Call for Proposals for
Preparation of Climate Resilient Water Resources
Development Programmes and Projects
Application for Funding and
Guidelines for Completing the Application
Submission Deadline: 5 pm (GMT) on 14 November 2014
African Water Facility
Call for Proposals – Application for Funding
TABLE of CONTENTS
1
2
3
4
5
INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................. 1
CONTEXT / BACKGROUND ........................................................................................... 1
OBJECTIVE AND SCOPE OF THE CALL .................................................................... 2
CONTENT OF THE CALL ............................................................................................... 2
THE APPLICATION PROCESS ...................................................................................... 3
5.1
5.2
5.3
5.4
6
Eligibility ....................................................................................................... 3
Preparation and Submission of an Application .............................................. 3
Processing of the Application by the AWF ................................................... 4
Implementation .............................................................................................. 6
INDICATIVE TIMEFRAME FOR THE CALL ............................................................. 6
ANNEX: APPLICATION FORM AND GUIDELINES .......................................................... I
A APPLICANT DETAILS ..................................................................................................... I
B
CONTEXT OF THE PROJECT ...................................................................................... I
B.1
B.2
B.3
C
DEFINITION OF THE PROJECT ............................................................................... III
C.1
C.2
C.3
C.4
C.5
C.6
D
Rational ........................................................................................................... i
Sector Status and Priorities ............................................................................. i
Problem Definition and Analysis ...................................................................ii
Title ...............................................................................................................iii
Objective and Developmental Results ..........................................................iii
Proposed Approach .......................................................................................iii
Implementation Arrangements....................................................................... v
Project Cost and Financing ............................................................................ v
Risks and Mitigation ..................................................................................... vi
RELEVANCE AND SUSTAINABILITY ..................................................................... VI
D.1
D.2
D.3
Relevance of Project Design ......................................................................... vi
Relevance of Project Development Objectives............................................. ix
Sustainability.................................................................................................. x
Call for Proposals – Application for Funding
African Water Facility
1 INTRODUCTION
Recognising the substantial financing gap between estimated and actual funding for critical
climate change adaptation/mitigation investments in the water sector in Africa, the African
Water Facility (AWF) intends to support targeted actions by eligible national and regional
entities to mobilise financing through the issuing of a Call for Proposals for the Preparation
of Climate Resilient Water Resources Development Programmes and Projects (the Call).
The AWF intends to commit up to €16 million in Grant resources under the Call, resulting in
the leveraging of €600 million or more in follow-on investments for the implementation of
climate-resilient water sector projects prepared under the Call.
The African Water Facility (AWF) is a multilateral fund that is hosted and administered by
African Development Bank (AfDB). It was established in 2004 at the request of the African
Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW), to assist African countries in addressing the
increasing investment needs for the development and management of water resources. It is a
catalytic instrument mainly designed to leverage investments, with just under one billion
Euro mobilised to date. On average, each €1 contributed by AWF has attracted €30 in
additional follow-up investment, and it is on track to leverage €2.5 billion by 2020. Detailed
information on the AWF is provided at http://www.africanwaterfacility.org/en/
Given the intimate links between water and climate change, a large share of AWF’s portfolio
addresses adaptation and/or mitigation actions in response to current and projected climate
change. In accordance with its current Strategic Plan, the AWF is committed to narrowing the
existing financing gap for climate change adaptation and mitigation by undertaking
appropriate interventions which focus on one or more of its strategic priorities: (i) the
preparation of bankable investment projects, (ii) the enhancement of water governance, and
(iii) the promotion of water knowledge. These include projects in national and transboundary
integrated water resources management, and investments in drought and flood management,
water supply, sanitation, irrigation and agricultural water management, hydropower, and the
protection and conservation of the environment through appropriate water management
practices. An overview of how the AWF is addressing climate challenges is provided at
http://www.africanwaterfacility.org/en/what-we-do/climate-change/.
2 CONTEXT / BACKGROUND
Increasingly, stakeholders across Africa are recognising that firm actions are necessary to
address the visible effects of climate change and variability, and ensure continued economic
growth and poverty alleviation, improved livelihoods, and sustainable development.
Many such actions are being taken to reduce the vulnerability to climate change and
variability, promote climate resilience, and build the capacity and knowledge to address the
challenges of climate change and ensure sustainability through policy and regulatory reforms.
