Overview
Rwanda’s agricultural sector requires world-class veterinary diagnostic
infrastructure to protect livestock health, manage transboundary disease
outbreaks, and underpin the country’s food security systems. FAO engaged
SETAC to conduct a comprehensive technical, environmental, economic,
and operational feasibility assessment for the construction of Rwanda’s
National Reference Veterinary Laboratory — and to provide engineering
design and supervision support throughout implementation. This flagship
assignment demonstrates SETAC’s capacity to deliver specialist facility
consultancy beyond its traditional East African operating base.
SETAC’s specialist team evaluated site conditions and infrastructure
requirements for a facility capable of BSL-2 and BSL-3 biosafety
containment operations. Architectural and engineering design proposals
were reviewed and developed in alignment with international biosafety and
biosecurity standards. Detailed BOQs, cost-benefit analyses, and complete
procurement dossiers were prepared — all aligned with FAO’s contractual
obligations and Rwanda’s national biosafety regulatory framework. The
assignment required seamless integration of civil, structural, mechanical,
and electrical engineering expertise alongside specialist biosafety
containment design advisory input.
THE CHALLENGE
Designing and evaluating a specialist laboratory facility requires
knowledge far beyond standard civil engineering — including biosafety
containment systems, specialised HVAC and ventilation for pathogen
handling, and regulatory compliance across multiple international
frameworks. SETAC assembled a multidisciplinary specialist team that
combined core engineering disciplines with biosafety advisory expertise,
delivering a feasibility and design product that met FAO’s highest
international standards for veterinary laboratory infrastructure.