Assam Integrated River Basin Management Program

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST (REoI)

(CONSULTING SERVICES– CONSULTING FIRM SELECTION)

 

Assam Integrated River Basin Management Project (AIRBMP)

 

Loan No.9487 IN

 

Assignment Title: Consulting Services for Design, Development, Operation and Maintenance of a Water Resources Asset Management System (WRAMS) for river basins of Assam with specific data population for Beki, Buridehing and Jiadhal sub-basins under Assam Integrated River Basin Management Program (AIRBMP) Project.

 

Reference No.: WRD _HIU_CS8_WRAMS                                       Issuance Date:  22 July 2024

 

1. The State of Assam, through the Government of India, has received financing from the World Bank towards the cost of the Assam Integrated River Basin Management Program (AIRBMP) and intends to apply part of the proceeds for consulting services required for the project. AIRBMP is a three-phase program with an overall financing envelope of USD 625 million aimed at reducing flood and erosion-related risks and enhancing the resilience of communities in Assam to climate variability and change.

 

1. Flood and River Erosion Management Agency of Assam (FREMAA) is the Project Management Unit (PMU) with Water Resources Department (WRD) and Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) as the Project Implementing Units (PIU).

 

1. The program aims to squarely address the “Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM)-Disaster Risk Management (DRM) Nexus” through a set of synergistic activities including the use of nature-based solutions and non-structural approaches.

 

1. WRD (herein referred as “Client”) wishes to hire a consultancy firm (herein referred as “Consultant”) for design, development, and commissioning of a Water Resources Asset Management System (WRAMS), including its operation and maintenance.

 

1. The proposed consultancy for developing and operationalizing the WRAMS shall first develop a set of generic functional modules applicable for the Brahmaputra and all its tributaries in Assam, and then shall populate all the modules with the data from the three specific sub-basins, namely Beki, Buridehing and Jiadhal.

 

1. The WRAMS will enhance the WRD’s capabilities by providing accessible, relevant information on structural assets. It will support decision-making through analytical tools, prioritizing ease of use and quick, informed outputs. The WRAMS will aid flood management, asset maintenance, hazard alerts, and planning new structures.

 

1. The detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) is being uploaded along with REoI.

 

1. The Client now invites eligible consultancy firms (“Consultant(s)”) to indicate their interest in providing the services. Interested Consultants shall provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the services. The information should include comprehensive descriptions of previous relevant assignments including nature of assignment, contract date, contract amount, person-months provided by the consultant, and role of the consultant in the contract (Lead Consultant, Joint Venture Member, Sub-Consultant, etc.).

 

1. The assignment duration would be 36 months from the effective date which includes 12 months for planning, development, and commissioning of the WRAMS and acceptance of the System by the client and 24 months for operation and maintenance support and update of the system, after commissioning of the System to the client’s server. Training and capacity building of WRD officials shall be provided during this period.

 

1. The shortlisting criteria are as follows.

 

1. 1. GENERAL EXPERIENCE

 

1. The consultant should have an overall experience of providing consultancies in similar activities for minimum 10 years.
2. The consultant should have experience in similar services in 2 projects in India.

 

1. 1. TECHNICAL EXPERIENCE
2. The consultant’s proven track record in water resources management, asset management, and related projects.
3. The consultant should have similar river basin projects, especially those involving data population and system development.
4. The consultant should have an understanding of hydrometeorological data, geospatial data, and asset management principles.
5. The consultant should have proficiency in relevant software tools and technologies for system development and data management.
6. The consultant should have an understanding of developing, operating, and maintaining operational systems for tracking, planning and prioritizing activities.
7. The consultant should have expertise in database design, data normalization, and efficient data storage etc.

 

1. 1. FINANCIAL CAPABILITY
2. The consultant should have satisfactorily completed at least 1 similar assignment valued not less than INR 7.3 Crore or at least 2 similar assignments each valued not less than INR 5.5 Crore in similar projects (supporting documents to be attached) in the last 10 years prior to the last date of submission of the EoI.
3. The consultant should have an Average Annual Turnover of minimum INR 4.6 Crores certified by the registered Indian Chartered Accountant (CA) for the last five Financial Years (FY) in the format provided in Annexure-I.

 

1. 1. MANAGEMENT COMPETENCY
2. The consultant should preferably have relevant quality certifications like ISO, etc.
3. The consultant should demonstrate its management competency for completion of similar type of assignments along with details about Key and Non key Experts of the firm.

 

NOTE: The consultants should prepare their EoIs clearly highlighting the points above with relevant and sufficient supporting documents only. The criteria mentioned above are the minimum criteria. Any consultant with more experience than the criteria stipulated above will secure more marks in the respective criteria.

