Integrated Technical Design Service Provider for WEFE Demonstration Site (“Learning Lab”)

JOB VACANCY

Integrated Technical Design Service Provider for WEFE Demonstration Site (“Learning Lab”)

1. Background

The Blue Peace ME WEFE Nexus Pilot will establish a centralized Demonstration Site (“Learning Lab”) to serve as a “gold standard” reference site where fit-for-purpose Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystem (WEFE) interventions function correctly under controlled management. The Learning Lab will also serve as a practical training environment for Training of Trainers and farmer capacity building before replication on farmers’ land. Accordingly, the design shall not only ensure technical soundness and constructability, but also support safe and effective use of the site as a practical training environment and as a long-term operational asset to be managed by Al-Hashemyat Water Users Association after project completion. The baseline assessment recommends a centralized site to reduce operational and reputational risks compared to dispersed interventions, enabling direct supervision, consistent operation standards, and high visibility. The design should therefore prioritize robust operation, safe supervision, controlled access, ease of maintenance, and high demonstration value under local field conditions. The Learning Lab is designed for canal-fed systems and shall integrate a core set of WEFE interventions, including: water storage, solar pumping, drip and sprinkler irrigation, linear/pivot irrigation system, a greenhouse, nature-based solutions (agroforestry shelterbelts, nitrogen-fixing intercropping, composting hub, fodder strips), and simple soil-moisture decision support tools. The provider shall design these interventions as an integrated site system, clearly showing hydraulic, energy, operational, monitoring, and user-access linkages between all components.

Project: Blue Peace ME WEFE Nexus Pilot: Regional Learning, Local Field Action – Diyala, Iraq

Location: Al-Hashemyat Water Users Association, Khalis District, Diyala, Iraq

Duration: up to 3 weeks

Site Area: ~3-4 Iraqi donums

Start Date: as soon as the service provider selected

About Blue Peace Middle East

Blue Peace Middle East is a non-governmental initiative dedicated to promoting cooperation and peace through sustainable water management in the Middle East. Established in 2010, the Blue Peace ME initiative is committed to its mission of transforming water from a potential source of conflict into an instrument of cooperation and peace through dialogue, capacity building, and concrete actions. 2 This unique initiative is led by a regionally owned mechanism, which is comprised of members from Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Türkiye, and, to a certain extent to Iran. The Blue Peace ME Regional Mechanism (RM) contributes to regional cooperation by stimulating political and technical dialogues about water and supporting concrete regional projects, know-how transfer, knowledge exchange, and capacity-building activities in its member countries.

The Coordination Office

The Blue Peace Middle East initiative’s Coordination Office (CO) provides logistical, organizational, and communication support to help the Blue Peace Middle East RM achieve its objectives. The CO is responsible for the overall coordination of Blue Peace ME activities, smooth communication within the RM and with Blue Peace ME partners. Its duties include providing secretarial support to the Managing Committee (MC) and Policy Advisory Committee (PAC), coordinating thematic activities, managing subcontractors, and implementing a coherent outreach strategy for Blue Peace ME. The CO also provides technical and logistical support for Blue Peace ME events and liaises with support institutions on progress of thematic activities, financial matters, and administrative issues. Additionally, the CO organizes and hosts MC and PAC meetings and workshops, takes minutes, and provides technical and logistical support as needed. The CO is currently hosted at the offices of INWRDAM in Amman, Jordan.

About INWRDAM

The Inter-Islamic Network on Water Resources Development and Management (INWRDAM) is an autonomous intergovernmental think-tank based in Amman, Jordan. It was established in 1987 under the Ministerial Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. With 21 member countries, the organisation focuses on promoting cooperation in water resources management through research, actions on ground, dialogue and policy development.