African Governments are engaging in the development of National Adaptation Plans (NAP),
National Adaptation Programmes of Action (NAPA), and Nationally Appropriate Mitigation
Actions (NAMA), amongst others, to identify and prioritise responses to the challenges posed
by climate change. At the same time, and because of the central role of water for the
economy, water sector strategies and plans (national, transboundary, regional) are
increasingly aiming to mainstream climate change considerations into sector planning and
investment decision making.
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Call for Proposals – Application for Funding
African Water Facility
However, while the magnitude of the challenges are generally recognised, required
adaptation and mitigation measures are not being implemented at required scales. This can be
attributed to various factors in the water sector, including: (i) a lack of comprehensive
mainstreaming of climate change into sector investment plans; (ii) capacity and knowledge
constraints; (iii) a scarcity of investment studies (pre-feasibility, feasibility, detailed designs)
to move from planning to implementation; and (iv) insufficient mobilisation from dedicated
climate funds and other sources of public and private finance.
Consequently, in order to develop climate resilient water resources programmes there is need
to address all of the above constraints. The AWF intends to support such efforts through this
Call.
3 OBJECTIVE AND SCOPE OF THE CALL
The overall objective of the Call is to catalyse the financing of sustainable water resources
development projects or programmes that are resilient to climate change, and to strengthen
the enabling environment for adaptation/mitigation actions. The preparation of climate smart
projects/programmes is expected to leverage approximately €600 million or more in followon investment financing, depending on the number and size of the preparation
projects/programmes to be approved under the Call.
To achieve this, AWF will commit up to €16 million in grant financing, with individual
grants ranging from €1,000,000 to €3,000,000 to projects that best addresses the stated
objective of the Call.
Co-financing of interventions by other development partners will be welcome. This will
enable the AWF to increase the number of financed interventions and thereby the intended
impact on leveraging investments.
4 CONTENT OF THE CALL
The types of components and corresponding activities that may be funded under the Call are
indicated below (more details on the corresponding activities under each of the components
are presented in Section C.3 of the Application Form and Guidelines in the attached Annex):
1) Preparation of a Water Resources Development (WRD) Plan and Investment
Programme that is based on integrated water resources management (IWRM)
principles and which mainstreams climate change. The WRD Plan encompasses a
thorough analysis of climate change scenarios and water resources management needs
for the selected areas of the project, and the definition of short to long term
development strategies. The Investment Programme comprises a group of prioritised
projects that are normally prepared to feasibility levels for subsequent appraisal and
funding by government, international financial institutions and/or other development
partners. The WRD Plan may also include elaboration of the sector governance and
support frameworks needed to be put in place to ensure an enabling environment for
the sustainable management of climate resilient water investments.
2) Preparation of Priority Investment Projects that are prepared to adequate level of
detail to fast-track funding by government, development partners, or the private sector
under (Public-Private Partnership) PPP arrangements. The Applicant may submit a
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Call for Proposals – Application for Funding
African Water Facility
proposal addressing project preparation alone, in which case the proposed priority
investment project should have been identified under prior WRD and investment
planning activities. Alternately, preparation of priority investment projects may be
another component of the overall WRD investment planning described in item 1)
above. To ensure investments are bankable and potential financiers/investors are
confident, all ancillary studies required to meet financiers’ fiduciary and safeguard
requirements are usually part of the preparation activities.
Thematic areas of intervention may address all types of investments related to climate
resilient water resources management and development, such as water for agriculture, water
for energy, water supply and sanitation, water for the protection and conservation of vital
ecosystems and related services, water security and risk management, water use efficiency,
water reuse, optimization of existing facilities and related operations, etc.
5 THE APPLICATION PROCESS
5.1 Eligibility
To be eligible to receive AWF grants, recipients must be regional member countries of the
African Development Bank, political subdivisions or agencies working within these
countries, or regional agencies or institutions concerned with water resources development in
Africa. The following are eligible to receive funding from the AWF:

Regional Member Countries (RMC) and their institutions and agencies – Ministries,
Departments, Agencies

Local government authorities

National parastatal institutions, including publicly-funded educational, training and
research institutions

Trans-boundary water organisations, including Water Basin Organisations, as well as
other regional economic organisations that desire to support and/or implement
projects relevant to the objectives of the AWF.

Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) and institutions legally incorporated and
indigenous to Regional Member Countries. The completed applications from these
must be endorsed by governmental institutions who can certify that the NGO is both
credible and performing its mandate in accordance with national policies and priority
programmes that reflect and satisfy the needs of their clients.
