The most significant threats to tigers survival in and around the Huay Kha Kaeng – Tung Yai Naresuan World Heritage Site (HKK-TYN WHS) includes: i) habitat degradation and fragmentation; ii) poaching of the prey that tigers depend on; and iii) poaching of the tigers themselves. These threats are further exacerbated by limited capacity and insufficient resources to effectively plan and administer the wildlife sanctuaries, and limited working relationship with enclave and buffer communities.

The Strengthening Capacity and Incentives for Wildlife Conservation in the Western Forest Complex Project is financially supported by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), with the Department of National Parks Wildlife and Plant Conservation as the Implementing Partner. The project aims to improve the management effectiveness of and sustainable financing for the HKK-TYN WHS, as well as to incentivize local community stewardship.

The project has been organized into three components, and will be implemented over a period of five years (2015-2019).

The first Component of the project is directed towards strengthening and scaling up existing best-practice management activities, and developing and testing innovative approaches to enforcement and compliance, in the HKK-TYN WHS. It will strive to reduce the direct threats to tigers and prey, improve effectiveness of wildlife sanctuary management, and enhance the use of data and information to support key management decision-making.

The second Component of the project is focused on linking sustainable livelihood development in the enclave and buffer zone villages with specific conservation outcomes, and improving economic links between the buffer zone and enclave villages and the Wildlife Sanctuary. It will seek to achieve these linkages by promoting incentives (including technical support and grant funding for sustainable livelihoods initiatives, ecotourism development and piloting a REDD+ Wildlife Premium carbon project) for community-based sustainable forest management, environmentally-friendly agricultural practices, nature-based tourism and education and improved wildlife and habitat protection.

The Third Component of the project is directed towards raising the awareness in communities living in and around the WHS of the need to conserve, and the importance of protecting, the forest landscapes and associated wildlife. With the iterative recognition in these communities of the intrinsic value of the forest habitats and wildlife, work under this component will assist in strengthening the representation of the buffer and enclave communities in each of the Wildlife Sanctuary’s Protected Area Committees (PACs). With improved community-based representation on the PAC, the project will assist in building the capacity (information, knowledge, skill) of each of the community representatives to assure a constructive and meaningful contribution to the co-management of the wildlife sanctuaries.

The total GEF-supported funding for this project is US$7,339,450, with the co-financing of US$24,234,427 from the Thai counterparts.

The project implementation is led by the Department of National Parks Wildlife and Plants (DNP) and other key agencies including NGOs, in collaboration with UNDP.

Objective of the Assignment:

UNDP Thailand is recruiting an Individual Contractor to assist the Project Manager on the Inclusive Wildlife-based management of HKK-TYN aiming at non-DNP stakeholders to be constructively engaged in innovative participatory management of the buffer zone areas and special areas for nature education. The work includes coordination and facilitation for key project stakeholders, ensuring efficiency, timeliness and quality results in demonstrating innovative wildlife-based management and development of sustainable financing mechanism for the buffer zone areas of the World Heritage Sites.

Scope of work:

The Individual Contractor will be responsible for supervising and coordinating the direct implementation of Wildlife-based Ecotourism for HKK Buffer zone management as the innovative nature-based wildlife education and protected areas management. This includes the feasible demonstration of such innovation in the special areas for wildlife education in the World Heritage Sites, in close collaboration with WCO wildlife research office and Khao Nag Ram Wildlife Research Station. The Individual Contractor will report to the Project manager for all of the project’s substantive and administrative issues. He/she will perform a liaison role with the DNP field officials, RFD local officials, and NGOs (notably Seub Nakasatien Foundation and WCS). The individual contractor will have to provide substantive wildlife management knowledge to the provincial and local government, and interested private sector as to mainstream wildlife-based management into the local administration and private business sustainability’s management plan.   He/she will have to maintain close collaboration with any complementary local initiatives and programs. The Individual Contractor will assist the Project Manager in reporting, on a periodical basis, to the Project Board (PB).

 Key duties and responsibilities will include:

 Implementation and monitoring support

• Liaise with all relevant field-based government agencies, and all project partners,
• including donor organizations and NGOs for effective coordination on Wildlife-based Ecotourism for HKK Buffer zone management as the innovative nature-based wildlife education and protected areas management.;
• Enhance feasible demonstration of the innovative nature-based wildlife education and protected areas management in the special areas for wildlife education in the World Heritage Sites
• Facilitate technical backstopping to field-based sub-contractors and training activities supported by the project;
• Assist relevant government agencies and project partners – including donor
• organizations and NGOs – to gain better understanding on innovative wildlife-based management
• Mainstream wildlife-based management and education into the provincial administrative plan and budgeting, through training, workshop, and on-the-job training;
• Coordinate and assist scientific institutions with the initiation and implementation of any field studies and monitoring components of the project;
• Report progress of the project to Project Manager;

