Draft Statement of Work - Water Governance Activity.pdf

Water Governance Activity (WGA)

SECTION C – DRAFT STATEMENT OF WORK

3.1 CONTEXT

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank (WB), Jordan has one of the lowest levels of water resource availability per capita in the world and is also categorized as a highly water scarce country according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

Groundwater over-extraction is occurring well beyond the safe yields of the aquifers which had been declining over the years. The agricultural sector accounts for much of the water use in Jordan (45% of use attributed to irrigation1); however, demand and competition for the limited resource also exists from growing industrial, municipal, and tourism sectors. In addition to the well-documented scarcity and over-extraction, Non-Revenue Water (NRW) percentages in the Jordanian water sector are high.

NRW represents a significant loss in revenue for the water utilities and companies, and while it is understood that reducing NRW can increase profits, it remains a difficult challenge to address.

Natural population growth and the influx of refugees has forced the utilities to act in crisis mode to meet the unexpected growing demand, reducing stakeholders’ ability to address systemic challenges like NRW.

Jordan’s major water sector governance bodies, the Ministry of Water and Irrigation (MWI), the

Jordan Valley Authority (JVA), and the Water Authority of Jordan (WAJ), have overlapping duties that lead to inefficient utilization of resources and policy contradictions.

WAJ is an independent governmental entity that carries out the operational functions of the water sector including the management of water and wastewater services, operation and maintenance, and construction of large water supply and wastewater treatment investments, in addition to groundwater management for the agricultural sector (outside JVA areas). The Government of Jordan (GOJ)/WAJ has taken an active role to address institutional overlap and inefficiency through the creation of regional public water companies across Jordan. The regional water companies are meant to integrate private sector best practices, ownership and control, and act independently and financially separate from WAJ. In practice, however, they remain virtual arms of WAJ. The utilities operate under somewhat different rules than WAJ, but lack many of the tools and management systems needed to operate as commercial entities. At the same time, JVA is still leading and protecting water and land resources and their supporting infrastructure in the Jordan Valley in an environmentally and economically responsible manner.

With USAID’s help, the water entities are gender-sensitizing their policies, practices, and programming to make them more gender equitable; however, much remains to be done to ensure that both women and men enjoy equal rights and opportunities.

The impacts of water scarcity on the state of Jordan’s national security is real and alarming. The

WHO projects that Jordan will enter a state of “extreme water poverty” by 2025 and the Water

Resources Institutes (WRI) categorized Jordan as extremely high in water stress by 2040, should no major advancements have been made by then. Within Jordan, the population is over 50% female, and females are the main users and managers of water at the household level ensuring that this

1 Jordan Water Sector Facts and Figures (2017), Ministry of Water and Irrigation.

precious resource is used efficiently.

Nevertheless, Jordan currently faces a unique window of opportunity. MWI is committed to achieving tangible results in NRW reduction, tariff reform, and is open to exploring opportunities for water supply in terms of improving management effectiveness, partnerships, and unconventional resources. The international community is cooperating to achieve synergistic results in water sector reform, utility performance improvement, reduction in NRW loss, and efficiency gains. There is strong ownership of the sector reform process, and the GOJ has formally committed to improvements as part of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) agreements. The Water Governance

Activity (WGA) arrives at a time when GOJ commitment and desire for performance-based reform is high, to be able to respond effectively to the internal and external related challenges and issues.

3.2 CHALLENGES

Jordan has been facing evolving and ongoing challenges impeding the attainment of its water security. The persistent challenge of severely limited water supplies in Jordan, coupled with the rapid population growth and demographic shifts resulting from the influx of Syrian refugees, have enlarged the gap between supply and demand over the past few years. The GOJ is realizing that these challenges cannot be met by relying on augmenting water supply alone, but rather through adequate governance and planning which are key to sustaining the budget intensive water and wastewater infrastructure and water conservation projects. The principles of good governance and institutional strengthening are precisely what is needed to sustainably and successfully manage water facilities and adapt to ever-mounting resource issues

Water subsidies and the current tariff structure hinder the recovery of operation and maintenance costs for the water utilities. The situation was further aggravated with the fluctuations in revenues due to the increase in the energy tariffs over the past few years. Another dimension to the problem is the social aspect where most water sales come from the lower three categories and therefore any cost recovery efforts through tariff restructuring needs to be addressed without compromising the lower income groups.