Applicants are encouraged to consult AWF’s website for more information on eligibility
criteria: http://www.africanwaterfacility.org/en/grants/eligibility-criteria/
While any eligible applicant may apply, the evaluation of proposals will consider the
applicants role in identifying and approving water resources investments.
5.2 Preparation and Submission of an Application
Detailed guidance on the expected content of proposals is provided in the Application Form
and Guidelines included in the Annex.
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African Water Facility
Completed
applications
should
preferably
be
submitted
by
email
to
africanwaterfacility@afdb.org not later than 5 pm (GMT) on 14 November 2014, indicating
the title of the Call for Proposals in the subject of the email (i.e. Preparation of Climate
Resilient Water Resources Development Programmes and Projects). The AWF will accept
submission in Microsoft Word, WordPerfect or Adobe pdf formats. Although email
submissions are preferred, the AWF will accept submission of a hard copy of the application.
These should be submitted to:
AFRICAN WATER FACILITY
Attn: Dr. Akissa BAHRI
African Development Bank
BP 323 – 1002 Tunis Belvedere
TUNISIA
Questions for clarifications may be sent to Dr. Akissa BAHRI (a.bahri@afdb.org) or
Dr. Philippe FLOCH (p.floch@afdb.org), and copied to Mrs. Latifa MESSAY
(l.messay@afdb.org).
5.3 Processing of the Application by the AWF
Proposal Evaluation
All proposals will first be screened for eligibility. Proposals from eligible applicants will then
be evaluated and ranked by the AWF according to the criteria and weighting shown in the
table below. Full details on the factors that will be examined for each of the criteria is
presented in Section D of the Application Form and Guidelines in the attached Annex.
Given the widely varying types of proposals that may be received, it is likely that the full
range of criteria may not be applicable for all proposals. In this situation, non-relevant criteria
will not be scored, and the remaining criteria will be pro-rated such that the overall weighting
for the three groupings of criteria will remain the same.
The top rated 25% of proposals received will be retained for further processing, and the
successful Applicants notified accordingly.
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African Water Facility
Points for Evaluation
1) Relevance of Project Design
Design rational and justification
Alignment and Harmonisation
Resources Mobilisation
Climate Change
Environmental and Social Safeguards
Gender and Social Equity Considerations
Knowledge Management
Innovation
Participatory Processes
2) Relevance of Project Development
Objectives
Investment financing mobilised
Water needs met
Improve water sector governance and enhance
water knowledge
3) Sustainability
Financial sustainability
Institutional sustainability and strengthening
of capacities
Ownership
Total
WRD Plans and
Investment
Programmes
Priority Investment
Projects
55
50
10
5
5
10
5
5
5
5
5
10
5
5
10
5
5
5
5
30
40
15
10
5
20
20
-
15
10
5
5
5
-
5
5
100
100
Assessment
These proposals will then be further assessed by the AWF. Clarifications on any of the
information asked for in the Application Form may be requested. Applicants may be asked to
provide additional information related to their capacity to implement the project, should it
eventually be funded by the AWF. Identification mission by AWF to undertake a rapid
preliminary assessment of project may be carried out as necessary.
The completed application along with the additional information will be internally reviewed
by the AWF, and a decision will be made as to whether to proceed to appraisal.
Appraisal and Approval
AWF will then conduct a detailed Appraisal of the project according to its procedures, should
the proposed project be favourably assessed. This will bring the project to a stage where it
may possibly be funded. In brief, this normally consists of launching of an AWF appraisal
mission to meet with the Applicant and discuss and jointly agree upon the overall project
design and implementation arrangements. The appraisal team will also assess all aspects of
the project (technical, financial management, procurement, implementation arrangements,
etc.), and gather all the information needed to prepare the appraisal report. The AWF will
work with the Applicant in developing a monitoring framework which will be used to
monitor the results of the project. Preparation or finalisation of a Terms of Reference (ToR)
for the project studies is an essential step in the appraisal of the project. The Applicant would
be asked to support the AWF in this task.
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African Water Facility
The AWF will then draft an appraisal report and submit it to the Applicant for review and
endorsement prior to funding approval.
5.4 Implementation
A Grant Agreement will be prepared by the AWF for signature by both parties, which sets
out the terms and conditions of the legal agreement between the AWF and the Recipient of
the funds. The project appraisal report will form part of the Agreement as the document
which outlines the scope of work, financing, conditions and agreed upon responsibilities of
the Recipient.
