Primary Expertise: Project Implementation Support Conultants
TOR Keywords:
Objective and Purpose of the Assignment
I. Background and rationale
- The Climate Resilient Livelihood Improvement and Watershed Management in Chittagong Hill Tracts
Sector Project will contribute to improve livelihoods and sustainable use of natural resources in
the Chittagong (CHT) while increasing resilience to climate change. It will do so by addressing
selected deficiencies in the five forms of capital that are needed to support holistic and
sustainable development of livelihoods of communities. Specifically, the project will address
physical capital by improving roads and bridges, water supply and irrigation schemes, collection
facilities and providing agricultural equipment. It will build human capital by improving
vocational skills in the rural farm and non-farm sector and developing capacity of CHT institutions
and stakeholders. Social capital will be improved by strengthening the local government
institutions to continue the system of participatory bottom-up planning and implementation of
subprojects that has been established under the Second Chittagong Hill Tracts Rural Development
Project (CHTRDP II). Natural capital will be improved by supporting the restoration of critical
watersheds through village community forest management, improving sustainable agricultural land
management practices, and implementing a few pilot projects in rural solid waste management.
Finally, financial capital will be enhanced by channelling public funds for infrastructure
development and promoting private investment in market links and basic agro-processing facilities. - The CHT is a geographically and ethno-culturally distinct region of Bangladesh. Situated in
south-east of the country, it is the only extensively hilly area of Bangladesh. The CHT borders
Myanmar to the south and the Indian states of Tripura and Mizoram to the north. Only 5% of its land
area of 13,000 square kilometers is fit for intensive cultivation. Historically, the population of
CHT was made up of 11 distinct ethnic groups, each with its unique language, culture and heritage.1
Since the late 1970s, the Government of Bangladesh launched several transmigration programs to
settle people from the plains in the CHT.2 These acts led to an armed uprising by the ethnic
communities of the CHT, seeking autonomy and their rights to land and resources. Following a two-
decade long conflict, a peace accord was signed in 1997, and along with it the promise of a new era
of peace, harmony, and development. - The Project includes five outputs namely: (i) community infrastructure developed; (ii) watershed
management strengthened; (iii) capacities and systems of agricultural production, processing, and
marketing improved; (iv) rural non-farm skills improved and capacities of CHT institutions
strengthened; and (v) rural roads improved. The outcome of the Project will be increased incomes
and more sustainable use of natural resources in the CHT. Consequently, the project is aligned with
the following impact: increased well-being, reduced vulnerability and improved food security of the
CHT people. - Output 1: Community Infrastructure Developed. This output will support infrastructure
interventions aimed at improving village access, water supply and sanitation, household renewable
energy supply, and agriculture productivity. Intervention have been grouped in three categories:
(i) village access roads (VAR) including footpaths and steps – for better access to health
services, schools, and markets, and to provide increased economic opportunity; (ii) small-scale
water supply, sanitation and hygiene infrastructure (WASH) and renewable energy – small-scale water
supply schemes using ring wells, shallow/deep tube wells or gravity flow systems, sanitary latrines
at household and community level, and (iii). agriculture infrastructure (Agri-infra): including
small weirs, lined channels, power tillers, and lift pumps channels, power tillers, and lift pumps.
Weaving sheds will be provided where women request them. - The Paras to be supported by the Project were selected by the CHTRC in consultation with the
respective Hill District Councils (HDC). The infrastructure interventions are identified through a
participatory needs assessment and planning process involving the communities of selected Paras.
Subprojects will be prepared at the Union-scale, by combining the requirements of clusters of
around 7-8 Paras. A total of 1,000 paras will benefit from community infrastructure support.
After construction, the assets will be transferred to para development committees (PDCs), which
will be responsible for their O&M. It is expected that around 85 such Union-scale subprojects will
be implemented. Five subprojects – comprising 1 for VAR and 4 for combined WASH, Agri-Infra and
renewable energy subprojects – are being prepared up to feasibility study level during the TA.
