Policy Consultant to Carry out Assessment of Feasibility for Carbon Sequestration and Carbon Stock Services of Forest

INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT SCOPE OF WORK

A. DAI ORGANIZATION AND VALUES

DAI is a global development company with corporate offices in the United States, the United Kingdom, EU, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Palestine and project operations worldwide. We tackle fundamental social and economic development problems caused by inefficient markets, ineffective governance, and instability. DAI works on the frontlines of global development. Transforming ideas into action—action into impact. We are committed to shaping a more livable world.

DAI and its employees are committed to confronting racism and holding ourselves accountable for positive change within the company and in the communities, cultures, and countries in which we live and work. DAI is committed to attracting and retaining the best employees from all races and backgrounds in our continued effort to become a better development partner.

DAI upholds the highest ethical standards. We are committed to the prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment as well as other ethical breaches. All of our positions are therefore subject to stringent vetting and reference checks.

B. PROJECT BACKGROUND

The USAID Sustainable Forest Management Project (the Project) will work with the Government of Vietnam (GVN) to reduce carbon emissions associated with deforestation, the degradation of natural forests, and poor plantation management. The Project will implement a “Green Prosperity” approach that strengthens local communities’ ability to protect their natural resource base and reduce emissions while building a strong foundation for sustainable livelihoods and equitable economic growth.

The Project will work in seven provinces (Lao Cai, Son La, Hoa Binh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Quang Tri, Quang Nam) and focus on five objectives:

1. Improve and expand community forest management
2. Increase conservation-friendly enterprises in forest-dependent communities
3. Increase functionality of law enforcement system for forest crimes
4. Improve production forest management practices
5. Mobilize domestic resources for forest management and protection

The Project will be implemented during the period 2020-2025 by DAI in collaboration with RECOFTC and Preferred by Nature as partners, with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) as the counterpart and the Management Board of Forestry Projects (MBFP) as project owner.

C. DESCRIPTION OF CONSULTANCY SERVICE:

I. BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE

On November11, 20217 the 14th National Assembly issued Forestry Law No. 16/2017/QH14 effectively since January 1, 2019; item d, point 2, article 63 of the Law regulates “ organizations, individuals having business, production causing large GHGs must pay for services of carbon sequestration and stock”, and Law of Environmental protection No. 72/2020/QH14 (effective since January 1, 2022) has article 139 regulating organize and develop carbon market in which GHGs emission companies must to join offset mechanism to reduce their GHGs.

In 2019, MARD submitted the Central governmental office a draft decision of piloting CPFES in 4 provinces and with two sectors of thermal power plants (with 9 companies) and cement companies (11 companies). In new situation especially when regulations of domestic carbon trading are under development, MARD with contact point VNFOREST needs to study, identify suitable approach for CPFES in order to ensure ability to mobilize payment for carbon sequestration services of the forest from organizations, individuals having large GHGs emission activities according to Forestry Law and on the other side also suitable with domestic carbon trading market.

Besides until now in Vietnam there are different projects, programs, studies, organizations such as FIP, The World Bank, CIFOR, LEAF identifying capacity of forests to sequester carbon. However, in order to have a foundation to estimate potential for carbon sequestration in the whole country and a foundation to develop MRV system for issuing and trade credits, there should be an assessment to select suitable methods. In order to determine a specific approach to forest carbon sequestration and storage services, VFBC/DAI project in collaboration with the Vietnam Forest Protection and Development Fund (VNFF), needs to recruit consultants to carry out preliminary research and provide the necessary information for advising VNFOREST on the plan to develop CPFES in the next period.

II. OVERALL GOAL

This consultancy is intended to work with forestry/environmental consultant to carry out primary assessment of potential for CPFES in direction of selling credits for companies in Vietnam and other countries and identify activities to be taken by the forestry sector.

III. DETAILED GOALS

1. Identify potential of carbon sequestration from forests and potential to trade credits from forests
2. Identify needed policies to trade forest credits
3. Identify activities the forestry sector needs to prepare to trade carbon credits domestically and orientation to export credits.

IV. SCOPE OF WORK AND TASKS

1. Scope of work

1. Assess the status, evaluate advantages, difficulties and barriers in the current context to propose the CPFES mechanism harmonized with orientation of domestic carbon trading development;
2. Assess the potential of forest carbon credits trading for the whole forestry sector.
3. Evaluate potential to develop domestic MRV system for forest carbon trading.

2. Specific tasks

2.1.     Contribute to feasibility assessment

The consultant will work closely with forestry/environmental consultant to contribute to the assessment of feasibility for CPFES with specific tasks below:

2.1.1.     Status assessment:

• Review regulations on CPFES, forestry, forest ownership/ forest management;
• Review challenges for CPFES with other related policy;
• Collaborate to review methodology to measure carbon sequestration for 3 types of forests, discuss to find suitable solution to apply for issuing credits for forest;
• Collaborate to review experience and discussions to apply experience from other countries for Vietnam in a feasible way;
• Discuss based on relevant information that forestry/environmental consultant provides to find solutions for CPFES;
• Propose solution to apply domestic MRV for Vietnam.

2.1.2.     Potential assessment:

• Discuss and together with forestry/environmental consultant, estimate the potential of credits trading for companies in Vietnam and potential to export credits;
• Discuss and together with forestry/environmental consultant to estimate potential payment if selling credits;
• Identify suitable method for domestic MRV to sell carbon credits from forest.

2.1.3.     Proposed solutions and next steps:

• Propose suitable steps for VNFOREST to implement CPFES;
• Work on findings provided by forestry/environmental consultant to propose the roadmap for VNFOREST and related departments to implement the CPFES;
• Compare the new CPFES approach with previous proposal in 2019 based on information provided by the forestry/environmental consultant;
• Propose solutions to increase revenues for forest protection and development through domestic carbon credit trading based on information provided by the forestry/environmental consultant;
• Discuss and propose steps for relevant stakeholders to develop domestic MRV based on information provided by the forestry/environmental consultant.

2.2. Join different meetings

The consultants will join different technical meetings with VNFOREST, VNFF, the project and relevant Ministries to complete the above tasks. He/she also needs to prepare presentations with the forestry consultants to present in different meetings with VNFOREST, VNFF (if any).

V. LOCATION

Hanoi, Vietnam

VI. CONSULTATION TIME (LOE) AND DELIVERABLES

All submitted deliverables are in Vietnamese

VII. QUALIFICATIONS

VIII. How to apply and requested documents

Individual interested candidates are requested to submit:

• A CV in English and Vietnamese
• A cover letter in English indicating why they are suitable for this position along with salary requirements and current contact details of at least three referees
• Scanned copy of highest related degrees
• Similar consultancy projects completed before either in English or Vietnamese
• Technical proposal in English and Vietnamese to carry out this consultancy assignment (Detailed approach and implementation plan)

via email to our recruitment email at [email protected]. Please quote the position title in the subject line: “Candidate’s full name _ Policy expert”

Deadline for application: 5.00 p.m. (Hanoi time), December 20, 2021

To learn more about DAI, please visit our website: https://www.dai.com/

DAI is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer with a commitment to diversity. DAI does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, parental status, veteran status, or other non-merit factor.