 

Supporting documents shall include the below compliance sheet which should be filled and attached with the EoI.

 

Cl. No.	Criteria	Supporting Document	Compliance (Yes/No)	Page No.
10.1 and 10.3(a)	Firm’s overall experience of providing consultancies in similar activities/studies, Firm’s Financial Experience as per format b) at Annexure-I	End User or Client Certificates/Self Declaration showing the experience
10.2	Firm’s Specific/ Technical Experience as per format b) at Annexure-I	Brief write up highlighting the particular project and required experience substantiated by the End User or Client Certificates/Self Declaration showing the experience
10.3(b)	Turnover per format c) at Annexure-I	Audited Profit and Loss Statement. Turnover certificate certified by CA in Annexure-I
10.4 (a)	Relevant Quality Certifications	Copies of ISO Certificates/Any other relevant certificate
10.4 (b)	Management Competency	Write-up on standard policies/procedures, handling complains, ensuring quality etc.
		Any other document

 

Expressions of interest (EoI) must include the following:

• Introductory letter on letter head (with complete contact details – name of the contact person, mailing address, telephone, email, etc.) explaining how the consultant is best to deliver the task.
• Organization profile.
• Last five years’ audited profit and loss statements along with turnover certificates duly certified by CA. If the balance sheets of FY 2023-24 are not audited yet, the consultant may submit the financial statements of 2022-23, 2021-22, 2020-2021, 2019-20 and 2018-19 along with the turnover certificates duly certified by the CA.
• Short note (preferably along with evidence such as report and survey excerpts, links to operational systems developed, etc.) on the similar projects implemented by the consultant pertaining to the short-listing criteria.
• The EoI should contain sufficient supporting documents to substantiate the claim of the Consultant towards their qualification as per the shortlisting criteria.
• Forms to be submitted along with the EoI are attached as Annexure-I.
• Key Experts will not be evaluated at the shortlisting stage.

 

1. The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to paragraphs 3.14, 3.16 and 3.17 of the “World Bank Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers” Fourth Edition, November 2020, setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest.

 

1. The consultant may associate with other consultants in the form of a joint venture or a sub-consultancy to enhance their qualifications. The consultant shall clearly state the role of each member in the association (Lead, JV partner, or Sub-consultant) in their expression of interest, and should submit a signed Letter of Intent by all JV partners in case of a Joint Venture. In the case of a joint venture, all the partners in the joint venture shall be jointly and severally liable for the entire contract, if selected.

 

1. A consultant will be selected in accordance with the Quality and Cost Based Selection (QCBS) through Open National Market Approach method as set out in World Bank’s “Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers” Fourth Edition, November 2020. 

 

1. The Terms of Reference for the assignment can be found at the following weblink: https://assamtenders.gov.in/.

 

1. A pre-EoI meeting shall be held on 03 Aug 2024 at 16:00 Hours in the office of Client at the address mentioned in the REoI.

 

1. Pre-EoI Queries may be raised at https://assamtenders.gov.in/ with subject line – “Queries- EoI- WRAMS-(AIRBMP) – WRD<Name of the Consultant>” latest by 02 Aug 2024 till 17:00 Hours. The format for providing queries is given in the Annexure-I.

 

1. Interested Consultants may upload Expressions of Interest along with the aforesaid supporting documents online at the e-procurement portal of Govt. of Assam viz. https://assamtenders.gov.in as per the dates mentioned below. No other mode of submission shall be entertained.

 

1. Key Dates

 

1. REoI publication date and time         :           22/07/2024 at 16:00 Hours.

 

1. REoI download start date and time  :           20/07/2024 from 16:30 Hours.

 

1. Pre-EoI meeting date and time         :           03/08/2024 at 16:00 Hours.

 

1. REoI download end date and time    :           20/08/2024 till 14:00 Hours.

 

1. EoI submission End Date and time    :           20/08/2024 till 14:00 Hours.

 

1. EoI online opening date and time     :           20/08/2024 till 16:00 Hours.

 

1. Address for Communication

 

The Additional Chief Engineer

Water Resources Department (EAP Wing)

3rd Floor, Assam Water Centre (Near Basistha Police Station), Kundil Nagar, Basistha Chariali, NH 27 Guwahati–781029, Assam, India,

Email: eapwrdassam@gmail.com,

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                               Chief Engineer

                                                                                                              Water Resources Department                                                      

 

 

Annexure-I

STRUCTURED QUESTIONNAIRE FOR CONSULTANT

(TO BE SUBMITTED ALONG WITH EoI)

1. General Particulars of Consultant

 

Name of the Consultancy Firm/Consultant
Registered Address
Phone No
Email id
Name of the Contact Person for this EoI
Phone no. of the Contact person for this EoI
Email id of the Contact person for this EoI
Branch offices if any
Date of consultancy firm’s establishment
Number of full-time employees of the consultancy firm
Number of full-time qualified staff related to the assignment.
Number of other staff/supporting staff related to the assignment.

