No. 16 (27) June 2003

ICWC TRAINING CENTER SEMINAR ON PROCUREMENT

Holding a seminar on procurement is conditioned by increased need for informing specialists, involved in the projects, of the main procedures, instructions and norms, accepted in international practice of implementing purchase measures under the projects. The main purpose of the seminar is preparation of future trainers and creation of conditions for the further dissemination of available practical knowledge about successful participation in bidding through participants, who have past training.

The first seminar on procurement was held at ICWC Training Center from 15 to 23 May 2003.

The program of the seminar and the topics of the reports were confirmed by ICWC. The participants were presented by the delegates from Central Asian countries attracted to work on water-related projects.

The training program provided for an exchange of views on the issues, united within the framework of modules:

• Procurement basics and main principles;
• Procurement categories and methods;
• Participation in and opening of bidding;
• Alternative kinds of procurement;
• Preparation of proposals package;
• Norms and requirements for contract.

P.D. Umarov, Director of ICWC Training Center, and F. Rakhimov, a leading specialist in procurement from the World Bank, appeared as moderators. The program of lectures as well as auxiliary educational and methodological materials, distributed in advance for preliminary acquaintance of and preparation for discussing them, contributed to organization of discussions in concordance with concrete examples of international bids and procurement carried out by the World Bank in the region.

The hearers noted that the program research area had widely covered the issues of implementing the planned activities within the framework of projects for procurement and hiring consultants according to the principles of economy, effectiveness, price competitiveness and openness.

Special exercises with concurrent execution of independent reports on conventional international bids and procurement were carried out during the lectures to the hearers.

The participants highlighted that at present many local producers don’t have enough financial means for successful participation in bidding. Moreover, local organizations are not informed sufficiently so as to successfully take part in bidding, held in Central Asian and other countries.

To successfully participate and properly hold activities on purchasing goods and hiring consultants, the participants of the seminar gave the following recommendations, which will favor successful performance of water-related projects in the region:

• Raise awareness of local organizations of the issues on holding bids;
• Ease procedures of opening an accreditation account in local banks;
• Widely acquaint local entrepreneurs with opportunities of establishing a consortium between organizations for successful participation in bids;
• Organize holding of working meetings on transferring the obtained knowledge and disseminating the received materials among specialists, involved in preparation of bidding documents for water-related and environmental projects, by the forces of the hearers, who have passed training, in their own countries.

At the seminar, a need for promoting a close cooperation with ICWC Training Center and its subsidiaries in Osh, Kyrgyzstan, and Urgench, Uzbekistan, speeding up opening of the same subsidiary in Kzyl-Orda, Kazakhstan, was emphasized repeatedly. The necessity of putting modern information technologies into practice and contributing to adopting these progressive techniques of organizing water resources management was underlined.

ON THE PROGRESS IN IMPLEMENTING “IWRM-FERGHANA” PROJECT

WUA activity

On 5-16 May 2003 the project staff held training of hydrometrists, hydraulic engineers and farmers of pilot WUAs on site selection and adequacy of water meter facilities construction in Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.

On 5-8 May in WUA “Akbarabad” in Ferghana oblast R. Masumov, “IWRM-Ferghana” Project consultant in hydrometry, and his assistant A. Alimjanov jointly with hydrometrists and farmers of WUA carried out on-site inspection of gauging posts, built on the heads of farm inlets. Of 69 water-gauging posts with various types of water meter facilities, proposed to construct, 40 were accomplished. The quality of the constructed gauging posts is fully satisfactory, except canal sites adjacent to farm inlets. The constructors of gauging posts were given recommendations for straightening the channel of canal sites adjacent to farm inlets. Under field conditions, practical training of farmers to keep water accounting was carried out in concordance with water use plan.

Exercises on drawing up ten-day requests for water supply in accordance with water use plan, filling in and keeping daily, ten-day and monthly water supply records for each farm inlets were carried out jointly with hydrometrists, hydraulic engineers and farmers.

When discussing the schedule for gauging posts construction, it was noted that the main reason for lagging behind was unfavorable weather conditions. It was decided to complete gauging posts construction up to the end of May.

During discussion of training results the attention of farmers was focused on protection and proper operation of water meter facilities, being the main instrument in paying for water.

To relieve social stress and ensure equitable water allocation among WUA farmers, it was decided to keep “Publicity Board”, on which data on water supply to each farm will be presented every day. The materials and decisions of training were endorsed by all the participants.

