Expertise: Water, Public-Private Partnership
Expertise Group: Finance and Investment
Consultant Source: International
TOR Keywords:
Objective and Purpose of the Assignment
The Government of Sri Lanka (the Government) has identified Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) as
providing the potential to support infrastructure development and contribute to Sri Lanka’s economic
recovery.
In August 2022, the President of Sri Lanka announced the re-establishment of the National Agency for
PPPs (NAPPP), with the purpose of facilitating the implementation of PPPs that will support the wider
Government objective of reducing the burden on the state through improving the operational efficiency of
public service delivery. Under the proposed operational parameters, the NAPPP will have responsibility
for PPP policy formulation, for development and promulgation of leading practice guidance material, for
PPP advocacy and awareness actions, and for oversight of the PPP programs of line agencies across Sri
Lanka.
The Government is now looking to expedite its re-establishment and operationalization of the NAPPP with
support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) under the proposed operating model.
Under the proposed operating model, responsibility for the delivery of PPP projects falls to the
relevant line agencies. Consequently, the Ministry of Water Supply and Estate Infrastructure
Development (MOWS) plans to develop a PPP program to deliver the Ministry’s PPP program which sees the
establishment of a PPP Unit within the National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) and the
subsequent prosecution of PPP projects.
ADB wishes to support the Government with its overall wider PPP program by engaging an International
Water Sector PPP Consultant to strengthen NWSDB’s PPP capacity and capability and to support PPP
projects including the establishment and operationalization of the PPP Unit within NWSDB.
Scope of Work
To support both MOWS and NWSDB in their commitment to delivering their PPP programs, ADB intends to
engage an International Water Sector PPP Consultant (the Consultant) for 18 months from October 2023 to
March 2025.
The Consultant’s scope of work will be undertaken with close coordination between ADB’s Resident Mission
in Sri Lanka, ADB’s Office of Markets Development and Public-Private Partnership (OMDP), and ADB’s Water
and Urban Development Sector Office for South Asia.
Detailed Tasks and/or Expected Output
Detailed Tasks:
The Consultant will support NWSDB (and as necessary, MOWS), as an in-house advisor in any areas where
support is needed on a day-to-day basis (on the ground or online), including but not limited to the
following:
a) Framework, strategies, and implementation plan for enhanced private sector participation
(i) Develop a framework and strategies for increasing private sector participation in NWSDB.
(ii) Develop an implementation plan (PSP/PPP Roadmap) for increasing private sector participation in
NWSDB based on the agreed framework and strategies, including an action plan to enhance environmental,
social, and governance sustainability into NWSDB’s overall plans and operations.
(iii) Support, as directed by ADB, NWSDB to establish a PPP unit including the PPP unit’s institutional
design; guidelines; processes and procedures; and the provision of capacity building; that will build on
the implementation plan developed to enable private sector investments, operations, and participation in
the water and wastewater sectors; and to develop a pipeline of potential water and wastewater projects
suitable for PPPs.
(iv) Support ADB’s SAUW sector team and their consultants to develop a prioritization selection criteria
framework for MOWS’ investments in the water and sanitation sectors, including high-level technical
guidelines with parameters under the selection criteria for compliance by water providers, disclosure
processes, and decision-making mechanisms to decide:
- If the investment should be taken by the government, the private sector, or a PPP should be considered,
– On the infrastructure development investment, and
– Which service provider will be responsible to implement and operate and maintain the
infrastructure if the government is the investor.
b) Enabling environment
(i) Identify institutional needs and gaps related to the establishment of a PPP Unit within NWSDB
including the impact on pre-existing administrative units such as the Procurement Planning and
Monitoring Unit (PPMU).
(ii) Design the PPP Unit’s operating model, roles, accountabilities, and responsibilities including the
PPP Unit’s charter.
(iii) Develop policies, protocols, and procedures to meet its charter and manage the relationship
between the PPP Unit and NAPPP.
c) Institutional and organizational support
(i) Develop business plans for the PPP Unit considering its defined roles, accountabilities, and
responsibilities.
(ii) Propose staffing and organizational requirements for the PPP Unit, including optimal staff profiles
(and position descriptions as required).
(iii) Develop business plans and budgets for the PPP Unit considering its defined roles,
accountabilities, responsibilities, staffing levels, and organizational requirements.