 

1. Format for General/Similar Nature/Specific/Technical assignments

 

Name of Project	Funded       by Multilateral / Bilateral funding agency.   Agencies implementing government projects (other than above);   Or (3) Public sector undertakings in the same sector Please specify 1, 2, 3	Client Name	Nature  of assignment (A brief description)	Year and duration of the assignment Completed /ongoing	Role as Lead/JV Partner/subconsultant	Total person months	Total Project Value (INR)	Professional Fees (INR) of the assignment	Remark (Self-declared/End User certificate /client’s certificate/Photograph/extract of report attached)

 

1. Financial Particulars of the CONSULTANCY FIRM

 

Financial Years (FY)	Turnover from Consultancy (INR Cr.)	Turnover from other Activities (INR Cr.)	Total Turnover (INR Cr.)	Average Annual Turnover for the last 5 years (INR Cr.)

 

1. Full Time Qualified- Key Staff (related to the assignment) Brief Profile

 

Name of Staff/M. No.	Age	Years of experience	Qualification	Number of Years associated with the CONSULTANCY FIRM (Post qualification)	Brief nature of work done

 

 

1. Other Staff/Supporting Staff (related to the assignment) Brief Profile

 

Name of Staff	Age	Years          of Experience	Qualifications	Number of Years Associated with the consultancy firm	Assignments where the staff has worked with year and duration

 

 

1. Format for submitting queries/clarifications

 

Sr. No.	Clause Reference No. along with page no.	Query	Suggestion/Clarification

 

 

 

 

Terms of Reference for Design, Development, Operation, and Maintenance of a Water Resources Asset Management System (WRAMS) for river basins of Assam with specific data population for Beki, Buridehing, and Jiadhal sub-basins

 

under Assam Integrated River Basin Management Program (AIRBMP)

 

 

 

 

 

Project No.: P-174593

Reference No.: WRD _HIU_CS8_WRAMS

 

 

Table of Contents

1       Project Background. 10

2       Context 10

3       Rationale and Objective. 11

4       Project Location. 12

5       Scope of Services. 13

6       Consultant’s Tasks. 14

6.1        Task 1: Review and conceptualization. 14

6.2        Task 2: Design and development of WRAMS. 15

6.3        Task 3: Capacity-building and Training. 17

6.4        Task 4: Operation and Maintenance Support for WRAMS. 17

7       Duration, Deliverables and Schedule of Payments. 17

7.1        Duration of Consultancy. 18

7.2        Tentative Deliverables. 18

7.3        Schedule of Payments. 19

8       Client’s Role and Responsibility. 20

9       Consultant’s Role and Responsibility. 20

10     Required Expertise of Consulting Firm and Key Experts. 20

 

 

Project Background

The State of Assam, through the Government of India, has received financing from the World Bank towards the cost of the Assam Integrated River Basin Management Program (AIRBMP). The expected funding for the 3-phase duration of the Program (2023-2033) is US$ 500 million. The overall program development objective is to reduce water-related disaster risks in Assam and help the state sustainably develop its water resources. The program aims to squarely address the “Water-DRM Nexus” through a set of synergistic activities, including nature-based solutions and non-structural approaches. The program focuses on building the requisite institutional capacity, filling critical knowledge gaps, and implementing integrated solutions to tackle the current challenges for climate-resilient growth and improved livelihoods.

Flood and River Erosion Management Agency of Assam (FREMAA) is the Project Management Unit (PMU) and the Water Resources Department (WRD) Assam, and the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) are the Project Implementing Units (PIUs) for the AIRBMP. The Project Development Objective (PDO) of the first phase (2023-2027) is to strengthen institutional capacities for integrated water resources planning and management and to enhance preparedness for flood and river erosion risks in Assam. In this first phase, 3 sub-basins of Brahmaputra— Beki, Buridehing, and Jiadhal, have been selected as target areas for both structural and other allied project activities.

