Consultant

Mercy Corps Overview

Mercy Corps works in Nepal to protect strengthen and expand resilience strategies and opportunities among the poor and disadvantaged through economic, financial and risk management programmes. Mercy Corps began operations in Nepal in 2005, and since then has implemented projects in the sectors of economic and food security; climate, natural resource and disaster risk management; youth engagement; with the inclusion of women and disadvantaged groups as important cross-cutting themes throughout each intervention area.

The Project and Rationale

Enhancing Sustainability and Profitability of the Carpet and Pashmina Industries in the Kathmandu Valley (EC-SWITCH) is 3.5-year project that seeks to enhance sustainable production and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) profitability in two of Nepal’s highest earning yet most polluting industries – the carpet and pashmina industries. The project will contribute to increasing resource efficiency, profitability, and sustainable growth in Nepal by mobilising the private sector and relevant public sector authorities to reduce fuel and water use, and water and air-borne pollution in the Nepalese carpet and pashmina industries. Carpet and Pashmina production are Nepal’s second and third largest source of export earnings, and provide the largest source of industrial employment, but they are constrained by outdated production methods that are inefficient and highly polluting, leading to reduced competitiveness and environmental impacts.

The project seeks to improve the efficiency of and reduce pollution from small and medium-sized dyeing and washing enterprises in the urban and peri-urban areas of the Kathmandu Valley. By supporting the adoption of energy and water efficient technologies and processes, with appropriate linkages to relevant financial service providers and their products, it seeks to increase productivity and decrease costs for the most resource intensive section of the production chain, promoting growth and increasing competitiveness of the carpet and pashmina industries in the export market. 

At the same time, the project seeks to decrease reliance on and degradation of natural resources by decreasing firewood and water usage, and reducing chemical pollutants. This will help reduce pressure from the unsustainable use of natural resources, reduce air and water pollution for Kathmandu’s residents, improve working conditions for employees of washing and dyeing SMEs, and reduce Green House Gas emissions.  

To facilitate a market-based shift that will outlast the duration of the project and replicate throughout the carpet and pashmina sectors, as well as other textile industries, the project seeks to build the capacities of its local partner and associates, including NGOs that provide technical services; trade associations and government Ministries eager to promote environmentally sustainable production and increase competitiveness and financial institutions for access to appropriate financial services.

Objective(s)

The project aims to enhance the Sustainability and Profitability of the Carpet and Pashmina Industries in the Kathmandu valley. Moreover, the project aims to enhance the knowledge of relevant associate partners, stakeholders on clean production processes and practices and upscale its adoption through policy advocacy at national a level. 

In regards to this the programme anticipates and aims to ensure the following expected results: 

• Expected Result 1: The action’s first expected result is 80% of dyeing and washing enterprises in the carpet sector and 50% in the pashmina sector adopting cleaner production practices by the end of the project.
• Expected Result 2: Increased access to “green financing” and ability of SMEs to present credible business plans.
• Expected Result 3: Improved capacity of industrial stakeholders to replicate and promote cleaner production practices.
• Expected Result 4: Partnerships created between industry, government, and regional entities with the aim of promoting policy instruments and enhancing the policy environment.

The purpose of the consultancy service

Solar Water Heating (SWH) system can be used effectively for various commercial purpose such as in restaurants and hotels, hospitals and industries where there is a demand of hot water. The temperature requirement of the hot water depends on the purpose of use. The beneficiary industries under this particular EU SWITCH-Asia Carpet and Pashmina project uses both hot water and steam mostly for dyeing purpose. The SWH system thus has potential to supplement energy demand of input ambient water thereby reducing the demand of non-renewable fuel to heat the water. The purpose of the consultancy is to assess the potential viability for application of Solar Water Heating (SWH) system in carpet washing, pashmina and dyeing industries of the Kathmandu valley. 

Mercy Corps calls for interested organisations/s or individual experts to submit separate technical and financial proposal as outlined in the scope of work.

SCOPE OF WORK/RESPONSIBILITIES:

The consultant is responsible for carrying out detailed viability study for solar thermal application in the beneficiary industries of EU SWITCH-Asia Carpet and Pashmina project, and report the output.

• Calculate the basic solar energy parameters like Direct Normal Irradiation (DNI), daily solar radiation, and hourly/annual average annual temperature of Kathmandu.
• Calculate the total load and heat energy demand of the sample industry.
• Calculate the solar thermal parameters like collector area, concentration, slope, azimuth, collector rating and useful energy for sample industry.  
• Design preferably in AutoCAD the integration of SWH system to the existing thermal energy system of the sample industry.
• Evaluate the impact of SWH system integration e.g. energy savings, carbon savings, monetary savings etc. This shall be included under technical, environmental and financial evaluation. 
• Identify solar energy product and service suppliers for SWH system.
• Identify barriers, gaps and its economic viability of application of SWH system.

SERVICES AND FACILITIES TO BE PROVIDED BY MERCY CORPS

• MCN representative to accompany and assist the consultant during the assignment period.

TENTATIVE DURATION

• The assignment has to be completed within 20 man-days sharp, spanned over the period of 2 months. 

REPORTING AND DELIVERABLES

• The consultant will report the MCN EU SWITCH-Asia project staff
• Final detailed report in accordance to the scope of work.

MODE OF PAYMENT

MC-Nepal will pay the consultant fee in two instalments as defined below: 

• First instalment:  50% at the time of signing the contract.
• Second instalment: 50% at the time after approval of final report.