UNDP Jobs - 55767- International Consultant- Protected Area and Ecosy

International Consultant- Protected Area and Ecosystem Finance Expert

Location :

Vientiane Capital, LAO PDR

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

18-May-15 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

Home-based with at least two Missions to Lao PDR 10 months (Mid May 2015 to end of February 2016)

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

Home-based with at least two Missions to Lao PDR 10 months (Mid May 2015 to end of February 2016)

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Background

UNDP recognizes that the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services and growing risks and impacts of climate change landscape management for national socio-economic development is requires to urgently invest in a new sustainability development paradigm. In order to response to the challenges and critical treat to Lao Biodiversity and Forestry, UNDP Lao PDR is partnership with the government counterpart, the Department of Forest and Resource Management (DFRM) of the Ministry of Natural Resource and Environment (MONRE) to formulate the new project entitled “Sustainable Forest and Land Management in the Dry Dipterocarp Forest Ecosystems of Southern Lao PDR”. The long term goal of this project is to demonstrate sustainable land and forest management in the forested landscape of Savannakhet Province in order to secure the critical wildlife habitats, conserve biodiversity and maintain a continuous flow of multiple ecosystem services including quality water provision, flood prevention, carbon storage and sequestration.

It will be structured around three areas:

Component 1: Enabling policy environment and increased compliance and enforcement capacities for sustainable land and forest management;
Component 2: Sustainable landscape management demonstrated in priority districts within Savannakhet Province;
Component 3: Developing and promoting incentives and sustainable financing for biodiversity conservation and forest protection;

UNDP is implementing this project at the preparation phase (PPG) from early May 2015 to end of February 2016, to further study and design the full-size project document for the Sustainable Forest and Land Management in the Dry Dipterocarp Forest Ecosystems of Southern Lao PDR.

To ensure the design of the project properly address complexity of protected area, ecosystem service, and sustainable financing issues of conservation of dry dipterocarp forest, UNDP wish to hire a qualified International Protected Area and Ecosystem Finance Expert to serve as a PPG team member. He/she will support a GEF Project Design Specialist in designing, developing and finalizing the comprehensive project document to be submitted to GEF Secretary Office by the end of this year.

Duties and Responsibilities

To hire an International Protected Area and Ecosystem Finance Expert to support GEF Project Design Specialist in assisting the UNDP CO and the government of Lao PDR, to analyses protected area ecosystem and current financing management practice in this sector. He/she will lead the identification and testing any innovation sustainable financing mechanism and approach that should be incorporated in the full size project document for the Sustainable Forest and Land Management in the Dry Dipterocarp Forest Ecosystems of Southern Lao PDR.

This is a 10 month consultancy service, with 35 working days level-of-effort (7 weeks), starting from early May 2015 to end of February 2016. The consultant will be home-based with at least two Missions to Lao PDR. Under supervision of the UNDP Environment Unit Chief and the GEF Project Design Specialist, the consultant will need to undertake the following duties:

Support the GEF Project Design Specialist to develop the comprehensive project document for the implementation phase.

Baseline Assessments:

Describe the lack of understanding and recognition of ecosystem services and their economic values among stakeholders in Savannakhet Province, as well as the lack of sufficient incentives for land managers in Savannakhet Province to manage the land for biodiversity and ecosystem conservation or to expand protected areas in order to enhance protection and connectivit;
Review, describe and assess the existing financing system (the flow of public and private funds) for implementing the conservation and management of agricultural and forest ecosystems in Savannakhet Province;
Describe and quantify the financing of Protected Areas in Savannakhet Province (using the GEF Financial Scorecard), including estimated costs for further expansion of protected areas in the province; identify existing and potential future gaps in financing, and propose project activities to address financing gaps;
Describe the baseline investment programs and amounts (both public and private) related to the project scope (i.e. biodiversity / ecosystem conservation, sustainable forest and land management, etc.) in Savannakhet Province and the target districts;
Undertake an economic feasibility study of options for alternative livelihood practices that are ‘non-detrimental to biodiversity and ecosystem values’, to link directly to the incentive scheme to be established by the project.

Proposal for Project Activities:

Together with the PA/Ecosystem Finance Specialist, describe the necessary policies and regulations on sustainable land and forest management that need to be adopted in order to pave the way for a transformational change in land use practices and financing in Savannakhet Province;
Propose project activities to carry out a valuation of ecosystem services and cost/benefit analysis of other land uses, which can be used to broker additional public finance resources for SFM and PA management (working with UNDP’s Environmental Economist in BPPS as appropriate);
Propose a strategy and related activities for the project to develop and test innovative financing mechanisms, for example public private partnerships to increase funding toward SFM that aligns with any existing mechanism or management system in Savannakhet; the possibility of developing a REDD+ scheme in the Dong Phou Vieng National Protected Area; developing and testing payment for ecosystem services mechanisms; ecotourism based revenue schemes; and establishing an offset scheme with mining companies and other ongoing development projects in the target areas. Provide recommendations on the sites where (i) the testing of innovative financing options will be conducted; and (ii) the villages where the performance based incentive scheme will be implemented;
Identify four wildlife-oriented community-based ecotourism products and develop activities for their implementation;
Together with the Policy/Land Use Expert, complete the Sustainable Forest Management Tracking Tool;
Develop a TOR for an International Consultant to develop the sustainable financing plan for the conservation of protection and conservation forests in 5 targeted districts;
Develop the concept of community Conservation Agreements further and develop a draft agreement to be used during project implementation in which communities are compensated in some economic mannner for opportunities lost due to biodiversity conservation.