Context

The State of Assam is strategically important as a gateway to the north-eastern region and the most populous state in north-east India. The state faces many of the challenges prevalent in other parts of the region but also holds tremendous potential for development through improved water resources management. Along with other water-related challenges, Assam faces two major water-related risks: floods and riverbank erosion which are already severe and could exacerbate under a changing climate. While floods affect an average of 0.8 million hectares of land annually, in certain years, they affect over 50% of Assam’s total area of 7.54 million hectares. Such extensive floods inundate at least 2,000 villages in addition to destroying other infrastructure. The problem is further exacerbated by riverbank erosion which destroys an annual average of about 8,000 hectares of riparian land along the Brahmaputra. The floods are caused by the runoff from extremely heavy rainfall during the monsoon and high sediment loads from upper catchments which are geologically unstable and degraded due to deforestation and cyclic land use practices. The floods, combined with riverbank erosion, have a significant impact on communities living on the active floodplains of the Brahmaputra River and its tributaries.

 

Flood and riverbank erosion risk management responsibility lies with the Water Resources Department (WRD), Govt. of Assam. WRD’s mission is to manage flooding and erosion by various protection measures like monitoring, repair, and maintenance of existing structural assets, and constructing new assets including embankments, anti-erosion works, and other ancillary structures for flood and erosion mitigations. For flood mitigation, assets, and associated infrastructures include embankments, anti-erosion works, all earthen and masonry walls, dams, spillways, piers, groynes and spurs, sluices, siphons, water gauges, benchmarks, and other works. (Refer to The Assam Embankment and Drainage Act. 1953 for more details). The aim of the flood control assets and associated infrastructures are to ensure the safety of communities from flood and erosion risk and protect their land and livelihood from damages. There are approximately 4513 km long flood control embankments in Assam that have been constructed over time since the 1950s at various flood-prone locations in Assam. These embankments and other assets protect major cities, towns, settlements, villages, and other infrastructures from flood.

 

Division and District wise embankment lengths in Assam are presented in Table 1 (shaded rows show embankment lengths in the three basins of key focus for this consultancy: Beki, Buridehing, and Jiadhal).

 

Table 1: Division and District wise embankment length in the Brahmaputra and Barak Basins

Sl. No.	Name of the Division	Division Wise Length (in km)	Name of the District	District Wise Length (in km)
1	Dibrugarh	364.958	Dibrugarh	291.108
2	Sibsagar	368.995	Tinsukia	73.850
3	Jorhat	238.540	Sibsagar and Charideo	368.995
4	Majuli	192.134	Jorhat	158.040
5	UAID, Jorhat	53.350	Majuli	192.134
6	Dhemaji	203.601	Golaghat	133.850
7	Dhakuakhana	109.155	Dhemaji	203.601
8	N Lakhimpur	328.934	Lakhimpur	438.089
9	Tezpur	224.328	Sonitpur and Biswanath	224.328
10	Nagaon	233.097	Karbianglong and West Karbianglong	34.162
11	Morigaon	189.628	Nagaon and Hojai	233.097
12	Guwahati East	78.990	Morigaon	189.628
13	Guwahati Rural	240.590	Kamrup (M)	38.765
14	Mangaldoi	187.138	Kamrup (R)	280.815
15	Nalbari	229.510	Darrang	187.138
16	Baksa	68.700	Udalguri and Tamurpur	16.000
17	Barpeta and Bajali	188.974	Nalbari	229.510
18	Chirang	26.105	Barpeta and Bajali	188.974
19	Kokrajhar	28.011	Baksa	52.700
20	Dhubri and South Salmara	67.130	Chirang	26.105
21	Goalpara	58.100	Bongaigaon	25.540
22	Diphu	34.162	Kokrajhar	28.011
23	Karimganj	180.140	Dhubri and South Salmara	41.590
24	Silchar	424.709	Goalpara	58.100
25	Katigora	44.230	Cachar	474.349
26	Hailakandi	149.316	Karimganj	195.800
27	Haflong	Nil	Hailakandi	128.246
28			Dima Hosao	Nil

Note: Shaded rows show embankment lengths in the three basins for which the modules of WRAMS are to be populated with data

 

Rationale and Objective

Presently, there exists a time-consuming conventional practice for planning and maintenance of embankments and associated flood risk management infrastructures. Given the recurrent threat of flooding, the conventional practice is not able to cope with the enormous challenge of frequent damages to these assets and help plan repair and maintain these assets for their intended functions.

Therefore, this assignment aims to enable the WRD to assess problems in real-time, plan remedial and new measures, prioritize restoration work and promptly report on the physical status of the assets. To achieve this, a computerized Water Resources Asset Management System (WRAMS) operating on a web-enabled GIS platform will be used. Under phase – 1 of AIRBMP, a comprehensive WRAMS structure would be developed for all river basins of Assam, where all modules of asset management should be available for populating the data. The specific data population shall be done for the Beki, Buridehing and Jiadhal basins supported by detailed, modern water resources asset surveys, including visual and scientific inspection of the status of the structural assets (embankments, bank protection works and river training works including spurs/groynes and other structures etc.). This will, in turn, help to improve the quality and delivery of WRD’s services in the management of the embankments and associated flood control infrastructure thereby ensuring the intended protection for the people and property.

