REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST
(CONSULTING SERVICES – FIRMS SELECTION)
GEORGIA
Georgia Resilient Agriculture, Irrigation and Land Project (GRAIL) (Component I) – P175629
Loan No. 9504-GE
Strengthening Water Resources Management Capacity
Assignment title: Technical assistance aimed at enhancing water resources management in Georgia and fostering capacity development within targeted departments of the National Environmental Agency of Georgia
Reference No. GR/CS/CQS/12
Government of Georgia and the World Bank jointly developed a new investment project in Georgia’s rural sector – Georgia Resilient Agriculture, Irrigation, and Land (GRAIL) Project.
The total cost of the Project is 138,600 mil EURO which is equally split (50/50) between IBRD and the State budget of the Government of Georgia. The Project is planned to be implemented for six years.
The Project Development Objective (PDO) is to: (a) improve irrigation, and drainage services, and agricultural production in project areas, and (b) strengthen national irrigation and land management institutional capacity for climate resilient planning.
The primary beneficiaries of the Project comprise farmers and agricultural enterprises across the project targeted regions. Overall, the rural population will benefit from enhanced services provided by land management, irrigation services, and agricultural support. In the public sector, the Project will support institutional strengthening of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture (MEPA), including Georgian Amelioration (GA), the National Environment Agency (NEA), Rural Development Agency (RDA), and National Agency for Sustainable Land Management and Land Use Monitoring (LMA).
The proposed Project has a strong focus on climate resilience and rural livelihoods through a holistic and integrated approach. It will include the following components:
1. Component 1: Resilient Irrigated Agriculture
Subcomponent 1.1: Irrigation & Drainage Infrastructure Rehabilitation and Modernization;
Subcomponent 1.2: Irrigated agriculture and value chain development;
Subcomponent 1.3: Improved Performance of Irrigation Service Delivery
Component 2: Improved Land Management Capacity
Subcomponent 2.1: Strengthening of agricultural land management and monitoring;
Subcomponent 2.2: Enhancement of the land administration service delivery and building digital governance infrastructure
Component 3: Project Management
This component, will finance two Project Implementation Units that will be responsible for project management: One Project Implementing Unit (PIU) is established within MEPA, which is responsible for management of Component 1 and Subcomponent 2.1. The second PIU is established within the NAPR, which is the Project Implementing Entity and will be responsible for implementation of Subcomponents 2.2 and 3.2.
The project aims to improve the coverage and quality of irrigation and drainage services and agricultural production in selected irrigation command areas, which will be measured by the number of landowners with access to the services and the increase in the gross value of agricultural production.
In 2023, the new Law of Georgia on Water Resources Management (Annex 1) was adopted, in order to establish legal framework for water resources management in the country to ensure implementation of a unified state policy in the field of water resource protection, citizens’ right of access to clean water, creation of a life and health friendly environment, as well as conservation and sustainable use of water resources in line with the Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) principles. The National Environmental Agency (NEA) that is a legal entity under the MEPA, in alignment with the National Law of Georgia on Water Resources Management, is committed to enhancing integrated water resources management to ensure sustainable and equitable use of water resources. The NEA plays a pivotal role in state water monitoring and protecting Georgia’s water resources which involves hydrological, hydro-chemical, hydrobiological, hydro-morphological, and hydrogeological monitoring activities. The NEA also provides data to stakeholders, publishes forecasts, and disseminates information to the public on water-related matters.
To strengthen the National Environmental Agency’s pivotal role in state water monitoring and protection, it is essential to enhance the institutional and technical capacity of the Agency and its relevant departments. Accordingly, this assignment seeks to meet this need by providing comprehensive technical support — including the development of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) aligned with the national water regulatory framework, as well as tailored capacity-building programs and hands-on training. These efforts will reinforce the NEA’s ability to comply with national regulations, promote the conservation and sustainable use of water resources in line with Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) principles, and address critical challenges such as groundwater depletion, protection of water resources, and climate resilience.
