Procurement Notices

Project Title

 Project Preparation: “Securing Long-Term Sustainability of Multi-functional Landscapes in Critical River Basins of the Philippines”

Project Description 

The Global Environment Facility (GEF) in its the 7th replenishment (GEF-7),  with a view to maintain or improve ecosystem services, land productivity, food security, and to increase the resilience of the land and the populations dependent on it, provides supports to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)’s Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) concept.  Similarly, the GEF-7 Biodiversity Focal Area programming responds directly to the GEF7 Four-year Framework of Program Priorities agreed by countries at CBD COP-13, as well as the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity, 2011-2020. Specifically, the proposed Biodiversity Focal Area is built around achieving the Four-year Programs three objectives: (i) Mainstream Biodiversity Across sectors as Well as Within Production Landscapes and Seascapes, (ii) Reduce Direct Drivers of Biodiversity Loss, and (iii) Strengthen Biodiversity Policy and Institutional Frameworks. Moreover, the GEF to continue and further enhance means to harness opportunities for leveraging synergies among the Rio Conventions and other relevant multilateral environmental agreements.

In line with the GEF-7 strategic synergistic programming for Land Degradation and Biodiversity, the project “Securing Long-Term Sustainability of Multi-functional Landscapes in Critical River Basins of the Philippines” aims to create an enabling environment for the realization of the National Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) target and to mainstream biodiversity-friendly agricultural practices (BDFAP) in the Cagayan de Oro River Basin (CDORB) through national policy framework implementation and capacity strengthening. More specifically, the project will focus on three distinct project outcomes which are:

(1) Enabling policy environment created for LDN and BDFAP and capacity for integrated landscape management enhanced at sub-national level leading to improved biodiversity and ecosystem services in the Cagayan de Oro River Basin (CDORB)  (covering Statute development for multi-sectoral coordination, Guideline development for fund raising, optimization and use of strategy and trade-off analysis tools, revision of CDORB Comprehensive Land Use Plan, and capacity building of CDORB Management Council (CDORBMC) and other sub-national level entities);

(2) Improved management of 58,159 ha of cultivated landscapes ensured by smallholder farmers, IP communities and multi-national companies through adoption of SLM practices and BDFAP (covering adoption of SLM practices and BDFAP, demonstration of traditional agrobiodiversity farming systems, development of markets and marketing strategies for selected local-traditional crops, establishment of incentive schemes including payment for ecosystem services and implementation of SLM mainstreaming guidelines); and

(3) Capacity and awareness of stakeholders raised on SLM, LDN, BDFAP and integrated landscape management approaches by effective knowledge management, and M&E (covering development of knowledge and communication products, documenting traditional agrobiodiversity knowledge and practices, establishing and running an online knowledge exchange portal and project monitoring and evaluation).

Table 1. brief description of the Project’s objectives, grant amounts, components, project location and the PPG team composition

UNDP, in collaboration with the Governments of the Philippines, seeks to engage a qualified national Environmental and Social Safeguards Specialist to finalize the SESP and to prepare an Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) for the project.

The PPG will support all the preparatory work required to draft and finalize all the documentation required by the GEF for CEO Endorsement. The PPG phase will be underpinned by a participatory approach, with regular consultation and working meetings with all key PPG stakeholders throughout the PPG phase. Specific attention will be given to gender issues by undertaking a gender analysis to ensure optimal involvement of women in, and beneficiation from project interventions.

Scope of Work

Role:

The National Natural Resources Management (NRM) and Sustainable Land Management Specialist will serve as the Lead National Consultant of the PPG Team. The consultant will take the lead in coordinating the development of project interventions and baseline assessments at project targeted landscapes in CDORB. The consultant will be responsible for the preparation of a detailed landscape profile report, for assessing site needs and capacities, and for defining appropriate project targets and interventions. He/she will be responsible for providing inputs on improving the Sustainable Land Management (SLM) and Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) practices as well as Biodiversity-Friendly Agricultural Practices (BDFAP) in the Philippines. The consultant will be responsible for ensuring coordinated work among PPG National Team members.

Responsibilities:

The list below outlines key responsibilities and deliverables of this contract. The PPG Initiation Plan for these projects provides further and more detailed guidance regarding the responsibilities of the prospective PPG team and must be consulted accordingly.

