| Overview : A. Project Title: Project Preparatory – Implementation of SLM Practices to Address Land Degradation and Mitigate Effects of Drought
B. Project Description
Land degradation is currently affecting about 33% of the Earth’s Land Surface and continues to expand and intensify in many parts of the world. As lands become less productive, more forest lands are cleared for agriculture. Further exacerbating this situation is the extensive conversion of good agricultural lands to urban areas due to the high demand of rapid urbanization trends. Highly affected are Africa and Asia where marginal farmers are becoming more vulnerable and threatening their food security and agricultural productivity.
The Philippines is also seriously confronted with this global problem that has wide scale implications on sustained land productivity and biodiversity and has crippling effects on water flow and nutrient cycling of agricultural and forest ecosystems. Land degradation in the Philippines is largely caused by the susceptibility of its soil to erosion due to hilly and mountainous landforms in many parts of the country. The widespread clearing of forest lands in steep, sloping and rolling topography leaves the bare topsoil to accelerated erosion caused by heavy rainfall and consequential erosive force of water run-off. The practice of kaingin (or shifting cultivation) and other forms of unsuitable upland farming in cleared forest areas further worsens the erosion problem and loss of fertile and productive top soils.
To contribute in addressing this problem, the Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM) has proposed to the GEF a project entitled “Implementation of SLM Practices to Address Land Degradation and Mitigate Effects of Drought” which aims to strengthen SLM frameworks to address land degradation processes and mitigate the effects of drought in the Philippines. The GEF has also provided an initial grant to develop and prepare the required UNDP/GEF Project Document and GEF CEO Endorsement. Therefore, to assist the BSWM in preparing the project documents, a Project Development Consultant will be hired to put together all documents and information into a coherent project document.
C. Responsibilities
This Project has a draft document which should be enhanced and improved by the Project Development Expert. Hence, his/her main tasks are the following:
- In close cooperation with the key national stakeholders, compiles/validates/completes the final baseline/situational analysis for the MSP. This will include a precise definition of baseline projects, activities, budgets, goals and co-financial links to GEF outcomes; definition of GEF incremental value per outcome and output; presentation of results of the incremental cost-analysis in matrices. Among other activities, this will require the consultant to develop an appropriate Capacity Development Scorecard from the standard UNDP-GEF Capacity Development Scorecard and score the institutional capacities in place (baseline) as well as establish targets for promoting sustainable forest and land management in the Philippines; (ii) establish the baseline and targets of the % of SLM guidance delivered by the extension services; (iii) develop a land degradation index and establish baseline and targets for each of the target municipalities.
- Corroborates and expands the barrier description outlined in the PIF. This should include: (i) Review of institutions that work on agriculture and forestry and other landuses and the current lack of working collaboratively; (ii) Expand on the lack of coordination of plans and programmes of national government agencies such as DENR, DAR and DA and the general lack of SLM prescriptions in these plans; (iii) Expand on the lack of coordination among extension services especially DENR and DA; (iv) Undertake a capacity assessment of staff of national agencies in regards to SLM; (v) Explain the lack of dedicated funding at LGU-level towards SLM.
- Based on the best international practice, prepares a quantified assessment of global environmental benefits for sustainable land management.
- Analyses the socio-economic benefits of the proposed interventions at national and local levels.
- Based on the international experience, assists in reconfirming/specifying the project strategy, finalizing project sections on: (a) An assessment of the social, economic and financial sustainability of proposed project activities; (b) Assessment of alternatives to the project strategy and establishing the cost effectiveness of the preferred strategy and suite of activities; (c) A replication strategy for project activities; (d) Assessment of the risks to the proposed project activities and identifying measure to mitigate these risks; (e) incremental cost analysis.
- Develops project monitoring and evaluation system (plan and budget) for the MSP including the completed tracking tools for land degradation, including a set of indicators, baselines and targets.
- Elaborates and improves the Project Results Framework based on the approved PIF and ensuring the coherence and logic of the project’s results and resources framework;
- Drafts ToRs for the key consultants/contracts to be employed by the project.
- Elaborates Stakeholder Involvement and Public Participation plans.
- Develops action plan for incorporation of gender aspects in the project, with quantifiable baseline and target indicators, as per GEF and UNDP guidance.
