A. Project Title:  Conserving Biodiversity and Restoring Ecosystem Functions in the Day and Mabla Mountains

B. Project Description

The Republic of Djibouti is a small coastal country in the Horn of Africa, with a total land area of 23,180km2 and a coastline of between 314 and 372 km. Djibouti's climate ranges from arid in the northeastern coastal regions to semi-arid in the central, northern, western, and southern parts of the country.

Day Forest is a mountain forest in the Goda mountain range, located entirely in the region of Tadjourah. Reaching a maximum elevation of 1783m asl, the mountain range is rugged, with high plateaus, cliffs, and steep mountain slopes, intersected by wadis.

The Mabla Mountains straddle the regions of Obock and Tadjourah, c. 60 km to the north-east of the Day Forest. Emerging to the north of the coastal plain, the range reaches elevations of 1370 metres. The Mabla Mountains contain the second-largest area of relict montane forest in Djibouti, with remnant degraded Juniperus procera stands in addition to Buxus hildebrandtii, Tarchonanthus camphoratus, Terminalia brownii, Olea africana, Acacia seyal, A. etbaica and A. mellifera.

The degradation and regression of these forest represents a major loss for biodiversity and the human populations that depend on it. Moreover, it undermines the value of the Goda Massif watershed, a key watershed in the country required by communities living in its surroundings and beyond: local populations have seen the water tables at both the top and the foot of the Goda Massif dry up and flash floods become more intense and frequent when it rains.

The project “Conserving Biodiversity and Restoring Ecosystem Functions in the Day and Mabla Mountains” objective is to protect and restore biodiversity, forests and ecosystem functions and enhance the livelihoods of vulnerable communities in degraded mountain landscapes in Djibouti. The project targeted regions are Mabla and Day Forest.

To achieve this objective, the project will implement the following four components:

• Component 1: Enhance PA (Protected Areas) system policy and financing framework and emplace management in Day and Mabla forest
• Component 2: Safeguard and restore rangeland and forest ecosystem functions through forest restoration and sustainable land management in and around the Day and Mabla Pas
• Component 3:  Safeguards, Gender & Knowledge Management
• Component 4 Monitoring & Evaluation

The PIF (Project Identification Form) of this project submitted to the GEF (Global Environment Facility) was approved on June 23, 2022.  The objective of the GEF PPG (Project Preparation Grant) is to develop the project concept into a full project. More specifically, it is to develop a GEF CEO Endorsement Request package (including a UNDP-GEF Project Document and supporting documentation) for the Medium-Sized Project “Conserving Biodiversity and Restoring Ecosystem Functions in the Day and Mabla Mountains”.  

C. SCOPE OF WORK

Participate in and support the PPG process, research, field mission, project design development and the preparation of the PRODOC/GEF CEO Endorsement Request package.

D. Expected outputs/key deliverables

The following lists key responsibilities and deliverables of this contract; the PPG Implementation Plan provides further and more detailed guidance regarding the responsibilities of the prospective PPG team and must be consulted accordingly.

1. Support the GEF PPG Team Leader and SES Expert in the preparation of all Preparatory Technical Studies and Reviews needed for the preparation of the ProDoc with its mandatory and project-specific Annexes and facilitating the necessary documentation (with translations and interpretations as required), apart from those related to gender, stakeholders, indigenous peoples, and safeguards.

1. Preparatory Technical Studies and Reviews (Component A):

• Contribute to the compilation of baseline/situational analyses. 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; and presentation of results of the incremental cost-analysis in matrices as appropriate.
• Facilitate the identification of the project sites, with documentation of selection criteria.
• Contribute to the preparation of partner capacity assessments and discussions on management arrangements early in the PPG process.
• Contribute to the consultations with partners regarding financial planning.
• Contribute to the completion of any additional studies that are determined to be needed for the preparation of the ProDoc and all other final outputs

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

• Contribute further specific items for the drafting of the UNDP ProDoc and its required Annexes, in line with the standard UNDP-GEF ProDoc template and annotated guidance and requests from the

This will include inter alia:

• Contribute to the project’s theory of change.
• Contribute to the Results Framework in line with UNDP-GEF policy.
• Contribute to the Monitoring and Evaluation Plan and Budget.
• Contribute to the required GEF Core Indicators.
• Facilitate the completion of the required official endorsement letters.
• Facilitate agreements on project execution and management arrangements.

3) Validation Workshop (Component C):

• Facilitate and support the validation workshop.
• Support the completion of the validation workshop report.

4) Final Deliverables:

• Facilitation of information flow between PPG Team Lead and national stakeholders.
• IPLC consultations.
• Appropriate research, data compilation and text inputs for the draft and final UNDP-GEF project document based on guidance from the PPG Team Leader.

1. Qualification of the Successful Individual Consultant

Travel Plan

The consultant will be expected to travel to Day in Tadjourah and Mabla in Obock.

