Local recruitment: Handpump Standards Consultant: Uganda

CONTEXT

About 67% of Uganda’s rural population relies on hand pumps for water supply, with over 63,000 in use. Handpumps will continue to do so despite policy shifts toward piped systems. The standardised pumps (U2, U3, U3M) have relied upon the same specifications since the 1990s, but it is well known that rapid corrosion of submerged components affects performance and lifespan, driven by aggressive groundwater (low pH, high salinity, high chloride concentrations). The Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE) suspended the use of Galvanised Iron (GI) in 2016, but the standards, held by the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS), haven’t been revised since 1995 to address evolving technical, environmental, and climatic challenges – in particular, rapid handpump corrosion and available solutions.

Further Information:

• RWSN: Stop the Rot 
  • Uganda Report 
• World Bank: Preventing Rapid Corrosion of Handpumps Through Regulations

OBJECTIVES

Project Goals:

MWE is commencing a process to update the Uganda handpump standards, with the following overall goals:

1. The Technical Committee (TC) for the US-403:1995, US-404:1995, US-405:1995 and US 406:1995 standards is revitalised.
2. The existing standard specifications of materials for the installation of deep and shallow well handpumps are reviewed and updated in light of current policy and technical developments in Uganda.

This process is being financially supported by the Waterloo Foundation through Skat Foundation. This includes technical assistance from Ask for Water Ltd. These parties are working with MWE under a Memorandum of Understanding.

Specific activities and objectives of the consultancy services

1. To support MWE in diagnosing why the aforementioned handpump standards committee became dormant and the implications for a revitalised committee.
2. Support MWE with the rejuvenation and operationalisation of the committee.
3. Identify and list all existing standards on handpump installation materials in Uganda.
4. Review the existing standards for handpump installation materials and innovations in Uganda to identify gaps for updating the standards.
5. Support MWE and the Technical Committee to review existing improvements that are being used and promoted in Uganda.
6. Support MWE to prepare proposals for the revised standards.
7. Support MWE and UNBS in presenting the findings and proposals for revision of the standards to stakeholders.
8. Support MWE to prepare a set of revised standards (including specifications and drawings) for Deep Well and Shallow well handpump installation materials in Uganda as agreed with MWE and Skat Foundation.
9. Regular update meetings and communications with MWE, Skat Foundation and Ask for Water Ltd.
10. Prepare final activity report, which will be approved by MWE and Skat Foundation.  

Outputs of the Project

It is envisaged this assignment shall achieve the following outputs;

1. A fully fledged and functional Technical Committee recognised by UNBS that is responsible for US-403:1995, US-404:1995, US-405:1995 and US-406:1995.
2. A revised set of national standards for Deep Well and Shallow Well handpump installation materials has been approved by the sector and gazetted by the Government of Uganda.

Scope of Work

The Consultant shall take into consideration the following: 

1. Rejuvenation and operationalisation of the Technical Committee
   1. Supporting MWE to undertake consultation and harmonisation meetings with UNBS on the composition, functions and operations of a standards committee.
   2. Supporting  MWE to undertake the identification and propose competent members to MWE for consideration by the standards committee.
   3. Support MWE in the Orientation/induction of the Technical Committee.
   4. Support the standards committee on the development of the activity plan (inaugural).

1. Review and update the existing standards for handpumps in Uganda 
   1. Conduct a desk review and list all the existing standards for handpump installation materials available within Uganda, and secure them for review.
   2. Identify and list all the missing standards and specifications on Handpump installation materials and innovation in Uganda.
   3. Undertake to update the existing standards and specifications, including drawings for handpump installation materials in Uganda.
   4. Support MWE to conduct stakeholder consultation meetings to inform and obtain consensus and input of the stakeholders at the regional and national level on standardising handpump installation materials.
   5. Support MWE to submit and present to the UNBS draft standards for the agency’s input.  
2.   Support MWE to make presentations to Senior Management and Top Policy Committee the revised standards for information, ownership and approval
   1. Support MWE to submit agreed set of standards to UNBS Board for ratification and adoption.  
   2. Support MWE to follow-up on the publishing and gazettement of the standards for public use by UNBS.

BUDGET

The fixed budget overall budget of £23,000 (approximately UGX 114,000,000) should be used to cover:

• Professional fees for Consultant
• Professional fees for assistant (if required)
• Professional Fees – Expert Designs and Drawings
• Documentation and Reporting by the Consultant
• Payment of Institutional fees for Documents 
• Costs by the Consultant for stakeholder consultation
• Transportation costs for Consultant (Vehicle Hire with fuel – Urban, peri-urban and up-country)
• Miscellaneous Costs

DELIVERABLES

To accomplish this task, the consultant shall deliver the following milestones;

1. Inception Report: This report shall entail the consultant’s understanding of the assignment and the preliminary findings of the consultant in regard to the assignment. 
2. 3 x Quarterly Progress Reports
3. End of Assignment Report: This report shall entail the full list of Members that have been inaugurated to the relevant Technical Committee, a final report on the gaps and proposed amendments (Including specifications, drawings and designs) to the US–403:1995, US-404:1995, US-405:1995 and US-406:1995. The report shall also have attached the agreed and proposed revised standards for approval.

HOW TO APPLY

Deadline: 30 April 2026

Submit to: info@skat-foundation.ch 

Include:

1. CV (maximum 4 pages): focus on relevant experience (hand pump work, Uganda context, standards or government systems). Not a full chronology.
2. Personal Statement (maximum 1 page):  why you are suited to this specific assignment. Address the selection criteria directly.
3. Method Statement (maximum 2 pages): how you would approach the work, broken into the two outputs. Include a reflection on the proposed budget (e.g. is it realistic? what would you adjust?).

File format: PDF, named: `[Your Name]_HandpumpStandards_Application.pdf`

SELECTION CRITERIA

Inclusion Criteria

1. Based in Uganda (not necessarily a Ugandan national)
2. Independent consultant (and up to 1 assistant), not a company

Assessment Criteria

1. CV and Personal Statement quality:

Technical Expertise

1. Hand pump experience: documented work on hand pump installations and  maintenance.
2. Handpump supply chain understanding: evidence of knowledge of manufacturing, contracting, and service delivery ecosystems.
3. Wider WASH experience: understanding of rural water systems, governance, and service delivery realities in Uganda.

Institutional Expertise

1. Evidence of deep understanding of Uganda’s water sector, including local and national government processes and systems.
2. Evidence of working across government, standards bodies, or complex multi-stakeholder environments.
3. Familiarity with standards development, approval, or implementation processes.
4. Method statement quality: clarity, realism, and evidence of how you would sequence the work, work with MWE, and manage the budget.

We will shortlist and conduct interviews with candidates who score well across criteria and demonstrate realistic thinking in their method statement.

About Skat Foundation

Skat Foundation is an independent non-profit organisation based in Switzerland. We host the Secretariat for the Rural Water Supply Network (RWSN) and hold the international public domain standards for common handpumps, including the India Mark II and variants and the Afridev. 

This assignment is part of the “Stop the Rot – Phase 3” programme, supported by the Waterloo Foundation, and being implemented by Skat Foundation and Ask for Water Ltd. in partnership with the Ministry of Water and Environment, in Uganda.