Background

In line with the UN Partnership Assistance Framework with the Royal Thai Government (2012-2016) the proposal for ‘Sustainable Management Models for Local Government Organisations to Enhance Biodiversity Protection and Utilization in Selected Eco-regions of Thailand’, was developed by the Biodiversity-based Economy Development Office (BEDO), and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), for funding support from the Global Environment Facilities (GEF).

The proposed project aims to mainstream biodiversity conservation priorities into the performance management, development planning and budgeting systems of local government in Thailand.  For full details on the Project Identification Form (PIF), please refer to Annex I.

The PIF and the project preparation grant have been approved by GEF’s Chief Executive Office.  As per GEF project development procedures, the next step is to develop the project document for the full-sized project which will include:

Technical Review

• Baseline data collection;
• Studies on environmental and social impacts, feasibility studies on incentive package to vulnerable groups, and gender analysis;
• Identification of specific sites for intervention;
• Integration with development plans, policies, budgets and complementary projects;
• Completion of GEF focal area tracking tools: BD202;
• Stakeholder consultations during technical review.

Institutional arrangements, monitoring and evaluation

• Finalization of project results framework;
• M&E work plan;
• Sustainability plan;
• Project board structure;
• Stakeholders consultations during this stage .

Financial planning and co-financing investments.

Validation workshop

• Completion of final documentation including CEO endorsement request form and translation of project document into Thai language and any further documentation required for preparing the implementation.

Duties and Responsibilities

Objective of the assignment

The Biodiversity/GEF Project Design Specialist is expected to produce a comprehensive UNDP Project Document, GEF CEO Endorsement Request and Annexes including, UNDP capacity assessment scorecard, GEF tracking tools, and co-financing letters and others as required.

 Scope of Work

The Biodiversity/GEF Project Design Specialist is responsible for coordinating the work of all other consultants, and will ensure the quality and timely preparation of all reports and documentation with a mission to Thailand and home-based work.  In executing PPG Component 5 and supporting the other PPG Components, the consultant will carry out the following tasks:

• Provide an overall orientation to the PPG team in relation to GEF requirements for project planning and monitoring;
• Provide methodological guidance for data collection related to project planning and monitoring with particular attention given to the description and quantification of the baseline investments;
• Compile and share with the national PPG team and stakeholders the international best experience in policy development, legal and regulatory frameworks and enforcement systems for effective decision making on development projects and infrastructure placement in which the mitigation hierarchy of avoid-mitigate-offset impacts on biodiversity is emplaced;
• Describe the steps to be undertaken in order to ensure that LGO decisions on development projects and infrastructure placement include the mitigation hierarchy of avoid-mitigate-offset;
• Describe the necessary steps to increase management and compliance monitoring capacity at LGO-level;
• Further describe and cost the programmatic baseline projects as discussed in the PIF; analyses weaknesses and gaps in these, and identify opportunities for joint action/identification for co-financing. This will among others include (i) Describe in detail the objectives and actions, as well as its costing, of the 5-year Biodiversity-based Economy Development Action Plan (2012 – 2016); and its relationship to the proposed project; (ii)Describe in detail the objective and actions, as well as its costing, of the 4-year Action Plan of the Department of Local Administration (DOLA) (2014 – 2017) and its relationship to the proposed project; (iii) Describe in detail the investment BEDO will be making during the project period in promoting biodiversity and ecotourism in the six sub-districts of Bang Krachoa. These will include among others the funding in order to increase the quality and quantity of ‘Nam Dok Mai’ mangoes, encouraging the private sector in conservation schemes, establishment of a organic farming group to reduce fertilizer and pesticide use, increasing the use of innovative waste management and waste water treatment systems and promotion of ecotourism; (iv) Describe in detail the investment and activities that will be supported by the six TAOs in environmental management including biodiversity management over the project period; (v) Describe in detail the investment and activities that the Royal Forestry Department will make in the conservation of the 200 ha area under their tenure and the investment that the Asia Pacific Network will make in Sustainable Forest Management and Rehabilitation channeled through the RFD for the promotion of ecotourism; (vi) Describe in detail the activities and the costing of activities that will be undertaken during the project period by the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources in collaboration with the Department of Fisheries and 4 Local Government Organizations in the Don Hoi Lot project site to (a) enhance local participation in sustainable harvesting of razor clams; (b) provide artificial reefs to rehabilitate spawning ground for marine species; (c) and support local and provincial regulations to enforce sustainable use; and (vii) Describe in detail the activities and investment that will be made by the four local government organizations in the Don Hoi Lot area (Laem Yai, Klong Kone, Bang Jakreng, and Bangkaew) to promote eco-tourism and environmental rehabilitation;
• Based on the inputs from national experts and in close cooperation with the key national stakeholders compiles final baseline/situational analysis for the FSP. 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;
• Based on the inputs from national experts and the best international practice, prepares a quantified assessment of global environmental benefits for biodiversity conservation;
• 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;
• Based on national experts inputs, develops project monitoring and evaluation system for the MSP including the completed tracking tool for BD and a set of indicators, baselines and targets;
• Elaborates a Strategic Result Framework of the project;
• Prepares M&E plan and budget;
• Based on national experts inputs, drafts ToRs for the key consultants/contracts to be employed by the project;
• Based on national experts input, elaborates Stakeholder Involvement and Public Participation plans;
• Develop action plan for incorporation of gender aspects in the project, with quantifiable baseline and target indicators, as per GEF and UNDP guidance;
• Define recommended project monitoring and evaluation indicators;
• Performing final reviews of the required project documentation;
• Conduct environmental and social safeguard screening following the UNDP procedure, producing the checklist and summary report. This will include: a) providing quality assurance for the review of good practices nationally and from elsewhere in the region pertaining to land use planning tools and approaches to identify, in particular listing of potential impacts and risks (both positive and negative) that may arise due to application of such planning tools and approaches; b) ensure integration of identified measures and those recommended as good practice from elsewhere to reduce risks and enhance positive benefits in the region into the project design; c) ensuring that community level consultations have taken place and are documented and ensuring the integration of their views, concerns and interests are integrated into the design of the project approach and interventions; d) provide advice on formulating the TOR and conduct of the feasibility studies for site level activities to integrate biodiversity friendly practices so that they are socially acceptable, environmentally friendly and economically viable; e) and provide guidance and ensure that a detailed gender analysis is carried out and that identified gender roles, different responsibilities and access related to natural resource management are integrated into project design to ensure that project interventions do not negatively affect gender equality. And f) conduct studies to determine the environmental and social impacts that will result from the implementation of the local development plans and strategies that incorporate conservation values of Bang Krachao and Don Hoi Lot sites through: (i) development of a BD database for each of the sites to aid landscape modeling/planning and monitoring of impacts of BD and ecosystems; (ii) undertake Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEA) for the two sites to document causes or drivers of BD and ecosystem loss and provide recommendations to avoid such impacts; and (iii) development of Participatory Land/Coastal Management Plans for the areas and aligning the local development plans and action plans with these. During project preparation, the criteria for ensuring that environmental and social issues are considered in the development of the two land use management plans should be listed and the vulnerable groups impacted prioritized in receiving support in sustainable livelihood activities.

The key deliverable of the Biodiversity/GEF Project Design Specialist will be a final comprehensive project document in both GEF and UNDP formats and the CEO Endorsement Request in a style accessible to senior policy makers. The document should make full use of figures, diagrams and boxes to bring out key points and summarize materials emerging from the PPG phase.

Preparation of this key deliverable will include quality control and final formulation of the following indicative sections of a UNDP/GEF compliant project document:

• Situation Analysis (including proposal sections on context, threats/root causes/barriers analysis, institutional/sectoral/policy context, stakeholder analysis, business-as-usual-analysis, gender issue analysis, indigenous groups, business-with-GEF-analysis);
• Project Strategy (including proposal sections on project rationale and policy conformity, project goal, objective, outcomes, outputs and activities, project indicators, risks and assumptions, country ownership, sustainability and replicability);
• Institutional and Management Arrangements;
• Monitoring and Evaluation Plan and Budget;
• Incremental Cost Analysis (including systems boundary, Summary of costs, additional cost matrix);
• Strategic Results Framework (formerly Logical Framework Analysis);
• Total Budget and First Annual Work plan;
• Project Organigram;
• Project timetable;
• Terms of Reference for Project staff and main consultants and sub-contracts;
• Stakeholder involvement Plan with a focus on indigenous groups;
• Letters of Endorsement and co-financing;
• Annexes and additional information annexes including UNDP Environmental and Social Screening.

These sections are indicative; as templates may be subject to change, the GEF Project Design Specialist will be required to obtain guidance by the UNDP/GEF Regional Technical Advisor and UNDP CO on applicable formats and templates and ensure that his/her work is compliant with UNDP/GEF and UNDP CO requirements.

Remark: SEA is a systematic, on-going process for evaluating, at the earliest appropriate stage of publicly accountable decision-making, the environmental quality, and consequence, of alternative visions and development intentions incorporated in policy, planning and programme intiatives, ensuring full integration of relevant biophysical, economic, social and political considerations (Partidario, 1999).

