Project Title: Advise on Selection of PPP Transaction Advisers for the planned Water PPP Project

The Directorate of Water Research and Planning (DRPE) has drawn up in consultation with the departments concerned by water management, the National Water Plan (NPP). It includes ambitious targets for a rapid generalization of access to drinking water in rural areas, improvement of urban water supply and sanitation, modernization and extension Irrigation, and improved supply management.

The achievement of these objectives requires an investment that exceeds the capacity of the state budget. In this context, the DRPE is currently conducting a procurement procedure for a study whose objective is to assess the current situation of Public-Private Partnerships in the water sector in Morocco and to identify and to pre-select a list of projects likely to be funded under Public-Private Partnerships. XS-Axis Consulting was selected by GIZ to support the elaboration of the terms of reference (TOR) for this study. The presentation of the final ToR in July 2016 was successfully delivered. During this presentation, the AGIRE program was invited to continue technical assistance for the implementation of the study in 2016 and 2017.

The next step planned by the DRPE was to design and deliver a two-day Capacity Building Workshop on Public-Private Partnerships in the Water Sector, to invest in the capacity building of the team of the DRPE, DAH, ABH and representatives of some design offices. The training  focused on the basics of PPPs to convey the concept of PPPs versus traditional handover, and to communicate the advantages and disadvantages by focusing on the water sector.

Activities

  1. Status-Quo analysis of PPPs in the Water Sector in Morocco to entail an examination of the Legal, Institutional and Policy Framework including an evaluation of the existing track-record of PPPs in the Sector;
  2. Gap Analysis of the Moroccan PPP Legal, Institutional and Policy Framework and an SWOT examination of existing PPPs in the Sector;
  3. Benchmarking of PPPs in the Water Sector based on international best practice with a comparative analysis of Sub-Sectors;
  4. Design, prepare and deliver a basic class on PPPs with a focus on the Water Sector;
  5. Identification, prioritization and assessment of the existing list of Water Sector infrastructure projects as a pipeline;
  6. Recommending 2-3 projects that may be implemented as pilots.

Extended Scope in 2017

Capacity Building Training:

  • Clarification of the term Public-Private Partnership and presentation of main types of PPP projects;
  • Presentation of the context of Public-Private Partnerships (institutional conditions, Public-private partnerships, etc.), method of financing and Procurement process;
  • Presentation of PPP success factors and risks;
  • Presentation of the Moroccan Legal Framework for PPPs;
  • Guidelines on Public-Private Partnerships;
  • Presentation of successful public-private partnerships in the water sector (including a PPP considered a failure).