Call for Proposal for Design and Feasibility Study: Nature-Based Solutions for Stormwater Management and Environmental Protection, Alemwach settlement

settlement, Dabat, Amhara Region.

1. Background

The Alemwach Refugee Settlement in Ethiopia spans 91 hectares and accommodates over 22,000 refugees relocated from the Tigray Region. It experiences persistent challenges such as flooding, waterlogging, and erosion, primarily attributed to its low-lying basin topography and the characteristics of the black cotton soil, which has low permeability. Current shallow earth ditches and drainage systems have been insufficient during intense rainfall, leading to damage to shelters and restricted access to essential services. The proposed nature-based solutions (NbS) initiative will be implemented by the International Labour Organization (ILO), in collaboration with the Refugees and Returnees Service (RRS), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the refugee community, the regional administration in Bahirdar, and the local administration in Dabat. The multi-stakeholder approach ensures that the intervention is contextually relevant, participatory, and aligned with both national and local development priorities. This ensures that the intervention is contextually relevant, participatory, and aligned.

The NbS initiative will provide environmental and infrastructure improvements while also creating significant employment opportunities for refugees and host community members through a participatory implementation model based on the ILO’s labour-based approaches. This methodology aims to optimize job creation by emphasizing the utilization of local labour and resources in construction and ecological restoration efforts. The project engages the community directly and promotes skills development in sustainable land and water management practices. This approach fosters social cohesion and local ownership while stimulating economic development by injecting cash into conflict-affected areas with limited livelihoods.

The intervention addresses a significant gap by providing immediate and sustainable income generation methods while also rehabilitating degraded environments and enhancing community resilience. The initiative is consistent with the Government of Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative and promotes several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 15 (Life on Land). This integrated approach yields ecological, economic, and social benefits that advance humanitarian and development goals.

The project aims to engage a national implementing partner, or academic institution (i.e. University) to carry out an in-depth study and develop the detailed design for the proposed nature-based stormwater management intervention. The selected entity will guarantee scientific rigour and incorporate local expertise throughout the process. Their responsibilities will encompass assessment, study, design, and the documentation of results in accordance with national development priorities and academic standards.

2. Objective

The primary objective of this initiative is to design sustainable and inclusive nature-based stormwater management solutions within the Alemwach Refugee Settlement. The project seeks to mitigate flooding and erosion risks, restore degraded land, and enhance the resilience of refugee and host communities through the construction of bioswales and associated green infrastructure.

The project will pursue the following specific objectives to achieve this aim:

• Enhance Stormwater Management: Implement environmentally sustainable designs, including bioswales, rain gardens, and vegetated drainage corridors, to mitigate runoff and prevent waterlogging and erosion.
• Improve climate and ecosystem resilience: by restoring ecological functions and enhancing land and water systems through native vegetation and nature-based solutions that align with climate adaptation priorities.
• Encourage Inclusive Community Participation: Facilitate the active involvement of refugees and host community members during all phases of the project to enhance ownership, social cohesion, and equitable distribution of benefits.
• Create Employment and Enhance Local Capacity: Apply ILO’s labour-based methodologies to generate employment, transfer skills, and stimulate income within local economies.

3. Project Scope

This project involves a comprehensive cycle of design for the implementation of sustainable stormwater management infrastructure in the Alemwach settlement. This encompasses data collection, environmental assessments, technical design, employment intensity, implementation plan, strategies, and feasibility.

