Consultant for Architectural Master Plan for Epulu site (Okapi Wilde Reserve)

A. Background

The Okapi Wildlife Reserve (OWR), in the Ituri province of northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), contains DRC’s single largest tract of intact lowland rainforest, with some of Africa’s densest above-ground carbon stocks. It harbours extraordinary and unique biodiversity containing one of the country’s most important remaining forest elephant populations, one of the largest populations of the eastern chimpanzee, and by far the largest population of the endemic Okapi. In late 2018, WCS signed a new 10-year agreement with DRC’s protected area management agency (ICCN) that delegated management authority of the OWR to WCS. This new agreement formally handed over authority to WCS in September 2019.

The support activities to the park are operated from Epulu where some offices and staff accommodations are built but as part as isolated projects. In the framework of its strategic planning the site management desires to tackle the current and future needs in a harmonious manner. To that regard, WCS is seeking for an consultant or a firm that can design an architectural master plan, subsequently provide sketches, and bills of quantities.

This ToR outlines the expected outcomes.

B. Objectives of the Proposed Consultancy

The overall objective of the consultancy is to provide the site management with a technical and harmonious guide for the short-term, medium-term, and long-term infrastructural projects while complying with environmental and legal constraints and remaining within the wildlife and community integration mindset. The outcomes of the consultancy must facilitate smooth implementation of the site development projects, improve staff and visitors working and living conditions, and be a sound support to funds (resources) mobilization.

C. Scope of work

The scope of work outlined below is the minimum expectations from WCS but should be enriched by the expertise of the consultant who is expected to work as per the goods practices, general guidelines, and principals of architectural and civil engineering designs as well as DRC laws regarding land development.

• The consultant should spell out the Vision of the site management. The Vision should articulate the: desires of the site management and its partners, the environmental, legal and conservation constraints/factors, and will provide the guiding principles and priorities for the Plan’s implementation.
• Prepare overall Master Plan of entire area including existing and future (2, 5 and 10 years) land use plan in cadastral maps. This should be based on land use plan, and followed by narrative description, analysis, facts and figures.
• The consultant will have to do documentation search to find previous studies and documents produced and integrate them in his work wherever possible and relevant.
• Prepare sketches and bill of quantity for each facility, excluding water plants such as boreholes, water treatment plants. This should be based on land use plan and followed by narrative description, analysis, facts and figures.
• Conduct studies on present and future (2, 5 and 10 years) demand in infrastructures, mainly:
  • working spaces, including logistics facilities (storage, aviation facilities…)
  • living spaces,
  • clean water supply
  • electricity with integration green energy
  • waste management
  • others

Analysis of demand should be in different scenarios with facts and figures.

• Carry out study of existing facilities by addressing present deficiencies and future (2, 5 and 10 years) demands. The location and area of land required for all these infrastructures should be identified in based maps.
• Identify and assess critical, sensitive and other natural resources including parks, green belts, communities’ area, along with strategies for their protection, preservation and stewardship against the adverse impact of future development and land use changes.
• The studies and solutions should integrate the site’s operation and security factors SOPs (to be provided by WCS where possible, the communities integration strategies,…
• Identify and assess natural hazards, including how significant weather events have and will impact these assessments, which may cause a threat to the Vision of the Integrated Development Plan, along with strategies for avoidance/Mitigation of such hazards in the course of future development and calculate the cost estimate on unit rate basis.

WCS values sustainable designing and usage of environmentally friendly materials and technologies

D. Deliverables

The expected body of work includes the following provides in hard and printable soft copies:

• Master planning for the site
  • Designs
  • Narratives
  • Other attachments
• Other area plan such as
  • Land Use Plan,
  • Physical development plan,
  • Environmental and Risk Sensitive Land use Plan.
  • Other attachments
• Sketches for each infrastructure
  • Designs
  • Narratives
  • Other attachments
• Bill of quantities including references to the sources of data
• Narrative report containing management vision statements, desires, constraints, recommendations etc. The narrative should refer to the scope of work.

E. Profile of the consultant

WCS is seeking for the following profile:

• The consultant must have Master’s Degree in Urban/ Regional Planning with at least 5 years of work experience in related field after Master’s degree, more especially than seven years professional experience in ground architectural designs
• More than five years’ experience in civil engineering designs and implementation
• Demonstrable experience in the designing master plans, sketches and BoQs
• Demonstrable experience in integration of conservation practices in architectural design
• Knowledge of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) context regarding quality of materials and land development laws
• Knowledge of minimum 1 recognized designing software for architecture and civil engineering
• Ideally experience working with reserves and community-based projects
• Extensive experience in conducting similar feasibility project
• Ideally, available immediately and ready to travel in remote field

F. WCS DRC will be responsible for:

• International travel should be incorporated into the budget proposal
• All internal travel expenses and will provide logistical support in the Epulu.
• Lodging in Goma, Epulu and field sites
• Food is only provided at the field sites (Epulu)
• Providing an invitation letter for the Visa application.
• Providing information on existing facilities, visions/strategy guidance, SOPs,…

G. The Consultant will be responsible for:

• Booking and organizing international flights
• Visa application
• Medical insurance and vaccinations
• Evacuation insurances
• Food and other expenses whilst in Goma/Kinshasa

H. CRITERIA FOR SELECTION

Selection Process:

• WCS will review and evaluate all proposals to determine each proposer’s rating. This evaluation may include a request by WCS to interview proposers and visit their offices for purposes of clarifying their proposals.
• The proposal offering the most advantageous terms based on the criteria below will be selected for the award. WCS may reject any or all proposals if, in its sole opinion, no proposal satisfies its criteria.

Evaluation Criteria:

The evaluation criteria and weight will be as follows:

• The consultant/firm technical capability to provide the services (25%);
• Project related experience of the consultant/proposed staff and knowledge of the context (25%);
• Proposed methodology and added value for executing the scope of work in the best conditions for WCS including being in line with WCS mandate (25%);
• Client references (5%);
• Financial Proposal (20%).