Water Innovation Platform Tender in USA - 45352871

Procurement Summary

Country: USA

Summary: Water Innovation Platform

Deadline: 10 Sep 2020

Posting Date: 28 Aug 2020

Other Information

Notice Type: Tender

TOT Ref.No.: 45352871

Document Ref. No.: 1270231

Competition: ICB

Financier: World Bank (WB)

Purchaser Ownership: -

Tender Value: Refer Document

CPV Classification

79412000 - Financial management consultancy services

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Tender Details

Expression of Interest are invited for Water Innovation Platform.
REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FOR SELECTION # 1270231
This Request for Expression of Interest is for a Firm Selection. Please log in as a valid Firm User if you wish to express interest in this selection.
Selection Information
Assignment Title
Water Innovation Platform
Publication Date
28-Aug-2020
Expression of Interest Deadline
10-Sep-2020 at 11:59:59 PM (Eastern Time - Washington D.C.)
Language of Notice
English
Selection Notice
Assignment Country
· No Countries Assigned
Funding Sources
The World Bank Group intends to finance the assignment/services under:
· BB - BANK BUDGET
· TF0B3716 - Water Innovation Platform
Individual/Firm
The consultant will be a firm.
Assignment Description
The World Bank (WB) will facilitate one-day virtual events to showcase technologies available on the market to client organizations local governments, utilities, and other service providers in each of two (2) selected regions, which will be identified based on initial client and WB Water Global Practice regional unit demand.
See more details in attached TORs
Attachments
· Optional TOR File
Qualification Criteria
· 1. Provide information showing that they are qualified in the field of the assignment.
· 2. Provide information on the technical and managerial capabilities of the firm.
· 3. Provide information on their core business and years in business.
· 4. Provide information on the qualifications of key staff.
Terms of Reference: Water Innovation Platform
1. Background
Rapidly advancing technologies can enhance the management and efficiency of water service providers. However, technology adoption among water supply and sanitation (WSS) utilities has been slow. This can be explained by lack of information on existing technologies and the potential benefits such technologies can bring, creating a supply-demand information gap. To bridge this gap, a mechanism is needed that assesses the contextual relevance of available technological options and facilitates access to this expertise by utilities and local governments.
To this end, the WSS Global Solutions Group proposes creating regional Water Innovation Platforms (WIPs), designed to bring together technological innovations with water sector service providers to match solutions to the utilities- challenges and facilitate adoption. Under this model, the water sector service providers will self-identify their most critical problems and the WIP will match them with an innovator that can address their need.
2. Rationale
The World Bank (WB) will facilitate one-day virtual events to showcase technologies available on the market to client organizations - local governments, utilities, and other service providers - in each of two (2) selected regions, which will be identified based on initial client and WB Water Global Practice regional unit demand.
3. Objectives
• Help water sector operators identify and adopt new technologies to improve service provision, quality, and efficiency. The goal of the WIPs is to support WSS utilities in meeting their service delivery objectives by facilitating the incorporation of innovative technologies in target utilities- operations. The WIPs will bring together water utility operators and expose them to potentially relevant technology companies based on service delivery challenges they have pre-identified.

• Foster collaboration and data sharing among regional service providers. The WIPs will be used to facilitate regional dialogues on water supply innovation. Where appropriate, that dialogue will also include sharing of data, lessons learned, and best practices.
4. Scope of Work
Task 1: Conduct a landscape analysis of previous innovation platform initiatives
• Conduct a landscape analysis of previous innovation platform initiatives (such as the Water Innovation Platform Africa) that have completed similar work supporting the identification and deployment of new and emerging technologies to improve utility service delivery. At a minimum, the analysis should include information on the participants, objectives, methods, and lessons learned from the platforms.

