Disaster Risk Assessment Expert - Floods

Background

Background

Development losses caused by disasters as well as population and GDP exposure to hazards are continuously being increased in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). The country is exposed to various hazards, with most common ones being earthquakes, floods, droughts, heatwaves, wildfires, landslides and man-made hazards with climate change forecasts predicting an acceleration of extreme weather phenomena. Numerous challenges the country faced after the war, combined with political deadlocks and weak economic situation, resulted in disaster risks being at the bottom of priorities. This lead not only to weak general capacities but also to unabsorbing of improvements and new approaches in dealing with disaster risks. Overlooking of contemporary understanding of disaster risk reduction (DRR), which teaches that disasters are a result of poor development decisions and cannot be solved by civil protection alone, contributed to creation of additional disaster risks. Today, disasters in the country range from high-frequency small disasters to devastating events such as May 2014 floods that caused total of 2 billion EUR losses and damages. To deal with these, every-day more complex disasters, the country needs full implementation of understanding that development efforts have to be disaster proof and climate smart. DRR sector in the country requires a strategic roadmap and actions strengthened with new tools and approaches moving away from business as usual.

To address these challenges Interlinking Disaster Risk Management in BiH Project was launched. Project will strengthen DRR capacities at all government levels in BiH by putting in place legal and policy frameworks and implementation of disaster and climate risk management measures. Project is supported by Italian Agency for Development Cooperation and implemented by UNDP.

OBJECTIVES OF THE ASSIGNMENT

Under the direct supervision of the Project Manager, Disaster Risk Assessment Expert -  Floods, is to develop floods hazard maps for municipalities of Zvornik, Lukavac, Brcko District BiH, Vares and Odzak in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Hazard maps must be prepared in GIS (Geographic Information System) as a 10x10 raster for its integration into Disaster Risk Analysis System (DRAS)[1]. The assignment consists of two mayor components: preparing flood hazard scenarios and preparing of flood hazard maps.

The assignment includes: review of existing information, evaluation of existing data, identification of gaps, generation of missing data where appropriate, evaluation of data accuracy, collection and compilation of new data required for the analysis and interpretation of the data, generation of the flood hazard maps for the flood types affecting the study areas and scenarios indicated by the Directive 2007/60/EC of the European Parliament of 23 October 2007.

[1] DRAS https://dras.undp.ba/ 

Duties and Responsibilities

Flood hazard scenarios should be prepared following the guidelines established by the Directive 2007/60/EC of the European Parliament of 23 October 2007 on the assessment and management of flood risks, the requirements established in Chapter III, article 6, “Flood hazard maps and flood risk maps”.  Flood hazard scenarios shall be prepared after due consideration of the type of floods potentially affecting the study area. Following the EU Directive this could include “floods from rivers, mountain torrents, Mediterranean ephemeral water courses and floods from the sea in coastal areas, and may exclude floods from sewerage systems (urban floods).

Preparing the flood hazard scenarios includes two mayor steps: hydrologic and hydraulic analyses and modelling.  The hydrologic analyses provide information on the response of a watershed to climatic events in the form of flood flows for specified return periods. The hydraulic analyses are performed to determine, for a specific hydrologic input, the depth of flow, flow velocity and other parameters along the reach. The result of the hydraulic analyses is used to delineate the extent of flood water levels for specific return periods on the flood plain.

The flood events to be considered for the preparation of the flood hazard scenarios are those indicated by the EU Directive:

• Floods with a low probability, or extreme event scenarios (likely return period = 500 years);
• Floods with a medium probability (likely return period = 100 years);
• Floods with a high probability (likely return period = 20 years)

For each scenario the following elements shall be shown:

• The flood extent;
• Water depths or water level, as appropriate;

Where appropriate, the flow velocity or the relevant water flow.

Hazard maps must be based on hydrological and hydrodynamic calculations and on hydrologic-hydraulic modelling results, which define the basic flood indicators (volume, depth, speed).

In order to make flood hazard calculation more realistic, correction constant must be introduced which provides a flood hazard information in all possible events (especially when speed of water is negligible, which would mean that result of flood hazard calculation is zero and therefore that area would not be placed under flood hazard). The adopted value of the correction constant is 0.5, and the formula for calculating the flood hazard value (O) is:

O = h x (v+0.5)

where:

h - water depth (m),

v - flow velocity (m/s) and

0.5 - correction constant for velocity.

The result of the multiplication of depth and velocity of the flood determines the flood hazard and flood character, as described below:

• Class 0 - Negligible hazard (hazard value up to 0.75) - low hazard,
• Class 1 - Certain categories are endangered such as children, elderly, sick, non-swimmers (hazard value from 0.75 to 1.5) - moderate hazard,
• Class 2 - The majority of the population is endangered (hazard value from 1.5 to 2.5) - high hazard, and
• Class 3 - Danger to all in the flood area (hazard value over 2.5) - extreme hazard.

