Tuvalu Outer Island Infrastructure Project- Project Design Advance (Grant 6003-TUV): Detailed Engineering Design Consultant

Name of Client:
Ministry of Communication and Transport

Country:
Tuvalu

Length of Consultancy Assignment:
Start Date:  15 March 2016
Completion Date:  30 September 2016

Detailed Narrative Description of Project:

The proposed project is aimed at rehabilitating and improving maritime infrastructure in selected outer islands of Tuvalu and improving the safety, efficiency, and sustainability of maritime transportation between Funafuti (the capital) and the eight outer islands. It is also aimed at providing secure and efficient port infrastructure in Tuvalu (Funafuti and the outer islands), with climate change resilience incorporated in port infrastructure design, protocols, and operation.

The outcome will be improved transfer operations in the outer islands. The outputs will be (i) improved and rehabilitated maritime infrastructure in the outer islands, and (ii) improved capacity of the outer island communities and the Department of Marine and Port Services of the Ministry of Communication and Transport (MCT) to operate and maintain facilities. The major part of the Project Design Advance (PDA) finances consulting services covering (i) detailed engineering design of the maritime infrastructure in the outer islands, (ii) hydrographic and geotechnical surveys, and (iii) assistance in procurement to the government including preparation of bidding documents.


PRIMEX fielded two specialists. The Geotechnical Engineer was tasked to: (i) supervise the geotechnical survey; (ii) provide geotechnical input for the Inception Report; (iii) provide geotechnical input in design and drawings; (iv) provide geotechnical input to the design report; (v) provide input in the preparation of cost estimates; (vi) provide geotechnical components for preparation of technical specifications; (vii) provide geotechnical input in the preparation of tender documents and evaluation; and (viii) liaise with the team leader, team members from other disciplines and other stakeholders. The Climate Change Specialist was assigned to: (i) provide inputs during detailed design to ensure that the design incorporates the requirement of climate change adaptation and mitigation assessments; (ii) provide input for reporting, specifications, drawings and bidding documents; (iii) liaise with Team Leader, team members from other disciplines and stakeholders; (iv) develop a detailed work plan to produce a Climate Risk and Vulnerability Assessment (CRVA), consistent with milestones for the PPTAs and detailed design; (v) review existing information and data on historic climate change relevant to Tuvalu; (vi) analyze climate, sea level, storm surge and wave data, incorporate climate data into the PPTA studies, and assess projected climate change impacts on key project components; (vii) produce a draft CRVA for review, which will include climate scenarios, a risk assessment of the project to projected climate change, and an initial assessment of potential engineering and non-engineering adaptation measures to reduce risk to the project; (viii) undertake consulants with the project team and the implementing agency to provide inputs into the selection of adaptation measures; and (ix) liaise with the project economist to assess the cost effectiveness of adaptation option and incorporate the climate change adaptation options into the project economic analysis; and (x) prepare CRVA, which will include the overall CRVA methodology, data used, assumptions made, limitations, key finding, implications for the investment project and recommendations on follow-up actions and/or future studies.