Recruitment of an Environmental Safeguards Specialist for the Guinea Water and Sanitation Project.

Bid Reference: GN-GWSP-534172-CS-INDV
Procurement method: Individual Consultant Selection
World Bank project No. : P179017

ELECTRICITY INTERCONNECTION PROJECT                   

Guinea Water and Sanitation Project (PEAG)

CALL FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FOR THE RECRUITMENT OF AN ENVIRONMENTAL SAFEGUARD SPECIALIST (INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT)

EOI No. 01/MAHH/PEAG/2026

Sector: Hydraulics

Start Date: February 4, 2026

End Date: February 24, 2026

1. BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION

Guinea is a water-rich country, endowed with 1,165 rivers and streams spread over 23 watersheds, of which 14 are shared with neighboring countries, including the Niger, Senegal, and Gambia Rivers. In this regard, Guinea is a member of the regional river basin authorities, including the Niger Basin Authority, the Organization for the Development of the Senegal River (OMVS), and the Organization for the Development of the Gambia River (OMVG). To fully capitalize on its strategic position to mobilize its surface water resources for multiple uses, Guinea seeks to enhance its capacity to participate in these cross-border platforms.                                                                                    

The country also has significant groundwater resources (estimated at 13,000 billion m3)[1], which are very poorly understood due to its limited institutional capacity to monitor and sustainably exploit groundwater. Despite some groundwater modeling studies, the proliferation of boreholes in major urban areas and their potential impact on water resources are not well understood.

The urban hydraulic sector in Guinea faces chronic constraints that perpetuate the deficit of access to drinking water and lead to a significant deterioration in service quality. This is the case in all cities currently served by the Guinea Water Company (SEG). The lack of major investments for nearly two decades partly contributes to this situation. The urban hydraulic facilities and networks currently serve only a portion of the populations in city centers, while urban agglomerations have significantly expanded and populated. As of today, the overall access rate in urban areas under SEG's responsibility is about 22%, and this is with intermittent service (load shedding). This situation is far from the 75.6% target set in the National Economic and Social Development Plan (PNDES 2016-2020). Regarding Greater Conakry, supply has increasingly been disrupted since 2001 due to the growing deficit between water production and demand and the very high rate of water leaks in the networks.

The water sector is under the supervision of the Ministry of Sanitation, Hydraulics and Hydrocarbons (MAHH), which defines the policy concerning water resources and water supply. The MAHH consists of several key departments, including the National Directorate of Hydraulics (DNH), which is responsible for monitoring water resources. The National Water Points Development Service (SNAPE) is responsible for water production in rural areas, while the Guinea Water Company (SEG) is a national company responsible for providing urban water services.

The existing sanitation infrastructure requires significant investments to ensure adequate services for the population. In Guinea, the wastewater treatment system consists of a non-functional and very underdeveloped sewer network in some neighborhoods of the capital Conakry and a degraded autonomous sanitation system composed of family latrines and septic tanks, which require improvements and the construction of treatment stations for sludge. The institutional and organizational aspects, legislative and regulatory, technical, socioeconomic, health, and environmental aspects of urban sanitation in Guinea call for the implementation of appropriate reforms to clearly define a regulatory framework for the sub-sector that will clarify the roles and missions of the actors. Furthermore, the Government has set a target to eliminate open defecation nationwide by 2020 and to provide a minimum package of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services to 100 percent of the population by 2030, these goals are far from being achieved despite efforts made in recent years.

Significant reforms are necessary to meet the challenge of providing universal access to water and sanitation by 2030 and beyond. A first generation of reforms in the water sector took place between 1989 and 1999 and led to the establishment of a management contract between SONEG (management of assets, investments, and debt services) and SEEG (the operator responsible for the operation and maintenance of water services, billing, and customer relations). However, after some good results, the negotiations for the renewal of the SEEG contract did not succeed for various reasons. Since 2001, the urban water sector has been managed by the Guinea Water Company (SEG).

To address the challenges mentioned above, the Government of the Republic of Guinea has called upon technical and financial partners, including the World Bank, to mobilize the required financing for the implementation of the three phases of the Master Plan for Drinking Water Supply in Greater Conakry by 2040, in order to address the persistent drinking water deficit in Conakry since 2001 and also to cover water needs up to 2040.