(iv) Support the recruitment of the agreed staffing requirements of the PPP Unit.
(v) Conduct water sector-specific PPP capacity building training for staff of the PPP Unit within NWSDB
and for select staff of NWSDB and MOWS as required to meet the specific needs of NWSDB.
d) Project identification and screening activities related to a pathfinder project
(i) Develop and document a methodology and toolkit for screening projects (inc. climate change and
gender) drawing on pre-existing ADB OMDP methodologies and screening tools.
(ii) Identify the pipeline of potential PPP projects from which one pathfinder pilot project might be
selected.
(iii) Assist in compiling an implementation plan to implement the pathfinder pilot project.
(iv) Undertake and document for the selected and agreed pathfinder pilot project, an initial project
assessment report (covering key project feasibility aspects including climate change and gender, at a
high level, found in an outline business case, and to be limited to approx. 50 pages).
Deliverables/ Expected Outputs
a) Framework, strategies, and implementation plan for enhanced private sector participation (Expected
timeline: January 2024)
(i) For NWSDB, a Report providing a framework, strategies, and an implementation plan (PSP/PPP Roadmap)
for increasing private sector participation in NWSDB.
(ii) Support (as directed by ADB), for the establishment of NWSDB’s PPP unit and the development of a
pipeline of potential water and wastewater projects suitable for PPPs.
(iii) Support as directed by ADB, for a prioritization selection criteria framework for investments in
the water and sanitation sectors for use by MOWS.
b) Enabling environment (Expected timeline: March 2024)
(i) Report on the institutional needs and gaps related to the establishment of a Unit within NWSDB to be
accountable for PPP activity by NWSDB.
(ii) Report of the recommended PPP Unit operating model, roles, accountabilities, and responsibilities
along with relevant policies, protocols, and procedures
c) Institutional and organizational support (Expected timeline: March 2025)
(i) Business plans for the PPP Unit.
(ii) Staffing and organizational requirements for the PPP Unit.
(iii) Budget for the PPP Unit.
(iv) Recruitment of the agreed staffing requirements of the PPP Unit.
(v) Delivery of training for PPP Unit staff and selected staff of NWSDB and MOWS for water sector
specific PPPs.
d) Project identification and screening activities related to a pathfinder project (Expected timeline:
March 2025)
(i) Using an appropriate methodology and screening tools, identify a suitable pathfinder project.
(ii) An initial project assessment report on the selected and agreed pathfinder project.
Minimum Qualification Requirements
Reflecting the Scope of Work and the Deliverables/ Expected Outputs, the Consultant should have:
a) A bachelor’s degree in business, management, economics, engineering, or finance while a master’s
degree and/or doctorate will be an advantage.
b) At least 10 years of general experience and 8 years of relevant PPP experience preferably in the
region.
c) International water and wastewater relevant experience of more than 8 years is preferred including
the preparation of water supply and sanitation projects such as planning, design, and feasibility
studies as well as have a sound knowledge of water supply and sanitation technologies.
d) A sound knowledge in the field of project financial analysis, risk allocation, tariffs, and financial
tools of infrastructure development on PSP/PPP basis and have experience with different PSP/PPP
structures for delivering water and wastewater utilities is preferred and advantageous.
e) Solid experience in supporting the development and implementation of PPP units/programs in DMCs
(preferably in the region).
f) Strong working understanding of the PPP enabling environment including legal, regulatory, and
institutional frameworks.
g) Proven ability to undertake research and analysis on difficult but well-defined tasks, collect and
organize required data and information, apply appropriate computer skills in organizing and analyzing
the data; and prepare notes, papers, and sections of reports.
h) Good analytical thinking with the ability to comprehend causal links, make pros and cons analyses and
analyze factors to reach a decision.
i) Ability to recruit and manage consultants and transaction advisors who will be assisting the PPP
project teams with the development of projects.
j) Ability to facilitate work planning, delivery, and quality review.
k) Ability to work collaboratively with teams of both Sri Lankan Government counterparts and any other
consultants supporting NWSDB and where necessary, MOWS as a constructive member.
l) Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
Minimum General Experience: 10 Years
Minimum Specific Experience (relevant to assignment): 8 Years