Once the Grant Agreement is signed, the project will proceed to implementation stage. All
project cycle activities under the Call will follow AWF and Bank operational guidelines and
procedures, including those related to procurement, disbursement and financial management.
In particular, all services for the preparation of WRD plans, programmes and project studies
must be procured in accordance with the AfDB Rules and Procedures for the use of
Consultants.
The AWF will ensure compliance with Bank safeguards and covenants, including all
necessary measures related to social and environment safeguards, fiduciary control and
anticorruption.
The AWF will plan/ensure that adequate support will be provided to Recipients to enable
efficient implementation of the project. The need for such support will form part of the
assessment of Recipient capacity during appraisal, and activities to strengthen the capacity of
Recipients will be budgeted for and included in the appraisal report.
6 INDICATIVE TIMEFRAME FOR THE CALL
As a guide to assist Applicants in their planning, the overall duration from the launch of the
Call to funding of successful proposals will be about 9 to 15 months. Of this, the receipt and
evaluation of proposals will take about 3 months. The subsequent preparation and appraisal
process will take from 6 to 12 months (until all selected project proposals are appraised). The
actual processing time for an individual proposal will depend on the degree of complexity
and related due diligence during appraisal, and the necessary levels of dialogue and support
for design/preparation, all to ensure quality at entry.
The implementation of a project preparation study normally ranges from two to three years
from approval. Given that the last project is expected to be approved by the end of 2015, this
would mean that all projects should be completed by the end of 2018.
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African Water Facility
ANNEX: APPLICATION FORM AND GUIDELINES
A APPLICANT DETAILS
Name of Organisation
Name of Contact Person
Address
Telephone
Fax
Email
B CONTEXT OF THE PROJECT (3 TO 4 PAGES)
B.1 Rational
Rational for the proposed project intervention
Provide a brief introduction into the need for the proposed project, describing the existing
situation in general, and with regards to climate change in particular. This may include
reference to (i) experiences and/or projected climate variability, (ii) the impacts of climate
change on water resources availability, (iii) vulnerabilities of people and/or economic sectors,
and (iv) water related needs currently not being met.
Provide a brief overview of how the project will address the identified needs, and the
developmental impacts that may result.
Origin of the proposed project:
Provide a brief background to the identification and conceptualisation of the proposed
project. This may include details of project origin and the historical background relevant to
the project, such as: (i) discussions/meetings/workshops that lead up to the project
formulation; (ii) the process of prioritisation; (iii) recommendations for preparation studies
arising from National Adaptation and/or Mitigation Plans; or (iv) prior studies that may need
to be updated or expanded upon.
Note previous similar submissions (if any) to funding agencies of similar versions of this
proposal.
B.2 Sector Status and Priorities
Alignment with existing national/regional policies, strategies, plans and priorities
Provide a review of national and regional policies, strategies, and the legal and regulatory
frameworks related to (i) water resources management and development, and (ii) climate
change, within which this project will operate. This may include ongoing institutional
reforms and identified needs for reforms in the sector.
Note any high level political commitments that relate to the proposed project, such as water
development declarations, initiatives, programmes, etc.
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African Water Facility
Describe associated regional, national or local water sector development plans or
programmes in effect, the types of investments planned and the associated financing
requirements.
Discuss how relevant the project is to particular needs for climate change
mitigation/adaptation in the country or region, and how the project is in line with the
priorities stated in e.g. the National Adaptation Plan of Action (NAPA), linkages with
Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs), National Communication to the
UNFCCC, or other national, regional or local climate change strategies and action plans, as
relevant and applicable.
Note any ongoing or completed water resources development studies, programme or project
preparation activities, or other types of analytical work, which relate to the proposed project.
Harmonisation with the institutional framework for water resources management and
development and other on-going initiatives
Describe the various public sector institutions responsible for water resources management
and development, and climate change activities, in the country or region, who will participate
in the implementation of the proposed project.
Describe relevant activities of development partners, NGOs, Community Based
Organisations, private enterprises, knowledge organisations, and other external stakeholders
operating in the country or region concerned, which may relate to the proposed project.
Describe, if applicable, how sector coordination or knowledge management is done in the
proposed project area (country, region, water basin).
Status of Water Sector and Climate Change Financing
Provide an overview of the status of the development budget for water and climate change
investments in the country or region, including as available plans for the future.