The key components consist of:

• Preliminary assessment and Data collection: Conduct a comprehensive analysis of the available background materials, maps, and studies pertinent to the Alemwach Refugee Settlement.
• Site analysis and environmental assessments, thorough examinations of topography, soil conditions, specifically black cotton soil, rainfall, and erosion patterns to inform the placement and design of interventions.
• Engagement of stakeholders and participatory planning processes: Facilitate consultations involving the ILO, UNHCR, RRS, local government, and representatives from both refugee and host communities. Conduct participatory design workshops to incorporate local knowledge, priorities, and gender-sensitive factors.
• Design and engineering of green infrastructure involves the preparation of comprehensive technical documentation for bioswales, rain gardens, vegetated swales, and integrated drainage features tailored to the settlement’s layout. This includes a comprehensive construction drawing, technical specifications, bills of quantities, and plant selection lists customized for the local ecology.
• Ensure designs are context-specific, cost-effective, and aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 6, 11, 13, 15) and Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative.
• Environmental and Social Safeguards: Incorporate considerations of environmental and social impact into the design process and propose strategies to address any possible adverse effects.
• Employment Impact Assessment: As part of the feasibility study, the consultant shall assess and estimate the potential employment impact of the proposed NbS interventions. This will include the projected number of short-term and medium-term jobs to be created through labour-based methods, disaggregated by gender and community (refugee and host). The assessment shall also analyse the employment intensity of the intervention, indicating the proportion of total investment likely to be directed toward local labour, in alignment with ILO’s Employment-Intensive Investment Programme (EIIP) principles.
• Validation and Quality Assurance: Collaborate with ILO and partners to validate designs and integrate insights from technical evaluations and community discussions.
• Documentation and Knowledge Products: Compile a comprehensive technical report that encapsulates the design process, methodologies employed, and insights gained throughout the project, and prepare documentation that is appropriate for publication, implementation, or policy advocacy.
• Collaborate with the University of Gondar and Debark University for technical inputs and design validation, where possible.

This scope ensures that the project offers useful infrastructure while also delivering lasting social, environmental, and institutional benefits for Alemwach and nearby areas.

4. Deliverables

The primary deliverables comprise:

• Inception Report: Outlining the proposed methodology, comprehensive work plan, and strategy for stakeholder engagement and design parameters.
• Detailed Site Assessment Report: An analysis of the environmental, hydrological, and topographical aspects of the Alemwach Refugee Settlement, highlighting priority intervention areas and offering technical guidance for the design and implementation of bioswales.
• Comprehensive Design/study Package: Develop comprehensive engineering and landscaping design documents for the central bioswale, roadside vegetated swales, rain gardens, and additional nature-based drainage infrastructure. The package shall comprise construction drawings, technical specifications, a bill of quantities, and plant (vegetation) selection lists customized for the local ecology.
• Framework and Report for Monitoring and Evaluation: A collection of quantifiable performance metrics outlining significant findings regarding environmental impact, including runoff reduction, erosion control, vegetation recovery, job creation, and community engagement.
• Employment Impact Report: A quantitative and qualitative analysis detailing the expected number of jobs to be created through the proposed NbS investment. The report shall estimate short-term employment during construction and maintenance phases and assess the potential for longer-term livelihood opportunities. It shall also provide gender-disaggregated data and highlight contributions to local economic development.
• Summary of Social Cohesion and Livelihood Impact: This assessment combines qualitative and quantitative methods to evaluate the intervention’s effects on enhancing relationships between refugee and host populations, stimulating economic activity in conflict-affected communities, and facilitating localized adaptation to reduced humanitarian aid.

5. Expected Outcome

The successful execution of this project will yield a resilient, inclusive, and environmentally sustainable stormwater management system within the Alemwach Refugee Settlement. The project employs nature-based solutions, particularly bioswales and vegetated infrastructure, to tackle significant environmental issues, including flooding, erosion, and inadequate drainage, while also providing social, economic, and ecological co-benefits.

This intervention aims to enhance the adaptive capacity of both refugee and host communities through several key strategies:

• Minimizing vulnerability to seasonal flooding and waterborne hazards.
• Restoring degraded land and hydrological functions within the settlement.
• Creating decent employment opportunities and income for conflict-affected populations via the ILO’s labour-based approach.
• Fostering social cohesion and inclusion by involving refugees and host communities in a collaborative development process.
• Developing local knowledge and skills in sustainable land and water management.

