CONSULTANCY – IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SUSTAINABLE WASTE MANAGEMENT ACT IN KISUMU COUNTY

PRACTICAL ACTION

We are an international development organisation putting ingenious ideas to work so people in poverty can change their world.

We help people find solutions to some of the world’s toughest problems. Challenges made worse by catastrophic climate change and persistent gender inequality. We work with communities to develop ingenious, lasting and locally owned solutions for agriculture, water and waste management, climate resilience and clean energy. And we share what works with others, so answers that start small can grow big.

We’re a global change-making group. The group consists of a UK registered charity with community projects in Africa, Asia and Latin America, an independent development publishing company and a technical consulting service. We combine these specialisms to multiply our impact and help shape a world that works better for everyone.

Our aim

We help people find solutions to some of the world’s toughest problems, made worse by catastrophic climate change and persistent gender inequality. Our aims are to:

• Make agriculture work better for smallholder farmers, many of them women, so they can adapt to climate change and achieve a good standard of living.
• Help more people harness the transformational effects of clean affordable energy and reduce avoidable deaths caused by smoke from indoor stoves and fires.
• Make cities in poorer countries cleaner, healthier places to live and work.
• Build disaster resilience into the lives of people threatened by hazards – reducing the risk of hazards and minimizing their impact on lives and livelihoods.

PRACTICAL ACTION IN KENYA

In Kenya, Practical Action has a long history of addressing systemic barriers that prevent people from accessing energy that transforms their lives, helping communities and government make cities healthier and safer, making agriculture and markets work better for small holder farmers and supporting communities and government to become more resilient.

We use a mix of programming with communities and consultancy services with shapers of policy and practice to achieve our aims.

About the role

Background

Practical Action is implementing two waste management projects in Kisumu city, namely Clean Rivers, Clean Homes Waste Recycling Partnership, funded by Riviera Travels and Transformative Action to end Open burning of Waste, funded by Climate and Clean Air Coalition. The two projects aim to to change attitudes, habits and behaviors, influence policies and markets to support sustainable waste management and reduce waste hotspots. Moreover, the two projects aim to improve the lives of waste workers, including women and youth by making their jobs safer and more respected.

Purpose of the assignment

The purpose of this assignment is to support Kisumu County to align its existing frameworks with the Sustainable Waste Management Act and to collaboratively develop tailored strategies and regulations that address local needs while ensuring compliance with national standards. The process will enable Kisumu County to entrench issues of open burning and dumping of waste embedded in the county policies among other provisions.

Specific Objectives of the of the Assignment

• To review Kisumu County’s Solid Waste Management Regulations, including regulations on open burning and open dumping of waste in the City and County
• Engaging stakeholders (including informal waste workers) to refine and amend waste management county laws
• Developing a comprehensive implementation framework, including budgetary allocations,
• Public awareness campaigns
• Ensuring full adoption of waste management reforms by embedding them into the county’s legal and operational structures.

SCOPE

Assignment Title: Implementation of Sustainable Waste Management Act in Kisumu County

Location: Kisumu County

Duration: 100 days spread across 5 months

The purpose of this assignment is to assist in domestication of sustainable waste management act and incorporate elimination of open burning and dumping to create a sustainable and efficient waste management system in Kisumu City and Kisumu County at large.

Methodology/Approach

Based on the Kisumu County’s legislative framework and current waste management challenges, a structured approach that aligns with the Sustainable Waste Management Act and the Kisumu County Environmental Health and Sanitation Act will be applied. This approach will focus on policy alignment, infrastructure development, stakeholder collaboration, capacity building, and innovation.

Strengthening Policy and Regulatory Implementation

• Review Kisumu County’s SWM Regulations, including regulations on open burning and open dumping of waste in the City and County
• Developing a comprehensive implementation framework, including budgetary allocations
• Ensuring full adoption of waste management reforms by embedding them into the county’s legal and operational structures.

Community Engagement and Capacity Building

• Engaging stakeholders (including informal waste workers) to refine and amend waste management county laws

Public Awareness Campaigns:

• Educate communities on waste separation, recycling, and responsible disposal through radio, social media, and grassroots initiatives.
• School and Youth Engagement: Introduce waste education programs in schools and encourage youth–led initiatives such as eco-entrepreneurship in recycling.

