TERMS OF REFERENCE
Community-Led ODF+ Campaign Demonstration
Akbarnagar Nagar Panchayat, Bhagalpur District, Bihar
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Issued by
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WaterAid India
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Location
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Akbarnagar Nagar Panchayat (06 Selected Wards), Bhagalpur District, Bihar
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Assignment Duration
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25 days from the date of contract signing
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Report Submitted to
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District Coordinator, Bhagalpur, WaterAid India
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Focus Areas
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Open Defecation Free (ODF)+ status; SLWM
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Document Status
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Final TOR — Open for Applications
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1. Background and Context
Jal Seva Charitable Foundation (JSCF) is registered in India as a not-for-profit company under Chapter 8 of the Companies Act, 2013. JSCF, is an associate member of the WaterAid federation and uses the brand name ‘WaterAid’ in India.
WaterAid India seeks to improve the quality of life of 5,000,000 households – with a special emphasis on the vulnerable by 2029 through the provision of climate-resilient and sustainable WASH services via demonstration, institution strengthening, and the effective utilization of public resources. We work in rural and urban areas and seek to deepen our presence in states we operate in and to work in small towns. Thanks to our amazing supporters, we have reached millions of people with these three essentials – clean water, decent toilets, and good hygiene – enabling communities to unlock their potential to break free from the cycle of poverty and to change lives for good.
We will not stop. Not until clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene are a normal part of everyday life for everyone, everywhere.
WaterAid India’s (WAI) country office is based in New Delhi with State Offices in Bengaluru, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow, Patna and Raipur. We currently have a presence in ten states in the country.
WaterAid India’s Organisational Strategy (2026–2029) marks a decisive transition from infrastructure-led interventions to a systems-led approach focused on sustainable service delivery. Building on India’s significant achievements under Jal Jeevan Mission and Swachh Bharat Mission, this strategy responds to the next generation of challenges—ensuring reliability, quality, equity, and climate resilience of WASH services. Further details about WAI can be accessed at https://www.wateraid.org/in/
WaterAid India is currently supporting Akbarnagar Nagar Panchayat in Sultanganj Block of Bhagalpur District, Bihar, through focused programmatic interventions aimed at strengthening WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) services and outcomes across all 11 wards of the Urban Local Body (ULB). Akbarnagar was notified as an Urban Local Body in February 2021, nearly two years after the country had declared itself Open Defecation Free (ODF). Consequently, the town could not adequately align with the evolving urban sanitation protocols under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban), particularly the ODF+ framework, which emphasizes not only elimination of open defecation and urination in public spaces but also the functionality, accessibility, and sustained maintenance of community and public toilets.
Like many of the small towns in Bihar, Akbarnagar missed the opportunity to be systematically enrolled and assessed for ODF+ certification and therefore continues to face significant gaps in urban sanitation indicators. Achieving ODF+ certification and progressing towards ODF++ standards remains a substantial challenge for emerging urban local bodies with limited institutional and financial capacities.
In line with its commitment to sector strengthening and scalable urban sanitation solutions, WaterAid India proposes to develop and demonstrate a low-cost, high-impact Community-Led ODF+ Certification Model for small towns in Bihar, using Akbarnagar Nagar Panchayat as a demonstration site. The initiative seeks to complement ongoing infrastructure investments through intensive community engagement, behaviour change communication, and local ownership mechanisms.
The proposed approach draws upon the principles of Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS), a globally recognized methodology that enables communities to collectively analyse sanitation challenges and take informed action towards eliminating unsafe sanitation practices. Unlike conventional top-down sanitation programmes, CLTS promotes community ownership, collective responsibility, and sustained behavioural transformation. WaterAid India intends to adapt and apply this approach within the urban context of Akbarnagar Nagar Panchayat to support the achievement of ODF+ outcomes and establish a replicable model for similar small towns across Bihar.
2. Objectives of the Assignment
The primary objectives of this consultancy/agency assignment are:
- To facilitate Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS)-based triggering activities across 06 selected wards of Akbarnagar Nagar Panchayat, with the objective of mobilising communities towards elimination of open defecation and advancement towards ODF+ standards.
- To undertake participatory identification and mapping of households lacking access to functional and usable toilets, including households with incomplete or non-functional sanitation facilities.
- To generate community awareness and collective dialogue on urban sanitation, hygiene behaviour, and environmental cleanliness, with particular emphasis on solid waste segregation and doorstep waste collection systems.
- To document community perceptions, behavioural barriers, institutional gaps, and ward-level sanitation challenges through first-hand field engagement and participatory appraisal tools.
- To prepare and submit a comprehensive field assessment and triggering report to WaterAid India, including ward-wise findings, household sanitation status, community responses, and practical recommendations for strengthening the ODF+ roadmap in Akbarnagar Nagar Panchayat.
- To support WaterAid India in piloting a low-cost, community-led ODF+ demonstration model and generate practical learnings for future scale-up across additional wards and similar small towns in Bihar.
3. Scope of Work
The selected consultant/agency shall undertake the following activities during the 25-day assignment period:
3.1 Preparatory Phase
- Conduct a detailed desk review of available baseline assessments, sanitation surveys, ward-level data, and urban sanitation planning documents related to Akbarnagar Nagar Panchayat, prepared by WaterAid India and relevant stakeholders.
- Coordinate with WaterAid India programme teams and Akbarnagar Nagar Panchayat officials for inception meetings, stakeholder consultations, and operational planning.
- Develop a detailed ward-wise implementation plan covering selected 06 wards, including scheduling of CLTS triggering sessions, stakeholder mobilisation, and field deployment arrangements in consultation with WaterAid India.
- Identify and orient local stakeholders, including Ward Councillors, frontline workers, Self-Help Groups (SHGs), youth groups, sanitation workers, and community volunteers to support the triggering process and post-triggering follow-up.
Essential Qualifications
- Postgraduate degree in Social Work, Rural Development, Public Health, Sociology, Urban Planning, or a related discipline.
- Minimum 3 years of demonstrated experience in implementing CLTS or community-based sanitation programmes.
- Proven experience conducting CLTS triggering activities in urban or peri-urban settings.
- Strong facilitation and community mobilisation skills, with the ability to communicate effectively in Hindi and/or Bhojpuri.
- Prior experience of working with urban local bodies (ULBs), Nagar Panchayats, or municipal authorities in Bihar or comparable states.
- Familiarity with Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) guidelines, ODF protocols, and waste management frameworks.
Desirable Qualifications
- Experience working with WaterAid India or other INGOs on WASH programmes.
- Knowledge of government schemes relevant to sanitation and urban waste management in Bihar.
- Experience working with marginalised and vulnerable communities, including those with PWDs, women-headed households, and minority groups.
- Proficiency in data collection using mobile-based tools.
Application Process
- Interested and eligible individuals or agencies are requested to submit the following to WaterAid India by the specified deadline:
- Expression of Interest / Cover Letter (maximum 2 pages) describing relevant experience and proposed approach.
- Technical Proposal including: understanding of the assignment, proposed methodology, activity schedule, team composition, and CVs of key personnel.
- Financial Proposal: Itemised budget or lump-sum fee quotation.
- Organisation profile or individual CV with evidence of prior similar assignments (references/work certificates).
Applications should be submitted electronically to WAIProcurement@wateraid.org. The deadline for submission is 14 June 2026.Only shortlisted candidates/organisations will be contacted for further engagement. WaterAid India reserves the right to accept or reject any application without assigning reasons.
For detailed information, please check the complete version of the RFQ attached below.