Background

1. PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

The “Building Shoreline Resilience of Timor-Leste to Protect Local Communities and their Livelihoods” (also referred to as the Coastal Resilience Building) Project is being implemented in close collaboration with the Government of Timor-Leste (GoTL) through the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries as well as working with other line ministries, local and international partners, NGOs and private enterprise as the issues of coastal areas are complex and cross-sectoral.  It employs an integrated approach, while tailoring activities to address the specific needs, challenges and priorities of the Government of Timor-Leste.

The objective of the UNDP GEF-funded project – Building shoreline resilience of Timor-Leste to protect local communities and their livelihoods is to strengthen resilience of coastal communities by the introduction of nature-based approaches to coastal protection.

Mangroves and coastal wetlands are highly vulnerable to the projected impacts of climate change, particularly sea-level rise (SLR). An estimated 80% of mangroves have been lost in Timor-Leste, since 1940 (Boggs et al. 2009, Alongi 2014), due to a combination of both, climate related risks (i.e. sea level rise, increased storm events) and also, non-climate related anthropogenic impacts (i.e. demand for fuel wood, building materials, salt production, rice production, uncontrolled grazing). 

This Coastal Resilience Building project will systematically strengthen the synergistic relationship between coastal communities and mangroves ecosystems and ensure that coastal communities in Timor-Leste have economic incentives to maintain and safeguard these protective natural systems, without compromising their livelihood options. 

The project has been implementing activities since August 2016, with mangrove conservation and restoration and support to livelihood diversification in seven municipalities (Dili, Liquic¸a, Covalima, Bobonaro, Manuhafi, Manatuto and Viqueque) across coastal communities in Timor-Leste.

1. Background:

Timor-Leste is an island country, covering 14,954 km2 of area, including the enclave Oe´-cusse, Atauro Island and Jaco Island. It has a coastline of 783 kilometers occurring in 11 municipalities. Over 50 % of the population residing on the coastland and mainly dependent on natural resources along the coast for livelihood activities. Timor-Leste is a mountainous island, characterized by rugged steep terrain and small narrow valleys. About 44% of the country has a steep to very steep slope (> 40%). The capital, Dili, itself is located on a flat narrow strip of land on the northern coastline. Much of the country’s social and economic activities are concentrated along the coastland and hence the majority of the country’s social and economic infrastructural assets are also located in this area. Although there are multiple sectors and agencies with responsibilities for the management of coastal resources, assets and space, there are also often competing demands and overlapping of roles and responsibilities making it a challenging and complex process to establish an integrated and well-coordinated approach to management of coastal resources that is compatible with conservation of coastal and marine ecosystems.

While there are many challenges and complexities hindering an integrated approach to management of the coastal zone and its resources and development, it is critical for Timor-Leste to elaborate an integrated approach to planning and management of activities and development along this critical zone taking into considerations the inputs from multiple stakeholders at all levels – local, national and regional and also involving civil society, private sector and academia.

Accordingly, the Government of Timor-Leste, through the Ministry of Agriculture with support from UNDP Building Shoreline Resilience Project envisage the development of the Integrated Coastal Adaptation and Management Plan for TL. UNDP invites an experienced international consultant (Coastal Management Specialist) to formulate the Coastal Adaptation and Management Plan for Timor-Leste and prepare a costed 5-year Road Map for implementation from 2020 - 2025. It also entails the formation of the inter-ministerial committee for championing the implementation of the roadmap. This will be complemented with consultations and validation workshops with key stakeholders at both national and municipality levels.

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Scope of Work

The international consultant will work closely with national counterparts and local administrations, project teams and stakeholders to facilitate the consultations, FGD, interviews and field work to formulate the Integrated Coastal Adaptation and Management Plan and 5-year (2020 – 2025) road map for implementation.

Part of the exercise will involve assessing the capacities of key sectoral agencies and ministries who will play key roles in the implementation of the plan such as the Ministry of Public Works, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, and the Ministry of State Administration Other key ministries to be consulted include the Ministry of Finance, Environment, Tourism, Health, Education among other relevant ministries.

1. Inception Phase:

• During the inception phase the consultant shall review relevant literature, publications and documents provided (including the Vulnerability Assessment, National Coastal Adaptation Strategies, SDP 2011 – 2020 etc.)  provided at the start of the assignment.
• Facilitate the inception workshop with national and municipal stakeholders in Dili and prepare an inception report summarizing the objectives, scope and outputs of the assignment.
• The Inception Report shall be submitted within 2 weeks of commencement of the in-country mission and will include the details of the overall agreed deliverables with detailed organization and methodology for carrying out the assignment, consultations, work plan and implementation schedule of the consultancy for achieving the deliverables.  It will also include as annexes and outline/the draft structure of the ICAMP and report which shall be fully responsive to the Terms of Reference.

1. Preparation of Integrated Coastal Adaptation and Management Plan for TL with costing and the 5-year (2020 – 2025) implementation roadmap.

• Review the policies, laws, executive regulations, organic structures and decrees relevant to coastal management including planning and development along the coast; review the extent to which protection and conservation of coastal ecosystems (including mangroves) and climate change adaptation are considered in the planning processes for development along the coast, the extent to which early warning systems and weather information are used to influence development and inform land-use planning, protection of coastal community and their assets  and v) the extent to which natural resource management planning and disaster risk management activities are prepared in an integrated manner to facilitate costal adaptation and resilience.

