Objective and Purpose of the Assignment
 | The Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved a sector development program (SDP) on 24 October 2014, called the Rajasthan Urban Sector Development Program (RUSDP). The aim was to complement past efforts of the state government to improve its water supply and wastewater services in previously underserved towns. RUSDP comprised program and project loans, sanitation grant, and capacity-building technical assistance (TA). The program loan supported the policy reforms, institutional development, and improved urban governance in the state. The project loan funded water supply systems in five project cities and sewerage systems in six project cities. RUSDP was built upon a two-decade-long partnership among ADB, the Government of India, and the state government of Rajasthan. The long-term partnership in the sector provided ADB with valuable lessons. The formulation of RUSDP was guided by (i) the importance of consultations on the project’s design, and timely induction and capacity building of counterpart staff; (ii) grouping contracts into fewer packages with long-term operation and maintenance (O&M) provisions; and (iii) taking advance actions for procurement to enhance project readiness. A review of the CPS for 2009–2012 reiterated the importance of strong and effective institutions and governance systems to sustain and maximize impacts. ADB provided technical support and guidance in the design phase and consultations were organized with diverse stakeholders, including community organizations. The SDP modality was most appropriate, as Rajasthan wanted to prioritize the improvement and strengthening of urban institutions and governance. This approach enabled an integrated solution to the infrastructure needs of the urban centers and the long- term reform agenda. This lending modality had the potential to support catalytic investments to enhance productivity and leverage finances from other funding sources in the project cities. The state government strongly expressed the need for investment combined with the much-needed policy reform in the urban sector. A $2 million grant from the Gates Foundation was financed under the Sanitation Financing Partnership Trust Fund (SFPTF) of the Water Financing Partnership Facility, to design and construct fecal sludge management (FSM) systems and innovative sanitation in Phulera, Lalsot, and Khandela. Construction of pilot fecal sludge treatment plants promoted more such initiatives in Rajasthan that were adopted on a large scale in the state. In addition, fecal sludge treatment plants have been supported and are operational in other towns through ADB financing, including Bandikui, Dausa, Jobner, Neem Ka Thana, Rohda Kalan, and Sri Dungargarh. The FSM subprojects have signed a five-year memorandum of understanding with the village councils to provide de-sludging services in 198 villages within a 10–15 km radius, with the aim to extend the coverage of urban FSM facilities to rural areas. The effective FSM practices are being disseminated through the Rajasthan Secondary Towns Development Sector Project (RSTDSP), a loan approved by ADB on 25 September 2020. This project includes two subprojects covering 13 towns, specifically addressing the collection and treatment of fecal sludge and septage. The objective of this assignment is to provide specialized technical and institutional expertise to support a comprehensive and evidence-based assessment of fecal sludge management (FSM) systems in Rajasthan. The assignment will support evaluation of FSM performance across the full-service chain, assessment of the technical, operational, and institutional sustainability of FSM assets created under ADB, state, and partner financed investments, and identification of gaps, risks, and corrective measures. It will document good practices and lessons learned relevant for Citywide Inclusive Sanitation (CWIS) planning and develop practical recommendations and frameworks to strengthen FSM planning, contracting, regulation, monitoring, and long-term sustainability. The specialist will work closely with ADB and the Knowledge and Learning Specialist to deliver a high-quality Knowledge Product and support Knowledge Sharing Sessions (KSS) and related dissemination outputs based assessment of fecal sludge management (FSM) systems in Rajasthan. The assignment will support evaluation of FSM performance across the full service chain, assessment of the technical, operational, and institutional sustainability of FSM assets created under ADB, state, and partner financed investments, and identification of gaps, risks, and corrective measures. It will document good practices and lessons learned relevant for Citywide Inclusive Sanitation (CWIS) planning and develop practical recommendations and frameworks to strengthen FSM planning, contracting, regulation, monitoring, and long-term sustainability. The specialist will work closely with ADB and the Knowledge and Learning Specialist to deliver a high- quality Knowledge Product and support Knowledge Sharing Sessions (KSS) and related dissemination outputs. based assessment of fecal sludge management (FSM) systems in Rajasthan. The assignment will support evaluation of FSM performance across the full-service chain, assessment of the technical, operational, and institutional sustainability of FSM assets created under ADB, state, and partner financed investments, and identification of gaps, risks, and corrective measures. It will document good practices and lessons learned relevant for Citywide Inclusive Sanitation (CWIS) planning and develop practical recommendations and frameworks to strengthen FSM planning, contracting, regulation, monitoring, and long term sustainability. The specialist will work closely with ADB and the Knowledge and Learning Specialist to deliver a high quality Knowledge Product and support Knowledge Sharing Sessions (KSS) and related dissemination outputs. |
Scope of Work
