Water Supply, Sanitation and Solid Waste Management Institutional and Technical Advisor

ADB is supporting governments across the Pacific to develop water supply, sanitation, and solid waste 
management (SWM) systems that deliver significant benefits to their respective countries.  Many pacific 
countries present unique logistical and resource problems and ADB is looking to underpin the delivery of 
projects that are both robust and climate resilient thereby locking in the continuous delivery of the 
projects’ respective outcomes over the next 30 years.  The time to examine projects and build in these 
types of robust and resilient safeguards is at the early planning stage, and ADB is looking for a highly 
experienced water supply, sanitation and SWM consulting engineer with a strong utility background to 
help guide projects in this manner. The appointment will include inputs of eight months over a period of 
15 months on an intermittent basis and may be extended depending upon the success of the consulting 
engineer’s work. The consultant will be required to conduct site visits as required. The consultant will 
submit monthly reports based on the assigned work outlining the tasks undertaken during the previous 
month and findings and recommendations.

The objective of the position is to facilitate the potential success of ADB water supply, sanitation, 
and solid waste management projects in the Pacific region.

The Water Supply, Sanitation, and Solid Waste Management Institutional and Technical Advisor will 
participate in inaugural ADB urban sector missions and work with ADB mission personnel and other ADB 
specialist advisors in conjunction with governments and government agencies to develop water supply,  
sanitation, and solid waste management projects that are affordable, constructible, operable and 
maintainable within the local context.  

In undertaking this work, the expert shall have special regard for the following:

• The capacity of the Government to regulate the project when operational (financial, social, 
environmental and technical) and possible institutional strengthening options to address any gaps;
• The capacity of the responsible entity to undertake the project, to manage the project’s technology 
and to operate and maintain the project, and possible capacity building options (including systems, 
procedures and supporting infrastructure) required to address any gaps;
• The capacity of the responsible entity to fund the project’s full operational expenses (including 
supporting infrastructure expenses) over the short and long term;
• The capacity of the responsible entity to achieve the proposed project implementation schedule and 
possible options for project phasing
• The government’s and the responsible entity’s infrastructure require to support the operations and 
maintenance of the project and options for addressing any gaps
• Risks associated with the location of the project including: (1) the availability of local plant; 
equipment and materials; (2) the logistical requirements and time frames of importing plant, equipment 
and materials; (3) the ambient conditions and possible adverse impacts on the lives of assets; and (4) 
the capacity of the location to accommodate plant, materials and equipment together with an 
international workforce and to develop possible risk mitigation options; and 
• The selection of technologies and materials and possible options for technology phasing.

The Water Supply, Sanitation, Solid Waste Management Institutional and Technical Advisor is required to 
assist the ADB’s mission in the development of project documentation with special emphasis on the 
following documents:
(i) Rapid assessments of service delivery of selected water supply, sanitation, and SWM utilities in 
terms of reliability, accessibility, affordability, utility financial and technical capacity, and long-
term sustainability. Outputs for each rapid assessment will be specified by the Task Manager and may 
include briefing notes, working papers, and reports presenting the findings of the assessment and 
recommendations.
(ii) Provision of specialist technical advice on an ad hoc basis. Outputs may include briefing notes and 
reports.
(iii) Conduct independent reviews of technical reports, feasibility studies, master plans, and detailed 
engineering designs. The independent review will: (a) assess assumptions, approach, compliance with the 
relevant terms of reference or specification, conclusions, recommendations and proposed solutions; and 
(b) recommend amendments to ensure conclusions are accurate and proposed solutions are financially and 
technically viable and represent value-for-money. The independent review of engineering services will 
follow the International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC) Guidelines to Reviewing the Work of 
a Professional Consulting Engineer (accessible from http://fidic.org/node/746)
(iv) Examine each proposed project in regard to its sustainability. Sustainability, in this instance, is 
defined as the continuous delivery of the project’s full benefits over the asset life. The Water Supply, 
Sanitation and Solid Waste Management Institutional and Technical Advisor will suggest the works and 
activities that are required to achieve and enhance the sustainable outcome are built into the project.