Background

Project Title

Strengthening community resilience to climate-induced disasters in the Dili-Ainaro Road Development Corridor, Timor-Leste

Project Description

The Dili-Ainaro Road Development Corridor project, is aimed at strengthening the resilience of communities living in the Dili-Ainaro Road Development Corridor to climate-induced disasters such as floods and landslides and to reduce the risk of damage to road infrastructure.

The Dili to Ainaro Road comprises a joint investment by the Government of Timor-Leste and the World Bank aiming to upgrade the road infrastructure linking Dili to the district capitals of Aileu and Ainaro. This road infrastructure and the communities living in the Dili-Ainaro Road Development Corridor (DARDC) are at risk to climate-induced natural disasters such as floods and landslides. Damage to road infrastructure is expensive to repair and restricts: i) economic development; ii) market access; iii) access to services such as education and health care; iv) evacuation during natural disasters; and v) provision of disaster relief. Furthermore, the risk of damage to road infrastructure is exacerbated because of ecosystem degradation resulting from existing land-use practices such as: i) timber logging; ii) slash-and-burn agriculture; iii) overharvesting of fuel wood; and iv) burning for hunting and fodder production.

The “Dili-Ainaro Project”, which is financed through the Least Developed Country Fund (LDCF) and implemented by the Ministry of Social Solidarity (MSS) with support from UNDP, seeks to address the expected increase in climate-induced natural disasters due to climate change and reduce the potential risks and damages to the Dili-Ainaro road infrastructure and the communities in the DARDC. The project aims to achieve this by strengthening capacities and providing investments for disaster risk management (DRM) measures using ecosystem-based approaches.

Scope of Work

One of the key expected outcomes of the DARDC project to develop integrated and inclusive DRM policy. The draft DRM policy was once revised mainstreaming gender issues and re-submitted in 2016 for approval.  However, the policy has not approved by the council of Ministers yet due to various reasons. In the meantime, MTR has suggested to review the policy as it has not adequately addressed the Sendai Framework for DRR. In this regard, 6th steering committee meeting charied by the Minister of Social Solidarity decided to further update the policy as suggested by MTR report and re-submit to the Ministry for approval. In this connection, the scope of the assignment is to review the current draft policy and to fill the gap with respect to Sendai Framework for DRR.

Duties and Responsibilities

Specific tasks and responsibilities

The consultant will provide the following services:

• Review the current draft policy and identify gaps with respect to Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and prepare an inception report based on the initial findings.
• Consult with all the relevant stakeholders including from government, non-government and public sector through formal and informal discussions and collect views, opinion and suggestions to update the draft policy to make it more integrated and inclusive. 
• Revise the draft policy addressing all the gaps and views from the stakeholders and in accordance with Sendai Framework
• Organize a workshop to present the latest draft policies mostly highlighting the latest updates
• Finalize the policy as per the recommendations of the workshop.

Expected Outputs and Deliverables

        The following are the expected outputs of the consultancy:

B.Duration of the Work and Duty Station

The consultant will be based in Dili, however, may need to travel to municipalities for consultations. Under this assignment the successful consultant will be offered a 15 working days upon signing the contract.

C. Institutional Arrangement

The Consultant will work under the supervision of the CTA / Project Manager of the DARDC Project and the general guidance of the Project Director (Director NDMD) and will update them the progress of the work and through the milestone reports identified in these terms of reference.

The Consultant will consult and work closely with MCIE, NDMD and other parts of the Ministry of Social Solidarity (MSS), the Ministry of State Administration, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries as well as district and local entities relevant for DRM/DRR activities and with stakeholders such as NGOs, INGOs and CBOs.

The DARDC project will provide office space for the time the Consultant will work in Dili and transport for any work-related travel to districts. The project will also fund workshops /meetings needed for the purposes of the consultancy and printing and translation of any documents if needed.

Competencies

Timeframe and Schedule of Payments

Criteria for selection of the Best offer

        Cumulative analysis

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 49 points or 70% of the technical criteria would be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

        DETAIL EVALUATION CRITERIA

Required Skills and Experience

Qualifications of the Successful Individual Contractor

Education:

• Advanced university degree in a relevant subject, e.g. policy, environment, rural development, development economics, DRR/DRM (financing), and climate change adaptation.

Experience:

• Minimum 5 years professional experience in policy, economic development, DRM/DRR and climate change adaptation.
• Experience with introduction of new and innovative concepts and practices in communities and government systems.
• Experience with policy development processes ideally related to DRM/DRR/CCA.
• Experience in consulting with various stakeholders, including government officials and community members.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in Tetum and good knowledge of English. Knowledge of Portuguese, Bahasa and/or local dialects in the project area is advantageous.