Assignment Name: In-Depth Monitoring of the “40 Pourashava and Growth Centre Water Supply & Environmental Sanitation (Phase-II) Project (1st Revised)”

Country: Bangladesh

Client Name: Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Sector-3, Ministry of Planning, IMED, Government of Bangladesh

The “In-depth Monitoring of the 40 Pourashava and Growth Centre Water Supply & Environmental Sanitation Project (Phase-II) (1st Revised)” was commissioned by the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED) under the Ministry of Planning, Government of Bangladesh, to evaluate the progress and implementation of a large-scale initiative aimed at enhancing water supply and sanitation services across 40 selected Pourashavas in Bangladesh. This government-funded project, implemented by the Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE), sought to improve public health, reduce water-borne diseases, and enhance environmental sanitation, contributing to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Vision 2021.

The project included key components such as the construction of water treatment plants, overhead tanks, public toilets, and pipelines; installation of production tube wells; and house water connections. It also aimed to modernize the billing systems of the Pourashavas to ensure sustainable management. The revised phase extended the project duration and budget due to delays and increased costs stemming from challenges in site selection, feasibility studies, and procurement processes.

The primary objectives of this in-depth monitoring assignment were to:

• Assess the physical and financial progress of the project.
• Evaluate the quality and relevance of implemented components.
• Examine procurement processes for compliance with Public Procurement Rules (PPR).
• Analyze operational and maintenance capabilities for sustaining project outcomes.
• Provide actionable recommendations to enhance project efficiency and sustainability.

The in-depth monitoring was conducted across 16 sample Pourashavas, representing a diverse geographic and demographic cross-section. A mixed-method approach was employed, including quantitative household surveys, qualitative key informant interviews (KIIs), focus group discussions (FGDs), physical observations, and document reviews.

The following services were provided by the DM WATCH team:

Inception and Planning:

• Reviewed project documents, including the Development Project Proposal (DPP), financial and physical progress reports, and procurement plans, to understand project objectives and challenges.
• Conducted inception meetings with technical and steering committee of IMED (Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division) and DPHE to define study scope and finalize work plans.

Tool Development:

• Designed and pre-tested structured questionnaires for household surveys to assess community access to water and sanitation facilities.
• Developed guides for KIIs, FGDs, and physical observation checklists to evaluate project components and stakeholder perspectives.

Training and Capacity Building:

• Recruited and trained field enumerators and supervisors on data collection protocols, including the use of digital tools such as KoBoToolbox for real-time data entry.

Data Collection:

• Conducted 1,120 household surveys across 16 pourashavas to evaluate access to water supply and sanitation, as well as community satisfaction with project interventions.
• Facilitated 16 FGDs with beneficiaries, municipal representatives, and local leaders to gather qualitative insights into project impacts and challenges.
• Conducted 84 KIIs with key stakeholders, including DPHE officials, municipal engineers, and pourashava mayors, to validate findings and explore institutional constraints.
• Performed physical observations of key project components, including public toilets, water points, pipelines, and treatment plants, to assess construction quality and operational status.

Data Analysis and Reporting:

• Analyzed quantitative data to measure project performance against DPP targets, including coverage of water connections, sanitation facilities, and public toilets.
• Synthesized qualitative findings to identify systemic challenges, such as procurement inefficiencies and delays in component completion.
• Document Review and Analysis: Reviewed and analyzed project documents, procurement records, and financial reports to monitor compliance with the Public Procurement Act (PPA) 2006 and Public Procurement Rules (PPR) 2008. This helped in evaluating the procedural transparency and efficiency of the project implementation.
• Progress Reporting: Prepared comprehensive reports detailing the physical and financial progress of the project components. These reports highlighted the disparities between planned activities and actual achievements, offering a clear view of the project’s status.
• SWOT Analysis: Conducted a SWOT analysis to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats related to the project. This analysis was crucial in understanding the internal and external factors affecting the project’s success.
• Recommendations for Improvement: Based on the findings, provided specific recommendations aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of the project. Suggestions included improving coordination among departments, conducting feasibility studies prior to implementation, and increasing training for municipal staff to ensure sustainable operation and maintenance of the facilities.
• Sustainability and Exit Strategy: Offered strategies for ensuring the sustainability of the project benefits beyond its completion, focusing on the training needs of pourashava staff and the proper utilization of sanitation facilities by the public.

Stakeholder Engagement and Validation:

• Organized local-level workshops to share preliminary findings with stakeholders, gather feedback, and refine recommendations.
• Presented final findings to IMED and DPHE in a national workshop to ensure alignment with policy goals.

Recommendations and Reporting:

• Delivered a comprehensive report, providing actionable recommendations to address identified challenges, such as improving procurement planning, enhancing O&M capacity, and increasing coordination among implementing agencies.
• Suggested strategies to ensure sustainability, including capacity-building programs for pourashava staff and community awareness campaigns on water conservation and sanitation practices.

Key Deliverables:

• Comprehensive monitoring report, including physical and financial progress evaluations, SWOT analysis, and actionable recommendations.
• Digital datasets and analysis of household survey results.
• Validation workshop proceedings and stakeholder feedback documentation.
• Soft and hard copy of final report in Bangla and English

This in-depth monitoring assignment provided critical insights into the project’s implementation, highlighting gaps and areas for improvement. The findings and recommendations are expected to guide future water supply and sanitation projects, ensuring enhanced efficiency and sustainability.