Revitalizing The Ecosystem of Ravi River Basin (KSTA PAK 51324)

Revitalizing the Ecosystem of Ravi River Basin (KSTA PAK 51324)
TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR CONSULTANTS
Asian Development Bank and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan

TA 51324-001 PAK: Revitalizing the Ecosystem of Ravi River Basin
Terms of Reference for an International Consulting Firm or Consortium
Consultancy Services for River Basin Assessment and Management Planning
I. BACKGROUND
1. ADB is preparing a knowledge and support technical assistance (TA) to develop a plan
to revitalize and build resilience in the Ravi River Basin in the Province of Punjab, Pakistan. A
team of consultants, which will comprise international and national experts led by an
international consulting firm (ICF), will be engaged with performance-based procurement by the
Asian Development Bank (ADB) in accordance with its Procurement Policy (2017, as amended
from time to time) and its associated project administration instructions and/or technical
assistance staff instructions.
2. The Ravi River is one of the six transboundary rivers of the Indus River system. It flows
from the Himalaya in northwestern India through eastern Pakistan. The river merges into the
Chenab River and then the Indus, which flows to the Arabian Sea. About 50 million people live
in the basin within Pakistan.1 This includes 24 million urban dwellers in Punjab’s major cities of
Lahore (population 11 million) and Faisalabad (4 million), and in about 70 other urban areas.
The basin experiences huge flow variations, ranging from 10 cubic meters per second in the dry
season to 10,000 cubic meters per second in the wet season.
3. The river provides critical ecosystem services that support Punjab’s economy. The river
forms part of the Indus Basin Irrigation System within Punjab, the world’s largest contiguous
irrigation system, and irrigates 2.9 million hectares of agricultural lands that account for about
30% of Pakistan’s agricultural cultivation. The river’s previously rich biodiversity hosted at least
31 fish species, among other wildlife, that offered livelihoods for Punjab’s rural poor.2 Its partial
flow through the Lahore Canal also has recreational and cultural value to residents of Lahore
4. Despite its economic value, the river basin has become heavily polluted since the 1990s.
Punjab’s cities, industries, and agricultural areas have developed without effective infrastructure
to control, capture, and treat their discharges of polluted water, and without effective policies
and regulations in place to reduce the pollution at source. This problem is not unique to the Ravi
basin but is made worse there because of its large population and many farms, cities, and
industries. Pakistan treats only about 1% of its urban wastewater.3 The ADB country partnership
strategy for Pakistan notes that Pakistan’s environmental management is weak and ineffectual,
with root causes including policy and regulatory gaps, insufficient monitoring and enforcement,
technical and capacity constraints, low public awareness, and low levels of investment.
5. Pollution of the river basin and its health risks are not well documented. The river is
biologically dead (i.e., lacking dissolved oxygen) along much of its reach downstream of Lahore,
according to a 2009 report by the Punjab EPD.4 The report noted major pollution sources as
1 Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. 2017. District-Wise Census Results: Census 2017. Islamabad.
2 U. Moza. 2014. River Ravi Ecology and Fishery. Delhi: Indian Council of Agricultural Research.
3 Friends of Democratic Pakistan, Water Sector Task Force. 2012. A Productive and Water-Secure Pakistan:
Infrastructure, Institutions, Strategy. Islamabad.
4 Government of Punjab, EPD. 2009. Environmental Monitoring of River Ravi. Lahore.
TA 51324-001, Pakistan: Revitalizing the Ecosystem of Ravi River Basin
Terms of Reference for an International Consulting Firm 2
household wastewater, industrial effluent, agricultural runoff, and solid waste.5 A 2014 report by
the World Wide Fund for Nature Pakistan (WWF-Pakistan) assessed the situation of the river
near Lahore, mapping major urban drains and industrial discharges, and concluded that the
Ravi is Punjab’s most polluted river.6
6. Notwithstanding lack of data, experts agree that pollution has been creating major
health, environmental, food, and water safety risks that hurt Punjab’s economy and worsen its
poverty. Poor sanitation and wastewater management in Pakistan cost 3.9% of gross domestic
product in 2006, of which about 90.0% was health related.7 In 2015, more than 50% of all
reported diseases in Punjab were waterborne.8 Pakistan has insufficient water resources, and
poor water quality makes this worse. Farmers, for instance, are forced to use polluted water to
irrigate their crops, which creates scarcity of safe food as heavy metals and harmful chemicals
can accumulate in crops irrigated with polluted water. Fish and other wildlife cannot live in a
dead river, depriving rural poor people of a critical food source and livelihood. The river’s
recreational and cultural value has also declined, with media reports characterizing it as a
“dumping pit” and “sludge carrier.”9 Pollution has a direct economic impact on local water
suppliers as well. The Water and Sanitation Agency in Lahore, for example, reportedly needs to
draw groundwater from depths of about 200 meters—with major pumping costs—to avoid
pollutant contamination at shallower depths.
7. Pakistan is among the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries, and climate change
may alter the river’s flow and increase floods and droughts that worsen pollution risks. Regional
climate change models project that, by mid-century, the river’s seasonal flow variations may
increase because of rainfall variability, glacial melt, and rising water demand from higher
temperatures.10 Climate change could raise the risk of extreme floods or droughts, which pose
major economic threats to the basin’s 50 million people. Droughts and reduced flows can
concentrate pollutants in the river, while floods can create pollution spikes by washing polluted
soil and solid waste into the river.
8. Risks will worsen without urgent action by the government and society. The government
needs to strengthen its policies, institutions, and regulations to improve water quality
management in the basin. Punjab’s cities, industries, and agricultural areas need to invest in
pollution control infrastructure and services. Policies and investments also need to be resilient to
reduced river flows and increased flow variability that may be caused by climate change.
9. Punjab has requested ADB support to ensure that its actions avoid repeating past
failures. Pollution in the Ravi River has been a known problem since at least 1995, though past
clean-up efforts rarely moved beyond the concept stage.11 Two national water sector strategies
from 2002 and 2012 highlighted the need to clean up the river and included investment
5 The report, however, has questionable data because of flawed sampling methodologies.
6 A. Qureshi and A. H. Sayed. 2014. Situation Analysis of the Water Resources of Lahore: Establishing a Case for
Water Stewardship. Lahore: WWF-Pakistan. The report also lamented the lack of available data on pollution levels
and impacts.
7 World Bank. 2011. The Economic Impacts of Inadequate Sanitation in Pakistan. Islamabad.
8 Government of Punjab, Planning and Development Department. 2015. Punjab Growth Strategy 2018: Accelerating
Economic Growth and Improving Social Outcomes. Lahore.

