International Project Development Specialist (Protected Area Management) under Expanding the Protected Area System to incorporate Important Aquatic Ecosystems

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), acting as an implementing agency of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), is providing assistance to the Ministry of Environment and Forests of the Government of Bangladesh in the preparation of the GEF Full Size Project (FSP) “Expanding the Protected Area System to incorporate Important Aquatic Ecosystems”.

In accordance with UNDP/GEF procedures, UNDP is hiring an International Consultant to develop the FSP proposal for ‘Expanding the Protected Area System to incorporate Important Aquatic Ecosystems’ for submission to the GEF Secretariat fully compliant with the enforced GEF rules and standards as part of the GEF Project Preparation Grant (PPG). The consultants will report to the Environment Portfolio Manager of Climate Change, Environment and Disaster Cluster at UNDP Bangladesh and work closely with UNDP Asia Pacific Regional Centre Regional Technical Advisor.

The purpose of the PPG is to fully design the activities, outputs, and outcomes of the ‘Expanding the Protected Area System to incorporate Important Aquatic Ecosystems’ full size project and to fully develop a full set of project documentation for submission to the GEF Secretariat and approval. Normal rules for development of medium-sized GEF projects apply. Copies of the GEF templates and guidelines can be found at: http://www.thegef.org/gef/guidelines_templates.

Project Description:

The project is consistent with the GEF 5’s BD Strategic Objective 1: Improve sustainability of PA systems. In line with this SO, and especially its Outcome 1.1: Improved management effectiveness of existing and new PAs, the project will fill a major gap in national PA system by expanding the PA estate by establishing three new PAs and buffer areas to conserve globally important aquatic biodiversity. These will conserve a host of globally important species, particularly critical populations of globally threatened Irrawaddy and Ganges river dolphins. Bangladesh is the only country in the world where both these species are found in large numbers, which provide a safety net for these species’ survival against possible extinction threats. The project will assist the Forest Department to effectively manage these new PAs, which will be nested within a wider conservation management of the Sundarban Reserve Forest. The project will ensure that there are strong local communities, local government and other stakeholders’ support for and involvement in these protected areas and buffer area management, so that their long term integrity and sustainability are ensured.

This project is fully aligned with Bangladesh’s Sixth Five Year Plan (FY2011-FY2015). The Plan, which serves as the primary development agenda for the country, has prioritized several environmental management actions including wetland management. It notes that “the government is very keen to see the change in (the) management paradigm and to consolidate the co-management system not only in the Tanguar Haor but also for overall wetland management in Bangladesh”. It has further stressed that “watershed management, wetland conservation etc. will be initiated in new (protected) areas and also will be intensified in the (existing protected) areas for better conservation of nature in the country during the plan period.” The project is also well aligned with the objectives of the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan for Bangladesh (August 2004), which aims to (1) conserve and restore the biodiversity of the country; and (2) maintain and improve ecosystem integrity. The project further responds to the Bangladesh Biodiversity National Assessment and Programme of Action 2020 (BPA 2020) –especially Project 7 – “Community based conservation and management for aquatic species like Ganges River and Irrawaddy dolphin.” This project will also advance Bangladesh’s commitments under the CBD’s Aichi targets. In particular, it will promote better understanding of aquatic and wetland biodiversity, which will directly contribute to Aichi Target 1 “By 2020, at the latest, people are aware of the values of biodiversity and the steps they can take to conserve and use it sustainably.” Furthermore, the project will directly support Target 11 “By 2020, at least 17 per cent of terrestrial and inland water, and 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas, especially areas of particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem services, are conserved through effectively and equitably managed, ecologically representative and well-connected systems of protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures, and integrated into the wider landscapes and seascapes”, Target 5 “By 2020, the rate of loss of all natural habitats, including forests, is at least halved and where feasible brought close to zero, and degradation and fragmentation is significantly reduced” and Target 6 “By 2020 all fish and invertebrate stocks and aquatic plants are managed and harvested sustainably, legally and applying ecosystem based approaches, so that overfishing is avoided, recovery plans and measures are in place for all depleted species, fisheries have no significant adverse impacts on threatened species and vulnerable ecosystems and the impacts of fisheries on stocks, species and ecosystems are within safe ecological limits.” The project also addresses key elements of the Programme of Work on Protected Areas, including: 1.2 To integrate protected areas into broader land- and seascapes and sectors so as to maintain ecological structure and function; 1.4 To substantially improve site-based protected area planning and management; and 1.5 To prevent and mitigate the negative impacts of key threats to protected areas.

