TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANTS/CONTRACTORS POST TITLE: PROJECT NAME: COUNTRY OF ASSIGNMENT: Climate Change Adaptation and Project Development specialist-international Consultant Enhancing Sustainability and Climate Resilience of Forest and Agricultural Landscape and Community Livelihoods Bhutan 1) GENERAL BACKGROUND Located within the Eastern Himalayan global biodiversity hotspot, Bhutan has a land area of only 38, 394 km 2. Despite its small size the country has some of the richest biodiversity in the world and ranks in the top ten percent of countries with highest species density. It also has the highest proportion of forest cover (72.5%) including 51.44% area set as aside as protected area and biological corridors. The country s landscape is highly mountainous and rugged with elevations ranging from 160 m to nearly 7,500 m. Due to its topography, habitable and arable areas are limited to approximately 8.3% and 2.9%, respectively of the total land area. Bhutan s economy is largely dependent on natural resources. Agriculture, which together with livestock husbandry, is the main source of livelihood for over 69% of the population. Bhutan has been witnessing signs of climate change. Erratic monsoonal activities are increasingly causing extreme windstorms during the spring and multiplying the risk of forest fires during the drier winter seasons. Slow onsets of disasters such as droughts and local extreme rainfall are less likely to make news headlines and are therefore less well recorded, but the impacts are often equally detrimental to marginal farmers who have limited means to mitigate their impacts. Bhutan s latest Human Development Report 2011 explicitly acknowledges the potential impacts of climate change on economic and social development. One in four Bhutanese continues to remain in income poverty and one in three farmers are food-insufficient. Poverty is largely a rural phenomenon with 97.4% of incomepoor living in rural areas and over 70% in the agriculture sector. With increasing incidents of climateinduced hydro-met extreme events that destroy farmlands and rural infrastructure, and droughts and excessive rains that reduce the productivity of agriculture, it is likely that the hard-won development gains can be reversed easily. Bhutan s HDR assumes that the decline is due to loss of arable land from flash floods, damage to crops, changes in temperature and rainfall patterns, and water scarcity. Underlying causes for the vulnerability include geographical challenges and poverty that is still prevalent in rural areas. In the face of the logistical challenges in Bhutan, it is hard for public services and livelihood support to reach remote areas of this mountainous society. A great degree of dependence of livelihood on natural resources with little built rural infrastructure makes the society vulnerable to ongoing climate variability, not to mention future climate change. To address climate vulnerability to the livelihood and biodiversity of the country, the Royal Government of Bhutan has requested GEF assistance through UNDP for the preparation of an integrated project proposal for a full sized project on Enhancing Sustainability and Climate Resilience of Forest and Agricultural Landscape and Community Livelihoods. The project aims to operationalize an integrated landscape approach through strengthening of biological corridors, sustainable forest and agricultural systems, and building climate resilience of community livelihoods. The project objective will be achieved through interrelated components: 1) Improved institutional capacity at national, sub-national and village level to manage forest and agricultural landscape for climate resilience; 2) Emplacement governance system for biological corridors and management system in the pilot corridors; and 3) Availability of climate resilient
livelihood options for communities. 2) OBJECTIVES OF THE ASSIGNMENT The objective of the consultancy is to prepare a full-size Project Document and GEF CEO Endorsement Request Form 1 for the above project in Bhutan for approval by the Global Environment Facility. CCA and Project Development expert will support the team leader in the development of project document, CEO endorsement document, social and environmental screening and assessment/feasibility studies. Besides supporting the team leader and national consultant, the consultant will need to provide substantive technical inputs to Components 1 & 3 of the project. 3) SCOPE OF WORK The Key duties and responsibilities are: 1) Technical definition and capacity needs assessment Provide guidance and review technical assessments and studies carried out by the RGoB and national consultants as part of the project preparation, including providing information and resources about international and national best practices; Develop strategic Results Framework based on the field assessments and inputs from national stakeholders and consultants, including Project Objective, Outcomes, Outputs and indicative activities and ensure compliance with Full Size Project monitoring with UNDP/GEF quality requirements including the GEF AMAT Framework (particularly that the indicators used are specific, measurable, appropriate, relevant and time bound); Oversee definition of the project baseline (ie. Current policies, strategies, current