Afghanistan: Consultant or consultancy agency to upgrade the three Weather Monitoring Stations in Border districts of Badakhshan in Afghanistan and Tajikistan

Background:

Focus Humanitarian Assistance (FOCUS) is an international group of agencies established in Europe, North America, South and Central Asia to complement the provision of emergency relief, principally in the developing world. It helps people in need reduce their dependence on humanitarian aid and facilitates their transition to sustainable self‐reliant, long‐term development. FOCUS is an affiliate of the Aga Khan Development Network.

Afghanistan is prone to multiple disasters. North-Eastern Afghanistan is extremely susceptible to recurring natural disaster due to predominantly mountainous terrain and a seismic fault line that runs through the province of Badakhshan. Consequently, winter are extremely cold, with heavy snowfall and sub-zero degree temperature lasting for five months at stretch. The region experiences heavy snowfall and avalanches in winter, while landslides, floods, flash flood (from snow melt) occur routinely in summer. Earthquake is also a measure threat in this area. These same risks are the same across the border of Tajikistan. Comprehensive weather data and information are the most important element for risk reduction and planning. It is important develop a complete scenario for the weather related information as well as mechanism for informing community before occurrence of any disaster to take appropriate actions after receiving the warning for occurrence of any hazards.

Job Objective: Objective for up gradation of existing Weather and Hydro meteorological station

The Project assignment is aiming towards completion of following objectives after the up gradation of existing weather and hydro meteorological station.

• Instrumentation for system up gradation in the existing system for meteorological gauging so that it can act as Early Warning Stations for community in vicinity of the stations.


• To facilitate and develop SMS-Based EWS for both side of border linked to the upgraded stations.


• Capacity Development for the staff of hydro-met department, staff from ministry of Energy and Water, team from lead department from disaster management, FOCUS team and local community for installation, functioning and maintenance of equipment.


• Community awareness about installed system and mechanism in target village through effective means.


• Create the data base for weather related information and threshold for weather related information for triggering any hazards.

Duties and Responsibilities:

The key responsibilities of the subject specialist are described as follows:

• Conduct the feasibility study for up gradation of three weather monitoring stations in two districts of Badakhshan and close to Tajikistan border.


• Suggest the appropriate instruments for EWS in 3 existing meteorological and hydro meteorological stations to function these station as EWS station before occurrence of any weather related hazards in target villages under this project.


• Facilitate in procurement for suggested instruments from registered company as per the requirements for this project.


• Support in installation and make the instruments functional as per the objective of the project.


• Train the functionaries for the operating and maintaining the equipment.


• Develop a guideline for operational and maintenance of the equipment.


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  Assess the performance of instruments through online or in situ process.

  
  


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  Deliverables
  The following deliverables shall be produced within the life time of assignment;

  
  


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  Inception report along with the proposed methodology for feasibility study and process of upgrading the Weather Monitoring System submitted.

  
  


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  Feasibility study report submitted along with the recommendation for the instrumentation.

  
  


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  Vendor identified, shortlisted and instruments procured as per FOCUS/Donor procurement policy.

  
  


• Operational guideline developed for well-functioning of instrument.


• Training provided to key stakeholders for operation and maintenance of the Instruments.


• Weather related data Monitored and guidance provide for data collection and analysis.


• SMS based warning dissemination system developed and connected with upgraded system.


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  Awareness package for community as well as stakeholders developed.

  
  


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  Project duration
  Project duration is for two years but consultant would be engaged for one year on part time basis. It will have engagement online and by physical presence to the consultant team. Consultant may require to travel to project area for 2-3 times during entire project cycle. It would be divided for feasibility study, installation and testing of equipment, training of technical team and suggest the maintenance process of the equipment.

  
  

Qualification/Experience

• Company or agency has good credible recognition for installation of EWS in Asian region, especially to mountainous terrain.


• Company has sound knowledge of different type of EWS instrumentation for EWS.


• Scientific knowledge of understanding the hazards types and its analysis for EWS mechanism.


• Experiences in providing training for EWS.


• Understanding of Afghanistan context or working experience in Afghanistan.


• Understanding of different type of weather monitoring instruments and mechanism.


• Working experience with WMO standard.