Procurement Notices

Concept Note

Small Grants activity focused on capacity building and promotion of Enterprise skills, market analysis, investment promotion and value addition in the Development Minerals sector, Fiji

1. Project Background and Objectives

The ACP-EU Development Minerals Programme is a three-year, €13.1 million capacity building program that aims to build the profile, and improve the management, of Development Minerals[1] (industrial minerals; construction materials; dimension stones; and semi-precious stones). The program is an initiative of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States, financed by the European Union and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and implemented by UNDP.

The mining of Development Minerals has important implications for sustainable development, however, they have not received adequate attention for their potential to impact livelihoods; and few development programmes have provided support for this mining sub-sector. Often referred to as Low Value Minerals and Materials (LVMM) due to their low price as a function of their weight, and their relatively low value to international commodity markets, Development Minerals provide crucial inputs for domestic economic development (infrastructure, manufacturing, construction and agriculture to name a few) and have the potential to be high value in terms of national development. In comparison to the metals sector, Development Minerals have closer links with the local economy, and have the potential to generate more local jobs, with a greater impact on poverty reduction. This is partly because the sector is dominated by small and medium scale domestic businesses.

Income generated from this sector often remains unrealized or under-realized. This is in part due to the uncertain laws and policies in which the sector operates and the lack of publicly available and easily accessible geological data, which worsens wasteful exploration and discourages investment in the sector. Furthermore, there can be major social and environmental impacts associated with the mining of Development Minerals, with consequences on health and safety of workers in this sector and surrounding communities.

The ACP-EU Development Minerals project in Fiji utilizes UNDP’s capacity development approach and key stakeholders targeting public stakeholders such as regulatory agencies and local governments; private stakeholders such as small-scale mining enterprises and associations, business development centers; and social stakeholders such as civil society organizations and community groups

Capacity building activities facilitated by the Development Minerals Fiji project:

1. Training of Trainers on Entrepreneurship (Development Minerals)

   The Development Minerals Fiji project formally engaged the services of the National Centre for Small Microenterprises for Development (NCSMED) to facilitate two Training of Trainers workshops on Enterprise skills, market analysis, investment promotion and value addition in the Development Minerals sector, in Viti Levu (Radisson Blu Denarau Hotel, Nadi on 18 – 22 December 2017), and in Vanua Levu (Commissioner Northern’s conference room, Labasa on 12 – 16 February 2018) with the overall aim of improving the capacity of key stakeholders in the Development Minerals sector and creating a strong knowledge base for resource owners. It is hoped that this would add to ongoing efforts to create a sustainable and equitable industry for the extractors and the buyers, laying the foundation for resilient long-term growth. The TOT targeted individuals who were interested in development minerals, as well as industry stakeholders (resource owners, extractors, NGO advocates for environment sustainability and economic empowerment) to be trained as trainers. Upon completion of the TOT, the participants were expected to develop Return to Work Plans, together with a business plan on taking forward the new knowledge gained from the intensive five-day ToT session. The participants were expected to organize district/village training targeting relevant stakeholders at the community level.

    

2. The EIA Consultants & Quarry Operators Workshop (24 – 25 May 2017).

With the Mineral Resources Department (MRD) as the main workshop partner and driver of the program, the ACP-EU Development Minerals project in Fiji facilitated the venue a two day workshop that covered the Vetting and approvals process of EIAs submitted by consultants and access to relevant and timely information by operators/stakeholders; EIA compilation and contents and the need for clear and standard Terms of References; the overlap in responsibilities of the three licensing authorities and the monitoring process of extractive sites; field visits to nominated sites to monitor operations and EIA monitoring.

3. Quarry and Extraction Licensing Standard Operation Procedures workshop (13 October 2017)

A one-day workshop was facilitated under the project for Government and private stakeholders to discuss and review licensing procedures of quarry extraction in rivers and hard rock. The Environment Impact Assessment process plays a pivotal role in development minerals extraction and could never be addressed in detail due to competing Government priorities. This workshop involved stakeholders in the approval of EIAs’ from public offices and to discuss and propose streamlining for the current EIA processes. At the time, the EIA Process from start to finish exceeds the permissible 90 days and private companies with short term contracts are being affected by this lengthy process.

