WATER SERVICES TRUST FUND, KENYA

TENDER No. WSTF/UTaNRMP/RFP/001/2014 - 2015

1.0 INTRODUCTION

The Government of Kenya has received financial assistance from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Spanish Trust Fund towards financing an eight year (2012-2020) Integrated Upper Tana Natural Resources Management Project (UTaNRMP).     The project aims at poverty reduction targeting about 205,000 households (1,025,000 people) whose livelihoods revolve around the use of the natural resources of Upper Tana catchment. The project activities are implemented along the following river basins: tributaries of five (5) MKEPP river basins namely: Ena, Kapingazi/Rupingazi, Kathita ,Kithino/Mutonga and Tungu rivers; UTaNRMP 12 priority river basins namely: Maragua, Murubara, Nairobi, Ragati, Rujiweru, Rupingazi, Saba Saba, Thanagatha, Thanantu, Thiba, Thika/Sasumua, Thingithu and 12 other river basins namely: Amboni/muringato, Iraru,Kayawe, lower Chania, Mara, Mariara, Mathioya, Nyamindi, Ruguti, Rwamuthambi, Sagana and Ura. The area covers six Counties namely; Embu, Tharaka Nithi, Meru, Nyeri, Kirinyaga and Murang’a. The area includes the Mt. Kenya and Aberdares National Parks and surrounding Forest Reserves.

The Water Services Trust Fund (WSTF), a corporate body under the Ministry of Environment, Water and Natural Resources (MEWNR) and established under the Water Act, 2002 with the mandate to assist in financing the provision of water services to areas of Kenya without adequate services, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding ( MoU) with the Ministry of Environment, Water and Natural Resources relating to funding of community based activities in water and natural resource management under the Upper Tana Natural Resources Management Project (UTaNRMP).

The activities are to be implemented by Water Resource Users Associations (WRUAs) and Community Forest Associations (CFAs) which are required to work closely with regional/county offices of Water Resources Management Authority (WRMA) and Kenya Forestry Service (KFS) respectively.

WSTF intends to use part of the funds received from UTaNRMP to fund the implementation of Sub-Catchment Management Plans (SCMPs) and Participatory Forest Management Plans (PFMP’s) from eligible WRUAs and CFAs respectively. In addition WSTF intends to use part of the funds to engage the services of an Independent Oversight Agent (IOA) to appraise, monitor and evaluate the WRUAs and CFAs activities.

2.0 ADVERTISEMENT FOR INDEPENDENT OVERSIGHT AGENT (IOA) CONSULTANCY SERVICES – WSTF/ UTaNRMP/RFP/001/2014-2015

WSTF wishes to engage the services of an Independent Oversight Agent for the purpose of supporting sustainable natural resources management (NRM) activities by the WRUAs and CFAs in the six counties. The Agent/Consultant is expected to appraise (desk and field appraisals) the proposals from the WRUA’s and CFA’s , recommend for funding and oversee     project implementations giving guidance and ensuring that the implementations are done on time and illustrated value for money. The Agent/Consultant will be accountable to WSTF and all the necessary documents certifying the accounting for funds and clearing of the audit issues shall be submitted to the WSTF.

The consultant will be engaged for a period of 24 months between September 2014 and September 2016 with a possible contract extension upon satisfactory performance and continued availability of funds. The minimum potential number of sub-catchments/WRUAs to be formed within the 29 river basins is 71 No. and there are 39No. forest stations within the project area. The first call for proposals for WRUA will target 26 River basins that have Sub-Catchment Management Plans and that of CFA will target 27 CFAs which have Participatory Forest Management plans.

For a detailed Terms of References (TOR) and Tender documents visit the WSTF’s website at www.wstf.go.ke under Media center/ Downloads and Tender documents at information center/ tender document links.

The RFP document may be obtained from Procurement Office on 1st Floor, CIC Plaza, Mara Road, Upper Hill during office hours from 9.00am to 4.00pm upon payment of a non-refundable fee of Kenya Shillings One thousand only (Kshs.1,000.00) per set of document in form of cash or bankers cheque payable to Water Services Trust Fund. The document may also be downloaded free of charge from our website; www.wstf.go.ke.

