Background

Following from the success of the Tonga R2R Phase 1 project, the Government of Tonga (GoT) had requested UNDP for assistance in programming its GEF7 STAR in mid-2019. A PIF was submitted in June 2020 which has now recently been approved from GEF. A team of consultants both international and local will be recruited to facilitate the development of the Tonga R2R Phase 2 Project Document. This will be an 18 months process which includes UNDP – GEF review and clearance process and GEF Secretariate submission, review and CEO Endorsement.    

The Tonga R2R Phase 2 project will focus implementation on 2 islands – Tongatapu and Vavau. The success of the Tonga R2R Phase 1 in Tongatapu has resulted to this project being replicated to Vavau Island taking on lessons learnt.

Fangauta Lagoon is the largest catchment areas in Tonga collectively and covers about 36.6km2. The Fanga’uta Lagoon is the semi-enclosed lagoon of Tongatapu. Fangakakau is a further embayment within the Fanga’uta Lagoon, serving as a second lagoon system (both are referred to, collectively, as “the Fanga’uta Lagoon”). The Fanga’uta Lagoon encompasses an area of 36.6 km² with a mean depth of ~1.4 m and a maximum of 6 m, excluding the entrance channel (MACBIO, 2017). The Fanga’uta Lagoon supports several types of very diverse and productive ecosystems, including mangroves, mudflats, seagrass beds, and coral patch reefs. The lagoon also contributes to the sustainability of the Tongatapu Island’s coastal fisheries. The fauna and flora of the Fangan’uta Lagoon system is relatively diverse: 96 species of fishes; 9 species of large algae (macroalgae); 2 species of seagrasses; 16 species of near-shore plants; 1 species of jellyfish; 1 species of sea anemones; 30 species of hard and soft corals; 40 species of mollusks (including octopus, clams and other shellfish); over 13 species of crustaceans; and over 11 species of echinoderms (starfish, cucumbers and urchins). The lagoon is an important breeding ground for birds and fish, which live within and are supported by the mangroves growing around the lagoon's shores. 

The lagoon was declared a Marine Reserve in 1974 by the government under the Birds and Fish Preservation (Amendment) Act for the protection of fish species and for protection of mangroves as the key nursery habitat for finfish including snapper and mullet. The biodiversity values of the lagoon are noted in the IUCN Directory of Protected Areas in Oceania published in 1991 and the Tonga’s NBSAP Stocktaking Report of 2004 which record the number of species in the lagoon. The Fanga’uta Lagoon marine reserve fits into IUCN Category VI i.e., a protected area with sustainable use of natural resources. The Fanga’uta Lagoon is also important culturally as a place of beauty and enjoyment, and it has a rich archaeological history dating back over 2,850 years to early Lapita settlement.

Management of the lagoon is guided by the Fanga’uta Stewardship Plan (FSP) that was gazetted in July 2017. The Fanga’uta Lagoon is the only protected area in Tonga for wetland habitat and also has the largest area of wetlands in Tonga. The FSP was developed through GEF-5 investment and the UNDP supported project “Integrated Environmental Management Plan of the Fanga’uta Lagoon Catchment Project (FLC)” (referred to as Tonga R2R Phase I in this document). The Tonga R2R Phase I project was formed as part of the “Pacific Islands Ridge-to-Reef National Priorities” project. The terminal evaluation for the Tonga R2R Phase I project recommended that the project should be upscaled and the lessons learned from this project should be replicated by GoT, UNDP and other agencies involved through a second phase. The project was commended for piloting community-based management approaches of the Fanga’uta Lagoon and catchment area, and for generating a lot of practical knowledge. The Phase I terminal evaluation recommended that the second phase should cover all areas of lagoon with a comprehensive suite of activities to improve the lagoon’s ecosystem services.

Specific to this TOR, a PPG Team Leader (Biodiversity Expertise) consultant will be recruited to lead the development of the Tonga R2R Phase 2 Project Document.

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of Work

The International PPG Team Leader (Biodiversity expertise)  together with National PPG Coordinator (Biodiversity Expert) and other team members will provide overall technical oversight, guidance on the UNDP-GEF requirements to the overall PPG team for the full-sized GEF project and will lead the drafting of ProDoc. S/he will be responsible for providing technical guidance, quality assurance and mentoring of the national PPG team to support the technical review of the assessment and reports that are existing as well as those that will be developed by national consultants and ensure timely preparation of all the reports and documentation, including the finalization of UNDP Project Document (ProDoc) and GEF CEO Endorsement Request, with all mandatory and project-specific Annexes.

Expected Outputs and Deliverables

1. Management of the GEF PPG Team
   1. Define and submit a detailed methodology and work plan in consultation with the other consultants with clear delegation of responsibilities for the International Consultant (IC) and National Consultants (NCs);
   2. Ensure that project development is participatory, gender-responsive and based on extensive stakeholder engagements; and
   3. Verify and ensure that all project components are technically sound and cost effective.

