Background

The project entitled “Enhancing Effectiveness and Financial Sustainability of Protected Areas in Malaysia” (PA Financing) has been implemented by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) and supported by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) with Global Environment Facility (GEF) grant financing since 5 June 2012.  There are three project outcomes as follows:

• Outcome 1: Systemic and Institutional Capacities to manage and financially support a national PA system
• Outcome 2: Technical and institutional capacities to manage sub-national PA networks including capacities for effective financial management
• Outcome 3: Effective site-level PA management

Under the Outcome 1, one of the project outputs is “budgetary Framework created to increase financial support for PAs, allocated on the basis of performance”. Demonstration of total economic value of protected areas towards local, sub-national and national economy, and social well-being can serve as a strong motivation and justification for government agencies which are responsible for public finance allocation such as Economic Planning Unit, Ministry of Finance and State Governments to increase financing and investments for the whole protected area system in Peninsular Malaysia.

The PA Financing project aims to develop strong evidence base for increased financing and investments for terrestrial protected area system in Peninsular Malaysia through the assessment of The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity of Terrestrial Protected Areas (TEEB PA) in Peninsular Malaysia. Results of the TEEB of Protected Areas will feed into the development of sustainable financing plans for protected area networks in Peninsular Malaysia and the development of Malaysia Biodiversity Finance Plan under UNDP Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN).

The Project Document can be downloaded from the following web link: http://www.my.undp.org/content/malaysia/en/home/operations/projects/environment_and_energy/enhancing-effectiveness-and-financial-sustainability-of-protecte.html.

Duties and Responsibilities

The purpose of this assignment is to engage an Environmental Economist as part of the TEEB PA team under the leadership and supervision of the Lead Environmental Economist@Team Leader (advertised in a separate procurement notice), to conduct TEEB PA in Peninsula Malaysia. The TEEB PA assessment aims to:

• demonstrate total economic value and contribution of terrestrial protected areas in Peninsula Malaysia through site-level total economic valuation assessment focusing on three target protected areas namely Taman Negara National Park; Royal Belum State Park and Endau-Rompin National Park;
• estimate and/or extraplorate site-level economic valuation results to reflect the economic value of the entire terrestrial protected area system in Peninsular Malaysia, for building a strong economic case for sustainable financing for protected areas.

The Environmental Economist will report to the Lead Environmental Economist@Team Leader, The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity of Terrestrial Protected Areas (TEEB PA) in Peninsula Malaysia.

 He/she will undertake the following tasks:

1. Stocktake and conduct initial review of past and current total economic valuation assessments/studies on biodiversity and ecosystem services in terrestrial protected areas in Peninsula Malaysia.
   • Gather, consolidate and conduct initial review of past, current or planned assessments/studies by relevant government agencies, higher learning institutes and Regional Corridors;
   • Undertake gap analysis by doing comparative analysis of the past works: - areas covered and representation of ecosystem services; methodologies applied and the relevance; validity/usefulness of findings and outputs produced;
   • Undertake stakeholders’ analysis especially engaging key stakeholders such as Ministry of Finance; Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment; Economic Planning Unit and State Governments and prepare a draft stakeholder analysis matrix as annex to the TEEB PA assessment report.   
2. Prepare an outline with synopsis and methodology for The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity of Terrestrial Protected Areas (TEEB PA) in Peninsular Malaysia.
   • Undertake consultation with stakeholders particularly the appropriate economic valuation methods;
   • Write up the methodology in detail;
   • Prepare the outline with synopsis of TEEB PA.
3. Undertake socio-economic survey for primary data collection and conduct economic valuation analysis to measure and estimate the current and potential contributions of Taman Negara National Park, Royal Belum State Park and Endau-Rompin National Park to the national, state and local economies, and extrapolate the site level results to estimate the value of the entire terrestrial PA system in Peninsula Malaysia.
   • The economic analysis should provide quantitative results measuring annual flows of direct use values generated within the PAs; annual flows of direct use values generated outside or surrounding areas of PAs but attributable to the existence of PAs; annual flows of income due to the non-use values associated with PAs.
4. Conduct cost-benefit analysis to estimate the economic rate of return on government financial investments in protected area management by measuring capital and recurrent costs involved in maintaining and expanding the entire PA system.
5. Draft the final comprehensive TEEB PA assessment report and one summary TEEB PA report and presentation slides for policy-makers; and prepare & complete three summary TEEB reports for Taman Negara National Park, Royal Belum State Park and Endau-Rompin National Park under the technical guidance of Lead Environmental Economist.
   • The comprehensive TEEB PA assessment report should also include options and approaches for up-scaling and integrating economic contributions of ecosystems and biodiversity of the three PAs into the national development plans and underline the needs for increased investment in the protection of these PAs.