9 I. Gilani. 2015. River Ravi Pollution Puts Lives at Risk. The Nation. 2 February; and S. Malik. 2012. Water
Pollution: Ravi No Longer a River, but a Sludge Carrier. The Express Tribune. 12 April.
10 ADB. 2017. Climate Change Profile of Pakistan. Manila.
11 ADB. 2015. Fourth ASEAN Chief Justices’ Roundtable on Environment: Role of the Judiciary in Environmental
Protection—The Proceedings. Manila.

proposals, but these have not materialized.12 A government-endorsed wastewater treatment

feasibility study prepared with financial support from the Japan International Cooperation
Agency in 2009 recommended a $413 million investment, while a similar study by a French
consultant in 2011 recommended a $118 million investment. Neither project went ahead
(footnote 11). In 2012, the Lahore High Court ordered the establishment of the Ravi River
Commission to help clean up the river. The commission reviewed the situation and prepared a
report recommending a low-cost ($500,000) bioremediation plant in Lahore as a first step
(footnote 11). Soon after, however, the Lahore Development Authority proposed a $3 billion
waterfront urban development project for the river that could preclude the treatment plant and
pose further environmental risks. These organizations have been debating the issue in court
and progress has stalled.
10. Technical and institutional constraints prevented the success of these efforts. The
government has struggled to prioritize pollution risks to date because of lack of data and
awareness on the risks and impacts of pollution, and cost-effective ways to reduce pollution.
Solving the problem also needs a coordinated, multistakeholder response to reduce pollution at
different sources, including local governments, industries, and urban service providers in basin
cities and towns. The Ravi lacks a river basin management agency or its equivalent that could
coordinate its many stakeholders and decide on issues such as the conflicting bioremediation
and waterfront development projects mentioned in para. 9.
11. With growing public awareness of the pollution crisis, the government of Punjab has
appointed new environmental managers in the EPD and committed to take actions for the river
basin with ADB assistance. The EPD has already budgeted for a contribution of up to PRs200
million to support this effort. The proposed TA aims to contribute to addressing the pollution
crisis by improving monitoring and enforcement capacity, filling regulatory and institutional gaps,
raising awareness on pollution risks and cost-efficient ways to reduce pollution, and increasing
levels of investment and public priority toward this crisis. The TA will support activities to assess
the pollution problem, identify and close institutional gaps, raise awareness, and develop a long-
term plan to revitalize and build resilience in the basin, with detailed investment
recommendations.
12. ADB is a strong partner to Pakistan and offers experience from its portfolio of river
revitalization projects elsewhere.13 For example, ADB funded a TA to clean up the Songhua
River Basin in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in 2002. The work was rated highly
successful and led to an ongoing, now 15-year engagement in the basin, with projects
comprising $1.2 billion of ADB financing.14 ADB also offers lessons from its “GrEEEn Cities
Operational Framework”, such as its multi-stakeholder work to revitalize the Melaka River in
Malaysia, and the TA team will consider opportunities to develop Green City Action Plans or
similar initiatives for champion cities in the basin.15 ADB will also add value by leveraging
potential cofinance for proposed investments, such as from the Green Climate Fund.
12 Footnote 3; and Government of Pakistan, Ministry of Water and Power. 2002. Pakistan Water Sector Strategy.
Islamabad.
13 As such, a grant-financed project approach is not preferable, as it would impede this lesson learning.
14 ADB. 2006. Technical Assistance Completion Report: Songhua River Water Quality and Pollution Control
Management. Manila.
15 ADB. 2016. GrEEEn Solutions for Livable Cities. Manila.
II. OBJECTIVE AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT
13. The objective of the assignment is, as a part of the proposed TA, to support the
Government of Punjab to undertake a comprehensive assessment of the pollution situation in
the river basin and to develop a long-term, multi-sectoral plan to revitalize and build resilience in
the basin, including recommendations for investment projects and institutional reforms.
III. CONSULTING SERVICES AND IMPLEMENTATION ARRANGEMENTS
14. The overall implementation arrangements for the TA includes this ICF and a knowledge
partnership between ADB and WWF Pakistan. The ICF and WWF Pakistan will each be
responsible for separate deliverables, but are expected to coordinate and cooperate closely
during their work.
15. ADB will administer the TA and will select the ICF. ADB and the government of Punjab
will coordinate the TA activities and will oversee the timely delivery of the deliverables of each
partner and consultant. The indicative implementation period will be March 2018–September
2019, which is sufficient to mitigate risks of delay. The Punjab Planning and Development Board
will chair a TA steering committee of government departments. The EPD, through its Strategic
Planning and Implementation Unit, will be the executing agency and provide day-to-day support
to the activities and coordination of the steering committee and its technical working group(s).
The ICF team will report to the ADB Team Leader and the designated officials from the TA
Steering Committee.
16. The TA steering committee will convene to make key decisions on TA progress and
deliverables, and may comprise senior staff from the following Punjab government agencies and
partners (subject to confirmation and after TA approval): EPD; Irrigation Department; Agriculture
Department; Local Government and Community Development Department; Primary and
Secondary Health Care Department; Housing, Urban Development, and Public Health
Engineering Department; Industries, Commerce, and Investment Department; and WWF-
Pakistan.
17. The TA will convene technical working group(s) to support the ICF and partners with
their day-to-day activities, and these groups may comprise mid-level staff from the steering
committee member agencies, as well as from agencies such as the Punjab Food Department;
Punjab Forest, Wildlife and Fisheries Department; local chambers of commerce; prominent local
academics; Indus Waters Commission; urban water and sanitation agencies; urban waste
management companies; urban development authorities; and the Urban Unit.16 The TA may
also engage national agencies where relevant, including the Ministry of Water Resources, the
Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency, and the Planning Commission.
18. This is a complex assignment and ADB will select the ICF using performance-based
procurement, including quality-based selection with preparation of full technical proposals. The
ICF will need to handle multiple stakeholders effectively while remaining focused on the TA’s
outcome of improving environmental water management in the river basin through new
investments and institutional reforms.
19. ICF experts should be based mainly in Lahore for the duration of the assignment. The
EPD may be able to provide office space. Interested proposing entities may contact the EPD to
16 The TA should engage urban agencies from at least three major cities in Punjab, including Lahore.
assess the available space and whether it suits their needs or whether to propose additional or
separate office costs. The expected duration of the assignment is 15 months from the start date,
expected to be April 2018, and the assignment of experts is intermittent in nature. The terms will
be revised based on consultations between the parties involved in the assignment per changes
and/or additional requirements identified during implementation.
IV. SCOPE OF WORK
20. The ICF will lead most of the activities to deliver the TA, including technical assessments
of pollution and climate risks in the basin and their health risks; institutional assessments of the
existing arrangements for environmental water management; multi-stakeholder visioning and
basin planning exercises; trainings and workshops; public outreach and awareness raising;
comparative cost-benefit analyses of potential investment options; pre-feasibility studies
including economic, financial, and safeguard analyses; and other on-demand support as
needed. The tasks and outputs are defined below. The ICF will act as a credible scientific
assessment center and as a change management agent to facilitate the planning process,
liaising regularly with government and other key stakeholders. An international team leader will
lead the ICF’s work, will report to ADB and the TA Steering Committee, and will coordinate and
cooperate closely with the other TA partners.
V. DETAILED TASKS
21. The ICF team will undertake a comprehensive assessment of the pollution situation in
the basin, its health impacts, its risks and vulnerabilities from climate change, and its related
institutional gaps and development needs. The team will use these results to facilitate the
development of a long-term, multi-sectoral plan to revitalize and build resilience in the basin,
including recommendations for investment projects and institutional reforms. The plan will
include at least one or two pre-feasibility studies for priority projects selected by ADB and the
TA Steering Committee during the process, for follow-on ADB transaction technical assistance
and possible investment. More specifically, the ICF will be responsible to manage the
implementation of the outputs, deliverables, and tasks below.
Output 1: Successful management, reporting, communications, and coordination

