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Habitat diversity and seasonality dimension due to climate, plenty of water resources and geomorphology of the country, Bangladesh is endowed with huge natural resources and high species diversity. People’s life, livelihoods and culture here is very much influenced by this diversity in nature compared to elsewhere in the world. But unplanned infrastructure focus development, unsustainable harvesting of natural resources, unplanned urbanization and industrialization, greed of vested interested people has caused a serious degradation of these resources in recent years. Some initiatives have been taken to restore these resources; those resulted in some success at local levels. On the other hand, during the period evidences of adverse impact of climate change are becoming more and more prominent; the increasing population pressure has made the degradation faster with different kinds of interventions. Gradually the need felt and encouraged community and other stakeholder’s engagement in ECA management, which is now established through the Ecologically Critical Area (ECA) Rules.
The mandate of the Department of Environment (DoE) among others is, broadly to ensure conservation of the environment, improvement of the environmental standards and control as well as mitigation of environmental degradation as has been provided for in the “Bangladesh Environment Conservation Act, 1995” (amended 2010). In particular, the department is mandated, through the power and function of the Director General, to take such measures as may be necessary and expedient for the purpose of the implementation of the Act. These key measures include, inter alia, enforcement of the Act and undertaking research on conservation, improvement and protection of environment and rendering assistance to any other authority or organization regarding these matters. Among the measures instituted by this law is a provision for the Declaration of Ecologically Critical Areas (ECAs).
After declaration of the ECAs, some projects were implemented to restore the ecosystems of some of the ECAs or worked in the ECA areas. The Coastal and Wetland Biodiversity Management Project (2003-2011) and Community Based Adaptation in the Ecologically Critical Areas through Biodiversity Conservation and Social Protection Project (CBA-ECA) (2010-2015) are among them. The projects successfully aware and engaged community and other stakeholders in biodiversity conservation, climate change adaptation-mitigation, alternative income generating activities and established an institutional frame for ECA management. During the same period, other projects also operated for biodiversity and natural resource management within or outside ECA areas but followed almost the same approach. Some projects to name are SEMP, Management of Aquatic Ecosystem through Community Husbandry (MACH), Nishorgo, IPAC, CREL etc. All these projects tested several practices and approach for natural resource management and community engagement; developed various tools and mechanisms.
By this time the government has promulgated the Ecologically Critical Area Rules (ECA Rules), which was drafted with experience from both the projects. This rule recognizes the institutional frame developed and established through CWBMP and CBA-ECA projects for ECA management. It means the Village Conservation Group (VCG) with its formation, capacity and activities, Micro Capital Grant, Endowment Fund etc. tools, Union level to national level committees are recognized – all are formalized to work in the ECAs
Presently both Department of Environment and UNDP Bangladesh are interested to work for sustainability of this accomplishment; scale-up and replicate the management practices to other ECAs of the country with the institutional frame established and experience gained adding innovative and more effective interventions including continuing the activities in the three ECAs. The main purpose of this assignment is to develop a comprehensive project proposal for a longer term to cover other ECAs.
Objectives:
The International Consultant will work to assess effectiveness of Ecologically Critical Areas (ECA) Management in Bangladesh, situation and contexts analysis of ECA management followed by preparation of a full-size project proposal for sustainable management and conservation of ECAs in Bangladesh with involving and empowering local community so that they can lead the management and conservation of ECA.
The purpose of the assessment is to get a clear understanding on what has done so far in the ECAs towards conserving its biodiversity, climate change adaptation-mitigation, awareness, community development; how to make them sustainable and add some innovative activities towards making a much more comprehensive conservation project for the ECA managements for GoB and UNDP.
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Duties and Responsibilities
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SCOPE OF WORK
The International consultant will work close with UNDP and Department of Environment in fulfilling his responsibilities
- Overall responsibility for the project development process: The international consultant will collect baseline information of the proposed project sites which will establish the gaps for the interventions and assess the capacity of the agencies involved; support with methodologies for data collection and analysis, and collate all the information into assessment report, reflected in the project document.