Final Products

The consultant is expected to deliver following outputs:

• UNDP Project Document;
• GEF CEO Endorsement Request;
• Annexes including, UNDP capacity assessment scorecard, GEF tracking tools, and co-financing letters, and others as required.

Two working weeks after submission of each output milestone for review/approval of deliverables to authorizing payments.

Contract Duration:

The consultant will work for 40 working days during the period from 14 November 2014 to 28 February 2015.

Duty Station:

Home-based with travel to Bangkok and selected sites in Samut Prakarn and Samut Songkram Province in Thailand (up to 2 trips, 5 days per trip). Local travel, to the selected sites in Samut Prakarn and Samut Songkram Province, will be arranged by UNDP Thailand.

Provision of Monitoring and Progress Controls:

The consultant will report to the Programme Analyst of the Environment Unit, UNDP Thailand and/or UNDP/GEF Regional Technical Specialist on Biodiversity, UNDP Asia Pacific Regional Centre in Bangkok.

Documents to be included when submitting proposal;

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications. Please group them into one (1) single PDF document as the application only allows to upload maximum one document:

• Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided in Annex II;
• Personal CV in P11 template, 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;
• Technical proposal, including a) a brief description of why you are the most suitable for the assignment; and b) a methodology on how you will approach and complete the assignment;
• Financial proposal, Consultant must send a financial proposal based on the breakdown of the all-inclusive amount as per Annex II template.

Incomplete proposals may not be considered.

UNDP P.11 Form can be downloaded from http://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/library/corporate/Careers/P11_Personal_history_form.doc.

Financial proposal:

The contract will be based on lump sum payment.

Consultant must send a financial proposal based on the breakdown of the all-inclusive amount. To submit Financial Proposal, please use Template of Submission of Financial Proposal provided in Annex II.

The total amount quoted shall be all-inclusive and include all costs components required to perform the deliverables identified in the TOR, including professional fee, travel costs, living allowance (if any work is to be done outside the IC´s duty station) and any other applicable cost to be incurred by the IC in completing the assignment. The contract price will fixed output-based price regardless of extension of the herein specified duration.

 Payments will be done upon completion of the deliverables/outputs and as per below percentages:

• Deliverable 1 Detailed work plan and approach: 10% of total contract amount;
• Deliverable 2 Baseline data collection and reports on stakeholders consultation: 20% of total contract amount;
• Deliverable 3 First draft of the project document with key components of project logical framework, strategies, stakeholder engagement plan, project institutional design and the completion of the national stakeholders workshop : 40% of total contract amount;
• Deliverable 4 Final project document, GEF CEO endorsement request and all annexes by UNDP/HQ to be submitted to GEF: 30% of total contract amount.

In general, UNDP shall not accept travel costs exceeding those of an economy class ticket. Should the IC wish to travel on a higher class he/she should do so using their own resources. In the event of unforeseeable travel not anticipated in this TOR, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between the respective business unit and the Individual Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed.

Evaluation:

The award of the contract will be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

• Responsive/compliant/acceptable; and
• Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.

Technical Criteria weight; 70%

• Relevance of Education: 75 points;
• Special skill, Language, etc: 75 points;
• Relevance of experience in area of specialization (e.g. climate change mitigation and biodiversity): 75 points;
• Relevance of experience in key areas (e.g. conducting project development research, project formulation and management): 75 points;
• Assessment of approach/methodology to assignment: 125 points
• Availability: 75 points.

Financial Criteria weight; 30%

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 350 technical points would be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

Competencies

Functional Competencies:

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills;
• Strong analytical, reporting and writing abilities skills;
• Proficiency in the use of office IT applications and internet in conducting research;
• Outstanding communication, project management and organizational skills;
• Excellent presentation and facilitation skills.

Core Competencies:

• Openness to change and ability to receive/integrate feedback;
• Ability to plan, organize, implement and report on work;
• Ability to work under pressure and tight deadlines;
• Comprehensiveness knowledge of climate change mitigation and biodiversity with at least five years of experience in conducting project development research, project formulation and management.
• Demonstrates integrity and ethical standards;
• Positive, constructive attitude to work;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Required Skills and Experience

Academic Qualifications:

• Holding an advanced degree in natural resources management, environmental studies, social sciences and/or related field.

Experience:

• At least 5 years of experience in conducting project development research, project formulation and management;
• Experience in successfully preparing UNDP and GEF project documents, essential;
• Work experience in any othe South East Asia country preferred;
• Familiarity with working in multicultural environment.

 Language:

• Fluency of English language both spoken and written is required.