Background

The Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD)-UNDP partnership on ‘Governance and Accelerated Livelihoods Support’ helps strengthen the effectiveness of key Ministry programmes by providing:

• Technical assistance to the state government and NGOs in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Odisha to improve sustainable livelihoods with linkages to Panchayati Raj Institutions for governance in left wing extremism affected areas;
• Policy advice and technical assistance to the Ministry and the state governments to help improve the efficiency, accountability and inclusiveness of National Rural Livelihoods Mission and the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Scheme;
• policy advice and technical assistance to the Ministry and state governments to help “green” select schemes.
  One of the schemes selected for ‘greening’ under the project, is the Indira Awaas Yojana, a flagship programme of the Ministry of Rural Development which aims at rural housing as part of the larger strategy of rural poverty eradication. Indira Awaas Yojana provides assistance to poor households for the construction of a 'core house' with sensitivity to user requirements and adequate provision for incremental improvement. It also provides a choice of materials and construction technology keeping in view among other issues, environmental preservation, energy consumption over the life cycle, ease of maintenance and sustainability.
  

The recently revised guidelines have several provisions to facilitate green housing. These include:

• Demand creation for green housing;
• Construction of prototypes and preparation of small scale models for demonstration;
• Imparting habitat and housing literacy to beneficiaries;
• Training of master masons and beneficiaries providing labor, including training on maintenance practices;
• Training of Community Resource Persons and NGOs and payment of honorarium to them;
• Service charges to non-government agencies providing support services
  

The Ministry of Rural Development, in partnership with the Housing and Urban Development Corporation Limited (HUDCO) and UNDP aims to promote green housing in rural areas. One major strategy is to provide beneficiary households choices in terms of green building designs, materials and construction technologies. These choices will be tailored to local conditions, enhance user benefits and reduce the environmental footprint of housing.

As part of this partnership, UNDP is commissioning state-specific studies to develop green housing technology compendiums in Bihar, Odisha, Maharashtra, Meghalaya and Tripura. This is a request for proposals to develop the green housing technology compendium for the state of Maharashtra. Separate consultants will be identified to develop compendiums for the other states mentioned above. The compendium will firstly demarcate the state into ‘housing zones’ on the basis of climatic conditions, exposure to specific natural hazards, resource mapping of locally available skills, and existing traditional construction practices. Building on this demarcation, the compendium will highlight different aspects of green construction technology appropriate for each housing zone. An inception workshop will be organized at the start of this study to help develop a common process methodology across the five study states for classification of the housing zones. State-level consultations will be conducted towards the end of the study to gather further context-specific information and discuss findings. As a later and separate process to be undertaken after development of these compendiums, UNDP will support development of appropriate, green housing designs specific to each of the identified housing zones.

Objectives of the study

The study is expected to:

• Demarcate the state of Maharashtra into distinct ‘housing zones’ on the basis of climatic conditions, exposure to specific natural hazards, resource mapping of locally available skills and construction material, existing traditional construction practices and design elements related to prevailing socio-cultural practices;
• Prepare a compendium of technologies (building designs, materials, construction techniques and life cycle costs) including existing traditional practices where relevant and with potential for improvement in each housing zone;
• Suggest a set of suitable foundation, walling, roofing options and other building elements specific to each housing zone.
  

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of work

To deliver on the objectives of the assignment, the consultant is required to:

• Conduct detailed assessments of climatic conditions and disaster risks across the state;
• Assess local availability across the state of prevailing levels of skills and different kinds of construction material appropriate for IAY implementation;
• Identify prevailing socio-cultural practices across the state related to design, materials and methods of construction related to rural housing;
• Delineate distinct ‘housing zones’ in the state on the basis of a resource mapping which will include climatic conditions, exposure to natural hazards, locally available construction material and current socio-cultural practices
  Conduct a detailed assessment of secondary information including various reports, resource manuals
• Government websites and web-portals to identify construction design, methods and materials currently promoted or in practice through IAY in the state;
• Conduct primary information collection through field visits and discussions with Panchayats, Block and District Administration offices, Building Resource Centers, NGOs and experts on the theme of rural housing, construction technology and energy efficient structures;
• Study existing IAY design and construction practices in the state on the basis of their cost effectiveness, environmental impacts, energy efficiency, climate responsiveness and disaster resilience;
• Consolidate the various assessments conducted as part of the assignment to develop a user-friendly compendium of technologies including especially building designs, materials and construction techniques appropriate for each ‘housing zone’ in the state.
  