Expected Results and Deliverables

The key deliverables of the International Protected Area and Ecosystem Finance Expert are:

Report on understanding of the value of ecosystem services and of possible incentives for managing land / expanding the PA estate in order to benefit biodiversity and ecosystem conservation (based on task 2);
Report on financing mechanisms for agricultural and forest ecosystems in Savannakhet Province (based on task 3);
Report describing PA financing in Savannakhet Province and completed GEF Financial Scorecard (based on task 4);
Description and quantitative estimate of baseline financing (based on task 5);
Economic feasibility study of alternative livelihood options (based on task 6);
Proposal for improved policies and regulations for sustainable land and forest management in Savannakhet Province (based on task 7);
Description of project activities for ecosystem services valuation & land use cost/benefit analyses (based on task 8);
Report outlining the process and approach for establishment of innovative financing mechanisms, including recommendations on proposed sites for project activities (based on task 9);
Develop and get agreement on proposed project activities for four wildlife-based ecotourism products and a workplan for implementation (based on task 10);
Completed Sustainable Forest Management Tracking Tool for the target districts in Savannakhet province (based on task 11);
TOR for an International Consultant to develop the sustainable financing plan for the conservation of protection and conservation forests in 5 targeted districts (based on task 12);
Concept for implementing Conservation Agreements and adraft template agreement (based on task 13).

Competencies

Functional Competencies:

Proven experience in development of sustainable financing through application of REDD, and payment for ecosystem service scheme;
Proven experience in land use planning, protected area conservation, wildlife conservation, ecosystem management, and ecosystem financing;
Work experience in any other South East Asian country will be an advantage;
Strong coordination and management skills;
Strong communication and report writing skills;
Full computer literacy.

Corporate Competencies:

Demonstrates integrity and fairness by modeling UN values and ethical standards;
Displays cultural and gender sensitivity and adaptability;
Treats all people fairly and without favoritism; and
Shows strong corporate commitment.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Minimum of a Masters degree in natural sciences, include sustainable forestry management, land use planning, protected areas management, ecosystem management, biodiversity conservation, financial and economic analysis, or related fields.

Experience::

At least 10 year experience working in sustainable forestry management, protected areas management, ecosystem management, biodiversity conservation, financial and economic analysis, or related fields.

Languages:

Fluency in spoken and written English is required.

Requirements for submission of proposals:

All interested and qualified candidates should apply on-line using the following links:

UNDP Lao PDR Country Office website at http://www.la.undp.org/content/lao_pdr/en/home/operations/jobs/ or
UNDP Jobs at http://jobs.undp.org/cj_view_jobs.com.

In order to make submission please read the attached relevant documents which are also available on our web-site here http://www.la.undp.org/content/lao_pdr/en/home/operations/jobs/:

TOR (Annex I);
Individual Contract & General Terms and Conditions (Annex II);
Offeror's letter to UNDP to confirming interset and availability(Annex III).

Documents to be included when submitting the proposals:

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications:

Technical and Financial Proposal as per Annex III “ Offeror's letter to UNDP confirming interest and availability”:

Explaining why you are the most suitable for the work;
Providing a brief methodology on how you will approach and conduct the work including the work schedule for the delivery of outputs/deliverable;
CV including past experience in similar project and contact reference of at least 3 references for whom you have rendered preferably the similar services.

Financial proposal:

Detailed financial proposal: Lump sum offer with clear cost breakdown against each deliverable.

Note:

The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount, and payment terms around specific and measurable (qualitative and quantitative) deliverables (i.e. whether payments fall in installments or upon completion of the entire contract). Payments are based upon monthly outputs, i.e. upon delivery of the services specified in the TOR. 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 (including travel, per diems, and number of anticipated working days). All envisaged travel costs must be included in the financial proposal. UNDP accept travel costs not exceeding of an economy class air ticket.

Instructions for on-line submissions:

Step 1: Please prepare all required documents electronically;
Step 2: Combine all documents in one single file(preferably in PDF however Word format can be also accepted) and upload to the UNDP Jobs using the links above;
Step 3: After that you will receive an auto reply from the UNDP jobs if your offer is received successfully.

Incomplete proposals or proposals received after the deadline will be rejected.

Please kindly refer to the Terms of Reference Annex I for detailed information on:

Project’s background;

Scope of work and Responsibilities;

Deliverables;

Requirements for Experience and Qualifications.

Cumulative analysis: The award of the contract will be made to a consultant who 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:

Technical Criteria weight:[0.7];
Financial Criteria weight:[0.3].

Only a consultant obtaining a minimum of 50 points in the technical rating would be considered for the financial evaluation.

Note: Any request for clarification must be sent in writing to the following e-mail: chitlatda.keomuongchanh@undp.org with CC to phadthakone.sophavilay@undp.org

UNDP Lao PDR will respond in writing by standard electronic mail and will send written copies of the response, including an explanation of the query without identifying the source of inquiry, to all consultants.

Please note that only short-listed candidates will be notified.

Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

For more detailed information about UNDP Lao PDR please visit our website at http://www.la.undp.org/lao_pdr/en/home.html