Key institutional constraints including legal, regulatory and structural barriers in the water sector still exist, requiring special emphasis on a serious governmental will for reform. The institutional weakness has resulted in sector-wide, uninformed decision-making extending from strategic to operational levels which have negatively impacted an effective overall sector management and efficient service delivery. Another factor contributing to the absence of informed decision making is the lack of qualified expertise, due to the ongoing challenge of “brain drain” caused by increasing interest among Jordanians to emigrate. Furthermore, only 13% of women overall are employed in the workforce, which forms one of the lowest women’s workplace participation rates in the world, causing concern for the government and private sector, which recognize that for a fully developed economy, women need to take a stronger role in participating in public life, including employment.2

Reflecting this gender-imbalanced situation, WAJ’s workforce comprises 12% female staff vs. 88% male.

For many years, donors, including USAID, have worked with Jordan’s water governing entities to meet the growing infrastructure requirements and challenges. Yet in certain management circles, there has been a perceptible shift in attitudes. Effecting the much-needed change has been the

2 Gender Analysis and Action Plan, Water Management Initiative (WMI) Activity.

historical objective of both the donor community and the GOJ at large. Much more needs to be accomplished if Jordan is to appreciably meet its needs to become a regional model for durable water sector sustainability and exercise judicious stewardship of this rapidly diminishing resource.

The government of Jordan must maintain prioritized planning and funding for the water sector, as well as an enabling environment and political will, demonstrated through policy and regulatory reform and enforcement, reduced and targeted subsidies and appropriate pricing structures, in order to ensure long-term impact and sustainability.

PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF PROJECT

Purpose: Support the GOJ to achieve measurable improvements and greater sustainability of the water sector by providing technical assistance to strengthen the GOJ’s reform, policy development and implementation, and capacity-building efforts.

Scope: Increase accountable, sustainable, water sector management and governance by supporting and strengthening the GOJ’s reform, policy development and implementation, and capacity-building efforts.

3.3 OBJECTIVES

To attain the below outlined overarching objectives, the contractor must achieve the following

Development Objective (DO) “Jordan’s Ability to Improve its Water Security Strengthened” and it’s Intermediate Results (IRs) and sub-IRs as per the below Results Framework

Overall Objective 1: Support the GOJ to define and resolve water sector strategy and policy issues.

Overall Objective 2: Improve water entities’ performance by reducing network losses, increasing conveyance efficiencies, and improving utility cost recovery.

Cross-Cutting Objectives: Specific, cross-cutting objectives related to support to gender, youth, People with Disabilities (PWD), and private sector engagement should be defined and integrated by the contractor throughout the project. These activities will support the Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) goals, including: (1) Gender equality and equity, and female empowerment enhanced;

(2) Youth: Opportunity, well-being, and civic engagement for youth improved;

(3) People with Disabilities: Engage people with disabilities in the water sector at all levels; and (4) Private Sector Engagement Improved: Identifying new approaches, and preparing strategies and plans to enhance and improve the private sector participation in water sector.

3.4 COMPONENTS AND TASKS

The Water Governance Activity (WGA) will address six components as described below. The contractor will be expected to work holistically with a broad range of stakeholders to strengthen in-country human and institutional capacities to increase accountable and sustainable water sector management and governance. Technical assistance will include adapting analytical tools and practices including economic analysis, sector-specific analysis, and data collection and management systems. The contractor shall use the USAID/Jordan Water Management Initiative (WMI) 2016

Gender Analysis and Action Plan, the USAID/Jordan Gender Analysis and Assessment 2019, and other gender resources to develop an approach related to gender issues to encourage equitable participation of women and men in priority setting and implementation with special focus to be given to the inclusion of the youth.