among key stakeholders
I. Maintain close communication and coordination with ADB, the TA Steering
Committee, the TA technical working group(s), and WWF Pakistan, to ensure the
quality and timeliness of TA implementation;
II. Mobilize rapidly after contract signature and work productively throughout the
duration of the TA;
III. Prepare an inception report that proposes the structure for each subsequent
deliverable and that details a project work plan, project communication plan, risk
management framework, and staffing structure to deliver the outputs of the
contract on time and on budget;
IV. Manage the implementation of contract activities in relation to the inception report
work plan, and take corrective action as required, to ensure timely delivery of TA
deliverables in consultation with ADB and the TA Steering Committee;
V. Organize workshops, meetings, and trainings as necessary, in consultation and
close coordination with the key stakeholders;
VI. Prepare brief interim reports, indicating activities undertaken to date, any issues
arising, actions suggested to address the issues or improve project delivery, a
reflection on project risks and communications, and updated timelines for the
remaining contract activities and deliverables;
VII. Prepare a final report, reflecting on activities undertaken, any issues arising,
actions taken to address the issues or improve project delivery, project risks and
communications, lessons learned for future work, and recommendations for
scaling up the TA’s efforts at national level and in other polluted river basins in
the country; and
VIII. Undertake other reasonable tasks as may be required from time to time.
Output 2: Successfully document and assess the water pollution situation and
water quality levels in the basin
I. Review and gather data on the hydrology, geography, hydrogeology, climate, and
demography of the river basin;
II. Review and gather data on past studies of pollution, ecotoxicology, and water
quality in the river basin and in its adjacent shallow groundwater aquifers, including
sources of pollution along its length within Pakistan, levels of transboundary
pollution, and quantity and characteristics of pollution discharges (considering both
liquid and solid waste discharges);
III. Undertake an initial visual assessment of key parts of the river and its tributaries
and drains, and of the EPD laboratory and other accredited laboratories, and
undertake trial runs of surface and groundwater, soil, and food sampling (e.g., at-
risk crops and fish);
IV. Develop a pollution assessment methodology report, which proposes an
annotated table of contents for the final pollution assessment report and gives
proposed approaches to: (i) map key sources of pollution to the river and its
tributaries and aquifers (use of innovative remote sensing and modeling
approaches will be valued); (ii) sample surface and groundwater / soil / food quality
at strategic locations along its length in at least two rounds of sampling (one in dry
season and one in wet season); (iii) estimate a water balance of the river and the
possible impacts of water abstraction on the pollution situation and propose, for
each significant river stretch, a minimum flow for each stretch, according to
seasonal variation; (iv) conduct activities jointly with EPD laboratory staff where
possible to build their capacity; (v) analyze and present the data for effective public
awareness, including close attention to delivering credible results (use of
independent, international laboratories to check some of the samples may be
necessary in this regard); and (vi) generate actionable recommendations on key
pollution hotspots to target for improving the basin’s water quality;
V. Undertake the pollution assessment as described in the methodology and as
modified by comments from ADB and the TA Steering Committee; and
VI. Finalize the results and prepare a pollution assessment report that details the
findings.
Output 3: Successfully document and assess human health risks and impacts
arising from the water pollution situation in the basin
I. Review and gather literature data on human health risks that may arise from
pollutants found in the river basin, including impact pathways and toxicity
thresholds;
II. Review and gather data on past studies of pollution and its health impacts in the
river basin, including known communicable and non-communicable disease
outbreaks (e.g., there are reports of villages suffering bone deformities and skin
lesions linked to their use of polluted river water);
III. Undertake initial visits to local health centers; conduct interviews with medical
practitioners and affected villagers and medical practitioners; and collect data
related to health impacts of pollution on people living along the river’s course within
Punjab;
IV. Develop a health impact assessment methodology report, which undertakes a
scoping process to identify affected community groups and their health status,
proposes an annotated table of contents for the final health impact assessment
report, and gives proposed approaches to: (i) establish a historical baseline of
existing health conditions in the river basin; (ii) assess the current status and
determinants of health in a sample of rural and urban communities in the basin; (iii)
assess people’s access and use of healthcare services at different levels, and the
capacity of the local healthcare system, both in general and in terms of its capacity
to prevent, identify, and treat pollution-related ailments; (iv) assess the status of
any relevant government health programs being implemented in the basin; (v)
analyze and present the data for credibility and effective public awareness; and (vi)
generate actionable recommendations to reduce and mitigate current and future
health impacts from pollution in the basin, including cost estimates;
V. Undertake the health impact assessment as described in the methodology and as
modified by comments from ADB and the TA Steering Committee; and
VI. Finalize the results and prepare a health impact assessment report that details
the findings.
Output 4: Successfully document and assess climate change impacts, risks, and
vulnerabilities in the basin and their links to the water pollution situation
I. Review and gather data on mean and seasonal climate and hydrology of the river
basin;
II. Review and gather data on past studies of climate change impacts in Pakistan,
climate change impacts on water quality and quantity, and relevant adaptation
measures;
III. Develop a basin-level climate resilience assessment methodology report,
which proposes an annotated table of contents for the final basin-level climate
resilience assessment report and gives proposed approaches to: (i) develop an
inventory of climate data, including data on average, minimum, and maximum
temperature, precipitation, physiologically equivalent temperature, relative
humidity, soil moisture, runoff, frequency of severe storms, floods and droughts,
and degree of climate variability for historical timeframes, and compare with
projections from climate models for future timeframes relevant to the investment
planning process, ideally using downscaled data at basin level; (ii) develop flow
simulations for the river basin, based on an assessment of expected changes in
the pattern and level of precipitation, which may involve modeling of the entire river
basin beyond the boundaries of Punjab since climate impacts are expected to
affect upstream glacier and snowpack dynamics; (iii) develop median and more
extreme scenarios for key climatic parameters and associated climate-related
hazards under climate change using the most current and credible sub-regional
climate projections available; (iv) identify potential changes in the monthly,
seasonal, and annual discharge patterns and inflows of the river, as well as
changes in water withdrawals and consumption due to climate change and the
implications for people, assets, and systems in the basin, including consideration of
both acute and sustained risks and interactions with current levels of pollution in
the basin; (v) examine available data and evidence on patterns and trends in
groundwater storage and availability, particularly related to flow patterns of the river
and to abstraction for agriculture, drinking water supply, and other uses, and
identify potential changes due to climate change; (vi) assess options and actions,
for climate-proofing and adaptation measures for hard and soft potential future
investments in pollution control and water quality management, and estimate their
costs; (vii) analyze and present the data for credibility and effective public
awareness; and (vi) generate actionable recommendations to reduce vulnerability
in the basin through efforts to control pollution while ensuring that such efforts are
themselves resilient to future climate change impacts;
IV. Undertake the basin-level climate resilience assessment as described in the
methodology and as modified by comments from ADB and the TA Steering
Committee; and
V. Finalize the results and prepare a basin-level climate resilience assessment
report that details the findings.
Output 5: Successfully document and assess water quality institutions and

