Historique

Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD+) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) provides an opportunity to support Papua New Guinea’s (PNG) efforts to reduce deforestation and help to maintain and protect its natural forest. At the 16th Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the UNFCCC in Cancun, 2010, a set of seven safeguards were adopted, which are to be promoted and supported when undertaking REDD+ actions. These safeguards aim to ensure that REDD+ actions do not cause negative social or environmental impacts.

Safeguards can be broadly understood as actions that aim to address both direct and indirect impacts on communities and ecosystems, by identifying, analyzing, and ultimately working to manage risks and opportunities. If designed and implemented appropriately, safeguards can help REDD+ provide a suite of multiple benefits such as biodiversity conservation.

Countries aiming to implement REDD+ activities under the UNFCCC must 1) ensure their REDD+ actions, regardless of the source and type of funding, are implemented in a manner consistent with the Cancun safeguards; 2) develop a system for providing information on how the Cancun safeguards are being addressed and respected, known as a safeguard information system (SIS); and 3) provide a summary of information to the UNFCCC on how all the Cancun safeguards are being addressed and respected throughout the implementation of REDD+ activities.
PNG is following the ‘Country Approach to Safeguards’ advocated by the UN-REDD Programme. In addition to responding to UNFCCC requirements, a country approach to safeguards will allow PNG to consider further objectives, including, for example, other national policy objectives and requirements of organizations (e.g. donors) providing interim results-based payments. The Country Approach recognizes that, while the means to address and respect REDD+ safeguards will vary among countries, based on national circumstances, there are generic steps that may be useful for countries to consider for the development of their safeguard approaches.

Through the UN-REDD National Programme (2011-2015), PNG developed a series of indicators for each of the Cancun safeguards. This assignment, funded through PNG’s FCPF project, will build on that body of work by supporting the identification of information needs and relevant information systems and sources, including the Web Portal of the national forest monitoring system, to address each of the identified safeguards indicators, assisting with a monitoring and assessment plan, and proposing methods for safeguards information dissemination. In this way, this work will support the initial work to design PNG’s safeguards information system (SIS).

Devoirs et responsabilités

The first objective of the assignment is to support a stock-taking exercise of PNG’s work on REDD+ safeguards.

The second is to support the definition of information to be collected to assess the identified indicators, where this information is found, how the information will be gathered, analyzed and disseminated as part of PNG’s SIS, and who will be responsible for work conducted.

The third objective is to support the development of a monitoring, assessment and information dissemination plan for each indicator.

The National Expert will work closely with an international consultant who will take conceptual leadership of the tasks under this assignment. The National Expert will work in close coordination and consultation with government counterparts and the team of national and international UN-REDD and FCPF staff, who will liaise with UNDP REDD+ regional and global advisors. This will include support to work plan preparation, which will be prepared under the supervision of the international consultant. The expert will focus on the collection of relevant data based on the information needs for each indicator. The National Expert will support day-to-day safeguards-related activities of the FCPF project, including data collection, liaising with stakeholders, information dissemination and preparation of reports, concept notes and training materials.

The assignment consists of three broad components of work. The work and associated outputs will build on the initial REDD+ safeguards work supported by the UN-REDD Programme.

• Stocktaking of REDD+ safeguards/SIS progress to date in PNG/Roadmap development;
• Identify information needs and relevant national information systems/sources;
• Development of a monitoring, assessment and dissemination plan.

These three components will provide a clear understanding of the safeguards information needs and the management of the data collection and analysis process. This knowledge will provide the necessary foundation for the development of PNG’s SIS.

The National Expert will work closely with an International Safeguards Expert, preparing the necessary studies, concept notes, agendas and other materials in PNG and following-up on activities.

The expert is expected to undertake the following activities in order to achieve the stated objectives above:

• Together with the International Expert take stock of existing approaches to safeguards information provision; this includes collecting existing data and other information (national literature, documents, briefs, etc.) on REDD+ safeguards and relevant aspects of major multilateral safeguard frameworks (SEPC, REDD+ SES, SESA), as well as relevant information already produced by PNG to meet the reporting requirements of international agreements and conventions PNG is part to, and provide to the International Expert for comprehensive desk review;
• Carry out any necessary additional studies to develop a full understanding and develop a long-list of potential options for safeguards information, in consultation with the International Expert;
• Organize and facilitate national and regional consultations with key stakeholders on 1) potential types and sources of information for each safeguard indicator, 2) potential monitoring and assessment options, and 3) potential methods for safeguards information dissemination;
• Using his/her professional network, support the International Expert in conducting national consultation meetings at national and regional levels on the draft report to seek stakeholders’ inputs;
• Support the revision/updating of PNG’s REDD+ safeguards indicators, as necessary;
• Support the preparation of, and participate in, a national (and sub-national if deemed necessary) validation meeting(s) organized by the OCCD/PNGFA/UNDP-PNG to ensure stakeholders’ buy-in and actions on findings, policy options and recommendations;
• Provide input to the various reports to be prepared by the International Expert including;
• Draft report that details potential options for types and sources of information, and methods for their dissemination;
• Final report addressing the inputs by stakeholders from the national validation meetings;
• Draft action plan of recommended policy-to-practice actions to guide national government and non-government stakeholders in PNG in a phased national safeguards response, while meeting compliance with the interpretation criteria developed for the Cancun Agreements on safeguards;
• Provide direct technical support to OCCD and PNGFA to develop the TOR for PNG’s SIS based on the terms of reference prepared;
• Provide technical support to OCCD in preparation and organization of Social and Environmental Safeguard Technical Working Group (TWG-SES) meetings and advise the TWG for improved efficiency;
• Communicate responsively and effectively with the international expert, FCPF and UNDP colleagues, government counterparts and other stakeholders, providing relevant and timely information and updates on progress with the delivery of the assignment;
• Provide support to other such tasks as deemed relevant to develop and implement appropriate REDD+ safeguards in PNG.

