Consultancy Services for Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA/EIA), Engineering Surveys, Detailed Engineering Designs and Tender Support
Water Supply Enhancement Program for Low-Income Communities (WASEP)
Marsabit County, Kenya
Procurement Reference No. 2423
Assignment Duration: October 2026 – Jan 2026
1. Background and Project Context
The Millennium Water Alliance (MWA), in partnership with the M-PESA Foundation and the Marsabit Water and Sewerage Company (MARWASCO), is implementing the Water Supply Enhancement Program for Low-Income Communities (WASEP) in Marsabit County, Kenya. The Program, valued at approximately KES 82.3 million, runs from June 2026 to June 2027 and aims to expand access to safe, reliable, and affordable water services for low-income communities in Marsabit town and its environs, specifically the communities of Karantina, Majengo, Dakabaricha, Adihuuka, and Mataarba.
Marsabit County lies within Kenya's Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs), where water insecurity is a persistent constraint on household welfare, public health, and economic opportunity. WASEP responds to this challenge through a combination of climate-resilient water supply infrastructure, renewable energy for water pumping, non-revenue water (NRW) reduction through smart metering, and institutional strengthening of MARWASCO as the mandated utility.
MWA, as Lead Implementing Agency, now seeks to engage an independent, qualified, and experienced consulting firm ("the Consultant") to undertake the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA/EIA), engineering surveys, detailed engineering designs, and preparation of tender documentation for the Program's infrastructure investments. The Consultant's output will form the basis for the statutory NEMA EIA license and the competitive procurement of civil works contractors under multiple LOTs.
1.1 Infrastructure Scope to be Designed
The assignment covers the ESIA and detailed engineering designs for the following infrastructure package:
- One (1) No. 500 m³ ground-level distribution tank for treated water;
- Three (3) No. 50 m³ elevated steel tanks, 9 m high, at Majengo, Mataarba, and Adihuuka;
- Approximately 39.1 km of water pipeline network (transmission and distribution), including pressure testing, disinfection, and commissioning requirements;
- Five (5) No. water kiosks with storage tanks connected to the reticulation system at Mataarba, Adihuuka, Karantina, Shauri Yako/Nyayo Road, and Majengo;
- Solarization of the Mataarba and Adihuuka boreholes, comprising solar PV arrays, pumping systems, and associated electrical works;
- Smart metering architecture comprising 350 No. household and institutional smart meters and 20 No. zonal smart meters at District Metered Area (DMA) boundaries, including integration requirements with MARWASCO's billing system.
2. Objectives of the Assignment
The overall objective of the assignment is to provide MWA and its partners with a complete, approved, and construction-ready package of environmental safeguards documentation, detailed engineering designs, and tender documentation for the WASEP infrastructure investments. The specific objectives are to:
- Undertake a comprehensive Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA/EIA) of the proposed works in accordance with the Environmental Management and Co-ordination Act (EMCA), 1999 (as amended in 2015) and the Environmental (Impact Assessment and Audit) Regulations, 2003 (as amended), and secure the NEMA EIA Licence on behalf of the Client;
- Carry out all necessary engineering surveys and investigations (topographical, geotechnical, hydraulic, and condition assessments) for the infrastructure package;
- Prepare detailed engineering designs, hydraulic models, drawings, technical specifications, engineer's cost estimates, and Bills of Quantities (BoQs) for all infrastructure components;
- Support the design review and validation process with MWA, M-PESA Foundation/Safaricom technical teams, and MARWASCO engineering staff, and incorporate agreed comments;
- Prepare complete, LOT-based tender documents for the competitive procurement of civil works contractors and provide technical support during the tendering process (pre-bid meetings, clarifications, and technical evaluation support).
3. Scope of Services
The scope of services is organized into four interlinked components. The Consultant shall execute the ESIA (Component B) and the engineering surveys and designs (Component C) in parallel, in line with the Program work plan.
3.1 Component A: Inception and Mobilization
- Review all available project documentation, including the WASEP work plan, MARWASCO operational data, existing borehole records, water demand data, and any prior studies;
- Undertake an inception site visit to Marsabit, including consultations with MARWASCO, the Marsabit County Government (Department of Water), and community focal groups in the five target communities;
- Confirm the methodology, detailed work programme, staffing schedule, survey plan, and stakeholder engagement plan;
- Prepare and present an Inception Report for approval by MWA.
