Study on feasibility of Water Expo in the Horn of Africa

Study on feasibility of Water Expo in the Horn of Africa
Terms of Reference 
Duty station: Home based with travel within the IGAD Region
Type of Contract: Service
Contract Post Level: Short-term Consultancy
Dead Line: 03 January, 2012
Starting Date: January 2013
Duration: One month spread between 1 January and 15 March 2013

Background

The Inland Water Resources Management Programme (INWRMP) forms part of a major donor-supported effort to strengthen and reinforce the mandate of IGAD on behalf of its member states. The key issues that the region has faced in the past decade are related, among others, to instability arising from scarcity of water resources, coupled with the vagaries of the climate. Shortage of water undermines the people’s well-being and is a source of conflicts.

The focus of the INWRMP is, among others, on the establishment and institutionalization of regional cooperation, the improvement of policy and legal frameworks for water resources management and the strengthening of regional and national water resources management institutions. In particular, Result Area 1 - establishment and institutionalization of regional cooperation – places emphasis on the creation of a Water Dialogue Forum to strengthen awareness as to the opportunities for beneficial cooperation in shared water resources management and arrive at the definition of a HoA Water Vision.  In parallel with this, thought is being given to the organization of a HoA Water Expo to be associated with the Forum, and to host the Forum. 

The rationale of establishing the HOA Forum is to bring together water resources management and development experts (professionals, scholars, researchers and practitioners), decision-makers and other stakeholders, including representatives of water users, vulnerable communities and the private sector, to share findings on the best practices in sustainable water resources development and management and discuss water resources policies and strategies in order to offer solutions to various challenges facing the HOA to ensure a water-secure region.

The rationale of the HoA Water Expo is to provide a platform for water technology developers and manufacturers to display products and services related to water storage and distribution, particularly at the grassroots level. The visitors will be able to view products and discuss services and solutions with the exhibitors. The Expo will provide an opportunity to manufacturers in the IGAD region specializing in water technologies, to showcase and promote various technically feasible, environment friendly and economically viable solutions for water storage, distribution and management. Opportunities can also be created for interaction between manufacturers and policy makers. The Expo aims to promote stakeholder consultations and networking to bring about customized solutions to the challenges and opportunities under varying climatic conditions. 

Duties and Responsibilities
Under the overall supervision of the IGAD-INWRMP Programme Manager, the incumbent shall:

1.    Review the existing feasibility and other studies made in the past, relating to the water platform and other relevant IGAD fora; 
2.    Develop a concept note on the importance of linking the HoA Water Forum and Expo for justification;
3.    Propose appropriate institutional arrangements and linkage for running the Forum and Expo including possibility for future hosting of the system outside IGAD ;
4.    Identify potential stakeholders and partners for the Expo;
5.    Systematically link the Forum and Expo with other ongoing and planned initiatives within IGAD and the Region, e.g., drought resilience;
6.    Capitalize on the value of the Forum and Expo to ensure its future sustainability;
7.    Explore financing mechanisms for the short, medium and long term for sustaining the Forum and Expo post donor financing, including sources of funding and potential development partners;
8.    Design the orientation and content of the Expo;
9.    Develop and test an appropriate communication strategy for the Forum and Expo; 
10.    Carry out a market research into the need for a HoA Water Expo to be held in the IGAD Region;
11.    Make recommendations as to criteria for the selection of the country and place in which the Forum and Expo should be held, and provide full justification for such criteria;
12.    Identify potential exhibitors for the Expo and define their level of interest in such an event;
13.    Prepare Terms of Reference for an organizing agency for the HoA Water Forum and Expo; 
14.    Prepare a report on the above. 

Competencies

•    Good knowledge of preparing expos and of market conditions in the IGAD member states and in the region;
•    Knowledge of requirements for water technology developers and manufacturers in the HoA.

Qualifications and Experience

An agency or organization with a background in organization development and at least five years experience in assessing the feasibility of trade and similar exhibitions Knowledge of water sector requirements will be an asset

Procedure for the submission of applications:
Applications shall include 

-Company profile 
-Evidence showing that the Firm had water expo or similar experiences in arranging or consulting expos
-Curriculum Vitae of staff working in the Firm

The above should be sent to the following address: ayenew.mequanent@igad.int , Procurement Officer-IGAD/INWRM-Programme, copied to Dr. Debalkew Berhe, Program Manager –IGAD -debalkew.berhe@igad.int