Background

Available evidence and the decisions adopted by Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) indicate that a significant gap remains in finance for biodiversity management, for countries to drastically scale up their efforts and achieve the 20 Aichi Targets defined in the CBD’s Strategic Plan for 2011-2020. A preliminary assessment recently conducted under the auspices of the High-level Panel on Global Assessment of Resources for Implementing the CBD Strategic Plan estimated that the global investment required ranges between 130 and 440 billion US$ annually. While useful, this and similar other global estimates are based on extrapolations sensitive to the underlying assumptions. To define biodiversity finance needs and gaps with greater precision and determine related challenges and opportunities for resource mobilisation, detailed national-level (bottom-up) assessments are therefore required.

In this context, UNDP in October 2012 launched the Biodiversity Finance Initiative – BIOFIN, as a new global partnership seeking to address the biodiversity finance challenge in a comprehensive manner – building a sound business case for increased investment in the management of ecosystems and biodiversity, with a particular focus on the needs and transformational opportunities at the national level.

BIOFIN works along two main axes:

1. Globally-led development of a new methodological framework

An entirely new methodological framework is being developed for undertaking national-level “bottom-up” analyses of the finance-relevant enabling context; for determining the current / baseline investment in biodiversity; for quantifying the full cost of meeting national biodiversity conservation targets and the resulting finance gap; and for assessing the suitability of financial mechanisms and developing national resource mobilisation strategies. The methodologies applied in the project will be refined through regional and global learning, and made available more widely.

2. Adaptation and implementation of this new methodological framework at national level

To help countries increase the importance attributed to biodiversity and in consequence bridge the financing gap, the work at national level will be led by Ministries of Finance, Planning or Economics and the Ministry of Environment, and is articulated through the following components:

 a. Analyse the integration of biodiversity and ecosystem services in sectoral and development policy, planning and budgeting

b. Assess future financing flows, needs and gaps for managing and conserving biodiversity and ecosystem services

c. Develop comprehensive national Resource Mobilisation Strategies to meet the biodiversity finance gap

d. Initiate implementation of the Resource Mobilisation Strategy at national level

In Thailand, BIOFIN supports the Royal Thai Government in implementing the National Economics and Social Development Plan, in particular relevant sections on sustainable utilization of natural resources, green growth, and inclusive development, through the formulation and implementation of financial strategies. The expected outputs of Thailand’s BIOFIN project include (i) a baseline status of policies, institutions, expenditures related to biodiversity conservation and sustainable utilisation in Thailand, (ii) a preliminary cost estimate for biodiversity investment covering the next five years, (iii) development of Resource Mobilisation Strategy for Biodiversity Conservation.  Apart from strengthening Thailand’s obligation to the CBD, the expectations during the first phase of project’s duration of approximately three years (2014 – 2017) is that there would be increased awareness and evidence-based demonstration on the significance of biodiversity as a foundation to economic growth, security, and well-being as well as increasing south-south exchanges among BIOFIN countries.

The Biodiversity Finance Initiative Phase I (2014 – 2017) in Thailand takes shape through three assessments that culminate in its Biodiversity Finance Plan. The three assessments include the following components:

• The Biodiversity Finance Policy and Institutional Review (PIR) looks into the policy and institutional context for biodiversity finance in the country and establishes which the key stakeholders to involve are. The integrated PIR report of Thailand will cover the four thematic ecosystems, namely terrestrial, coastal and marine, wetlands (inland) and urban biodiversity;
• The Biodiversity Expenditure Review (BER) is an analysis of public, private and civil society organization expenditures in the country that benefit biodiversity. The assessment establishes past, present and projected expenditures on biodiversity;
• The Financial Needs Assessment (FNA) estimates the finance required with unit cost estimation in both lower bound and higher bound scenarios so as to deliver national biodiversity targets and plans, usually described in the NBSAPs. For Thailand, the estimates of financing needs for biodiversity conservation are based on (i) National Biodiversity Strategic and Action Plans (NBSAP) and (ii) the NBSAP plus with budget estimate of line agencies under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

The Biodiversity Finance Initiative Phase II (2018 – 2022) in Thailand will build on the wealth of learning generated over the Biodiversity Finance Plan in Phase I which covered the abovementioned three assessments. All BIOFIN countries that completed their Biodiversity Finance Plan will focus on implementation of pilot projects in Phase II.