F. Institutional Arrangement

The international PPG Team leader will be the lead of the formulation team composed of:

• International Social and Environmental Safeguards Specialist
• National Safeguards, Stakeholder Engagement and Gender Specialist Consultant
• National PPG Support Consultant

All deliverables will be paid for based on a certification signed by the UNDP country office program specialist. Deliverables must be approved by the RTA as well.

G.   Duration of the Work and Duty Station

Duration of assignment: 50 working days

Professional Experience: 

• Minimum of 5 years of demonstrable experience in a relevant technical area, such as biodiversity conservation, natural resources management, sustainable agriculture

• Experiences in developing quality GEF projects;
• Project evaluation/review/formulation experiences within United Nations system or international Agencies.
• Sound understanding on linkages between climate change, ecosystems and small-scale Infrastructures evidenced through past work experience;
• Demonstrated experience working on policy and programmatic issues with national and local governments and civil society organizations including community organizations.

Functional / Technical Knowledge: 

• Excellent written communication skills in English with working knowledge in French;
• Excellent skills conducting research with vulnerable populations;
• Ability to consolidate information from multiple sources;
• Able to prepare strategic information for decision makers;
• Ability to work independently as well as good team player;
• Excellent time management and ability to produce outputs as per agreed deadlines.

Language requirement:

• Fluency in written and spoken French, with a working knowledge in English.

H.    Qualifications of the Successful Individual Contractor

• University degree in a relevant field, such as in biological sciences, biodiversity conservation, environmental management, natural resources management, etc.

• i. DOCUMENTS TO BE INCLUDED WHEN SUBMITTING THE proposals 

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

   

  1. Proposal:

  (i) Explaining why they are the most suitable for the work;

  (ii) Provide a brief methodology on how they will approach and conduct the work;

  2. Financial proposal, in the template provided by UNDP;

  3. Personal CV and P11 including past experience in similar projects related and at least 3 professional references with contact details including phone number and emails to be contacted.

  J.  FINANCIAL PROPOSAL

   

  Lump sum contract

  The financial proposal must be expressed in the form of a lumpsum all-inclusive cost, supported by breakdown of costs as per template provided. Under the lump sum approach, the contract price is fixed, regardless of changes in cost components.

  Travel;

  Field travel will be within in the region of Tadjourah and Obock as per Terms of Reference.

  Schedule of payment:

  Methodology and Work Plan for the assignment: Provide all documents, analyses, reports related to Social and Environmental Safeguards	5 days	20%
  Inception Meeting and  presentation of the mission and main activities	10 days
  Complete draft of the project document in full compliance with GEF rules and standards and its submission to the GEF Secretariat.	30 days	30%
  Validation Meeting: Presentation of Final Prodoc and provide input to the review and address all comments from RTA, GEF and Government.	10 days	40%
  Clearance by Regional Technical Advisor of the project documentation fully compliant with the enforced GEF rules and standards and its submission to GEF Secretariat which includes assistance to UNDP with response to any GEF Sec comments	5 days	10%

   

  K. EVALUATION

  Individual consultants will be evaluated based on a cumulative analysis:

  When using this weighted scoring method, the award of the contract should be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

  a) responsive/compliant/acceptable, and

  b) 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%

  * Financial criteria weight: 30%

  Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 50 points would be considered for the Financial Evaluation

  Criteria	Weight	Max. Point
  Technical	70%	70
  University degree in a relevant field, such as in biological sciences, biodiversity conservation, environmental management, natural resources management, etc.	15	15
  Minimum of 5 years of demonstrable experience in a relevant technical area, such as biodiversity conservation, natural resources management, sustainable agriculture	25	25
  Experiences in developing quality GEF projects	20	20
  Project evaluation/review/formulation experiences within United Nations system or international Agencies.
  Sound understanding on linkages between climate change, ecosystems and small-scale Infrastructures evidenced through past work experience;
  Language requirement: Excellent written communication skills in English with working knowledge in French.	10	10
  Financial proposal	30 %	30

  L. ANNEXES

  ANNEX 1- OFFEROR LETTER / OFFRE FINANCIERE

  https://popp.undp.org/_layouts/15/WopiFrame.aspx?sourcedoc=/UNDP_POPP_DOCUMENT_LIBRARY/Public/PSU_%20Individual%20Contract_Offerors%20Letter%20to%20UNDP%20Confirming%20Interest%20and%20Availability_FR.docx&action=default&DefaultItemOpen=1

  you can upload your documentation in one time in one PDF or WORD file.

  For any clarification regarding this assignment, please write to proc.dji@undp.org quoting the vacancy announcement in the subject line no later than 09 octobre  2022 at 10:00 (local time in Djibouti). Late and incomplete applications will not be considered.

  Any request for clarification must be sent in writing, or by standard electronic communication to the address or e-mail indicated above. The UNDP Procurement unit will respond in writing or 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.