Terms of Reference (ToR)
for
Feasibility Assessment for Water Entrepreneurship at RMG communities and Baseline Study for ‘Shujola – Promoting Water Entrepreneurs and Digital Financing Mechanism in Bangladesh’
Background
Shujola – Promoting Water Entrepreneurs and Digital Financing Mechanism in Bangladesh is a 15-month project (15 September 2019 – 15 December 2020), funded by JT International SA. The project aims to facilitate access to safe water for residents in RMG clusters. Shujola proposes to testing a new business model: designated public agencies engage authorized private sector players to extend the service delivery network to new areas.
Dhaka Water Supply & Sewerage Authority (DWASA) has already piloted a program with a Water technology company, and established water ATMs providing safe drinking water across Dhaka. The results, so far, suggest that water from these ATMs have gained traction in thousands of households and small businesses across the city. However, this pilot concept has been challenged by some limitations:
- It cannot reach scale and go beyond areas where DWASA does not operate (Gazipur, Tongi and Narayanganj is outside the jurisdiction of DWASA);
- The Water technology company is heavily dependent on DWASA with regard to expanding its geographical reach.
- Water technology company also, at present, does not have the capacity to provide operational and maintenance support to all of these water ATMs on its own;
- The commercial viability of the partnership between DWASA and Water technology company also remains to be tested.
Therefore, the project will add value to the existing concept by:
- Assisting all market actors to establish detailed business plans and test the commercial viability of the business model.
- Identifying, selecting and training local entrepreneurs to operate and maintain water ATMs in local communities on behalf of water technology companies as its franchisee.
- Assessing the local presence and ability of local entrepreneurs to co-invest (either in terms of own asset or loan) will be an essential selection criterion.
- Expanding the geographical reach of water technology companies within and beyond Dhaka city – this will be done by establishing water ATMs, operated and maintained by local entrepreneurs, in Gazipur and Tongi cities in partnership with Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE) --- the designated public agency to provide water in Gazipur and Tongi;
- Facilitating the offer of loan products for local enterprises to invest in water ATMs as franchisees – this will be done in partnership with commercial banks;
- Creating pathways for scalability of the business model based on its commercial viability, learnings and experiences of the different market actors over the 15-month pilot phase.
Submission Guideline
Interested bidders should submit the technical and financial proposals and other necessary documents as hard (financial and technical proposals in two separate envelopes) and soft copies by 10 December 2019 before 5:00 PM to the address mentioned below:
Coordinator - Finance & Procurement,
Swisscontact, House 19, Road 11, Baridhara, Dhaka-1212, Bangladesh
E-mail to: tamiz.mullick@swisscontact.org
Click here to download the the detail ToR |
