Background
The Global Environment Facility (GEF) embarked on the “R2R- Pacific Islands Ridge-to-Reef National Priorities – Integrated Water, Land, Forest and Coastal Management to Preserve Biodiversity, Ecosystem Services, Store Carbon, Improve Climate Resilience and Sustain Livelihoods” in the last decade to “provide an opportunity for Pacific SIDS [Small Island Developing States] to develop and implement truly integrated approaches for the sustainable development of island economies and communities”. Under the umbrella of this larger project, several Pacific Island nations including Tuvalu, established demonstration sites within their national boundaries. For Tuvalu, a sub-component of the larger Pacific R2R programme was initiated in 2015, the “Implementing ‘Ridge to Reef’ approach to protect biodiversity and ecosystem functions in Tuvalu (Tuvalu R2R Project)” which has the main aim “to preserve ecosystem services, sustain livelihoods and improve resilience in Tuvalu using a ‘ridge-to-reef’ approach”.
To achieve this objective, the Tuvalu R2R programme has four components: “enhancing and strengthening conservation and protected areas (Component 1); rehabilitating degraded coastal and inland forests and landscapes and supporting the delivery of integrated water resource management (IWRM) and integrated coastal management (ICM) at a national scale whilst piloting hands-on approaches at the island scale (on three selected pilot islands) (Component 2); enhancing governance and institutional capacities at the national, island, and community levels for enhanced inland and coastal natural resource management (Component 3); and improving data and information systems that would enable improve evidence-based planning, decision-making, and management of natural resources in Tuvalu (Component 4)”.
The Tuvalu R2R Project is a 5-year project, implemented by Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Trade, Tourism, Environment and Labour (MFATTEL) in partnership with the Department of Environment of MFATTEL, Ministry of Home Affairs and Rural Development (MHARD), Ministry of Natural Resources and UNDP. There are multiple outcomes projected with the most relevant to the Biorap survey being: “formalized community management systems of marine conservation areas across 9 islands equipped with functional management plans; enhance and/or develop a centralized GIS database system on biodiversity, natural resources, and governance systems; implement sustainable land management interventions and agroforestry interventions; and enhance awareness and build capacities on the Ridge to Reef approach”.
The Tuvalu archipelago consists of three islets (Nanumanga, Niutao and Niulakita) and six atolls (Funafuti, Nanumea, Nui, Nukufetau, Nukulaelae and Vaitupu), with a total land area of approximately 26 km2. Funafuti is the largest atoll, and includes numerous islets situated around a central lagoon that is approximately 25.1 x 18.4 km. The island nation’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) covers an oceanic area of approximately 900,000 km2 which is home to a highly diverse array of marine life, with estimates of species richness ranking amongst some of the highest in the Indo-Pacific realm. The predominant vegetation type (covering ~ 40% of land surfaces) on the islands of Tuvalu is said to be “coconut woodland”. Terrestrial fauna and flora communities are typically depauperate for isolated coral atoll/ reef islets, and are dominated by coastal/littoral pantropical species. With rising sea levels and subsequent land loss, Tuvalu’s terrestrial habitats are imminently threatened, and as a consequence, so too are the local and scientific knowledge of the biodiversity that exists within.
Please refer to the Terms of Reference for more details https://www.pacific.undp.org/content/pacific/en/home/procurement.html
Duties and Responsibilities
The Tuvalu R2R Project partners plan to undertake a Biodiversity Rapid Assessment (Biorap) on four islets/atolls in the Tuvalu archipelago, namely Niutao, Funafuti, Vaitupu and Nukulaelae. It is intended that biodiversity surveys will be conducted at these four locations, involving baseline field ecological surveys of plants, vegetation, avifauna, and marine habitats, as well as information on mammals (native and introduced/invasive), reptiles and invertebrates. For this purpose, a specialist team of consultants are required to achieve the following objectives:
- To develop specific and feasible methods for conducting baseline field ecological surveys of plants (vegetation), avifauna (birds), mammals (native and introduced/invasive), reptiles, amphibians, insects, and marine species, with a particular focus on species of cultural significance and unique to Tuvalu. Survey methodologies utilized in the Biorap are to be compatible and build on experiences of similar ecological surveys conducted in other Pacific Islands but adapted to the specific focus of the Tuvalu R2R Project.
- To conduct field work/surveys for an environmental baseline of the biodiversity of the four islets/atolls (Niutao, Funafuti, Vaitupu and Nukulaelae), implementing the developed methods (in 1 above).
- Based on the data collected, subsequent analysis thereof, and described within consequent report(s), the consultants should provide a set of key management and policy options that national and local stakeholders should consider employing to strengthen existing conservation efforts, such as the protection and management of important ecosystems and species found in Tuvalu.