2. Objective

INWRDAM seeks a qualified service provider, consultant, or team of consultants to deliver a complete, tender-ready integrated technical design package for the WEFE Learning Lab based on clearly documented design assumptions, performance criteria, and site-specific technical validation. The package must enable competitive procurement and high-quality implementation and shall include:

• • Site masterplan and layouts, including functional zoning, training circulation, maintenance access, safety buffers, and future WUA operational use.
• • Technical designs for all required components, including hydraulic, electrical/solar, irrigation, greenhouse, monitoring/metering, drainage, and nature-based solution elements.
• • Drawings (CAD + PDF), technical specifications, compliance sheet, key design notes/calculation sheets, and a detailed BoQ (Excel).
• • Technical tender evaluation inputs, including technical compliance checklist, technical scoring criteria, and BoQ comparison template.
• • Indicative implementation methodology, construction sequencing logic, and draft implementation schedule to support procurement and execution planning.
• • Design-linked QA/QC checklists, testing requirements, and commissioning/acceptance criteria for major systems. 3
• • The design must facilitate a direct comparison between WEFE-enhanced plots and traditional local farming practices regarding water consumption, energy use, and yield-potential indicators.
• • The assignment shall also include recommending a crop and planting strategy for the demonstration site that aligns with local conditions, seasonal feasibility, economic value, and ecosystem benefits under the NBS approach.

The final package must support immediate procurement and implementation.

3. Scope of Work

The assignment shall also incorporate training-function requirements, monitoring integration, operability and maintenance considerations, and local market/constructability feasibility into the final design package, including site survey and engineering calculations.

3.1 Desk review and inception

• Review the baseline assessment requirements, pilot concept note, intervention list, available site information, and any relevant maps, authority inputs, and technical references related to the Learning Lab.

• Submit an Inception Note confirming methodology, survey plan, key design assumptions to validate, required technical data, identified information gaps, and proposed fallback measures in case authority-provided inputs are delayed.

3.2 Site survey and technical investigations

The provider shall identify and confirm the minimum technical information required to produce a sound, buildable, and tender-ready design, including any critical gaps that may affect design quality, constructability, cost, or delivery schedule:

• Boundary and layout verification

o The provider shall also assess internal zoning needs, service access routes, trainee/visitor movement, and any space constraints affecting demonstration quality, safety, or maintainability, based on the suggested site area of approximately 3–4 Iraqi donums, and shall confirm whether this footprint is adequate for accommodating all required WEFE components in a functional, safe, and durable manner

• Topographic survey (provided by MoWR/MoA)

o The topographic survey will be conducted by Iraqi authorities (MoWR/MoA) as an in-kind contribution.

o The service provider will review/validate the outputs and integrate the levels/contours into the final design (pond siting, drainage, irrigation routing, and safe access).

If the authority-provided topographic information is delayed, incomplete, or insufficient for design purposes, the provider shall promptly notify the coordination office and propose a minimum supplementary verification approach, subject to approval.

• Soil/ground assessment (provided by MoWR/MoA)

o The soil/ground assessment will be conducted by Iraqi authorities (MoWR/MoA) as an in-kind contribution.

o The service provider will interpret the findings and apply them in the design (earthworks, lining protection, planting feasibility, and drainage), proposing any limited additional checks only if essential and approved by the coordination office.

The provider shall identify the implications of the soil/ground findings for earthworks, pond lining/protection, greenhouse foundations if needed, drainage, planting zones, and the durability of site infrastructure. If the provided information is insufficient, the provider shall recommend only the minimum essential supplementary checks required for design completion.

• Crop suitability and planting strategy assessment

The provider shall assess and recommend suitable crops and planting combinations for the demonstration site based on local agro-climatic conditions, seasonal suitability, soil and water conditions, compatibility with the targeted area, economic value, irrigation compatibility, and their potential contribution to ecosystem enhancement as part of the nature-based solutions approach. The assessment shall distinguish, where relevant, between crops for open-field demonstration plots, greenhouse production, intercropping zones, fodder strips, and shelterbelt-related planting, and shall justify the proposed selections in relation to demonstration value, practicality, and replicability for local farmers.