Methodology:

The Environmental Economist will employ a number of investigative, analytical and consultative methods and tools to be elaborated in the technical proposal by potential applicants:

• Primary valuation or value transfer methods to assess the total economic values of Taman Negara National Park, Royal Belum State Park and Endau-Rompin National Park;
• Quantitative and/or qualitative survey;
• Use of maps, spatial data and GIS, and relevant economic models/tools such as InVEST in valuation process and representation of valuation results is highly recommended;
• Data collection from public domains and official documents including policies and plans, annual financial reports, economic valuation reports, etc;
• Literature review on economic valuation assessments or studies conducted on protected areas in Malaysia;
• Interviews with key stakeholders (ministries/departments/agencies, owner and beneficiaries of initiatives/programmes);
• Stakeholder consultations through dialogues and/or meetings;
• Facilitate meetings and/or workshops.

Handling of Data, Information and Documents:

All data, information and documents obtained under this assignment is the property of the Government of Malaysia and UNDP, and be treated as strictly confidential.

No such information shall be used by the Environmental Economist for any other purpose other than the preparation of PA Financing project deliverables.

All soft and hard copies of the data, information and documents must be returned to UNDP and the Government of Malaysia upon completion of this assignment.   

Duration:

The assignment will require 120 to 150 days starting from 1 June 2017 to 30 September 2018 including domestic travel within Peninsular Malaysia. The Environmental Economist is required to specify the most appropriate and competitive number of days required to complete the assignment in Annex 2 Financial Proposal Form for Environmental Economist.

Travel:

• Domestic travel will be required and on own arrangement to Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, States of Johor, Perak, Pahang, Terengganu, Kelantan, Pulau Pinang and Kedah during the assignment;
• The Basic Security in the Field II and Advanced Security in the Field courses must be successfully completed prior to commencement of travel;
• Individual Consultants are responsible for ensuring they have vaccinations/inoculations when travelling to certain countries, as designated by the UN Medical Director.
• Consultants are required to comply with the UN security directives set forth under https://dss.un.org/dssweb/.

Deliverables and Timeline:

Please propose an alternative number of days and timeline needed to complete each key deliverable (a total of 6 key deliverables). 

1. Submission and acceptance of detailed work plan including the methodology to be applied. (5 – 10 days): 1 – 9 June 2017;
2. Submission and acceptance of stocktaking report including stakeholder analysis matrix and outline & synopsis of TEEB PA. (10 – 15 days) : 10 June – 14 July 2017;
3. Submission and acceptance of first draft of the TEEB PA assessment reports for Taman Negara National Park, Royal Belum State Park and Endau-Rompin National Park. (40 – 60 days) : 15 July – 31 October 2017;
4. Submission and acceptance of (a) final draft of the TEEB PA assessment reports for Taman Negara National Park, Royal Belum State Park and Endau-Rompin National Park; (b) first draft of the comprehensive TEEB PA assessment report. (30 days) : 1 November 2017 – 31 January 2018;
5. Submission and acceptance of (a) final draft of the comprehensive TEEB PA assessment report and (b) three summary TEEB reports for Taman Negara National Park, Royal Belum State Park and Endau-Rompin National Park. (25 days) : 1 February – 30 April 2018;
6. Submission and acceptance of one summary report of TEEB PA and presentative slides for policy-makers. (10 days) : 1 May – 31 July 2018 (1 August – 30 September 2018 for further inputs and unexpected delay) .

Terms of Payment:

The contract and payments will be performance-based and regularly assessed by the UNDP Malaysia Country Office in consultation with the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP).

• 10% upon submission and acceptance of detailed work plan;
• 10% upon submission and acceptance of the stocktaking report including stakeholder analysis matrix and outline & synopsis of TEEB PA;
• 30% upon submission and acceptance of first draft of the TEEB PA assessment reports for Taman Negara National Park, Royal Belum State Park and Endau-Rompin National Park;
• 20% upon submission and acceptance of (a) final draft of the TEEB PA assessment reports for Taman Negara National Park, Royal Belum State Park and Endau-Rompin National Park; and (b) first draft of the comprehensive TEEB PA assessment report;
• 20% upon submission and acceptance of (a) three summary TEEB reports for Taman Negara National Park, Royal Belum State Park and Endau-Rompin National Park; and (b) final draft of the comprehensive TEEB PA assessment report;
• 10% upon submission and acceptance of one summary report of TEEB PA and presentative slides for policy-makers.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

• Demonstrates high moral integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Treats all people fairly without favouritism;
• Fulfills all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment.