The contractor shall provide training and technical assistance for targeted private sector partners. For each component, the contractor must implement the outlined tasks.

Component 1: Water Sector Governance

Sound governance is critical to achieving water security for Jordan. An enabling environment is essential to improve drinking water services, enhance water sector coordination, mobilize investment, and incentivize integrated water resources management.

To assist the MWI to meet its short-term priorities driven by the commitments with IMF, the contractor shall support accompanying legal and institutional reforms that provide these activities with clarity, strength, and sustainability in the long-term.

At a utility level, reduction of water losses and increase of revenues will only have long-term impact on a company’s performance if these entities achieve advanced stages of corporatization and independence from WAJ. According to international best practices, this can be achieved through an effective Assignment Agreement (AA). The AA forms a covenant between WAJ and the utilities that requires compliance by both parties, owner and assignee, with penalties clearly specified for both non-compliance and provision for dispute resolution under law. However, in Jordan, ambiguities in the agreements, combined with a lack of compliance with the commitment per the signed AAs, and structural weaknesses in the current legal framework have resulted in failures. Since AAs are legally binding agreements that define the specific rights and assets conveyed from WAJ to the corporatized utilities with associated terms and time periods, the contractor shall assist the utilities in the development of these critical tools to implement the reforms of the water sector. For locations outside the water utilities’ concessions, the contractor shall assist WAJ directly to develop these tools.

The contractor shall continue to support making the Water Users Association (WUA) a reality in the

Jordan Valley by building on the momentum that the USAID and the German International

Cooperation (GIZ) have achieved in supporting the WUA creation process in cooperation with JVA and the Jordan Cooperatives Corporation (JCC).

● Task 1.1: Water Sector Strategy Updated. The contractor shall support the GOJ to update the 2016-2025 water strategy and capital investment plans. Through the provision of technical assistance, the contractor shall revise the 2016-2025 water strategy and provide additions/ modifications to reflect recent developments in the water sector. The development of the strategy shall be inclusive through an intensive stakeholder consultation process to ensure the emerging needs and priorities of the sector are addressed.

● Task 1.2: Water Sector Policy Strengthened. The contractor shall support the GOJ to define and resolve major water sector policy issues in management, regulatory, and technical aspects. While

Result-Based Action Plans were developed to drive implementation of existing policies, major policy issues can be derived during implementation to support policy reform and enhancement

● Task 1.3: Utility Assignment Agreements and Articles of Association Developed and

Modified. The contractor shall provide support to the Ministry by developing new and/or modifying existing Utility Assignment Agreements and Articles of Association which govern the establishment of new and existing utilities. The contractor in coordination with the Ministry of Water and Irrigation shall prepare new agreements with the aim to increase utility independence and/or ability to act effectively and commercially.

● Task 1.4: Independent Regulator Developed and Institutional Reform Established. The contractor must provide technical expertise to the GOJ for operationalizing an independent water regulator and/or water regulatory unit within a multi-sectoral regulator. The Support shall include developing a new legal framework that ensures independence, increased transparency, and capacity building. Institutional reform and restructuring of GOJ’s water sector institutions (MWI, WAJ, and

JVA), and the regional water companies (Jordan Water Company (Miyahuna), Yarmouk Water

Company (YWC) and Aqaba Water (AW)), will broadly encompass, but not be limited to: service areas, water law and regulatory framework; separation of governance and operational functions; and will require close collaboration with donor partners with similar interests and activities.

● Task 1.5: Planning and Donor Coordination Improved. The contractor must provide technical assistance to the GOJ to build capacity and efforts related to: (i) establishing a comprehensive database for ongoing and planned projects in the water sector, with sufficient detail

(i.e., name, scope, cost, year, source of funds, partners, targeted area, cost); (ii) building a clear investment plan for water sector priorities based on the findings of the comprehensive database/for pipeline projects (Point i, above); and (iii) support MWI in establishing a clear framework for populating the database with current information in coordination with the donor community/ partners.

