Research Vendor for Community Engagement in Renewable Energy Infrastructure Projects in Vietnam

Position Description

About P4I

Partnerships for Infrastructure (P4I) is an Australian Government initiative partnering with Southeast Asia to drive sustainable, inclusive, and resilient growth through quality infrastructure. P4I partners with Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Vietnam, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

P4I works with partners to strengthen infrastructure decision-making and practice across the transport, energy, utilities and telecommunications sectors. P4I’s focus is on the early stages of the infrastructure lifecycle, including planning and prioritisation, financing strategy, and procurement.

The 4 main services offered by P4I are linkages with Australian government agencies and other institutions, technical and policy advice, infrastructure project advice and knowledge-sharing and learning. As the foundation of quality infrastructure, P4I also integrates gender equality, disability, and social inclusion, and disaster risk reduction and climate change considerations into all activities.

Delivered through a single team, P4I is led by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) in collaboration with EY, Adam Smith International, The Asia Foundation and Ninti One.

P4I has a regional program office in Bangkok, with staff also located in Australia and each partner country. More information about P4I is available at www.partnershipsforinfrastructure.org

The Role

The Asia foundation, as part of Partnerships for Infrastructure (P4I), is seeking to employ an individual or organization to act as a local partner in Vietnam to support implementation of a project to greater understand community engagement in renewable energy infrastructure projects in Vietnam.

Renewable energy (RE) infrastructure plays an increasingly important role in Southeast Asia to meet net zero and carbon neutral targets set by Southeast Asia countries. This is demonstrated by a 2020 EY study of eight economies across Asia, which indicated a robust pipeline of more than 800 clean energy projects, with RE and solar projects dominating the pipelines in Southeast Asia. Building institutional readiness and capabilities to respond to renewable energy transitions will be essential to support improved project outcomes, reduce risks and increase the likelihood of project success. Strengthening governance and oversight of community engagement mechanisms in RE projects will complement P4I activities for countries like Vietnamwhere the Partnership for Infrastructure (P4I) is primarily focused on building and supporting the energy transition.

The proposed project will produce knowledge to enhance understanding of how communities may be impacted positively and negatively by energy transitions, how they might/could be engaged, and how risks can be averted or mitigated.  The project aims to:

1. Evaluateimpacts of inclusive community engagement throughout the lifecycle of renewable energy infrastructure projects and the broader energy transition inVietnam;
2. Build understanding amongst renewable energy infrastructure project stakeholders on how and if community engagement ensures infrastructure sustainability. 

This knowledge could then be used to help government officials to understand issues, analyse options, and implement the necessary policy reforms to optimally engage communities to deliver sustainable and inclusive energy transition.

Responsibilities

The vendor including one senior expert and one expert as his/her assistant will lead the rearch and work closely with The Asia Foundation’s team through out the researchs. He or She will perform the assignment including desk study, RE project mapping and selection, design research methodology and tool, survey questionaire, performing the survey  and in-depth interviews with involved stakeholders and write up the analysis report. With support from the project team, He or She will be also requested to involve in the stakeholder engagement to get further inputs from a wide range of audience that aims to complete the analysis report.

Below is the project framework that aims to build understanding for the selected consultant to frame his/her thinking of what would be a focus for the assignment and make a scope of work under his/her service contract to The Asia Foundation within the project:

Objective 1: Assessment and Evidence for the value of inclusive community engagement throughout the lifecycle of renewable energy

1.1. Activity 1: Mapping of RE infrastructure projects in Vietnam for RE Project Selection

Description: Map current and forthcoming renewable energy infrastructure projects, in an integrated approach that considers government prioritization, RE variety, and potential community impacts. This will include reviewing government documents, policies, and statements to discern the prioritization of RE projects within the broader national agenda. The mapping will service two purposes: first to provide the necessary information to concerned stakeholders on the landscape of RE projects and priorities in Vietnam; and second to inform selection of up to two projects for the community engagement survey and case study.

The Mapping will include the following components:

1.1.1 Rapid Context Review:

a. Government Policies/Regulations:

• Regulatory mapping of existing policies, regulations, and institutional arrangements for Vietnam that includes how infrastructure decision making processes are determined in relation to renewable energy projects.
• Review government energy transition strategy, incentives, and subsidies for renewable energy projects including financing.
• Identify and map key stakeholders, including residents, community organizations, businesses, and government officials.

b. Community Engagement requirements for Gender, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) and Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change (DRRCC) Considerations for RE projects

• Map Community engagement approaches to infrastructure prioritization and project lifecycle for countries including international compliance requirements for community engagement in RE project development.
• Identify Infrastructure Industry specific approaches and policies to community engagement.
• Review relevant community engagement considerations and policies for country's DRRCC and GEDSI strategies for RE projects.

1.1.2 Project Selection Justification Document:

The purpose of REinfrastructure selection criteria is to provide a structured and systematic framework for the selection of 2 case studies. This selection justification and criteria along with the mapping activity will serve to inform the selection process to ensure projects are aligned most effectively with national strategic goals and research objectives.

Project Selection Criteria should include, but not limited to size of project, budget, financing partner, construction partner/developer, stage of implementation, communities likely to be impacted, location, RE type, prioritization by national stakeholders.

a.       Review government RE transition strategy and past RE projects life cycles to identify 2 projects.

• Collect data on the variety of RE sources involved, including solar, wind, hydro to assess RE project pipeline in country.
• List local community's demographics, culture, and existing relationships with renewable energy projects for selected 2 projects.

b.       Map potential challenges and vulnerabilities of target groups associated with the project being selected.

