TERMS OF REFERENCE
DUTY STATION:
Home-based (10 days), Astana (13 days)
DURATION OF APPOINMENT:
23 days (approximately)
BACKGROUND:
Poly-Chlorinated Biphenyls, PCBs, are due to the harmful effects and tendency for long-range
transboundary environmental transport included in the initial list of globally managed
Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs).
Kazakhstan is committed to safe management of PCB as demonstrated by signature of the
Stockholm Convention on 7 July 2007 and its subsequent ratification on 9 November 2007.
For planning appropriate action in the field of controlling POPs substances and releases as
well as fulfilling the reporting requirements of the Convention, the Government of Kazakhstan
developed an Action Plan for PCB management as a part of its draft National Implementation
Plan (NIP) on POPs.
The PCB Action Plan evolved into a project called “Design and Execution of a Comprehensive
PCB Management Plan for Kazakhstan” which is a joint undertaking by The Government of
Kazakhstan, private sector partners and UNDP. The Global Environment Facility is providing
grant funding for co-financing the project.
The project will implement a comprehensive PCB management plan for Kazakhstan. The
overall objective is to ensure minimization of PCB releases and subsequent health and
environmental impacts through systematic capacity development for sound PCB management
in the country.
The Project includes the following components:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Regulatory and administrative strengthening;
Capacity building for sound PCB management, identification of additional PCB sources
Replacement, setting-up safe dismantling of 850 tons of PCB transformers and their
safe disposal
Regionally organized secure storages and disposal of PCB capacitors
Monitoring, study, feedback, awareness raising and performance assessment,
OBJECTIVE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:
The objective of the assignment is to improve national capacity for PCB analysis. The assignment
will be conducted within second project component, and will support the following project
outputs:
1. PCB inventory expanded and updated
2. Enhanced PCB analysis preparedness at national laboratories (including State Hydrometeorological Services and Ministry of Health laboratories)
Capacities of Kazakhstan laboratories will be developed through provision of practical
trainings on PCBs identification in transformer and other oils and wastes for the means of
National Inventory, and PCBs identification in water, soil, food and biota with the aim to
monitor POPs in the environment.
INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK:
In 2007 Kazakhstan ratified the Stockholm Convention on POPs and pursuant to the Article 11
the country is obliged to monitor POPs in the environment.
The Republic’s main environmental monitoring responsible authority is Kazhydromet of the
Ministry of Environment Protection. Currently Kazhydromet monitors the list of principal
pollutants in the air, surface and ground waters, soils, population centers. Conditions of
agricultural lands are monitored by the Phytosanitary Inspection of the Ministry of Agriculture.
The quality of drinking water and food is controlled by the Committee for Hygiene and
Epidemiologic Control of the Ministry of Health. The quality of food imported from foreign
countries is controlled by the Customs Control Committee of the Ministry of Finance.
However, virtually no agency controls any persistent organic pollutants, except for DDT, the
analysis of which are performed only occasionally in response to special requests.
Also, being a party of the Stockholm Convention, Kazakhstan is obliged to identify and
liquidate all of the present PCBs in the country by 2028. The new legislation on handling of
POPs and POPs containing wastes places an obligation on all enterprises to carry the
Inventory of their equipment based on the analytical laboratory results to identify all of the PCB
equipment present in the country. For these means there is a strong necessity in training of
the relevant analytical laboratories in the use of POPs analysis methods.
FIELDS OF RESPONSIBILITY:
The selected contractor is expected to develop the training modules for PCB analysis in
various media as well as to provide practical trainings and workshops on the implementation
of developed training modules. The Assignment will consist of two groups of activities:
Group 1: Preparatory activities
Communication with UNDP country office in Kazakhstan and the GEF/UNDP PCB
Management project;
- Development and finalization of a detailed work plan (timing and execution of
deliverables);
- Review of analysis methods for PCBs in various media and development of two training
modules;
Group 2: Delivery of two training modules:
-
-
-
Training 1 (3 days): Sample preparation and analysis in water, soil, biota, foods for
PCB and other POPs presence using a gas chromatograph and mass spectrometer;
the contractor will train the laboratory staff of the Ministry of Health
Training 2 (5 days): Sample preparation and analysis in transformer oil for PCB
identification using a gas chromatograph and mass spectrometer; the contractor will
train the laboratory staff of the Ministry of Environment Protection, other interested
state bodies and also private laboratories.
1
Rev Apr 2013
Preparations are expected to commence in-house and include preparation of training
modules. Trainers will arrive to Kazakhstan to deliver workshops on sample preparation and
analysis using a gas chromatograph and mass spectrometer for the laboratory staff of Ministry
of Environment Protection, Ministry of Health and private laboratories.