• Water source and hydraulics assessment (main canal → sub-canal → demo

o Confirm and document the water conveyance pathway from main canal (yellow) to sub-canal (blue) feeding the demo site (as per the provided map)

o Assess seasonal fluctuations, debris/sediment/vegetation risks, and maintenance access based on field observation and stakeholder input

o Confirm intake constructability and safety requirements at the sub-canal

o Establish preliminary hydraulic design parameters and design implications, including expected operating flows, intake control concept, filtration needs, sediment/debris management, isolation/control points, and locations for bulk water measurement and performance monitoring.

• Energy and safety context

o Confirm solar exposure/shading constraints for PV placement

o Identify safety risks at the site (public access, electrical safety zones, water hazards near pond) and incorporate mitigations into design

o Assess implications for PV/system sizing, equipment protection, energy-performance monitoring, user-safe access during training activities, and resilience to local heat, dust, and field exposure conditions.

3.3 Concept design and site masterplan (options)

The provider shall develop 2–3 site layout options, options shall be compared using clear criteria including constructability, operational efficiency, safety, demonstration value, maintainability, climate resilience, and local market 5 feasibility, then recommend one preferred option.

Each option must include zoning and routing for:

• Water intake and filtration, pond/tank, solar pumping equipment, associated control/measurement points, and design responses to evaporation and water-loss risks.

• Drip and sprinkler demonstration blocks (side-by-side), linear/pivot irrigation system, including hydraulic zoning, control points, monitoring provisions where feasible, and access for operation and training.

• Greenhouse area, orientation, internal irrigation concept, drainage considerations, and practical suitability for demonstration and training use

• Composting hub with associated storage/tool point, including runoff management, access, hygiene considerations, and operational practicality.

• Shelterbelt perimeter, fodder strips, and intercropping demonstration zones, including functional planting logic for wind protection, soil improvement, training value, and long-term maintenance.

• Proposed crop plan and seasonal planting logic for each relevant demonstration zone, including justification of the recommended crops based on economic value, seasonal appropriateness, compatibility with local conditions, irrigation method, and contribution to ecosystem functions within the NBS concept.

• Sensors, metering points, and demonstration signage, including a practical concept for water, energy, and field-performance monitoring and user-friendly interpretation during training activities

• Safe walkways, access routes, and designated gathering/briefing points for trainees and visitors, with controlled movement around operational and hazard-prone areas.

• A designated area designed to replicate common local farming methods (e.g., surface/flood irrigation) to serve as a baseline for comparative monitoring of water efficiency, cost, and crop performance.

3.4 Detailed engineering design (tender-ready)

The detailed design shall translate the approved masterplan into a coordinated, buildable, and tender-ready engineering package. The provider shall demonstrate full technical integration between hydraulic, irrigation, solar/electrical, greenhouse, monitoring, drainage, access, and landscape/NBS components, and shall ensure that the final design supports site functionality for demonstration, training, operation, maintenance, and post-project handover.

The design shall focus on robust, cost-effective, and locally maintainable technologies appropriate for a WUA-managed site, avoiding overly complex automation.

3.5 BoQ, specifications, cost estimate, and implementation preparations

The provider shall produce the following documents based on realistic local market conditions, constructability considerations, and the intended operational life of the Learning Lab components.

• Detailed BoQ (Excel): The BoQ shall be structured by system/component, clearly distinguish major work packages, and be suitable for transparent tender comparison and possible phased implementation if required.

• Technical specifications: Specifications shall reflect durability under Diyala field conditions, practical maintenance requirements, and, where possible, 6 availability of materials/equipment in the Iraqi market or realistic importability.

• Implementation plan:

o Site preparation works (clearing, grading, access, temporary facilities)

o Construction sequencing and schedule

o Proposed planting phasing aligned with construction and commissioning

o Seasonal planting calendar for all relevant seasons

o Crop sequencing/rotation considerations, where applicable o Establishment requirements and irrigation needs

o QA/QC checklist and inspection/test plan

o Commissioning procedures for solar pumping, irrigation, sensors, and greenhouse

o Considerations to ensure continued demonstration and training use across seasons

• Comparative Data Framework: The designer shall provide a brief technical note outlining the recommended parameters for tracking (e.g., m3 of water per kg of yield, kWh per hectare) to ensure the WUA can effectively demonstrate the comparative economic and operational value of the new technology against traditional methods

These documents are intended as design-stage guidance to support procurement and implementation planning and shall identify critical sequencing dependencies, interface risks, and commissioning requirements for major systems

• As-built readiness package: As-built readiness and handover checklist format to be used later during implementation to support completeness verification, asset registration, and post-construction handover.