● Target 1.6: Issues Management and Risk Response Plans Enhanced. The contractor must work with MWI, WAJ, JVA and the water utilities to identify, document, assess, respond, evaluate, and monitor the anticipated fiduciary risks and issues in the water sector associated with project implementation and operation to ensure holistic planning and management by all stakeholders.

● Task 1.7: Water Sector Booklet for Reference Documents Developed and Adopted. The contractor shall support MWI, WAJ, JVA, and other stakeholders to develop and implement a water booklet that includes nation-wide design criteria, standards, specifications, drawings, for major components related to water and wastewater sector infrastructure covering design, construction, and operation phases.

● Task 1.8: Water User’s Association strengthened. The contractor shall continue to support making the Water Users Association (WUA) a reality in the Jordan Valley by building on the momentum that the USAID and the German International Cooperation (GIZ) have achieved in supporting the WUA creation process in cooperation with JVA and the Jordan Cooperatives

Corporation (JCC).

Component 2: Water Sector Planning and Management

The Water Governance Activity shall build on many of the positive accomplishments from past and on-going activities. The contractor must develop and refine tasks, along with their timing, based on current sector needs and progress towards meeting the overall goals and objectives of this program.

The technical assistance activities carried out by the contractor will fall into a wide range of areas related to various aspects of water resources and environmental management. The contractor shall prioritize activities that promote the efficient management of the limited water resources through institutional reform.

● Task 2.1: Integrated Water Resources Management of the Water Sector Enhanced. The contractor shall assist MWI in reviewing the existing national master plans, frameworks and policies that address all elements related to Water Resources Management. The contractor must support MWI in updating the water sector facts and figures in the reviewed documents.

● Task 2.2: Water Quality Management Improved. The contractor shall support MWI to review the existing water quality policy framework and advise MWI on needed modifications/ enhancements.

● Task 2.3: Treated/Reclaimed Wastewater Effluent Management Framework Enhanced.

The contractor shall leverage the GOJ’s efforts to review, develop and implement an integrated master plan for wastewater treatment and reuse. This master plan is a new legal and administrative framework for treated wastewater management to ensure efficient use in agricultural and industrial applications and reduce water theft and misuse. It is anticipated that this task will lead to reduced groundwater over-extraction and offset the beneficial use of freshwater.

● Task 2.4: Groundwater Management Framework Strengthened. The contractor must work with the GOJ to update and implement a new legal and administrative framework for groundwater management to reduce water theft and groundwater over-extraction. This effort will include key compliance and enforcement recommendations in addition to improving data management practices.

● Task 2.5: Water Sector Gender and Youth Policies Implemented. The contractor shall work with MWI, WAJ, JVA and water utilities, to ensure proper and effective implementation of water sector gender and youth policies. In addition, the contractor shall leverage and empower the

Gender Unit at MWI. The contractor must continue the efforts that USAID Water Management

Initiative (WMI) Project has made in establishing the Gender Unit, and in guiding the development of the Gender Policy and building consensus, capacity, and awareness amongst the water sector staff on its purpose and implementation. The contractor shall help the Gender Unit to liaise with the Gender

Focal Points within the water sector to ensure gender and social dimensions are integrated and mainstreamed into their work, and report quarterly on the gender issues. In addition, the contractor shall improve the Gender Focal Points’ ability to monitor and evaluate the implementation of the

Gender Policy by collecting quantitative and qualitative data to be used for tracking relevant indicators identified in the Gender Policy.

● Task 2.6: Drought Management Measures Realized. MWI has established a Drought

Management Governance Unit mandated with developing drought management response plans that entail water use efficiency measures depending on the severity of the declared drought. The contractor shall strengthen the Drought Management Governance Unit’s ability to develop strategies and plans relevant to water use efficiency.