Deliverables:

The consultant will be entrusted with the following tasks:

• Carry out a review of the available information to obtain and understanding of the flooding events in the study areas, including the factors responsible for past floods;
• Assess the significance of the various factors influencing flood dynamics in the study areas (this could include, among others, morphology, meteorology, high flows, ice or debris jams, man-made structures);
• Carry out a review of existing data (quality, accuracy and suitability for the project). Identify gaps;
• Define the process to produce the previously mentioned flood hazards scenarios (considering the type of flood affecting the study areas);
• Select the appropriate tools and mathematical models to perform the hydrologic and hydraulic analyses for the study areas;
• Collect all the data and new information that may be required to perform the hydrologic and hydraulic analyses. The contractor shall use an existing Digital Elevation Model (DEM) of the study areas which will be provided by UNDP. The contractor shall be responsible for surveying the required river cross sections where needed.
• Produce the flood hazard scenarios for the low/extreme event (likely return period = 500 years); medium (likely return period = 100 years) and high (likely return period = 20 years) probability flood events, as indicated by the EU Directive;
• Produce the flood hazard maps based on hydrological and hydrodynamic calculations and on hydrologic-hydraulic modelling results;
• Prepare the flood hazard maps for the different scenarios in GIS.

The duration of this task is estimated to be 80 working days within 8 months.

DELIVERABLES AND TIMELINES

The consultant is expected to provide the following deliverables and services:

• LOT 1 Flood hazard maps for the municipality of Zvornik - 30th May 2018;
• LOT 2 Flood hazard maps for the municipality of Lukavac - 15th July 2018;
• LOT 3 Flood hazard maps for the municipality of Brcko District - 30th August 2018;
• LOT 4 Flood hazard maps for the municipality of Vares - 30th September 2018;
• LOT 5 Flood hazard maps for the municipality of Odzak - 30th November 2018.

Competencies

Corporate Responsibility and Teamwork:

• Demonstrates commitment to UNDP’s mission, vision and values;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Plans, prioritizes and delivers tasks on time;
• Strives for and promotes excellence in performance continually;
• Participates effectively in a team-based, information-sharing environment, collaborating and cooperating with others;

People Skills:

• Demonstrates ability to work harmoniously with persons of different national and cultural backgrounds;
• Recognizes and responds appropriately to the ideas, interests, and concerns of others;
• Builds trust and engenders morale by displaying open, transparent and credible behavior;
• Respects individual/cultural differences; utilizes diversity to foster teamwork;
• Ensures others’ understanding of, involvement in, and adaptation to a change process.

Partnering and Networking:

• Communicates sensitively and effectively across different constituencies;
• Ability to work as a member of a team as well as work autonomously.

Results-Orientation:

• Plans and procedures quality results to meet established goals.

Communication:

• Technical writing skills, formulates written information clearly and persuasively;
• Strong communication skills;
• Presents information in a clear and articulate manner.

Job Knowledge and Expertise:

• Strong analytical skills;
• Knowledge and experience on disaster risk assessments and risk management;

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Civil Engineering.

Experience: 

• At least 10 years of relevant experience in preparation of flooding maps, flood hazard maps and assessment of flood risk;
• Proven knowledge of methodologies for hydrologic and hydraulic analyses and previous experience in preparation of such analysis and reports.

Language Requirements: 

• Fluency in spoken and written B/H/S language and working knowledge of the English language is a requirement.

Other desirable skills:

•  Proficiency in computer applications such as MS Office, CAD, HEC Ras, Mike;
• Experience in working with international organizations in the region is an asset.

EVALUATION

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodology:

Cumulative analysis

When using this weighted scoring method, the award of the contract should be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:a) responsive/compliant/acceptable, andb) Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.

• * Technical Criteria weight-70%
• * Financial Criteria weight- 30%

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points for technical criteria assessment would be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

Applicants are required to submit an application including:

• Completed and signed UNDP Personal History Form (downloadable from http://www.ba.undp.org/content/bosnia_and_herzegovina/en/home/operations/jobs.html);
• Provide a brief methodology on how they will approach and conduct the work
• Financial proposal which will separately specify professional fee, indicating number of anticipated working days, travel costs (air-ticket or use of private vehicle), living allowance, and all other applicable costs.

Please scan all above mentioned documents and upload as one attachment only online through this website.

Note:

• For an assignment requiring travel, consultants of 62 years or more require full medical examination and statement of fitness to work to engage in the consultancy.
• Due to large number of potential applicants, only competitively selected candidates will be contacted for remaining steps of the service procurement process.