Impact & Projects

Approx. value of the contract (in current US$ or Euro): USD 2,100,000

Country: Nepal

Location within the country: Kathmandu (primary), with coordination across national, provincial, and local levels.

Duration of assignment (months): 24 months

Name of associated Consultants, if any: NIRAS – Lead/ AETS – Sub-consultant/ WAI – Sub-consultant

Description of actual services provided by your staff within the assignment:

• A comprehensive climate vulnerability assessment and barrier analysis will be conducted, mapping Nepal’s exposure to hazards and identifying financial, institutional, and technical gaps.
• A strategic framework for GREFF will be developed, aligned with the National Adaptation Plan (NAP), Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC), and GRID platform, defining tranche-based visions, objectives, and theory of change.
• The facility’s multi-window financing structure (concessional loans, grants, credit guarantees, TA) will be designed, including:
• The formulation of eligibility and selection criteria for subprojects and sub-borrowers
• Drafting of operational procedures, digital monitoring tools, and the Facility Administration Manual (FAM)
• A pipeline of finance-ready subprojects and integrated resilience packages will be shaped by:
• Incorporating climate-smart technologies, gender equality & social inclusion (GESI) measures, and environmental safeguards
• Advising on watershed-based, ecosystem-sensitive interventions to maximize co-benefits
• Economic and financial analyses (cost–benefit, financial IRR, contingent valuation) will be performed, and due-diligence protocols will be developed in line with ADB’s Environmental and Social Management System (ESMS).
• An in-depth policy and institutional review of the proposed Financial Intermediation Loan (FIL) will be conducted, and capacity-building plans will be designed to strengthen government and partner institutions.
• Support will be provided for the accreditation of Financing Facility Implementation Partners by assessing their ESMS, financial management systems, and governance arrangements.
• Inclusive stakeholder consultations will be facilitated, engaging ministries, development partners, the private sector, civil society (with emphasis on marginalized groups), and community representatives to validate design choices and build ownership.
• Core ADB documentation will be prepared, including inputs to the Report and Recommendation of the President (RRP), tranche-1 Periodic Financing Request (PFR), Framework Financing Agreement (FFA), and initial funding proposals to the Green Climate Fund (GCF).

Approx. value of the contract (in current US$ or Euro): USD 3,543,285.00

Country: Nepal

Location within the country: Kathmandu

Duration of assignment (months): 36 Months

Address: Yak & Yeti Complex, Durbar Marg, Kathmandu, Nepal.

Name of associated Consultants, if any: Finnish Overseas Consultants Ltd. (FINNOC), Finland (Lead Firm)

Group of Engineers Consortium (GEC) Pvt. Ltd. (Sub Consultant)

Water Asia International Pvt. Ltd. (Sub Consultant)

Alliance For Sustainability and Resilience Pvt. Ltd. (Sub Consultant)

Description of actual services provided by your staff within the assignment:

• Mobilized the project team and submitted the Inception Report, detailing the three-level Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), updated methodology, and comprehensive Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) procedures.
• Conducted a situational awareness assessment of the SRN, evaluating current pavement management practices, data collection methods, and hardware/software needs to modernize the Highway Management Information System (HMIS).
• Developed a Stakeholder Engagement Plan aligned with IFC Performance Standards, mapping relevant stakeholders across DoR, RBN, the Institute of Engineering (IoE), and the private sector to ensure institutional ownership.
• Amended the DoR Pavement Distress Identification Manual to align with HDM-4 protocols, incorporating diagnostic testing methods, threshold limits, and standardized data collection procedures for identifying root causes of pavement deterioration.
• Performed a Level III calibration of the HDM-4 pavement deterioration models for roughness, rutting, and cracking, utilizing local traffic loading data, subgrade properties, and climate-resilient parameters specific to Nepal.
• Delivered technical workshops and produced a Technology Adoption Roadmap to facilitate public and private sector adoption of new pavement technologies, including FDR with cement stabilization, Superpave asphalt, and pavement milling.
• Authored the comprehensive Pavement Preservation and Rehabilitation Manual, integrating life-cycle cost analysis, environmental and social safeguards, occupational health and safety (OHS) protocols, and performance-based specifications.
• Integrated pavement distress aspects, deterioration models, budget scenarios, and multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) methods directly into DoR’s Road Asset Management System (RAMS), linking GIS-based visualization tools with HDM-4 outputs for real-time decision dashboards.
• Designed and executed a competency-based training curriculum for approximately 200 participants from public agencies, private contractors, and academia using blended learning formats, and created a digital learning repository for sustained institutional use.
• Conducted an economic analysis of alternative funding sources for pavement preservation and developed high-level decision dashboards to visualize SRN asset values and funding scenarios for policymakers.
• Provided technical assistance to DoR and RBN to operationalize an improved Pavement Management System (PMS), producing a 5-year investment prioritization plan based on mechanistic-empirical testing and HDM-4 outputs.
• Supported the project's Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) framework by reviewing project logic diagrams, setting indicator baselines, tracking training attendance disaggregated by gender, and developing rubrics for external evaluation.
• Executed Option Period tasks, including a scientifically designed Willingness-to-Pay (WTP) survey targeting diverse road users to justify additional road maintenance levies and recommend sustainable funding mechanisms.
• Delivered monthly progress presentations, special reports, and the Final Technical Assistance Report synthesizing all HDM-4 calibration files, updated fatigue curves, and investment simulations to ensure a complete knowledge transfer to local road agencies.

Approx. value of the contract (in current US$ or Euro): USD 7050

Country: Nepal

Location within the country: Kathmandu

Duration of assignment (months): 3 months

Description of actual services provided by your staff within the assignment:

• Conducted climate risk and vulnerability assessments for the Kathmandu Valley Water Supply Reform Program (KVWSRP), focusing on urban water security and resilience.
• Provided technical expertise on climate change adaptation measures, ensuring integration of disaster risk management and resilience-building strategies into project design.
• Supported urban water sector reform initiatives, including policy dialogue, institutional strengthening, and recommendations for tariff adjustments and sustainable operation and maintenance.
• Assisted in capacity building of implementing agencies through targeted training programs on procurement planning, climate change adaptation, and emerging urban sector issues.
• Contributed to the preparation of knowledge products documenting innovative approaches in urban water management, including case studies and policy briefs.
• Coordinated with ADB, government agencies, and stakeholders to ensure project readiness, compliance with ADB safeguards, and effective governance standards.
• Provided specialized consulting support to address unforeseen challenges during project implementation, including transitional procurement support and technical refinements.

Approx. value of the contract (in current US$ or Euro): USD 34,300

Country: Nepal

Location within the country: Kathmandu

Duration of assignment (months): 3 months

Description of actual services provided by your staff within the assignment:

Hydromorphological & Field Survey Leadership: Led on-site field surveys across priority river corridors, wetlands, and water retention sites to assess hydromorphological dynamics and validate upstream pre-feasibility assumptions.

Technical Design Refinement & Scoping: Applied field survey findings to refine conceptual design parameters, riverbank restoration limits, water retention features, and nature-based solutions adapted to localized site conditions.

Data Integration & Mapping Support: Compiled, interpreted, and structured field hydromorphological data into GIS-compatible formats to establish accurate technical baselines usable for subsequent feasibility and design optimization stages.

Disaster & Climate Resilience Assessment: Assisted in evaluating disaster risk exposure, flood mitigation risks, and extreme rainfall scenarios to ensure river management components were designed for long-term climate resilience. 

International Collaboration & Technical Guidance: Worked under the direct guidance of the International Hydromorphologist to align national field findings with international technical standards and overall TA objectives. 

Transition & Continuity Support: Prepared handover inputs and participated in initial technical briefings with the Output 2 consulting team to preserve institutional memory and support smooth mobilization.