Expected deliverables.

1. Inception report highlighting the approach used to incorporate the following:

• Domestication of the sustainable waste management act, including the provisions for elimination of Open burning of Waste in Kisumu County
• Working with multiple stakeholders and ensuring there are provisions within the policy for on-going review and engagement
• Ensuring solutions are developed recognising the need for gender mainstreaming, equity and inclusion.
• Ensure the County Waste Management laws and regulations do not just ‘engage’ but ensure recognition, integration of and improvements for informal waste workers – and be developed with their full participation.
• Work plan with detailed framework of activities
• Proposed content outline for the report, schedule, and any logistical propositions:

1. Draft report responding to the objectives of the assignment
2. Final Version of the Kisumu County Waste Management Act and Regulations incorporating the provisions on elimination of Open burning and dumping of Waste among other elements.

Administrative and logistical support

• The Consultants will report to the work independently with technical oversight by the Waste Management team.
• The Waste Management team will provide day to day support during the assignment to support the actualization of this assignment and within stipulated timelines.
• Practical Action will also provide all necessary program documents required.

Requirements of the consultant

This assignment will be undertaken by with a range of skills and experience in order to deliver the intended deliverables. It is expected that the consultant will have the following qualifications and experience:

1. Team members must be professionals in policy, environmental conservation, Urban planning and management, waste management who possess more than 10+ years of experience
2. Experience working in waste management and recycling space, preferably in urban settings.
3. Knowledge of participatory approaches and experience in engaging diverse stakeholders
4. Excellent communication and report writing skills

Guidelines for Submission of Expression of Interest

A consulting entity that meets the above requirements and is available within the time limit indicated above should submit the following:

1. Technical proposal outlining the approach of conducting the assignment
2. A proposed process and timeframe for the assignment, setting out the phases, the number of consultants and the number of days
3. A description of how to ensure data quality throughout the process/assignment
4. A narration of how ethical issues will be mitigated/safeguarded throughout the process.
5. A summary (Max 1 page per CV) of the most relevant skills and experience of the proposed lead consultant and the consultant(s) together with her/his CV showing relevant previous assignments and clients. (Annex CVs separately)
6. Financial proposal detailing the budget breakdown and consultancy fees in Kenya Shillings: If the team consists of several members, the professional fees should be based on clearly shown time allocation for each member of the team to the various activities. (Max. 1 page)

Note that the payments will be done subject to the consulting entity meeting quality and timely delivery of stated tasks.

A detailed Terms of Reference can be accessed from the website download section.

How to Apply:

Interested consulting entities that have capacity to deliver this TOR are invited to submit a complete proposal to recruitment@practicalaction.or.ke with subject line “Implementation of Sustainable Waste Management Act in Kisumu County” to reach Practical Action on or before Friday 30th May 2025. All information/data given will be handled in the strictest confidence and will only be used for recruitment purposes.

Guidelines for Submission

1. Technical proposal outlining the approach of conducting the assignment
2. A proposed process and timeframe for the assignment, setting out the phases, the number of consultants and the number of days
3. A description of how to ensure data quality throughout the process/assignment
4. A narration of how ethical issues will be mitigated/safeguarded throughout the process.
5. A summary (Max 1 page per CV) of the most relevant skills and experience of the proposed lead consultant and the consultant(s) together with her/his CV showing relevant previous assignments and clients. (Annex CVs separately)
6. Financial proposal detailing the budget breakdown and consultancy fees in Kenya Shillings: If the team consists of several members, the professional fees should be based on clearly shown time allocation for each member of the team to the various activities. (Max. 1 page)

Award criteria

The evaluation of the quotations will be based on the best value for money, weighing up technical quality (the methodology and the CV of the consultant) and price of the quotation.

Additional Information

Practical Action is an equal opportunities employer, and we encourage applications from under-represented groups. We stay committed to cultivating an inclusive and diverse working environment and believe that people from different backgrounds or cultures give us different perspectives, and the more perspectives we have, the more successful we will be. By building a culture where everyone feels heard, respected and valued we give everyone working with us the opportunity to achieve their full potential.

Practical Action is committed to safeguarding and protecting children and vulnerable adults and as such candidates will be subject to pre-employment checks.

Note: Practical Action reserves the right to accept or reject any application.