Completed proposals in plain sealed envelopes clearly marked “CONSULTING SERVICES FOR PROVISION OF INDEPENDENT OVERSIGHT AGENT (IOA) FOR UTaNRMP; TENDER NO WSTF/UTaNRMP/RFP/001/2014-2015 be addressed to:

The Chief Exe Water Services Trust Fund

CIC Plaza, 1st Floor, Mara Rd, Upper Hill P.O. Box 49699– 00100 GPO

Tel. +254 20 2720696/2729017/8/9 NAIROBI

and placed in the Tender Box located on the 1st     Floor, CIC Plaza, Mara Road so as to be received on or before 12.00 noon on 15th August,2014. Bids will be opened immediately thereafter in the presence of the bidders or their representatives who choose to attend.

WSTF reserves the right to reject any tender in part or in total without giving reasons for its decision and does not bind itself to accept the lowest or any tender.

3.0 CALL FOR PROJECT PROPOSALS FROM ELIGIBLE WRUAs AND CFAs

3.1 BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The Upper Tana Natural Resources Management is an eight year project (2012-2020) funded by Government of Kenya, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Spanish Trust Fund and the Local community. The goal of the project is to “contribute to reduction of rural poverty in the Upper Tana river catchment”. This goal is pursued via two development objectives which reflect the poverty-environment nexus namely (i) increased sustainable food production and incomes for poor rural households living in the project area; and (ii) sustainable management of natural resources for provision of environmental services.

The project area is the Upper Tana catchment which covers an area of 17,420 km2 and includes 24 river basins and the tributaries of the five rivers formerly under MKEPP that drain into the Tana River. The rivers are Maragua, Murubara, Nairobi, Ragati, Rujiweru, Rupingazi, Saba Saba, Thangatha, Thanantu, Thiba, Thika/Sasumua, Thingithu, Amboni/ Muringato, Iraru, Kayahwe, Lower Chania, Mara, Mariara, Mathioya, Nyamindi, Ruguti, Rwamuthambi, Sagana, and Ura. The project will also covers tributaries of former MKEPP river basins namely; Ena, Kapingazi/Rupingazi, Kathita, Kithinu/Mutonga and Tungu. The area covers six counties namely; Embu, Tharaka Nithi, Meru, Nyeri, Kirinyaga and Murang’a. The area includes the Mt. Kenya and Aberdares National Parks and surrounding Forest Reserves

Table 1: UTaNRMP RIVER BASINS

MKEPP River Basins (5) tributaries	Ena , Kapingazi/Rupingazi, Kathita, Mutonga/Kithinu andTungu
High Priority River Basins for UTaNRMP (12)	Maragua, Murubara, Nairobi, Ragati, Rujiweru, Rupingazi, Saba Saba, Thangatha, Thanantu, Thiba, Thika/Sasumua, Thingithu
Other River Basins	Amboni/ Muringato, Iraru, Kayahwe, Lower Chania, Mara, Mariara, Mathioya, Nyamindi, Ruguti, Rwamuthambi, Sagana, Ura

The Implementation is through four components namely: Sustainable Water Resources and Natural Resources management, Sustainable Rural Livelihoods, Community Empowerment and Project Coordination and Management.

3.2 WRUA AND CFA PROPOSALS

Under the Upper Tana Natural Resource Management Programme (UTaNRMP) supported by the Government of Kenya; International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD); Spanish Trust Fund and beneficiary communities, WSTF intends to finance eligible WRUAs and CFAs within Upper Tana River catchment to carry out eligible Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) and Natural Resources Management (NRM) activities from their SCMPs and PFMPs respectively.

In this call for proposals, WSTF invites ALL eligible WRUAs and CFAs within the project area to apply for funding for activities aimed at IWRM and Natural Resources management in the targeted sub-catchment areas, namely;

i.                     Tributaries of the 5 Mount Kenya East Pilot Project (MKEPP) river basins (Ena, Kapingazi/Rupingazi, Kathita, Kithinu/Mutonga and Tungu);

ii.                   12 high priority river basins (Maragua, Murubara, Nairobi, Ragati, Rujiweru, Rupingazi, Saba Saba, Thangatha, Thanantu, Thiba, Thika/Sasumua and Thingithu) and;

iii.                  iii.    12 other river basins (Amboni/Muringato, Iraru, Kayahwe, Lower Chania, Mara, Mariara, Mathioya, Nyamindi, Ruguti, Rwamuthambi, Sagana and Ura

iv.                 Mt. Kenya and Aberdares National Parks and surrounding Forest Reserves.