● Task 2.7: SCADA Master Plan Implemented. The contractor, and in close coordination with the newly established standardization committee, shall support MWI, WAJ, JVA, Water

Utilities, and other stakeholders to implement the newly developed SCADA Master Plan, while ensuring efficient utilization of current SCADA systems. The contractor shall also consider expanding the coverage of existing SCADA to include systems up to the secondary level and suggest recommendations for optimal institutional setup for implementation. The contractor shall elicit the activities relevant to this target based on the NRW Master Plan developed in 2018.

● Task 2.8: NRW Reduction Master Plan Implemented: The contractor shall support the implementation of the NRW Reduction Master Plan developed by the Ministry of Water and

Irrigation with the support from USAID in 2018. This support should include technical assistance to strengthen the capacities of the NRW units at the MWI and water utilities, in addition to implementing the NRW guidelines and procedures. The contractor shall abide by the phased approach for implementation as proposed in the NRW reduction master plan based on intervention priority areas for each utility including primary systems, distribution zones, and customer metering and billing. The implementation shall include enhancing the capacity of water utilities to estimate, prevent monitor and treat system losses.

Component 3: Water Sector Utility Performance Support

The GOJ seeks to achieve cost recovery of the water sector by increasing efficiencies, reducing costs, and increasing revenues. The sector will achieve financial viability by improving planning, management, and accountability. To assist the GOJ in attaining its goal, the contractor shall provide intensive, tailored support to the water utilities with the greatest potential for contributing to this goal.

Direct assistance to the water utilities will be achieved with the participation of the private sector and in parallel with sector-level reform activities, as well as activities that assist MWI and WAJ in applying international best practices to improve, monitor, and benchmark utility and sector performance.

● Task 3.1 Water Utility Financial Performance Enhanced. The contractor shall provide direct management and technical support to water utilities to implement institutional reforms and performance improvement measures to move toward commercial viability and cost recovery. This includes developing cost recovery and tariff scenarios.

● Task 3.2 Water Sector Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) Improved. The contractor shall work with MWI and the water utilities to improve their annual Key Performance Indicators

(KPIs) through the implementation of improved management practices, especially those related to billing and collection, human resources (HR), energy, NRW reduction, and cost recovery. The contractor must build on the existing KPI systems is essential to ensuring the system’s sustainability and effectiveness.

● Task 3.3: International Monetary Fund (IMF) Action Plan Implemented. The contractor shall support the utilities in implementing MWI’s commitments to the IMF by reducing losses in the water sector. To achieve this target, the contractor must provide technical assistance to improve management practices across the utilities thereby strengthening financial sustainability of the sector.

The contractor shall work with MWI, WAJ, JVA and the water utilities to assess progress toward the

IMF Action Plan, develop an activity plan, and support its implementation spanning requisite efforts from micro-private sector partnerships (PSP) for NRW reduction to public outreach.

● Task 3.4: Energy Efficiency Promoted. The contractor shall provide management solutions and technical assistance to the water utilities to enhance the application of energy efficiency in the water sector.

● Task 3.5: Private Sector Engagement Improved. The contractor shall work with MWI, WAJ, JVA, and other stakeholders on identifying new approaches and/or enhance the current ones, preparing strategies and plans on different levels and sizes, building pilot projects, and models that enhance and improve private sector participation in water sector.

Component 4: Water Conservation and Demand Management

The implementation of this component should focus on the four pillars of water demand management and conservation: regulatory, financial, technical, and public education and outreach. The contractor shall revise the functional activities to institutionalize and promote water demand management activities within the Jordanian setting. The water utilities will lead water demand management activities, to the extent feasible, while emphasizing the sustainability of the proposed interventions

While public education and outreach efforts have taken place over the past decades, the public remains largely unaware of the water scarcity challenges, the cost of providing water services and the specific challenges of NRW. The contractor shall achieve behavior change, targeting various water user groups to promote water efficiency and conservation methods; build support for water sector policy issues and enforcement of laws, by-laws, and codes; and advocate for increased transparency and accountability within the water sector. Working closely with USAID and its partners, the contractor shall introduce a state-of-the-art approach that is applicable in Jordan, to induce behavioral changes leading to increased efficiency in the use of water and facilitating policy adoption in the water sector. The contractor must sustain this behavioral change momentum by building the capacity of Jordanian institutions to design and implement educational campaigns and programs that utilize communication and social marketing principles and theories.