The Asia Foundation team will lead the project criteria development with inputs from the selected consultant. A list of indicators for the selection will be developed by The Asia Foundation team in consultation with the selected consultant. With the suport from the team, the selected consultant will then use the finalized criteria to map out and build up the RE project database relevant to the project focus. The Foundation team will then work closely with her/him to select two most relevant projects for the research with sufficient amount of information.

1.2. Activity 2: Empirical research

Activity Description: Conduct research on community engagement in 2 selected RE infrastructure projects. The research will assess community impacts and document community livelihood, land, and environmental issues that have threatened project sustainability, including a focus on GEDSI and DRRCC considerations, as well as demonstrate the likely gains or losses to project innovation, sustainability, energy dividends, and environmental protection when communities are consulted and engaged in energy transition. Empirical research (quantitative and qualitative) with key stakeholders (companies, communities, civil society, local governments, etc) 

1.2.1. Desk research on past examples of community engagement, including GEDSI and DRRCC focused engagement if relevant, in RE infrastructure projects in Vietnam.

• Examine and assess existing institutional arrangements in RE infrastructure development and coordination in relation to monitoring and enforcement of community engagement processes including the subnational level.
• Assess past RE projects history as examples to understand development of existing community engagement frameworks in country along with IFC’s Performance Standards on Environmental and Social Sustainability, the Equator Principles, and Just Transition criteria in practice.
• Analysis will also include a GEDSI analysis using Guiding Questions for GESI Analysis Domains under the instructions of the Foundation’s team. This analysis will examine the level of community engagement in the planning and implementation of renewable energy projects and evaluate the social impact of these projects on local communities.
• Develop model precursors of social risk and generate generic project risk profiles based on review of RE projects to identity potential risks associated with the project.

1.2.2. Support development of research methodology and instruments to answer key questions and address key issues from stakeholder consultation, ensuring GEDSI and DRRCC considerations in community for RE projects.
1.2.3. Detailed mapping and survey of key stakeholders - Target populations and key stakeholders will be mapped according to their interests in the project and then surveyed using either quantitative or qualitative methods.  The quantitative survey (for communities) will be standardized and reflect perceptions and experience of social impact, as well as capture risk events or drivers throughout the project cycle that may impact implementation or sustainability.

1.2.4. Analyse financial risks associated with renewable energy investments in relation to community engagement.

1.3. Roll out survey: The consultant will lead the survey and interviews with support of a survey contractor.

• Pretesting and Survey localization in local language for the selected 2 case study project sites
• Surveys will be carried out in local languages and may be conducted using CATI (computer-aided telephone interview) or face to face, pending contingencies such as available technology, access to databases, and covid conditions, among others. 
• Qualitative research will be carried out post-survey to validate, clarify, and discuss survey findings, as well as gather additional data points from government counterparts and private sector stakeholders.

Objective 2: Build evidence on renewable energy infrastructure project stakeholders of the importance of community engagement in ensuring infrastructure sustainability.

2.1. Activity 3: Engagement with RE stakeholders on analysis that will include strategic policy recommendations and dissemination.

Activity Description: Throughout the research cycle under Activity 2, there will be ongoing consultations and engagement with RE stakeholders. Additional analysis can be drawn from the preliminary insights from survey analysis and qualitative interviews with key government, local community and private sector stakeholders including but not limited to RE investors, developers, and suppliers.

The activity will include:  

a.       Develop a policy brief summarizing existing community engagement requirements for infrastructure projects with a focus on providing policymakers, project developers, and stakeholders on regulatory frameworks and requirements.

• Conduct a comprehensive review of existing community engagement requirements for infrastructure projects to inform future initiatives and enhance community engagement.
• Assess government policies at the national and local levels, emphasizing the regulatory landscape that shapes community and engagement in RE projects.

b.       Policy brief highlighting best practices for community engagement in the context of renewable energy projects, aiming to inform policymakers, project developers, and stakeholders.

• Analyse mechanisms for inclusive participation, considering diverse community demographics and recommend public sector approaches in the planning and implementation of renewable energy projects.
• Provide RE industry specific best practices of effective community engagement in the RE projects.

2.2. Activity 4: Policy and Dissemination Strategy

Activity Description: Finalization of country research reports in English to produce one report combining the policy briefs and analysis of survey findings from the 2 case studies. 

- Policy Recommendations:

• Provide recommendations for policymakers on enhancing community engagement strategies in future infrastructure projects requirements of renewable energy projects.
• Provide policy recommendations for creating an enabling environment to promote community engagement for sustainable renewable energy development.

- Dissemination Strategy

• Propose a strategy for disseminating final report to industry stakeholders, local and international organizations, and relevant forums to engage with key stakeholders to share findings.

The study will tentatively start in January2024 and will be completed by June 2024. The consultants should work closely with The Asia Foundation team to develop the detailed timeframe once she/he is on board.

Selection Criteria

Qualifications in a relevant discipline e.g. Economics, Sustainable Development, Public Policy, Environmental Policy, or other related fields.

• In-depth knowledge of Vietnamese RE infrastructure project development especially sound understanding on how the RE development impacts on local communities and involed stakeholders.
• Empirical research design and implementation, including survey design and deployment.
• Detailed desk research, including stakeholder mapping, policy framework mapping, and other qualitative research, especially through a Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) lens.
• Relevant experiences and strong connection with line minitries and local authories, RE investors and developers;
• In-depth knowledge of Vietnamese regulations related to Energy development and management
• Relevant experience in preparing research papers in English language.
• Fluent in English and Vietnamese

How to Apply

Interested applicants are requested to submit a CV and Letter of Interest in an email with subject “P4I-RE Community Engagement” to [email protected].

Applications must be submitted by 11:59pm on [Friday, 29 December, 2023].

Due to the high volume of applications for P4I positions, only short-listed applicants will be contacted.