Review related ongoing and planned assistance of the various development partners active in
the region or country.
Review the involvement of the private sector in water resources development, climate change
adaptation/mitigation investments, and service provision.
Note any development or climate change trust funds that have been established in the country
or region, or are planned, which may be a source of financing for the downstream projects to
be prepared under the AWF funded intervention.
B.3 Problem Definition and Analysis
Specify the problem that the proposed project intervention aims to address and resolve.
Identify the specific pre-project situation in the target project area, including quantified data
wherever possible. Provide an analysis of the problems to be addressed by the project.
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Some of the many topics that may be considered in the problem definition and analysis are
listed below (please add other topics as appropriate).
Water Resources Development, Management and Planning Issues
These may include discussions of the following topics, as relevant:










Status of water infrastructure and the need for additional infrastructure to increase
water security;
Status and need for improved storage and rainwater harvesting;
Status and need for improved access to safe supply of water and to sanitation;
Agricultural water uses and needs;
Status and need of water for livestock;
Status and need of water for industry;
Status and need for renewable energy and hydropower;
Addressing land degradation and provision of water to ensure environment flows;
Status and need for disaster preparedness, early warning systems and emergency
management;
Drought resilience.
Sector Support Issues
These may include discussions of the following topics, as relevant:






Water institutions and the need for strengthening;
The status of knowledge of water resources in the country or region,;
The need for better understanding of water resources availability and variability in the
face of climate change;
Governance, regulation, etc. considerations, and the need for sector support, reforms;
The need to increase the role of private sector in water development, management and
service delivery, and to strengthen the role of the government in managing public
private partnerships;
Sustainability and operation and maintenance, including as applicable tariffs and
affordability of water.
C DEFINITION OF THE PROJECT (3 TO 4 PAGES)
C.1 Title
Provide a descriptive project title not exceeding 15 words.
C.2 Objective and Developmental Results
Concisely state the overall objective of the proposed project.
Provide a listing of the specific project outputs and outcomes.
C.3 Proposed Approach
Specify the region, country or sub-region that will be covered by the proposed project.
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African Water Facility
Describe the main components of the proposed project and briefly summarise the activities to
be done under each component. Some examples of the types of components and
corresponding activities that may be included are listed below. The Applicant should revise,
elaborate upon or include other activities under the main components, as appropriate:
1) Preparation of a Water Resources Development (WRD) Plan and Investment
Programme that mainstreams climate change and is based on integrated water
resources management (IWRM) principles. The activities related to the preparation of
the Water Resources Development Plan component may include: (i) assessment of
the existing situation and identification of key issues (both water and climate); (ii)
analysis of water resources development needs for the selected areas of the project;
(iii) preparation of detailed climate change evaluation and climate risk management
plans; and (iv) formulation of the WRD Plan, encompassing the short to long term
development strategies with a comprehensive listing of projects and programmes for
implementation.
The Investment Programme component will comprise projects that are to be prepared
to adequate (feasibility) level of detail for subsequent appraisal and funding by
government, international financial institutions and/or other development partners.
Activities may include: (i) preparation of a prioritised list of short, medium and long
term development projects; (ii) preparation of preliminary designs and cost estimates
with detailed terms of references for subsequent detailed engineering design studies
and implementation; (iii) analysis of the technical, economic, financial and
environmental aspects to ascertain economic and financially viability, as well as to
assess the social and environmental impact and to identify climate change adaptation
and mitigation measures; (iv) elaboration of an action plan, with ToR and budgets,
for the implementation of the sector governance and support frameworks that were
defined as part of the WRD Plan; and (v) estimates of investment requirements and
preparation of strategies for resources mobilisation to ensure sustainable financing of
plan implementation.
The WRD Plan may also include a component related to the provision of sector
support to enhance water governance and improve knowledge of water resources and
climate change concerns. Depending on needs, such activities may include: (i) the
definition of sector governance and support frameworks, including institutional
framework favourable to the implementation of the development options; (ii)
refinement of the existing policy, legal and regulatory framework for IWRM in view
of mainstreaming climate change considerations; (iii) water resources and/or climate
information/knowledge management and monitoring and evaluation frameworks; (iv)
preparation and/or updating of existing drought preparedness plans; (v) a gender
action plan; (vi) a strategy to enhance PPP arrangements; (vii) a public awareness plan
to mainstream climate change considerations and/or integrated water resources
management; or (vii) specific capacity building activities that could be implemented
within the context of the project, such as provision of technical assistance to sector
institutions, or activities to share knowledge generated by the study.
