Individual Consultant - Tfer Dam Project (Technical Consultant)

The OPEC Fund for International Development (the OPEC Fund) is a multilateral development finance institution, founded in 1976. The organization was established with a distinct mandate: to drive development, strengthen communities and empower people. The OPEC Fund’s work is people-centered, focusing on financing projects that meet essential needs, such as food, energy, infrastructure, employment (particularly relating to MSMEs), clean water and sanitation, healthcare and education. OPEC Fund’s vision is a world where sustainable development is a reality for all.

The OPEC Fund is the only globally mandated development institution that provides financing from member countries to non-member countries exclusively. The organization works in cooperation with developing country partners and the international development community to stimulate economic growth and social progress in low- and middle-income countries around the world.

Further information about the OPEC Fund can be obtained from its web site: https://opecfund.org/ 

Background

Morocco has experienced steady economic growth over the past two decades, supported by infrastructure investments and sectoral reforms. However, the country remains highly vulnerable to climate variability, particularly in the water sector, which is critical to its agricultural productivity and broader economic stability.

Rainfall in Morocco is highly variable, ranging from 50 mm in the arid south to 800 mm in the north. Renewable water resources are projected to decline from 730 m³ to 500 m³ per capita by 2030, well below the UN’s water stress threshold. Agriculture accounts for the majority of water use, and despite improvements in urban water access, the sector faces growing challenges: increasing water deficits, deteriorating water quality, unsustainable groundwater abstraction, and more frequent droughts and floods.

To address these issues, the Government of Morocco is implementing a national water strategy focused on inter-basin transfers, desalination, and modern hydraulic infrastructure. In this context, the Government has requested the OPEC Fund to finance the construction of the Tfer Dam on the Loukkos River in Larache Province (the “Project”). The Tfer Dam will provide a transferable volume of 100 million m³/year and a storage capacity of 900 million m³ to strengthen the water supply of Tangier and surrounding communes. It will also contribute to flood protection, reduce sedimentation in downstream infrastructure, and support hydro-agricultural and hydroelectric development. Hydropower capacity may be developed at a later stage.

In this context, the OPEC Fund for International Development seeks a Civil Engineer (the “Consultant”) to provide consultancy services, whose primary role will be to review the Project's technical viability. The consultant will also be responsible for ascertaining the Project rationale, scope, cost, schedule, procurement plan, implementation arrangements, risks, and mitigation measures, all of which are crucial for the Project's success and for meeting the required standard for processing OPEC Fund financing.

Scope of services

The Tfer Dam is a roller-compacted concrete (RCC) gravity dam to be constructed in Northern Morocco, with a maximum height of 79.2 m, crest length of 380 m, and a compacted concrete volume of 458,000 m³. The reservoir will have a total storage capacity of 900 million m³ and will provide a transferable volume of 400 million m³/year from the Laou and Loukkous basins. The dam will secure water supply for Tangier, Rabat, and Beni-Mellal, support agricultural development, reduce sedimentation in the downstream Oued El Makhazine Dam, and protect against floods.  This is considered a Large Dam under the ICOLD and World Bank standards.

The overall objective of the consultancy is to ensure a high level of preparedness of the aforementioned Project. In particular, the Consultant will review existing project documentation/studies, collect additional data and undertake additional assessments, to ensure that the Project meets the OPEC Fund’s technical and operational requirements for processing its loan.

The consultant will perform the following tasks and activities:

I.      Project Understanding and Documentation:

a.   Engage with the client and other stakeholders to obtain adequate clarity of the project and assess relevant technical documents such as the feasibility study, the technical drawings of the project, draft detailed engineering designs, etc.

b.   Conduct a data landscape assessment to identify and evaluate primary and secondary data sources.

II.  Feasibility Study and Preliminary Design Review:

a.   Review and assess the validity, robustness, and adequacy of existing feasibility studies and preliminary designs.

b.   Identify and address any gaps, inconsistencies, or areas requiring further analysis or refinement.

c.   Provide recommendations for strengthening existing project documentation to be aligned with Project goals and technical requirements.

III.  Project Description and Technical Specifications:

Prepare a detailed project description outlining all components and technical specifications thereof.

IV.  Technical Assessments:

a.   Conduct assessments of studies performed in the technical documents related to topography, hydrology, soil, etc.

b.   Analyze all sectors relevant to the Project (water, sanitation, agriculture, etc.) and assess water supply and demand.

c.    Evaluate project scope design and monitoring framework.

d.    Align with Financial Analyst Consultant to review financial and economic assessments provided and provide necessary updates, including with reference to aquifer recharge potential. Align with ESG Consultancy on environmental and social assessments as they pertain to technical aspects.

V.  Institutional and Implementation Readiness Assessment

Assess institutional capacity of implementing agency, PMU, and relevant water authorities to manage construction, O&M, and financial management, in coordination with E&S and Financial Analyst Consultants. Propose a capacity development roadmap to address institutional gaps and ensure successful project implementation.

VI.  Legal and Regulatory Compliance:

Identify and prepare a legal compliance checklist of applicable laws, regulations, permits, and approvals.

VII.  Health and Safety:

Analyze health and safety needs during construction and operation.

VIII.  Technological Advancements:

Analyze possible technological advancements, which could enhance the efficiency, safety, and sustainability of the Dam. e.g. the hydropower potential.

IX.  Technical and Financial Viability Report

Based on the above assessments and analyses, prepare a Technical Viability Report in accordance with the OPEC Fund’s requirements.

The Consultant shall liaise with the parallel ESG consultancy, Environment Specialist and Financial Analyst consultants, share all relevant datasets and draft findings, and avoid duplicating work assigned to the other party.

Qualifications and Experience

• Postgraduate degree in Water Management, Civil Engineering, Dam Management, or a related field
• At least 10 years of relevant experience in civil engineering and Dam construction, management, and/or operations is required. Experience in dam construction of a similar scale to the project in North Africa is desirable
• Experience in the water infrastructure sector with multilateral development banks (MDBs) in the region is required
• Previous experience in carrying out economic analysis and studies for dams, especially with regards to safety, water stress mitigation and awareness raising is desirable
• Fluency in written and spoken English and French is required. Knowledge of Arabic is desirable

The Proposal, as well as all related correspondence exchanged by the Consultants and OPEC Fund, shall be written in English.

Interested consultants should submit proposals by email only to tenders@opecfund.org no later than 15:00h on October 16, 2025 (Central European Summer Time).

Any questions are to be directed to procurement@opecfund.org. All questions submitted to and answers of OPEC Fund will be shared with contractors that have received the request to submit proposal.

For more information visit the OPEC Fund Procurement website under: https://opecfund.org/procurement/bidding