Procurement Notices

A.     Project Title

Strengthening Marine Protected Areas to Conserve Marine Key Biodiversity Areas

B.     Project Description 

The project “Strengthening the Marine Protected Areas to Conserve Marine Key Biodiversity Areas in the Philippines” or SMARTSeas PH, being supported by UNDP and GEF, is currently implemented through the Biodiversity Management Bureau of Department of Environment and Natural Resources. The Project covers five (5) demonstration sites:  Southern Palawan [SP]; Tanon Strait Protected Seascape [TSPS]; Verde Island Passage [VIP]; Lanuza Bay [LB] and Davao Gulf [DG].   Project interventions are implemented in collaboration with Local Responsible Partners [LRPs] on site, namely:  National Fisheries Research and Development Institute [NFRDI] for SP; Rare Philippines for TSPS; Conservation International Philippines Foundation, Inc. for VIP; Haribon Foundation for LB and Kabang Kalikasan sa Pilipinas Foundation, Inc  for DG.  PMU is also collaborating with Provincial Agriculture Office for Oriental Mindoro [PAgO] for ecotourism potentials in their better managed MPAs.

The project seeks to accelerate the establishment of marine protected areas (MPAs) and marine protected area networks (MPANs) to include more key marine biodiversity areas and improve MPA/MPAN management effectiveness to reduce the rapid degradation of marine and coastal habitats and alarming biodiversity loss.

Outcome 2 of the project (Improved Financial Sustainability of MPAs and MPANs), interventions at the national, MPAN, and individual MPA level aims to promote cost efficiencies and cost effectiveness in MPA management, improve and diversify funding sources, enhance capacities for financial and business planning including sound decision making pertaining to resource allocation, and transparent processes for fund management. A functioning system for tracking expenditures and monitoring fund inflows should be in place, firmly supported by an enabling legal and policy framework. The project has formulated four major outputs to achieve this outcome, namely: 

Output 2.1: Benchmark management costs established for MPAs of varying size and potential cost savings or cost efficiencies on average per site identified through consolidation of management functions in MPANs. 

Output 2.2: At least two MPANS (Verde Island Passage and Davao Gulf) implementing financing and business plan targeting increases in revenue generation from the tourism and fisheries sectors. 

Output 2.3 At least five (5) of locally managed MPA in each of five (5) sites have revenue generation schemes in operation, including market-based visitor and service fees for tourism operators, pilot ecological service payments from the fisheries sector and local taxes for conservation and management of key tourism draws.

Output 2.4 MPA financing plans developed and piloted in at least 30% of MPAs in each of five sites, incorporating governance mechanisms to ensure participatory management of revenues and resources involving local communities, local government and national government agencies as appropriate.

To fast track BDFE implementation while consciously capacitating the POs managing the businesses, DENR SMARTSeas PH has engaged the services of Consultants.  Current scope of work of these Consultants include business planning, business planning validation, business development services delivery, and incubation.

To date, the Project’s BDFE intervention have addressed the following requirements:

1. social capital build-up through training on basic meeting management; identification of roles and functions of members and officers;  introduction of what is an enterprise; importance of having regular meetings;  PO networked to possible market and other PO producers  and instilling the concept of equitable distribution of benefits – who works, earns;
2. human capital build-up activities including orientation on BDFE – Technical Bulletin;  tailor-fitted skills training: catering – food service and GMP; ecotourism – basics of CarCAP, etc; snorkeling – life support and WASAR; and  an across sites financial management  training;
3. physical capital build-up, wherein CI provided bamboo and sewing machines, Haribon provided  scissors and solar dryer,  BFAR – crab pens and  TSPS  which facilitated  processing area for its PO, and
4. natural capital build up focusing on sensitization on POs for reduction of waste and pollution – No single plastic use; biowaste depositor in ecotourism sites;  mangroves rehabilitation for  climate change adaptation; catering services of POs undertaking community gardens for reduction of carbon footprints; promotion of circular economy – waste goes to input: trash fish and “sepal” for feeds of crabs and over-all BDFE sensitization that the enterprise has a role in conservation.

An essential requirement though remains lacking:  financial capital.  The Project Document does not state provision of financial capital to output 2.3, it does not prohibit however other modalities the Project will undertake.

Thus, on its 8th Project Board on 20 August 2019, the Project sought board approval to use UNDP’s Low Value Grant (LVG) as modality for financial capital source. The LVG, which is intended for POs engaged in conservation work and is currently capacitated to manage the BDFE requires focused coaching and hand-holding.

C.     Scope of Work

Under the direct supervision of the SMARTSeas PH Project Manager and Outcome 2 Officer, the hired Consultant  shall deliver the following:

1. LVG application facilitation:  
   1. orient POs on the LVG agreement;
   2. based on the business plan, transpose  details into LVG application;
   3. finalize the LVG application with the concerned POs, including responding to comments of LVG application reviewers
   4. facilitate PO bank account opening;
   5. oversee over-all readiness and compliance of PO to LVG agreement.