political economy in the basin
I. Convene individual and group meetings and workshops with key stakeholders,
including the proposed members of the TA Steering Committee and technical
working group(s), and representatives from at least three of the major cities in the
river basin, to understand their mandates, relevant past and ongoing initiatives,
and key requests and roles within the basin revitalization process;
II. Compile and review old feasibility studies, project designs, investment plans,
sector strategies, and other relevant work undertaken or developed by these
stakeholders;
III. Compile and review relevant national and provincial legal policies, regulations,
institutional information, investment priorities, projects, and other information
necessary to understand the current institutional environment for advancing
pollution control and water quality management efforts;
IV. Develop an institutional and political economy assessment methodology report,
which proposes an annotated table of contents for the final institutional and political
economy assessment report and gives proposed approaches to: (i) identify current
institutional strengths and weaknesses; (ii) identify key operational and policy gaps;
(iii) assess the status and effects of ongoing water quality and pollution control
efforts within the basin; (iv) analyze and present the data for credibility and
effective public awareness; and (v) generate actionable recommendations to close
institutional gaps and strengthen institutional mandates and functions, coordinating
as necessary with another, ongoing ADB TA that aims to transform the Punjab
Irrigation Department into a Water Resources Department (whose new mandate
may involve a stronger focus on water quality management);17
V. Undertake the institutional and political economy assessment as described in the
methodology and as modified by comments from ADB and the TA Steering
Committee; and
VI. Finalize the results and prepare an institutional and political economy
assessment report that details the findings.
Output 6: Successfully prepare a manuscript for an ADB knowledge product that

