Consultancy: SWM Expert to Support the Development of the “Compendium of Solid Waste Management in Humanitarian Settings”

Introduction / Background

The German WASH Network (GWN) in a collaborative effort with Global WASH Cluster (GWC) partners and with contributions from a multitude of international WASH experts and organisations has released the “Compendium of Sanitation Technologies in Emergencies” (2018), the “Compendium of Water Supply Technologies in Emergencies” (2020) and the “Compendium of Hygiene Promotion in Emergencies” (2022). This publication series can be considered humanitarian WASH standard works with expert peer-reviewed comprehensive systematic compilations of available technology choices and software measures along all relevant response phases, disaggregated into their core functions (functional groups) and designed to be used both as a key sector capacity development and decision support tools.

In an effort to further expand the series and provide more in-depth, structured information on additional key WASH-related topics it is planned to develop a fourth publication focusing on Solid Waste Management (SWM) in humanitarian settings. Similar to the first three publications the SWM compendium aims to provide a state-of-the-art, sector-agreed, structured and systematic overview of available SWM technologies along the entire SWM service chain and along all relevant response phases.

The focus will be on SWM in humanitarian settings but it is also intended to include more longer-term solutions. This is seen crucial as the humanitarian community has been increasingly confronted with longer-term and protracted crises, with an increased need to also take sustainability aspects into account and to contribute to the complementarity between the humanitarian and development realms.

In line with the other three compendia the SWM Compendium mainly targets humanitarian field workers, local first responders, engineers, planners, relevant government representatives, academic institutions, capacity building agencies and WASH professionals involved in humanitarian WASH response and subsequent stabilisation and recovery activities.

The exact scope and structure of this document will be further defined by a core group.

The German WASH Network is seeking assistance from a consultant through a subcontract for specific tasks associated to the development, drafting and publication of this compendium.

Time Frame:

• November 2023 until July 2025

Expected Tasks:

• Attend and contribute to the core group activities to jointly:
  • Frame the scope and structure of the compendium and the detailed timeline of the project
  • Develop structure and annotated content of the introductory, technology, cross-cutting and special waste chapters
  • Coordinate among members of the core group (includes monthly virtual meetings and one additional face-to-face mid-term meeting)
  • Identify and coordinate with experts (external to the core group) on drafting text content of different chapters and review of drafts
  • Develop strategy for launching, outreach and dissemination
• Draft and finalise content of individual chapters/factsheets of the compendium, incl. suggestions for graphics
• Coordinate and administer funding for reimbursements of external expertise and services, if needed
• Backstopping external expertise and services
• Review drafts developed by others

Anticipated Workload

Based on the experience with the previous publications the anticipated workload is as follows:

• Active role in the core team: approx. 25 days
• Content development and backstopping: approx. 50 days

A summary of tasks and more detailed estimates on the time allocation can be found in the Terms of Reference.

Further Information:

• Required travel and accommodation of the consultant are costs that are not included here and will be covered separately by GTO, upon mutual agreement of expenses expected, through expense claims and at real cost.
• Further subcontracting to third parties for external content development is possible.