Background

Project Description  

SGP-5 implementation has recognized the dependence of communities on biodiversity and ecosystem services provided by landscapes and seascapes. The poor coastal & upland communities remain the most dependent on natural resources for their food and livelihood security. They are the subsistence farmers & fishers, IP communities, and agricultural workers who depend on the availability of usable land, coastal waters, marine resources, plant and animal species for their survival. It is therefore imperative, that community-based biodiversity conservation has to be approached from a sustainable utilization perspective,  by which direct benefits derived from managing the resource would improve socio-economic well-being of these communities.

This is evidenced by forty one (41) grantees who partnered with 141 community-based organizations that implemented BDFE/livelihoods. Among the biodiversity livelihood are agroforestry, handicraft/rattan, seaweeds farming, cashew, abaca farming and processing, organic rice and vegetables, rice-duck/eggs, crab fattening, coffee, cacao and roselle production and processing, wild fruit processing, hogs & poultry raising, ecotourism, commercial nursery of indigenous tree and mangroves, honey, almaciga resin, and coco-sugar production. All these were able to provide economic benefits to 17,217 individuals, 56% of whom are men and 44% are women directly participating in the livelihood activities.

Most of these BDFEs are on start-up levels, other sub-sectors/products are showing potentials for scaling up such as abaca, seaweeds, community-based sustainable tourism, rice ducks farming, and cacao (beans and tablea). Documentation and knowledge management of BDFE initiatives would be valuable inputs to the on-going technical discussions on BDFEs. Challenging issues have also been identified including   value chain development, feasibility/valuation study, marketing linkage, policy development, among others.

In response to these challenges, SGP-5 CPMU provided platforms for peer-to-peer learning to distill lessons from implementing BDFEs.  In September 2018, a 3-day training on Model building for Scaling Up BDFE initiatives was conducted which provided venue for 1) learning event among 14 chosen BDFE holders to diagnose and understand the dynamic nature of biodiversity and social enterprises; 2) selection of a sub-sector ready for scaling-up to social enterprise; 3) conduct of subsector action research; and 4) development of an investment plan, piloting and provision of start-up investment fund for its production.

Parallel to the learning event was the development of Biodiversity-Friendly Enterprises Assessment Tool (BEAT) that provide framework in assessing BDFEs in terms of: 1) required processes and enabling conditions for the enterprises to develop and be established; and 2) measure success of BDFEs in achieving economic, social and environmental outcomes.

With all the above initiatives, several BDFE knowledge products including Biodiversity-Friendly Assessment Tool (BEAT);  Handbooks on ‘Scaling-Up Biodiversity-Friendly Enterprise (BDFE) Initiatives, research on Abaca Subsector have been developed and are valuable tools to scale-up BDFEs. 

In this context of the above, SGP-5 seeks the services of a WRITER/EDITOR to consolidate existing BDFE knowledge materials and write a resource book on Scaling-Up BDFE Tools.

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of Work

Under the direct supervision of the SGP5 Project Advisor, the Writer/Editor shall:

General Function

The Writer/Editor shall develop a resource material on Scaling-Up BDFE Tools.  

Duties and Responsibilities

The Writer/Editor shall work on the following:

1. Review existing BDFE knowledge products including ISEA’s outputs 1) Handbook on Scaling-Up Biodiversity-Friendly Enterprise (BDFE) Initiatives; 2) Model Building for Scaling Up Biodiversity-Friendly Enterprise Initiatives (MBS-BDFEI); Abaca Subsector Action Research Report; 3) Framework Paper Defining the Biodiversity and Environmental Dimensions of the Benchmarks for Transformational Partnerships and Women’s Economic Empowerment in Agricultural Value Chains (BTP-WEE in AVCs); 5) Biodiversity-Friendly Enterprises Assessment Tool (BEAT); BDFE business plans, among others;
2. Design the over-all look of the resource book, including its content and format deemed useful to BDFE implementers, BMB, and DENR policy makers in consultation with SGP-5 Project Advisor and to BMB’s BPKMD Division Head;
3. Write& edit the draft resource book , integrating inputs/comments from SGP-CPMU & BMB; and
4. Submit a print-ready resource book based on the approved content & format by the SGP-5 Project Advisor and to UNDP Programme Analyst.