Functional competencies:

• Good organizational skills;
• Strong analytical, writing and communication skills;
• Ability to conduct primary data collection and surveys;
• Ability to prepare publications, reports and presentations;
• Ability to manage and work with a multidisciplinary and multicultural team;
• Strong motivation and ability to work and deliver under short deadlines;
• Focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to critical feedback.
• Able to work independently with little or no supervision.

Required Skills and Experience

• Masters or higher degree in environmental or natural resource economics, or related discipline.
• First degree in economics or related disciplines with minimum 3 years of experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree.  

Experience:

• At least 3 years of experience in the application of different economic valuation methods and models;
• At least 3 years of conducting total economic Fulfills assessments/studies in biodiversity and ecosystems;
• Working knowledge of policies and institutions relevant to protected area management in Malaysia;
• At least 1 year of working experience with UNDP and/or government agencies in biodiversity megadiverse countries;
• Knowledge and hands-on experience in Geographical Information System (GIS) and accounting for spatial variation in the determinants of ecosystem service values (both supply and demand sides) will be the value addition.

Language Requirement:

• English and/or Malay. 

How to Apply:

• Kindly download the Letter of Confirmation of interest and availability, Financial Proposal Template, P11 form and General Terms & Conditions mentioned below;
• Completed Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability (Annex 1) provided by UNDP;
• Technical Proposal on how your qualifications and experience can lead towards the successful deliverable of this assignment within the required timeframe, propose and elaborate on the total economic valuation methodology for TEEB PA in Peninsula Malaysia and deliver the assessment report;
• Financial Proposal should specify a total lump sum amount including a breakdown of work days, travel and relevant costs using the financial proposal template in Annex II;
• Personal CV including areas of expertise and past experiences in similar projects and at least three (3) references in the Word format and format of UN Personal History Form (P11 form). 
• Read and agree to the General Terms & Conditions;
• If an applicant 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 applicant must indicate at this point, and ensure that all such costs are duly incorporated in the financial proposal submitted to UNDP.
• Scan or compile all documents into 1 pdf folder and then upload;
• For clarification question, please email to procurement.my@undp.org. The clarification question deadline is three (3) days before the closing. When emailing for clarification questions, please put "MyIC/2017/016" as the subject matter.

Forms and General terms & conditions to be downloaded:

• The UN Personal History Form (P11) is available at:http://www.my.undp.org/content/dam/malaysia/docs/Procurement/P11%20for%20SC%20&%20IC.doc?download
• Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability at: http://www.my.undp.org/content/dam/malaysia/docs/Procurement/Letter%20of%20Interest%20_Annex%201.docx?download
• The Financial Proposal Template at: http://www.my.undp.org/content/dam/malaysia/docs/Procurement/MyIC_2017_016%20Financial%20Proposal%20Template.docx?download
• The General Terms & Conditions for Individual contract is available at:http://www.my.undp.org/content/dam/malaysia/docs/Procurement/General%20Conditions%20of%20Contract%20for%20IC.pdf?download
• The General Terms & Conditions for Reimbursement Loan Agreement is available at:http://www.my.undp.org/content/dam/malaysia/docs/Procurement/Reimbursable%20Loan%20Agreement%20_%20Terms%20&%20Conditions.pdf?download 

Criteria for selection of the best offer:

The award of the contract will be made to the Individual Consultant who has obtained the highest Combined Score and has accepted UNDP’s General Terms and Conditions.  Only those applications which are responsive and compliant will be evaluated. The offers will be evaluated using the “Combined Scoring method” where:

The technical proposal including educational background and experience on similar assignments will be weighted a max. of 70% 

1. Technical evaluation criteria:
   • Experience in the application of different economic valuation methods and models
   • Experience in conducting total economic valuation assessments/studies in biodiversity and ecosystems
   • Working knowledge of policies and institutions relevant to protected area management in Malaysia
   • Working experience with UNDP and/or government agencies in biodiversity megadiverse countries
   • Knowledge and hands-on experience in Geographical Information System (GIS) and accounting for spatial variation in the determinants of ecosystem service values (both supply and demand sides)
2.  The financial proposal will weigh as 30% of the total scoring.