summarizes the TA pollution assessment effort
17 ADB. 2016. Technical Assistance to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan for the Institutional Transformation of the
Punjab Irrigation Department to a Water Resources Department. Manila.
I. Summarize the key results of the four reports from Outputs 2–5 into at least one
ADB knowledge product manuscript (a technical report, a flagship report, and /
or a series of policy briefs and awareness-raising materials – to be proposed by the
ICF) aimed at public and government audiences in Pakistan and other ADB
member countries, including basic layout and ideally submission of both English
and Urdu versions.
Output 7: Successfully undertake multi-stakeholder visioning exercises that

develop an analytical framework for the plan to revitalize the basin
I. Convene multi-stakeholder meetings and visioning exercises to facilitate their
development of a time-bound vision statement reflecting how these stakeholders
see the future of the river basin and its water quality;
II. Convene multi-stakeholder meetings and workshops to discuss and agree the key
elements and sections needed for an effective and sustainable plan to revitalize
the basin (e.g., on institutional roles, responsibilities, and financing commitments;
on priority investment projects and institutional reforms; and on future capacity
development needs) as well as the necessary technical analyses that will underpin
the plan (e.g., cost-benefit analyses of different investment and institutional reform
options, hydrological and pollutant flow modeling from different options and their
comparative effects on total pollution levels in the river basin, etc.);
III. Develop and propose a structured consultation process and ranking method (e.g.,
multicriteria analysis) for identifying and prioritizing potential investment projects,
and validate it with the TA Steering Committee; and
IV. Prepare a multi-stakeholder visioning report summarizing the results of the
reviews and discussions.
Output 8: Successfully undertake training and international exposure for key

government officials to support the planning process
I. Design and undertake a study trip for selected government officials to relevant
ADB-funded river revitalization activities in the People’s Republic of China
(proposing entities’ financial proposals should include all costs for this trip18), such
as to the Songhua River Basin, preparing a study trip proposal prior to ADB
authorizing the trip that describes a structured selection process for participants,
the agenda, training methods, and cost estimates, and a study trip report after
the trip that summarizes the event;
II. Provide ongoing, on demand leadership of any trainings and workshops needed for
the successful implementation of the TA, including their design, preparation,
facilitation, and/or reporting, with due consideration to involve lessons learned and
expert trainers or resource speakers from ADB’s relevant work in the Bagmati
River Basin of Nepal, the Melaka River in Malaysia, various rivers in the People’s
Republic of China, and elsewhere within ADB member countries.
Output 9: Successfully develop the draft and final revitalization and resilience plan
for the basin with feedback from stakeholders, long-listing potential investments
and prioritizing roles and actions
I. Based on the agreed framework of the multi-stakeholder visioning report,
undertake the technical analyses and develop the sections and elements into the
18 Some in-kind support to arranging visas and logistics may be provided by ADB’s People’s Republic of China
Resident Mission or by local executing agencies of ADB projects, which will be confirmed during the study trip
preparation phase.
draft revitalization and resilience plan, which should include substantial detail to
prioritize a long list of investment options and institutional reforms (for short-listing
by the TA Steering Committee and ADB) and to propose institutional roles,
responsibilities, and financing commitments. The plan should include attention to
the following issues and investments, among others:
• Urban planning and wastewater treatment, industrial and agricultural
effluent control, solid waste management, waterborne and non-
communicable disease control, setting up a river basin management
agency or equivalent, strengthening the EPD’s monitoring and enforcement
mandate;
• Assessment of “nature-based” pollution treatment, resource recovery, and
bioremediation options compared to more “conventional” or high-technology
options;
• Assessment of centralized versus decentralized treatment alternatives;
• Assessment of potential public-private partnerships, especially for urban
wastewater treatment in cities like Lahore, where several feasibility studies
were previously prepared and may still have viable components;
• Comparative assessment of efforts to treat pollution discharges (from
urban, industrial, agricultural, and solid waste discharges, among others),
versus those to reduce them at source, versus those to secure additional
water quantities in the river to dilute existing pollution (e.g., from link canals,
from efforts to improve water use efficiency by existing users especially
agriculture, and/or from efforts to secure minimum environmental flows from
India through the Indus Waters Treaty)
• Comparative assessment of both traditional, project-based investment
packages and more innovative, policy-based, sector-based, or results-
based investments, following ADB’s typical structuring of project loans,
policy-based loans, sector loans, sector development programs, or results-
based loans, as discussed in its Operations Manual;
• Consideration of potential external financing sources for the actions of the
plan, such as the Green Climate Fund or Global Environment Facility,
among others;
• Consideration of environment safeguards and land acquisition and
resettlement safeguards for potential investments in line with ADB’s
Safeguard Policy Statement (2009), including how these may affect project
viability; and
• Consideration of the economic and financial viability of long-listed
investments, in line with ADB’s Guidelines for the Economic Analysis of
Projects (2017) and technical guidance notes on Financial Management
Assessment (2015), Project Financial Reporting and Auditing (2015),
Preparing and Presenting Cost Estimates for Projects and Program
Financed by the Asian Development Bank (2014), and Financial
Management and Analysis of Projects (2005).
II. Alongside the planning process, provide advisory support to the EPD on the use of
their PRs200 million budgeted contribution to support the TA outcome, which may
include providing training, design advice, or a pre-feasibility study for a nature-
based pollution control project that aligns with the planning process;19
19 Proposing entities should prepare for a flexible approach to this activity in their proposals, which may need to occur
early in the TA process prior to the start of the main visioning and planning stage, and which may require anywhere
from a small to significant amount of time inputs, depending on the EPD’s flexibility with the funds and their
III. Present the draft plan to the TA Steering Committee and facilitate multi-stakeholder
meetings and workshops to review and prioritize the long list of investment and
institutional reform options proposed into workable short lists for short-, medium-,
and long-term investment horizons (e.g., 0–5, 5–15, and 15–25 year horizons), and
to clarify and agree roles, responsibilities, and financing commitments;
IV. Facilitate meetings with the TA Steering Committee to agree one or two priority
projects from the short list for immediate follow-on investment by ADB or other
development partners in the short-term;
V. Incorporate feedback received and prepare the final revitalization and resilience
plan, which should be professionally edited and laid out as a public document.
Output 10: Successfully develop pre-feasibility studies – or update existing

