Objective and Purpose of the Assignment
 | Under the Rajasthan Urban Sector Development Program (RUSDP Phase 3) (ADB Loan 3183-IND), water supply infrastructure was upgraded in four towns: Tonk, Pali, Jhunjhunu, and Sri Ganganagar through the use of Distribution Network Improvement (DNI) contracts. The project was designed to provide 24×7 water supply services, but due to a range of technical, institutional, and operational challenges, this objective could be partially realized. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) intends to engage an International Water Supply Expert to conduct an independent assessment of the design, implementation, and performance of these DNI contracts. The objective is to identify lessons learned, good practices, and areas of improvement to inform the planning and design of future DNI components under the proposed Rajasthan Urban Livability Improvement Project (RULIP) – Phase V. The findings will directly contribute to the design of the RULIP, building on insights from ongoing O&M arrangements managed by the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) and previous implementation experience under the Rajasthan Urban Infrastructure Development Project (RUIDP). |
Scope of Work
| To conduct a comprehensive assessment of the DNI contracts implemented in the four RUSDP Phase 3 towns, focusing on their design, implementation experience, performance and outcomes. The findings will identify critical issues and operational challenges, lessons learned, and enabling elements and success factors that can be integrated into the upcoming DNI packages under RULIP Phase V. NRW management practices and operational sustainability will also be reviewed, and internationally relevant good practices shall be recommended. |
Detailed Tasks and/or Expected Output
| a. Evaluation of DNI Contracts • Review contract documents, detailed project reports (DPRs), project implementation reports, and operation and maintenance (O&M) records related to DNI contracts. • Assess the appropriateness of the DNI model and how it functioned for these towns in terms of planning, procurement, execution, and performance monitoring and reporting. • Evaluate contractor performance, institutional roles, and coordination between PHED, RUIDP, and O&M agencies. • Identify and document critical issues and bottlenecks, lessons learned, good practices and success factors relevant to future DNI implementation. b. Technical and Asset Review • Review the assets and service delivery outcomes including: (i) detailed technical review of the existing water supply systems under RUSDP for four towns and (ii) high level review of one town of ongoing Rajasthan Secondary Town Development Sector Project (RSTDSP). • Undertake sample-based conditional assessment of completed works and O&M performance. • Compare actual service delivery levels against project design targets (24×7). • Draw lessons from how the DNI contracts addressed or partially addressed service delivery and NRW reduction objectives, with special focus and analysis on: (i) the effectiveness of the Design, Build, Operate, and Maintain for 10 years contracts, and (ii) on how the Performance-Based Management Contracts (PBMCs) succeeded or fell short in meeting their key objectives of improving service delivery and reducing Non-Revenue Water (NRW). • The study will focus on extracting actionable lessons and recommendations from these contracts. c. Non-Revenue Water Management • Assess current levels of non-revenue water (NRW) in the four towns and evaluate the extent to which DNI contracts addressed NRW reduction. Available operator records indicate a substantial reduction in NRW. • Recommend practical and phased measures for NRW reduction, drawing on global best practices and adaptation to Rajasthan’s context. d. Technology and Digital Solutions • Review the application of innovative technologies (e.g., smart metering, GIS, SCADA, leak detection) in the DNI contracts and assess the level of integration with existing systems. • Recommend potential adoption of scalable and cost-effective digital tools and solutions for utility performance enhancement under future DNI contracts. e. Institutional and Financial Sustainability • Assess the institutional roles, arrangements and capacity of PHED, RUIDP, and contractors in implementing and managing DNI contracts. • Recommend improvements to contract design, performance monitoring frameworks, and capacity-building measures. • Propose investment plans and financing mechanisms (short, medium, long-term). f. Consultation and Stakeholder Engagement Hold extensive consultations with key project stakeholders to gather relevant data, validate assessment approach and share preliminary results, to include: • City-level engineers (Tonk, Pali, Jhunjhunu, Sri Ganganagar) and one towns of RSTDSP and PHED officials (state and field level) • RUIDP project management staff • O&M contractor currently operating the systems • ADB project staff g. International Best Practices • Provide globally relevant, case studies, and practical examples of successful urban water supply reforms and DNI models. • Highlight case studies that can be contextualized and adopted for use in Rajasthan’s urban sector. 4. Deliverables and Timeline The study will be completed within two months from the date of assignment mobilization. Deliverables include: 1. Draft Final Report – submitted at the end of four weeks, covering all findings, analysis, and recommendations. 2. Final Report – incorporating comments from ADB, PHED, and RUIDP, due at the end of two months. The Final Report will consolidate the contract performance assessment, technical, institutional, and financial lessons and recommendations with a practical roadmap for achieving sustainable water supply for new phase of project in Rajasthan. |
Minimum Qualification Requirements
| Qualification Requirements: • Master’s degree (or equivalent) in Civil Engineering, Water Supply Engineering, or related fields with a minimum of 15 years of professional experience in the urban water supply sector particularly in managing larger water operators. • Proven international expertise in DNI contract models and performance assessment, water demand management, NRW reduction, and sustainable urban water systems. • Prior experience in India and/or South Asia or similar geographic areas is preferred. Duration and Inputs: • Total duration: 1 person-month (22 person-days); intermittent basis • Location: Combination of field work (Jaipur, Tonk, Pali, Jhunjhunu, Sri Ganganagar) and home office. • Period of assignment: 20 September 2025 to 20 November 2025 Reporting: The consultant will report directly to the ADB Project Officer, with close coordination with PHED, RUIDP, and city-level engineers. Findings and recommendations will be validated through stakeholder consultations and will serve as inputs to the design of Rajasthan Urban Livability Improvement Project (RULIP) – Phase V. |