Furthermore, in January, 2026, the Government of Georgia is establishing a centralized Department for Water Resources Management (DWRM) under the NEA. This department for the effective operationalization of Georgia’s Law on Water Resources Management, focusing on integrated water resources management, river basin planning and management, with a focus on integrated water resources management, river basin planning and management, and contributing to permitting and compliance processes. Permit assurance, however, is expected to remain under a separate NEA division. The DWRM will coordinate water management functions across MEPA and relevant NEA departments, addressing current gaps in technical capacity, data integration, and regulatory enforcement. It will also strengthen cross-sectoral coordination, data-driven decision-making, and technical expertise to improve water allocation, river basin planning, permitting, and compliance, following the integrated water resources management principles defined in the law
This assignment complements the Technical Assistance for NEA’s Regulatory Framework, which focuses on developing legally binding regulations, methodologies, and technical guidelines required under Article 37 of the Water Law. Overall, the present consultancy focuses on operationalizing water regulatory framework/instruments within NEA through institutional strengthening, internal Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), capacity-building programs, and digital system enhancements.
The Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia now invites eligible consulting firms (“Consultants”) to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services. Expression of interest should cover, but not limited to: corporate profile, years in business, experience relevant to the project activities, key staff resources, and core business. The shortlisting criteria for eligible Consulting Firm / Organization are:
- Required qualifications for eligible Consulting Firm / Organization
The assignment shall be carried out by a qualified consulting firm or consortium with proven expertise in institutional strengthening, water resources management, capacity development, and digital transformation of environmental or natural resource agencies.
The firm submitting the proposal (the “Consultant Firm”) must demonstrate the following minimum qualifications and experience:
- Institutional and Technical Expertise
- At least 10 years of proven experience in implementing institutional capacity-building and technical assistance projects in the field of water resources management, environmental governance, or integrated water information systems;
- Minimum three successfully completed assignments of similar scope and complexity within the past 7 years;
- Demonstrated experience in analyzing institutional and organizational structures, developing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and advising on water sector institutional reform and modernization in the public sector, as well as developing water resources management strategies and roadmaps;
- Solid background in capacity needs assessment, training program design, and delivery of tailored capacity development activities in the field of water resources management, environmental governance, or integrated water information systems;
- Experience in data management systems, GIS-based analytical tools, information systems integration, or decision-support systems relevant to water or environmental management;
- Demonstrated experience working with or for governmental water sector authorities, preferably in Eastern Europe or EU Member States with similar institutional frameworks;
- Experience with EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) and/or related international water management directives and standards will be a strong asset;
- Proven ability to coordinate multi-disciplinary teams, manage stakeholder consultations, and produce high-quality technical deliverables.
- International Technical Assistance:
- Experience in World Bank-funded projects and familiarity with World Bank procurement guidelines and reporting procedures would be a plus.
- Must demonstrate minimum seven (7) years of experience in the implementation of international technical assistance or international collaboration projects and/or collaboration projects with government agencies (at least 3 project references should be provided) in the environmental protection and water sectors.
Note: the MEPA reserves it’s right to verify submitted references and use obtained information for evaluation purposes.
The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to paragraph 3.14 of the World Bank’s Procurement Framework and Regulations: Selection and Employment of Consultants under IBRD Loans and IDA Credits & Grants by World Bank Borrowers, July 2016, revised November 2020 (“Consultant Guidelines”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest.
A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Consultants Qualifications-based Selection (CQS) method set out in Section VII of the Regulations: Selection and Employment of Consultants under IBRD Loans and IDA Credits & Grants by World Bank Borrowers, July 2016, revised November 2020.
Consultants may associate with other firms. (Please take into account that form of association acceptable for the World Bank is either sub-consultancy or Joint-Venture and submission must clearly indicate the nature of the association. The experience of sub-consultants will not be taken into account while evaluating the corporate experience of the consultant).
Experience in the projects relevant to the assignment should be submitted in the Form N1 uploaded at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NaYoSd_zCVJUr3AXewqbaM_a9eLff2FU/view?usp=drive_link
ToR for the assignment can be found at the following link:
Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours from 10:00 a.m. to 17:00 p.m. at Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia, Phone number: +99532 2378038, Mr. Ioseb Tchonkadze, Procurement Consultant.
Expressions of interest must be submitted in English in a written form to the email addresses below by January 15, 2026, at 16:00 (Georgian local time).
Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia
34, Marshal Gelovani Ave, Tbilisi, Georgia
Tel.: +99532 2378038
E-mail To: Rusudan.manjgaladze@mepa.gov.ge, Mariam.bakhtadze@mepa.gov.ge; iosebtchonkadze@gmail.com;