The World Bank has long supported the urban hydraulic sector in Guinea, including through the recent “Guinea Urban Water Project” (PUEG), funded since 2017 with a grant of 30 million dollars.

Given the urgency highlighted above and lessons learned from the PUEG project, the World Bank has planned a contribution of 200 million dollars, corresponding to about one third of the amount necessary to finance Tranche 1 of the Master Plan, subject to the confirmed mobilization of other funds to complete the financial package for this tranche.

Several other development partners have responded positively to the financing appeal made by Guinea’s authorities during the Water Forum held in Conakry in May 2023 by announcing their intentions to contribute to the implementation of the Master Plan.

2. OBJECTIVE OF THE MISSION

By nature, location, characteristics, and scope of the activities envisaged in the context of its implementation, the Project Support for Water and Sanitation Security (PASEA) is potentially associated with significant environmental and social risks and impacts, including major security risks. This is why it is classified as a “high-risk project” according to national legislation and the environmental and social classification criteria of the World Bank. Eight (08) Environmental and Social Standards (ESS) of the World Bank are relevant to apply to the project to prevent risks and mitigate negative impacts on the environment and the population that may arise from its implementation. They are: ESS No. 1 “Assessment and Management of Environmental and Social Risks and Impacts”; ESS No. 2 “Employment and Working Conditions”; ESS No. 3 “Efficient Use of Resources and Prevention and Management of Pollution”; ESS No. 4 “Health and Safety of Communities”; ESS No. 5 “Land Acquisition, Restrictions on Land Use and Involuntary Resettlement”; ESS No. 6 “Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Management of Living Natural Resources”; ESS No. 8 “Cultural Heritage” and ESS No. 10 “Stakeholder Engagement and Information.”

Consequently, the Guinean Government must prepare the following environmental and social instruments: (i) an Environmental and Social Engagement Plan (ESEP); (ii) Labor Management Procedures (LMP); (iii) a Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP); as well as (iv) Environmental and Social Impact Studies (ESIA) and associated resettlement action plans (RAP) related to the various infrastructures to be constructed or rehabilitated (dams, water treatment plants, distribution networks, reservoirs, etc.).

The present terms of reference (ToR) set out the mandate and required profile for the position of Environmental Safeguard Specialist.

3. NATURE AND SCOPE OF SERVICES

Under the authority of the Project Coordinator, the Environmental Safeguard Specialist is responsible for ensuring compliance with all requirements of the environmental and social documents required under the Environmental and Social Framework (ESF) and mentioned in the Environmental and Social Engagement Plan (ESEP), even when the implementation of certain specific measures and actions is carried out by direct or indirect actors, ministries, agencies, and stakeholders of the project.

The environmental safeguard specialist will be tasked with integrating and managing environmental, health, and safety aspects in the planning and execution of project activities. He/she will provide support/advice to the teams of the Project Coordination Unit (PCU), in all capacity-building activities and those requiring consideration of environmental, hygiene, health, and safety aspects. The environmental safeguard specialist will ensure that project activities are carried out in accordance with the measures set forth in E&S instruments, the project's environmental and social engagement plan, and national legislation.

He/she will be responsible for the following tasks:

• Conduct the environmental and social screening process for sub-projects, in coordination with representatives of the Guinea Environmental Assessment Agency (AGEE), identify potential risks and impacts, and recommend mitigation measures;


• Draft the report resulting from the conduct of the environmental and social screening of sub-projects;


• Develop the Terms of Reference (ToRs) for conducting environmental and social assessments for the various sub-projects;


• Organize and participate in the recruitment of consultants for conducting general and specific studies of frameworks, environmental impacts as well as environmental management plans according to World Bank standards, other co-financing donors, and Guinea;


• Participate in reviewing the environmental safeguard instruments prepared by service providers.


