Technical Assistance to support day to day management of UK Utilities, mainly on technical and financial issues

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST (CONSULTING SERVICES – CONSULTANCY FIRM) ALBANIA

Project: National Water Supply and Sanitation Sector Modernization Program (P4R)

TF No.: B8448

Assignment Title: Technical Assistance to support day to day management of Regional Water Utilities on financial issues.

Reference No .: AL-AKUK – 329911-CS-CQS

Albania is implementing governance and service reforms in the WSS sector supported by the World Bank through P4R project financed by SECO (Swiss Government). In parallel, structural reform changes are being launched by the government, including the creation of the new Water Production Operator (OPU) while the details of its future role and structure are still evolving; therefore this assignment shall focus on AKUK’s current mandate and existing institutional set-up, and reflect OPU-related interfaces only where and when formally clarified or necessary as working assumptions. This Request for Expressions of Interest aims to assist AKUK in hiring a Consultant to support the Regional Water Utility (RWU) in strengthening its financial management, financial reporting, and financial sustainability through improvements in financial planning, budgeting, revenue management, regulatory compliance, and institutional capacity. The detailed Terms of Reference (ToR) for the assignment can be found at the following website: https://akuk.gov.al/ The activities described in these TORs are expected to be completed within a period of 9 months, following the signing of the consultancy contract. The assignment requires a firm which can demonstrate a minimum of 10 years of general consulting experience. The firm’s specific experience should include at least three experiences in institutional strengthening support to water supply and sanitation utilities Specific experience in Albania and countries in the Western Balkans region will be considered an advantage.

No. Key expert Qualifications and skills

1 Team Leader Master's degree in Business Administration, Finance, Economics, Management, Public Administration, Engineering, or another relevant field. Fluent in English with excellent written and verbal communication skills. Strong managerial and coordination skills. Minimum 10 years of professional experience. At least 7 years of experience leading institutional strengthening or financial management assignments in the water sector or other public utility sectors. At least 5 years of experience as Team Leader or Project Manager on similar assignments. Previous experience in Albania and/or the Western Balkans water sector will be considered an advantage.

2 Senior Financial Management Expert Master’s degree in Management, Business Management, Engineering, Finance, Economics, or related field. At least 10 years of experience of assessing water and sanitation utilities’ organizational structure, staffing, capacity, resources, and equipment, and of recommending utility restructuring/reorganization. Strong understanding and experience with the regulatory framework governing the Albanian water supply and sanitation sector Prior experience in projects within the Albanian water and sanitation sector or similar local contexts will be considered a significant advantage

3 Capacity Building and Training Specialist Master's degree in Management, Finance, Economics, Business Administration, Human Resources Development, or related field. Minimum 5 years of experience in developing and delivering training programs. Experience in institutional capacity building. Experience preparing manuals, operational procedures, and training materials. Previous experience with public utilities will be considered an advantage.

The service will be selected under the provisions of the World Bank Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers (Procurement Regulations), in investment project financing Goods, Works, Non-Consulting and Consulting Services November 2020, in accordance with Consultant’s Qualifications Based Selection (CQS), Lump-Sum Contract . The Bank requires that firms or individuals involved in Bank IPF procurement shall not have conflict of interest. Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours 08:00 to 16:00, Mondays to Thursdays, and from 08:00 to 14:00 on Fridays. Expressions of interest (CV, Cover letter and documentary evidence for fulfilling the qualifications) must be delivered in a written form to the address below in person, or by mail, or by fax, or by e-mail within August 26th, 2026.

Mrs. Elidjana Celaj Agency of Water Supply, Sewerage and Waste Infrastructure Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy "Sami Frashëri" Str., No. 4, Tirana, Albania procurement_p4r@akuk.gov.al