Background

NOTE: Signed Offeror’s Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability - http://www.ba.undp.org/content/dam/bosnia_and_herzegovina/docs/Operations/Jobs/Offerors%20Letter%20to%20UNDP%20Confirming%20Interest%20and%20Availability.docx Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability.docx - to be sent to e-mail: ba.shared.hr@undp.org  with Subject: Job ID 867231

Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) has been facing several significant extreme climate and weather events, manifested through more frequent occurrence of disasters. The lack of interest for disaster risk reduction (DRR) in the country, resulted in creation of additional disaster risks and low capacities of citizens and systems to understand and address disaster risks. Some improvements in DRR are evident, yet, to date the country failed to introduce identified critical changes of the system and behavior of citizens. Given the climate change projections, the country can expect an increase in the frequency, unpredictability and intensity of flooding, drought, heatwaves and wildfires. This can have an immensely adverse effect on the lives and livelihoods of people if adequate actions fail to be taken.

Currently, there is a dysbalanced focus on higher-level DRR governance structures, compared with those of local governments. This is the main cause for lack of important community DRR initiatives that proved to be most effective means of empowering citizens, including vulnerable categories, and transforming them from disaster victims and creators of disasters to agents of change. It is evident that a true opportunity to decrease disaster risks in BiH lies in investing and increasing resilience of local communities. In this context, aim of the Joint Swiss-UN Programme “Reducing Disaster Risk for Sustainable Development in Bosnia and Herzegovina”  is to address key priorities in DRR identified by local authorities and various actors in the sectors of protection and rescue, education, social and child protection, health and agriculture. The Programme will work with 10 municipalities on improving local coordination mechanisms in the area of DRR, as well as on affirmation of the strategic risk planning processes and implementation of identified actions with an emphasis on the most vulnerable categories of population.

Objective of this assignment is to update and improve Risk Assessments in five municipalities (Bihac, Sanski Most, Tomislavgrad, Capljina and Mostar) by developing floods hazard maps.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the Project Manager, Disaster Risk Assessment Expert - Floods, is to develop floods hazard maps for municipalities of Bihac, Sanski Most, Tomislavgrad, Capljina and Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Hazard maps must be prepared in GIS (Geographic Information System) as a 10x10 raster and exported as GeoTIFF file for its integration into Disaster Risk Analysis System (DRAS) . The assignment consists of two mayor components: preparing flood hazard scenarios and preparing of flood hazard maps.

The assignment includes: review of existing information, evaluation of existing data, identification of gaps, generation of missing data where appropriate, evaluation of data accuracy, collection and compilation of new data required for the analysis and interpretation of the data, generation of the flood hazard maps for the flood types affecting the study areas and scenarios indicated by the Directive 2007/60/EC of the European Parliament of 23 October 2007.

Description of Responsibilities

Flood hazard scenarios should be prepared following the guidelines established by the Directive 2007/60/EC of the European Parliament of 23 October 2007 on the assessment and management of flood risks, the requirements established in Chapter III, article 6, “Flood hazard maps and flood risk maps”.  Flood hazard scenarios shall be prepared after due consideration of the type of floods potentially affecting the study area. Following the EU Directive this could include “floods from rivers, mountain torrents, Mediterranean ephemeral water courses and floods from the sea in coastal areas and may exclude floods from sewerage systems (urban floods).

Preparing the flood hazard scenarios includes two mayor steps: hydrologic and hydraulic analyses and modelling.  The hydrologic analyses provide information on the response of a watershed to climatic events in the form of flood flows for specified return periods. The hydraulic analyses are performed to determine, for a specific hydrologic input, the depth of flow, flow velocity and other parameters along the reach. The result of the hydraulic analyses is used to delineate the extent of flood water levels for specific return periods on the flood plain.

The flood events to be considered for the preparation of the flood hazard scenarios are those indicated by the EU Directive:

• Floods with a low probability, or extreme event scenarios (likely return period = 500 years);
• Floods with a medium probability (likely return period = 100 years);
• Floods with a high probability (likely return period = 20 years)

For each scenario the following elements shall be shown:

• The flood extent;
• Water depths or water level, as appropriate;

Where appropriate, the flow velocity or the relevant water flow.

Hazard maps must be based on hydrological and hydrodynamic calculations and on hydrologic-hydraulic modelling results, which define the basic flood indicators (volume, depth, speed).