- Stakeholder participation: Ensure that the stakeholders are fully involved in the process. Products from the various baseline studies will be presented to relevant stakeholders including the communities. A plan of consultation will be included in the plan of process.
- Development of the project document, submission and approval: The International Consultant will develop and finalize the project document and submit.
- Establish a ground for public-private partnership and funding from the government on a cost sharing basis.
The International Consultant requires combined expertise including the following areas to carry out during the mission:
The consultant will carry out the following tasks:
- Review and summarize the existing national policy and regulatory framework; international treaty, conventions etc. relevant for conservation, adaption and mitigation, with emphasis to current climate-related impacts and threats, community engagement, benefit sharing, etc.;
- Review and evaluate ECA and other natural resource management initiatives in the country, prepare an assessment report;
- In designing the project the consultant will:
- Definition of project goal, objective, outcomes, outputs and verifiable indicators with specification of planned conservation, adaptation and community development activities (i.e. why and how are they supposed to reduce vulnerability and/or increase adaptive capacity beyond what is already being done);
- Definition of a Strategic Results Framework and a Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) system with quantifiable and verifiable impact indicators. These indicators, which will specifically address adaptation impacts, will be based on guidance by UNDP’s M&E framework.
- Definition of implementation and execution arrangements for the project with detailed roles, responsibilities and a timeline for project implementation;
- Definition of a Stakeholder involvement plan for the preparation and implementation phase of the project, with a clear focus on community engagement and participation;
- Definition of Project Management and Reporting arrangements.
- Prepare, present and submit an inception report and an assessment report
- Prepare, present and finalize and submit a full Project Document as agreed with UNDP and GoB.
The assignment might require travel to the selected ECA sites in Bangladesh, for extensive consultation with major stakeholders including the private sector and NGOs.
Deliverables:
The consultant shall submit the following pieces of work within this time frame. The activities done by the incumbent will be regularly monitored by the Program Specialist (environment sustainability & energy), UNDP. The incumbent will be paid on the following deliverables basis.
- Inception report, contexts, situation, problem and stakeholders map, theory of change paper- within fifteen days of the signing of contract.
- An assessment report on ECA management in Bangladesh within one month of the signing of contract.
- Sustainable ECA management model, Log frame/result framework with indicators and project governance and management architecture – within three months after the submission of the First deliverables.
- Detail project work plan, budget and bankable project document-within one month after the submission of third deliverables.
SUPERVISION AND PERFORMANCE EVALUATION:
Under the overall guidance from Programme Specialist (Environmental Sustainability & Energy), UNDP Bangladesh, the consultant will directly report to and Project Manager, Integrated Water Management of EKN. The Consultant will work with the Project Team of Integrated Water Management of EKN in Department of Environment.
TIMEFRAME AND DEADLINE:
The assignment is for 40 days over a period from June to October 2017.
- 1 Mission in Bangladesh: 25 working days (Dhaka at Department of Environment 20 days, Field in ECAs 5 days)
- Home based: 15 working days
Deliverables are linked with payment schedule:
- 1st payment (20% of total contract value) –Shall be paid upon submission and acceptance of inception report, contexts, situation, problem and stakeholders map, theory of change paper- within fifteen days of the signing of contract.
- 2nd payment (30% of total contract value)- Shall be paid upon submission and acceptance of an assessment report on ECA management in Bangladesh- within one month of the signing of contract.
- 3rd Payment (20% of total contract value) –Shall be paid upon submission and acceptance of sustainable ECA management model, Log frame/result framework with indicators and project governance and management architecture- within three months after the submission of the First deliverables.
