CONSULTANCY SERVICES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A BILLING SYSTEM FOR MARWASCO

TERMS OF REFERENCE CONSULTANCY SERVICES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A BILLING SYSTEM FOR MARSABIT WATER AND SEWERAGE COMPANY (MARWASCO) Background The Resilient Arid Lands Partnership for Integrated Development Plus (RAPID+) is a five-year program running from 2021 - 2026 convened and led by the Millennium Water Alliance (MWA). The program receives its primary funding from the Swiss Agency for Development and Corporation (SDC). It also has contributions and investment funds from private sector actors, four facilitating partners across five counties (Marsabit, Turkana, Isiolo, Wajir and Garissa), where Food for the Hungry (FH) leads the implementation in Marsabit County. The goal of the program is to improve access to water and rangeland services for 200,000 people in the five counties. This goal is to be contributed to by two outcomes: Pastoralist communities have increased access to sustainable and safe water for multiple uses, benefiting men, women, and youth. Pastoralist communities have improved access to safe and ecologically healthy rangeland resources that promote greater integrity, social cohesion, and gender equity. This activity aims to contribute towards the first goal through the strengthening the capacities of public institutions in the delivery of water services and supporting the operation and maintenance of water infrastructure. More specifically, the program aims to support Marsabit Water and Sewerage Company (MARWASCO) with the development of a billing system, which contributes to both capacity strengthening, and the operation and maintenance of existing infrastructure. Objective of the activity The primary objective of this consultancy is to review and improve the billing system so as to enhance the operational efficiency, customer data management, and revenue collection capabilities of the Marsabit Water and Sewerage Company. The activity aims to establish a reliable and digitized customer database, facilitate accurate billing, and enable seamless integration with a banking system for improved financial accountability and service delivery. Scope of work The consultant will be responsible for the following: Conduct an entry/inception meeting with county and water company officials to align on expectations, scope, and methodology. Develop training materials, identify and train enumerators on data collection tools and procedures for customer and asset mapping, and provide for their facilitation and equipment as may be required by the assignment. Oversee and provide technical support during the data collection exercise. Clean, analyze, and validate the collected data in collaboration with relevant stakeholders. Develop a geo-database of customers and water infrastructure and procure necessary software licenses for hosting and managing the spatial data. Review the existing billing system and integrate it with a banking platform for streamlined payment processing and financial reporting. Present the final findings, demonstrate the billing system functionality, and support rollout including staff training and technical troubleshooting. The client (RAPID+, through Food for the Hungry), will support the necessary conference requirements during the assignment, such as: At the inception meeting (1 day) Training of enumerators (1 day) Data validation meeting (2 days) Presentation of final findings and demonstration of the functionality of the billing system. 2. Deliverables The consultant shall be responsible for delivering the following: Inception report , including a detailed work plan and methodology. Enumerator training report , including tools, curriculum, and training outcomes. Cleaned and validated data set from the field data collection exercise. Functional geo-database , with customer and asset data mapped. Billing system prototype , integrated with the banking system, including user manuals and technical documentation. Final report and system presentation , summarizing findings, process, and recommendations. Rollout support , including system testing, training for end users, and initial troubleshooting. 3. Consultant qualifications The selected consultant (individual or firm) must demonstrate a strong background and proven experience in information systems application/deployment, GIS integration, and utility billing solutions. Specifically, the consultant should meet the following minimum qualifications: Team Lead / Firm (General Requirements): Minimum of 12 years of experience in developing and implementing commercial billing systems or enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, preferably within the water or utility sector. Demonstrated experience in projects involving integration of billing systems with financial or banking platforms. Proven expertise in GIS mapping, and digital data management systems. Familiarity with water utility operation, and customer management systems in Kenya or similar contexts. 4. Key Personnel (if applicable): a) GIS Specialist Bachelor’s degree in Geospatial Engineering, GIS, Geography, or related field. Minimum of 5 years of experience in geo-database development and spatial data mapping. Proficiency in GIS software such as ArcGIS, QGIS, or similar platforms. Experience integrating GIS data with utility infrastructure or billing systems is an advantage. b) Data Management/Enumerator Training Expert Experience in designing and managing field data collection exercises, including training enumerators. Familiarity with digital data collection tools (e.g., Kobo Toolbox, ODK). Strong data cleaning, validation, and analysis skills. c) Finance Specialist (part-time input, optional) Bachelor’s degree in finance, Accounting, or a related field (CPA or ACCA certification is a strong asset). At least 5 years’ experience in finance or revenue management within a water utility or similar service-based organization. Mid-level management experience, ideally with oversight of customer billing, tariff setting, revenue reconciliation, or collections. Solid understanding of billing cycle processes, including meter reading, invoicing, revenue tracking, and reporting. Familiarity with financial integration of billing systems into banking/payment platforms or accounting software (e.g., QuickBooks, Sage, or ERP systems). Strong analytical and communication skills to contribute during planning and validation phases. 5. Additional Requirements: Excellent communication, documentation, and stakeholder engagement skills. Ability to deliver high-quality outputs within agreed timelines. Registered business or firm with a valid trading license and relevant tax compliance documentation (for firms). 6. Timelines Activity Timeline Week 1 Entry meeting & inception report (1 day) Enumerator training & data collection (1 day) Data collection (4 days) Week 2 Data cleaning and analysis (2 days) Data validation (2 days) GIS mapping & deployment of GIS Platform (2 days) Integrating the billing system with the bank banking days Week 3 Final report & system rollout (1 day) Approximate duration of assignment = 15 days 7. Budget A lump-sum contract will be issued based on the consultant’s financial proposal, covering professional fees, travel, accommodation, software licenses, data collection tools, training materials, facilitation for enumerators and any other direct costs. Payments will be made upon approval of deliverables as follows: Milestone and Payment % Upon approval of inception report 20% Upon completion of data collection & validation 30% Upon submission of functional system & GIS mapping 30% Upon final report and rollout 20% 8. Reporting and accountability The consultant will report to the Project team, composed of representatives from RAPID+ FH, MARWASCO, and County Water Department. The primary reporting contact will be the Water Company Managing Director or their designate. Progress updates will be submitted semi-weekly, and all deliverables will be reviewed and approved by the project team prior to payment disbursements.

How to Apply Interested and qualified candidates should send their applications to: Talent and Culture Manager, Email address: [email protected] latest by 11th July 2025. While we value every person applying for this Consultancy, please note that only the shortlisted candidates will be contacted. NB: FOOD FOR THE HUNGRY (FH KENYA) DOES NOT SOLICIT ANY FORM OF PAYMENT DURING THE ENTIRE RECRUITMENT EXERCISE