The Water Authority of Jordan (WAJ) through the Programme Management Unit (PMU) has carried out an open competition to retain an experienced water and wastewater operations firm (Managing Consultant) for Water and Wastewater Services in the Northern Governorates Water Administration (NGWA) of the WAJ. The selected firm will provide management, operations and maintenance services related to the water and wastewater infrastructure of the Northern Governorates (Ajloun, Irbid, Jerash and Mafraq) in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. The Managing Consultant chosen through this process – the Joint Venture of the British Water Operator Severn Trent Water International and the Local Engineering firm CEC – have signed a 3 year contract with WAJ and commenced work on May 1st, 2006.
The Managing Consultant’s goals are:
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To improve the water and wastewater services to customers in the Northern Governorates;
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To improve the financial position of NGWA through the achievement of cost efficiencies and improved revenue management;
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To establish, for NGWA, the foundation for sustainable operational and business effectiveness and efficiency;
The Managing Consultant shall be an integral part of the NGWA Executive Management Board (EMB) and as such will share responsibility for the management of the NGWA Staff in the discharge of WAJ responsibilities. The Managing Consultant’s role is defined as follows:
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Manage the functions assigned through the line management positions;
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Manage the required improvements in service delivery and achievement of the program objective by leading the preparation and implementation of an approved NGWA Business Plan and associated plans.
WAJ, for the purpose of the strategic management of this Contract, is represented by a Management Steering Committee (MSC). The Management Steering Committee shall represent the interests of WAJ, and the other stakeholders, in the strategic management of NGWA through the program of transformation to an Operating Company; and shall ensure that WAJ complies with its responsibilities under the contract in respect of the provision of capital and operating subsidies in accordance with the NGWA Business Plan; and shall authorize the NGWA Business Plan, and the associated annual budget; these documents will provide the framework by which the Steering Committee will guide the affairs of NGWA.
The Management Steering Committee is headed by the Minister of Water and Irrigation and comprises the following members: Secretary General of WAJ; Director of the PMU; Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation Representative; KfW Representative (Observer); Managing Director NGWA (Ex Officio); Managing Consultant Representative.
The contract value is EUR 6 million and is co-financed with EUR 3 million by the German KfW Development Bank which further provides funds of EUR 40 million for Water Loss Reduction Programmes in the project area. These improvement projects are supervised and monitored by the PMU and will also contribute to the performance indicator and benchmarking system which is currently in its establishment phase by PMU.
The project governance arrangement is shown as below.