 

The objective of this consultancy is the design, development, and commissioning of a Water Resources Asset Management System (WRAMS), including its operation and maintenance, for the Water Resources Department, Govt. of Assam. The proposed consultancy for developing and operationalizing the WRAMS shall first develop a set of generic functional modules applicable to the Brahmaputra and all its tributaries in Assam and then shall populate all the modules with the data from three specific sub-basins, namely Beki, Buridehing, and Jiadhal.

The WRAMS will enhance the capabilities of the WRD by providing a source of readily accessible, relevant, and valid information on the status of the structural assets as well as improved support for decision-making by providing analytical tools. The creation and operationalization of the WRAMS will prioritize ease of use and logical processes, ensuring the outputs are useful for quick and informed decision-making.

The WRAMS would support the flood management functions including the maintenance and strengthening of existing assets, and the generation of alerts for anticipated flood-related hazards by using analytical tools in the WRAMS and planning of new flood control structures. Further, WRAMS will also help in planning the survey and monitoring work including the specific methods, and tools to be used for monitoring and reporting. 

Project Location

The project location is the entire basin of the Brahmaputra in Assam, including sub-basins of the three select tributaries- Beki, Buridehing, and Jiadhal (Figure 1). While the functional modules of WRAMS shall be developed for all river basins/sub-basins in Assam, they (the modules) shall be populated with the data from the three sub-basins.

A brief description of the three sub-basins is presented below.

Buridehing sub-basin: the river is a large tributary on the left bank of the Brahmaputra River. The river is about 380 km long of which about 210 km is in Assam and originates at 2,375 m above mean sea level in Arunachal Pradesh. The river flows through Tinsukia and Dibrugarh districts in Assam to its confluence with the Brahmaputra at Dehingmukh. Its watershed covers about 5,971 km2 out of which 2,943 km2 is in Assam.

Beki sub-basin: the river is a large tributary on the right bank of the Brahmaputra River. The river is about 379 km long of which about 80 km is in Assam and originates approximately 7,453 m above mean sea level. In Assam, it flows through Barpeta and Baksa districts to its confluence with the Brahmaputra. Its watershed covers about 33,100 km2, of which 3,892 km2 is in Assam.

Jiadhal sub-basin: the river is a medium-sized tributary on the right bank of the Brahmaputra River. The river is about 145 km long of which about 110 km is in Assam and originates at 1,516 m above mean sea level in Arunachal Pradesh. It flows through Dhemaji District in Assam to its confluence with the Subanshree River, a large tributary of the Brahmaputra. Jiadhal watershed covers about 1,164 km2, of which 1,102 km2 is in Assam.

 

Figure 1: Locations of Beki, Buridehing, and Jiadhal sub-basins in the Brahmaputra Basin 

Scope of Services

The consultant will work in close coordination with the officials of WRD, FREMAA, the Project Management and Technical Consultant (PMTC) team, and other consultant teams working on similar projects. The scope of this scheme will cover the Beki, Buridehing, and Jiadhal river basins from their starting (entrance point of the river) in Assam up to the confluence points with river Brahmaputra or Subanshree, apart from structuring the master module for WRAMS to be compatible to populate data of any other sub-basins in the Brahmaputra Basin, or beyond. The WRAMS will be developed with functional modules for operation & maintenance of the assets through their life cycle. The development includes: (a) Collecting data for all assets in the select river basins through primary and secondary surveys and preparing asset maps, and geographic referencing of all important assets in GIS shapefile and CAD format, (b) Identifying all information/data required to develop the WRAMS, like structural and engineering information, basin information and flood-related Information, (c) Identifying the life-cycle of the assets to support designing new or strengthening existing structures, implementation of a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), risk assessment, preventive or corrective measures/emergency response, and Operation and Maintenance (O & M) / reconstruction.

The Consultant’s specific services towards the development of WRAMS for Beki, Buridehing, and Jiadhal basins will comprise of following activities.

1. Survey and collect all relevant data on the extent, health status and structural details etc. of the water resources assets in Beki, Buridehing and Jiadhal Basins, including embankments, anti-erosion works and other associated physical structures.
2. Collect data and information from relevant WRD offices on current maintenance planning and approval processes including yearly expenditure on physical works, inspection, and surveillance processes. Simultaneously, collect information on approved drawings at the time of construction of assets, as-built drawings, drawings of remedial measures for restoration/repair of assets and information on the effectiveness of repair/renovation measures.
3. Digitization/Scanning of old drawings and developing a database with ad-hoc query module to access the data so collected. 
4. Prepare an inventory of the assets and classify and segregate the assets based on actual field visits with photographs into different types, zones etc.
5. Design the comprehensive maintenance plan for the assets including cost implications.
6. Design and develop a web-based GIS solution that will integrate and provide online access to all the relevant data on the assets together with the inspection data that will be generated by using handheld tools like PCs, Tablets, GPS, mobile, cameras, etc., as per the inspection checklist. 
7. Design WRAMS to facilitate the population, regular updates, and future revisions of data from any other river basin.
8. Provision of live Video Streaming of erosion/ flood fighting works or any other flood management works requiring urgent attention of the decision-makers in an interactive mode.
9. Develop survey plans within the WRAMS to facilitate regular monitoring and reporting of asset health, including a mechanism for flagging timelines.
10. Develop standard protocols and formats for inspection/reporting by field officers.
11. Enable generation of alerts/ reports based on input received from field offices and prepare a platform for disseminating these alerts to pre-identified stakeholders by mobile-based SMS/ WRAMS platform.
12. Ensure provisions for incorporating data relevant to third-party activities (such as PWD and District Administration) through mechanisms to collect and maintain this information for flagging any maintenance issues promptly.
13. Develop Users’ Manual, Technical Reference and Training Modules including detailed software architecture documentation.
14. Make recommendations for sustainable and effective use of WRAMS.
15. Provide a master module of WRAMS to enable the client to fully use it for any other river systems in Assam.
16. Provide user-based access to the concerned Divisional Officers and WRD personnel throughout the state.
17. Provide a mechanism to continuously monitor the status and physical health of the assets to rationally assess the urgency and nature of maintenance work to protect them and the habitations around them.
18. Provide relevant information for maintenance and strengthening of existing assets, planning new assets and preparing and prioritizing schemes for repair/maintenance of the assets in particular reaches.
19. Provision of two years of backup operation and maintenance support for proper functioning and troubleshooting, if any, of the WRAMS after deployment in the Client’s server.

Consultant’s Tasks

Task 1: Review and Conceptualization

This task consists of structuring and initiation of the WRAMS and will include the following sub-tasks:

1. Review of national and international best practices of similar assignments, including reviewing existing WRAMS operations in other states in India and also reviewing best practices in different countries, e.g., Netherlands with vast experience in monitoring and maintenance of massive network of dikes and levees. 
2. Identification of key input data and creating an inventory of existing and expected future data on water resources assets and related structures for designing the database for WRAMS.
3. Preliminary User Needs Assessment (UNA) to define the functional requirements of WRAMS through dedicated consultations with WRD’s relevant Circles, Divisions including field offices.
4. Conceptualising the master modules of the WRAMS.
5. Developing a framework to monitor and assess the condition and quantify the issues in the assets and incorporating these into the WRAMS inspection report.

Task 2: Design and Development of WRAMS

Developing a generic set of master module

The master module shall be finalized through a literature review of best practices (national and international) and through consultation with the client. A generic list of functional modules may include, but is not limited to the following:

Input systems

1. Asset information system (locations, life cycle etc.),
2. Engineering information system,
3. Basin information system (basin features and description),
4. Store material (stock) information system, etc.

 

Functionality and structure (processing)

1. Scheme monitoring system,
2. Asset monitoring system (including health monitoring),
3. Maintenance planning system,
4. Data editing system,
5. Document management system,
6. Admin control system,
7. Analytic and planning tools, etc.

 

Output systems (dissemination)

1. User interface across devices,
2. Emergency and attention alerts,
3. Flood risk information system, etc.

 

The master module should be flexible for future expansion of modules, inputs, outputs, etc. and the consultant should suggest the best possible options regarding software (license/open source) selection.

Preparation of database

The databases to be developed as a part of WRAMS will include, but not be limited, to the following:

1. Basin, sub-basin and asset geographical information database
2. Asset types, numbers and structural databases
3. Database on information on asset users (e. g. PWD) and beneficiaries (e. g. District Administration) and their contacts, relevance etc.
4. Asset life cycle and health database
5. Survey and monitoring plans and reports
6. Field office-based information databases, including photographic and video graphic datasets
7. Store material (stock) database
8. Archives of repair and maintenance history
9. Database of future locations, types, and urgencies for new assets

Metadata protocols for all the above databases etc. will be needed for smooth data collection and a structured population of data in the WRAMS.