• The Biodiversity Finance Plan (BFP) identify a mix of suitable biodiversity finance solutions to reduce the biodiversity finance gap. The last component of the BIOFIN process is the implementation phase. The BIOFIN national teams make a selection between the prioritized finance solutions and provide technical support for their implementation.

They will provide impacts allowing to reach the national targets through four main results:

1. Generate revenues, i.e. any existing or innovative mechanism or instrument that can generate and/or leverage financial resources to allocate to biodiversity. Examples include the attraction of impact investment in conservation projects, the review or introduction of green taxes, etc.;
2. Realign current expenditures, i.e. any measure that can reorient existing financial flows towards biodiversity. This result can be achieved by phasing out and reforming fossil fuel/ energy subsidies and using these freed resources to invest in renewable energy or green infrastructure instead.
3. Avoid future biodiversity expenditures, i.e. any measure that can prevent or reduce future investment needs by eliminating or amending existing counter-productive policies and expenditures. This can be achieved by taxes that can generate a double dividend, or by fines for stopping ecosystem contamination by alien invasive species.
4. Deliver financial resources more effectively and efficiently, i.e. any measure or instrument that can enhance cost-effectiveness and efficiency in budget execution, achieve synergies and/or favour a more equitable distribution of resources. Examples include the establishment of biodiversity business challenge funds, the merger of national conservation funds, the establishment of central procurement units or staff incentives to increase delivery of resources.

The detailed screening process of Biodiversity Finance solutions for Thailand was conducted which produced a list of finance solutions that are deemed ‘realistic’. The next step is to conduct the detailed screening by members of BIOFIN country team, Steering Committee and other related organization where useful. The solutions will need to be reviewed thoroughly by experts. For Thailand, the scoring was cross-checked by an expert panel and publicly validated in the meeting organized by NESDB. Therefore, the prioritized BFP in Thailand will include Payment for Ecosystems Services (PES), Nutrient Trading system, Biodiversity Offsets and the Impact Investment by Thai private sector.

Duties and Responsibilities

Objective and Scope of Work

The objective of this assignment is to develop technical proposals in order to implement “the Biodiversity Finance Solutions” selected by the BIOFIN Thailand under the four thematic areas, namely: coastal/marine, terrestrial, wetlands, and urban biodiversity.

The assignment will focus on the formulation of business cases for the plan and the finance solutions. The Biodiversity Finance Plans in Thailand will include: (a) Payment for Ecosystems Services (PES), (b) Nutrient Trading, (c) Biodiversity Offsets and (d) Impact Investment by Thai private sector.

The Chief Technical Advisor (CTA) will gather evidence to persuade the government, prospective investors and stakeholders on the opportunity of implementing the Plan and investing in biodiversity. In close consultation with (i) BIOFIN Thailand Steering Committee, (ii) BIOFIN Project Management Unit of UNDP Thailand and (iii) Global BIOFIN Core Team, the CTA will bring the Finance business cases into attention of key stakeholders— decision makers and prospective investors with rationale for prioritizing biodiversity finance in policy, legislation, plans and projects in a language that the stakeholders of those activities can understand.

At the solution level, the CTA will be able to provide additional lists of national experts for further procurement on a short term basis to work with the expert for related activities during the pilot project implementation period. S/he will present the technical proposal with business case(s) for which it will include technical and financial justifications to elaborate the selection and design of the prioritised finance solutions.  These business cases for the Finance Plan should be a combination of two approaches – one that examines the economic benefits of sustainable biodiversity management in Thailand –why implement the Finance Plan at all? The other approach is aimed at elaborating an investment case for each finance solution.

