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ASSIGNMENT OVERVIEW
Assignment Title: Scoping opportunities to integrate NbS for dam safety in Lao PDR
Assignment Countries:
- Lao People's Democratic Republic
ASSIGNMENT DESCRIPTION
With a rapidly growingportfolio of large dams, and a considerable portfolio of smaller dams, issuesassociated with dam safety have become increasingly important, particularly asinfrastructure ages, new infrastructure is developed, downstream populationsincrease, demographics shift, and climate patterns change. These risks werehighlighted by two major failures in September 2017 and July 2018 that resultedin an estimated 70 fatalities and displacement of around 6,000 families. Namely,the collapse of the 15 MW hydropower dam on the Nam Ao River in 2017 and thefailure of the saddle dam for the Xe-Pian Xe-Namnoy Hydropower Project in 2018,which manifested the country’s weak institutional and regulatory framework andcapacity for dam safety assurance.
The Ministry of Agriculture andForestry (MAF) has indicated the need for support in enhancing itsinstitutional framework and capacity for safety assurance of irrigation damsand downstream communities, as the first step of dam safety assurance ofirrigation dams. Considering this, the World Bank has initiated the Lao PDR DamSafety Assessment and Management ASA (P500558) being undertaken between July2023 – July 2024. The objective of the ASA is to undertake a preliminaryassessment of the existing irrigation dams’ portfolio, to identify prioritydams for interventions, and to provide technical support for introducing arisk-informed dam safety management approach for water security. This ASA willinform a subsequent lending engagement in dam safety and management in Lao PDR.The ASA is undertaking the following major tasks/activities:
·Activity1:ARegulatory Framework and Institutional Assessment forMAFwas conducted to review the newly enacted Dam Safety Law andprovide guidance to MAF and Provincial and District level institutions on thenecessary steps for its operationalization. Institutional support provided toMAF, included the categorization of dams according to an agreed criteria, andnecessary coordination and oversight functions to ensure dam safety andmanagement. The activity also reviewed the adequacy of existing institutionalsetup for for management, maintenance and operation of irrigation dams,identlying capacity constrains and provided recommendations for bettermanagement, operation and maintenance of irrigation dams.
·Activity 2:A preliminary RiskAssessment for Irrigation Dams.This activity collected data onselected irrigation dams in Lao PDR, including their location, age, type,height, maximum storage capacity, storage area, irrigation area and other keyelements. On this basis, all dams were classified in terms of risk ratingaccording to the Lao Electric Power Technical Standards (LEPTS) 2004 (revised2018) and the ICOLD criteria. The activity selected priority dams rated at“Extreme” and “High Risk” and conducted a preliminary safety assessment, basedon the World Bank Good Practice Note (GPN) on Risk Informed Dam SafetyManagement under the ESF (World Bank, March 2020). The objective of the assessmentwas to review the safety conditions of priority irrigation dams, theiroperational status and performance, and prioritize irrigation dams that requireurgent rehabilitation and remedial works, as well as prepare a roadmap for theremaining dams.
·Activity3:Dam Rehabilitation and Upgrading PreliminaryScoping.This last activity provides a preliminary set of structuraland non-structural recommendations for priority dams, requiring urgentrehabilitation and safety improvements, including different management modelsthat could be applied for the management of such dams, and recommendations foroperational and maintence improvements. The activity would also providepreliminary costs of such works.
Building on the findings from the ASA, and with support fromNBSInvest, the World Bank is conducting a Scoping Study to identifyNature-based Solutions (NbS) for water source protection and increased storagecapacity of irrigation dams. NbS for increased storage capacity in dams referto the use of natural infrastructure and ecosystems to enhance the storagecapacity, safety and performance of dams. NbS for water source protectioninvolve the use of natural infrastructure and ecosystems for improved waterrecharge and/or water quality. These solutions aim to complement traditionalbuilt infrastructure with natural systems to improve water storage, floodmitigation, and environmental sustainability.
Theobjective of this Assignment is to prepare a Scoping report for identificationof nature-based solutions (NbS) for priority irrigation dams across Lao PDR.The priority dams would include the Nam Soui, Houay Bak and Houay PhalengIrrigation dam in Savannakhet, as described in Appendix 2. The type of NbSsolutions should address erosion and sediment management (decreasing erosionand sedimentation), peak flow reductions (buffers/natural bunds/etc.) and floodrisk management (including traditional measures when needed), management ofwater storage, and downstream flood protection (see Appendix 1 for examples ofNbS). The Assignment would include an institutional and policy mapping tounderstand the current landscape of relevant actors/stakeholders and watercatchment analysis that draws from existing hydrological assessments (includinginformation on recharging capacity for each basin/interaction with groundwater)to understand the impacts of floods and droughts on the operation of existingirrigation dams and potential option for natural storage, and traditionalmeasures for flood risk management and flood mitigation. It would also exploreexisting sediment management practices in irrigation dams, and recommend acomprehensive approach that includes monitoring, design, and operationalstrategies. Finally, the assessment is expected to recommend NbS for effectivemanagement of irrigation dams to identify the most suitable option(s), andprovide a set of recommendations for the required operation and maintenance ofeach option.
FUNDING SOURCE
The World Bank Group intends to finance the assignment / services described below under the following:
- BB: Bank Budget
- TF0C2230: LDCIA
ELIGIBILITY
Eligibility restrictions apply:
- [Please type list of restrictions]
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
The World Bank Group invites eligible firms to indicate their interest in providing the services. Interested firms 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. for firms; CV and cover letter for individuals). Please note that the total size of all attachments should be less than 5MB. Firms may associate to enhance their qualifications unless otherwise stated in the solicitation documents. Where a group of firms associate to submit an EOI, they must indicate which is the lead firm. If shortlisted, the firm identified in the EOI as the lead firm will be invited to the request for proposal (RFP) phase.
Expressions of Interest should be submitted, in English, electronically through WBGeProcure RFx Now
NOTES
Following this invitation for EOI, a shortlist of qualified firms will be formally invited to submit proposals. Shortlisting and selection will be subject to the availability of funding.
Only those firms which have been shortlisted will be invited to participate in the RFP phase. No notification or debrief will be provided to firms which have not been shortlisted.
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