3.2 Component B: Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA/EIA)
- Undertake screening and scoping of the proposed works, and prepare and submit the ESIA Terms of Reference/Scoping Report to NEMA for approval, as required;
- Establish the environmental and social baseline for the project area, including physical, biological, and socio-economic conditions, land tenure and wayleave considerations along the 39.1 km pipeline corridor, and water resources context (in liaison with the Water Resources Authority as applicable);
- Conduct meaningful public and stakeholder consultations in the five target communities and with key state agencies (NEMA, WRA, KFS, KWS, WSTF, WASREB, County Government), documenting attendance, issues raised, and responses;
- Identify, predict, and evaluate potential environmental and social impacts (construction and operational phases), including labour influx, occupational and community health and safety, gender-based violence risks, vulnerable and marginalized groups considerations, and cumulative impacts with other active ASAL water programmes in Marsabit (e.g., RAPID+, HoAGW4RP);
- Screen for any physical or economic displacement along pipeline routes and kiosk sites and, where required, advise on and prepare the appropriate land/wayleave consent documentation or livelihood restoration measures;
- Prepare a costed Environmental and Social Management and Monitoring Plan (ESMMP) with clear mitigation measures, responsibilities, and indicators, structured for direct incorporation into the civil works contracts;
- Prepare and submit the ESIA Study Report to NEMA, pay requisite statutory review fees (reimbursable, as provided in the financial proposal), respond to NEMA review comments, and diligently follow up the application through the statutory regulatory waiting period until issuance of the NEMA EIA Licence;
- Advise MWA and MARWASCO on any licence conditions and their integration into contractor obligations.
3.3 Component C: Engineering Surveys and Detailed Engineering Designs
- Carry out topographical surveys of all tank sites, kiosk sites, borehole sites, and the full pipeline corridor, with survey beacons referenced to the national grid;
- Undertake geotechnical investigations at the 500 m³ tank site and the three elevated steel tank sites sufficient for foundation design;
- Assess the condition, tested yields, and water quality of the Mataarba and Adihuuka boreholes and design appropriate solar PV arrays, pumping systems, and electrical works, including pump sizing, solar grid/hybrid arrangements as applicable, lightning protection, and remote monitoring provisions;
- Develop a calibrated hydraulic model (e.g., EPANET or equivalent) of the transmission and distribution network, confirming demand projections, pressure zones, DMA boundaries, and the location and sizing of the 20 zonal smart meters;
- Prepare detailed structural, civil, mechanical, and electrical designs for the 500 m³ distribution tank, the three 9 m-high 50 m³ elevated steel tanks, the 39.1 km pipeline network, and the five water kiosks, in accordance with the Kenyan Practice Manual for Water Supply Services, relevant Kenyan and international standards (KS/BS/ISO), and WASREB guidelines;
- Design the smart metering architecture (350 household/institutional meters and 20 zonal DMA meters), including meter specifications, communications technology, data management arrangements, and integration requirements with MARWASCO's billing system;
- Prepare detailed design drawings, technical specifications, engineer's confidential cost estimates, and itemized Bills of Quantities structured by procurement LOT;
- Present the draft designs at a joint design review and validation meeting with MWA, M-PESA Foundation/Safaricom technical teams, and MARWASCO engineering staff, and incorporate all agreed review comments into the final designs.
3.4 Component D: Tender Documentation
- Advise on and confirm the optimal packaging of the works into LOTs for execution by multiple contractors, taking account of the construction weather windows and contractor market capacity;
- Prepare complete tender documents for each LOT, including instructions to tenderers, conditions of contract, specifications, drawings, priced/unpriced BoQs, and evaluation criteria, consistent with MWA procurement procedures and good practice under the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act framework where applicable;
Note: Construction supervision will be procured separately. However, MWA reserves the right, at its sole discretion and subject to satisfactory performance and available budget, to negotiate an extension of the Consultant's services to cover some components of construction supervision.