The project will be implemented in line with the established Government of Bangladesh and UNDP procedures in Bangladesh. The Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) will take overall responsibility for implementation of the project, and for the project success. It will establish the necessary planning and management mechanisms to oversee project inputs, activities and outputs. The UNDP CO will support the MoEF as requested and as necessary. The PPG process will be used to further define the management, coordination and consultation mechanisms.

Objectives:

The objective of the assignment is to develop UNDP-GEF compliant, full-sized project (FSP) document on “Expanding the Protected Area System to incorporate Important Aquatic Ecosystems” for submission to the GEF Secretariat and then validating the project document at a workshop involving the key stakeholders.

Scope of work and expected outputs/deliverables:

The principal responsibility of the international consultant is to produce technically cleared UNDP-GEF Project Document and GEF CEO endorsement request for the project that is fully compliant with the UNDP-GEF rules and standards. The consultant will work as the lead expert on protected area management and also be responsible to coordinate and facilitate the work of the project development team that will consist of a team of national consultants.

Within the framework of this ToR, the project development specialist is expected to perform the following tasks and duties:

• Work together with the UNDP CO and national counterparts on setting PPG implementation strategy;
• Finalize PPG work plan and design consultation and validation workshops;
• Screen the project on Environmental and social impacts and prepare an ESSP for submission as an annex to the project document;
• Facilitate and guide consultations to determine project strategy, priorities, key partners, and key barriers to success;
• Provide technical and professional support to the national stakeholders;
• Develop the project strategy; detailed budget, work plan and logical framework through a LFA workshop, and develop a replication strategy;
• With support from UNDP CO, the lead consultant conducts consultation with relevant co-financing partners to finalize scale of co-financing and avail co-financing letters. In addition, the consultant with inputs from the UNDP CO should strategize resource mobilization for potential up-scaling of the project;
• Assume main responsibility for finalizing the project document, with significant input from all local consultants;

As the Protected Area Management Specialist, the consultant is also expected to perform the following tasks:

• Develop site specific actions on protected area establishment, different zone delineation and buffer zone management;
• Detailing monitoring and evaluation frameworks – especially target setting and monitoring progress
• Outlining preliminary PA management plans and buffer zone management with an overall target of biodiversity conservation;
• Baseline assessment and global benefits to be achieved by the project;
• Stakeholder involvement plan, institutional and coordination mechanisms, project implementation unit staffing and TORs;
• Projects M&E framework and budget; risk and mitigation measures and sustainability analysis.

Expected Deliverables:

The key products to be delivered are as follows:

• Detailed Assignment Work plan (within 3days of start of the assignment);
• Detailed PPG work plan and design of consultation and validation workshops (within 1 weeks of start of the assignment);
• Draft UNDP Project Document, Project Results Framework, GEF Tracking Tool and Request for CEO Endorsement and GEF Tracking Tool (by 28 February 2014);
• Final UNDP Project Document, Project Results Framework, GEF Tracking Tool and Request for CEO Endorsement and GEF Tracking Tool fully compliant with the enforced GEF rules and standards (31 May 2014).

Supervision and Performance Evaluation:

The above task will be monitored and evaluated by Programme Analyst (Environment), UNDP Bangladesh under overall guidance of Assistant Country Director, CCED Cluster, UNDP Bangladesh CO and in consultation with UNDP-GEF Regional Technical Advisor, Bangkok. 

Timeframe and deadlines:

Duration of the assignment is 55 work days spread over eight months starting from 01 October 2013 to 31 May 2014. Total working days will be consisting with Missions at Dhaka and own home based duty station of the Consultant. The consultant is expected to conduct at least 3 missions in Bangladesh: first one targeted mainly towards PPG inception, initiation of discussion with implementing GoB ministries and agencies, co-financing partners and relevant development partners; second one primarily for relevant stakeholder consultation at local and national level and third one primarily for validation.

