Consultancy for reviewing and evaluating community forest database for Lao Cai, Son La, Hoa Binh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Quang Tri and Quang Nam

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A. RECOFTC ORGANIZATION AND VALUES

At RECOFTC, we believe in a future where people live equitably and sustainably in and beside healthy, resilient forests. We take a long-term, landscape-based and inclusive approach to supporting local communities to secure their land and resource rights, stop deforestation, find alternative livelihoods and foster gender equity. We are the only non-profit organization of our kind in Asia and the Pacific. We have more than 30 years of experience working with people and forests and have built trusting relationships with partners at all levels. Our influence and partnerships extend from multilateral institutions to governments, private sector and local communities. Our innovations, knowledge and initiatives enable countries to foster good forest governance, mitigate and adapt to climate change, and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda.

At RECOFTC, our core values are the foundation of our culture and guide all our work. In addition to job specific skills and experience, the applicant should possess the following characteristics, attitudes and skills:

• Embrace innovation
• Adapt to, and learn from, challenges
• Collaborate with partners and stakeholders
• Nurture commitment, responsibility and ownership
• Prioritize sustainability
• Cultivate participation, social inclusion and gender equity

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

1. Background

In recent years, the active participation of communities living near forests in forest protection management has been increasingly recognized as an important factor in effectively maintaining forest resources. The community has been involved in forest management and protection in various forms. There are four main types of participation including i) traditional community forests, ii) community-based forest management, iii) group of households managing forest land, and iv) individual households, all of which own individual forest land, but collaborate in forest protection management.

The Project focuses on two forms of community forestry to promote local participation in forest management. The first modality is community forest management (CFM), in which the village communities manage allocated forests. The second modality is community-based forest management (CBFM) in which village communities protect and enjoy benefits from forests under foret protection contracts with state forest owners such as protection forest management boards. This form also includes village communities collectively managing and protecting of forests allocated to households.

In recent years, the community's   forest data under CFM modality has been developed as part of the national forest inventory project in the period of 2012 - 2016, integrated into the forest resource monitoring system (FRMS) in the Forest Resources Management Information System (FORMIS). However, this database is still limited or outpdated to the present time, thus hindering exploitation and utilize for community forest management for 7 project provinces in particular and the whole country in general.

Therefore, it is necessary to review and assess the status of the existing database on community forests (CF) and identify solutions to upgrade the quality of this database for better management of community forests.

2. Purpose of the consultation package

To review and evaluate the status of the community forest database in 7 provinces of the VFBC project in order to identify the gaps and needs for improvement and integration into the forest resource monitoring system (FRMS).

3. Expected Result

A report on the evaluation of community forest database and proposing solutions to supplement, upgrade and complete the database of community forests.

4. Location

Seven provinces of VFBC project, including: Lao Cai, Son La, Hoa Binh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Quang Tri, Quang Nam

5. Task

Consultants are required to at least conduct the following tasks:

5.1. Preparation and relevant documents collection

Collect and synthesize information and  documents related to data on community forests in seven provinces, including:

• Designing a stakeholder consultation questionnaire.
• Maps of forest inventory results on the FRMS system.
• Information and data on community forests.
• Reports, documents, records related to community forests.
• Information on land allocation, forest allocation to the community.
• Legal documents related to community forests
• Programs at the national and provincial levels, oriented to the management of all levels related to community forests.

5.2. Evaluation of the community forest database system

• Review and evaluate the database and architecture of existing data systems on community forests on the basis of FRMS / FORMIS system: standardization, completeness, data quality,  data storage, data update, usage,  data sharing ...)
• Review the community forest data management system/tool in the FRMS/FORMIS system includes: data collection tools, data storage tools, display tools, data sharing tools
• Review and evaluate community forest management records (on the basis of forest inventory results)
• Review and evaluate characteristics and information about community forests: area size, boundary, location ... types of community forests in 7 provinces (based on maps and data of forest inventory project).
• Review and evaluate characteristics, attribute information on biodiversity, natural conditions, social economy...
• Review and evaluate the status of management, updating and  operation of  community forestdatabases
• Review and assess the need to establish, update and manage community forest databases
• Review and evaluate the role of stakeholders, human resources and equipment
• Review the responsiveness of community forest databases for national and provincial programs, supporting programs that have been and will be implemented at the central and provincial levels.
• Review and assess the community's ability and need to provide information and the community's ability to use and access information.

5. 3. Stakeholder consultation

Conduct consultations, assessments of the current situation and needs of using community forest database with the following stakeholders, but not limited to:

Central level:

• Forestry Information Center (FRMS management unit)
• Forest Protection Department, central Forest Protection and Development Fund
• Agencies carrying out forest inventory: Forest Inventory and Planning Institute, Vietnamese Academy of Forest Sciences, Institute of Ecology and Forest Environment – Forestry University of Vietnam

Provincial level: Conduct face-to-face consultations in 4 provinces representing 3 regions: North, North Central and South Central, and online and/or via email in the remaining provinces.

• Department of Agriculture and Rural Development
• Provincial Forest Protection Department.
• Forest Protection and Development Fund.
• District Forest Ranger, Commune People's Committee
• Information Technology Center of Department of Natural Resources and Environment

5.4. Proposing solutions to supplement, upgrade and improve the database of community forests

• Solutions for updating community forest resources data on forest inventory results maps.
• Solutions for updating information on biodiversity, natural and socio-economic conditions of community forests.
• Solutions for updating community forest management records.
• Information technology solutions to integrate community forest data into the FRMS database:
• Solutions for organizing, managing and operating community forest databases: Responsible roles of stakeholders, human resources, equipment...
• Proposing community forest data system architecture framework that can be integrated with FRMS/FORMIS system.
• Proposing community engagement solution.

5.5. Prepare the final report

Prepare the final report on community forest database assessment and propose solutions to supplement, upgrade and improve the community forest database

6. Level of effort (LOE) and deliverables

8. Qualifications

Interested candidate should have the following minimum requirements:

• Vietnamese nationality only.
• A master's degree or higher; minimum 15 years of experience in the forestry sector.  
• Experience in forest inventory and statistic project, forest changes monitoring and assessment.
• In-depth knowledge and understanding of community forest management; working experience, consultation with officials, central and local agencies.
• Experience in organizing, managing and operating forest databases: Responsible roles of stakeholders, human resources, equipment...
• Experience and expertise in developing and using forestry databases, prioritizing community forests.  
• Experience in architecture of FRMS / FORMIS system: standardization, completeness, data quality,  data storage, data update, usage,  data sharing...
• Experience in data management system/tool in the FRMS/FORMIS system includes: data collection tools, data storage tools, display tools, data sharing tools
• Experience and skills in writing Vietnamese reports; being able to use English at work is an advantage.

9. How to apply and requested documents

Interested individuals are requested to submit their CV and a cover letter indicating why they are suitable for this consultancy along with the expected fee or daily rate and current contact details of three references, to [email protected]. Please quote the consultancy title in the subject line of the email. Only shortlisted individuals will be notified.

For any further information you may need about the consultancy, please contact [email protected].

To learn more about RECOFTC, please visit our website www.recoftc.org.