Financial Planning Consultant to Assist with the Program Financing of the ER Program in the North Coastal Agro-ecological Region

Financial Planning Consultant to assist with the Program Financing of the ER Program in the North Coastal Agro-ecological Region

Introduction

The USAID Vietnam Forest and Deltas Program, from 2013 to 2018, is being implemented through Winrock International in partnership with Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), the Netherlands Development Organization (SNV), American Red Cross, Vietnam Red Cross, Centre for Sustainable Rural Development (SRD). The USAID Vietnam Forest and Deltas Program is embarking upon a five-year effort that will support four provinces to accelerate their transition to climate resilient, low emissions development through investments in reducing net emissions from forests, and enhancing resilience of people, places, and livelihoods to short and long-term climate impacts.

The sustainable landscape component will focus on upland landscapes, with the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and forests degradation, maintaining and enhancing existing forests stocks and increasing climate change resilience and sustainability of landscapes. Interventions will improve forest management, afforestation, but also to promote climate resilient livelihoods in forested areas. The project will also investigate emissions from agriculture practices with a view to using this information for development of a provincial plan for emission reduction in agriculture.

Scope of work

The objective of the assignment is to review activities and budgets of the three draft Provincial REDD Action Plan budgets, revise these to give credible, realistic and consistent budgets and to help quantify the costs ER program.

The scope of work under the assignment is grouped into the following tasks:

1.    Undertake a critical review of proposed REDD+ activities together with a review of the estimation of the costs;
2.    Consolidate and develop a financial and operational plan for the three REDD Action Plans
3.    Assist with the editing process of the PRAPs; and
4.    Update the implementation timeframe and budgets of the activities.

Specific responsibilities

The consultant is expected to:

a) Review the activities and estimation of the Provincial REDD Action Plan costs of ER Program in three selected provinces

• Review the PRAP budgets and activities for credibility and for realistic implementation, identify any data gaps and inconsistencies;
• Review the data on the cost norms approved by the provincial and national governments or private entities for forestry and other land use activities associated with the Reference and ER program scenarios;
• Quantify different categories of costs (consultant, equipment etc.); and
• Assist with the general review, consistency and editing process of the PRAPs.

Expected outputs/Deliverables:

• Credible realistic activities, implementation plans and costs of the PRAPs;
• Assist in the preparation of the costs and benefits of the Reference and ER program scenarios.

Expected input

• 10 days

Qualifications

• The consultants are expected to have post-graduate degree in Economics, Environmental Economics, Natural Resource or similar degree.
• Experience in economic and financial models in the forest sector and analysis and skills in spreadsheet data analysis.
• Strong understanding of the issues related to economics and financing of land use activities.
• Demonstrated experience of support to previous large projects is advantageous.
• Suitable international or national consultants should apply.

Application Details:

Applicants should send a letter of application and a curriculum-vitae highlighting relevant experience to [email protected] with the subject line “Financial Planning Consultant”

The application will be held open till a suitable candidate is found, unsuccessful candidates will not be notified.