World Bank RFP: Strengthening Climate-Resilient Public Financial Management for WASH Service Delivery in Fragile Settings

This RFP represents a unique intersection of fiscal governance, climate adaptation, and WASH service delivery in the world's most fragile regions. The World Bank is seeking a technically superior proposal that can navigate complex political economies while delivering measurable improvements in budget execution, procurement efficiency, and climate responsiveness. The project will be implemented across 4-6 countries in the Sahel and Horn of Africa, with potential expansion to the Great Lakes region. A total budget of $8-12 million is available over 4 years, with an additional $2 million in contingency for emerging crises. The World Bank expects the selected partner to propose a multi-phased approach that first diagnoses existing bottlenecks, then builds institutional capacity, pilots reforms, and finally scales and institutionalizes successful models. A strong M&E framework is non-negotiable, with the donor requiring quarterly performance reports, annual audits, and independent evaluations at mid-term and conclusion. The RFP also demands a clear gender and social inclusion strategy, including specific targets for women's participation in PFM training and decision-making. Climate adaptation must be mainstreamed throughout, not treated as a separate component. The deadline for submissions is September 15, 2026, with virtual pre-proposal conferences scheduled for July 2026. Given the RFP's complexity, organizations should begin consortium building and technical scoping immediately, allocating at least 6-8 weeks for proposal preparation.

This RFP is tailored for international development consulting firms, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), research institutions, and private sector entities with demonstrated expertise in public financial management, climate adaptation, and WASH service delivery. Eligible applicants must have a minimum of 10 years of cumulative experience in PFM reform projects in low-income and fragile states, with at least 3 references of projects exceeding $2 million in value. Specific technical expertise required includes: fiscal decentralization, climate-responsive budgeting, procurement audit, and financial management information systems (FMIS). The World Bank mandates that lead organizations must be legally registered in an eligible country (OECD-DAC list) and possess audited financial statements for the past 3 years showing no major audit findings. Subcontractors and implementing partners are encouraged but must not exceed 40% of the total project volume. The RFP prioritizes local capacity building, so proposals should include a clear strategy for transferring skills to national and sub-national government entities. Women-led organizations and those headquartered in Sub-Saharan Africa will receive additional scoring consideration under the World Bank's procurement framework for inclusive development. Organizations with prior World Bank fiduciary agent or grant management experience will be viewed favorably. Ineligible entities include those with active debarment or sanctions from any multilateral development bank, or those with conflicts of interest related to ongoing World Bank-financed WASH projects in the target countries.

The World Bank's strategic priorities for this RFP align with SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions). The donor demands a holistic integration of climate risk into PFM cycles, moving beyond traditional budget execution to include climate vulnerability assessments for WASSHT infrastructure assets. Key investment KPIs include: (1) At least 80% of targeted WASH budgets incorporate climate adaptation indicators; (2) A 30% reduction in the average time for procurement and disbursement of climate-resilient WASH projects; (3) Implementation of digital financial monitoring systems covering at least 70% of local government units; (4) A 25% increase in recurrent budget allocations for operation and maintenance of climate-resilient water facilities. The World Bank emphasizes value-for-money and evidence-based results, requiring rigorous cost-benefit analysis for all proposed interventions. Additionally, the donor is prioritizing cross-sectoral integration with health, education, and social protection to ensure PFM reforms have multiplier effects. The RFP also highlights gender-responsive budgeting (GRB) as a cross-cutting theme, requiring sex-disaggregated data in financial reports. The World Bank's Environmental and Social Framework (ESF) must be fully embedded. Successful proposals will align with the Bank's Country Partnership Framework (CPF) for each target nation, demonstrating how PFM improvements will catalyze private sector investment in WASH.

Eligibility criteria are multi-faceted and require comprehensive scrutiny. Organizations must be legally registered in an eligible country as defined by the World Bank's Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers (July 2016, revised November 2020). Applicants must demonstrate financial stability with audited annual revenues exceeding $5 million for the past 3 fiscal years. Technical eligibility requires at least 5 successful PFM reform projects in FCV contexts, each with a minimum contract value of $1 million. Key personnel must include a Team Leader with 15+ years of PFM experience and senior experts in climate finance, WASH engineering, and procurement audit. The proposal must include a detailed conflict sensitivity analysis and a risk mitigation plan addressing political economy constraints. Corporate governance eligibility mandates a transparent ownership structure, no history of fraud or corruption convictions, and compliance with the World Bank's Anti-Corruption Guidelines. The World Bank also requires evidence of local registration and operational presence in at least two of the target countries (Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Somalia, South Sudan). Consortia must designate a single lead entity responsible for contractual and financial accountability. Special consideration is given to organizations that can leverage co-financing from bilateral donors or impact investors, as this demonstrates sustainability and scalability.

To maximize competitiveness, organizations should follow a strategic four-step roadmap. First, **Pre-Proposal Technical Alignment and Capacity Assessment**: Assemble a consortium combining international PFM expertise (e.g., from firms like Oxford Policy Management or Development Alternatives Inc.) with local WASH and public finance specialists. Invest in a two-week technical scoping mission to each target country to validate context-specific challenges, establish relationships with Ministry of Finance and WASH sector officials, and collect preliminary data on fiscal gaps. During this phase, enroll key staff in GSLI's 'Financial Management for NGOs' and 'Procurement & Supply Chain' courses to ensure alignment with World Bank fiduciary standards and climate procurement guidelines. Second, **Solution Design and Integration of Climate Resilience**: Develop a modular PFM reform framework that includes climate budget tagging, disaster risk financing instruments, and digital FMIS platforms for real-time expenditure tracking. Integrate a WASH-specific module focusing on life-cycle costing of climate-resilient infrastructure, ensuring tariffs and subsidies are fiscally sustainable. Leverage GSLI's 'WASH' and 'Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E)' courses to design robust indicators that blend financial and climate performance. Third, **Strengthen Institutional Capacity for Grants Management**: Embed a capacity-building track for local government finance officers using GSLI's 'Grants Management' course as a template for standard operating procedures and internal controls. Establish a Grants Management Unit within the project that mirrors World Bank's fiduciary oversight requirements, including pre-audit and post-disbursement verification protocols. Fourth, **Leverage Past Performance and Risk Mitigation**: Prepare a compelling past performance section using case studies from similar PFM-WASH integration projects. Articulate a clear risk framework addressing political instability, currency fluctuation, and procurement delays, with contingency plans for rapid adaptation. Submit a pre-proposal query to the World Bank's procurement team to clarify financial sustainability expectations and target beneficiary numbers. Final submission should include a detailed work plan with quarterly milestones, a results framework with baseline and target values, and a budget that allocates at least 10% for M&E and 5% for gender and social inclusion activities.