Terms of Reference for Aim 1 WASH System Building Block Baseline Assessment in Todee District, Montserrado County

• Introduction

WaterAid’s new global strategy (2022-2032) has four global aims. Aim 1 is to advance progress towards universal, safe, and sustainable WASH in focus geographic areas to influence wider change. WaterAid aims to achieve Aim 1 by working in collaboration with national and sub-national governments and other key actors to strengthen WASH systems at national and sub-national levels. WaterAid’s strategy is based on the understanding that strong systems are required to achieve universal, safe, and sustainable WASH. WaterAid believes that by collectively strengthening WASH systems at national and sub-national levels, there will be a progressive improvement in WASH service levels in the focus geographic areas. In Liberia, the Aim 1 focus geographic area is Todee district. Todee District is the largest administrative district inMontserrado County. The district is mainly rural in context with a population of 49,361 according to the recent LISGIS Census inhabitants. Todee is well organized regarding leadership structure headed by a District Superintendent with 3 townships headed by township Commissioners. The district has 7 Clans headed by clan chiefs, 2 chiefdoms headed by paramount chiefs and 403 towns headed by town chiefs. However, implementation of the Local Government Act of 2018 is yet to be realized. The ministry of Health, Ministry of Public Works and Ministry of Internal Affairs are well decentralized but has not been able to execute its delegated functions as required. The National WASH Commission and other Government Institutions with WASH mandates are yet to decentralized.

The WASH system building block baseline assessment intends to measure the strength of the WASH system in Todee district at the start of the Aim 1 programme. This assessment is designed to be completed at the lowest level of administration which is partly responsible and could be mandated as per the Local Government Act to deliver WASH services in its jurisdiction. The Local Government Institutions (LGIs) should be empower to lead planning, budgeting, monitoring coordinating and general oversight of WASH delivery in its local administrative area.

Although the LGIs should be responsible for planning and budgeting for the district, they often struggle in fulfilling such duties because some related function lies at the national level. For this reason, relevant National stakeholders from the line ministries (Ministry of Health, WASH Commission, National Public Health Institute of Liberia, Ministry of Education, Liberia Water and Sewage Cooperation, Ministry of Public Works) and private sector actors will be engaged and invited to the subnational assessment workshop.

It is important to note that results of the WASH system building block baseline assessment should not be used to benchmark WaterAid’s own performance in Aim 1. Rather, the results are an indication of how the WASH system as a whole (which is influenced by all the actors and factors that operate and exist within the WASH system at national and sub-national levels) is becoming stronger over time. This assessment will help us make good judgements and assumptions needed to adequately plan for universal WASH cover in Todee District.

2. Background and rationale

The foundation of human health and well-being rests on access to safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH). The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development emphasizes this through a dedicated goal (SDG6) on Water and Sanitation, aiming to “ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.” Despite this, 700 million people worldwide still lack access to safe water and 2.5 billion people do not have safe sanitation.

Nationally, access to basic water services remains challenging, with about 24% of Liberians lacking basic access to safe drinking water. The situation is worse in rural areas, with about 34.5% lacking basic access to safe drinking water. In addition, only 23% have access to basic sanitation, with 35% still practicing open defecation; only 9% of the rural population access basic sanitation (JMP 2022).

Progress towards universal, safe and sustainable water, sanitation and hygiene has been slow due to barriers in WASH systems. Barriers include: weak government leadership, unclear institutional arrangements, limited sector capacity, fragmented cross-sector coordination and integration, insufficient data to inform decision-making and policy, weak accountability and regulatory mechanisms, insufficient finance to deliver and sustain WASH improvements, unequal power dynamics, harmful cultural and gender norms, and weak community voice in decision-making. Climate change impacts exacerbate these existing threats to sustainable, safe WASH. The WASH system is often referred to as ‘all the actors (people and institutions), factors (social, economic, political, environmental, technological) and the interactions between them that influence the achievement of universal, safe and sustainable WASH’.

To strengthen WASH systems, it is first necessary to understand the status of WASH systems (their strengths and weaknesses). To do this, the complexity of WASH systems is often broken down into simpler ‘building blocks’. WaterAid, along with other WASH sector actors, has devised a WASH system building block framework to help government, and others working to advance progress in WASH, to understand the strength of WASH systems and to track progress in strengthening WASH systems over time.

3. Purpose of the WASH systems building block baseline assessment

The WASH system building block baseline assessment aims to generate a collective understanding among government and other key sectors actors of the strength of the WASH system in Todee District at the start of the Aim 1 programme, providing a baseline for the district to track progress towards a strong WASH system overtime.

The main objective of the assignment is to conduct a WASH system building block assessment to understand the strength of the WASH system in Todee district including the factors beyond the district (e.g., at the national level) that impact the delivery of universal, safe and sustainable WASH in the district.

3.1 Specific objectives

1. To establish the status of the WASH system building blocks in Todee district
2. To create a collective understanding of the strength of the WASH system in Todee district among government and other key sector actors
3. Identify existing system gaps which needs to be bridged as a means of empowering the local government to execute its mandate/function relating to WASH interventions and sustainable management of services

4. Methodology

The WASH system building block assessment should be done in a way that creates a shared understanding among government and other key actors in the district of the strength of the WASH system. This shared understanding should be built through consultations with government and other relevant stakeholders and partners as well as a workshop to build consensus and validate the assessment results.

The proposed methodology (outlined in detail in WaterAid’s Aim 1 Baseline – WASH system building block assessment guide – see Annex 1) employs several consultations and participatory exercises to engage decision makers and stakeholders to plan, carry out, document, and share lessons from the assessment. Through this participatory process, WaterAid aims to facilitate an improved understanding among government and other key sector actors about the importance of strong WASH systems for achieving universal, safe and sustainable WASH and their roles in strengthening it.