- Whilst coordinating and conducting the Biorap surveys, the consultants are expected to work alongside, and build local capacity amongst a team of national (including local community) representatives. From the initial information collected the team of consultants are to provide specialized training for government staff in surveying and/or monitoring methods and the identification of biological indicator species.
- From the surveys and the stakeholder interactions, the team is expected to generate a detailed technical and scientific report with results and findings, including conclusions and recommendations on (1) healthy ecosystems; and, (2) key biota indicators that could be used for monitoring changes in important ecosystems.
The team leader will be responsible for coordinating the team reporting and activities, with the purpose of achieving the aforementioned objectives. It is essential for the team leader to maintain clear and effective communication with UNDP and the Tuvalu Department of Environment, providing regular updates via communication channels. Missions to the four islands are to be tentatively scheduled for mid-March. The Tuvalu R2R Project will provide transportation to and from sites of surveys within Tuvalu.
D. Expected Outputs and Deliverables
The Team Leader is expected to deliver the following products by the end of the consultancy:
• A detailed Inception Report which will include the individual survey methodologies (supplied by each individual specialist) to be implemented in the Biorap, and an associated work plan. The timeline of the work plan will be developed by the team leader in consultation with the Tuvalu R2R Project coordinator and the Tuvalu Department of Environment.
• A Pre/Post-mission Report summarizing the main activities and sites during the field surveys, with a focus on the stakeholder meetings and/or workshops (training for surveying and/or monitoring methods and the identification of species) with local community and national (government and NGO) representatives. Post-mission, this report should collate and summarise feedback from local community and national (government and NGO) representatives.
• Training materials for training future government representatives in surveying and/or monitoring methods and the identification of biological indicator species.
• A final report detailing the following:
1. Inventories of flora and fauna including plants, mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, marine species and invertebrates (endemic, native, introduced/invasive) and semi-quantitative or quantitative assessments of abundance and distribution.
2. An assessment of the status of habitats/ecosystems present on the four islands, describing current and/or imminent threats, (e.g. climate change, invasive species) which may affect species populations or habitats on the four islets/atolls. The aforementioned inventory should highlight biological indicator species that could be used for monitoring change in the habitats present on the four islets/atolls. .
3. Recommended management and policy options that national and local stakeholders could utilize to strengthen existing conservation and management of biodiversity on the four islands, with reference to national efforts. A particular focus on the assessment, monitoring and management plans for introduced and invasive species present on the four islands surveyed.
4. A discussion of lessons learnt and recommendations for national biodiversity surveys and local capacity building within the Pacific R2R programme, with a focus on capacity building at the local and national level.
Competencies
At least 10 years of experience in community-based conservation, protected areas management, biodiversity conservation, and/or sustainable land management in the Pacific and/or small island developing nations;
At least 10 years of experience in conducting biodiversity surveys, and the analysis and reporting of biodiversity datasets for Biorap assessments (whether as an individual or as a team member);
Proven track record of project team management and experience with working alongside government, NGO, and other key stakeholders;
At least 10 years of experience in developing local community/stakeholder capacity for biodiversity surveys and monitoring; and,
Demonstrated experience in reporting for GEF/UNDP projects and/or other development agency supported projects.
Required Skills and Experience
Minimum Master’s degree in environmental science, natural resource management, biology or a related field and/or at least 10 years of relevant work experience.
Consultancy Proposal (CV & Financial proposal Template) should be uploaded on UNDP e-tendering Portal (https://etendering.partneragencies.org) no later than, 14 February 2020 (New York Time). Any proposals received after the due date/time will not be accepted. Any request for clarification must be sent in writing, or by standard electronic communication to procurement.fj@undp.org. UNDP will respond in writing or by standard electronic mail and will send written copies of the response, including an explanation of the query without identifying the source of inquiry, to all consultants. Incomplete, late and joint proposals will not be considered and only offers for which there is further interest will be contacted. Failure to submit your application as stated as per the application submission guide (Procurement Notice) on the above link will be considered incomplete and therefore application will not be considered.
Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications.
Personal CV , 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.
Technical proposal, including a) a brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment;
Financial proposal, using UNDP confirmation of Interest and submission of financial proposal Template
Incomplete proposals may not be considered. Failure to submit these documents may result in disqualification of proposal.
Relevant templates can be obtained from the UNDP Fiji website under the procurement section: www.pacific.undp.org
Bid Submission Address
https://etendering.partneragencies.org
BU Code: FJI10
Event ID: 0000005256
If you have not registered in the system before, you can register now by logging in using:
Please use the bidder’s guide for submission of proposal
Username: event.guest
Password: why2change