feasibility studies – for the one or two priority projects selected by the TA Steering
Committee and ADB, and provide inputs to ADB’s follow-on project concept
paper(s) and transaction technical assistance proposal(s)
I. Depending on the status of the investment concepts, undertake necessary field
visits, data collection, designs, sector assessments, environmental and social
safeguard analyses, economic and financial viability analyses, poverty and gender
strategies, and/or risk assessments to prepare one or two full pre-feasibility
reports for these concepts, or to update their existing feasibility studies; and
II. Use the results of these studies to support the ADB Team Leader in preparing
necessary internal documentation to enable ADB to begin considering these
investment concepts for loan or grant financing – which will include providing
inputs to the project concept paper and its attached transaction technical
assistance proposal, on project rationale, proposed solutions, financing plans,
implementation arrangements, safeguards, and terms of reference for consultants
to prepare the full feasibility studies (if pre-feasibility studies were prepared) or
detailed engineering designs (if existing feasibility studies were updated).
VI. DELIVERABLES
22. Each of the minimum required deliverables listed in Table 1, below, will be reviewed by
and will receive inputs from ADB and relevant agencies within the TA Steering Committee or
technical working group(s) (e.g., the Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department would
probably review the health impact assessment reports). Proposing entities should anticipate that
some deliverables may require more than one round of review and should reserve some time
for this possibility. The ICF’s team will address their comments and inputs from these in
finalizing each deliverable. All deliverables shall be produced in English, except where the use
of Urdu is justified and agreed in advance by ADB and the TA Steering Committee – e.g., for
media or awareness raising materials. Draft deliverables shall be submitted to the designated
focal points in the EPD in both hard copy and electronic format, and to ADB in electronic format.
ADB will formally accept or return each revised deliverable, guided by the advice of the TA
Steering Committee.
23. Upon formal acceptance of each revised deliverable by ADB, the milestone payments
will be made by ADB to the ICF per the payment schedule specified in the contract. The ICF
may propose a mobilization advance that will be negotiated. The outputs and tentative
capacity to support the process. Any required design work or pre-feasibility study should follow the same principles
and processes as those for the main studies in Output 10. Updates on the achievements of this activity should be
included in the winning firm’s interim and final reports for the TA.
milestone payments are in Table 1. Table 2 presents a tentative payment schedule based on
Table 1. Proposing entities may propose alternative completion dates, milestone payment
percentages, and payment schedule, though these will be subject to negotiation.
Table 1: Deliverables of the ICF and target milestone dates and payments
Tentative
Deliverable Milestone
Deliverable Tentative Completion Date
Number Payment
(% of total)
- Draft due 4 weeks after mobilization
1.1 Inception report - Revised version due 7 weeks after 2%
mobilization
1.2 Interim report 1 - Revised version due 25 weeks after 1%
mobilization
1.3 Interim report 2 - Revised version due 42 weeks after 1%
mobilization
1.4 Final report - Revised version due 62 weeks after 1%
mobilization
Pollution assessment methodology
2.1 - Revised version due 11 weeks after 3%
report
mobilization
2.2 Pollution assessment report - Revised version due 25 weeks after 8%
mobilization
Health impact assessment
methodology report
mobilization
3.2 Health impact assessment report - Revised version due 25 weeks after 8%
mobilization
Basin-level climate resilience
assessment methodology report
mobilization
Basin-level climate resilience
assessment report
mobilization
Institutional and political economy
assessment methodology report
mobilization
Institutional and political economy
assessment report
mobilization
6.1 Knowledge product manuscript - Revised version due 32 weeks after 3%
mobilization
7.1 Multi-stakeholder visioning report - Revised version due 25 weeks after 8%
mobilization
8.1 Study trip proposal - Revised version due 25 weeks after 2%
mobilization

8.2 Study trip report - Revised version due 42 weeks after 2%
mobilization
9.1 Draft revitalization and resilience plan - Due 38 weeks after mobilization 10%
9.2 Final revitalization and resilience plan - Due 62 weeks after mobilization 11%
One or two pre-feasibility study - Draft due 51 weeks after mobilization
10.1 reports or updated feasibility study - Revised version due 62 weeks after 11%
reports mobilization
Inputs to ADB project concept paper - Draft due 51 weeks after mobilization
10.2 and attached transaction technical - Revised version due 62 weeks after 4%
assistance proposal mobilization
Source: Asian Development Bank.
Table 2: Tentative payment schedule