1)      Management of the PPG team:

a.     Support the GEF PPG Team Leader with management of the PPG Team, ensuring coordination between individual national consultants;

2)       Preparatory Technical Studies and Reviews (Component A): Prepare inputs and support the required analyses/studies, as agreed with the GEF PPG Team Leader, including:

a.    Lead development of the project landscape profile report for project targeted landscapes in CDORB; ecological significance of CDORB and gaps in the current SLM and BDFAP processes and engagements; local activities obstructing or counteracting current/future engagement for active implementation of SLM and BDFAP; baseline initiatives including local government and community related to SLM, LDN and BDFAP as well as livelihood/business development in the CDORB area; opportunities and priorities for community involvement with a specific reference to SLM and BDFAP and establishment of business initiative related to traditional agrobiodiversity systems;

b.    For the selected project areas determine, through analysis, the appropriate SLM, BDFAP and agrobiodiversity conservation models and techniques including the handling and management of Chemical and Invasive Alien Species;

c.    Identify appropriate Results Framework indicators and targets related to SLM and BDFAP planning and implementation; collect baseline data for the relevant indicators (including the GEF Core Indicators); choose the means of measurement; and define targets, key risks, and assumptions linked to these indicators;

d.    Support the stakeholder analysis, consultations and co-financing contributions, particularly with national-level stakeholders and private sector, and ensure that they are complete and comprehensive;

e.    Determine the projects carbon sequestration benefits using the FAO EX-ACT tool.

f.     Facilitate the completion of appropriate maps for project landscape and sites, liaising with the provincial and local agricultural bureaus and local academia for provision of the required maps;

g.    Using the UNDP Capacity Development Scorecard, undertake a capacity assessment to establish baseline scores and propose mid-term and end-of-project targets for institutional and financing capacities to be developed by the Project in close coordination with the other PPG Team members;

h.    Complete baseline and target values for GEF core indicators related to the project sites;

i.      Facilitate discussions on climate screening; 

j.      Support the completion of any additional studies that are determined to be needed for the preparation of the ProDoc and all other final outputs as guided by the PPG Team Leader.

k.    Provide relevant quality text sections for the ProDoc package (including annexes) on the aspects mentioned above;

l.      Prepare in consultation with the national consultants and relevant government counterparts, the draft of the supporting activity sets which will enable the achievement of the project outputs;

m.  Prepare in consultation with the national consultants and relevant government counterparts, the draft of the project budget;

n.    Prepare in consultation with the PPG Team Leader, the national consultants and relevant government counterparts, the draft list of consultants and subcontractors needed for the full project and the related TORs;

3)      Contributions to the Formulation of the ProDoc, CEO Endorsement Request and Mandatory and Project Specific Annexes (Component B):

a.     Provide relevant quality text sections for the ProDoc package on the aspects mentioned above.

4)      Support to Securing Co-Financing Letters:

a.     Facilitate discussions with government, private sector and CSO partners on co-financing

5)      Validation Workshop (Component C):

a.     Participate in and contribute to the validation workshop.

b.    Support necessary revisions that arise during the workshop, as appropriate.

6)      Final Deliverables:

a.       A detailed landscape profile report for the project targeted areas in CDORB, including ecological significance of CDORB and the threats/impacts towards these, baseline activities, project site-based interventions for SLM and BDFAP, key policy, institutional and financing management issues and concerns, assessment of traditional agrobiodiversity farming systems in CDORB and project site maps (to be obtained from government or academia);

b.       Catalog of potential SLM/BDFAP activities suitable for the demonstration sites;

c.       EX-ACT tool calculations for carbon sequestration benefits;

d.       Capacity assessment report that includes: (i) baseline Capacity Scorecards of selected national and local stakeholders; (ii) results of assessment of existing SLM and BDFAP-related institutional arrangements and stakeholders’ capacities; (iii) results of assessment of existing tools, training modules and capacity-building activities related to multifunctionality and trade-off analysis; and (iv) recommendations and roll-out strategy on capacity-building aspect of the Project;

e.       Climate Screening Tool using the STAP Climate Screening Tool;

f.        Signed co-financing letters; and

g.       Appropriate inputs provided to the Final Project Document and Annexes, as agreed with the PPG Team Leader.

Expected Outputs and Deliverables

Institutional Arrangement

 ·       The Consultant will work under the direct guidance of the PPG Team Leader and will report to the environmental focal point in UNDP Philippines;

·       The Consultant will be given access to relevant information necessary for execution of the tasks under this assignment;

·       The Consultant is expected to be reasonably flexible with his/her availability during the PPG tasks;

·       Payments will be made upon submission of certification of payment form, and acceptance and confirmation by CO and RTA, and outputs delivered. If the quality does not meet standards or requirements, the consultant will be asked to rewrite or revise (as necessary) the document before proceeding to payment. 

