RFQ- Impact Assessment Of The Water Quality Programme (Arsenic, Iron, Fluoride & Bacterial Removal Units) In Assam And Tripura

1. Background:

The Centre for Microfinance and Livelihood (CML), an Associate Organisation of Tata Trusts, has been implementing a Water Quality and Security Programme (WQSP) in Assam and a parallel water quality initiative in Tripura, addressing arsenic, iron, fluoride and bacteriological contamination in groundwater. Under this programme, CML has installed Arsenic Removal Plants (ARPs), Iron Removal Plants (IRPs), Fluoride Removal Units and Bacterial Removal Units across 200 villages in Assam (90 villages in Kamrup and 50 villages in Nalbari, along with additional villages under source-based interventions) and 60 villages in Tripura.

CML now wishes to commission an independent Impact Assessment (IA) of this Water Quality Programme, to document and quantify the changes brought about through these interventions and generate evidence-based recommendations for scale-up, sustainability and convergence with government schemes.

2. Objectives of the Assessment

• Assess and quantify the changes observed among beneficiary households and communities as a result of the Arsenic, Iron, Fluoride and Bacterial removal units installed by CML;
• Assessment of usage of Point of Use filter for Arsenic Removal
• Assess the extent and drivers of adoption of purified water (JJM-supplied water treated through CML-installed units) among target households;
• Assess the overall impact of the programme on community behaviour change around safe drinking water practices;
• Assess how community ownership has been generated, including the functioning of Water User Committees/local caretakers and the collection of community water tariffs; and
• Develop actionable recommendations for strengthening adoption, behaviour change, ownership and sustainability of the installed units.

3. Key Thematic Areas for Assessment

• Adoption of JJM water through CML-installed purification units — extent of usage, reasons for adoption/non-adoption, and comparison with alternate water sources still in use;
• Behaviour change — shifts in household water collection, storage and consumption practices attributable to the programme; and
• Ownership & sustainability — functioning of community institutions (Water User Committees), regularity of community water tariff collection, and local arrangements for operation and maintenance of the units.

4. Scope of Work & Coverage

The assessment will cover a sample of 40 villages, constituting approximately 20% of the total 200 programme villages across Assam and Tripura, as detailed below:

• State District(s) Villages Covered IA Sample (20%)
• Assam – Kamrup – Villages Covered: 90 – IA Sample (20%): 18
• Assam – Nalbari – Villages Covered: 50 – IA Sample (20%): 10
• Tripura – Dhalai / North Tripura – Villages Covered: 60 – IA Sample (20%): 12
• Total Villages Covered- 200 and IA Sample- 40
• The final list of sample villages will be shared by CML in consultation with the selected agency, ensuring representation across technology types
• (ARP/IRP/Fluoride/Bacterial units), districts, and years of installation.

5. Methodology

The assessment is expected to adopt a mixed -methods approach, drawing on both qualitative and quantitative tools, including at minimum:

• Group Discussions (GDs) with beneficiary communities/Water User Committees in each sample village;
• Interpersonal communication and informal interactions with community members, Jal Mitra (Pump operators) and frontline
• functionaries; and
• Individual household interviews/surveys to capture quantifiable indicators of adoption, usage, and behaviour change.
• Bidders are encouraged to propose an appropriate sampling framework, survey tools and analytical approach in their technical
• proposal, in line with the objectives and scope outlined above.

6. Deliverables

• Inception note, including finalised methodology, sampling plan and data collection tools;
• Cleaned primary data sets (quantitative and qualitative);
• A detailed Impact Assessment Report, covering findings against each objective and clear, actionable recommendations; and
• A summary PowerPoint presentation of key findings and recommendations, for presentation to CML and its partners.