Invoice Relevant Milestones (if completed % of Total
Tentative Completion Date
Number and accepted)a Payment
Upon mobilization (optional
0 None N/A
mobilization advance)
1 7 weeks after mobilization 1.1 2%
2 11 weeks after mobilization 2.1, 3.1, 4.1, 5.1 12%
3 25 weeks after mobilization 1.2, 2.2, 3.2, 4.2, 5.2, 7.1, 8.1 43%
6 42 weeks after mobilization 1.3, 8.2 3%
7 62 weeks after mobilization 1.4, 9.2, 10.1, 10.2 27%

a Milestone numbers correspond to the deliverable numbers in Table 1. Any listed milestone that is delayed or not
accepted before its tentative completion date listed in the table may be invoiced for and paid during the subsequent
payment.
Source: Asian Development Bank.
VII. REQUIRED EXPERTISE
24. The consultancy will be led by an international firm with preferably 10 years’ experience
delivering river basin or water quality assessment and management planning, or similar work in
closely-related sectors, preferably with ADB and throughout the Asia Pacific region, including
Pakistan. Given the complexity of the assignment, ADB welcomes proposing entities submitted
by consortia or joint ventures of international and local consultants in order to furnish the skill
sets and expertise needed to deliver the outputs successfully. In selecting partners, the lead
firm must demonstrate successful experience managing consortia for similar assignments and
any sensitivities arising from proposing consultants from countries with whom Pakistan does not
share good diplomatic relations. Consortia that include specialized and respected local firms
proposed in ways that maximize their expertise will be assessed favorably.
25. The contract will be awarded using performance-based procurement and thus
proposing firms will determine the number and the nature of experts they will require to
achieve the deliverables, in accordance with their proposed approach and methodology.
However, ADB requires all proposing entities to propose a Team Leader, as detailed below.
In addition to this position, proposing entities must include in their technical proposal,
personnel work plan, and financial proposal all other experts required in accordance with
their proposed approach and methodology.
26. Proposing entities must determine and indicate whether each expert is proposed as an
international or national specialist, the number of person-months required for each, and how
these inputs will be allocated to achieve each deliverable. Proposing entities are required to
propose the Team Leader for at least four person-months of inputs, to be based mostly (more
than 75%) in Lahore, but are free to propose higher inputs for this expert. All experts proposed
must be citizens of one of the ADB eligible countries.
27. Only one curriculum vitae (CV) must be submitted for each expert included in the
proposal. The CV of the Team Leader will be evaluated and scored against the minimum person
qualifications detailed below. All other CVs will be reviewed and assessed on the relevance of
the expert’s qualifications and experience against the expert’s proposed roles and
responsibilities stated in the proposing entities’ “approach and methodology”.
28. The Team Leader will be assessed on the extent to which their CV clearly
demonstrates the following core skills and experience for the assignment:
I. At least 15 years of relevant international experience (mostly acquired in lower-
income countries) on complex river basin planning, water quality management,
pollution control, water resource engineering / water supply and sanitation
engineering, urban planning, and/or public health assignments;
II. At least seven years of proven experience as a team leader or as a manager of
diverse teams of international and national experts on complex assignments to
deliver effective results;
III. Masters’ degree or equivalently rigorous professional training in a relevant field,
preferably focused on river basin management;
IV. Evidence of continued professional development through relevant training
courses and membership in relevant professional associations within the last five
years will be preferred; and
V. Evidence of previous assignments with the lead firm or any of its joint venture
partners or sub-contracting firms will be preferred.
29. Each proposed expert, including the Team Leader, will also be assessed on the extent
to which their CV clearly demonstrates the following core skills and experience for the
assignment:
I. Strong diplomatic and facilitation skills to operate effectively within a politically
sensitive, complex, and multi-stakeholder river basin planning exercise;
II. Strong understanding of technical, policy, and regulatory issues that affect water
quantity and quality in lower-income countries, including Pakistan and Punjab;
III. Prior professional experience in Pakistan, ideally in Punjab, is highly desired for
the Team Leader and will be preferred for the other international experts;
IV. Proficient oral and written communication skills in English; and
V. Proficiency in Urdu will be preferred.
30. The overall balance and mix of skills within the proposed team of key and non-key
experts will also be assessed and awarded points for “approach and methodology” as part of
the technical evaluation of proposals. The successful proposing entities’ combined skills and
team should include, but not be solely limited to:
I. Water, soil, and food quality sampling and laboratory analysis;
II. Water quality management and ecotoxicology, including identifying and