capacities and activities, baseline M&E indicators) and contribute to the synthesis of relevant baseline information (gender-disaggregated if possible), including identification of gaps in baseline data and information and suggestions for further required studies; Verify and validate the technical, institutional, operational and financial scope and strategy of the project as presented in the PIF; Establish criteria for the selection of pilots sites and adaptation options, based on field assessments and inputs from national stakeholders and consultant(s), and verify analysis of current and projected climate change risk in the target areas; Frame a consistent climate change additionality argument for the project in line with findings from field assessment; Incorporate design elements for selected adaptation measures based on value-chain analysis and viable insurance analysis undertaken by relevant consultants; Based on inputs from national consultant(s) and through stakeholder engagement, verify suitability, technical and financial feasibility of the selected adaptation options and ensure that they increase adaptive capacity and reduce long-term climate change induced vulnerability. 2) Institutional Arrangements, Monitoring and Evaluation Finalize management arrangements for the project in consultation with the RGoB and UNDP, including the decision making and hierarchical structure, roles and responsibilities and appropriate financial and technical workflow arrangements; 1 Templates may be subject to change, the person responsible for this consolidation and drafting will be required to obtain guidance by the UNDP/GEF Regional Technical Advisor and UNDP CO on applicable formats and templates and ensure that his/her work is compliant with UNDP/GEF and UNDP CO requirements
Define monitoring, evaluation and reporting budget and arrangements in compliance of the Full Size Project monitoring framework with UNDP/GEF quality requirement; Define M&E strategy including impact assessment for the project with inputs from the M&E and Impact Assessment consultant for the project Define the project sustainability and exit strategy to ensure replication of project benefits beyond the lifetime of the project; Finalize knowledge management strategy for the project. 3) Stakeholder consultations and involvement plan Ensure that stakeholder consultations with relevant public and private authorities take place including mobilization of project beneficiaries in defining project components, including mapping climate change adaptation needs and gaps; Provide advice and quality control for the design and implementation of an appropriate stakeholder engagement strategy; Support awareness raising for climate change adaptation and capacity building of key stakeholders throughout the PPG Phase through meetings/consultations; Ensure that the development of the overall project framework is participatory, gender-sensitive and base on a wide range of project stakeholders /beneficiary engagements; Facilitate and guide appropriate alignment of the project with related activities of other government development partner and private sectors-driven activities on climate change adaptation and otherwise. Inter alia, the first and second LDCF project and relevant UNDP assistance. 4) Financial Planning and Co-financing Ensure cost-effectiveness of the project design; Prepare project budget, including detailed co-financing arrangements for each project component. 5) Drafting of Full Size UNDP/GEF Compliant Project Document and CEO endorsement Consolidate inputs by the international and national consultant(s) and RGoB into a full size UNDP/GEF compliant climate change adaptation project document; Review the findings of the technical assessments undertaken during the preparatory phase and synthesize them in the relevant sections of the final project document; Discuss and agree on the indicative project activities for the project implementation; Discuss and synergize the project activities with the Green Climate Fund project under preparation; Prepare UNDP/GEF complaint CEO endorsement document. 4) DURATION OF ASSIGNMENT, DUTY STATION AND EXPECTED PLACES OF TRAVEL The consultant will be recruited for 10 working weeks (starting December 2015 December 2016) with three missions of one week each - at the beginning of the project formulation to coordinate a logical framework analysis workshop and the next mission to identify project sites and coordinate a stakeholder workshop at the local level. The final mission will be planned for the validation workshop with all stakeholders and address any issues related to project s RRF. Remaining inputs of the consultant will be home-based to work on the project document and coordinate with the national and international expert on CCA. The consultant during in-country mission will be based in Thimphu with travel to project sites in other
