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The National Consultant – capacity building expert for protected areas management in BiH

Pristina

  • Organization: UNDP - United Nations Development Programme
  • Location: Pristina
  • Grade: Consultancy - National Consultant - Locally recruited Contractors Agreement
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Education, Learning and Training
    • Security and Safety
  • Closing Date: Closed

Background

NOTE

Application procedure:

Application with a CV must be submitted online via this website. Please click on “Apply Now” Tab and complete required fields and upload CV. Please note that website accepts only one document therefore, if you would like to upload more than one document, please make sure to combine it into a single one.

Financial offer (for national consultants only in BAM) in a form of completed and Signed Offeror’s Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and availability - https://tinyurl.com/Offeror-Letter - Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability.docx - to be sent to e-mail ba.shared.hr@undp.org with Subject: Job ID 109327.

 

Bosnia and Herzegovina is known for its rich biological diversity, endemic species, habitats, and a series of relict ecosystems. Species diversity has the highest level of endemism in Europe. Still, despite the country’s rich biodiversity, international obligations, and growing man-induced pressures, nature conservation efforts remain insufficient. Socioeconomic challenges, such as unemployment and poverty, have resulted in both the government communities focusing on immediate economic priorities rather than environmental issues, including biodiversity. Thus, biodiversity conservation is not seen as a national priority.

 

The objective of the “Sustainability of Protected Areas in BiH” (SPA) project is to achieve practical improvement in the management of protected areas in BiH, providing for better biodiversity status through strengthened resilience of key biodiversity values to climate change impact and increased revenues to protected areas from ecotourism. The project is called to reduce the gap between the current capacities of protected areas (PAs) with their increasing vulnerability to emerging threats, on the one hand, and the growing need to preserve and sustainably maintain biological and ecosystem diversity, on the other. It is planned to provide incremental effort in assisting the protected area management with tools and instruments aimed at diversifying and improving the sustainable, nature-based tourism offering in targeted PAs and neighboring communities, thus providing for sustainable incremental income and a development option that will valorize the unique natural values without further threatening them. The SPA project will also link the PAs to the funding opportunities provided by the government grant programs for tourism development.

 

The SPA project has been financed by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and is directly implemented by UNDP Bosnia and Herzegovina Country Office.

The National Consultant – capacity building expert for protected areas management in BiH will provide technical support aimed at building institutional capacities of managers of protected areas to improve both resilience to the climate change threats as well as to assure sustainable financing and diversification of PAs revenues, based on the proper valorization of biodiversity values.

 

The National Consultant will work under the project manager's overall guidance and direct supervision. On a daily basis, the National Consultant will work closely with the representatives of the Federal Ministry of Environment and Tourism, which is a Project Board member institution of the SPA project and focal point institution for UNCBD.

With the support of the SPA project team, the National Consultant will ensure all necessary technical support to achieve practical improvement in the management of protected areas in BiH.

Duties and Responsibilities

National Consultant – capacity building expert for protected areas management in BiH will:

a. Provide support to the Project Manager with insights and technical inputs needed for the development of a tailored-made climate threat management module and the development of new management plans. Technical inputs are needed throughout the entire process of development of these documents. Inputs should be based on an assessment of the activities implemented and future portfolio of international organizations and donors, communication with protected areas’ managers, and a strong emphasis on the improvement of current capacities and biodiversity status. National parks Sutjeska, Kozara, Drina, Una, nature monument Prokosko lake, park of nature Blidinje and Orjen and protected landscape Vjetrenica and nature monument Vrelo Bosne is the focus of these activities of the SPA project. 

b. Provide support in the development of a promotional campaign aimed to increase the interest of touristic operators, PAs managers, and citizens in positive aspects of ecotourism. The expected inputs are of a technical/scientific nature and they will be utilized as a starting point for advocating the behavioral changes of domestic tourists, local tourism operators, and PAs managers. This particularly refers to the joint promotion efforts planned for the following PAs systems:

  • Kozara - Una PN (RS) - Lijevcanski knez  - Jelica Brdo Forest - Žuta Bukva
  • Tajan - Konjuh - Bijambare
  • Skakavac  - Orlovaca cave - Trebevic  - River Praca Canyon  - Bentbaša  
  • Besides, inputs are needed for NP Drina, Bijambare, Vjetrenica-Popovo polje, Orjen, Una NP, and Una park of nature.

c. Provide support to the Project Manager with insights and technical inputs needed for the formulation of measures that will improve the readiness of PAs managers and local communities for forthcoming forest fire seasons. These inputs include a thorough analysis of ecosystems and their suitability for the introduction of eco-DRR measures to prevent/minimize forest fire threats, including the development of recommendations for capacity building of PA managers. These measures are to be developed and implemented for national parks Sutjeska, Kozara, Drina, park of nature Blidinje, and Orjen and protected areas managed by Sarajevo Canton PA public enterprise. 

d. Provide support to the project team in the development of databases containing the most important information regarding key biodiversity values of all foreseen protected areas planned to be covered by a GIS-based platform. This will be used as input for the upgrade of the Nature Protection Information System with a GIS-based platform.  

e. Provide support in the development of touristic products including sustainable tourism offers, ecotourism products, eco-agriculture, design of marketing plans, etc. Support will include the provision of scientific information when it comes to key biodiversity values of involved PAs based on which the touristic products shall be designed. The particular focus shall be made on recommendations on how to assure that biodiversity values remained endangered due to intensive touristic activities.

 

All of the deliverables accomplished by the National Consultant should be aimed at building up the institutional capacities aimed to achieve practical improvement in the management of protected areas in BiH.