The trainings will be supported by the UNDP/GEF PCB Management project, which will be
responsible for all practicalities of the trainings (venue, translation, invitations, etc.). The
contractor is, however, fully responsible for the development of the training modules, and for
the conducting of these. The contractor will be supported by two national experts in the
arrangement and conduction of the trainings. The local experts will support the contractor in
setting up contacts with local laboratories and in analyzing the current status of laboratory
capacities and functional areas of various laboratories. The local team will also provide the
Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) developed by the previous training contractors for
identification of PCBs in insulating liquids and food; the contractor has the right to use
available SOPs in preparation of the training modules or to develop separate ones.
EXPECTED OUTCOMES AND PAYMENTS:
Time of services (reports)
to be provided
№
Expected outcomes
1
Finalization of a detailed work plan, including
draft training programme
July 2013
2 day, home-based
: Sample
preparation of transformer oil, water, soil,
biota, foods for PCB; and analysis using a
gas
chromatograph
and
mass
spectrometer (4 presentations, handout
August 2013
6 days, home-based
Payment
20% (in July
2013)
Preparation of training materials on
2
30% (in
August
2013)
materials for workshop participants – 20 pages).
Delivery of the 2 trainings in Astana
September 2013
13 days in Astana
3
Short final report on the works conducted
September 2013
2 days home-based
50% (in
September
2013)
PARTICIPANTS:
The Contractor will train the laboratory staff of Ministry of Environment Protection, Ministry of
Health, and also private laboratories to sample and determine PCB in transformer oil and oilcontaining wastes, soil, water.
1. Laboratories of the Ministry of Environment Protection:
2
Rev Apr 2013
- laboratories of the Ecological Department: 4 people;
- laboratories of Kazhydromet RSE: 4 people;
2. Laboratories of the Ministry of Health:
- laboratories of the Committee for State Hygiene and Epidemiologic Control: 16 people.
3. Private laboratories: 10 people.
MISSION DATES AND LOCATION:


Location: Astana.
July-September (13 days, 2 practical trainings)
DELIVERABLES:
Submission of the following documents is expected:
1. Finalized workplan
2. Draft training module
3. Finalized training module:
Sample preparation of transformer oil, water, soil, biota, foods for PCB; and analysis using
a gas chromatograph and mass spectrometer; the contractor will train the laboratory staff of
Ministry of Environment Protection, Ministry of Health, and also private laboratories to
sample and determine PCB in transformer oil and oil-containing wastes, soil, water.
4. Short final report
Finalized workplan
The workplan will be developed in close consultation with UNDP Kazakhstan and the
UNDP/GEF PCB Management Project. The workplan shall follow the above schedule on
outputs and payments, but shall provide more detail.
Training modules and preparation of training materials
The training module should be based on the most suitable analytical methods for
determination of POPs in transformer oil, water, soil, biota and foods, discussed and
confirmed with the project. The contractor can use the Standard Operating Procedures for
Determination of Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) in Insulating Fluids and in Food by
Capillary Gas Chromatography and with Electron Capture Detection available with the project,
or develop separate guidelines and standard operation procedures for certain methods that
will be used in the trainings.
Training Module 1: Sample preparation of transformer oil for PCB analysis; and
analysis using a gas chromatograph and mass spectrometer
Training Module 2: Sample preparation of foods for PCB analisis; and analysis
using a gas chromatograph and mass spectrometer
3
Rev Apr 2013
Both training modules shall be based on:
i. review of analytical methods on POPs in EU, US and CIS
ii. sample preparation and analysis using a gas chromatograph and mass
spectrometer;
iii. practical work on gas chromatograph
The workshop materials shall consist of a minimum of six presentations and any other handout
materials for workshop participants, with a minimum of 20 pages per presentation. The training
modules must fully develop a workshop’s theme, with a special focus on accuracy of sample
preparation and analysis procedure. Apart from the theoretical knowledge, training modules
should include practical lessons (at least 50% from the total time) at equipment provided by
the project partners and using real samples (samples can be provided by the project or
contractor).
Short final report on work conducted (and a PowerPoint presentation on the findings)
The finalized report should contain the description of methods of sample analysis for PCB and
other POPs presence, laboratory equipment, sample preparation and analyses procedures, results
processing and reporting.
All materials must be submitted in soft copy. The full copyright of the files shall be with the national
implementing partner.
QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS TO A COMPANY:
1)
2)
A bidder should be a legal entity;
A bidder should be creditworthy, not subject to liquidation, its property should not be under
arrest, its financial and economic activity should not be suspended according to the
legislation of a bidding country;
3) Five years of experience in training and delivery, organization of working
meetings/workshops;
4) Five years of experience in Assignment’s thematic areas (including those related to
environment pollutants, environmental monitoring and also environmental planning and
management);
5) Previous experience in project implementation in CIS countries is an advantage;
6) Track record consisting of at least 3 projects implemented in the field of a required thematic
area;
7) Good English communication skills (writing and speaking); ability to speak Russian is an
advantage;
8) Experience in interacting with all stakeholders: ecological laboratories, non-governmental
organizations and a private sector, ministries, municipal associations, local governments
etc.;
9) Company staff should have a higher vocational education in the field of chemistry and
laboratory research;
10) References from former clients are an advantage.
4
Rev Apr 2013