• Documents and reports to be reviewed include but not limited to (a) the baseline costal vulnerability assessment that was conducted, and the recommended coastal adaptation strategies prepared in 2018 (b) the Coastal Protection and Resilience Strategy for Infrastructures Planning for Timor-Leste prepared in 2019.

• Field visits, consultations and interviews with key stakeholders at national, municipality and local communities to formulate the Integrated Coastal Adaptation and Management Plan.

• Review data, documentation, conduct field visits and facilitate consultations in order to provide inputs and prepare recommendations on the technical feasibility and locations of Wave/Tide/SLR instruments for TL.
• Draft the TOR with clear SOPs guidance to support coordination/dialogue on coastal management and the implementation plan and facilitate the presentation and validation among key stakeholders including members of the Steering Committee for the Implementation of the Integrated Coastal Adaptation and Management Plan.
  1. Presentation/stakeholders validation presenting the draft Plan to participants from national and municipality levels and TWG/steering Committee and incorporating feedbacks/additional inputs on the plan.
  2. Prepare and submit a Final Report detailing the process and products of the mission, conclusions, recommendations on the assignment and incorporating comments and feedback received from all parties

1. Expected Outputs and timelines

Competencies

1. Institutional Arrangements

The consultant will report to the Chief Technical Adviser for the Coastal Resilience Project in UNDP Timor-Leste. Further oversight and guidance will be provided by UNDP’s Regional Technical Adviser in RBAP (Bangkok).  The PMU will facilitate administrative arrangements and logistical support throughout the duration of the mission including coordinating the in-country mission and field visits. Field visits, consultation and travel will be required to the municipalities with approximately 5 overnight stay expected. The consultant will be expected to facilitate the respective consultations and deliver the validation workshop to national stakeholders.

• The IC will work conduct in-country missions and collaborate with the team in UNDP Timor-Leste Country Office (CO), MAF and with guidance and feedback from the UNDP Team.
• Frequent communication and collaboration with project team and relevant national counterpart staff.
• At least 3 in-country missions factored into the consultancy – an initial mission to conduct national and municipality consultations, prepare the assessment and draft the reports/plans,  and the others to present the draft report to stakeholders and validate the final plan/roadmap with relevant stakeholders.
• The IC will perform duties according to this TOR, facilitate consultation and discussion with key government counterparts, partners and community including organization in Timor-Leste.

1. Duration of Assignment

The assignment will be for a period of 62 working days between October 01, 2019 to April 30, 2020 in Timor-Leste.

1. Duty Station

The duty station of the work is Dili, Timor-Leste.  The IC will be expected to travel approximately 5 days for visits and consultations outside of Dili in the project sites/municipalities. The remainder of the time for the in-country mission will be based in Dili and home-base.

Required Skills and Experience

1. Qualifications of the Successful Individual Contractor (IC)

Education:

Advanced degree (Masters/PhD) in Engineering, Coastal Management, Natural Resources Management, or in a closely related field with focus on climate change adaptation and coastal management.

Professional Experience:

Minimum of (15) years of progressively demonstrable experience in the field of coastal zone management with focus on policy and strategy development, climate change adaptation, coastal management in different regional settings, in particular, experience working on coastal management strategy, natural resources management and ecosystems conservation plans.

International experience and knowledge of various methodologies of integrated coastal zone management, conducting assessment and drafting policies, strategies and action plans for integrated coastal adaptation and management – provide evidence of at least three similar assignment undertaken in (small islands developing states (SIDS) within the past 5 years.

Previous demonstrable experience providing consultancy/advisory services to government agency or development partner with specific experience in developing payment mechanisms and providing ecosystem valuation services.

Working experience with international organizations, government and knowledge of GEF and UNDP policies.

Language requirements:

English Language – excellent written and oral communication skills. In addition to excellent command of English, ability to communicate in Portuguese and/or Tetum will be considered beneficial to the assignment.

Other Competencies:

Knowledge Management and Learning

• Demonstrated capacity in knowledge sharing and knowledge management and ability to generate innovative and new ideas and promote learning through leadership and personal example
• In-depth practical knowledge of inter-disciplinary development issues
• Ability to conduct research and analysis and strong synthesis skills

 Management and Leadership

• Highly develop inter-personal, negotiation and teamwork skills, networking aptitude, ability to work in multi-cultural environment

• Excellent interpersonal and networking skills, including the ability to liaise effectively at corporate and project management levels;

Corporate/Functional

• 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.

1. Scope of price proposal and schedule of payments

Lump Sum Amount

The financial proposal must be expressed in the form of a lump sum all-inclusive cost linked to deliverables specified in TOR Section C, supported by a breakdown of costs as per the 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. 

1. Schedule of payments

1. RECOMMENDED PRESENTATION OF OFFER

Individual consultants interested in the assignment must submit the following documents to demonstrate their qualification:

1. Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided by UNDP; template can be downloaded at http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=59275
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; template can be downloaded at http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=59275
3. Financial Proposal that indicates the all-inclusive fixed total contract price, supported by a breakdown of costs, as per template provided. template can be downloaded at http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=59275
4. Technical Proposal - Brief description of methodology on how s/he will approach and complete the assignment;

Kindly note that any Incomplete proposal (missing CV/P11 and/or Financial Proposal) will not be considered for further evaluation.

1. CRITERIA FOR SELECTION OF THE BEST OFFER

The candidates will be evaluated based on the following methodology:

Combined Scoring method – where the qualifications and methodology will be weighted a max. of 70% and combined with the price offer which will be weighted a max of 30%. Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points of the technical criteria will be considered for the financial evaluation.

1. APPROVAL

This TOR is approved by: