Capacity Assessment and Modernization Plan of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services and Early Warning Systems in Honduras and Nicaragua

Project ID No.: P155112

Request for Expressions of Interest

The World Bank, with financing from the Japan-World Bank Program for Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Management in Developing Countries, and through the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR), is seeking consultant services to assess the current state of climate, hydrological and weather information services, and develop a modernization program to strengthen the capabilities of the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHS) in Honduras and Nicaragua to deliver better weather, climate and hydrological information and support climate-resilient development. This objective will be achieved by undertaking the following interrelated tasks:

1. Review of weather and climate related hazards, environmental conditions and their socio-economic impacts in Honduras and Nicaragua;
2. Assessment of national climate, hydrological and weather services including but not limited to institutional arrangements, regulatory frameworks, technical capacities, budget, network systems, ICT infrastructures, data management systems and all other requirements for the observation, analysis and dissemination of weather, climate and hydrological events and their impacts. In addition to the national context, specific analysis at regional-local scale will be implemented in two areas of Honduras and two of Nicaragua;
3. Identification of current and potential users/clients and their needs, as well as the opportunities to improve service delivery;
4. Review of donor activities for improved NMHS products and services;
5. Assessment of potential social and economic benefits and costs of modernized climate, hydromet services and early warning systems. The consultant will use the forgoing reviews and assessments to develop and deliver an integrated modernization plan to improve climate and hydromet services, and multi-hazard early warning systems in Honduras and Nicaragua, and;
6. Formulation of two to three Project Concept Notes for each country, based on priority actions according to the foregoing modernization plan.

The expected duration of the consultancy is around 6 months with a total level of effort equivalent to approximately 10 person-months.

The World Bank invites eligible consultant firms to indicate their interest in providing the services. Interested consultants should provide information indicating that they are qualified to perform the services (brochures, description of similar assignments, experience in similar conditions, availability of appropriate skills among staff, etc.).

Funding source

The World Bank intends to finance the assignment / services described below under the following trust fund(s): TF 072129 Japan-World Bank Program for Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Management in Developing Countries

Eligibility

Eligibility restrictions apply: Please see qualification criteria

Qualification Criteria

1. Organization presentation: Please include a cover letter introducing your firm/institution (2 pages maximum), and a summary of your project management qualifications (2 pages maximum).
2. Technical qualifications: Please include a description of similar past and present assignments (1) designing and implementing large-scale climate and hydromet projects including the enhancement of these services at national level, (2) working with government institutions in hydrological, weather and climate information systems and institutional strengthening, (3) supporting Early Warning Systems design and development, and/or (4) other technical areas deemed relevant to this technical assignment (0.5 pages per project maximum; include period of performance for each project; at this point, project reference are not required; projects must be grouped according to category).
3. Regional qualifications: Please include a description of past and present projects in developing countries (0.5 pages per project maximum; project must be grouped according to category).
4. Qualifications of key staff: Please include the resumes/CVs of professional staff holding relevant technical experience, language skills (fluency in Spanish desirable for some of the team members) (2 pages maximum per key staff).

All qualification criteria are mandatory.

Profile

The consultant will be a firm.

Submission requirements

The World Bank now invites eligible consultants to indicate their interest in providing the services. Interested consultants must provide information indicating that they are qualified to perform the services (brochures, description of similar assignments, experience in similar conditions, availability of appropriate skills among staff, etc.). Please note that the total size of all attachments should be less than 5MB. Consultants may associate to enhance their qualifications.

Interested consultants are hereby invited to submit expressions of interest.

Expressions of Interest should be submitted, in English, electronically through World Bank Group eConsultant2.

Notes

Following this invitation for Expression of Interest, a shortlist of qualified firms will be formally invited to submit proposals. Shortlisting and selection will be subject to the availability of funding.