Consulting Services to Develop a Sustainable Forest Management Plan (SFMP)

Consulting services to develop a Sustainable Forest Management Plan (SFMP) for Don Duong State Forestry Company (SFC) in Lam Dong Province

Lowering Emissions in Asia’s Forests (LEAF) is a five year project funded by the United States Agency for International Development and implemented by Winrock International in partnership with SNV - Netherlands Development Organization, Climate Focus, and the Center for People and Forests (RECOFTC). The main purpose of the project is to strengthen the capacity of participating Southeast Asian countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from their forestry sectors, and support these countries so that they can benefit from the emerging international REDD+ framework.

Piloting innovative approaches to reducing emissions through sustainable land use management is an important component of LEAF, and is being undertaken in both Lam Dong and Nghe An provinces in Vietnam. In Lam Dong, this includes supporting the development of the Provincial REDD+ Action Plan (PRAP). One of the main activities of the PRAP is the development of Sustainable Forest Management Plans (SFMP) that are in-line with the Vietnamese Government’s own plan for the future direction and strategic development of the country’s forestry sector, as outlined in Resolution 30/NQ-TW issued by the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, and the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 686/QD-TTg.

In 2014-2015, LEAF will pilot this activity by supporting the Don Duong State Forestry Company (SFC) in its development of one such SFMP. The SFMP will help Don Duong SFC manage its forests in a manner that will enable it to secure its on-going production process, as well as protect and develop the productive capacity of its forests over the long-term. At the same time, local people’s right to access and use forest products and land will be respected, thereby contributing to job creation and social welfare improvement, and a general raising of the standard of living in the community. The Plan will also preserve and maintain the biodiversity value of the forests, as well as the value they provide in protecting the provision of ecosystem services, and will not result in any negative impacts on the environment or landscapes.

LEAF is now seeking an organisation or group of experts licensed in forest inventory and planning to carry out a series of tasks leading ultimately to the development of a SFMP for Don Duong SFC.

The main objective of the assignment is to develop a SFMP for Don Duong SFC, taking into consideration the emissions reduction targets and multi-benefit goals of improved social, economic, environment and gender outcomes set out in the official guidelines for the implementation of SFMPs, soon to be issued by MARD.

Duration is expected to be for a period of eight months after the contract is signed, from October 2014 to May 2015.

All expected outputs must be submitted to the LEAF project in both English and Vietnamese languages.

Details of the assignment please see the attached ToR in both English and Vietnamese.

Interested consultant teams are requested to submit, in English and Vietnamese, a proposal to undertake the tasks related to the assignment as per the ToR, which should include:

• Brief profile of the organisation(s) highlighting their most relevant experience;

• Detailed CVs of all individual consultant team members outlining their qualifications and indicating their experience in similar undertakings;

• Detailed technical proposal, which includes a work plan outlining a timeline for the completion of the specific tasks;

• Financial proposal with an inclusive price required to deliver the expected outputs.

Technical and financial proposals should be submitted by interested consultant teams via email to Ms Vu Thi Kieu Phuc at [email protected] by 31st August 2014.