Handholding Support

Handholding Support

It is realized that the task of preparing the SCPs is quite challenging and States/ULBs will require assistance of experts. There are two ways of obtaining technical assistance support - by hiring consulting firms and engaging with handholding agencies

1. Consulting Firms: The Ministry of Urban Development will technically qualify a panel of consulting firms and the States/UTs are at liberty to draw upon this panel. As considered necessary, the States/UTs may request financial proposals from these firms in the template RFP given in the Toolkit and do a selection based on applicable procurement rules and guidelines. The scope of work for the Smart City Consulting firms is given in Annexure 1. The States have the option of appointing a consulting firm outside the panel by following transparent and fair procedures as per State financial rules.
2. Handholding Agencies: During the preparation of the Smart Cities Mission, a number of foreign Governments have offered to provide Technical Assistance (TA) support. Additionally, other external organizations, including bilateral and multilateral institutions, as well as domestic organizations have suggested to the Ministry of Urban Development that they can give technical assistance support. These include World Bank, ADB, JICA, USTDA, AFD, KfW, DFID, UN Habitat, UNIDO, etc. Such organizations, which have experience in the field of smart city development, can also extend support to the States/UTs as hand-holding agencies in preparing the SCPs. The Ministry will assist in tying up the arrangements.

Scope of work for the Smart City Consulting Firm

The Consulting Firm will assist in preparing a Smart City Proposal under the supervision of the Urban Local Body and the State Government and will include,

1. The Consulting Firm will prepare a City-wide concept Plan based on a review of previous plans, interventions and documents of all departments and agencies (e.g. old or revised City Development Plan, City Sanitation Plan, City Mobility Plan, Master Plan). The City-wide Concept Plan will include the Smart City Vision (how the city visualizes itself in 5 years), Mission and identification of key challenges, situation analysis (physical, economic, social, legal and institutional infrastructure)/ As-is deion.
2. After detailed citizen consultations, an overall strategy will be prepared that will define the Smart City and clearly state the objectives based on the Mission document and Guidelines.
3. The Consulting Firm will prepare a Smart City Proposal (SCP) to participate in ‘Challenge’ (competition) according to the Smart City Mission Statement and Guidelines. The proposal will contain retrofitting or redevelopment or greenfield models and atleast one Pan-city initiative. The focus will be on transformative projects with the highest possible impact on (i) economic growth in the city (e.g. number of new jobs created, new firms attracted, increased productivity and business climate in the formal as well as informal sectors, recognition of and incorporating urban vendors), and (ii) improving the quality of life for all, especially the poor: (e.g. reduction in commuting time, support of non-motorized transport, improvement in air and water quality/increased coverage of water, solid waste management, street lighting, enhanced green public spaces, improved safety and security).
4. The SCP will consist of Strategic Action Plans for Area Developments based on the three typologies: (a) area improvement (retrofitting) (b) city renewal (redevelopment) and (c) city extension (greenfield) and at least one City-wide (Pan-city) initiative that applies Smart Solutions to the physical, economic, social and institutional infrastructure. Application of Smart Solutions will involve the use of technology, information and data to make infrastructure and services better and using smart technologies for the development of the poor and marginalized will be an important part of the Proposal.
5. The Smart City Proposal will include financing plan for the complete life cycle of the Proposal. This financial plan will identify internal (taxes, rents, licenses and user charges) and external (grants, assigned revenues, loans and borrowings) sources of mobilizing funds for capital investments and operation and maintenance over the life cycle of the project. The financial plan will provide for
   sources for repayment of project cost over a period of 8-10 years, O&M cost and also include resource improvement action plan for financial sustainability of ULB.
6. Convergence of area plans with National and State level sectoral financial plans, for example the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), Housing for All, Swachh Bharat and Digital India.
7. The Proposal development will lead to creation of a smart citizenry. The proposal will be citizen-driven, from the beginning, achieved through citizen consultations, including active participation of groups of people, such as Residents Welfare Associations, Tax Payers Associations, Senior Citizens and Slum Dwellers Associations. During consultations, issues, needs and priorities of citizens and groups of people will be identified and citizen-driven solutions generated.

The Consulting Firms will develop the SCPs for participation in the Challenge.