To achieve the abovementioned, the National Consultant will work under the direct supervision of the SPA Project Manager (who will approve and confirm the quality of outputs) and under the coordination of the representatives of the Federal Ministry of Environment and Tourism to complete all activities specified in this Terms of Reference. The National Consultant will be sitting at the premises of the Federal Ministry of Environment and Tourism.

It is envisaged that the level of effort for these tasks will not exceed 150 expert days, including 15 field visits to target PAs across Bosnia and Herzegovina. This means that 30 working days shall be spent targeting PAs across Bosnia and Herzegovina for two years. Field visits to targeting PAs should be planned to coincide with the key project activities. Due to the uncertain situation regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, the final decision on planning the field visits will be made in line with official recommendations. If not possible to organize a field visit, the meetings with PAs managers will be organized on a remote basis. However, the engaged consultant will have an obligation to prepare and submit field visit/meeting reports.

 

Deliverables/outputs

#

Deliverables / Outputs

# of Days per Task

Due Date

Percentage

1.

Assessment of the activities implemented in the field of nature protection along with a future portfolio of international organizations and donors

10

November 4th, 2022

7%

2.

Assessment of key biodiversity values of targeted PAs (Kozara - Una PN (RS) - Lijevcanski knez  - Jelica Brdo Forest - Žuta Bukva; Tajan - Konjuh – Bijambare; Skakavac  - Orlovaca cave - Trebevic  - River Praca Canyon  - Bentbaša; NP Drina, Bijambare, Vjetrenica-Popovo polje, Orjen, Una NP and Una park of nature)

10

November 22nd, 2022

7%

3.

Status quo report on main aspects to be included in climate threat management module and new management plansfor NP Drina and Una

10

December 13th, 2022

 

7%

4.

Assessment of potentials for introducing eco-DRR measures to prevent/minimize forest fire threats, including the development of recommendations for capacity building of PA managers

15

February 06th, 2023

10%

5.

Status quo report on main aspects to be included in climate threat management module and new management plansfor Prokosko Lake NM, Vjetrenica PL, Orjen PN, Una PN and Canton Sarajevo PAs

25

March 24th, 2023

15%

6.

Report on structure and content of databases on key biodiversity values of all protected areas which will be involved in the GIS-based platform

20

August 7th, 2023

14%

7.

Technical recommendations on how to sustainably manage key biodiversity values during the intensive touristic activities

20

December 5th, 2023

14%

8.

Report on main considerations to be involved in a promotional campaign targeting PAs involved in the project

15

March 15th, 2024

10%

9.

Written recommendations for activities to be implemented to improve PAs manager’s capacities to implement CCA measures

25

October 31st, 2024

16%

Competencies

Corporate competencies:

  • Demonstrates integrity by modelling 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;
  • Fulfils all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment

Functional competencies:

  • Strong interpersonal skills, communication and diplomatic skills, ability to work in a team
  • Openness to change and ability to receive/integrate feedback
  • Ability to work under pressure and stressful situations
  • Strong analytical, reporting and writing abilities
  • Excellent public speaking and presentation skills

Required Skills and Experience

Academic Qualifications/Education

  • Master’s degree in natural sciences, biotechnical sciences, or another related field. BA with additional two years of experience may be accepted in lieu of MA.

Experience

  • Minimum 2 years of professional experience in the field of nature protection;
  • Proven experience in data collection, data processing, and interpretation, and thorough identification of documents for at least 3 different projects in the field of nature/biodiversity protection;
  • Proven record of practical expertise related to the development of assessments, studies, and scientific reports related to biodiversity conservation and protected areas management, experience from Bosnia and Herzegovina preferred;
  • Demonstrated understanding of institutional and policy context in the field of nature protection in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina;
  • Proven experience in working with managers of protected areas in BiH;

Languages Requirements

  • Knowledge of local languages and English (excellent writing, editing, and communication skills)  

Longlisting/Shortlisting Criteria

Qualifications as stated in the ToR

Criteria:

Points

Master’s degree in natural sciences, biotechnical sciences, or another related field. BA with additional two years of experience may be accepted in lieu of MA.

max 15 points

 

Minimum 2 years of professional experience in the field of nature protection; BA with additional two years of experience may be accepted in lieu of MA

max 35 points 

Proven experience in data collection, data processing, and interpretation, and thorough identification of documents for at least 3 different projects in the field of nature/biodiversity protection;

max 35 points 

Knowledge of local languages and English (excellent writing, editing, and communication skills)

max 15 points

Technical Evaluation Criteria

Criteria:

Points

Rating based on Qualifications

30%

Proven record of practical expertise related to the development of assessments, studies, and scientific reports related to biodiversity conservation and protected areas management, experience from Bosnia and Herzegovina preferred;

35%

Demonstrated understanding of institutional and policy context in the field of nature protection in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina;

15%

Proven experience in working with managers of protected areas in BiH;

20%

 

Evaluation

Individual  will be evaluated based on the following methodology:

Cumulative analysis

When using this weighted scoring method, the award of the contract should be made to the candidate whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

a) responsive/compliant/acceptable, and

b) Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.

* Technical Criteria weight-70%

* Financial Criteria weight- 30%

Interested candidated must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications:

  • Explaining why they are the most suitable for the work
  • Provide a brief methodology on how they will approach and conduct the work;
  • Personal CV/P11, including past experience in similar projects and at least 3 references.

Please scan all above mentioned documents and upload as one attachment only online through this website.

 

Note:

  • For an assignment requiring travel, consultants of 65 years or more require full medical examination and statement of fitness to work to engage in the consultancy.
  • Due to large number of potential applicants, only competitively selected candidates will be contacted for remaining steps of the service procurement process.
This vacancy is now closed.
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