Development of functionalities

 

The general functionalities of the WRAMS will include, but not be limited, to the following:

 

1. Data viewer to display geographical, structural, and other statistics and generate summary statistics, and report in various user – selected databases.
2. Dynamic spatial maps of various hydraulic data, engineering data, (geo-referenced) and field reports. This may include colour markers reflecting critical asset management parameters.
3. Ability to upload and download various databases (to be finalised in consultation with WRD/FREMAA).
4. Analytical module on maintenance scheduling, prioritization and monitoring of existing assets based on historical data, existing or specifically developed algorithms.
5. Preparation of templates for new flood protection schemes as per existing or new guidelines/SOP along with design tools in various formats for various flood management situations.
6. Comparison mechanisms for different year’s satellite images as well as asset design and actual profiles.
7. The module should be able to produce a maintenance prioritization table based on the criticality of the problem and generate alarms/reports based on input received from field offices and should have a platform for dissemination of these alerts to pre-identified stakeholders by mobile-based SMS/WRAMS platform.
8. The databases will have a provision to integrate all the necessary and legacy data related to all river basins in Assam and will be specifically populated with the historic and current asset data from Beki, Buridehing and Jiadhal basins, generated through ground-based and satellite-based primary surveys, and secondary data collection etc.
9. The database will be designed for updating with future spatial and non-spatial data.
10. The system will have tools for 2D and 3D, visualization of the assets as well as retrieving specified details or technical documents for any given location of assets.
11. WRAMS shall provide linkage to past and future physical modelling studies in the basin. It should facilitate for incorporating various scenarios of modelling outcomes in the decision-support system by providing visualization, cost estimation and comparison support for prioritization.
12. The database framework shall be suitable for extending the methodology to other basins in Assam.
13. The consultancy services would inter-alia include database design and planning and providing capacity for spatial and non-spatial analysis. The design of the Enterprise Oracle/ArcGIS geo-database would support WRD’s maintenance, inspection, strengthening and planning new structural flood risk management activities. The database would be dynamically updated by interfacing with other information systems on river morphology, real-time hydro-meteorological data, topographical and bathymetric data and flood forecast models, as it will be helpful to prioritize maintenance works.
14. A GPS-enabled mobile application would be developed to allow crowd-sourced pictures/information (from field staff of WRD) to be received by the Control Room as geo-referenced real-time information. It may have facilities for supporting vernacular language/voice recording.
15. The consultant would develop standard protocols and formats for inspection and reporting by field offices. Data such as legacy and new construction drawings and plans, floodway maps, geotechnical reports, maintenance reports, inspection reports, operation and maintenance manuals, flood fighting reports, models, and technical studies would need to be catalogued and linked through the GIS, allowing authorized users to search documents for specific segments.
16. Database management functions would provide alerts and reports to support maintenance planning by providing relevant data on locations and required interventions linking with relevant asset profiles, river morphology and other data.
17. The consultancy would include the establishment of administrative protocols for data input and editing to ensure data integrity and quality control.
18. To support long-term management and maintenance of this database, the consultant would develop protocols and manuals for GIS and other standards, and a comprehensive data management plan for the inclusion of future assets and other river-related details by WRD officials from both digital (including other information systems) and hard copy sources.
19. The system must be designed to align and/or integrate with WRD's existing and proposed project management and decision support systems, to avoid duplicities and ensure synergies.

Population of modules for three sub-basins

All functional modules shall be operationalized for three sub-basins – Beki, Buridehing and Jiadhal. Data shall be collected for all database types listed in the section 0 and beyond, through primary surveys and secondary sources to populate modules for the above three sub-basins. It is important to plan the primary surveys outside the high flood period. 

During these activities, on-the-job training shall be provided to WRD engineers to train them to independently carry out the same tasks (data collection, module operationalizing and data populating) for any or all other sub-basins of Assam.

Task 3: Capacity Building and Training

1. Provide on-the-job training to WRD engineers on the development, management and implementation and troubleshooting of the WRAMS.
2. WRD engineers will initiate populating the data for two client-identified sub-basins. The consultant will support the WRD engineers with all assistance during this task.
3. Train the relevant field staff to collect field data through periodic visual inspection and integrate it into the WRAMS through mobile application-based mechanisms.

Task 4: Operation and Maintenance Support for WRAMS

Sustainable operation and maintenance of the WRAMS is vital for WRD’s successful management of its flood protection and other assets. The consultant will provide 2 (two) years of operation and maintenance support after the commissioning of the WRAMS. Feedback from the hands-on training sessions and actual use of the system will be used to improve the functionality and performance of the WRAMS, including the software applications. Maintenance support of the developed system will be provided after the go-live of both web app & mobile app, till the project completion.

Duration, Deliverables and Schedule of Payments

The consultancy shall be a lump-sum contract with payments to be made against clearly defined deliverables (see Table 2).