2) Preparation of Priority Investments Projects that are prepared to adequate level of
detail to fast-track funding by government, development partners or the private sector
under PPP arrangements. The Applicant may submit a proposal addressing project
preparation alone, in which case the proposed priority investment project should have
been identified under prior WRD and investment planning activities. Alternately,
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African Water Facility
preparation of priority investment projects may be another component of the overall
WRD investment planning described in item 1) above. Activities under this
component may include: (i) prioritisation and selection of priority works; (ii)
assessment and investigation of infrastructure needs; (iii) detailed design and
preparation of tender documents; and (iv) any actions required to mobilise adequate
funding, such as donor meetings and round-tables. To ensure investments are
bankable and potential financiers/investors are confident, all ancillary studies required
to meet financiers’ fiduciary and safeguard requirements, such as environmental and
social impact assessments, may be part of the preparation activities.
To the extent possible, describe and quantify the infrastructure that will be planned or
prepared under the proposed project intervention. Some examples are listed below:






Drinking water production capacity (m3)
Sewage/Faecal sludge treatment capacity (m3)
Water storage capacity (m3)
Hydropower output capacity (MW)
Irrigated land (ha)
Etc.
C.4 Implementation Arrangements
Indicate the respective roles and responsibilities of each organisation/institution involved in
the implementation of the project. Comment on the capacity of each organisation to
undertake its role. Note also the coordinating arrangements, how the steering committee or
other oversight body will function, the involvement of national or local levels of government,
etc.
Note any collaborating partners that are jointly proposing the project in collaboration with the
Applicant and will receive funds under the project; and co-financing partners that may only
provide financing, or will participate directly in the project activities, but under their own or
other sources of funding. Indicate the roles and responsibilities of each partner, and how they
will complement that of the Applicant.
C.5 Project Cost and Financing
Indicate the approximate overall costs of the project and the sources of finance, both cash and
in-kind, according to the following table. It is not necessary at this stage to develop a detailed
cost estimate. The AWF will work with successful Applicants in developing detailed cost
estimates, as part of the project preparation and appraisal process.
Highlight the total amount of financing (in Euro) that is requested to be provided by the
AWF. Describe any donor co-financing arrangements for the study, and if the funds are
committed or not. Note government contributions, in-kind and cash. In-kind costs could
include staff salaries and expenses, office facilities, goods and materials, etc. (indicate the
exchange rate used from the local currency). Provide brief explanation in text where space is
insufficient in the following table.
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Project Cost and Sources of Financing (Euros1)
Source of financing
Total
AWF (this is the requested Grant from AWF)
Applicant
Other (indicate name and if a financing agreement
has been signed)
Total project cost
Cash
In-Kind
n.a.
1) Indicate exchange rate used in estimating costs: (local currency units) = one Euro
C.6 Risks and Mitigation
State any identified project risks during implementation and afterwards in terms of achieving
the expected results.
Describe the proposed mitigation measures to show how potential risks have been taken care
of in project design.
D RELEVANCE AND SUSTAINABILITY (3 TO 4 PAGES)
Please respond as appropriate to the relevance and sustainability criteria listed in the
following sections, since not all criteria may be applicable to the proposed project.
Please note that since the criteria are the same as what will be used by the AWF in evaluating
proposals, responses by the Applicant will help assist the AWF in undertaking a fair and
thorough evaluation. Details on the evaluation process and weighting of each of the criteria is
presented in Section 5.3 above.
D.1 Relevance of Project Design
Design rational and justification
Provide an analysis of how the proposed approach will address the development needs in the
country or region, as identified in the problem definition and context.
Justify why the proposed components and activities have been included, and how they
address the stated objectives of the project.
Describe how the project will integrate the outcomes and recommendations from any relevant
completed or ongoing studies, plans, etc.
Describe how the proposed project will help the country, basin, region or other administrative
unit, to achieve its commitments, plans, and/or priorities.
Describe how the proposed project will support the realisation of identified reforms, improve
its institutional framework, influence sector policy, strengthen the capacity of sector
institutions, etc.
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Review the involvement of beneficiaries and stakeholders in project design and the potential
impact on them.