| The Fecal Sludge Management and Urban Institutional Expert will report directly to the ADB Project Officer and will work closely with the Implementing Agency, Rajasthan Urban Drinking Water Sewerage & Infrastructure Corporation Limited (RUDSICO), and the Executing Agency, Local Self Government Department (LSGD). In implementing the assignment, the expert will coordinate with the Project Management and Capacity Building Consultant (PMCBC), Construction Management and Supervision Consultants (CMSC), and Community Awareness and Public Participation Consultants (CAPPC), as relevant. The expert will collaborate with ADB, RUDSICO, and associated consultants to support the technical and institutional assessment of fecal sludge management (FSM) systems, including evaluation of system performance, sustainability of FSM assets, and institutional and operational arrangements. Work plans, outputs, and schedules will be closely coordinated with the ADB Project Officer and RUDSICO to ensure alignment with the Knowledge Product objectives, agreed methodology, and delivery timelines. The expert will support donor visibility requirements by (i) ensuring that any workshop/event/session materials and publication inputs prepared under this assignment are consistent with donor publication branding and visibility guidelines (to be coordinated by ADB) and (ii) providing a short set of success- story assets (images and quotations) from Knowledge Sharing Sessions (KSS) for reporting. |
Detailed Tasks and/or Expected Output
| The Fecal Sludge Management and Urban Institutional Expert will undertake the following tasks: (i) Review available technical documentation (including feasibility studies/DPRs, design reports, O&M arrangements, performance and monitoring records) for FSTPs in Phulera, Lalsot, and Khandela (GF supported), and selected three towns with operational FSTPs under ADB financing (to be selected from Bandikui, Dausa, Jobner, Neem Ka Thana, Rohda Kalan, and Sri Dungargarh). (ii) Undertake field visits and consultations with Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), operators, and other key stakeholders to carry out physical verification and detailed assessment of FSM systems in Phulera, Lalsot, Khandela, and selected ADB financed towns, and conduct institutional level discussions in Jaipur (including LSGD, RUDSICO, and other relevant agencies). (iii) Assess FSM system performance across the full service chain—containment, desludging, transport, treatment, and disposal/reuse—focusing on technical functionality, service reliability, operations and maintenance practices, and compliance with applicable standards. (iv) Analyze institutional, contractual, and operational arrangements governing FSM service delivery, including roles and responsibilities of ULBs, operators, and state agencies, and identify gaps affecting efficiency, accountability, and sustainability. (v) Undertake a focused review of relevant sector development program elements (including selected project and program loan components) to draw contextual lessons for FSM planning, implementation, and institutional strengthening. (vi) Identify strengths, weaknesses, constraints, and risks affecting the sustainability of FSM assets and services, document good and emerging practices, and assess alignment with relevant national and international benchmarks. (vii) Undertake a desk based review of a selected subset of fecal sludge treatment plants completed through state financing (from approximately 30 facilities), focusing on (a) technology adopted and design intent, (b) operating and O&M arrangements, and (c) operational sustainability and key risks. (viii) Compile/validate an inventory of FSM/FSTP facilities and basic attributes (location, capacity, technology, status, operator model, desludging arrangement) using available state/ULB records (ix) Work closely with ADB, RUDSICO, and the Knowledge and Learning Specialist to ensure coordination, technical consistency, and timely delivery of agreed outputs. (x) Develop practical, actionable recommendations to improve FSM service levels and sustainability, including measures related to technical design, O&M, contracting models, institutional capacity, regulation, and monitoring. (xi) Contribute to the documentation of lessons learned and good practices for Citywide Inclusive Sanitation (CWIS) planning, with clear implications for future project design and investment programs in Rajasthan. (xii) Provide technical inputs to Knowledge Sharing Sessions (KSS) and the Knowledge Product, supporting preparation of analytical content, case studies, and key messages for ADB publications and dissemination materials. (xiii) As a short supporting note, the KP will flag future-proofing considerations for FSTPs in low- water-supply towns (e.g., space/land safeguarding, co-treatment readiness, phased pathways), without expanding the scope into separate field analytics for grey/blackwater. (xiv) In coordination with the Knowledge and Learning Specialist and ADB, compile and submit a short donor visibility package consisting of 2–3 high-quality images (with captions/credits and consent as applicable) and 2–3 short quotations from KSS participants/stakeholders (with name/ designation/ organization cleared for use) highlighting key outcomes/lessons. These will be prepared in line with donor visibility/branding guidelines and shared for use by ADB/donor for reporting. |
Minimum Qualification Requirements
| Core qualifications, skills, and experience requirements includes: (i) Bachelor’s or master’s degree in civil, wastewater, environmental, or sanitation engineering, or a related field, with demonstrated experience in fecal sludge management (FSM), onsite sanitation, and related treatment technologies. Urban sector experience is an advantage. (ii) Minimum 10 years of professional experience in the wastewater and sanitation sector, including FSM and FSTP implementation, preferably under ADB financed financed or other multilateral development bank projects. (iii) Proven experience in preparing or coordinating national or international technical publications, reports, or knowledge products in sanitation or wastewater management. (iv) Strong experience in multidisciplinary assignments involving technical, institutional, and O&M assessments of sanitation infrastructure and service delivery systems. (v) Experience working with multilateral and intergovernmental organizations (e.g., ADB, World Bank, UN) and demonstrated ability to work effectively with diverse stakeholders. (vi) Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English. Strong analytical writing and presentation skills are desirable. The consultant may have to travel to meet with ADB/RUDSICO and the ADB project team as per the requirement. Inputs would be required on an intermittent basis. |