Specific activities to this assignment will include:

4.1 Literature review

Review existing literature, data, and other similar WASH system building block assessments that may have been done in Todee district or at a national level in the last two years. This should also include a review of the information gathered by WaterAid as part of its country strategy situation analysis and AIM 1 Programme Plan) which can be used to help contextualise the WASH system building block assessment tool’s guiding questions and bring in the most up-to-date information and evidence to the workshop discussion.

4.2 Building understanding of WASH systems.

The Consultant will support in building an understanding of WASH systems, particularly amongst local government through focus group discussions or two days’ workshop to be conducted in the district. The purpose of the focus group discussions/workshop will be to build or refresh local stakeholders (particularly government’s’ understanding of the WASH system, systems strengthening, and the building blocks of a WASH system. It will also provide an opportunity for local stakeholders to make input in contextualizing the WASH system building block assessment tools guiding questions.

The consultant will explain the purpose of the assessment to the stakeholders and how it can support government to advance progress towards universal, safe and sustainable WASH in the district.

Figure 1.1 The WASH System (building block and actors)

4.3 Key informant interviews

The Consultant will conduct key informant interviews with representatives from the District Commissioners, the District Superintendent, Clans and Town Chiefs from the local government, and WASH related sector actors involving representatives from line Ministries present in the district, and WASH related INGOs and NGOs present in the district. The Consultant will also engage national level stakeholders, including key Ministers and Directors from the Ministry of Health (County Health Team), NPHIL, MPW, LWSC etc. to discuss their views on the building blocks and their strength and weaknesses.

4.4 WASH System Building Block Assessment Workshop Facilitation

Facilitate the WASH system building block assessment workshop involving a cross-section of participants drawn from the technical and political wings of local administrations, relevant sector offices as well as CSOs, including WaterAid partners, service providers, national-level stakeholders, community groups, rights-based groups, and representatives of community members, particularly those most marginalized in society. This will be a two-days workshop to be conducted in Todee district.

4.5 Report writing

Record the findings of the WASH system building block assessment and produce a short report. Include photos and a graphic of the final building block grid/scores for water, sanitation, hygiene, and WASH in institutions (Healthcare facilities and Schools), alongside a clear justification for each of the building block scores. A final report shall be produced after the validation workshop described below.

4.6 Validation workshop

The Consultant will take part in the preparation and implementation of a validation workshop to be facilitated by the administration of Todee district, WaterAid, the National Public Health Institute of Liberia, and the National WASH Commission. Participants to the validation workshop shall include all key stakeholders at District and National levels. The workshop shall involve validation of the building block assessment findings/scores. This will be a one-day workshop to be conducted in Todee district.

5. Deliverables

6. Timeframe and proposed workplan

This assignment will involve 13 working days to be delivered over a period of five (5) weeks starting from Middle May 13, 2024 and concluding no later than June 14, 2024.

7. Support to be provided by WaterAid

WaterAid Liberia Country Program and WaterAid UK shall support the consultant with logistical tasks such as procuring materials for the workshops, supporting review of the contextualised building block tool, preparation of workshops and liaising with government at national and district levels.

8. Stakeholder’s mapping

Relevant stakeholders should include representatives from the political and technical wings of national and local administrations and CSOs, including WaterAid partners. The table below provides additional guidance on the most critical type of stakeholders to include in the WASH system building block assessment. It also suggests a minimum and maximum number of each stakeholder to ensure a diversity of voices and representation.

9. Qualifications and experience of the consultant

The consultant is expected to be an individual with the following qualification and competencies:

1. A minimum of Master’s degree in the following fields: WASH, Water Resources Management, Environmental Health, Rural Development, Social Sciences, Business Management, Statistics and other related fields.
2. At least 10 years’ relevant work experience in supporting/facilitating workshops, sector engagements and using government/local government planning tools

1. Understanding of/familiarity with WASH sector issues, stakeholders, investments and implementation arrangements.
2. Understanding of/familiarity with systems thinking, WASH system building block frameworks and assessment tools
3. Strong written English skills.
4. Excellent communication, interpersonal and workshop facilitation skills.
5. Demonstrated comprehensive range of analytical skills especially in key macro and micro-economic fundamentals.
6. Experience and knowledge in district level social service delivery issues will be an added advantage.
7. Demonstrated experience and solid track record in similar assignments will be added advantage.
8. Proven understanding of the importance of ethics in research work

9. Application Process

Interested and qualified consultant (s) should send an electronic Expression of Interest (financial & technical proposals) by email to recruitmentwli@wateraid.org by May 3, 2024. The subject line of your email should read “ WASH System Building Block Assessment Consultancy” outlining exact availability in line with the approximate timeline. The expression of interest should contain: (a) a technical offer and (b) a financial offer, comprising:

• Technical offer:

• Technical proposal detailing proposed methodology/approach. (max 8 pages)
• The consultant should describe their recent experience in similar assignments, with at least three traceable references & references for similar assignments successfully delivered.
• Up to date and detailed CVs of the proposed team, highlighting the experience requested above. Up to date CV of the consultant(s) & all team members to be available for the assignment.

9.2 Financial offer

The consultant should come up with a detailed financial proposal outlining the assignment’s gross costs, including operational expenditures and any necessary taxes in line with proposed methodology strictly in Liberian Dollars. Please note that all workshop related costs will be borne by WaterAid and should not be included in the financial offer.

Please note: Applications will be reviewed on rolling bases till deadline date.

WaterAid believes in a fair and transparent recruitment process. It however reserves the right to accept or reject any application.

Please note: to apply for this role you must be able to demonstrate your eligibility to work in Liberia.