This initiative seeks to establish a framework for climate-resilient, community-driven environmental restoration in contexts of displacement. It illustrates how integrated and participatory design can address immediate humanitarian needs while promoting sustainable development and environmental stewardship.

5. Estimated Budget Summary

The implementing partner shall provide its financial proposal based on the sample format annexed to this TOR.

6. Duration and Location

Location: Alemwach Refugee Settlement, Dabat, Ethiopia

Duration: 8 months from contract start date (Tentatively from 01 January 2026 to 31 August 2026).

7. Management and Coordination

The implementing partner will report to the ILO Chief Technical Adviser (CTA) and will obtain technical support from the Employment-Intensive Investment Programme (EIIP) Technical Specialist and the Programme Officer. The implementing partner will collaborate closely with UNHCR, the Refugees and Returnees Service (RRS), the local government in Dabat, and community representatives from both refugee and host populations. It shall also coordinate with Amhara National Regional State Environment & Forest Protection, Amhara Bureau of Agriculture, specifically the DRDIP project, the Amhara Bureau of Labour and Skills, the University of Gondar, Debark University, and other identified partners, including Action for the Needy Ethiopia (ANE) and Innovative Humanitarian Solutions (IHS), to obtain technical inputs. The implementing partner must integrate input from all essential stakeholders to guarantee alignment, accountability, and efficient execution during the project cycle.

8. Eligibility and Requirements

The chosen research or implementing partner should fulfil the following minimum eligibility and performance criteria:

a. Technical Proficiency and Proven Experience

• Demonstrated expertise in ecosystem-based design, nature-based solutions (NbS), green infrastructure planning, and integrated watershed and stormwater management.
• Proven experience in the design of bioswales, rain gardens, vegetated buffers, or other sustainable drainage systems, particularly in low-resource, rural/urban, or displacement contexts.
• The candidate must have a minimum of seven years of relevant institutional experience in environmental engineering, ecological restoration, or landscape architecture, and must have completed at least two similar projects within the last five years.

b. Experience in Humanitarian and Development Contexts

• Experience in refugee camps, informal settlements, or similar environments with vulnerable populations is also required. Possess a comprehensive understanding of the socio-political, environmental, and logistical dynamics in displacement-affected regions, which includes collaborating with humanitarian organizations and governmental stakeholders.

c. Community Engagement and Participatory Design

• Demonstrated capacity to lead or collaborate in participatory design processes that include displaced communities and host populations.
• Evidence of the design of interventions that are gender-sensitive, inclusive, accessible, and promote community ownership and the integration of local knowledge.

d. Composition of Multi-disciplinary Teams

• A qualified multi-disciplinary team may comprise environmental engineers, landscape architects, hydrologists, ecologists, social scientists, monitoring and evaluation experts, and community facilitators, among others.
• Team members are required to possess relevant academic qualifications (e.g., MSc/PhD) and a minimum of 5 years of practical experience in related fields.

All CVs must be attached.

e. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Knowledge Dissemination

• Proficient in creating monitoring and evaluation frameworks for assessing environmental and social impacts, incorporating quantifiable indicators such as runoff reduction, sediment retention, vegetation recovery, and job creation.
• Capability to document and convey lessons learned via reports, knowledge products, or scholarly publications.

Previous assignment reports shall be attached, or attestations could suffice.

f. Operational and Logistical Capacity

• Ability to deploy field teams, perform site assessments, and function efficiently in remote or semi-urban areas, including Dabat/Alemwach.
• Capacity for collaborative engagement with local institutions, such as universities, municipal governments, and non-governmental organizations.

g. Legal and Administrative Considerations

• A legally registered non- profit-making organizations/ research/academic institution possessing current registration, licensing, and tax compliance documents in accordance with Ethiopian laws, or qualified to operate under a partnership arrangement with a local entity.
• Commitment to adhere to operational guidelines set forth by ILO, UNHCR, and RRS, as well as to uphold labour standards and ethical practices.

