Feasibility Study for Urban Water Management Modelling

United Nations Educational, Science and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) hereby invite qualified companies to submit sealed tenders as follows:

Within the framework of the Eighth phase (2014-2021) of the International Hydrological Program (IHP), Theme 4 "Water and Human Settlements of the Future", Focal Area 4.2- System wide changes for integrated management approaches, the institute shall work within the Division of the Water Sciences, under the overall authority of Mr Youssef Filali-Meknassi, Director of the Division, and in direct supervision of Mr Alexandros Makarigakis in charge of Theme 4,

Integrated urban water management (IUWM) aims to incorporate all parts of the water cycle and recognizes them as integrated systems while considering water demands for residential, industrial, agricultural and ecological consumptions. The approach of IUWM emerged based on experience that sub-optimal outcomes have been achieved by the traditional approach. IUWM provides the opportunity to optimize the whole urban water system and to minimize water consumption, costs and energy. To improve IUWM, a much deeper understanding of the interfaces and interconnections between the different resources streams in cities in particular the water – energy – food nexus is required.

One of the specific objectives identified for IHP-VIII’s focal area 4.2 is to study the potential application of flexible and adaptive design to urban water management, identify promising directions and propose ways and means to develop and apply meaningfully this concept in cities in diverse socio-economic, cultural and physical environments, considering the possible consequences of global changes, including demographics, climate change, land use change, changing consumption patterns and technological advances. The presence of slums and marginal peri-urban areas will be integrated into the analysis considering the attendant institutional, social and economic implications.

To do so, the development of an Urban Water Management model would need to be developed and used, understanding that this would not be a “one size fits all” exercise but rather an adaptive to local context approach with a common foundation. To pursue this activity, a feasibility study needs to be performed initially. Upon a successful implementation of the feasibility study the development of a model will follow. Once the model is developed, it can then be tested and adapted in various socio-economic settings.

Please refer to attached procurement notice.