Activities and Estimated Timing and Deadline:

• Preparation of the Assignment Work plan (1st week of assignment, 06 October 2013);
• Preparation of the PPG work plan, design of consultation and validation workshops (1st week of assignment, 10 October 2013);
• Mission - 1 in Bangladesh including inception workshop (2nd Week of assignment, (16 October 2013);
• Development of Project Results Framework (3rd Week of Assignment, 21 October 2013);
• Mission - 2 in Bangladesh (8th Week of the Assignment, (30 November 2013);
• Preparation of Draft UNDP Project Document (10th Week of the Assignment, 31 December 2013);
• Preparation of GEF Tracking Tool (11th Week of the Assignment, 15 January 2013);
• Mission - 3 in Bangladesh (12th Week of the Assignment, 22 January 2014);
• Validation Workshop (26 January 2014);
• Finalization of Project Document & RCE (13th Week of the Assignment, 15 February 2014);
• Revisions of Documents following GEF comments ( 31 May 2014).

Prior to approval of the Request for CEO Endorsement, UNDP Project Document, and GEF Tracking Tool fully compliant with the enforced GEF rules and standards, a draft version shall be submitted for comments to UNDP by 11th Week of the assignment. UNDP and the stakeholders will submit comments and suggestions within 7 working days after receiving the draft. The finalized documents shall be submitted by 13th Week of the assignment with the aim of getting the project documents all approved by the GEF Secretariat by the end of May 2014. The assignment will conclude when all GEFSec comments on the final project document is incorporated and accepted by GEF Council. If any discrepancies have emerged between impressions and findings of the consultant and the aforementioned parties, these should be explained in an annex attached to the final report. 

Payment Schedule:

The international Capacity Development and Project Design Specialist shall receive payment in four installments from UNDP as follows: 

• 20% upon preparation and acceptance of the assignment work plan, PPG work plan, design of consultation and validation workshops;
• 25% upon completion of consultation and validation workshops in Dhaka;
• 25% upon preparation and acceptance of the draft UNDP Project Document, Project Results Framework, GEF Tracking Tool and Request for CEO Endorsement;
• 30% upon clearance by Regional Technical Advisor of the project documentation fully compliant with the enforced GEF rules and standards and its submission to GEF Secretariat which includes assistance to UNDP with response to any GEF Sec comments.

Technical work:

• Strong expertise in Environmental Governance /Management;
• Experience in developing protected area management projects;
• Familiarity with the International Conventions addressing Biodiversity Conservation;
• Experience in designing GEF project proposals;
• Ability to pick up new terminology and concepts easily;
• Familiarity with GEF policies, templates and requirements for FSP.

Partnerships:

• Maturity and confidence in dealing with senior officials of national institutions;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Excellent written communication skills, with analytic capacity and ability to synthesize relevant collected data and findings for the preparation of quality analysis for the project proposal;
• Excellent coordination skills and result oriented collaboration with colleagues – especially for this case the national level consultants.

Results:

• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
• Builds strong relationships with clients, focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback;
• Good team player who has ability to maintain good relationships.

Academic Qualifications:

• Minimum Masters degree or equivalent in the fields of natural science, environmental science / management, or relevant fields.

Experience: 

• Proven expert knowledge in the developing GEF CCCD/CB2 Project Cycle;
• Minimum 12 years of demonstrable experience and knowledge in the field of ecosystems and biodiversity management, in particular, experience working on wetland management and conservation and protected areas management issues;
• Extensive experience with project development, implementation and management (direct project formulation and management experience is preferable);
• Demonstrated strategic technical and intellectual skills in the substantive area;
• Demonstrated leadership, facilitation and coordination skills, ability to manage technical team and long term strategic partnership;
• Proven experience in developing/implementing similar projects – preferably in the region;
• Previous successful experience in development and approval of the GEF project documents;
• Previous experience with UNDP is a great advantage;
• Experience of work in the region is an asset.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English (written and oral).

Evaluation of the Candidates:

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodology:

Cumulative analysis: The candidates will be evaluated through Cumulative Analysis method. When using the weighted scoring method, the award of the contract will be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated 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 of 49 points in the technical evaluation would be considered for Financial Evaluation.

Technical Evaluation Criteria (Total 70 marks):

• Overall experience in protected area management (20 marks);
• Relevant experience in Programme design and project development esp. related to GEF projects (25 marks);
• Specific knowledge of developing country context in the programme area (10 marks);
• Publication/knowledge product in field of specialization (5 marks);
• Exposure in participatory approaches (10 marks).

Financial Evaluation (Total 30 marks):

All technical yqualified 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.