World Bank RFP: Institutional Capacity Building for Climate-Resilient Water Supply and Sanitation Services in Secondary Cities

The World Bank's RFP for Institutional Capacity Building for Climate-Resilient Water Supply and Sanitation Services in Secondary Cities is a landmark opportunity to address the critical gaps in urban WASH governance exacerbated by climate change. Secondary cities, defined as urban centers with populations between 100,000 and 2 million, are often the fastest-growing yet most underserved areas. They lack the financial resources, technical expertise, and institutional frameworks necessary to deliver safe water and sanitation services reliably, especially under climate stress. This RFP is part of the World Bank's broader strategy under its Climate Change Action Plan and Urbanization Review, which aim to integrate climate resilience into urban infrastructure investments. The total funding per project is estimated between $5 million and $15 million, with implementation over 3 to 5 years. The deadline for submission is July 30, 2026, giving organizations sufficient time to form consortia, conduct preliminary assessments, and develop a thorough proposal. The World Bank encourages proposals that demonstrate strong local ownership, gender equity, digital innovation, and private sector involvement. The RFP requires a theory of change that links capacity building to improved service delivery, with a clear results framework and environmental and social safeguards. Bidders should note that the World Bank uses a two-stage evaluation: first, a technical proposal (weighted 80%), and second, a financial proposal (weighted 20%). A minimum technical score of 75% is required for financial proposal consideration. The contract may be awarded to a single entity or consortium. The RFP also includes clauses on anti-corruption, conflict of interest, and intellectual property, requiring full compliance. This overview underscores the strategic importance of this RFP: it is not just about building infrastructure but building the human and institutional capacity to sustain services long after donor funding ends. GSLI's training offerings directly align with the capacity building components, making it a valuable partner for bidders seeking to enhance their proposal's competitiveness.

Strategic Overview

Who is it For?

This RFP is designed for a broad spectrum of organizations that can demonstrate institutional capacity in climate-resilient WASH and capacity building. Eligible applicants include international and national non-governmental organizations (NGOs) with a track record of implementing large-scale WASH programs in secondary cities; private consulting firms specializing in water, sanitation, and climate adaptation; universities and research institutions with applied research and knowledge transfer capabilities; and public sector agencies or utilities seeking to strengthen their internal capacity. Consortia are encouraged, combining technical, financial, and social expertise. The World Bank particularly prioritizes entities that have experience working with local governments, utilities, and community-based organizations in low- and middle-income countries. Additionally, organizations must demonstrate financial stability, with minimum annual turnover of $2 million in the last two fiscal years. Legal registration in a World Bank member country is required. Proficiency in English is mandatory; knowledge of French, Spanish, or other regional languages is a strong asset. The recipient should have a robust human resources base with at least five years of experience in at least three of the following domains: institutional capacity building, WASH infrastructure, climate risk assessment, stakeholder engagement, and monitoring & evaluation. Organizations must also have a proven ability to work in politically sensitive environments and a commitment to gender and social inclusion. The target beneficiaries are secondary city authorities, regional utilities, community organizations, and national oversight agencies. The ultimate goal is to empower these actors to plan, finance, and manage climate-resilient WASH services independently after the project period.

Priorities

The World Bank's global priorities in this RFP are anchored in its Climate Change Action Plan and Urbanization Review framework. The primary investment KPIs include: (1) number of secondary cities with updated water safety plans incorporating climate risks (target: at least 15); (2) percentage increase in utility operational efficiency (e.g., reduction in non-revenue water by 20%); (3) number of personnel trained in climate-resilient WASH management (target: 500+); (4) amount of co-financing mobilized from local sources (target: 30% of total project cost); (5) gender-disaggregated access to improved sanitation facilities (target: increase by 25% for women). The donor emphasizes systemic change over isolated interventions: capacity building must be embedded within local institutions to ensure sustainability. The RFP requires a strong theory of change linking capacity building activities to improved service delivery outcomes. Digital innovation is a cross-cutting priority: the proposal should incorporate smart metering, GIS-based asset management, or mobile data collection for monitoring. The World Bank also prioritizes climate adaptation finance readiness, encouraging proposals that help cities access green climate funds. Environmental and social safeguards (ESS) are non-negotiable, requiring detailed plans for community engagement, resettlement (if any), and biodiversity protection. The RFP aligns with the Bank's commitment to 'building back better' in post-COVID and climate-disrupted contexts. Furthermore, the donor seeks to leverage private sector participation through public-private partnerships (PPPs) or performance-based contracts. Proposals that demonstrate a clear pathway to scaling up and replicating in other cities will receive higher scores. Risk management is integral: the proposal must outline fiduciary, technical, and political risks with mitigation strategies. The budget should be cost-effective with at least 60% of funds directed to direct program activities.

