Short-term Technical Assistant for Establishment of Bac Hai Van Landscape Reserve

SCOPE OF WORK

SHORT - TERM TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE (STTA) FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF BAC HAI VAN LANDSCAPE RESERVE

USAID GREEN ANNAMITES

A.1 BACKGROUND

This Scope of Work (SOW) describes the services to be provided by an STTA facilitating to obtain GVN approval for establishment of Bac Hai Van landscape reserve under the USAID Green Annamites Activity (Task Order No. AID-660-TO-16-00003 under the REPLACE IDIQ AID-440-TO-16-00001). The Green Annamites period of performance is September 26, 2016 to December 16, 2020.

The overarching objective of the Green Annamites Activity is to assist Vietnam’s transition to climate-smart, low emission, and resilient development that protects people, landscapes, and biodiversity in Quang Nam and Thua Thien Hue provinces in Central Vietnam.

The Task Order SOW defines and structures Project activities according to the following three main tasks:

• Task 1. Increase application of low emission land use.
• Task 2. Strengthen biodiversity conservation.
• Task 3. Increase the resilience of vulnerable communities.

The Project is conducting these tasks simultaneously and they are mutually reinforcing. In order to allow flexibility, implementation of project activities primarily occurs through actions funded through an Activity Fund (AF) managed and programmed by the ECODIT project team under the supervision of USAID.

The Project will primarily benefit poor ethnic minority populations and women in the buffer zones of nature reserves and national parks in Quang Nam (QN) and Thua Thien Hue (TTH), along with local government officials and other stakeholders associated with the management of these protected areas.

A.2 DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES

USAID Green Annamites has supported the preparation of a dossier to upgrade the status of Bac Hai Van Protection Forest (BHVPF) to a nature reserve. This dossier was prepared and finalized in 2018 and now available at the USAID Green Annamites Project (the Project). The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) of TTH has requested the Project to provide technical and institutional support with the approval process to upgrade BHVPF to BHV Special Use Forest (SUF) and establishment of BHV landscape reserve.

Between May 2^nd and October 30^th 2019, the Project has facilitated and obtained approval from Thua Thien Hue Provincial People Council on converting BHV protection forests to special use forest (SUF) by the resolution No. 32/NQ-HDND on date October 16^th 2019. To continue facilitating to obtain approval of GVN on establishment of BHV landscape reserve, the Consultant shall work closely and assist DARD to obtain the validation of the dossier on establishment BHV landscape reserve from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), in order that the TTH Provincial People’s committee (PPC) will issue a formal decision on its acceptance of establishment of BHV landscape reserve.

The period of performance is May 15to September 30 2020. The level of effort (LOE) over the period of performance is not-to-exceed 39 days. This SOW describes general activities to be implemented over this period mentioned above.

The Consultant shall conduct all activities and prepare deliverables under the overall management of Chief-of-Party/ Deputy Chief of Party and direct supervision of the Biodiversity Conservation Specialist (BCS).

A.2.1. Objectives:

The main objective of this assignment is to finalize the process for establishment of BHV landscape reserve. Specific outputs are

1. To support TTH DARD/FPD in obtaining the letter of validation from MARD on the dossier on establishment BHV landscape reserve.

2. To support TTH DARD/FPD in obtaining the approval of Provincial People’s Committee on establishment of BHVSUF as a landscape reserve.

A.2.2. Specific Tasks and Activities:

Under the direction of the USAID Green Annamites Biodiversity Conservation Specialist (BCS), the Consultant shall conduct the following activities:

1.Prepare a proposal on establishment of BHV landscape reserve according to the decree 156/2018/N? -CP of the government:

1. Review the dossier on upgrading BHV protection forests to special use forest to identify gaps for finalization the proposal on establishment of BHV landscape reserve.

2. Work with relevant agencies to collect additional information including maps on forest status and conservation zoning and finalize the proposal.

3. Facilitate three community consultation meetings and a provincial consultation workshop to get feedback for the proposal on establishment of BHV landscape reserve and write workshop report. GA provincial office in Hue will provide logistics support for the workshops.

4. Finalize the proposal for submission to MARD based on feedback of the consultation workshop.

2.Obtain validation from MARD and approval from TTH PPC for establishment of BHV landscape reserve:

1. Conduct a meeting with Vietnam Administration of Forestry (VNFOREST) –Department of SUF and Protection Forest Management in Hanoi to seek advises on submission the proposal of establishment of BHV landscape reserve.

2. Conduct a validation meeting on the proposal of establishment of BHV landscape reserve with participation of relevant ministries at national level in Hanoi, such as Vietnam VNFOREST of MARD (some departments under VNFOREST: Forest Protection Agency, Department of SUF and Protection Forest Management, Department of Forest Development, Department of Planning and Finance), and Vietnam Environment Administration of MONRE (Biodiversity Conservation Agency).

3. Assist TTH DARD and the management board of BHVPF in to prepare a request and relevant documents including letter of validation from MARD and full proposal of establishment of BHV landscape reserve for submission to the PPC. Ascertain with the PPC that the proposal is complete and proper and ready for acceptance by the PPC.

3. Identify meaningful milestones which are able to deliver newsworthy information to relevant stakeholders or more or less show a completion/achievement of a part of the whole activity. Then, suggest suitable format and distributions channels for each input beside compulsory inputs for the Project newsletter.

A.2.3 Deliverables

• A letter of validation from MARD for the proposal on establishment of BHV landscape reserve.

• A decision on establishment of BHV landscape reserve which was approved by the PPC

• One separate inputs for the Project newsletter

All deliverables will be in the Vietnamese language.

A.3 TOTAL LEVEL OF EFFORT (LOE) AND TASKS/DELIVERABLES

Table 1 below provides tasks/deliverables, estimated LOE allocation, and due dates for this SOW. The Consultant’s total LOE for these activities is not-to-exceed 39 days. Any additional tasks/deliverables to be carried out by the Consultant in addition to the activities described in this SOW will be developed by ECODIT in coordination with the Consultant and elaborated in an amendment to this SOW.

Table 1. Tasks/Deliverables, Due Dates and LOE (days)

A.4.LOCATION

The work will be conducted on site in BHVPF, in Hue city, and MARD in Hanoi

A.5. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

It is expected that the work will be completed by September 30^th 2020

A.6. REQUIREMENTS, APPLICATION AND SELECTION

Qualification and skills

A degree in forestry, natural resource management, biology, or other relevant degree.

General professional experience

• A minimum of ten years working in natural resource management.
• Demonstrable working experience with government in Vietnam.
• Demonstrable experience and knowledge of the legislative context concerning SUF, forestry and natural resource management.

Specific professional experience

• A minimum of five year working experience for or in SUF, including management planning.
• Demonstrable experience in leading a team and legal advocacy.
• Experience with protected area management in TT Hue is an advantage.
• Experience in protected area classification / preparation for designation is an advantage.

Interested candidates should send application including:

• A cover letter

• Updated CV

• Three references of past performance

By April 26^th, 2020 to the following address: [email protected]

No phone calls please. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview.

Abbreviations & Acronyms used in this document