Expected Outputs and Deliverables

Institutional Arrangement

With oversight from the SGP-5 Project Advisor, the Writer/Editor, shall come up with a resource book design that would be useful to targeted users. At different points during the contract, the Writer/Editor is expected to coordinate & consult with SGP-5 Project Advisor & BMB designated officer.  The CPMU staff shall provide administrative and logistical assistance to the Writer/Editor in order for her/him to accomplish expected outputs within the timeframe of this engagement.

All deliverables of the Writer/Editor should be accepted and endorsed by SGP5 CPMU/BMB as the Project’s proponent to UNDP.  UNDP reviews the documents before the processing and approval of payment.

Duration of Work

The expected duration of work is estimated to be 25 working days spread over 1.5 months.

Duty Station- Manila

The Writer/Editor t is not expected to report daily to SGP5  office but can be provided a space should s/he need a work area

Scope of Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments

The financial proposal should be expressed in lump sum amount inclusive of all financial costs related to this engagement (i.e., such as transportation/travel to and from residence for meetings within Metro Manila, supplies and materials, equipment, reproduction, communications including internet, etc). Travel outside Metro Manila will not be required for this position. Payment will be made in installments based on the following milestones/outputs:

Competencies

Corporate competencies

• Demonstrates integrity by modeling 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 favoritism.

Functional and technical competencies

• Ability to work in a diverse and multi-cultural environment;
• Self-motivated and ability to work under pressure and to meet strict and competing deadlines;
• Displays analytical judgment and demonstrated ability to handle confidential and politically sensitive issues in a responsible and mature manner;
• Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities;
• Computer literate.

Required Skills and Experience

Qualifications of the Successful Individual Contractor

Educational Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Resource Economics/Business Management/ Entrepreneurship/ Development Economics

Experience

• At least 5 years of demonstrable experience in resource book writing on resource evaluation;

• Has written/co written at least 5 articles involving community based and natural resource based, at least 2 of it were peer reviewed and published;
• At least 5 years  work experience on similar projects;
• At least 2 years  experience working with international organizations

Language requirements

• Good command of English is a requirement.

Evaluation Method and Criteria

Offers will be evaluated based on combined scoring method – where the Technical Proposal will be evaluated based on qualifications in the CV. The Technical evaluation is weighted a max. of 70%.

The Financial Proposal that will be evaluated through submission of the Offeror's Letter to UNDP Confirming Insterest and Availability for the IC including Financial Proposal Template and combined with the price offer will be weighted a max of 30%;

For the evaluation of the Technical Proposal, the selection of the successful consultant must be based in the following qualifications (with the appropriate obtainable points):

Technical Criteria for Evaluation

Applicants who will only receive a minimum score of 70 points and above from the assessment of the CV will be qualified for the assessment of the Financial Proposal.

Recommended Presentation of Offer and Documentation

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications. Please group them into one (1) single PDF document as the application only allows to upload maximum one document:

a) Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided by UNDP;
b) 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;
c) Brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment, and a methodology, if applicable, on how they will approach and complete the assignment. A methodology is recommended for intellectual services, but may be omitted for support services;
d) Financial Proposal that indicates the all-inclusive fixed total contract price, supported by a breakdown of costs, as per template provided. If an Offeror 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 Offeror must indicate at this point, and ensure that all such costs are duly incorporated in the financial proposal submitted to UNDP.

You may download the editable version of the Offeror's Letter to UNDP Confirming Insterest and Availability for the IC by clicking on this link: http://gofile.me/6xdJm/bE9TCw8fU

In view of the volume of applications UNDP receives, only shortlisted offerors will be notified.