These constitute the first batch of subprojects (Sub Project Batch-1 or SPB-1) which contribute
towards the Project’s readiness requirement. The VAR under SPB-1 add up to 60 km of village roads.
An additional 80 km of village roads will be designed during the first two years of the project. A
schedule for identifying the remaining Paras for community infrastructure investments and a
schedule for finalizing the list of village roads must be agreed on before the Project documents
are finalized for approval by the government (i.e. the Development Project Proforma or DPP) and ADB
(i.e. Report and Recommendations of the President or RRP). - Output 2: Watershed management strengthened. This output will involve participatory watershed
management interventions to improve the CHT’s resilience to climate change, mitigate risks from
natural disasters and to support sustainable land use and regenerative agricultural practices.
These measures will address food security and water security concerns of beneficiary communities.
Watersheds are selected based on the level of degradation. Interventions are selected using
resource mapping and participatory planning methods involving Para Development Committees and
Village Community Forest Groups. Interventions will focus on: (i) agriculture land conservation;
(ii) forest / shrub land conservation; (iii) degraded land improvement; (iv) stream bank
protection; (v) water resource development; (vi) demonstration of good agriculture practice. Small-
scale structural works will also be implemented – to support water harvesting for domestic and
agriculture use, in connection with Output 1: Community Infrastructure. Monitoring arrangements
combining GIS and field-based approaches are also likely to be included under this Output.
Activities will be implemented by beneficiary communities, facilitated by an NGO and local
contractors (for more complex civil works). The capacity of community-based organizations in
planning, implementation and maintenance of watershed management interventions will also be
strengthened. - The component will support a total of 9 sub-watersheds, with an average size of 1,450 ha. per
watershed, benefiting a total population of around 75,000 people in 200 Paras. Monitoring of
watershed interventions using geographic information systems and field -based approach will be
supported under this put-put. - Output 3: Capacities and systems of agricultural production, processing, and marketing improved.
This output will: (i) support farmers to adopt good agricultural practices, focusing on high value
products (i.e., fruits, vegetables, spices, medicinal plants, and livestock); (ii) provide
technology and training to farmers to undertake primary processing (i.e., sorting, cleaning,
drying, packing); (iii) link farmers to with private sector suppliers of inputs and buyers of
products; and (iv) facilitate private investment in agriculture value chain activities. An
agriculture-implementing nongovernment organization (NGO) will be engaged to support farmers with
the above activities and to coordinate with locally based institutions and private enterprises. The
project will build on work done during the Second Chittagong Hill Tracts Rural Development Project
and focus on high-value vegetables, fruits, pond fisheries, spices and medical plants, and poultry
as main product groups. The output will support coordination with locally based institutions to
identify and implement agriculture value chain interventions including pilot initiatives. - Output 4: Rural non-farm skills improved and capacities of CHT institutions strengthened. This
component will include: (i) short (1-2 week) vocational training courses (i.e. mechanical, masonry
and carpentry, cement ring production, food processing, weaving and tailoring, safety and sanitary
conditions for home-stay tourism, and entrepreneurship); (ii) long (3-6 month) professional
training courses (automotive mechanic, electrical installations and repairs, mobile phone servicing
and repair, plumbing, community-based tourism/hospitality management). In addition, the project
will strengthen the capacity of CHT institutions by providing internships for young professionals
from local communities in project agencies—i.e., project management office (PMO), district PMOs,
the project management and project implementation units of the Local Government Engineering
Department (LGED), project implementation support consulting firm, implementing NGOs, and
implementing contractors—and institutions (CHTRC, HDCs, LGED district offices). Finally, the
project will build the capacity of implementing agency staff or capacity building of implementing
agency staff on subjects including on: (i) project’s orientation and development paradigm; (ii)
project feasibility study preparation; (iii) safeguards due diligence; (iv) planning and management
of climate risks; (v) project economic and financial analyses; and (vi) project financial