- Conducts environmental and social safeguard screening following the UNDP procedure, producing the checklist and summary report. This will include the undertaking of studies to address any opportunities/risks identified during an environmental and social screening of the project proposal. These will include: (i) integrate within the guidance to be provided to LGUs on the integration of SLM concerns into local development and land use plans steps in which environmental and social impacts are considered and negative impacts mitigated in line with the UNDP ESSP guidance and where positive impacts are promoted’ and (2) during project preparation, the criteria for ensuring that environmental and social issues are considered in the development of the land use plan should be listed and the vulnerable groups impacted prioritized in receiving support in SLM activities.
- Proposes and selects sites within the two selected municipalities (with total combined area of municipalities approximately 20,000 ha) with serious LD issues to demonstrate soil erosion techniques, gully stabilisation, fertility management and rainwater harvesting through small water impounding projects.
- Designs the co-financing arrangement, M&E system, organizational or institutional structure and mechanism and implementation arrangement for the project as part of the Project Document;
- Develops the indicative annual work plans and budget for the Project;
- Prepares the GEF CEO endorsement of the Project;
- Facilitates national consultations or workshops for the development of the Project;
- Accomplishes, with the assistance and inputs from concerned stakeholders, the GEF Land Degradation Tracking Tool
D. Expected Outputs and Deliverables
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Deliverables/ Outputs
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Target Due Dates
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Review and Approvals Required (Indicate designation of person who will review output and confirm acceptance)
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Inception Report
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1 week after contract signing
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1st draft of the enhanced MSP Project Document (following the required outline and template by UNDP and GEF)
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15 September 2014
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2nd draft of the enhanced MSP Project Document with complete annexes
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30 September 2014
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Final Draft of the enhanced MSP Project Document incorporating the comments from UNDP-GEF Regional Office
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30 October 2014
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E. Institutional Arrangement
The UNDP CO in coordination with the Focal Person of BSWM shall directly supervise the Project Development Consultant and his/her output shall be approved and accepted by the UNDP CO with endorsement from UNDP-GEF RTA and BSWM
The BSWM in coordination with UNDP CO shall provide administrative and logistical support particularly in Project Development Expert in convening meetings/round table discussions/focus group discussions and or in visiting sites.
F. Duration of the Work
The expected duration of work is estimated at 30 days spread over 3 months. The target date for the start of work is 01 August 2014 and the completion date is 30 November 2015.
G. Duty Station
The Project Development Expert is not expected to report on a daily basis to UNDP nor to BSWM. S/he shall be notified within a reasonable period of time of pertinent meetings where his/her presence is necessary. All consultation venues will be chosen according to accessibility, availability of appropriate facilities and peace and order.
H. Qualifications of the Successful Individual Contractor
- Master’s degree on development management or economics, agricultural economics, soil science, environmental science or related fields;
- With proven knowledge, experience and expertise in areas of development specifically in 1) project development and formulation; 2) monitoring and evaluation; 3) sustainable land management; 4) gender mainstreaming in sustainable land management; 5) land degradation assessment and 6) global environment issues
- Familiar and up-to-date with national and local programs, projects and initiatives on sustainable land management and in combating desertification and land degradation;
- Preferably with sufficient knowledge of UNDP and GEF and some level of familiarity with its operations;
- Very good command of oral and written English
I. Scope of Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments
The financial proposals from possible candidates should be expressed in lump sum amount inclusive of all financial costs related to this engagement (i.e. transportation/travel to and from residence-Manila and/or within Metro Manila, supplies & materials, reproduction, communications including internet). However, travel costs (eg. fares and DSAs) to sites outside of Metro Manila shall be borne by UNDP. DSA rates will follow the UNDP prescribed rates.
Payment terms are as follows:
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Percentage
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Description
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Deadline
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20%
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Inception Report
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1st week after signing of contract
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20%
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1st draft of the enhanced MSP Project Document (following the required outline and template by UNDP and GEF)
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15 September 2014
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30%
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2nd draft of the enhanced MSP Project Document with complete annexes after presentation and validation to key stakeholders
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30 September 2014
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20%
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Final Draft of the enhanced MSP Project Document incorporating the comments from UNDP-GEF Regional Office
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30 October 2014
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J. Criteria for Selection of the Best Offer
The combined scoring method where the qualifications and methodology will be weighted a maximum of 70%, and combined with the price offer which will be weighted a max of 30% shall be adopted.
CV's and financial proposals maybe submitted on or before 22 July 2014 in the address below:
United Nations Development Programme
30th Floor, Yuchengco Tower, RCBC Plaza
6819 Ayala Avenue corner Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati City
Tel: +63 2 9010100/Fax: +63 2 9010200/8897177
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