National Biodiversity Conservation Specialist (For Filipino Nationals Only)

Background

In October 2017, the project concept entitled “ Integrated Approach in the Management of Major Biodiversity Corridors in the Philippines” with a budget proposal of USD12M was cleared by GEF CEO.  The project aims to establish and operationalize a comprehensive planning and management framework  to manage biological corridors in an integrated manner which will generate multiple benefits including effective conservation of globally significant biodiversity, reduced deforestation and degradation and enhanced livelihoods. Specifically,  the project is envisioned to address the following barriers:

Barrier 1:  Policies, regulations, and approaches that breed disjointed goverance, planning, management, and financing of activities within the landscape/corridor. Currently relevant agencies in PA management and those that have remit over lands identified as biodiversity corridors are guided by their respective mandates and deliver on stated outcomes.  The interplay of various policies and programs in the same landscape oftentimes result in unintended results due to the absence of a commonly agreed planning and management framework for all sectors to follow;

Barrier 2: Fragmented implementation of key programs that fails to effectively address threats to BD corridor connectivity and natural resources decline: The absence of an integrated planning framework within the landscape that considers connectivity within the corridor is manifested by programs being implemented with no focus on addressing threats to habitat loss, maintaining ecosystem flows, fragmentation, conversion of high conservation value forests to agriculture. Thus, existing corridors remain a mosaic of disjointed land management units with incompatible objectives;

Barrier 3: Weak community level mechanisms to incentivize conservation of biodiversity, promote sustainable natural resource utilization, and monitor compliance: The BD corridors consist of areas that are managed under various tenure regimes including communally and privately-owned lands. A system of incentives is essential to encourage private or land tenure holders in critical spaces within the landscape to contribute to providing stepping stones, or expand the pathways of target species while ensuring improvement in ecosystem services and resilience.

To detail out the project concept into a full blown project proposal,  the GEF has also granted an amount of USD273,000 as project preparation grant. This PPG aims to prepare and develop the following documents for final submission and approval by the GEF:

• UNDP-GEF Project Document (ProDoc), using the 2017 standard template.
• Mandatory annexes to the ProDoc, including gender analysis and action plan, and stakeholder engagement plan, among others, and project specific annexes (e.g. landscape profile, institutional and legal analysis, feasibility studies etc).
• GEF CEO Endorsement Request.
• Validation Workshop report (as appropriate for projects with a moderate and high SESP risk rating).

The project preparation grant (PPG) has an allocation for the hiring of project development team including a National Consultant on Biodiversity Conservation who will act as Assistant Team Leader and will assist the International Consultant in the development and completion of the required above-cited documents. 

INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENT

For the duration of the contract, the consultant will report to and coordinate with UNDP and key focal agencies such as DENR-BMB, DENR-FMB and DA-BSWM.  All activities supported by this engagement should be cleared by UNDP.

All outputs should be endorsed by the key focal agencies before UNDP issues the certificate of acceptance for the processing of payments.

Those who will be involved in PPG are barred from participating in the implementation.

DURATION OF THE WORK

The contract will cover a period of 15 weeks spread over 15 February 2018 to 30 January 2019. 

SCHEDULE OF PAYMENTS

The financial proposals from possible candidates should be expressed in lump sum amount inclusive of all financial costs related to this engagement (i.e. professional fees, transportation/travel to and from residence-Manila, reproduction, communications including internet).  Domestic airfare, food and accommodation of the team outside Manila will be shouldered by UNDP separately and only 20% of the DSA following the NIM rates will be provided.

