s population was considerably smaller.

The project is expected to provide 170 million liters per day, while current demand is now rising quickly past 360 million liters per day.20 It is estimated that the GON faces a $9 billion shortfall in meeting the infrastructure needs of its municipalities.21

Poor planning and insufficient investment in infrastructure increase urban vulnerability. Rapid urbanization has shrunk the open spaces required for effective and efficient management of air- and water-related environmental problems. Increased building and population density has exacerbated existing vulnerabilities to natural hazards, and poor adherence to building codes and land use regulations have created new hazards throughout urban Nepal. These hazards disproportionately affect traditionally marginalized groups, including ethnic minorities and persons with disabilities, who are more likely to live in informal urban settlements.

These vulnerabilities are particularly acute in the peri-urban and rural areas that have been annexed as urban municipalities with expanded borders. While construction in the core of urban areas has, at least by law, been required to follow the Nepal National Building Code, construction in these newly “urban” areas has not faced any regulatory review. These non-engineered structures faced the highest levels of structural failure during the 2015 earthquake and continue to represent a major vulnerability in the increasingly dense fringes of urban municipalities. Similarly, infrastructure development has remained focused on the urban cores of municipalities while peripheral areas have had almost no planning or investment.

(3) Nepal’s recent state restructuring and implementation of local democracy under the rubric of “federalism” presents both an opportunity and a challenge for safer communities and improved disaster management. The implementation of federalism presents a unique opportunity to revisit local disaster management structures and explore new structures that empower those nearest to the disaster while also filling critical gaps in authorities and responsibilities.

Until local elections and the implementation of federalism in 2017, local level disaster response was the responsibility of the District Disaster Relief Committee (DDRC). Led by the Chief Development Office (CDO), these committees brought together local government officials, members of the security forces, the Nepal Red Cross and local and international non-governmental organizations (INGO) to address the needs of local communities in the wake of natural disasters. DDRCs have also had a role in supporting preparedness activities such as disaster response exercises, but in general they have only acted as emergency bodies without mandates for mitigation or reconstruction activities.

Under the new federal structure, the recently passed Local Level Governance Act shifts the responsibility for disaster response and risk reduction to the gaunpalika (rural municipality) and nagarpalika (urban municipality), while eventually dissolving the existing district structures; however, it is unclear whether the rural and urban municipal level government officials will have the capacity to manage disasters or will be the most effective level of government to house disaster management functions.

20 Awale, Sonia “Not Enough for Everybody” Nepali Times, 25-31 August, 2017 #873, (http://nepalitimes.com/article/nation/Melamchi-water-not-enough-for-everyone,3899, accessed October 12, 2017) 21 Ministry of Urban Development (2017). National Strategy on Urban Development http://nepalitimes.com/article/nation/Melamchi-water-not-enough-for-everyone,3899

Low capacity and unfamiliarity with disaster management approaches and principles, particularly in rural and remote areas, will likely hamper the ability of local governments to prepare for and respond to disasters. With few training resources for newly elected government officials, issues such as disaster management will likely not be a priority since inexperienced officials will also need to learn core governance functions such as budget formulation and human resource management. Nevertheless, a Political Economy Analysis in early 2018 found that some newly elected municipal leaders believe they have the mandate and are already taking actions to move forward on disaster management. In particular, larger urban municipalities have the staff and basic understanding of disaster-related issues.

Confusion about the roles and responsibilities of local governments will likely remain for a while with both districts and municipalities both having roles in disaster response. Currently, a hybrid structure, with districts and municipalities both having roles in disaster response, seems to operate in most areas but is largely untested. It appears that district level bodies will persist for some time as municipalities slowly gain the capacity to manage disasters.

(4) Young Nepalis exhibit an increased sense of activism and dynamism.

Since the 2006 democracy movement, youth in Nepal have demonstrated their eagerness to contribute to the development of their country through small scale, often spontaneous actions. Following the 2015 earthquake, a number of students and young entrepreneurs contributed to disaster relief with their time, expertise, and money. Youth have been quick to adopt digital technologies and other innovative approaches, but overall many relief efforts by youth have been uncoordinated and hampered by strict government policies.