 Effective management support

• Facilitate the regular coordination meetings and dialogues with relevant stakeholders;
• Assist in private sector partnership formulation on wildlife-based livelihoods initiatives and economic incentives in conservation activities;
• Assist in developing profiles of potential partners in innovative conservation schemes
• Provide feedback from stakeholders involved in field-based activities on
• challenges and recommendations for smooth implementation;

 Knowledge building and management support

• Document relevant field-based experiences and lessons learned;
• Assist in provision of regular knowledge sharing and dissemination forum
• Assist in liaising and filling the communication gaps of diversified stakeholders in acquiring new knowledge and understanding of innovative conservation setting.

Expected Outputs and Deliverables

The schedule of deliverables is based on key deliverables as follows:

 1.             Effective coordination on Wildlife-based Ecotourism for HKK Buffer zone management

            -   Series of stakeholders’ consultation

            -   Report on focused groups meeting

            -   Coordination mechanism

2.             Feasible demonstration of the innovative nature-based (wildlife) education and protected areas management (both in Buffer zone and Protected Areas)

              - Work plan on feasible demonstration (based on the feasibility study on Wildlife-based Ecotourism)

               -                Committed agencies in piloting the feasible demonstration and management structure

3.             Mainstream wildlife-based management and education into the provincial administrative plan and budgeting

              - Report on the integrated agenda on Wildlife-based Ecotourism into the Provincial development committee meetings

4.             Private sector partnership formulation on Wildlife-based Ecotourism/ wildlife-based education scheme

              - Advocate knowledge and better understanding

              - Report of interested business partners/ sponsorship

5.             Document relevant field-based experiences and lessons learned on wildlife-based Ecotourism and Education scheme

              - Concluding inputs for the contracted team to develop Business Plan and sustainable Financing of the World Heritage Site

Institutional Arrangement

Each month, the Individual Contractor shall submit a report on tasks undertaken, challenges encountered, and work plans for the following month to the Project Manager, as representative of the Inclusive Green Growth and Sustainable Development Unit, UNDP Thailand, for review and approval.

Payment shall be made within two weeks after the receipt of above mentioned report.

Duration of Assignment:

The Individual Contractor will work during the period of 1 March 2018 – 31 March 2020 (not exceeding 500 days in 25 months). The Individual Contractor shall be paid on a Lump Sum basis.  This position does not qualify for overtime pay.

Duty Station:

Uthai Thani-Based, Thailand with frequent travel to Nakornsawan province, and occasionally commute to Tung Yai Naresuan which is part of the World Heritage Sites, when relevant to the assignment. The Individual Contractor may need to arrange transport on his/her own and the transport cost shall be reimbursed at actual cost but not exceeding 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.

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.

Qualifications:

The Individual Contractor should have the following expertise and qualifications.

Education:

Thai national with Bachelor’s Degree in management, administration, economics, environment or a closely related field, or equivalent relevant work experience.

Experience:

• At least 15 years of experience, with proven records of experiences in project implementation, especially those related to wildlife conservation, protected area management;
• Hands-on experience in field-based international cooperation project, dealing with local government, communities, and stakeholders to form the co-management in the protected area;
• Proven experience working in public administration, Department of national Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), in particular
• Proven record of working with private sector in CSR or sustainable development partnership
• Experience on individual and institutional capacity building process, both technical and managerial skills;
• Be a strong team player, able to work independently and processing excellent interpersonal skill and ability to engage a wide range of stakeholders;
• Display cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Language Requirements :

Good command of writing and speaking Thai and English

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, travel costs, living allowance (if any work is to be done outside the IC´s duty station) 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 – Max 15 points
• Criteria 2 Relevant experience in public administration, DNP in particular -Max 20 Points
• Criteria 3 Relevant experience as a Team Leader – Max 10 points
• Criteria 4 Relevant experience on Wildlife Conservation and Management – Max 30 points
• Criteria 5 Relevant experience on International Cooperation Project – Max 25 Points

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

Documents to Be Included When Submitting the Proposals: 

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:

• Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability and financial proposal using the template provided in Annex III. Note: National consultants must quote prices in Thai Baht.
• Personal CV or P11, indicating all experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references.

Incomplete proposals may not be considered. The short listed candidates may be contacted and the successful candidate will be notified

Annexes:

Annex I - TOR_ Senior Coordinator on Inclusive Wildlife-based Management

                               Annex I-I Project Document

                               Annex I-II Feasibility Study of Wildlife-based Eco tourism in Buffer Zone of Huai Kha Kaeng Wildlife Sanctuary, via this link: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1ECeSbyzQyKnjHbiAq_PQtS5WVQrrdZBu

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

All documents can be downloaded at :http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=43784