districts, and will work closely with the UNDP CO and GNHC (coordinating agency of the project). 5) FINAL PRODUCTS The key deliverable of the consultant will be a final comprehensive project document in both GEF and UNDP formats and the CEO Approval Request Document, which need to be technically cleared by the Government and UNDP Principal Technical Advisers for Climate Change Adaptation/Biodiversity and Ecosystem. Following are the key deliverables of the assignment: i) Detailed methodology and work plan for the PPG; ii) Strategic Results Framework; iii) Full-size project document including relevant annexes; iv) CEO endorsement document. Preparation of these key deliverables will include quality control and final formulation of the following indicative sections of a UNDP/GEF compliant project document: Situation Analysis (including proposal sections on context, threats/root causes/barriers analysis, institutional/sectoral/policy context, stakeholder analysis, business-as-usual-analysis, gender issue analysis, indigenous groups, business-with-gef-analysis) Project Strategy (including proposal sections on project rationale and policy conformity, project goal, objective, outcomes, outputs and activities including full descriptions of pilots, project indicators, risks and assumptions, country ownership, sustainability and replicability) Institutional and Management Arrangements Monitoring and Evaluation Plan and Budget Incremental Cost Analysis (including systems boundary, Summary of costs, additional cost matrix) Strategic Results Framework (formerly Logical Framework Analysis) Total Budget and First Annual Work plan Project Organogram Project timetable Risk analysis Assessment reports conducted during the PPG phase Capacity assessments Terms of Reference for project staff and main consultants and sub-contracts Stakeholder involvement Plan with a focus on local community/indigenous groups within the pilot sites/protected areas. Letters of Endorsement and co-financing Annexes and additional information annexes including UNDP s social and environmental screening. These sections are indicative as templates may be subject to change. The team leader will be required to obtain guidance from the UNDP/GEF Regional Technical Advisor and UNDP CO on applicable formats and templates and ensure that his/her work is compliant with UNDP/GEF and UNDP CO requirements. 6) PROVISION OF MONITORING AND PROGRESS CONTROLS Besides working closely working with the project formulation team leader, the consultant will receive technical guidance and support from the UNDP Regional Technical Advisor, Bangkok Regional Hub, UNDP Country Office and Gross National Happiness Commission. The progress of the consultant will be monitored based on the timelines and milestones indicated in the inception note.
7) DEGREE OF EXPERTISE AND QUALIFICATIONS Master s degree or higher in Rural Development (agronomy, agro-economy and natural resource management), Development studies, Economics, Agricultural economics, Labour economics, Socioeconomic studies, or other related field. Additional areas of experience could include water and sanitation, agro-ecology, land and water management and livestock management; economics, business administration or management. Minimum of 10 years of relevant experience within one or more of the following areas: agricultural policy development, gender analysis, risks and vulnerability assessment, community development and participation, urban and rural small business development, cooperatives and/or microfinance, agriculture/livestock, rapid and participatory rural appraisal, rural labour and employment issues. Demonstrated track record in design, monitoring and evaluation of development projects and establishing/facilitating relationships between international organizations and national governments. Substantive technical experience with project formulation preferably with GEF full-size project formulation requirements. Familiarity with the challenges facing developing countries in adapting to climate change, in particular on those relevant to Bhutan or similar countries. Excellent communication and facilitation skills in English language. 8) REVIEW TIME REQUIRED Timelines and milestones will be reflected in the inception note which will be prepared by the project formulation team and reviewed jointly by UNDP and RGoB. 9) CONSULTANT PRESENCE REQUIRED ON DUTY STATION/UNDP PREMISES INTERMITTENT 10) PAYMENT MODALITIES AND SPECIFICATIONS 1. 15% upon submission and acceptance of the inception note detailing the work plan of the PPG phase. 2. 20% upon completion of stakeholder/lfa workshop and submission of the draft strategic results framework. 3. 30% following submission of the first draft of project document and CEO endorsement. 4. 35% upon submission of the final project document and CEO endorsement with all the annexes addressing final comments from RGoB, UNDP and GEF Secretariat. 11) AWARD OF CONTRACT The consultant who fulfill the requirements will be assessed based on a combined scoring of: Technical evaluation comprising of 70%, and Financial evaluation of 30%. 12) FINANCIAL PROPOSAL Please indicate fee structure i. If Lump sum (provide breakdown of this lump sum i.e travel, per diem and fee for anticipated number of working days) ii. Daily fee (all inclusive of fees, health insurance as applicable, any other relevant expenses related to this assignment).
Submit the documents to fo.btn@undp.org including CV and P11 Form which can be downloaded from UNDP at http://www.bt.undp.org/content/bhutan/en/home/operations/jobs/ 13) Annexes 1. PIF for Enhancing Sustainability and Climate Resilience of Forest and Agricultural Landscape and Community Livelihoods 2. Compliance requirements for project monitoring (as per the Project Quality Assurance).