Follow up Activity: Small Grants

As part of the follow up to the above-mentioned events supported under the ACP-EU Development Minerals Fiji project, participants are invited to submit, on behalf of the organisation or group they represent, a ‘Return to Work Plan’, (see Annex A: Template RTWP) on a pilot capacity building activity working with communities and resource owners. In submitting these RTWPs, participants are asked to draw on lessons learned from the capacity building and experiences shared during the workshops. It is expected that the RTWPs will include an activity plan and budget together with an explanation of how the activity contributes to promoting entrepreneurship and environment sustainability amongst resource owners/communities involved in the Development Minerals sector. It is foreseen that the Return to Work Plan will focus on promoting the following areas of the Development Minerals industry context:

1. Reducing negative Environment impacts from the extraction of hard rock, river and sand (Development minerals)

2. Developing or facilitating processes to address conflict arising from extraction, addressing individual and community rights

3. Ensuring decent working conditions (Health and safety);

4. Activities that promote small business development (entrepreneurship),

5. Activities that promote the use of Geo-data and mapping;

6. Activities that improve quarry management

A pre-requisite for submitting a Return to Work Plan under this project is that an individual/member/staff from the submitting organisation should have attended one of the three capacity building events under the Development Mineral’s Fiji project listed earlier. Each Return to Work Plan should have a pilot activity budget of up to USD $5,000 with a tentative timeline of up to three to five months of full implementation, including reporting and acquittal of grant funds. Only registered Non-government organisations/community based organisations are eligible to submit a Return to Work Plan, and organisations must have a valid bank account. A total of 5 small grants will be awarded to successful applicants. The deadline for applicants is 2pm Friday 23rd March 2018. An internal review committee will review applications received before making decision on the award of small grants. Only successful grantees will be notified via e-mail and telephone communication before 6th April 2018. 

The criteria for selection and scoring of proposals/return to Work Plans:

1. Contractual modalities

It is noted that participants to the capacity building workshops supported by the ACP-EU Development Minerals Fiji project in 2017-18 have ranged from representatives from government, non-government organisations, and private sector.

• For NGOs, the Micro-Capital Grant Agreement for Non-Credit related activities will be used for the disbursement of the small grant, as per UNDP policy:

http://www.pacific.undp.org/content/dam/fiji/docs/Procurement/Standard%20Micro-Capital%20Grant%20Agreement%20for%20Non-Credit%20Related%20Activities.docx

• For government and statutory bodies, the standard Letter of Agreement with a Government Institution will be used for the disbursement of funding, as per UNDP policy:

http://www.pacific.undp.org/content/dam/fiji/docs/Procurement/Standard%20LOA%20between%20UNDP%20and%20Gvt%20institution%20IGO%20under%20DIM.DOCX

• For private sector organisations, the standard Professional Services Contract (Face Sheet)  with General terms and conditions for deminis contracts will be used, with payments to be based on agreed deliverables: http://www.pacific.undp.org/content/pacific/en/home/operations/procurement.html

1. SUBMISSION DATE OF THE DRAFT RETURN-TO-WORK PROJECT

2. The Return to Work plan is due by 5pm on 16 April 2018 and should be sent to: registry.fj@undp.org and clearly marked with subject line: Return to Work Plan – Development Minerals Fiji

3. For queries, please contact Mr. Josefa Caniogo, Country Coordinator – Development Minerals Fiji project, on telephone number 3300399 or by e-mail at: josefa.caniogo@undp.org 

Women and/or women led entities are encouraged to apply

Annex A: RETURN TO WORK (RTW) PLANS FOR PARTICIPANTS

1. RETURN-TO-WORK PLANS

Return to Work projects are a valuable mechanism for workshop participants’ personal and professional development. As part of your sponsorship, you are required to develop a return-to-work plan on a project you will undertake on your return, applying the knowledge and skills gained from workshop to influence change.

Periodic follow-up on the progress of implementation of the plan will be undertaken by UNDP, with the first update expected at the 2-month mark. A subsequent follow-up in June 2018 will be undertaken and periodic follow-ups thereafter.

1. REPORTING STRUCTURE FOR RETURN-TO-WORK PLANS

To facilitate ease of reporting and follow-up on your return to work project, the structure below outlines the key project elements that need to be covered in the reporting. Please submit a draft Return to Work Project (RWP) using the structure provided below.

REPORTING STRUCTURE

1. SUBMISSION DATE OF THE DRAFT RETURN-TO-WORK PROJECT

2. The draft Return to Work project is due by 5pm on 16 April 2018 and should be sent to: registry.fj@undp.org and clearly marked with subject line: Return to Work Plan – Development Minerals Fiji

3. For queries, please contact Mr. Josefa Caniogo, Country Coordinator – Development Minerals Fiji project, on telephone number 3300399 or by e-mail at: josefa.caniogo@undp.org 

[1] ‘Development Minerals’ are minerals and materials that are mined, processed, manufactured and used domestically in industries such as construction, manufacturing, and agriculture.