Compétences

• Knowledge of REDD+, with adequate knowledge of associated safeguard mechanisms (e.g. Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), payment for ecosystem services (PES) and other performance-based forestry financing mechanisms);
• Excellent organizational skills, strong interpersonal skills, commitment to team work and to working across disciplines and stakeholders at all levels;
• Proven capacity to liaise and effectively work with government agencies.

Qualifications et expériences requises

Education:

• University degree (BSc.) in the fields of science, social science, rural development, international law or environmental and social assessment, or any other relevant education.

Experience:

• A minimum of 5 years progressive experience in forest, land use or sustainable development policy at a national level;
• Experience working for and with organizations dealing with sustainable development, forest/land use and climate change issues;
• Practical experience in research, analyzing and preparation of national guidelines with similar tasks and outputs.

Language:

• Fluency in written and spoken English.

How To Apply

Qualified candidates are requested to apply by 9 August 2015 by sending their application packages to registry.pg@undp.org with the subject line “FCPF - REDD+ Safeguards Specialist”.

The application should contain:

• Cover letter explaining why you are the most suitable candidate for the advertised position and a brief methodology on how you will approach and conduct the work (if applicable). Please paste the letter into the "Resume and Motivation" section of the electronic application;
• Filled P11 form including past experience in similar projects and contact details of referees, please upload the P11 instead of your CV;
• Financial Proposal - specifying a total lump sum amount for the tasks specified in this announcement. The financial proposal shall include a breakdown of this lump sum amount (number of anticipated working days – in home office and on mission, travel – international and local, per diems and any other possible costs).

Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please make sure you have provided all requested materials. Please note that the financial proposal is all-inclusive and shall take into account various expenses incurred by the consultant/contractor during the contract period (e.g. fee, health insurance, vaccination, office costs and any other relevant expenses related to the performance of services.). All envisaged travel costs must be included in the financial proposal. This includes all travel to join duty station/repatriation travel.

Financial Proposal

Lump sum contracts

The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount, and payment terms around specific and measurable (qualitative and quantitative) deliverables (i.e. whether payments fall in installments or upon completion of the entire contract). Payments are based upon output, i.e. upon delivery of the services specified in the TOR and their acceptance and certification by UNDP.  In order to assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals, the financial proposal will include a breakdown of this lump sum amount (including travel, per diems, and number of anticipated working days).

Travel

All envisaged travel costs must be included in the financial proposal. This includes all travel to join duty station/repatriation travel.  In general, UNDP should 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 case of unforeseeable travel, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between the respective business unit and Individual Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed.

Individual Consultants are responsible for ensuring they have vaccinations/inoculations when travelling to certain countries, as designated by the UN Medical Director. Consultants are also required to comply with the UN security directives set forth under dss.un.org

Evaluation

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodologies:

Cumulative analysis: the award of the contract will 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.

Individual consultants will be evaluated based upon the offer which gives the best value for money based on the Lump Sum proposal submitted, selected by the UNDP PNG Country Office in consultation with the UNDP Asia Pacific Regional Centre Technical Advisor.

The Technical and the Financial Proposal submitted to by the International Expert will be evaluated on the basis of the weight of the technical criteria [70] and of the financial proposal [30].

The evaluation will be performed in two stages

Stage One (Technical Evaluation of Proposals).  All Individual Consultants proposals comprising the information/documentation provided will be evaluated to ascertain the suitability of the individual consultants to carry out the assignment. Candidates who obtain the minimum of 49 points of the full mark (70 points) will be considered technically compliant and their financial evaluations will be evaluated thereafter.

Stage Two (Financial Evaluation). The financial proposals of all the individual consultants who pass stage one will be evaluated. The maximum 30 points will be allotted to the lowest financial bid, and all other bids shall receive points in inverse proportion to the lowest fee e.g. [30 Points] x [USD lowest] / [USD other] = points for other proposer’s fees.

The award of contract shall be based on the individual consultant who receives the highest cumulative score.

Technical criteria

The following criteria will be used to evaluate the individual consultants’ technical proposals

Academic Qualifications (10 points):

• University degree (BSc.) in the fields of science, social science, rural development, international law or environmental and social assessment, or any other relevant education (Criteria A).

Years of experience (10 points):

• A minimum of 5 years progressive experience in forest, land use or sustainable development policy ata national level (Criteria B).

 Competencies (40 points):

• Experience working for and with organizations dealing with sustainable development, forest/land use and climate change issues (Criteria C);
• Knowledge of REDD+, with adequate knowledge of associated safeguard mechanisms (e.g. Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), payment for ecosystem services (PES) and other performance-based forestry financing mechanisms) (Criteria D);
• Excellent organizational skills, strong interpersonal skills, commitment to team work and to working across disciplines and stakeholders at all levels (Criteria E);
• Proven capacity to liaise and effectively work with government agencies (Criteria F);
• Practical experience in research, analyzing and preparation of national guidelines with similar tasks and outputs (Criteria G).

Language requirements (10 points):

Fluency in written and spoken English (Criteria H).

Criteria                      Weight            Max. Point
Technical:                   70                    70
Criteria A                      14.29%            10
Criteria B                      11.42%              8
Criteria C                      11.42%              8
Criteria D                      11.42%              8
Criteria E                       11.42%              8
Criteria F                       11.42%              8
Criteria G                       14.29%            10
Criteria H                       14.29%            10

Financial:                  30                     30