Back Consultancy Services for Innovation Grant Pilot Projects Technical Monitoring

A. About Asian Disaster Preparedness Center

ADPC is an autonomous international organization with a vision to reduce disaster and climate risk impacts on communities and countries in Asia and the Pacific by working with governments, development partners, international organizations, NGOs, civil society, private sector, media, and other key stakeholders.

Established in 1986 as a technical capacity building center, ADPC has grown and diversified its expertise across social and physical sciences to support sustainable solutions for risk reduction across a broad range of specialist areas. With over 100 staff from 19 different nationalities and a wide range of professional expertise from atmospheric scientists to social scientists with experiences from all levels of engagement typically required for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Resilience (CR) in an effective manner. ADPC is a competent regional resource center and has seven thematic departments: ADPC Academy, Risk Governance, Climate Resilience, Urban Resilience, Health Risk Management, Preparedness for Response and Recovery, Geospatial Information. These are supported by Finance, Human Resources and Administration, and Strategic Planning departments. In addition to the departments, ADPC works on three cross-cutting themes: Gender and Diversity, Poverty and Livelihoods, and Regional and Transboundary Cooperation through permanent working committees.

ADPC Strategy 2020 guides the organization in providing comprehensive risk reduction support to countries and communities in Asia and the Pacific. ADPC recognizes the importance of examining the linkages between disaster risk management, poverty reduction, gender equality, sustainability, rights-based approaches, climate change and regional cooperation.

For details please refer to ADPC website at http://www.adpc.net/

B. Background

The World Bank has recently approved the project on Climate Adaptation and Resilience (CARE) in South Asia, a $39.5 million initiative that will be jointly implemented by the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC) and the Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System for Africa and Asia (RIMES).

The overall aim of the project is to build resilience to climate change risks by sharing regional data and knowledge, developing regional standards and guidelines for infrastructure, and promoting climate-resilient policies and investments. The key target sectors under this project such as agriculture, transport, water, planning, and finance will be piloted in Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan. ADPC is entrusted for the component 2 focusing on Enabling Climate Resilient Policies and Standards for Development with the following sub-components:

1. Policy and knowledge interventions for climate risk management
2. Sector guidelines and advisory Services on climate resilient design and standards
3. Technical Support and Capacity Building to Implement Climate-Risk Management Solutions
4. Innovation for Climate Adaptation and Resilience

The sub-component “Innovation for Climate Adaptation and Resilience” is implemented as part of the World Bank’s Program for Asia Resilience to Climate Change Multi Donor Trust Fund (PARCC TF Grant). This is financed by DFID which will crowdsource innovative and disruptive technology solutions for resilience through grant awards, matchmaking and pilot-testing. This involves a number of actions (e.g. formulation of resilience innovation, call for proposal, judging, award, presentation of results, documentation, and outreach) in phases and is expected to stimulate innovators to explore more climate-smart approaches to development in the region. The resilience innovation is further divided into two categories:

1. Climate Innovation Challenge (CIC) will promote innovation in the South Asia Region (SAR) through award of grants to eligible and qualifying innovators. This would include problem statements around Climate Data and information including short-term EWS and longer-term climate outlook data. The Climate Innovation Challenge will, therefore, aim to facilitate innovative solutions for their application and scale-up across different sectors, and tiers (national, sub-national and local/community) for greater impact.

2. TechEmerge Resilience India Challenge is being undertaken in India in collaboration with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) as a technical partner with an aim to crowd in private-sector expertise and market-based innovation for resilience through the use of disruptive technologies to address climate and disaster resilience challenges. After a comprehensive needs-assessment, an open global call will be launched to source relevant proven well-tested solutions, that can be customized for the region. With the support of a network of technical advisors, the most relevant innovators will be selected and matched with beneficiary users to adopt and implement local pilot projects and form new partnerships. CARE project will provide grant funding to winning innovators and provide appropriate support for field testing/pilot activities.

More details are available on ADPC website. **

C. SCOPE OF WORK

ADPC is seeking a firm to provide technical support to the two innovation challenges under Component 2.4 and monitor and evaluate technical aspects and implementation of the pilot projects.