- Final payment (30% of total contract value)- Shall be paid upon submission and acceptance of detail project work plan, budget and bankable project document- End of assignment
DOCUMENTS:
The Consultant will prepare and submit the documents mentioned above at the end of the assignment. Further work, or revision of the documents, may be required if is considered that the report does not meet the UNDP and the government’s standards, TOR, there are errors of fact or the document is incomplete or not of an acceptable standard.
INPUTS:
Department of Environment will provide office space for the consultant as required and arrange meetings, consultations, and interviews and ensure access to key officials as mentioned in proposed methodology. Field visit in ECAs, only transportation will be arranged from DoE and UNDP.
A national consultant will work simultaneously with the international consultant to prepare the TPP/DPP.
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Competencies
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- Excellent oral and written English communication skills, and exceptional technical writing and presentation capabilities;
- Ability to meet deadlines and work under pressure;
- Ability to work independently and participate in team-based environment.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, team oriented work style, interest and experience of working in multi-cultural environment;
- Excellent writing skills in the compilation of high level quality documents in English language;
- Extensive experience in policy analysis, legislative analysis and institutional capacity building;
- Works well in multi-disciplinary teams, meeting demand, and excellent communication and interpersonal skills;
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Required Skills and Experience
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ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS
- Advanced university degree (Masters or higher level) in a discipline relevant to biodiversity conservation, wildlife management, natural resources management, environmental science, biological science, development studies, forestry, geography, environment economics or other relevant discipline;
EXPERIENCE
- At least 10 years applied experience in the design of sustainable protected areas or ECA management project;
- Experiences in the field of Protected Area (PA), ECA management, parks and wildlife management, valuation of economic goods and services, ecologically critical ecosystem conservation, restoration of degraded ecosystems;
- Experience in designing similar PA or ECA management and restoration projects;
- Working experiences in South-Asia will be treated as an advantage
- Working experience in government, UN, and development partner
Language:
Fluency of English language is required.
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. 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.
- 1 Mission in Bangladesh: 25 working days (Dhaka at Department of Environment 20 days, Field in ECAs 5 days)
- Home based: 15 working days
Evaluation of the Candidates:
Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodology.
Cumulative analysis-
The award of the contract will be made to the individual consultant up on Cumulative Analysis/evaluation and determined as:
- Responsive/compliant/acceptable; and
- Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation;
Only candidates obtaining a minimum 70% mark in technical evaluation will be considered eligible for financial evaluation.
Technical Evaluation Criteria (Total 70 marks):
- Relevant Experiences on PA or ECA management, parks and wildlife management, valuation of economic goods and services, conservation, restoration of degraded ecosystems- maximum 30 points
- Working experiences in preparing Project Assessment Report on PA or ECA or any - maximum 30 points
- Proven working experience with UN/Donors/GoB- maximum 10 points
Financial Evaluation (Total 30 marks)
All technical qualified proposals will be scored out 30 based on the formula provided below.
The maximum points (30) will be assigned to the lowest financial proposal. All other proposals received points according to the following formula:
p = y (µ/z)
Where:
- p = points for the financial proposal being evaluated;
- y = maximum number of points for the financial proposal;
- µ = price of the lowest priced proposal;
- z = price of the proposal being evaluated.
Documents to be included when submitting the proposals:
Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications. Proposers who shall not submit below mentioned documents will not be considered for further evaluation.
- 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; P11 can be downloaded from the link below: http://www.bd.undp.org/content/bangladesh/en/home/operations/jobs/
- Brief description of why the individual considers him/her self as the most suitable for the assignment and Work plan, as to how they will approach and completed the assignment. Provide link for the relevant publications (at least 3)
- Financial Proposal: Financial Proposal has to be submitted through a standard interest and availability template which can be downloaded from the link below:
http://www.bd.undp.org/content/dam/bangladesh/docs/Jobs/Interest%20and%20Submission%20of%20Financial%20Proposal-Template%20for%20Confirmation.docx
Please combine all your documents into one (1) single PDF document as the system only allows to upload maximum one document.
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