Terms of Reference
INDEPENDENT VERIFICATION AGENCY (IVA) FOR ASSESSMENT OF RESULTS (FY2025-26)
1. Background and Context
WaterAid India (WAI) works across 10 states to improve access to sustainable, equitable, inclusive, and climate-resilient WASH services through service delivery, institutional capacity strengthening, and policy engagement with government systems. Its direct investments support drinking water systems (piped water supply, restoration of standposts and dugwells, and source sustainability measures such as rainwater harvesting, pond revival, recharge structures, and check dams), sanitation infrastructure (household, community, and institutional toilets, and greywater management systems such as soak pits, leach pits, and DEWATS), and hygiene infrastructure (handwashing stations, menstrual hygiene facilities, and community-level water purification systems). These interventions are implemented at household, community, and institutional levels, including schools, Anganwadi Centres, and Ayushman Arogya Kendras.
WAI follows Global Programme Quality Standards (QPS), aligned with its Global Strategy (2022–2032), the SDGs, and WHO/UNICEF JMP service standards. These standards have been contextualised to align with key national frameworks such as the Jal Jeevan Mission, Swachh Bharat Mission, Swachh Vidyalaya Guidelines, Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS), National Health Mission (NHM), and relevant environmental regulations, defining expected service quality across WASH interventions.
Programme quality assurance is currently undertaken through project design reviews, technical supervision, Programme Monitoring Visits (PMVs), periodic reviews, and baseline, endline, and outcome studies. While these mechanisms provide strong internal oversight, there is a need for an independent and objective verification exercise to validate the quality, functionality, sustainability and effectiveness of WASH infrastructure and services and to strengthen evidence-based decision-making.
Thus, WAI seeks to engage an Independent Verification Agency (IVA) to conduct annual verification of results across its programme.
2. Purpose and Objectives of the Assignment
Purpose:
The purpose of this assignment is to provide WaterAid India with an independent assessment of the quality, functionality and sustainability of WaterAid-supported WASH infrastructure and services across three themes – Water, Sanitation and Hygiene.
Objectives
The objectives are to:
- Verify a representative sample of WaterAid-supported WASH infrastructure completed during FY 2025–26 against WaterAid India’s Programme Quality Standards (QPS) and relevant national technical standards.
- Assess the quality, functionality, accessibility, operation and maintenance (O&M), and sustainability of the sampled infrastructure and services through technical verification.
- Develop and collect independent user feedback through a digital Citizen Feedback Application.
- Identify key gaps, good practices, and actionable recommendations to improve infrastructure quality, functionality, and long-term sustainability.
Proposal Submission Requirements
Interested agencies shall submit separate Technical and Financial Proposals.
Technical Proposal:
The technical proposal shall include:
- Understanding of the assignment.
- Proposed methodology and sampling approach.
- Detailed work plan and timeline.
- Team composition and CVs.
- Relevant organizational experience.
- References from similar assignments.
- Quality assurance framework.
Financial Proposal:
The financial proposal should be password protected include:
- Break up of Professional fees.
- Travel and accommodation costs.
- Data collection and fieldwork expenses.
- Applicable taxes.
- Total financial proposal.
All pre-bid queries and applications must be addressed to the following email address:
Email ID: WAIP2P-Delhi@wateraid.org with a subject line “IVA for WaterAid India”
For detailed information, please check the complete version of the RFP attached below.
Job Email ID: WAIP2P-Delhi(at)wateraid.org
Download Attachment: ToR for IVA – WaterAid India – for publication.docx
