PoC for Non-Revenue Water reduction and E2E utility management with ZAWA

In July, JICA DXLab launched an RFP to identify a suitable technology solution provider (“Digital Partner”) for a Proof of Concept in form of a pilot project (“PoC”), for Non-Revenue Water (“NRW”) reduction and end to end utility management. After completing a competitive bidding process and assessing several competitive proposals, we would like to congratulate Wonderkid Multimedia Limited for winning the RFP.

Founded in 2007, Wonderkid is a leading Kenyan software company known for its expertise in custom enterprise information management solutions. Their flagship product, Utility Master, is a web-based platform coupled with several mobile applications to boost operational efficiency and revenue for water utilities. These solutions have been successfully deployed in over thirty-five utilities, demonstrating their reliability and effectiveness. Wonderkid's client base spans multiple continents, including Africa, the Americas, and Asia. The company has worked with clients in Kenya, the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, Malawi, Mozambique, Liberia, Nigeria, Ethiopia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Wonderkid will now partner with the Zanzibar Water Authority (ZAWA) to lead a comprehensive digitalization initiative through the PoC.

Established in 2006, ZAWA has provided essential water supply to Zanzibar, a region facing considerable population growth and infrastructural challenges. ZAWA incurs significant NRW 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 Wonderkid’s Utility Master, 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 Maji IS), 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.

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:

【Past Event】
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.

Queries and Responses from the Info Session are listed in the RELATED MATERIALS section.