Assess the suitability of the proposed risk management strategies to mitigate the identified
risks.
Alignment and Harmonisation
Note if the proposed WRD planning is called for in any existing water sector or climate
change strategies, plans or commitments.
Describe how the proposed project will complement and align with the WRD and planning
activities of sector institutions and development organisations concerned with Water
Resources Management and Development
Describe how the proposed AWF funded intervention will harmonise with sector
coordination and mechanisms.
Resources Mobilisation
Describe the activities and approach that the project will take to trigger downstream / followon investments from donors, public sector, private sector or other stakeholders. This may
include preparation of resources mobilisation action plans, mechanisms to ensure the
involvement of potential financiers from the start, or resources mobilisation and/or donor
coordination meetings at project completion.
Climate Adaptation and Mitigation
Describe how climate change has been taken into consideration in the design of the project,
and how climate will be incorporated in the project planning and preparation studies. This
may include: the preparation of comprehensive national/regional adaptation and mitigation
plans and associated infrastructure investments; incorporation of rigorous climate scenario
analysis as part of the modelling and planning activities; assessment of economics of climate
change on basin resources; preparation or updating of drought preparedness plans; climate
proofing of any projects that will be prepared through scenario analysis and risk assessments
as part of the modelling/design activities, etc.
For mitigation projects, define the baseline scenario and estimate expected greenhouse gas
emissions reductions annually and over the lifetime of the project.
For adaptation projects, describe briefly the vulnerability to climate change, main patterns in
temperature and precipitation during the past decades, trends in severe weather events and
how the project is responsive to expected/identified climate change impacts of the
country/area in question; explain why the project is responsive to the adaptation needs.
Explain the expected results of the adaptation measures as applicable (e.g. increased
robustness of infrastructure design and long-term investment development, increased
resilience of vulnerable communities, enhanced resilience of vulnerable natural systems
linked with adaptation; reversal of trends that increase vulnerability, improved societal
awareness and preparedness). Explain the methods, the data sources and the main
assumptions behind the assessment.
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Environmental and Social Safeguards
Describe how environmental safeguards have been taken into consideration in project design.
Note the types of environment and social assessments that will be carried out, and how they
will take into consideration the impact from climate change and variability on availability of
water resources, operations of water infrastructure, etc.
Gender Equality and Social Equity Considerations
Indicate how gender equality and social equity considerations will be mainstreamed into the
planning activities, given that women’s and men’s response strategies to climate change, and
their specific needs, may differ. This may include measures to ensure stakeholder
involvement, consultation and communication in the development of WRD and investment
plans; preparation of a gender equality action plan which reflects the participation and role of
both men and women in the management of water resources and adaptation to climate
changes and variability; awareness creation and capacity building activities, including
specific activities that strengthen women’s climate adaptation strategies; empowerment of
actors through institutional, legal, financial instruments to ensure effective involvement of
women and their representatives in all decision making processes; the social assessments that
will be carried out and how they will focus on assessing specific impacts on women and other
vulnerable groups and integration into the development process.
Describe how the project has been designed to maximise the impact on poverty.
Knowledge Management
Describe the type of knowledge expected to emerge from the implementation of this project
and how it will be managed.
Describe plans for dissemination of worthwhile lessons and best practices, and how it will
advance the state of knowledge in the country.
Describe any linkages to knowledge organisations, such as learning alliances/groups at local,
national and regional levels, or research institutions.
Innovation
Describe how the proposed project will focus on innovation within the context and scope of
the project intervention, such as through the incorporation of new approaches for (i) water
resources management in the project area (i.e. climate change adaptation strategies in
irrigated agricultural water savings; reuse of non-conventional water resources, resources
recycling, reuse and recovery, sustainable urban water management); (ii) meeting water
needs (i.e. multiple use water services); (iii) addressing climate change impacts (i.e. clean
water and energy technologies, integrated approaches to food security, low-carbon energy,
sustainable water management and climate change mitigation ); (iv) involving the private sector
(i.e. PPP arrangements that target service provision by social enterprises); or (v) the use of
new technologies for the area (i.e. sub-surface check dams, solar powered water pumps).
Describe how the innovative approaches or technologies will be introduced and the
arrangements to help enhance their adoption throughout the country or region.
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Participatory Processes
Describe the participatory process used to incorporate the views of the different categories of
beneficiary groups in the definition of the problem and the conception of the proposed
solution.