1. Setting-up of grant projects
   1. Assist the concerned POs in setting-up the approved grant projects in compliance with the LVG agreement;
   2. Ensure that grant projects are set-up on a timely manner and in accordance with the approved financial details of the LVG application;
   3. Assist the concerned POs in setting-up administrative and financial management system;
   4. Assist the concerned POs in coordinating with DENR and LGUs for updates on approved LVGs

1. LVG monitoring:
   1. assist POs in identifying indicators for activity completion;
   2. assist POs in preparing reportorial and other documents required in monitoring;
   3. assist POs in complying with over-all LVG monitoring requirements;
   4. monitoring of cash disbursements for every tranche.

1. Capacity development facilitation:
   1. Provide technical training identified for POs;
   2. prepare instructional materials, templates  suitable for PO use;
   3. for other identified technical training, link or assist POs to undertake training as provided by identified government agencies; private sector institutions and subject matter experts.

1. Knowledge management contribution
   1. Organize all instructional materials used by POs;
   2. Collate all data gathered onsite for possible references;
   3. Coordinate with other sites for knowledge sharing/learning.  
   4. Document and submit bi-monthly progress reports for the approved LVGs, including establishing baseline data of the concerned POs and grant projects

1. Operationalization of the BDFE
   1. Oversee 1st cycle implementation of the BDFE;
   2. Facilitate the assessment of the 1st cycle implementation;
   3. Facilitate the identification and formulation of adjustments in preparation for 2nd cycle.

1. Sustainability and exit strategy
   1. Explore scaling up of enterprise;
   2. Explore entry into big business value chain;
   3. Connect BDFE into MPAN business plan.

1. Provide assistance to PMU Team in developing BDFE toolkit, including modular materials that can be used by BMB in scaling-up BDFE initiatives.

D.     Amended expected Outputs and Deliverables

E.      Institutional Arrangement

The SMARTSeas Project Manager with PMU focal for Outcome 2 shall directly supervise the Consultant, in coordination with  the local responsible partner (LRP). 

At different points during the contract, the Consultant is expected to liaise/interact/collaborate/meet with the SMARTSeas PH project team, DENR BMB, DENR Regional offices, PENRO/CENRO  and LRPs.  As needed, the SMARTSeas PH project staff shall provide logistical assistance to the Consultant in order for her/him to accomplish enumerated outputs.

F.      Duration of the Work[1]

The expected duration of work is estimated to be 150 working days spread over (5) months.  The target date for the start of work is on 03 February 2020 and the completion date is 31 July 2020. The post requires conduct of field work for at least 60 man-days to ensure close hand-holding process together with the partner beneficiaries. All travel expenses during field works in Lanuza Bay shall be covered by the Consultant and should be reflected in the financial proposal. The project will cover the required workshop/training costs and air travel per agreement during the Inception Meeting.

G.     Duty Station

The Consultant is not expected to report on a daily basis to the Project Management Office based in BMB, Quezon City but shall be available on an on-call basis. The post requires conduct of field work for at least 60 man-days to ensure close hand-holding process together with the partner beneficiaries.

H.     Qualifications of the Successful Individual Contractor

I.      Scope of Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments

        The Consultant should send a financial proposal based on a lump-sum amount for the delivery of the outputs identified below. The total amount quoted shall include all cost components required to deliver the services, including professional fees and any applicable costs (i.e. transportation, communications, etc.) to be incurred by the Consultant in completing the assignment.

J.      Recommended Presentation of Offer

For purposes of generating offers whose contents are uniformly presented and to facilitate their comparative analysis, it is best to recommend the preferred contents and presentation of the Offer to be submitted, as well as the format/sequencing of their presentation.  The following documents may be requested:

1. Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided by UNDP;
2. Personal CV or P11, indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references;
3. Brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment, and a methodology, if applicable, on how they will approach and complete the assignment. A methodology is recommended for intellectual services, but may be omitted for support services [Note: this is optional for support services];  
4. Financial Proposal that indicates the all-inclusive fixed total contract price, supported by a breakdown of costs, as per template provided.  If an Offeror is employed by an organization/company/institution, and he/she expects his/her employer to charge a management fee in the process of releasing him/her to UNDP under Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA), the Offeror must indicate at this point, and ensure that all such costs are duly incorporated in the financial proposal submitted to UNDP. 

K.     Criteria for Selection of the Best Offer

1. Combined Scoring method – where the qualifications and methodology will be weighted a max. of 70%, and combined with the price offer which will be weighted a max of 30%; or

[1] The IC modality is expected to be used only for short-term consultancy engagements.  If the duration of the IC for the same TOR exceeds twelve (12) months, the duration must be justified and be subjected to the approval of the Director of the Regional Bureau, or a different contract modality must be considered.  This policy applies regardless of the delegated procurement authority of the Head of the Business Unit.