Water Supply and Sanitation (WSS) Sub-Engineer



1. Project Background

The USAID Nepal Karnali Water Activity will create healthy, resilient, and water secure communities at the watershed level through strengthened water and sanitation governance that improves water resource management (including water for more resilient and biodiverse ecosystems), enhances sustainable access to drinking water, improves agriculture water management, and reduces the fecal pathogen burden in the environment from poorly managed non-sewered sanitation through fecal sludge management. The program team will methodically integrate WRM, watershed biodiversity conservation, and water and sanitation service delivery by mapping and strengthening the roles, connections, and capacities of key actors and stakeholders’ system wide.

Job Summary

2. Purpose

The Karnali Water Activity will begin construction of 45 Water Supply and Sanitation (WSS) schemes starting January 2023, including 40 Drinking Water Supply Schemes (DWS), 5 Multiple Use Water Systems (MUS), plus 30 water source protection schemes in the Activity's seven targeted Local governments (LGs).  The construction will take place in:

• Soru Rural Municipality and Chhanyanath Rara Municipality in Rara Khatyad watershed; 
• Khadachakra Municipality in Tila watershed; 
• Turmakhand Rural Municipality, Aathbish Municipality, and Barahtaal Rural Municipality in Middle Karnali watershed; and 
• Mohanyal Rural Municipality in Lower Karnali watershed.

Similarly, the Karnali Water Activity will work in 14 municipalities to identify 180 DWS and MUS rehabilitation and construction sites through March 2023 from each municipality's Water Use Master Plan (WUMP). The number of schemes will be reduced to 140 through feasibility studies. The Feasibility Study and WSS Scheme Detail Engineering Survey will identify and select 120 WSS schemes, 20 MUS, and 50 source protection sites to be implemented in Year 3. The additional targeted LGs for scheme feasibility study, detail engineering survey of WSS, and source protection activity will be Khatyad Rural Municipality, Tila Rural Municipality, Tilagupha Municipality, Kamalbazar Municipality, Ramaroshan Rural Municipality, Bhairabi Rural Municipality, Chaukune Rural Municipality, and Madhuban Municipality.

The USAID Karnali Water Activity is seeking to hire WSS Sub-Engineers who will work as individual consultants to provide real-time technical assistance on preliminary survey, design, estimation, and construction monitoring and quality assurance inputs in the construction of WSS, MUS, source protection, and Fecal Sludge Treatment Plant (FSTP) schemes to ensure infrastructure projects are implemented with high standards and quality as per USAID and Karnali Water Activity expectations. 

The WSS Sub-Engineer will be responsible for providing day-to-day technical and management oversight of the survey, design and construction supervision activities of water supply schemes, MUS, water source protection works and FSTPs in their assigned LGs/Watershed offices to ensure quality assurance of the construction works carried out by the subcontractor(s) as per the DPR(s). Under the supervision of the Field Engineer s/he will support project analysis, assessments, planning, preliminary survey, detail survey and design drawing, estimate of water supply schemes, MUS, water source protection works, and FSTPs. S/he adheres to agreed-upon survey standards, construction designs, drawings, BOQs, technical specifications, an environmental mitigation plan, health and safety measures, a timeline, and related construction standards outlined in the Construction Implementation Plan (CIP), the Water Supply Scheme Implementation Guideline, and the Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI) action plan as required.

3. Tasks

The WSS Sub-Engineer will be responsible for, but not limited to, the following tasks:

• Support the Field Engineer in project analysis, assessments, planning, preliminary survey, detail survey and design drawing, estimate of water supply projects and WASH in institutions.
• Provide technical support to carry out the feasibility study and technical survey of new and renovated Water Supply Schemes and assist in carrying out the socioeconomic survey and Cost-Benefit Analysis of the water supply schemes.
• Provide close supervision of construction of water supply schemes at field level. Ensure that all constructed infrastructure has been GPS tracked and reported on time.
• Ensure USAID Karnali Water Activity environmental compliance requirements and quality on environmental mitigation activities following the environmental mitigation and monitoring plan (EMMP) for construction of water supply schemes, MUS, water source protection works, and FSTPs.
• Ensure that water quality tests are conducted to identify and characterize water pollutant sources with support from service providers and sub-contractors, adhering to the water quality assurance plan.
• Coordinate the construction material delivery and handover process between subcontractors and ensure adequate storage of construction materials in collaboration with WUSC and subcontractor.
• Verify the stock of construction materials for renovation, reconstruction and construction works. 
• Work closely with Water User and Sanitation Committees (WUSCs) for quality implementation of renovation, reconstruction and construction works as per the agreed plan.
• Assure that health and safety measures are properly adopted in field level implementation work.
• Manage supervision of all WASH structures in the field, maintaining quality control as per design, drawing and estimates.
• Ensure quality of all the construction activities related to the USAID Karnali Water Activity project, prepare monthly technical progress reports, and share within line agency via Field Engineers.
• Provide valuation of the works carried out by contractor through the verification of MBs and actual measurement at the site, and working together with WSUCs and LGs by bringing them on board to gain confidence in the process.
• Ensure smooth project implementation in the community by seeking and ensuring support and cooperation from LGs, WUSCs, community peoples, and service providers and sub-contractors, as necessary.
• Provide a briefing on the technical part of the WSS schemes to LGs, WUSCs, district line agency, partner organizations, and stakeholders on plan, progress and strategy of the Karnali Water Activity during monitoring visits.
• Implement the project at assigned LGs to agreed quality standards within allocated time frame. Be responsible for all the technical works within LGs in the respective watershed.
• Help to strengthen the capacity of water users and sanitation committees (WUSCs) and Village maintenance worker (VMW) for the construction, repair and maintenance of WASH structures in line with disaster resilience and sustainability guidelines.
• Help the Field Engineer in technical assessments, generation of technical reports, provide spot support and guidance to the construction community/WUSC and follow up, and help prepare work completion reports for each construction by the project.
• Coach the WSS technician, monitor the process and progress, and ensure construction quality along with the capacity building for WUSC, VMW and Subcontractor II personnel
• Preparation, timely delivery of deliverables highlighted in section 4 to Field Engineers and get approval.Report to the Project’s Field Engineer and work in close coordination with Watershed Advisors, Municipal Coordinators and Monitoring, Evaluation and Communication Coordinator.