Duration of the Work

The expected work duration maximum 60 working days, spread over from August 2020 to November 2021.

Duty Station

·       The Consultant will be Philippines-based with mission(s) to the project sites;

·       For meetings related to the project, UNDP will cover all cost of travel to Metro Manila, if the consultant’s duty station is outside Metro Manila;

·       There will be visits to the project demonstration sites, the COVID19 travel restrictions permitting. Due to the COVID19 travel restrictions the missions could be organized virtually; In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and declaration of State of Public Health Emergency in the Philippines, all work and travel of the Individual consultant shall be done within the guidelines and protocols set by the local and national government. Field work, trainings, meetings, and coordination shall be done in compliance with community quarantine policies;

·       Any necessary site visit travel must be approved in advance by the CO focal point;

·       The BSAFE course must be completed before the commencement of travel;

·       Individual Consultants are responsible for ensuring they have vaccinations/inoculations when traveling to certain countries, as designated by the UN Medical Director;

·       Consultants are also required to comply with the UN security directives set forth under https://dss.un.org/dssweb/; 

·       Travels to site visits will be arranged and shouldered by the UNDP CO;

·       In the case of unforeseeable travel, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between the respective business unit and Individual Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed based on provision of supporting documentation.

Scope of Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments

·       The Contractor should send the financial proposal based on a lump-sum amount for the delivery of the outputs identified below. The total amount quoted shall be “all inclusive” (professional fees, medical insurance, communications, transportation, insurance, etc.) that could possibly be incurred by the Contractor should be factored into the final amount submitted in the proposal. Travel, as deemed relevant by UNDP and compliant with government guidelines on community quarantine, will be arranged and paid for by UNDP and should not be included in the financial proposal.

·       Medical/health insurance must be purchased by the individual at his/her own expense, and upon award of contract, the Contractor must be ready to submit proof of insurance valid during contract duration

·       The contract price will be fixed output-based price. Any deviations from the output and timeline will be agreed upon between the Contractor and the UNDP.

·       Payments will be done upon satisfactory completion of the delivery by target due dates. Outputs will be certified by the environmental focal point in UNDP Philippines prior to release of payments.

Corporate Competencies:

·       Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards;

·       Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;

·       Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;

·       Treats all people fairly without favoritism.

·       Demonstrable experience in the technical area of biodiversity conservation, ecosystem management, sustainable development, or closely related area. Specific experience in Integrated Landscape Management, Sustainable Agriculture, Sustainable Commodity Production, or similar is an asset;

·       Demonstrable experience with GEF project development, implementation and/or evaluation, including formulation of biodiversity conservation projects with capacity development elements.

Functional Competencies:

 ·       Able to communicate effectively in writing to a varied and broad audience in a simple and concise manner.

·       Capable of working in a high- pressure environment with sharp and frequent deadlines, managing many tasks simultaneously;

·       Excellent analytical and organizational skills;

·       Exercises the highest level of responsibility and be able to handle confidential and politically sensitive issues in a responsible and mature manner.

·       Works well in a team;

·       Projects a positive image and is ready to take on a wide range of tasks;

·       Focuses on results for the client;

·       Welcomes constructive feedback; and

·       Fluent English language (both oral and written) and excellent communication and presentation skills, particularly in the preparation of written documents.

Qualifications of the Successful Individual Contractor

Clearly define and indicate the following:

Recommended Presentation of Offer

 Offerors must upload in one (1) file the documents below:

 You may download the editable version of the Offeror's Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability for the IC by clicking on this link: http://gofile.me/6xdJm/bE9TCw8fU

·       Applicants must submit a duly completed and signed UNDP Personal History form (P11) and/or CV including Education/Qualification, Professional Certification, Employment Records /Experience;

·       Applicants must submit a duly completed and signed Annex II Offeror´s letter to UNDP confirming interest and availability for the Individual Contractor (IC) assignment.

·       Applicants must submit a Financial Proposal that indicates the all-inclusive fixed total contract price. In order to assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals, the financial proposal will include a breakdown of this lump sum amount and number of anticipated working days), 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.  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.  The financial proposal must be submitted separately from other documents. 

Criteria for Selection of the Best Offer

 ·       Only those applications which are responsive and compliant will be evaluated. Incomplete applications will not be considered;

·       Offers will be evaluated according to the Combined Scoring method - where the technical criteria will be weighted at 70% (qualifications) and the financial offer will be weighte