Like many other sectors of Nepali society, youth have a high awareness of disaster-related issues (see below), often due to their experiences during the earthquake, but have not been able to turn this awareness into action. Clear information on actions that can be taken and their benefits could serve to catalyze locally-grown action among youth.

(5) Academic institutions in Nepal have programs that promote DRM and are looking for opportunities for their students and graduates to contribute to a safer Nepal.

Several academic institutions in Nepal are beginning to establish courses of study and research around disaster risk management. At least one institution specializes in the field and others offer Masters-level degrees through their engineering or other programs. Graduate students often spend a portion of their time in the field, and thesis topics have covered a variety of topics, including risk assessment, capacity/vulnerability assessment, and risk management. At the moment, graduates most often pursue jobs with nongovernmental organizations (NGO). Further professionalization of the field could encourage job opportunities with municipalities, other government entities involved in DRM, and the private sector.

A challenge to the development of new jobs for graduates in the disaster risk management sector is the lack of practical experience that most recent graduates have. A number of institutions have sent students for fieldwork, but this work has often been mostly academic in nature or divorced from private sector activities. Still, due to reconstruction needs and the growing construction sector, there is increased demand for qualified entry-level engineers and other professionals.

(6) The private sector has shown interest in certain aspects of disaster risk management, but their poor understanding of risks and uncertainty regarding appropriate mitigating actions hampers more extensive involvement.

Many businesses in Nepal have integrated corporate social responsibility (CSR) and philanthropic activities into their day-to-day operations. The conscientiousness of social responsibility - induced in large part by government regulations mandating that businesses spend a minimum of one percent of annual profits on corporate social activities- has spurred private sector entities to engage in disaster management. However, most businesses display a blind spot to disaster risk and therefore see their role in disaster management as providing immediate relief and response either as part of government-mandated CSR activities or because of cultural and religious reasons. While some private sector companies and representatives of private sector associations have expressed interest in supporting the broader aspects of disaster management, the absence of a national private sector engagement framework on DRM poses a challenge for obtaining significant private sector involvement in a DRM program. Yet population trends, along with growing broadband and smartphone penetration, and a rapid move toward digitalization, present opportunities to leverage the telecommunication-finances-insurance triad to mainstream disaster risk management in urban and rural communities.

(7) The 2015 earthquake raised awareness across the country about a number of natural disaster risks, but lack of information about specific actions to take remains a challenge.

In analyses conducted during the design of this project, it was often stated that Nepalis believe that everything is in the hands of God and thus there is little an individual can do to prevent tragedy - what is sometimes called Ke Garnae or a culture of enduring. Yet, a basic understanding of the risk of natural disasters and steps one can take to reduce that risk is beginning to take hold in Nepal and there is a higher level of public attention to DRM.

Among private enterprises, there is a general sense of wanting to be involved in reducing disaster risk, but a poor understanding of what that entails.

Thus, an objective of Tayar Nepal will be to develop a comprehensive and targeted awareness and citizen engagement program that will increase knowledge and spur action within the general public, government officials, and the private sector about disaster risks and the actions that can be taken to address them.

C.3.3 RELATIONSHIP TO CDCS AND OTHER US GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS

Following the 2015 earthquakes, USAID/Nepal approved a Transition Objective amendment to the Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) FY 2014-2018. This Transition Objective [TO or Development Objective 4 (DO4)] identifies strengthened disaster risk management and successful reconstruction of both residential and public infrastructure as critical to reaching the objective of a “Post-earthquake Nepal rebuilt to be disaster resilient and well-positioned for sustainable development.” Tayar Nepal directly responds to the DO4 Intermediate Result 4.2: “Disaster Risk Management strengthened.” Tayar Nepal will focus on the two Sub IRs:

● Disaster risk management capacity deepened; and

● Disaster risk management institutions and systems strengthened.

While the majority of the effort of the activity will be under IR 4.2, Tayar Nepal may also contribute towards achieving IR 4.1: “Critical infrastructure sustainably reconstructed.”

In addition to Tayar Nepal, USAID/Nepal anticipates other activities under DO4 will focus on partnering with the private sector in order to address key gaps in the products and services available in Nepal to address disaster risk.