management. - Output 5: Rural roads improved. The project will undertake upgrading and improving of around
140 km of rural roads. Road surfaces will be upgraded from earthen and herringbone brick surfaces
to bituminous coated surfaces to improve resilience to climate change. New or improved bridges will
be included together with drainage infrastructure which takes into consideration the climate
scenarios for the CHT. The first batch of subprojects (SPB-1) – comprising of 15 union and upazila
roads with a total length of 94 km – will constitute part of the project readiness requirement. For
these roads, feasibility studies including all due diligence as well as detailed designs will be
completed during the TA. The feasibility studies and detailed designs for about 56 km of additional
roads and bridges will be carried out during the first two years of the project. The schedule for
finalizing the remaining roads to be included in the Project must be decided jointly by the CHTRC
and LGED during the project preparation stage. A vertical extension of 3 functional buildings of
Bandarban, Khagrachari, and Rangamati executive engineers’ offices of LGED is also be included
under this output. - Nature-based, bioengineering techniques will be integrated in road design to protect hill
slopes and riverbanks adjacent to roads from erosion and landslides. This will reduce emergency
maintenance and losses incurred by road users due to such events. The TA will also prepare an
operational note on bioengineering solutions which will be used during implementation of the
Project. Measures to improve road safety in the hilly CHT region are also being integrated in
designs, based on a manual prepared during the TA. Since the Project follows a sector-project
modality, a land acquisition and resettlement framework (LARF) will be prepared during the TA, and
land acquisition and resettlement plans (LARPs) will be prepared for the 15 SPB-1 rural roads. The
LGED will allocate sufficient budget to maintain completed roads in accordance with their standard
procedures. LGED will engage women belonging to labor contracting societies (LCSs) to improve and
maintain road shoulders, embankment stabilization, planting of trees on roadsides, planting of
shrubs on embankments, and other road maintenance works. - Under a separate TA, ADB is providing support to institutionalize bioengineering solutions at a
policy/corporate level within LGED. The TA, working in collaboration with LGED’s Climate Resilient
Local Infrastructure Centre (CRLIC) will: (i) support the development of the operational note on
roadside bioengineering; and (ii) conduct training workshops to enhance implementation capability
of LGED and its associated organizations. The draft operational note is currently being prepared
and will be shared with LGED for review and comments. - The Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tract Affairs (MoCHTA) is the executing agency and will be
responsible for the overall project implementation. The Chittagong Hill Tracts Regional Council
(CHTRC) is the lead implementing agency and the LGED will be the implementing agency for the rural
road component. A Project Management Office (PMO) headed by a Project Director (PD-PMO) will be
established within the CHTRC, to manage and closely coordinate project activities across all
agencies. Another Project Director (PD-LGED) will be appointed from the LGED to implement Output 5:
Rural Roads. For purposes of Project related monitoring and reporting, the PD-LGED will report to
CHTRC. The PD, PMO will consolidate and compile all reports required by the Government and ADB. A
Deputy Project Management Office (DPMO) will be established in each of the three districts,
attached to the respective Hill District Councils (HDC), and be headed by a Deputy Project Director
(DPD). The DPD will report directly to the PD-PMO.
II. Purpose and objectives of the Assignment
- The consulting services to be provided by the Project Implementation Support Consultant (PISC)
firm will support CHTRC and LGED to deliver the intended project outcomes. The purpose of the
consulting services is to provide full support to: (i) Project PMO and DPMO on all aspects of
project implementation including the design of subprojects; (ii) LGED-PMU and LGED-PIU with
implementation of Output 5 of the project; (iii) capacity building and strengthening of concerned
institutions; (iv) monitoring and quality control of project implementation including institutional
aspects and civil works; (v) support the PMO and LGED-PMU with routine reporting on project
progress. - The consulting team will be led by an international firm and comprised of international and
national experts. The PISC will be engaged in accordance with ADB’s Procurement Regulations for ADB
Borrowers: Goods, Works, Non-consulting and Consulting Services (2017, as amended from time to
time).