• Identify needs, coordinate, and oversee the capacity building of key players on environmental and social monitoring and surveillance measures as well as the implementation of security and sanitation provisions of the ESEP and the EGP;

• Coordinate and participate in public consultations on environmental and social matters to effectively consider the viewpoints of stakeholders in the implementation of the various sub-projects;


• Support procurement specialists to ensure that procurement documents, including calls for tenders, fully incorporate environmental aspects, as well as monitoring and mitigation measures of impacts as defined in design studies, feasibility studies, and environmental and social clauses and provisions as detailed in the environmental and social safeguards instruments, costs, and timelines;


• Ensure the implementation of environmental and social safeguards instruments, especially the EGPs, related to sub-projects to ensure their compliance with national requirements and the guidelines of the World Bank and other co-financing donors;


• Collect and analyze comments and complaints from persons/parties affected by the project on environmental issues and recommend actions to resolve said problems;


• Serve as the main point of contact between affected parties and the Project Coordination on environmental impact matters;


• Assess all relevant issues, and if necessary, rely on policy and best practices in the area to consider a corrective action plan;


• Ensure the development of the EGP-Site, Environmental Assurance Plan (EAP), Specific Safety and Health Protection Plan (SSHP), Specific Waste Management and Disposal Plan (SWMDP), any other relevant safeguard document by the companies in charge of construction and its approval by project control missions, the World Bank, and other co-financing donors;


• Ensure the effective implementation of the EGP and information and awareness sessions for the populations by the companies;


• Conduct field monitoring missions during the works to ensure the effective implementation of the EGP-Sites, the EAP, the Specific Safety and Health Protection Plan (SSHP), the Specific Waste Management and Disposal Plan (SWMDP), any other relevant safeguard document by construction companies;


• Review the quality of the monthly reports on environmental and social monitoring from control missions;


• Analyze data from environmental monitoring and propose measures to improve the environmental management of activities of all sub-projects;


• Evaluate, re-examine, and control in coordination with the Guinea Environment Assessment Agency (AGEE), the compliance of activities with the environmental and social management framework (ESMF) and any other safeguard instrument developed during the implementation of the project;


• Ensure that each stakeholder in the implementation chain of environmental safeguard aspects duly fulfills its missions in accordance with the institutional arrangements contained in the ESEP and the tasks assigned to executing agencies;


• Have the Environmental and Social Impact Assessments as well as any other environmental studies developed for the project validated by the Guinea Environmental Assessment Agency (AGEE) and by the World Bank and assist in their publication at the national level;


• Participate in the development of annual work and budget plans (AWBP) by defining needs for studies, training, and any other environmental safeguard activities;

• Analyze the recommendations of the executing agencies or service providers for the final acceptance of goods, works, or services and for the termination of a contract to ensure that all works are carried out in full compliance with environmental safeguard rules and the Environmental and Social Management Plans;

• Participate in the provisional acceptance of sub-projects and ensure that the site restorations meet national environmental standards and comply with World Bank policies in this regard;

• Participate in the quarterly environmental and social reviews of the project;


• Develop quarterly/annual reports on the environmental and social aspects of the project;


• Participate in the implementation of recommendations (related to environmental and social safeguard aspects) from the support mission memorandums conducted by the World Bank;


• Ensure the effective holding of information sessions, preventive training to reduce incidents, work accidents and occupational diseases by construction companies;


• Any other responsibility or task that may be entrusted to him/her by the Coordinator aimed at improving the project's monitoring and achieving the objectives of the project coordination unit.

In terms of reporting, the Environmental Safeguard Specialist will produce a quarterly activity report that synthesizes information from specific reports of field missions related to his/her area of expertise for all project activities.

Four quarterly reports are expected, the last serving as an annual report synthesizing all past trimester activities, including those of the last trimester. It will provide necessary information on measurable environmental indicators to inform the project's Monitoring-Evaluation report.

4. Annual evaluation and performance criteria:

The Environmental Safeguard Specialist will be subject to an annual evaluation, and the non-exhaustive performance criteria below may be used to evaluate his/her performance:

• Execution of the project's environmental safeguard activities under the best conditions of efficiency, effectiveness, quality, and within the stipulated deadlines;


• Quality of annual work plans and budget;


• Quality and timeliness of the reports produced;


• Proacti... (Text truncated due to length)
  
  
  

  5. REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

  
  
  
  
  
  • Qualifications and experiences required
  
  
  
  
  

  To successfully carry out this mission, the environmental safeguard specialist for the project must have the minimum qualifications below. He/she will be selected on a competitive basis and based in Conakry with frequent travel to project sites.