1. Preparatory Technical Studies and Reviews: With inputs from the national consultants, as detailed in their respective TORs:
   1. Compile (support the National Lead, if virtual) baseline/situational analysis for the full-size project (FSP). 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;
   2. Guide the stakeholder analysis and consultations, with support from national consultants, and ensure that they are complete and comprehensive including consultations with the private sector and tourism associations and bodies;
   3. Guide the national consultants to ensure the preparation of the gender analysis and ensure its findings are meaningfully integrated into the project’s strategy, theory of change and results framework;
   4. Ensure action points, including risk assessments, from the UNDP Social and Environmental Screening Procedure (SESP) at the PIF stage (“pre-screening”) are fully implemented during the PPG, and update that screening in an iterative process throughout the PPG, and as appropriate;
   5. Guide the identification of the project sites, with documentation of selection criteria and making sure that geo-referenced data and maps are clearly presented both for targeted protected areas and broader landscapes, as applicable;
   6. Support the design of appropriate project knowledge management processes and platforms, ensuring appropriate linkages to existing mechanisms and knowledge sharing in project landscapes;
   7. Lead and oversee the identification of opportunities for private sector engagement and co-financing;
   8. Guide the preparation of partner capacity assessments and discussions on management arrangements early in the PPG process;
   9. Guide the consultations with partners regarding financial planning; and
   10. Ensure completion of any additional studies that are determined to be needed for the preparation of the ProDoc and all other final outputs.

1. Formulation of the ProDoc, CEO Endorsement Request and Mandatory and Project Specific Annexes: With inputs from the national consultants, as detailed in their respective TORs, and based on international best practice:
   1. Develop, present and articulate the project’s theory of change;
   2. Develop the Results Framework in line with UNDP-GEF policy;
   3. Develop a detailed Monitoring and Evaluation Plan and Budget;
   4. Oversee and ensure the preparation of a comprehensive Stakeholder Engagement Plan;
   5. Oversee and ensure the preparation of a Gender Action Plan and Budget;
   6. Oversee and ensure the preparation of ESMF and updating of the SESP based on assessments undertaken during Component A, and ensure the development of required environmental and/or social management plan(s) as required;
   7. Oversee the preparation of the required GEF tracking tools (if required) and GEF Core Indicators and ensure these are supported by robust and validated data;
   8. Prepare the indicative procurement plan;
   9. Secure and present agreements on project execution and management arrangements and ensure that the project aligns to UNDP-GEF guidance on UNDP execution support;
   10. Ensure the completion of the required official endorsement letters; and
   11. Synthesize all analyses, studies, etc. that are prepared under Components A and B to produce the draft UNDP-GEF ProDoc, GEF CEO Endorsement, and all mandatory and project specific Annexes, using the templates.[1]

1. Inception and Validation Workshop:
   1. Guide the inception and validation workshop to present, discuss and validate the final draft ProDoc and mandatory and project specific annexes, with a special focus on the SESP, Gender, Stakeholders Engagement and any other management plans;
   2. Oversee all necessary revisions that arise during the workshop; and
   3. Ensure completion of Inception and Validation Workshop Report.

1. Final Deliverables:
   1. Consolidation of all technical and consultation inputs and comments including from national stakeholders, UNDP, GEF Secretariat, and GEF Council, into a well written and concise UNDP ProDoc with all required sections and all mandatory Annexes (GEF budget template, project map and geospatial coordinates of project sites, multi-year workplan, UNDP risk register, GEF Core indicators, GEF taxonomy, in line with the standard UNDP-GEF ProDoc template and annotated guidance;
   2. Completion of the GEF CEO Endorsement Request;
   3. Completion of all SESP and any other stand-alone management plans such as Stakeholders Engagement Plan; ESMF; Gender Action Plan);:
   4. Submission of all Co-financing letters, GEF Tracking Tool; Procurement Plan, Execution Support Letter;
   5. Submission of all Technical TORs – International and National Consultants;
   6. All documentation from GEF PPG (including technical reports, meeting minutes, etc.);
   7. Inception and Validation Workshop Report.

Institutional Arrangement

• The consultant will be working very closely with UNDP RTA (NCE team) and Programme Analyst (UNDP Pacific Office) specifically in charge of the project.
• He/She will be expected to work closely with the Department of Environment for facilitating stakeholders consultation etc
• He/She will be expected to coordinate the work of all other consultants identified as the Tonga R2R PPG team.
• He/She is expected to provide input to the work of the other consultants and ensure that their respective deliverables are acceptable to UNDP
• All deliverables identified must be fully met by the consultant at the end of the consultancy term.

Duration of the Work

• The total number of days for this consultancy is 70 working days for a period of 14 months or longer as may be extended subject to progress of work.

Duty Station

• This consultancy will be home-based with possibility of travel to Tonga depending on travel restriction conditions for Tonga.

[1] Please verify with the UNDP-GEF team that the correct templates are being used.

Competencies

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills;
• Strong analytical, reporting and writing abilities skills;
• Openness to change and ability to receive/integrate feedback;
• Ability to plan, organize, implement and report on work;
• Ability to work under pressure and tight deadlines;
• Comprehensiveness knowledge of Conservation work in the Pacific Region
• Proficiency in the use of office IT applications and internet in conducting research;
• Outstanding communication, project management and organizational skills;
• Excellent presentation and facilitation skills.
• Demonstrates integrity and ethical standards;
• Positive, constructive attitude to work;

Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Required Skills and Experience

Educational Qualifications:

• Master’s degree or higher in a relevant field, such as Natural Sciences, Environmental Engineering/Management, Conservation Biology, Social Sciences or Political Sciences

Experience

• Minimum 10 years of demonstrable experience in the technical area of climate adaptation or related fields and in preparing high quality project documents, particularly for UNDP and GEF projects;
• Demonstrated understanding of the GEF and LDCF rationale and procedures, and demonstrated experience in formulation of GEF-funded project proposals, using the logical framework and the results-based management approaches;
• Knowledge of and experience in climate adaptation, disaster risk reduction, environment and natural resource management
• Experience working in Pacific region or similar geographic landscape on related initiatives highly desired.

Language requirements

• Fluency of English language is required;