Contract REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST (REOI) – (CONSULTING SERVICES / FIRMS SELECTION )
Job Description
REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST (REOI)
(CONSULTING SERVICES – FIRMS SELECTION)
Individual Selection of Consultant
Country: Government of Vanuatu
Name of the Project: Vanuatu Affordable and Resilient Settlements Project
Assignment Title: Resilient Housing and Community Capacity Development(Firm)
Individual/Firm: Firm
Duty Station: PMU, Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources,Port Vila, Vanuatu
Date of Publication: 02 nd March 2026
Deadline for submission: 20 th March 2026 at time: 1400 Hours.
Reference Number: VU-MLNR-538678-CS-CQS
1. BACKGROUND OF THE PROJECT:
A long-term vision of the Government of Vanuatu (GoV) is to provide potable water, sanitation, roads, drainage, and electricity to low-income households for the largest number of citizens. To address this, the International Development Agency of the World Bank Group is supporting the GoV with the Vanuatu Affordable and Resilient Settlements Project (VARS). Aims of the Project include developing a phased, 10-year, risk-informed Land Development, and Investment Strategy (LDIS) for the Greater Port Vila area with an estimated population of 114,000 people, almost 40 percent of the country’s population. VARS also will support the GoV to prepare a five-year action plan to implement phased settlement upgrading (SURP) of the 23 existing informal settlements in the Greater Port Vila area. To build towards these two interdependent medium-term platforms, the Project will implement on-the ground selected investments and associated institutional, and policy strengthening measures to pilot and set policy precedents for new land development and in situ settlement upgrading. This includes: (a) basic area upgrading of four informal settlements (Ohlen Mataso, Seaside, Tokyo and portion of Anamburu); (b) developing a 10 ha ‘sites-and-services’ (greenfield) lower-middle income residential area subdivision; (c) expansion or rehabilitation (as required) of off-site infrastructure focusing on flood management and mitigation; and (d) implementing measures for transformative institutional capacity strengthening of responsible Government of Vanuatu and sub-national agencies for planning, financing, and implementing the 10 year LDIS and 5-year SURP in partnerships with communities and the private sector.
2. PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:
To lead the development and operationalization of resilient self-build housing prototypes, including coordination of architectural inputs, completion of full technical documentation packages, and delivery of associated training, awareness, and regulatory integration tools in support of National Housing Policy implementation, with pilot activities at the Etas sub-division.
Specifically, the firm will deliver three integrated workstreams:
1) Resilient Self-Build Housing Designs, Guideline Development and Implementation Support– Develop 4 lowcost, resilient standard house plans for selfbuilders that are Vanuatu National Building codecompliant and allow for incremental construction options. Pilot construction will be undertaken in Etas and produce stepbystep instructional videos and manuals hosted on the DUAP website. Focus group discussions with home builders (will be conducted by a separate Architectural firm) and will inform and validate the house plans and designs. Engage and consult with local training providers, including Pacific Australia Skills (PAS) and Vanuatu Skills Partnership, may support pilot construction and content production.
2) National Resilient Construction Public Awareness & Community Engagement Campaign – Design a national campaign on safe construction practices and upgrading pathways, developed in consultation with the Shelter Cluster and Vanuatu Red Cross. Draw on existing construction guidance and integrate the newly developed standard house plans and training materials to ensure consistent, practical messaging that reaches households, communities and informal builders nationwide.
3) Supervision of Four Prototype Houses at Etas Subdivision -Supervision of the construction of one (1) unit of each of the four approved prototype house designs at the Etas Subdivision site (also known as Elol Etas Subdivision), constructed separately under the VARS Project.
4. REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:
- Selection Method: Consultant’s Qualifications Selection (CQS) per the World Bank Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers. The most qualified firm will be selected based on relevant expertise and invited to submit and negotiate a single combined technicalfinancial proposal.
- Core Shortlisting Criteria:
- Core business and at least 5 years of relevant operations.
- Demonstrated experience delivering development of resilient lowcost housing tools, guidelines, and standard designs; construction training & media; behaviorchange campaigns; housing technical advisory; preferably relevant experience in Pacific/SIDS countries.
- Availability of key skills inhouse or through associates.
- Proven incountry delivery (or credible plan) and experience coordinating with government and community institutions (e.g., DUAP, Malvatumauri, provincial/municipal authorities).
5. REPORTING:
- Contracting Authority: MoLNR / VARS PMU provides contractual management and payment authorization.
- Technical Lead: DUAP (MoIA) for NHP implementation.
- Counterpart Agencies: MIPU; PVCC; Shefa Provincial Council; Shelter Cluster; Vanuatu Red Cross; PAS; VSP; World Bank VARS task team
- Progress Reporting: Monthly brief progress notes; quarterly review meetings; milestone review meetings at Part A/B completion (go/nogo to next Part) and 3 Monthly Reports during Supervision. Final Report on Month 18.
6. DURATION OF ASSIGNMENT:
A total of 135 persondays over 18 months, excluding the videography and post-production which
is expected to be undertaken by a specialist under a lump sum arrangement.
Click on the following link for more details
Access to Terms of Reference (ToR).
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