● Task 4.1: Utility Demand-Side Management Reinforced. In coordination with MWI, WAJ, JVA, and the water utilities, the contractor shall develop and support the implementation of a demand-side management programs linked to private sector companies and institutions.

● Task 4.2: Behavior Change Communication (BCC) Supported. The contractor shall provide technical expertise to support the water utilities, MWI, WAJ and JVA with implementation of BCC strategies nationwide. The strategies should cover awareness, outreach and behavioral change on water scarcity, efficiency and conservation, in addition on ways to contribute by all stakeholders.

The contractor shall support the implementation of outreach activities to promote water management best practices, with a special focus on water efficiency and conservation. Water use efficiency and conservation programs go hand-in-hand with awareness and outreach programs. The contractor shall design public outreach activities targeting different types of customers, consumers, residential and non-residential end users. To ensure integration and sustainability, the awareness and outreach activities will be designed based on behavior change principles while ensuring capacity building and transfer of knowledge to the relevant staff of water utilities and MWI.

● Task 4.3: Knowledge Sharing Improved: The contractor shall collaborate with the water governing entities in refurbishing their databases and online platforms to achieve larger knowledge sharing on national water related information and experience exchange. This could be the base for a regional and/or global platform/forum that is open for the public.

● Task 4.4: Ensuring that Water Efficiency related Legislation and Regulations are

Applied: While various water management (i.e., efficiency and conservation) regulations exist within the Jordanian regulatory framework, many lack effective enforcement mechanisms. The contractor shall work with relevant Jordanian institutions to enforce the inspection and compliance with related regulations.

Securing approvals for pre- and post-construction activities requires obtaining permits from several entities such as the Ministry of Public Works and Housing (MoPWH), Greater Amman

Municipality (GAM), other municipalities, Aqaba Special Economic Zone Area (ASEZA), Department of Lands and Survey (DLS) and the Civil Defense Department (CDD). The contractor shall investigate a definitive and clear protocol to ensure water efficiency and conservation regulations are applied during post-construction activities.

● Task 4.6: Positive Market or Other Incentives are Developed. The contractor shall work with the GOJ to identify and introduce market or other incentives to support compliance with reduced and efficient water use. These incentives will be modeled after best and successful practices applied in other water scarce countries around the world, that consider the use of market and other incentives to reduce and moderate water use. These incentives must consider the Jordanian context and challenges for promoting change, including cultural, economic, and political considerations.

Component 5: Capacity Building

An integral part of this project is addressing the “brain drain” occurring in the water sector, primarily from WAJ, JVA, and MWI. The objective is to develop and implement human resources policies and procedures that increase overall water sector staff capacities, leadership, satisfaction and retention.

● Task 5.1: Internship Program Developed and Implemented. The contractor shall include a comprehensive internship program, linked to cross-cutting USAID/Jordan Mission youth and gender efforts, and focused on attracting Jordanian male and female college graduates into the public water sector. The internship program is expected to achieve at least 300 internships with an average of 6 months each.

● Task 5.2: Research Centers and Universities Involvement in the Water Sector

Strengthened. The contractor shall work with at least two universities and/or research centers to establish a multipurpose model water laboratory for water engineers. The contractor shall provide technical assistance to Jordanian water researchers and scientists to prepare and release at least two technical papers on water issues.

● Task 5.3: Training and Certification Program Conducted. The contractor shall build on

USAID’s previous projects that conducted training needs analyses in the water sector, certification programs in NRW, internal audit, management, technical and soft skills. WPA will continue with certification and training in the three regions (North, Middle, and South) and plan to train at least 500 new certified water sector staff in water treatment and distribution; wastewater treatment and collection; operation and maintenance (O&M); risk management; and Environment, Health and Safety (E, H&S).

