ザンジバル水道事業体における無収水対策とユーティリティマネジメント効率化PoC

This Request for Proposal (“RFP”) represents a collaborative effort between JICA DXLab, Zanzibar Water Authority (“ZAWA”) and a consulting firm engaged by JICA (“Operator”). The aim of the RFP is to identify a suitable technology solution provider (“Digital Partner”) for a Proof of Concept in form of a pilot project (“PoC”). The objective is to develop a comprehensive digital solution aimed at enhancing revenue collection, minimizing Non-Revenue Water (“NRW”) losses, and improving the overall efficiency of ZAWA. The overarching goal is to scale and deploy the solution as a continuous operation.

This project is a significant milestone, transitioning from traditional water management methods to a more advanced, technology-driven approach. It serves as a foundational step towards broader digital transformation and strategic data utilization, paving the way for efficient and sustainable water management for ZAWA. Interim progress reports and a final comprehensive report will cover PoC results, activities, and quantitative and qualitative evaluations based on predetermined KPIs. These reports will include technical, operational, and strategic recommendations for ZAWA and JICA DXLab. Should the PoC be successful, JICA and ZAWA may be open to extending their collaboration with the Digital Partner through a separate contract to refine and expand the implementation of the digital solution.

Established in 2006, ZAWA has provided essential water supply and sewerage services to Zanzibar, a region facing considerable population growth and infrastructural challenges. ZAWA incurs significant Non-Revenue Water losses as a result of aging infrastructure, inefficient leak management, low customer penetration and reliance on flat-rate billing. These challenges are compounded by manual data collection processes and the absence of integration of ZAWA’s existing IT systems. In response to these challenges, the JICA DXLab and ZAWA partnership aims to tackle critical water management issues through the adoption of an integrated Utility Management Platform (“UMP”) marking a significant shift in ZAWA's service delivery approach.

Digitalization of ZAWA’s management and operations will also improve the use and integration of existing data and IT systems (such as Majis and Sage Pastel), offering a strategic approach to data management and analysis to achieve higher performance and service delivery standards. These initiatives aim to improve operational efficiencies, ensure sustainable development, and enhance customer satisfaction.

The collaboration between JICA DXLab's technological expertise and ZAWA's deep understanding of local water management challenges sets the stage for a significant leap towards achieving operational excellence and sustainability in water resource management. In alignment with these efforts, this RFP is being issued to identify a digital partner capable of complementing JICA DXLab’s and ZAWA’s capabilities with technological solutions aimed at optimizing water management operations.

We seek a partner with the required infrastructure, proven industry experience, and a history of delivering digital solutions to water utilities. The partner must comply with Tanzanian data protection laws, demonstrate financial health, and be free from corruption. Additionally, they should propose a digital solution aligned with ZAWA's needs and present a clear, feasible piloting approach, including a detailed risk analysis and contingency strategies. The timeline for completion of this POC is February 2025. The partner should be capable of conducting business in English (preferably also in Kiswahili) and committed to collaboration with ZAWA, JICA, and the Operator.

The selection process has a defined evaluation criteria to ensure only qualified candidates proceed. We will evaluate proposals on four key areas:

The project focuses on creating a seamless and integrated UMP with the following key features:

・Integration with Majis, Sage Pastel, HMI and SCADA: Integration with ZAWA’s existing IT systems enabling seamless retrieval and updating of customer information, easy financial reconciliation, billing, payment management and operational data.

・Revenue collection and enforcement: Automation and personalization of billing follow-ups, targeting areas with the largest debt, and innovative approaches to maximize collections.

・End-to-end management dashboard and report generation: An integrated dashboard displaying critical metrics (e.g., NRW levels, billed amounts, production & collection rates) and support for routine and ad-hoc report generation.

・Customer application and portal: Mobile app and/or web portal for managing water-related concerns, including registration, complaints, and meter self-readings.

・Field team application: Mobile app for logging meter readings, planning routes, updating customer data, collecting feedback/complaints, and logging borehole data.

・Smart meter integration: Support for the integration and management of smart meters, including pre-paid meters.

The project's budget for the PoC is capped at approximately USD $270,000, covering all taxes, expenses, insurance, and licensing for the necessary ZAWA team members throughout the contract duration. If the PoC proves successful, additional negotiations will occur between the Digital Partner and ZAWA to allocate further budget for the rollout phase and establish a yearly retainer to support ongoing solution use. Payment and compensation terms will be finalized in the contract after selecting the Digital Partner.

The comprehensive UMP will be managed by ZAWA's ICT team, supported technically by the Digital Partner, with the data input being fully digitized through the following technical features:

【終了しました】
We plan to host an information session for prospective bidders on Monday, July 8th, 2024, from 10-11 AM EAT / 4-5 PM JST. Attendance is optional but requires registration. If you wish to participate kindly fill in this form.

Info Session時の質問と回答を関連資料欄に掲載しています。