3.2.1 Eligibility Criteria for WRUAs

i)             The WRUA has to operate within the UTaNRMP area. ii)                The minimum size for the WRUA’s area is 100 km2.

iii)      The WRUA has to demonstrate registration withthe Attorney General. As the registration process may take up to 6 months, eligible WRUA will present evidence of initiating the registration process, such as payment of the registration fee. It is understood that to achieve the registration the WRUA must have governance structures at place and present the related evidence.

iv)      The WRUA has to register with WRMA and sign a Memorandum of Understanding. v)         The WRUA has a Sub-Catchment Management Plan (SCMP)

vi)      The WRUA has a current management committee as per their constitution

3.2.2 Eligibility Criteria for CFAs

i)             The CFA has to operate within the UTaNRMP area. ii)     Must be within 10 Km radius of the forest boundary.

iii)      CFA must be forest station based except where the forest block is managed independently vii)     The CFA has to be registered with the Attorney General.

viii) The CFA must have an approved Participatory Forest Management Plan (PFMP) ix)      The CFA has a current management committee as per their constitution

3.2.3 Current Funding Thresholds and Ceilings for WRUAs

The levels of funding which is a gradual process depending on capacity of the WRUA to account, will be in compliance to the WDC manual which basically has the following structure excluding level 1; Level 2 with a ceiling of Ksh. 2.0 Million; Level 3 with a ceiling of Ksh. 5.0 Million; Level 4 with a ceiling of Ksh. 10.0 Million; and an upper limit of Ksh. 50.0 Million over a 10 year period

3.2.4 Current Funding Ceiling for CFAs

The CFAs’ proposal shall not exceed a budget of Ksh. 2.0 Million

3.3 PROJECT PROPOSAL PROCESS AND TIMEFRAMES FOR WRUA OR CFA FUNDING RESPECTIVELY.

a)            Call for WRUAs / CFAs proposals.

b)            WRUAs / CFAs present proposals to Water Resources Management Authority Sub-regional office (WRMA– SRO) and County Kenya Forestry Service (KFS) (Step a & b – within 30 days) respectively.

c)            WRMA-SRO / KFS processes & evaluates the proposals (14 days)

d)            WRMA-SRO / KFS submit the lists of applications to respective UTaNRMP Project County Coordinator (CPC) in respective counties to present to UTaNRMP Project County Coordinating Committees (CPCC).

e)            WRMA-SRO / KFS submits the proposals to Secretariat (which will include 2 KFS officers from the two conservancies in the project area and 3 WRMA officers at regional office, as well as one representative each from the WRMA and KFS HQ) to be based at WRMA regional office in Embu for initial desk and field appraisal. (30 days)

f)             WRMA regional office/Secretariat will send the appraised proposals to the WSTF.

g)            WSTF submits the proposals to Independent Oversight Agent (IOA) which evaluates the proposals and submit a report to WSTF Board for approval. WSTF will then seek from IFAD a “No-Objection” for the approved proposals.(90 days)

h)            WSTF advertises the winning proposals and gives feed back to WRMA regional office and UTaNRMP Project Coordinating Team.

i)             WRMA regional office gives feedback to the respective WRMA –SRO, KFS and Project County Coordinators.

j)             Contract signing (WSTF, WRUA, WRMA) & (WSTF, CFA, KFS CEO, County KFS Co-ordinator) (7 days) k)        Funding to WRUA/CFA. (14 days)

3.3.1 Target areas for this First Call

This first call targets WRUA proposals from the catchment basins (i) and (ii) in section 3.2 above and 27 No. CFAs in the Upper Tana River Catchment.

3.3.2 Submission Date

Only proposals that will be received by the respective WRMA Sub-Regional Offices namely Meru, Kerugoya , Murang’a and KFS County Offices namely Murang’a, Kerugoya, Nyeri, Embu, Chuka, Meru by 25th August, 2014 at 4.00pm shall be considered.

For Enquiries: Call Senior Programme Officer-WDC, WSTF. Tel.: 020 2720696/ 2729017-18-19 Email: info@wstf.go.ke