Background

The Government of Egypt (GoE), represented by the Ministry of Environment (MOE) in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs(MoFA) and the technical support of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) has succeeded in obtaining a new package of grants from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) to implement a five years project entitled ”Protect human health and the environment from unintentional releases of POPs originating from incineration and open burning of health care- and electronic waste”.

The project objective is to prevent and reduce health and environmental risks related to POPs and harmful chemicals through their release reduction achieved by provision of an integrated institutional and regulatory framework covering environmentally sound Health Care Waste and E-waste management. The project will reduce emissions of UPOPs as well as other hazardous releases (e.g. mercury, lead, etc.) resulting from the unsound management, disposal and recycling of a) Health-Care Waste (HCW), in particular due to substandard incineration practice and open burning of HCW; and, b) Electronic Waste (EW), in particular due to the practice of unsound collection and recycling activities and open burning of electronic waste.

The project will achieve this by i) determining the baseline for releases of UPOPs and other hazardous substances (e.g. mercury, lead) resulting from unsound HCW and E-waste practices; ii) conducting facility assessments; iii) building capacity among key stakeholders; iv) implementing BEP at selected model hospitals, health-care facilities (HCFs) and a central treatment facility (CTF); v) introducing BAT and BEP to formal and informal E-waste processors; vi) preparing health care facilities for the use/maintenance of non-mercury devices followed by introduction of mercury-free devices; vii) evaluating facilities to ensure that they have successfully implemented BEP; viii) installing and evaluating BAT technology(ies) at one Central Treatment Facility based on a defined evaluation criteria; and, xi) enhancing national HCWM training opportunities to reach out to additional hospitals/HCFs.

Duties and Responsibilities

The project is seeking the service of International Consultant (IC) to develop the tendering documents including technical specifications and support procurement of a central treatment facility that will have sufficient capacity to treat 50% of the infectious HCW produced in the governorate of Gharbia – Egypt (~ 2,500 kg/day, 420 kg/hr according to 2014 Assessment Study of Healthcare Waste in Egypt).

The CTF must utilize the best available non-incineration technology, which might include two large autoclaves, shredder and compactor.

The location of the CTF as well as the proposed treatment technology will be determined in coordination with the Ministry of Health and Population (MOHP). (Note: Land and Infrastructure requirements for the establishment of both CTF, such as roads/pavement, water and electricity supply, will be provided by the GoE as a co-financing contribution – the CTF can be placed in two separate hospitals). However, the design of such infrastructure and its implementation follow up will be among the project responsibilities.

The IC shall be required to prepare the tendering documents and support procurement and installation of the non-incineration system for CFT including:

• Preparation of the technical specifications for different components of CTF
• Conceptual design of the infrastructure requirements such as construction of storage areas, loading docks, water and electricity supply, etc.)

The consultant will be supported by one national field consultant to assist and facilitate work of the international consultant in designing the infrastructure needs according to the Egyptian code and to follow up implementation plans, progress in site activities and final acceptance of the site.

Scope of work:

1. Visit the proposed CTF(s) location(s) in the governorate of Gharbia – Egypt to inspect the location and confirm  its suitability for the proposed activity.
2. Support identification and selection of the national field consultant to assist in designing the CTF(s) sites and site supervision activities.
3. Provide the best design that utilizes the available resources for establishing the CTF(s) in coordination with the national consultant.
4. Provide detailed specification and conceptual design for the infrastructural needs (e.g. storage areas, loading docks, water and electricity supply, etc.). National consultant will participate in bidder evaluation and will be responsible for the field follow up of the contracted activities and final acceptance of the site.
5. Advise  MOHP & CUH on the best available non-incineration technologies that can be used in Egypt..
6. Prepare tendering documents for purchasing CTF(s) that use non-incineration technology for HCW;
7. Assess the technical offers of the bidders and responding to any inquiry during the bid evaluation process.
8. Participate in inspection, testing, startup and receiving of the newly installed CTF(s).

Products expected from the assignment:

The main product of the consultant is expected to be, but not limited to, the following:

1. A technical report on the best available non-incineration technologies that can be used in Egypt. The report should include a comparative study on the available options regarding its advantages, constraints, operational requirements and cost, routine and major maintenance requirements, etc.
2. ToR including required qualifications for contracting a national field consultant to assist the IC in designing the CTF(s) sites according to the Egyptian code of practice..
3. Conceptual design of the CTF(s) premises including but not limited to layout, dimensions, specifications of storage areas before and after treatment, loading docks, waste transportation routes, facility accessibility, containers cleaning system with its associated waste containing mechanism, facility energy sources, contaminated wastewater collection system, etc.
4. Complete set of tendering documents for procurement and installation of the needed items to fulfill the proposed CTF(s) premises design.  The tendering documents will include technical specifications for the different components and accessories of the CTF.as well as a layout for the infrastructure and civil works.
5. CTF(s) site acceptance report that demonstrate the accomplished activities and any deviation from the planed design.
6. Evaluation report for CTF  technical proposals.
7. Report on testing, commissioning and acceptance of the newly installed CTF(s).

Implementation arrangements:

The project will contract the consultants and will be responsible for set up stakeholder meetings, arrange field visits, coordinate with the authorities.

The international consultant will work very closely with, and provide guidance to, the national consultant on the exact information needed for the project development purposes under direct supervision of the Project Manager. The international consultant will assume overall responsibility for the timely completion of deliverables by the national consultant.  Throughout his assignment, the IC is expected to CTF site twice.

Competencies

• Proven analytical and inter-personal skills.
• Research and evaluation skills including ability to synthesize information
• Excellent oral, and effective presentation and report-writing skills;
• Ability to work under with minimum supervision, while meeting deadlines.
• Excellent social and communication skills
• Ability to work in multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural settings
• Excellent computers skills required

Required Skills and Experience

• Advanced university degree in engineering or a science related discipline.
• At least ten years of work experience in the areas of healthcare waste management and treatment.
• Substantial, relevant and practical working experience in developing countries in the design and implementation of central treatment facilities for healthcare waste.
• Previous work experience in Middle East and North African region is an asset.
• Proven work experience on similar GEF/UNDP projects.
• Excellent English communication skills.