4. Duration and Schedule

Expected duration: 3 weeks from contract signature including at least one field mission to Diyala.

5. Deliverables

All deliverables shall be submitted (English language) in accordance with the scopes detailed in Section 2.

6. Institutional Arrangements

The service provider will report to the Blue Peace Middle East Coordination Office Project Coordinator/Technical Focal Point.

7. Data, access, and inputs provided by INWRDAM

The below inputs will be provided to the extent available at the time of assignment and may require validation by the service provider for design purposes. INWRDAM will provide:

• Demo site GPS/boundary location (3–4 donums) and facilitate site access

• Baseline report and intervention list

• Intake point information:

o Intake GPS: 33°43’06.61″N, 44°32’05.98″E

o Ground elevation: 43.76 m

• Coordination support with WUA leadership and relevant stakeholders

8. Contract Duration

The expected duration of the assignment shall be 3 weeks from contract signature. Applicants shall provide a realistic workplan and schedule in the technical proposal, aligned with the scope, field requirements, and deliverables.

9. Eligibility and Qualification Requirements

Applicants shall demonstrate the qualifications and capacity required to deliver the full scope of the assignment in an integrated manner, including, as relevant:

• Proven experience in delivering tender-ready integrated agricultural or rural infrastructure design packages, including drawings, technical specifications, and BoQs

• Demonstrated experience in irrigation and solar pumping design, and preferably greenhouse and agricultural support infrastructure

• Ability to conduct or verify required site investigations and translate findings into coordinated, buildable, and professional design documentation

• Demonstrated understanding of practical operability, maintenance, and durability requirements in rural field conditions

• Demonstrated capacity to address crop suitability, seasonal planting strategy, and/or nature-based solution planting considerations relevant to the assignment

• Ability to prepare implementation-oriented outputs, including cost estimates, technical tender inputs, comparative monitoring considerations, and implementation planning documents

• Access to, or inclusion of, multidisciplinary expertise required to deliver the assignment, including engineering, agricultural/agronomic, and planting/NBS-related inputs, as needed

• Relevant academic and professional background in civil, agricultural, irrigation engineering, or related fields, with complementary expertise available where required by the scope

10. Proposal Submission Requirements

Applicants shall submit a technical proposal, financial proposal, and supporting documents as described below.

10.1 Technical Proposal

Maximum 10 to 15 pages, excluding annexes. The technical proposal should include:

• Understanding of the assignment and proposed methodology

• Survey / verification approach and treatment of site data gaps

• Approach to concept design, tender-ready design, and local feasibility

• Approach to crop suitability, planting strategy, and NBS-related planting considerations

• Approach to monitoring, training-function, operability, and implementation readiness

• Workplan, timeline, and staffing plan

• Team composition, roles, and CVs of key experts

• Examples of relevant similar assignments and work samples

10.2 Financial Proposal

The financial proposal shall be submitted separately and should include:

• Total lump-sum price in USD

• Breakdown by major tasks and/or deliverables

• Professional fees and reimbursable assumptions, if any

• Travel and field mission costs, where applicable 10

• Taxes and any assumptions or exclusions

10.3 Supporting Documents

• Applicant profile or company profile

• Registration documents, where applicable

• CVs of key personnel

• Portfolio / work samples

• References or completion certificates, where available

11. Submission Method

Where attached files exceed the size limit for a single email, applicants may send multiple emails, annotated clearly (e.g. Email 1 of 2). Proposals may not be submitted by uploading files to a file-sharing platform.