characterizing point and non-point source pollution discharges;
III. Health impact assessment of pollution-related ailments and healthcare system
assessment with trained medical practitioners;
IV. Climate modeling and data analysis, and identification of climate change
adaptation options;
V. Hydrological and hydrogeological modeling and data analysis, including modeling
of river self-purification capacity for identified pollution loads;
VI. Public awareness raising and public communications;
VII. Governance, public financial management, legal, institutional, and political-
economy analyses;
VIII. Facilitation and consensus building skills for large, mixed groups of stakeholders
with competing interests;
IX. Training and capacity building of government officials including study tours, job
shadowing, structured learning, twinning arrangements, and international
exposure;
X. Transaction support for public-private partnerships; and
XI. Infrastructure identification, prioritization through multicriteria analysis or
equivalent, feasibility study, detailed design, modeling, and engineering for water
resource, water supply, sanitation, wastewater treatment, river restoration,
nature-based treatment and bioremediation, resource recovery, multipurpose
green infrastructure, integrated pest management, high-efficiency irrigation,
industrial processes, sanitary landfills, and other possible, relevant water quality
management investments, including experience with ADB environmental and
social safeguards and economic and financial viability analyses.
VIII. PROPOSAL PREPARATION
31. Shortlisted entities will be requested to prepare a full technical proposal. The proposal
should include a detailed description of how they propose to deliver the outputs of the contract
in the “approach and methodology” section, and should detail the proposed experts and their
roles and responsibilities. In this narrative, proposing entities should be explicit in explaining
how they will achieve the outputs and include any information on their existing activities upon
which they may eventually build. Proposing entities must also describe their experience on
similar assignments and their experience in Pakistan.
32. Technical proposals need to demonstrate a deep understanding of the key issues.
Merely providing general statements of information and a can-do attitude will not generate high
scores. Proposing entities should give a convincing methodology to achieve results, while
ensuring optimal value for money over the contract duration. The methodology should include
clear links between performance outputs and pricing mechanisms, proposing a milestone
payment schedule similar or equivalent to that indicated in Table 1, which will be subject to
negotiation. The methodology should include monitoring and performance management
initiatives and tools where appropriate, such as critical path analysis, risk mitigation plans,
communication plans, etc. A detailed work plan should be provided that breaks down activities
and outputs, which are cross referenced to payment milestones and quality assurance
mechanisms. Strong examples should be used to demonstrate that the proposed methodology
has been applied successfully in other contexts relevant to this assignment. A well-balanced
team should be proposed that provides the right mix and level of skills, with assured availability
at the right time and with the right number of person-month inputs. Proposing entities should
explain their recruitment methodology and how the use of local and international team members
has been tailored to ensure best value.
33. Contract payments will be made in accordance with the principles of performance-based
procurement, according to the quantity of outputs delivered at the required level of quality. ADB
may reduce or retain payments for lower-quality outputs and pay a premium for higher-quality
outputs, which will be negotiated with the first-ranked entity. This will be negotiated with the
successful entity. Proposing entities are welcome to propose a payment structure to this effect
in their financial proposal.
34. As noted above, only one curriculum vitae (CV) must be submitted for each expert
included in the proposal. Only the CV of the Team Leader will be scored within the points
awarded for “personnel” as part of the technical evaluation of proposals. The CVs of other
experts will be assessed within the points awarded for “approach and methodology” as part of
the technical evaluation of proposals. ADB will also review and individually approve or reject on
a “pass/fail” basis each CV for each expert proposed, according to the requirements of their
proposed roles and responsibilities within the proposal.
35. All positions under the contract must be included and budgeted for in the financial
proposal in accordance with the person-month allocation required for each as defined by the
proposing entity.
36. Proposing entities may propose to purchase or rent small goods within their financial
proposals if they consider it necessary to deliver the TA outputs, such as office equipment or
pollution sampling equipment. Procurement will use the shopping method and will be subject to
ADB’s approval. Any procurement will follow the ADB Procurement Policy (2017, as amended
from time to time) and Procurement Regulations for ADB Borrowers (2017, as amended from
time to time).20 Any fixed assets that are purchased by the winning entity during TA
implementation will be turned over to the EPD upon TA completion. To avoid issues that may
arise with asset turnover, ADB prefers proposing entities to propose the rental or lease of goods
where possible.
37. Proposing entities’ financial proposals will be assumed to include:

I. All experts under the contract based on the person-month inputs identified in the
proposing entities’ “approach and methodology”;
II. Mobilization and demobilization costs of all experts and the consultant’s
personnel, including travel, accommodation costs, per diems, etc.;
III. Costs for field visits, desk research, data collection, sampling and laboratory
costs, modeling, legal research fees, surveys, design studies, or other technical
investigations;
IV. Costs for workshops, training sessions, study tours, and meetings;
V. Costs for sub-consultants or consortium partners (where necessary);
VI. Costs for reports and communications, and any administrative support; and
VII. Corporate overheads, including office operation costs and insurances in Lahore.
----- End of Terms of Reference -----
20 ADB. 2017. Procurement Regulations for ADB Borrowers: Goods, Works, Nonconsulting, and Consulting Services.
Manila.

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TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR CONSULTANTS

Asian Development Bank and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan

Economic Growth and Improving Social Outcomes. Lahore.

Protection—The Proceedings. Manila.

proposals, but these have not materialized.12 A government-endorsed wastewater treatment

II. OBJECTIVE AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT

III. CONSULTING SERVICES AND IMPLEMENTATION ARRANGEMENTS

IV. SCOPE OF WORK

Output 1: Successful management, reporting, communications, and coordination

Output 5: Successfully document and assess water quality institutions and

Output 6: Successfully prepare a manuscript for an ADB knowledge product that

Output 7: Successfully undertake multi-stakeholder visioning exercises that

Output 8: Successfully undertake training and international exposure for key

Output 10: Successfully develop pre-feasibility studies – or update existing

- Draft due 38 weeks after mobilization

Table 2: Tentative payment schedule

2 11 weeks after mobilization 2.1, 3.1, 4.1, 5.1 12%

4 32 weeks after mobilization 6.1 3%

5 38 weeks after mobilization 9.1 10%

6 42 weeks after mobilization 1.3, 8.2 3%

7 62 weeks after mobilization 1.4, 9.2, 10.1, 10.2 27%

VII. REQUIRED EXPERTISE

II. Water quality management and ecotoxicology, including identifying and

VIII. PROPOSAL PREPARATION

37. Proposing entities’ financial proposals will be assumed to include:

----- End of Terms of Reference -----

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