Resilience and Disaster Risk Reduction are also cross-cutting themes under USAID/Nepal’s Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) and U. S. Embassy Kathmandu’s Integrated Country Strategy (ICS). USAID/Nepal Development Objectives such as More Inclusive and Effective Governance, Inclusive and Sustainable Economic Growth to Reduce Extreme Poverty, and Increased Human Capital all have areas of overlap with the activities under Tayar Nepal. There are a host of activities planned and currently being implemented under other DOs which have disaster risk management components. The Contractor should make every effort to learn from these activities and incorporate successful approaches into Tayar Nepal. While many of these activities are located in rural areas, where activities are co-located or adjacent (i.e. within the same watershed, exposed to the same natural hazards, etc.), Tayar Nepal will coordinate with these activities on areas of shared interest.

The new USAID/Nepal governance activity, Sajedhari - Support to Federalism, will provide technical assistance to the GON in transitioning from a unitary state to a federation of provinces with more effective, accountable, responsive, and inclusive local governance. This activity will complement and support attainment of Tayar Nepal’s objective. This project will be implemented at the national level and in Province Seven While the exact activities of Tayar Nepal will be defined through the procurement and implementation process, it is expected that Tayar Nepal will collaborate very closely with Sajedhari, particularly if located in the same municipalities.

USAID is also funding the Public Financial Management Strengthening Project (PFMSP) in Nepal which began in 2016 for a planned five year period. The goal of the PFMSP is to enhance the financial management capacity of Nepalese government institutions at the national level and in the more than 750 new municipalities and seven new provinces. Activities include a training of trainers program for approximately 150 persons who will then conduct district level training for municipal government representatives in each district. A component of the project also includes setting up a center in Kathmandu to provide follow-on technical support through the end of the project.

USAID’s Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) has been active in Nepal for over 20 years. OFDA has responded to numerous major disasters in country including the 2015 earthquake, where, in support of the Mission, they provided over $33 million in life-saving humanitarian assistance. Since 2002, OFDA has also invested over $13 million into disaster mitigation and preparedness in Nepal. OFDA activities have worked to improve community first responder training, manage open spaces in cities for use in the event of an emergency, establish flood early warning systems, retrofit school buildings, invest in landslide mitigation, and invest heavily in the implementation of Nepal’s building code. Tayar Nepal aims to incorporate important lessons learned from implementation of these projects and build upon years of OFDA investment in a manner that will affect change on a systems level. Tayar Nepal activities will be implemented in close coordination with OFDA’s disaster mitigation and preparedness programs.

U.S. Embassy Kathmandu’s Office of Defense Cooperation (ODC)’s primary goal is to support improved institutional capacity of the Ministry of Defense and the Nepal Army. As part of these efforts, ODC prioritizes support to disaster risk reduction and response by the Nepali military -typically the nation’s first responders in a disaster event.

C.3.4 OTHER DONOR PROGRAMS

There has been significant investment by donors in various aspects of DRM in Nepal from flood early-warning systems to a humanitarian staging area at Tribhuvan International Airport to support to community-based disaster risk reduction activities. There is considerable potential for Tayar Nepal activities to be informed by current and past activities in the sector. The programs listed here are closely aligned with the goals of Tayar Nepal, but are not the only programs which work in these areas.

The Contractor is expected to conduct their own research to understand the DRM approaches that have worked in Nepal and that may be applicable to the Tayar Nepal activity.

The UK Department for International Development (DFID) has recently started a 7 year urban resilience program. This program aims to strengthen disaster resilience in Nepal, particularly to earthquakes, by working with urban centres to build and plan more safely; supporting the strengthening of critical public infrastructure to earthquakes; working to strengthen national capacity to respond to crises and ensure that the international community is prepared; and ensuring that the UK is able to support a humanitarian response should a crisis hit 22

The Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has invested heavily in mapping risks in the Kathmandu Valley and has worked with the local governments in the valley to improve disaster resilience through the Kathmandu Valley Resilience Plan. The project is working to plan and prioritize DRR actions in the municipalities of the Kathmandu Valley and invest in priority actions.

Given the limited number of municipalities that USAID will be present in, the Contractor must ensure that its activities do not duplicate other donors efforts and, if they are co-located, that their programs work together to achieve DRM goals. In addition, the Contractor should look for opportunities to leverage work completed by other programs as well as for opportunities to replicate successes of Tayar Nepal through the work of other donors and the GON.