In order to make flood hazard calculation more realistic, correction constant must be introduced which provides a flood hazard information in all possible events (especially when speed of water is negligible, which would mean that result of flood hazard calculation is zero and therefore that area would not be placed under flood hazard). The adopted value of the correction constant is 0.5, and the formula for calculating the flood hazard value (O) is:

O = h x (v+0.5)
where:
h - water depth (m),
v - flow velocity (m/s) and
0.5 - correction constant for velocity.

The result of the multiplication of depth and velocity of the flood determines the flood hazard and flood character, as described below:

• Class 0 - Negligible hazard (hazard value up to 0.75) - low hazard,
• Class 1 - Certain categories are endangered such as children, elderly, sick, non-swimmers (hazard value from 0.75 to 1.5) - moderate hazard,
• Class 2 - The majority of the population is endangered (hazard value from 1.5 to 2.5) - high hazard, and
• Class 3 - Danger to all in the flood area (hazard value over 2.5) - extreme hazard.

The consultant will be entrusted with the following tasks:

• Carry out a review of the available information to obtain and understanding of the flooding events in the study areas, including the factors responsible for past floods;
• Assess the significance of the various factors influencing flood dynamics in the study areas (this could include, among others, morphology, meteorology, high flows, ice or debris jams, man-made structures);
• Carry out a review of existing data (quality, accuracy and suitability for the project). Identify gaps;
• Define the process to produce the previously mentioned flood hazards scenarios (considering the type of flood affecting the study areas);
• Select the appropriate tools and mathematical models to perform the hydrologic and hydraulic analyses for the study areas;
• Collect all the data and new information that may be required to perform the hydrologic and hydraulic analyses. The contractor shall be responsible for surveying the required river cross sections where needed.
• Produce the flood hazard scenarios for the low/extreme event (likely return period = 500 years); medium (likely return period = 100 years) and high (likely return period = 20 years) probability flood events, as indicated by the EU Directive;
• Produce the flood hazard maps based on hydrological and hydrodynamic calculations and on hydrologic-hydraulic modelling results;
• Prepare the flood hazard maps for the different scenarios in GIS.

The duration of this task is estimated to be 50 working days within 5 months.

Deliverables/outputs:

Competencies

Corporate competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Plans, prioritizes and delivers tasks on time;
• Strives for and promotes excellence in performance continually;
• Participates effectively in a team-based, information-sharing environment, collaborating and cooperating with others;

Functional competencies:

• Strong interpersonal skills, communication and diplomatic skills, ability to work in a team
• Openness to change and ability to receive/integrate feedback
• Recognizes and responds appropriately to the ideas, interests, and concerns of others;
• Builds trust and engenders morale by displaying open, transparent and credible behaviour;
• Respects individual/cultural differences; utilizes diversity to foster teamwork;
• Ensures others’ understanding of, involvement in, and adaptation to a change process.
• Communicates sensitively and effectively across different constituencies;
• Ability to work as a member of a team as well as work autonomously.
• Plans and procedures quality results to meet established goals.
• Technical writing skills, formulates written information clearly and persuasively;
• Strong communication skills;
• Presents information in a clear and articulate manner.
• Strong analytical skills;
• Knowledge and experience on disaster risk assessments and risk management;

Required Skills and Experience

Academic Qualifications/Education:

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Civil Engineering.
• BA in combination with 5 additional years of working experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

• At least 10 years of experience with relevant knowledge in preparation of flooding maps, flood hazard maps and assessment of flood risk;
• Proven knowledge of methodologies for hydrologic and hydraulic analyses and previous experience in preparation of such analysis and reports.

Languages Requirements:

• Fluency in spoken and written B/H/S language and working knowledge of the English language is a requirement.

Other Requirements:

• Proficiency in computer applications such as MS Office, CAD, HEC Ras, Mike;
• Experience in working with international organizations in the region is an asset.

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points for technical criteria assessment would be considered for the Financial Evaluation

Long/Shortlisting Criteria

Technical Evaluation Criteria

EVALUATION

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodology:

Cumulative analysis

When using this weighted scoring method, the award of the contract should be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:
a) responsive/compliant/acceptable, and
b) 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%

Applicants are required to submit an application including:

• Proposal:

  • Provide a brief methodology on how they will approach and conduct the work; or sample of previous document/strategy/paper done by the consultant.

• Latest personal CV, including past experience from similar projects, and email, telephone and any other contact details for references;

Please scan all above mentioned documents and upload as one attachment only online through this website.

Note:

• For an assignment requiring travel, consultants of 65 years or more require full medical examination and statement of fitness to work to engage in the consultancy.
• Due to large number of potential applicants, only competitively selected candidates will be contacted for remaining steps of the service procurement process.