III. Implementation, Duration and Location of the Services
- CHTRC will administer the PISC contract and supervise and approve their outputs. The day-to-day
activities of the PISC team will be supervised by the PD-PMO in CHTRC. The consulting services will
be implemented over 69 months (October 2024 to 30 June 2030). The PISC core team will be based in
Rangamati, and, team members will conduct frequent field visits to the 3 DPMOs, subproject areas in
the three districts and other potential sites to be considered for the follow-on projects. - To ensure a smooth implementation of the services and the successful achievement of all the
objectives, the PISC will carry out all its duties and responsibilities with due diligence and
efficiency and deliver to the PMO such information related to the services as PMO may reasonably
request.
IV. Scope of Services
- Consulting services will provide technical advice and supervision for project implementation in
accordance with the project administration manual (PAM). The principal activities of this support
are:
(i) Provide overall technical and management support to the PMO, DPMOs, LGED project management
unit (LGED-PMU) and LGED project implementation units (LGED-PIUs).
(ii) In coordination with PMO and LGED-PMU, prepare a participation plan (in accordance with the
PAM), an overall project implementation plan and annual implementation plans. The implementation
plans must be reviewed and updated annually.
(iii) Prepare subproject implementation guidelines, procedures and appraisal manuals for project
teams taking into account environmental and social safeguards, IP and gender concerns, and
monitoring and evaluation requirements.
(iv) Prepare bidding documents and contracts for the good and civil works ensuring conformity with
the guidelines and regulations of the Government and ADB for 2nd batch of subprojects. Facilitate
PMO, LGED-PMU and DPMOs in the procurement process.
(v) Prepare project capacity development plan for training needs of MOCHTA, CHTRC, HDC, LGED,
partner NGOs and beneficiary communities. The capacity development plan should consider gender and
IP concerns. Prepare training manuals as needed and implement the capacity development plan while
updating it at regular intervals.
(vi) When necessary (as per the capacity development plan), prepare term of reference for
individuals, NGOs, firms or other institutes that are needed to deliver training, and Facilitate
partner NGOs in developing training program and information dissemination strategy, associated
budgets and draft terms of reference for individuals, NGOs, firms or institutes to be engaged to
deliver training;
(vii) Facilitate organizing local and regional study tours for project staff and relevant persons
of EA and IAs;
(viii) Provide top supervision for construction activities including for rural roads component (in
conjunction with LGED staff) and village infrastructure (by supporting NGOs);
(ix) Assist the PMO, LGED-PMU, DPMOs and contracted NGOs to prepare relevant safeguard documents
for resettlement and environment and provide technical guidance and expertise for planning and
implementation of social development, village infrastructure implementation and safeguards
implementation for 2nd batch of subprojects;
(x) Supervise implementation of all safeguard actions to ensure consistency with relevant safeguard
outputs and in compliance with ADB requirements;
(xi) Assist PMO to be compliant with ADB’s financial management (FM) requirement by purchasing a
standalone accounting software. Also assist PMO to be compliant with other FM requirements of
ADB.
(xii) Analyze data on implementation progress, social development indicators including project
impact on poverty reduction, safeguards monitoring and assist NGOs, DPMOs and PMO in collecting and
collating this information;
(xiii) Support development of management information system (MIS) database for the Project and
contribute to natural resources monitoring database as developed by Centre for Environment and
Geographical Information Systems (CEGIS);
(xiv) Develop, implement and periodically update the project performance monitoring system;
(xv) Prepare implementation guidelines to operationalize the Project’s gender action plan;
(xvi) Provide expertise to further develop and implement Output 3 and 4;
(xvii) Coordinate with other development partners in CHT undertaking similar agriculture and skill
development related activities to avoid duplication and where possible create synergies to maximize
benefits;
(xviii) Undertake periodic project progress reporting as required by MoCHTA, PMO, HDC, LGED and ADB
and in accordance with the milestone provided in this document (see para 18.).
(xix) Prepare Project completion report which will include the details of all the activities
performed under the project. It will be consultant’s report which will show the data as before and
after the project. The report will not provide any comparison or assessment of the project
regarding preparation, design, implementation arrangements, and due diligence conducted.