The similar training was held on 9-12 May in Kyrgyzstan – in WUA “Zhapalak”. Of 118 gauging posts, recommended for equipping, 16 were constructed. Another reason of lagging behind was weather conditions. When carrying out on-site inspection of ready gauging posts equipped with weirs, it was discovered that standard requirements had been broken. A decision was made on construction of an exemplary gauging post with Cipolletti weir under the guidance of hydrometry consultant R. Masumov, and a necessity to dismantle eight installed weirs and mount them according to standard requirements.

At this training the issues on drawing up requests for water per decade, filling in water supply accounting forms, and adjusting water use plan in vegetation period were considered. Special attention was focused on the issues on operation and maintenance of gauging posts and responsibility of water users for water meter facility damage. A decision was made on forcing construction of gauging posts and completing it by the end of May.

To relieve social stress and to assure equitable water allocation, it was decided to introduce “Publicity board”, on which every day data on water supply to each farm will be presented. The materials and decisions of the training were supported and approved by all the participants.

On 13-16 May, practical training was organized in WUA “Zaravshan” in Tajikistan. The on-site inspection of the constructed gauging posts with hydrometrists and dekhkans of WUA showed that of the recommended 27 water gauging posts only 4 ones such as flume “SANIIRI” (VLS acronym) had been constructed. The quality of construction of setting (VLS acronym) is satisfactory. But outward appearance (VLS acronym) was finished roughly. It was recommended to thoroughly repair flume outer walls. A considerable lag of construction schedule was conditioned by adverse weather. Lessons on calibrating and operating gauging posts, and keeping daily and ten-day accountancy were given during training.

At the training, attention was focused on the issues of gauging posts O&M and responsibility of water users for safety of water meter facilities.

To relieve social stress and to assure equitable water allocation among WUA dekhkans, it was decided to introduce “Publicity Board”. The materials and decision of the training were supported and approved by all the participants.

SCIENTIFIC-PRACTICAL CONFERENCE “PARTICIPATION OF THE PUBLIC IN OVERCOMING WATER DEFICIT IN CENTRAL ASIA”

First International Conference on “Participation of the public in overcoming water deficit in Central Asia” was held on 30-31 May 2003 in Tashkent with the assistance of delegates from NGOs, state structures and international organizations.

• Recognizing that under arid zone conditions water is an invaluable gift of nature;
• noting with anxiety that the region is experiencing water famine and growing surface and ground water pollution;
• understanding that the situation is being aggravated by insufficient interstate coordination, connected with the difficulties in transferring to a new economic system;
• recognizing own civil liability for natural resources conservation and the region as a whole,

The participants of the conference decided:

• to support the transition of Central Asian countries to integrated water resources management, and to take an active part in this process:
• try for participation of NGOs in developing sustainable water use models for international, regional and national water-related organizations of Central Asia.
• support an initiative of ICWC and SDC on introducing integrated water resources management in Central Asian countries (taking Ferghana Valley as an example). To consider participation of the public in propagating this method important.
• recommend to IFAS and ICWC to intensify activity of public councils for water use control: to give them a real authority.
• to lobby in the governments and parliaments of Central Asian states:
• joining to international legal documents (conventions, agreements and protocols) on transboundary waterways;
• improving national legislative bases for water use and disposal:

  - adjusting them to the standards of international law,
  - extending tax remissions for water users associations and committees on water resources;

• developing and signing long-term treaties and agreements on transboundary waterways management;
• Improving and evolving economic mechanisms in water allocation and use at national and regional levels;
• participation of NGOs in developing and making decisions by water management structures of Central Asian countries on transboundary waterways management;
• To consider that the most important direction of environmental movement of Central Asia is the involvement of the public in water resources management. The follow-up in this direction is as follows:
• Creating a network of Central Asian NGOs, engaged in water issues. To send the delegates of the network to relevant events of GWP and other organizations.
• Developing mechanisms for implementing joint transboundary projects;
• Participating in developing and implementing programs for environmental education and training, taking into account national customs and traditions of careful regard for water, including with ICWC Training Center and other organizations;
• Improving public environmental monitoring systems and water resources expertise in the region, including by using bio- and other indicators to control water ecosystems state;
• Initiating judicial precedents on protecting public environmental interests, directly related to water supply and use;
• Information campaign to share positive experience of NGOs in introduction of water saving technologies and rational water use.
• to confirm the staff of working group on working out action plan for executing the Decision of this conference; to consider holding an international conference regularly expedient.