Expected Outputs and Deliverables

Deliverables and final products will be classified into four tasks as follows:

Task  1: Wrapping up the analysis of BIOFIN assessment

1. Policy and Institutional Review – Finalising the integrated PIR for BIOFIN Thailand. Final product: the integrated Policy and Institutional Review report for Thailand;
2. Financial Needs Assessment –Revisiting and developing high investment scenario for terrestrial ecosystem; Revising the Financial Needs Assessment for coastal and marine and wetlands based on the Global BIOFIN Core team’s feedback. Final project: The Biodiversity Financial Needs Assessment report for Thailand;
3. Biodiversity Finance Plan –Sifting potential financing instruments for all four ecosystems—terrestrial, costal/marine, wetlands and urban biodiversity. Final product: The concept note of the Biodiversity Finance Plan.

Task 2: Training activities.  The BIOFIN technical expert will be responsible for designing and delivering short term training courses for the following topics.  Where necessary, UNDP will offer short term contracts for environmental economists who will assist the CTA as Resource Persons for these training course.

1. Financing Instruments for BIOFIN Steering Committee, private sector and Civil Society Organizations.
2. Economic valuation for the Royal Forest Department and Department of National Park, Wildlife and Plants Protection.

Task 3: Piloting Financing Instrument: Nutrient Trading system

1. Launch meeting with central agencies –Pollution Control Department and Department of Industrial Works
2. Area scoping
3. Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with public agencies at the provincial level in provinces where sub-rivers are located
4. Mapping of location of point sources industries
5. Mapping of location of existing wastewater treatment facilities
6. FGDs with Point Sources Facilities on feasibility of nutrient trading system
7. FGDs with Local Governments on feasibility of nutrient trading system
8. Collecting and analysing data on current wastewater discharge loads and NP contents
9. Analysis of total allowable discharge loads
10. Identification of feasible treatment options
11. Conducting the Controlled Environment Analysis (CEA) of various treatment options
12. Developing system for trading partners

*Condition: while the BIOFIN CTA will be responsible for undertaking the activities listed above, the Project Management Unit of BIOFIN Thailand will provide additional inputs for procurement of Technical experts on a short term basis to work with the expert for activities 5, 6, 8 and 9.

Task 4: Piloting Financing Instrument: Payment for Ecosystems Service

1. FGDs with Koh Tao Municipality and business operators in Koh Tao, Surat Thani province

1. Develop detail plan and timeframe for coral reef restoration
2. Detailed costing for coral reefs restoration
3. Develop a detailed plan for improved wastewater management for Koh Tao
4. Identify technical options for waste water treatment for Koh Tao
5. Conduct CEA of various waste water treatment options.
6. Identify technical options for community waste treatment for Koh Tao
7. Conduct CEA of various community waste treatment options
8. Refining sources of demand for ES
9. Approaching and selection of ES buyers
10. Developing a timeframe for payments
11. Determining the types of return for ES supply
12. Estimating marginal benefits of ES
13. Estimating the marginal costs of ES supply
14. Developing the payment system
15. Selecting  and confirm ES suppliers
16. Determining the payments required from ES buyers
17. Establishing the payment transfer system
18. Determining the supplier performance measures
19. Establishing a monitoring system
20. Establishing a penalty system for non-compliance
21. Contracting ES sellers and buyers

*Condition: while the BIOFIN CTA will be responsible for undertaking the activities listed above, the Project Management Unit of BIOFIN Thailand will provide additional inputs for procurement of Technical experts on a short term basis to work with the expert for activities 2, 4, 5 and 7

Institutional Arrangement

The BIOFIN CTA will report to the Global BIOFIN Core Team and UNDP’s Inclusive Green Growth and Sustainable Development Unit in UNDP Thailand. He/she will work in close collaboration the Senior Technical Advisors of Global BIOFIN, the BIOFIN Steering Committee, the Programme Specialist of IGSD Unit and the National BIOFIN Coordinator in PMU.

Duration of Assignment: 01 August 2017 to 31 August 2018 with maximum 250 working days;

Duty station: Home-based in Thailand;

Expected places of Travel:

The consultant is expects to travel to two pilot sites as indicated below.