4. Period of Performance and Deliverables

The total Level of Effort will be 108 days over the period of 5 months, considering 21 days in a month.  The estimated start date is January 15, 2023, and the completion date is June 15, 2023. This will be a full-time position for five months. 

Payments will be made on a monthly basis per the Field Engineer's recommendation and approval of timesheets submitted by the Sub-Engineer/s, based on the delivery of the following deliverables:

• Monthly work plan to perform the service, including a list of documents/ information/ checklist required to conduct survey, design, estimation, construction monitoring, and quality control, get work plan, travel schedule, and get approval from Field Engineer.  
• Preliminary survey of construction sites, including daily monitoring of the construction project locations and relevant monitoring reports (weekly and monthly). The reports must be submitted within two working days following the end of the reporting period. For example, for weekly monitoring conducted from Sunday to Saturday, the report must be submitted on Monday (2 days after Saturday). The report must include the following:
  • Progress vs workplan (timeline), with estimations of any delay or achievement as per construction workplan and timeline 
  • Construction inspection logs checklist document
  • Compliance with quality standards as per technical specifications, drawing, design, and BOQ
  • Environmental compliance
  • Safeguarding, health, and safety compliance including GESI considerations
  • Stepwise photos, including a minimum of ten (10) high-resolution photos of each construction activity
  • Recommendations logs
  • Daily monitoring log sheets (the template will be developed together with USAID Karnali Water Activity Field Engineers)

5. Supervision

Sub-Engineer positions will be based in Municipalities office and/or project’s Watershed office, and will report to the Field Engineer. The base station is subject to change at short notice as per the requirement of the Project. 

6. Required Qualifications

• Diploma in Civil Engineering with 5 years of experience particularly in survey, design, estimation and construction supervision activities of rural water supply schemes, MUS, water source protection works and FSTP structure.
• Experience in working in the WASH sector with sound knowledge in feasibility study, survey, design, and estimation procedures of rural water supply and MUS schemes along with knowledge of Nepal Standards norms and specifications for civil construction.
• Beside gravity WSS, s/he will have a good understanding of survey, design and construction of green and grey infrastructures, source protection. Experience with the pumping WSS scheme is an added advantage.
• Good knowledge of WSS scheme supervision of construction.
• Knowledge of AutoCAD for instant preparation of working drawings in the field, Google Maps, MS Office and Measurement Sheet, running bills, and final bill preparation
• Good knowledge of documentation, report writing, and presentation
• Tactfulness and excellent interpersonal skills 
• Good communication skills in Nepali
• Ability and willingness to work on a team and to work under pressure and in remote/difficult substances
  • Demonstrated ability to: a) communicate effectively with local project staff, municipalities, local communities, and government counterparts to work efficiently towards project objectives and targets, b) work as an interdisciplinary team player to implement place-based activities and promote goals and objectives of Karnali Water Activity, and c) work closely with colleagues in a team spirit, work in a difficult situation and remote areas.
• Must have a valid motorcycle license

Application instructions:

Interested applicants are invited to apply via this link: https://fs23.formsite.com/OLJTgx/lrioia44lh/index.html  no later than January 08, 2023. Applicants are requested to include their proposed daily rate, PAN no., preferred work location and anticipated joining date in the CV. 

Applicants will be evaluated on the basis of their qualifications mentioned above and proposed daily rate, and their availability of joining the project by mid-January 2023.

DAI promotes workforce diversity and considers excluded groups to include women, Dalits, indigenous ethnic groups, Madhesi, Muslim, persons with disabilities, people living in remote areas, and sexual and gender minorities.  

Applicants residing in the above-mentioned LGs or construction sites will be given preference. 

The project will cover travel and other per diem costs as per the organization’s policies only if they travel from the assigned LG to other LGs as per the project’s requirement.