C.3.5 THE SENDAI FRAMEWORK

Tayar Nepal will contribute to both the US’s and Nepal’s commitments made under the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction23. The Sendai Framework is a 15-year non-binding agreement which recognizes that the state has the primary role to reduce disaster risk but that responsibility should be shared with other stakeholders including local government and the private sector. It aims for “the substantial reduction of disaster risk and losses in lives, livelihoods and health and in the economic, physical, social, cultural and environmental assets of persons, businesses, communities and countries.’’

The Sendai Framework sets four specific priorities for action:

1. Understanding disaster risk;

2. Strengthening disaster risk governance to manage disaster risk;

22 https://devtracker.dfid.gov.uk/projects/GB-GOV-1-300003 23 Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, 2015-2020. http://www.unisdr.org/we/coordinate/sendai-framework

3. Investing in disaster risk reduction for resilience;

4. Enhancing disaster preparedness for effective response, and to "Build Back Better" in recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction.

Tayar Nepal will focus on all four of the Sendai priorities in an effort to strengthen Nepal’s Disaster Risk Management system in a more holistic manner and to strengthen international commitments to more disaster resilient development. In addition to the Sendai Framework, other international commitments have been made for improved disaster risk management. The World Humanitarian Summit, a meeting convened by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in 2016 to generate commitments to reduce suffering and deliver better assistance for people caught in humanitarian crises, resulted in commitments to better understand and to act earlier on disaster risks; to increase investment in resilient communities; and to overcome humanitarian-development divides. During the summit, the GON reiterated their commitment to the Sendai Framework when Deputy Prime Minister Mr. Kamal Thapa addressed the summit’s roundtable on natural disasters and climate change and cited the need to build community resilience and that preparedness is critical to minimizing risk and future damage.24

C.3.6 THE DISASTER MANAGEMENT CYCLE

The disaster management cycle is the ongoing process whereby governments (including military) and civil society plan for and reduce the impact of disasters, react during and immediately following a disaster, and take steps to recover after a disaster has occurred.

There are variations to the cycle but the most common version is a four-phase disaster risk management cycle as follows:

● Mitigation: involves implementing measures for preventing future threat of disaster and/or minimizing the damaging effects of unavoidable threat. It requires hazard risk analysis and the application of strategies to reduce the likelihood that hazards become disasters, such as flood-proofing homes or having disaster insurance, following safety standards of building codes and materials. This phase (and the whole disaster management cycle), includes the shaping of

24 Statement by the Government of Nepal to the roundtable on “Natural Disasters and Climate Change.”

(http://agendaforhumanity.org/sites/default/files/resources/2017/Jul/Statement_by_the_Government_of_Nepal_RT6.pdf) http://agendaforhumanity.org/sites/default/files/resources/2017/Jul/Statement_by_the_Government_of_Nepal_RT6.pdf public policies and plans that either modify the causes of disasters or mitigate their effects on people, property, and infrastructure.

● Preparedness: preparedness efforts include plans or preparations made in advance of an emergency that help individuals and communities get ready to either respond or to recover. It aims to achieve a satisfactory level of readiness to respond to any emergency situation through programs that strengthen the technical and managerial capacity of governments, organizations, and communities. These measures can be described as logistical readiness to deal with disasters and can be enhanced by having response mechanisms and procedures, drills and exercises, developing long-term and short-term strategies, public education and building early warning systems. The preparations may include the stocking of reserve food and water, the gathering and screening of willing community volunteers, or citizens education & evacuation plans, holding disaster drills, and installing smoke detectors, mutual aid agreements, development of hospital disaster plans, emergency medical service plans, etc.

● Response: Disaster response work includes any actions taken in the midst of or immediately following an emergency, including efforts to save lives and to prevent further property damage. Ideally, disaster response involves putting already established disaster preparedness plans into motion. It’s what the public typically thinks of when imagining a disaster: Flashing lights, evacuation, search and rescue, and sheltering victims. Healthcare and psychosocial intervention response starts here. The focus in the response phase is on meeting the basic needs of the victims. This phase may overlap with the recovery phase.