Expertise: project management
Expertise Group: Project Management/ Institutional Development
Consultant Source: International
TOR Keywords: project management,
Objective and Purpose of the Assignment
Background
- The Asian Development Bank (ADB) seeks the services of a project manager specialist with extensive
project preparatory management experience obtained in Pacific island countries to assist, strengthen,
and deliver an ADB-financed solid waste management project under preparation in Western Province,
Solomon Islands. The project will improve SWM infrastructure and services in Gizo, Munda, and Noro of
Western Province and is anticipated to be approved in Q4 2025. - Western Province is the third most populated province in Solomon Islands. Within Western Province,
the industry-driven townships of Munda – Noro (15 kilometers apart in New Georgia island) and the
provincial capital of Gizo (in Gizo island) have been experiencing rapid and haphazard urbanization. The
National Fisheries Development (NFD), SolTuna, and Noro Port are all based in Noro and together employ
over 2,500 people, half of whom are women. NFD and SolTuna contribute $9.6 million and $5.8 million
respectively in annual fees, licenses, and taxes to the national government while tourism contributes
about 10.5% to GDP. With an average annual population growth rate of 4.8% Gizo, Noro, and Munda’s
current 15,000 combined population could reach well over 50,000 by 2040. However, urban service
delivery including provision of solid waste management (SWM) and fecal treatment in Munda Noro is
lacking. In 2007, an 8.1 magnitude earthquake hit Western Province causing a 12-meter-high tsunami that
brought widespread destruction. Climate change damaged public infrastructure, and combined with weak
town planning and land management, makes Western Province even less resilient to future climate change
related shocks. - All solid waste management services in Noro are provided by NFD and SolTuna who collect and transport
an estimated 16 tons of waste per week to an unmanaged dumpsite on private land. Only about 50% of the
town’s waste is collected, largely from industry employees (around 800 households), while the remainder
is either burnt or dumped illegally, including into the ocean. The Noro Town Council is mandated to
provide solid waste services to Noro but does not have the financial capacity, human resources nor the
equipment to do so. The current Noro dumpsite is polluting the soil and water through leachate and is
predicted to be full capacity in five years. Munda does not have a town council. Solid waste is dumped a
short distance from the international airport runway, which, aside from being a health hazard to nearby
residents, is a flight hazard attracting birds. In Gizo, the landfill is unmanaged and at full capacity.
Scope of Work
Scope of Work and Purpose of the Assignment
- The Project Management Specialist will (i) support the ADB Project Officer, (ii) lead the project
preparatory consultants, and (iii) work closely with the Project Management unit (PMU) and its advisor
to strengthen the design of the project and ensure its timely delivery. The Specialist will act on
behalf of ADB Project Officer, representing the PO in missions, consultations, and official meetings
with project stakeholders and counterparts where necessary, and prepare project-related documents on
behalf of the PO as requested. He/She will supervise the conduct of activities and outputs of project
preparatory consultants ensuring that the deliverables are of high quality acceptable to ADB and are
submitted on time, and ensure that project preparatory consultants adhere to ADB conduct, processes, and
protocols. He/She will liaise and confer with the PMU advisor across all project related decisions that
require government attention and impact government participation in the project. The Specialist on
behalf of the PO will provide independent commentary on project documents, provide technical supervision
in the preparation and finalization of project documents including due diligence and bidding documents,
provide quality control of all project requirements, ensure that the technical and engineering details
are correct, and presented in a proper and easily understandable format for project purposes. - A proposed $10 million project entitled Solomon Islands: Provincial Solid Waste Management Project
for Climate Resilience and Sustainable Urban Development [SOL PSWSP]) will improve SWM in Gizo, Noro and
Munda in Solomon Islands by assisting the government with investments in related infrastructure
complemented by capacity development. The stand alone project’s proposed outputs are as follows: Output
1: Climate resilient and solid waste infrastructure developed; Output 2: Governance and institutional
capacity on SWM strengthened; and Output 3: Community-led solid waste management (SWM) pilot projects
implemented. The project management specialist will provide support to deliver the project covering Gizo
(as one project location) and Munda-Noro (as one combined project location) and undertake the necessary
feasibility and due diligence assessments and conduct project readiness activities.
Detailed Tasks and/or Expected Output
Detailed Tasks
- Specific tasks of the Specialist in support of the ADB Project Officer will include but are not
limited to:
- Represent or support the ADB Project Officer in project related meetings and missions as requested.
- Provide leadership to project preparatory team ensuing all deliverables are of high quality and
submitted on time. - Support the preparation of mission clearance requests, back to office reports, Aide Memoires or
Memorandum of Understanding, MCRs and other project related documents as requested. - Liaise with government and national stakeholders as needed and as requested, ensuring high commitment
and constant communication, and maintaining good relationship with the client. - Review due diligence documents prepared by independent consultants preparing the ADB Due diligence
requirements, ensuring quality and timely delivery.
- Specific tasks of the Specialist in leadership of project preparatory consultants will include but
are not limited to:
- Review, provide comments and suggestions, to relevant project documents including (i) feasibility
study, technical design documents, bidding documents, specifications, design drawings and bills of
quantities and cost estimates from the perspective of compliance with intended project outcomes, fitness-
for-purpose and context appropriate solutions, and in compliance with the national laws and regulations
and nationally recognized technical standards (ii) ADB due diligence documents such as project costs and
financing tables, strategic procurement plan, financial and economic analysis, initial environmental
examination, resettlement plan, initial poverty assessment report, summary poverty reduction and social
strategy, and gender assessment and action plan, stakeholder engagement and consultation plan, climate
change assessment and Paris Agreement Alignment, etc - Review outputs of consulting firms and consultants including quarterly progress reports and technical
reports to ensure the outputs delivered meet agreed standards and expectations.
- Specific tasks of the Specialist in support of the PMU advisor will include but are not limited to:
- Where necessary, assist the PMU advisor to prepare instructions to consultants and contractors.
- Liaise with PMU advisor as needed and as requested, ensuring high commitment and constant
communication, and maintaining good relationship with the client.
Minimum Qualification Requirements
The Project Management Specialist will have formal qualifications in engineering or project management
from a recognized university or institute and at least 10 years professional experience, including at
least 5 years’ experience in project management. Experience in urban infrastructure projects in Asia and
the Pacific financed by multilateral development banks is required, and experience in solid waste
management project in Solomon Islands is preferred.
Minimum General Experience: 10 Years
Minimum Specific Experience (relevant to assignment): 10 Years