Key deliverables and indicative time frame for the study activities:

• A detailed inception plan for the study in discussion with MoRD, UNDP and HUDCO and also based on the inception workshop to be conducted at the start of the study (within 5 days of issue of contract);
• Development of schedule for field visits and meetings with key stakeholders including Gram Panchayats, government offices, NGOs and line departments at the block, district and state levels (within 15 days of issue of contract);
• Review of secondary literature including maps, databases, reports and studies. It is expected that this activity will continue simultaneously with other activities initiated since the issue of contract and also along with the field work (within 20 days of issue of contract);
• Submission of mid-term report based on secondary literature review and partial field work (within 40 days of issue of contract);
• Completion of field work and stakeholder consultations (within 60 days of issue of contract);
• Submission of draft report. It is expected that the report writing will be done simultaneously along with review of secondary literature (within 70 days of issue of contract);
• Feedback from MoRD, UNDP and HUDCO (within 80 days of issue of contract);
• Submission of final report (within 90 days of issue of contract)
  

The consultant is expected to schedule the assignment within the breakup detailed above. However under exceptional circumstances, the consultant may negotiate for modification to this schedule.

Competencies

Functional Competencies:

• Excellent writing and oral skills in English. Working knowledge of Hindi and relevant state language/s would be an advantage;
• Good research and analytical skills including skills in data analysis and report writing;
• Excellent communication-presentation skills;
• Ability to explain the objectives of the assignment in a focused and strategic manner to a varied audience;
• Ability to plan and organize work program;
• Consultative and collaborative capacities.
  

Core Competencies:

• Ability to work under supervision as well as with self-initiative & motivation;
• Acts as a team player, facilitates team work and shares knowledge with others;
• Approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
• Generates new ideas and approaches, researches and documents best practices and proposes new, more effective ways of doing things;
• Responds positively to critical feedback and differing points of view;
• Demonstrates comprehensive knowledge of non-conventional and cost-effective construction and applies it in work assignments.
  

Required Skills and Experience

 Education:

• Graduate Degree in Architecture, Civil Engineering or related fields will be preferred.
  

Experience:

• Minimum 10 years of experience at the national or international levels on aspects related to non-conventional and cost-effective construction, with significant, relevant and demonstrated experience in the state of Maharashtra,

• An excellent command of English is required.
  

Submission of proposal:

Proposed Work Methodology

• Proposed work methodology for undertaking the assignment has to be submitted.
  

Financial Proposal:

• Consultancy shall specify his/her per day consultancy rate;
• Any travel with prior UNDP approval will be handled separately as per rules.
  

CV:

• Consultant should submit his/her updated CV with three references.
  

Notes:

• Any kind of miscellaneous charges i.e. internet, phone etc. would not be reimbursed;
• Individuals working with institutions may also apply, contract would be issued in the name of institution for the specific services of individual;
• Please note proposals without financial proposal will not be considered;
• CV, Work methodology and Financial proposal can be clubbed in one file for uploading;
• The consultants must bring his/her own computing equipment.
  

Payment Schedule

The assignment is required to be completed in a period indicated above and/or mutually agreed by the consultant and UNDP. The latter will make lumpsum payments, subject to the satisfactory approval of the outputs and deliverables.

Delivery of outputs and payment schedule will be as under:

• Payment to be made on agreed work plan- 20%;
• Payment to be made on finalisation of work methodology in consultation with stakeholders-30%;
• Mid- Term report based on secondary literature review and field visits-30%;
• Upon submission of draft report-10%;
• Upon incorporation of comments and acceptance of report-10%.
  

Cumulative analysis:
The award of the contract shall be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

Responsive;
Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation;
Technical Criteria weight - 70%; 
Financial Criteria weight - 30%.

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points (70% of the total technical points) would be considered for the

Financial Evaluation

Criteria for Technical Evaluation would be as under:

• Qualification - 10%;
• Proposed Work Methodology- 30%;
• Relevant Work Experience-30%.

For any clarification please write to sandeep.sharma@undp.org.