Implementing partners that fulfil these criteria are requested to submit a detailed proposal that includes their relevant experience, technical methodology, team structure, timelines, and budgetary considerations. Priority will be assigned to candidates who exhibit technical proficiency alongside a strong commitment to community engagement, sustainability, and local capacity building.

9. Evaluation Criteria

After the invitation for bids has closed, the evaluation team will review the proposals that have been submitted. Initially, each submission will be assessed based on its technical merits, followed by an evaluation of its pricing. The team will assess the technical proposals from all bidders, followed by a review of the financial offers from those who meet the technical criteria. The proposal that attains the highest overall score, determined by summing the results of the technical and financial evaluations, and provides the best value for money, will be put forward for contract award.

The ILO will first evaluate the completeness and responsiveness of Proposals in relation to:

• The time of submission is followed.
• The Technical Proposal letter is duly signed.

Proposals that fail to comply with the above will be disqualified and will not be given further consideration.

• A maximum of 70 points will be assigned to the Technical Proposals and 30 points to the financial proposals. Non-technically compliant and non-responsive Proposals will not be given further consideration. The ILO will evaluate the financial offers that pass the technical evaluation.70 points (out of 100) required to proceed to financial evaluation.

The recommendation for the award of the contract will be based on the Best Value for Money principle. The Proposal(s) obtaining the highest cumulative score(s) (Technical + financial) will be recommended for the award.

Evaluation Criteria

Maximum points

1. Technical Expertise

Relevant Project Experience – 15 points

• Demonstrated successful completion of at least one similar NbS / green infrastructure project in the last five years, preferably in displacement or low-resource settings.

Technical Skills & Knowledge – 15 points

• Proven expertise in stormwater management, bioswale and rain garden design, hydrology in black cotton soil conditions, and environmental safeguards etc.

Team Qualifications – 10 points

• Availability of a multidisciplinary team (e.g., environmental engineers, hydrologists, ecologists, social specialists) with at least 5 years of relevant experience each (CVs of the proposed key staff, including years of experience in similar work).

1. Methodology, Work Plan & Approach

Understanding of TOR Objectives – 10 points

• Clear understanding of project scope, challenges, and local context.

Approach & Methodology – 15 points

• Context-specific, participatory, and gender-sensitive approach; integration of local knowledge and labour-based methods.

Work Plan & Risk Management – 5 points

• Feasible timeline, risk mitigation measures, and quality control plan

1. Community Engagement & Capacity Building

• Clear strategies for involving refugees and host communities in design and implementation. – 8 points
• Plan for skills transfer and local capacity building.– 7 points

1. Monitoring, Evaluation & Knowledge Sharing – 10 points

• Comprehensive M&E framework with measurable indicators (runoff reduction, erosion control, vegetation recovery, job creation, social cohesion). – 5 points
• Commitment to producing knowledge products and sharing lessons learned.– 5 points
• Inclusion of a clear methodology for estimating employment creation and labour intensity in line with EIIP principles. -5 points

Notes:

• Minimum Technical Score: 70 points (out of 100) required to proceed to financial evaluation.
• Award Basis: Best Value for Money (combined technical + financial scores).\

Please see the detail for further reference

https://www.ungm.org/Public/Notice

How to apply

• Interested applicants who meet the eligibility requirements should submit their details:
• Technical and financial proposals, including CVs of the key personnel to work on this project
• CSO registration, registration, declaration
• Recent audit report of the CSO/partner
• Updated and recent audit report
• Other supportive documentation electronically to: ADDIS_PROCUREMENT@ilo.org
• ILO Country Office for Ethiopia, Djibouti, Somalia, Sudan, and South Sudan
• UNECA Compound- Addis Ababa

Kindly title your email subject as “Call for proposal – Design and Feasibility Study: Nature-Based Solutions for Stormwater Management and Environmental Protection, Alemwach settlement, Dabat, Amhara Region. .”

Deadline for application will be 24 November 2025, 02:00 pm (EAT).