The payment terms will be as follows: 

• First Tranche       10%     - Upon submission and acceptance of the Inception Work Plan and Inception Documentation Report;
• Second Tranche   10%    -  Upon submission and acceptance of the detailed biodiversity profile of pilot sites/BD corridors; 
• Third Tranche       20%    -  Upon submission and acceptance of the 1st draft of the UNDP-GEF Project Document;
• Forth Tranche       20%    - Upon submission and acceptance of the 2nd draft of the UNDP-GEF Project Document with the mandatory annexes and 1st draft of the CEO Endorsement Document;
• Fifth Tranche        40%    - Upon submission and acceptance of the final draft of the UNDP-GEF Project Document with the mandatory annexes and the CEO Endorsement Document (addressing the comments from the UNDP Regional Technical Adviser and GEF Secretariat) and the Validation Workshop Report

Duties and Responsibilities

ROLE

The National Biodiversity Conservation Specialist will work closely with the PPG team leader and will serve as the Assistant Team Leader.  He she will also work closely with the Policy and Institutional Expert and other national consultants to deliver the following:

SCOPE OF WORK

1. Prepare inputs and support the required analyses/studies, as agreed with the PPG Team Leader, including:
   1. Prepare detailed baseline information on biodiversity profile including biodiversity distribution, conservation status, geographical status, global biodiversity significance of Protected Areas, biodiversity corridors in the country and specifically with regard the pilot sites.
   2. Collate and assess conservation, economic development plans and initiatives to assess baseline social, economic and political information related to biodiversity corridors in the country;
   3. Assess context and analyse information related to policy, social, regulatory, institutional, technical and knowledge barriers related to effective management of biodiversity corridors;
   4. Enumerate and assess key threats to biodiversity including human-wildlife conflicts and make suggestions on strategies to address such threats;
   5. Assess, collate and analyse information related to any other aspect of baseline related to biodiversity conservation, biodiversity corridor management and PA management in the country;
   6. Support the completion of any additional studies that are determined to be needed for the preparation of the ProDoc and all other final outputs.
2. Formulation of the ProDoc, CEO Endorsement Request and Mandatory and Project Specific Annexes (Component B): Prepare inputs and support the development of final PPG deliverables, as agreed with the PPG Team Leader.
3. Contribute to the validation workshop; and
4. Support all necessary revisions that arise during the workshop, as appropriate.

EXPECTED OUTPUTS

• Detailed biodiversity profile of the pilot sites/BD corridors
• UNDP-GEF Project Document (ProDoc), using the 2017 standard template
• Mandatory annexes to the ProDoc, including gender analysis and action plan, and stakeholder engagement plan, among others, and project specific annexes (e.g. landscape profile, institutional and legal analysis, feasibility studies etc).
• GEF CEO Endorsement Request.
• Validation Workshop report 

Competencies

Core Competencies

• Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN's values and ethical standards;
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality, and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Treats all people fairly without favouritism. 

Functional and Technical Competencies

• Ability to work in a diverse and multi-cultural environment;
• Self-motivated and ability to work under pressure and to meet strict and competing deadlines;
• Displays analytical judgment and demonstrated ability to handle confidential and politically sensitive issues in a responsible and mature manner;
• Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities;
• Demonstrates self-management, including conflict management/negotiation skills on interpersonal issues;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English, Filipino, and the language(s) in ARMM;
• Excellent organizational skills and ability to work effectively in teams, delivering through and within others;
• Computer literate; good knowledge of Microsoft Office Applications.

Required Skills and Experience

Education

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in a relevant field, such as natural sciences environment, biology, PA management, environmental science or environmental economics. 

Experience

• Minimum 10 years of demonstrable experience in the technical area of PA management, planning and managing biodiversity conservation projects and programmes in the country;

Skills

• Minimum of 5 years of demonstrable experience in Programme/Project Development, preferably in UNDP-GEF or bilateral agencies.

Language

• Fluency in spoken and written English, Filipino and languages used in ARMM is required

Criteria for Selection of the Best Offer

A Combined Scoring method will be used in evaluating the offers received. The qualifications and methodology will be weighted 70%, and combined with the price offer which will be weighted 30%.

Recommended Presentation of Offer and Application Process

Applicants are required to submit the following documents to procurement.ph@undp.org.

1. Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability that indicates the all-inclusive lumpsum contract price, supported by a breakdown of costs, as per template provided; If an Offeror is employed by an organization/company/institution, and he/she expects his/her employer to charge a management fee in the process of releasing him/her to UNDP under Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA), the Offeror must indicate at this point, and ensure that all such costs are duly incorporated in the financial proposal submitted to UNDP.
2. 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; 

In view of the volume of applications UNDP receives, only shortlisted offerors will be notified.