Trainings and certifications will be conducted for formal educational institutions (schools, universities, technical colleges), and/or for government, the private sector, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), or communities. In some cases, capacity building and institutional strengthening will be required to be delivered in Arabic, and will be carried out by local/ regional experts or counterparts.

● Task 5.4 Specialized Workshops, Study Tours and Conferences Conducted. The contractor shall plan and implement study tours, conferences, and workshops on topics related to water, and the environment that boost achieving results of other project components and interventions. The contractor’s role will include planning, facilitation, logistics coordination, and reporting for both USAID and host country institutions. Workshops will emphasize stakeholders’ participation and will include public and private partner organizations.

● Task 5.5: Educational Curriculum Improved. The contractor shall work with the Ministry of Education (MoE) to insert key messages related to water scarcity, efficiency, and conservation into the primary and secondary schools’ curricula. The contractor shall review the existing curriculum and recommend improved language regarding water scarcity, efficiency, conservation and behavior change (how to contribute effectively and efficiently).

● Task 5.6: Innovative and Creative Ideas in Water Conservation in the Domestic Sector

Strengthened and Adopted. The contractor shall work with different stakeholders including

MWI, WAJ, JVA, universities, schools, professional associations (syndicates), and business incubators to support innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship in water-related issues. This activity will target women, youth, Persons with Disabilities (PWD), and people across Jordan.

The contractor shall research new and innovative water efficiency and conservation technologies available in international markets that are adaptable to the Jordanian setting.

Local suppliers and vendors will be encouraged to disseminate the identified technologies in the local market. The contractor must coordinate this effort with accredited institutions such as the Royal Scientific Society (RSS) and/or local universities.

● Task 5.7: Inclusion of People with Disabilities (PWD) Enhanced. The contractor shall increase engagement of PWDs in the water sector at all levels: as customers, employees, and partners.

Task 5.8: Water Museum Establishment Supported. The contractor shall support in the conceptual design and provision of the tools and equipment to support the establishment of a water museum targeting school students and the public. The water museum design should focus on water conservation and behavior change interventions.

Component 6: Water Sector Systems Improvement Activities:

The contractor shall consider a range of potential supplements in line with its technical approach to improve utility performance. Under this component, the contractor shall introduce improvements to the following utility systems: procurement, installation, and requisite training for billing and collection systems, financial management systems, asset management systems and computerized modeling, maintenance and management systems, Global Positioning Systems (GPS) for updating fixed assets registry, and Geographic Information System (GIS) software.

The contractor shall consider existing software or systems standardization as well as compatibility among systems in any proposed solutions. Below are the categories of equipment and tools to be procured by the contractor:

Table 1: Categories of equipment and tools required for enhancing water sector performance.

Description Quantity

1- Water conservation equipment and tools, i.e., water saving devices and water harvesting tools.

LS*

2- Improvement of Information Technology

(IT) systems, (billing systems, GIS, GPS, and ERP), LS

3- Tools and equipment for water museum.

Water museum to be designed for children and public on water conservation and behavior change aspects.

4- Establishment of water laboratory in

Jordanian universities and/ or research centers specialized for water engineers.

2 universities and/or research centers

5- Tools for innovative water technologies pilot projects.

2 pilot projects

6- Provide equipment and tools to support implementation of management contracts for two water utilities.

2 water utilities

TOTAL

*LS: Lump sum.

3.5 PARTNERS

The contractor shall develop a consortium of local and international partners with strong institutional capacity and on-the-ground staff with experience and networks in Jordan. The Water Governance

Activity (WGA) approach must be grounded in the reality of Jordan’s political and socio-economic context, place gender equity at the forefront of project interventions, and ensure an approach to improve the quality and sustainability of water resources, environment and water and sanitation services.

It is also important to understand the critical role of stakeholder management in this activity.

Therefore, the contractor shall work with a wide range of stakeholders from the government of

Jordan (Ministry of Health, Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Education, Ministry of

Agriculture, etc.), the private sector, NGOs, other USAID activities and individuals.

[END OF SECTION C]