It is estimated that there may be around 20+ pilot projects supported under the program, with the Climate Innovation Challenge and TechEmerge Resilience India Challenge working with shortlisted Innovators to pilot new technologies that can improve their reach, operations, efficiencies and/or effectiveness.

In general, it is expected that the pilot projects will be conducted over a 4-9-month period. However, accounting for the necessary time to put in place the required paperwork to launch the projects, undertake the pilot project, and complete final reporting across all selected pilots, it is estimated that the total duration for this phase of the program, and hence the consultancy, will be around 12 months.

Under this assignment, the firm will be responsible for the implementation of the following scope of work:

1. Work closely with the pilot solution provider and conduct regular consultation with end users, to ensure the solution provider is implementing the project in accordance with the needs of the end user, and as per the signed grant agreement.
2. Review selected pilot projects, and provide recommendations, if any, on strengthening project design, including user needs based success criteria, cost efficiency, key result metrics, strengthening weaknesses or gaps in tech expertise etc. required for implementation make specific recommendations.
3. Through the use of appropriate technological experts, depending on the technology applied in the pilot solutions, the firm will provide technical support and monitor the implementation of pilot projects. Each pilot project will test a technology solution in a local setting for a period of approximately 4-9 months. Efficient coordination and communication between users, solution providers and stakeholders is crucial, and the firm will ensure the timely identification of risk, to be addressed by the solution provider. Activities will include, among others, collecting the required documentation for pilot project approval/kick-off, tracking pilot progression including adhering to the technical work plan, working with Innovators to receive and review monthly reporting per pilot, conducting onsite visits for each pilot project, periodically review the innovators and providers vis-à-vis integrity risks and reputational risk, and reviewing final reports.
4. Mid-pilot correction: Organize regular technical review during the course of the pilot to ensure information is being documented, any implementation issues are identified and addressed the client and the company are supporting the pilot as expected.
5. Provide ADPC with weekly updates, as well as present monthly reports on the progress of the pilot projects.
6. End of pilot review: Support the organization of a stakeholder review of outcomes and recommendations at the end of the pilot. Special attention to be paid to articulating all the lessons learned, technical and other resources, training etc., that will be needed for scaling.

D. DELIVERABLES/SPECIFIC OUTPUTS EXPECTED FROM FIRM

The Firm will be required to produce and provide the following deliverables:

• Weekly and monthly reporting on the technical and financial progress of pilot project implementation, including challenges and mitigation action plan.
• Analysis of all final pilot project reports submitted by Innovators
• Final report on outcomes of all pilot projects (including development impact), use of grant funding, lessons learned, and any recommendations for future design of such program.
• Timeline for deliverables will be discussed and finalized at the start of the assignment.
• All deliverables, unless otherwise agreed upon, shall be delivered in the English language in two hard copies and in electronic format.

E. REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS/ SELECTION CRITERIA:

• Core business and years in business: Demonstrated experience, at least 5 years, in handling a number of grants-based projects, oversight and monitoring of the use of funds by the grantees.
• Qualifications and Specific experience in the field of the assignment: Substantial experience in monitoring grants based projects in the development and/or technology sector, with experience of risks related to grants-based projects and conducting due diligence.
• echnical and managerial organization of the firm: The firm should have proven technical and managerial expertise and experience in guiding implementation of pilots leading to the scaling-up of technology.
• General qualifications and number of key staff: Resumes of experienced Human Resources, including experts in technology, monitoring and evaluation, under the firm affirming the firm’s ability to produce deliverables set out in this ToR**

F. PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND REPORTING

The initial duration of this assignment will be approximately 12 months, with a possibility of extension subject to timeline of the pilot projects.

Upon contract signature, the Firm will agree on the work plan which will include a timeline, deliverables, responsibilities and payment schedule.

All deliverables will be approved by the Project Director of CARE Project Implementation Unit in ADPC within a review period identified in the detailed work plan.

G. REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS

The position reports to the Project Director of CARE Project Implementation Unit in ADPC

H. CONTRACT DURATION

The contract duration will be for 1 year. The firm’s performance will be reviewed on a quarterly basis.**

I. SELECTION METHOD

A consulting firm will be selected in accordance with Consultants’ Qualification System (CQS) method set out in the Operational Manual of the project