  
  
  

  The specialist to be recruited must:

  
  
  
  
  
  • Have a higher education degree of at least Bac+5 in environmental management, Natural Sciences, environmental sciences or similar (at least a Master II level in areas related to the environment is preferred).
  
  
  
  
  

  These degrees must be supported by duly signed certificates from authorized structures and certified as accurate copies of the originals.

  
  
  • justifying general experience of at least ten (10) years in conducting studies or evaluations and/or environmental management of development projects/programs;
  
  
  • having held for at least five (5) years, a position as an environmental safeguard specialist on at least two (02) development projects funded by Technical and Financial Partners (World Bank, European Development Bank, French Development Agency, African Development Bank, European Union, etc.);
  
  
  • having carried out as an environmental expert, at least seven (05) specific missions of environmental and social monitoring of projects or programs funded by the World Bank;
  
  
  •  having conducted at least seven (05) specific environmental and social assessments or participated in the quality review of E&S instruments (CGES, EIES, NIES, HSE audit) of water, sanitation, or infrastructure projects funded by the World Bank or other technical and financial partners; 
  
  
  • having good knowledge of the national political and legal framework for carrying out environmental assessments in Guinea, and the legislation of the Water and Sanitation sector;
  
  
  • having successfully completed the online training on the World Bank Environmental and Social Framework (provide proof of certificate) and justifying good knowledge of the World Bank Environmental and Social Standards (ESS). https://projects.banquemondiale.org/fr/projectsoperations/environmental-and-social-framework/brief/esf-training ;
  
  
  • having good knowledge of the implementation systems and monitoring-evaluation of the Environmental and Social Management Plan (PGES) ;
  
  
  • having additional training in Quality/Health-Safety-Environment (QHSE/HSE).
  
  
  
  
  

  Interested Consultants can obtain further information (TORs) at the email addresses below : boubasadiopiegm@gmail.com  and copy allarenydiallo@gmail.com

  
  
  

  6. SELECTION METHOD

  
  
  

  The Consultant will be selected using the Individual Consultant selection method in accordance with the provisions of the Procurement Regulations for Borrowers seeking Investment Project Financing (IPF) from the World Bank, version February 2025.

  
  
  

  7. DURATION OF THE MISSION

  
  
  

  The contract will have an initial duration of one year, renewable annually subject to performance for the duration of the project.

  
  
  

  8. DOCUMENTS TO BE PROVIDED

  
  
  

  Interested consultants must provide all information on their capabilities and experiences through: the cover letter, a detailed CV certified as true by the candidate, references for similar services (country, date, funder, projects, contact of the owner or executing agency) or any other document that may justify their qualifications for this mission and the contact details of previous employers.

  
  
  

  Verifications may be made on the provided documents.

  
  
  

  An interview may be organized, if necessary, for the shortlisted candidates based on the review and evaluation of their files.

  
  
  

  9.  SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS

  
  
  

  Expressions of interest must be submitted or sent by email to the address mentioned below, no later than February 24, 2026, at 16:00 UTC and expressly state: « Recruitment of an Environmental Safeguard Specialist for the Water and Sanitation Project in Guinea (PEAG) ».

  
  
  

  Project Management Unit of the 225 kV Guinea-Mali Electricity Interconnection

  
  
  

  Attention: Mr. Mamady KAKORO, Project Coordinator

  
  
  

  Kaleta Building 3rd floor, Féguifoot intersection,

  
  
  

  BP 1463 Conakry- Republic of Guinea, Tel: (+224) 622 622 085/(+224) 628 27 16 77

  
  
  

  Email: mdy_kakoro@yahoo.fr and

  
  
  

  Copies aissata.kaba@outlook.com ; bayoaraf@gmail.com, boubasadiopiegm@gmail.com and allarenydiallo@gmail.com

  
  
  

   

  
  
  

                                                           Done in Conakry, on February 4, 2026

  
  
  

   

  
  
  

                                                               The Secretary General of the MAHH   

  
  
  

                                                                               Bachir CAMARA