Eligibility

Eligibility criteria are comprehensive to ensure that only capable entities are considered. First, the applicant must be a legally registered entity in a World Bank member country, with a minimum of three years of operational history. Financial eligibility requires audited financial statements for the last two years showing a positive net worth and annual revenue of at least $2 million. The organization must have experience implementing at least two projects of similar scope (value >$1 million each) in the last five years. Technical eligibility demands that the project team includes qualified professionals: a team leader with 15+ years in WASH or climate adaptation; a capacity building specialist with 10+ years; a financial management expert with CPA or equivalent; an M&E specialist with experience in World Bank projects; and a gender/social inclusion expert. The consortium lead must demonstrate experience managing World Bank-funded projects (preferred). Excluded entities include those debarred by the World Bank, those with conflict of interest, or those with unmanaged criminal or corruption records. Spatial eligibility: the project must target secondary cities in eligible borrowing countries (list provided in the RFP). The proposal must include letters of intent from at least two city governments or utilities. Additionally, the organization must have a local presence or partnership with a local entity to ensure contextual relevance. The World Bank also requires compliance with its anti-corruption and fraud policies, including a code of conduct. Intellectual property clauses: outputs will be owned by the World Bank and the client government. All eligibility documents must be submitted in English or with certified translations. Failure to meet any criterion leads to automatic disqualification.

Path to Success

Path to success involves a strategic, phased approach integrating GSLI training at key junctures. Step 1: Pre-Proposal Assessment and Capacity Gap Analysis. Immediately assemble a cross-functional team covering WASH engineering, climate science, institutional development, finance, and M&E. Conduct a rapid assessment of the target secondary cities using World Bank urban resilience frameworks. GSLI's 'WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene)' course will equip the team with latest best practices in climate-resilient sanitation and water safety planning. Simultaneously, enroll key personnel in 'Project Management for Development' to align project design with World Bank PM standards. Step 2: Collaborative Design with Stakeholders. Organize co-creation workshops with city authorities, utilities, communities, and local NGOs. Use the GSLI 'Public Health & Epidemiology' course to design health-based sanitation targets. The 'Procurement & Supply Chain' course helps design transparent procurement mechanisms for infrastructure works. Incorporate GSLI's 'Financial Management for NGOs' to structure the budget for maximum cost-effectiveness. Step 3: Develop a Robust M&E Framework. The proposal must feature a results framework with baseline, targets, and milestones for each KPI. GSLI's 'Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E)' course provides skills to design indicator matrices, data collection tools, and reporting templates that satisfy World Bank requirements. Use the 'Grants Management' course to ensure compliance and audit-readiness. Step 4: Write a Winning Proposal. Leverage GSLI's 'Writing Winning Proposals' and 'Fundraising & Resource Mobilization' courses to craft a compelling narrative with clear theory of change, risk matrix, and sustainability plan. The courses guide structuring of technical and financial proposals, including logical frameworks and budget narratives. Throughout, incorporate GSLI's cross-selling courses to build organizational capacity beyond the RFP. This integrated approach not only enhances proposal quality but also positions the organization for future World Bank opportunities. Post-award, the same GSLI-trained personnel will deliver high-quality outputs, fulfilling World Bank's fiduciary and performance expectations.

Recommended GSLI Courses

WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene)
Project Management for Development
Procurement & Supply Chain
Financial Management for NGOs

Deadline: 2026-07-30

Persona: General

Urgency: Normal