Technical Advisory Support to the World Bank in Moldova

Assignment 1: Scoping Assignment for Moldova Water Security and Sanitation Project (MWSSP)
The consultancy assignment provided an investment scoping and prioritization, an option analysis and capacity assessment for implementation, as well as an assessment of the institutional strengthening and capacity development needs.
Assignment 2: Consulting Services on Infrastructure Governance Program and Technical Advisory Support
The consultancy assignment provided technical assistance to the Moldova Water Security and Sanitation Project (MWSSP) in two activities: Improving the governance of infrastructure and optimizing the design and resilience of a regional water supply scheme.

Country:

Moldova

Project Period:

Assignment 1: Feb 2020 – June 2020
Assignment 2: Oct 2022 – June 2023

Services Provided:

Consultancy

Name of Staff involved and functions performed:

Assignment 1: Markus Lechner (Team Leader, Technial WSS Specialist), Jonathan Hecke (Institutional Specialist), Richard Schuen (Financial Specialist)
Assignment 2: Markus Lechner (consultant:Team Leader / Technical WSS Specialist), Mirco Keller (Water and Sanitation Specialist / Project Coordinator), Ion Beschieru (consultant: National Institutional Expert / Lawyer), Jonathan Hecke (Technical Backstopper)

Name of Client(s)

World Bank

Name of Partner Organisations:

Aqua Pro – Efficient Water Management (For Assignment 1 only)

Description of the Project:

Assignment 1:

Investment Scoping and Prioritization:
Based on an assessment of ongoing and planned investments in Water Supply and Sanitation and (in regards to sanitation investments) an analysis of town smore than 10,000 inhabitants, two matrices were developed. The first matrix listed 329 ongoing and planned projects, while the second matrix described all towns with more than 10,000 in habitants with a number of parameters and with regard to the integration in higher-level plans.

Option analysis and capacity assessment for implementation:
Recommendations were provided in regards to the RDA’s capacity to implement large scale water supply and sanitation infrastructure projects and the role of the new MoARDE Environmental PIU.

Assessment of Institutional Strengthening and Capacity Development needs.
A rapid performance and capacity assessment of service providers was conducted in Cahul and Riscani districts. In addition, a number of action fields for priority “soft” activities are proposed.

Assignment 2:

Activity 1: Technical assistance to support governance of infrastructure:

  • Drafting of service management contracts and tariff updates to be endorsed by the regulator
  • Analysis of the current system and requirements for WSS operators’ licensing
  • Capacity building: workshops and learning events

Activity 2: Technical advisory support to optimize the design and incorporate resilience in the selected regional water supply scheme.

  • Stocktaking and gap assessment report
  • Optimization report
  • Resilient infrastructure design brief