Asian Development Bank (ADB) is seeking specialist consultant and environmental consultant to conduct a feasibility study, due diligence reports and preparation of required reports and documentation for the centralized wastewater systems project in Uzbekistan. The project includes works of centralized wastewater systems in six cities and the Chinaz urban center in Uzbekistan.

The project includes access to reliable wastewater services in the cities of Akhangaran, Almalyk, Angren, Bekabod, Chirchik, Yangiyul and Chinaz urban center, as well the rural areas of Yangiyul and Chinaz districts improved and expanded.

The works will include rehabilitation and/or upgrading of five existing and one new WWTP with a combined capacity of 530,000 cubic meter (m3)/day, rehabilitation or construction of 69.3 km of sewerage collectors and 182.5 km of sewerage networks, and installation of 50,000 water meters will be carried out for Centralized urban wastewater systems. In works of decentralized wastewater disposal systems in rural settlements of Chinaz and Yangiyul districts, installation of 23,500 individual household septic tanks, provision of 21 septage vacuum trucks to collect and deliver septage to WWTPs for treatment; operationalization of a septage management unit in the TPS; formulation of a septage management program to rationalize and expand septage collection and disposal services and; design and implementation of a sanitation and hygiene awareness program to improve community awareness and understanding of sanitation best practices.

The specialist consultant will help provide guidance in all aspects of the resettlement, including but not limited to organization and interpretation of surveys and the preparation of the resettlement plan/framework; review the national legal policies on land acquisition and involuntary resettlement to determine the adequacy and consistency with ADB's requirements; recommend measures to bridge possible gaps; prepare questionnaire forms and a survey methodology; set-up a resettlement survey team, prepare analysis of survey results;  organize and conduct in collaboration with surveyors, stakeholders’ consultation and analysis; provide inputs as required to project documents and reports on social dimension and safeguard component; prepare Entitlement Matrix, land acquisition and resettlement plan (framework), summary of poverty reduction and social strategy, indigenous peoples impact categorization, and involuntary resettlement impact categorization; prepare involuntary resettlement categorization checklist; determine the replacement costs of all categories of losses; and prepare an indicative budget for land acquisition and resettlement costs with specific sourcing and approval process; ensure that resettlement-related information is well considered and included in the program communication plan; coordinate with the project team to ensure that mitigation measures are integrated into the project design features; assess the capacity of executing agency to screen impacts, prepare and implement resettlement plans; recommend appropriate capacity development activities to develop or enhance safeguards knowledge and skills of executing agency; and provide inputs for the preparation of the LARP, FSR and related project safeguard reports. The specialist consultant contract value is US$ 22,000.

The environmental consultant will help assess possible environmental impacts of each project activity, carry out screening of environmental impacts for categorization and scoping to determine spacial and temporal scope and key issues for EIA/IEE; interacting with the technical engineers and social safeguard specialists for the information and data requirements available in the feasibility study and technical design reports; work closely with PMO, FS and design team to incorporate findings/suggestions of EIA/IEE/EMP into FS/design; based on IEE/EIA, Develop EMP which include concrete mitigation measures specific to the project, monitoring and training plan, who do what, when and how, and estimating cost for EMP implementation and interacting with the economic and financial consultants to include the EMP costs into the project budget and bidding documents. The EMP costs consist of mitigation measures, environmental monitoring measurements, and environmental supervision, reporting and capacity building for PCU and contractors; assist to identify vulnerable groups as targets for disclosure and consultation, draft announcement for disclosure accordingly, then decide suitable consultation approaches (meeting or survey, etc.) and design questionnaire/questions to be asked in consultation. Incorporating comments and feedback in the revision of the IEE; incorporating comments from CSA, ADB, and subsequently assisting CSA in obtaining necessary approval to the IEE from ADB and relevant Government ministries; prepare IEE in compliance with ADB's SPS and national environmental requirements; work closely with the Climate Change Specialist to reflect in the IEE the impacts of climate change; provide necessary inputs to the FSR and related project safeguard reports. The environmental consultant contract value is US$ 50,000.