Duration of Consultancy

The contract has an estimated total duration of 36 months — 12 months for planning, development and commissioning of the WRAMS and acceptance of the System by the client and 24 months for operation and maintenance support and update of the system, after commissioning of the System to the client’s server. Training and capacity building of WRD officials shall be provided during this period.

Tentative Deliverables

The tentative deliverable list is given below; however, the detailed requirements and deliverables will be finalized at the inception stage.

Note: All deliverables must be accepted and approved by the client

Table 2: Deliverables and timelines (Deadline for delivery is in terms of months after the contract award)

Milestone no	Milestone Deliverable	Details	Timeline (T=0, i.e., date of commencement)
1	Inception Report	Conceptual design of WRAMS, Methodology for the development of the system, Identification of data inputs for the system, outputs, and fortnightly schedule of the work plan	T+ 1 months
2	Monthly Progress Reports (MPRs)	The monthly progress report (MPR) covers the status of all activities undertaken and progress made in the preceding month.	T+2, T+3... and so on. (i.e., every month after submission of the Inception Report)
3	Comprehensive System Requirement Specifications (SRS) Report & System Design Document (SDD) Report	System Requirement Specifications (SRS) containing WRAMS functional needs, data availability, detailed System Design of Integrated WRAMS including inputs and outputs, Internal and external interfaces, Data flow schedules for updating of the system, and Input-output data formats, etc.	T+ 6 months.
4	Interim Report on Preparation of Web-GIS Viewer	Preparation of Web-GIS Viewer of existing data including mobile-based App for field data entry	T+8
5	Functional Modules of WRAMS	Including alpha testing reports and integration report	T+8
6	Software Documentation, beta testing reports, User acceptance reports	User’s Manual, training material and Technical Manuals	T+8
7	Draft Final Report (development stage of the WRAMS)	Draft final report, including Design Completion Report, Training Plan and Beta-version of WRAMS system, User and Operation Manuals, Reporting protocols and formats, and Acceptance. Test Go-live of the web app and the mobile application	T+10
8	Final Report and Commissioning of WRAMS	Final report and complete functional deployment of WRAMS on the Website and hands-on training	T+12
9	MPRs during the Operation and Maintenance phase	After the successful development and acceptance of the system by the client, 24 months of operation, maintenance and training and capacity building for WRD engineers.	T+13, T+14…. ..up to T+36 (In each month following the WRAMS development phase)
10	Operation and Maintenance Report	Summaries of performance evaluation and all modifications and updates made during the Operation and Maintenance phase	T+36

 

Schedule of Payments

Deliverable milestone	Month	Payment %
Upon approval of the Inception Report	T+1	10%
Upon approval of SRS and SDD Reports	T+ 6	10%
Interim Report on Preparation of Web-GIS viewer	T+8	15%
Draft Final Report (development stage of the WRAMS)	T+10	10%
Final Report and Commissioning of WRAMS	T+12	30% (5% for finalising data population for each basin and 15% after the full commissioning)
Operation and Maintenance Report	T+15, T+18… ……T+36 (8 quarterly payments)	First 6 Quarters – @ 2.5% = 15% Last 2 Quarters – @ 5%= 10%

Client’s Role and Responsibility

WRD will provide the Consultant with the following facilities and services:

• Access to all reports, studies, data, photographs, maps, etc. from WRD and other consultants working on relevant projects.
• Facilitation for coordination with relevant institutions related to the tasks of this consultancy.
• Access to all relevant sites.

Consultant’s Role and Responsibility

• The Consultant will provide its own computers, and software including other associated tools, equipment, printers, and other electronic devices.
• The consultancy, including all its relevant team members, would need to provide data secrecy and non-disclosure undertaking for the secured use of classified data.
• The consultant staff would need to work in the Assam Water Centre (AWC), Guwahati, Assam.

Required Expertise of Consulting Firm and Key Experts

A Team Leader will be responsible to deliver the services for the development and operationalizing of the WRAMS. An indicative list of key experts and non-key staff is provided. However, the firms are encouraged to propose the most suitable team composition and the distribution of their person-months. The indicative total of person-months for all key experts is 115, and for non-key staff it is 150.

Key Experts

1. Team Leader/Senior Water Resources Asset Management Expert
2. Water Resources Asset Management Expert
3. Senior Water Resources Asset Survey Engineer
4. River Engineer / Water Resources Engineer
5. Senior GIS Specialist
6. Senior Web/ Android Programmer
7. Application Programmer/ System Engineer

Non- Key staff

The number of the non-key staff and their expertise are to be proposed by the firm as per the requirements of the assignment.