• The Consultant should ensure their work under Tasks 2-8 is informed by the lessons learned through these other innovation platforms.
Deliverable: Report summarizing the landscape analysis of previous innovation platform initiatives.
Task 2: Identify WIP participants for each region
• The second step of this work will consist in confirming with relevant WB Practice Managers and clients the possibility of participating in a WIP. The consultants will then work closely with relevant parties to identify clients, utilities, and other service providers in the regions who will participate.

• At least 5, and no more than 10, utilities should be identified as WIP participants for each region.

• This process should take one month.
Deliverable: List of WIP participants for each region.
Task 3: Assess technology needs of clients/providers
• The consultants will engage with the selected WIP participants to explain and socialize the WIP concept, outlining how the process works and the value it will bring to them.

• Working with advice and support from relevant partners and innovation outfits, the consultants will carry out a series of ‘technology needs assessments- to identify the ‘problem statements- around key challenges faced by these service providers.

• These assessments will require the organization of focus group discussions, consultations, and key informant interviews, as well as distribution of a survey to key members of the service providers- management teams.

• This activity is expected to take two months.
Deliverable: Clearly defined problem statement(s) for each WIP participant.
Task 4: Conduct market scoping for innovative technologies
• Based on the needs assessments and priority problem statements identified under Task 3, the consultants will carry out a market scoping exercise and build on existing networks in the US, at the international level, and within the countries of interest to identify relevant cutting-edge technology companies that respond to the expressed demand.

• The consultants will then reach out to the identified companies to confirm their interest in participating in the WIPs.

• This activity is expected to take two months.
Deliverable: List of companies and associated technologies that can address the WIP participant problem statements for each region and have expressed interest in participating in the WIPs.
Task 5: Establish a WIP for each region
• The team will develop an online platform for monitoring and facilitation of sustained regional dialogue on water supply innovation.

• The platform should facilitate utility-utility coordination as well as engagement between service providers and innovative tech companies.

• This activity is expected to take two months.
Deliverable: A WIP online platform is established for each region.
Task 6: Organize a WIP launch event for each region
• Each WIP will be launched at a one-day inaugural virtual event.

• The inaugural event will virtually bring together water utility operators and service providers to expose them to potentially relevant technology companies based on the pre-identified challenges.

• The event will be conference-like, with emphasis on interaction and pre-arranged match-making meetings to ensure service providers- representatives interact with the relevant technology companies. To the extent possible, the design of the virtual launch event should enable opportunities for networking and unplanned connections.

• The knowledge exchange event will also present the online platform through which companies and service providers can continue to interact and exchange so that the WIP remains active after the launch.

• The consultants will complete an exit survey after the WIP launch events to capture utility and innovator feedback on the WIP process.

• The WIP events will occur about seven months after the initiation of the activities (tentatively in March 2021).
Deliverable: Two WIP launch events organized. One exit survey written and delivered to all WIP participants.
Task 7: Follow-up activities
• Once the launch events have taken place, the team will follow up with service providers from each region through their relevant project teams and through the communications platform.

• Two “pairings” from each region will be identified as particularly promising and receive follow-on support in the form of technical and procurement advice, monitoring and documentation for the WIP online platforms, and funding for testing and deployment of the identified technology. Deployment will entail support with, as appropriate, bidding documents, testing, and piloting of the technology.

• As necessary and feasible (given the constraints of the global pandemic), technical missions and focus groups may be used for follow-up on the pilots.

• In addition, the team will instigate continued dialogue and exchange on the online platform and encourage knowledge exchange among relevant partners.
Deliverable: At least two utility-company matches identified for each region and appropriate follow-on support provided.
Task 8: Summarize Lessons Learned
• The team will write a report on lessons learned to summarize the knowledge gained through the WIP process. The report should, at a minimum, include information on identifying utility problem statements, strategies for pairing utilities with innovators, methods for utility and innovator engagement, and technical and design elements of the WIP platform. The report should also incorporate insights from the WIP launch event exit survey.
Deliverable: Report on lessons

Documents

 Tender Notice