Similarly, describe the consultation process with other key stakeholder groups (such as water
sector institutions, development partners) and note how their interests and concerns have
been incorporated into the proposed project design.
Present the modalities for the participation of national/regional stakeholders and beneficiary
groups during implementation of the proposed project.
D.2 Relevance of Project Development Objectives
Summarise how the project will address the following key development objectives for the
Call in a manner that is relevant to government priorities and strategies, stakeholder
requirements and beneficiary needs.
Investment financing mobilised
Note any government, development partners, private sector and other stakeholders who are
awaiting the outputs of the proposed WRD planning or programme/project preparation
activities before initiating downstream projects or committing funds;
For priority investment projects, note whether the government or any development partners
or private enterprises are ready to finance the project once it is prepared.
To the extent possible based on current planning, prior studies, etc., estimate the amount of
investment financing that may be realised as a result of the proposed project intervention, as
follows.

Estimate the total amount of the planned water sector investments that will be prepared as
part of the investment programme or project preparation activities.

Of this, estimate the financing that may be mobilised from government, development
partners, or the private sector (under PPP arrangements).

Estimate the planned investment financing that will address climate change adaptation or
mitigation (Adaptation finance is defined as % of planned investments that address
adaptation to the actual or expected impacts of climate change. Mitigation finance is
defined as % of planned investments that address greenhouse gas emission reduction or
carbon sequestration).
Water needs met
Describe the various water needs that will be met as a result of the implementation of the
downstream projects.
Explain who the target beneficiary groups are, and how they may benefit from this project.
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Call for Proposals – Application for Funding
African Water Facility
To the extent possible based on current planning, prior studies, etc., describe the number of
people that may potentially benefit from the investment planning and project preparation
activities over the longer term (to 2025). This may include:




Planned number of people potentially benefiting from improved access to drinking
water sources and sanitation facilities
Planned number of small scale or commercial farmers that may potentially benefit
from irrigation and improved water/land management practices
Planned number of people that may potentially be served with hydro-electric energy
Etc. (please add other categories of beneficiaries as appropriate)
For all of the above, where possible provide a gender disaggregated projection of the
benefits/impacts to be accrued from the project by gender, socio-economic status, or
vulnerability.1
Improve water sector governance and enhance water knowledge
Describe the longer term impacts of the sector support that the project will provide. This may
include countries, regions and basins with a more enabling environment for investments as a
result of improved IWRM policies, strategies, plans and strengthened institutions; improved
water resources data and information availability, facilitating the design of infrastructure
projects; or improved water sector monitoring and knowledge management systems. It may
also include transboundary shared water agreements or cooperation mechanisms in place or
strengthened, enabling the preparation and financing of regional investment projects.
D.3 Sustainability
Demonstrate how the project has been designed to ensure sustainability of results after
completion of the project, focusing on financial, institutional and ownership aspects.
Financial sustainability
Highlight the positive and negative factors that impact on the availability of an adequate
stream of funding for the downstream projects that may be prepared as part of the investment
planning or project preparation components of the AWF project.
Note whether current or planned sector budgets are adequate to provide the necessary funds
for the investment projects that will be prepared as part of the proposed intervention.
Show arrangements for financing operation and maintenance of the project facilities, or to
sustain services, beyond the project period.
Institutional sustainability and strengthening of capacities
Demonstrate that reliable institutional arrangements will be in place to ensure continuity of
the results.
Defined as ‘Poor populations, populations living in slums or informal settlements, remote or hard to reach
areas, indigenous population, internally displaced, ethnic minorities, people with disabilities’.
1
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Call for Proposals – Application for Funding
African Water Facility
Indicate how the project will ensure continuity beyond the grant period, and what specific
measures in the project design contribute towards sustainability of benefits.
Indicate how your organisation will consolidate project results into its future operations.
Describe within what area capacity will be built and who will receive/benefit from this
increased capacity.
Ownership
Demonstrate that the rationale for the proposed project is shared, approved and backed by the
water sector institutions and stakeholders responsible for water resources management and
development in the country or region, and that they will take ownership and have
commitment to the financing and implementation of the downstream projects.
Describe the amounts and type (cash or in-kind) of financing that will be provided by the
Applicant and other key water sector institutions for the implementation of the proposed
project.
Present the evidence that the proposed action or project addresses needs and is based on a
demonstrated demand by the main beneficiaries and stakeholders.
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