7. Timeline

• Milestone Indicative Timeline
• Issue of RFQ 1 September 2026
• Last date for submission of quotations 12 September 2026
• Selection & award of assignment By 15 September 2026
• Field data collection (GDs, interviews, KIIs) Third week of Sept – 15 October 2026
• Submission of draft report & PPT Within 5 working days of field completion
• Submission of final report & PPT (post feedback) Within 5 working days of CML's comments

8. Estimated Budget & Payment Schedule

Total Budget: INR 8,00,000 (Rupees Eight Lakh only), inclusive of GST, covering all professional fees, field travel, logistics and reporting costs

Payment Schedule:

• On award / mobilisation – 30% – Trigger: Signing of agreement & submission of field plan
• On completion of field work – 40% – Trigger: Submission of raw data & field summary
• On acceptance of final report & PPT 30% Submission of final report and presentation, incorporating CML's feedback

9. Eligibility Criteria for Bidding Agencies

• Registered organisation/firm (Society, Trust, Section 8 Company, or Consultancy) with at least 3 years of experience in conducting social/development impact assessments, preferably in WASH, water security or public health;
• Demonstrated field experience in Assam and/or Tripura, or the wider Northeast region, will be preferred;
• Proven capability in qualitative and quantitative research methods, including GDs, KIIs and household surveys; and
• Valid PAN and GST registration, including MSME (if applicable)

10. Composition of the Proposed Team

• Bidders must field a multi-disciplinary team, with, at minimum, the composition below. Detailed CVs of all proposed key personnel, along with
• their specific role on this assignment, must be submitted with the Technical Proposal; this will be a key input to CML’s evaluation of proposals.

Proposed Team Composition (continued):

• Team Leader / Research Lead 1 10+ years WASH/public health impact assessments; mixed -methods
• Expertise continued: research design; report writing & presentation
• Water Quality / WASH Technical Specialist – No. Required: 1 – Minimum Experience: 7+ years
• Expertise: Water quality & water security programmes; drinking water treatment technologies
• Expertise continued: Water quality & water security programmes; drinking water
• Expertise continued: treatment technologies (ARP/IRP/Fluoride/Bacterial removal
• Expertise continued: units), preferable to be a civil engineer or environmental engineer
• Social Scientist / Behaviour Change Specialist – No. Required: 1 – Minimum Experience: 7+ years
• Expertise: Community mobilisation, behaviour change communication,
• Expertise continued: gender & social inclusion
• Statistician / Data Analyst – No. Required: 1 – Minimum Experience: 5+ years – Expertise: Quantitative survey design, sampling, statistical analysis and
• Expertise continued: data management

Proposed Team Composition (continued):

• Field Researchers/Enumerators – No. Required: 6–8 (as required) – Minimum Experience: 4+ years – Expertise: Household surveys, GDs and KIIs; working proficiency in Expertise continued: Assamese/Bengali or relevant local dialects
• Bidders may propose an alternate but equivalent team structure, provided the combined expertise and experience levels above are demonstrably met; any such
• deviation should be clearly justified in the Technical Proposal.

11. Submission Requirements

• Technical Proposal — organisational profile, relevant past experience/references, proposed methodology, sampling approach, team composition & CVs, and work plan;
• Financial Proposal — itemized budget in INR, inclusive of GST, in a separate sealed document/file; and
• Statutory documents — PAN, GST registration certificate, and registration certificate of the organisation.

Proposals should be submitted by email to procurement@cmlnortheast.com on or before 12 September 2026, 5:00 PM IST, with the subject line “RFQ Response – Water Quality Programme Impact Assessment (CML/HR/6687/2026)”.

For queries, please contact- Mr. Rituparno Chanda, M-8013068581

Also need to send the quotation including other details in CML Office address-

To, Executive Director, Centre for Microfinance and Livelihood,

An Associate of Tata Trusts, 5th Floor Divine Plaza,

Dispur Supermarket, Guwahati- 781006, M-8013068581

12. General Terms & Conditions

• The quotation shall remain valid for a minimum of 60 days from the last date of submission;
• All costs quoted must be inclusive of applicable taxes (GST) and shall not be revised during the assignment period;
• The selected agency shall ensure that field investigators are trained on ethical research conduct, informed consent, and
• child/community safeguarding norms while engaging with respondents;
• All primary data, tools and reports developed under this assignment shall remain the property of CML; and
• CML reserves the right to accept or reject any or all quotations, in part or in full, without assigning any reason.
• Annexure: Financial Proposal Format

Financial Proposal Format:

Professional fees (research team) – Unit: Lump sum

Field travel & logistics – Unit: Lump sum

Data collection, transcription & analysis Lump sum

Report writing & PPT preparation Lump sum

 GST @ applicable rate

Total – inclusive of GST

For more information, please visit our website : https://cmlnortheast.com/Tenders 

Job Email ID: Procurement(at)cmlnortheast.com