1. Koh Tao Island, Surat Thani province.
2. Bang Pakong River Estuary which cover various provinces in Thailand

The trip will be maximum of 4 days 3 nights per mission and should travel to one of this site once a month approximately. The Individual Contractor may need to arrange transport by his/her own and the transport cost shall be reimbursed at actual but not exceed the price quoted by UNDP‘s travel agent. The Individual Contractor shall receive Living Allowance and Terminal Expenses in locations as assigned and must be mutually agreed by both parties prior to travel.

In case the consultant requires to travel more than indicated or elsewhere, it requires prior approval from the Programme Specialist and the consultant will have to arrange his or her own travel and shall reimburse the cost after the trip is finished except he or she has been invite with cost cover from the host as indicate in Section 11: Payment Terms.

Competencies

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 favouritism.

Technical Competencies:

• Analytic capacity and demonstrated ability to process, analyse and synthesise complex, technical information;
• Proven ability to support the development of high quality knowledge and training materials, and to train technical teams;
• Proven experience in the developing country context and working in different cultural settings.

Communication:

• Communicate effectively in writing to a varied and broad audience in a simple and concise manner.

Professionalism:

• Capable of working in a high pressure environment with sharp and frequent deadlines, managing many tasks simultaneously;
• Excellent analytical and organizational skills.

Teamwork:

• Projects a positive image and is ready to take on a wide range of tasks;
• Focuses on results for the client;
• Welcomes constructive feedback.

Required Skills and Experience

Requirements for Experience and Qualifications:

• MS or PhD level with degree in Economics, Finance, Environment, Social sciences  and/or other related fields;
• Work experience in relevant technical areas for at least 10 years in research, biodiversity conservation scheme and analysis of resources/environment and economic linkages;
• Experience with analysis the BIOFIN components as stated in BIOFIN Workbook;
• Familiar and up-to-date with national and local programs, projects and initiatives on biodiversity conservation and related areas;
• Excellent English and Thai writing and speaking.

Payment terms for the contract.

?Lump Sum

Price Proposal and Schedule of Payment :

Consultant must send a financial proposal based on Lump Sum Amount. 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,and any other applicable cost to be incurred by the IC in completing the assignment. The contract price will be 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:

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.

Travel costs shall be reimbursed at actual but not exceeding the quotation from UNDP approved travel agent.  The provided living allowance will not be exceeding UNDP DSA rates. Repatriation travel cost from home to duty station in Bangkok and return shall not be covered by UNDP.

Criteria for Selection of the Best Offer

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodology:

Cumulative analysis

The award of the contract shall 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 set of weighted technical criteria (70%). and financial criteria (30%). Financial score shall be computed as a ratio of the proposal being evaluated and the lowest priced proposal received by UNDP for the assignment.

Technical Criteria for Evaluation (Maximum 100 points)

• Criteria 1 Relevance of Education and languages – Max 25 points
• Criteria 2 Experiences with research, biodiversity conservation scheme and analysis of resources/environment and economic linkages .- Max 25 Points
• Criteria 3 Experience with analysis the BIOFIN components as stated in BIOFIN Workbook- Max 35 points
• Criteria 4 Familiar and up-to-date with national and local programs, projects and initiatives on biodiversity conservation and related areas- Max 15 points

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 70% of the total technical points would be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

Interested individuals must submit the following documents /information to demonstrate their qualification, experience and suitability to undertake the assignment.  All supporting documents (a-d) must be part of the detailed CV and uploaded as one document

1. Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided by UNDP;
2. Personal CV or P11, 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;
3. Brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment;
4. Financial Proposal that indicates the all-inclusive maximum service rate supported by a breakdown of costs in Thai Baht, as per template provided.

Incomplete proposals may not be considered.

ANNEXES

Annex I - Sample Template for the design and implementation of finance solutions under BIOFIN’s Component 4 - Within TOR

Annex II- General Condition of Contract

Annex III - Offeror’s Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability for the Individual IC, including Financial Proposal Template

Annex IV - TOR_ National Consultant -– Chief Technical Advisor for BIOFIN

All documents can be downloaded at : http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=39025