Development Jobs Indonesia: RFP - Sustainable Finance Feasibility Study through PME Conservation Investment

Working in 30+ countries globally, Conservation International (CI) Foundation is a non-profit organization committed to empowering societies to responsibly and sustainably care for nature for the good of humanity. We are constantly growing and expanding into areas new and old. We are currently looking to fill the following work:

Sustainable Finance Feasibility Study through PME Conservation Investment

(code: SF Feasibility Study)

A. OVERVIEW

As the world’s largest archipelago nation in area and population, Indonesia is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. With 30% of the world’s mangroves (>3 million ha) and 22 million ha of peatlands, peat and mangrove ecosystems (PME) provide adaptation and resilience capacity for vulnerable communities, including coastal protection, flood control, water quality, and food security. Indonesia’s PMEs also boast some of the highest ecosystem carbon densities (mangroves = 1,023 MgC ha^-1 and peatlands = 2,658 MgC ha^-1) and hence great capacity for mitigation. However, PMEs are amongst Indonesia’s most threatened ecosystems. No peatlands in North Sumatra (275,000 ha) and West Papua (1 million ha) are protected, despite regulations requiring protection of deep peat. Less than 10% of West Papua’s mangroves (650,000 ha) are protected despite having the highest diversity of mangrove species in the world.

The preservation of peat and mangrove ecosystems provides environmental services, both to the surrounding community and groups outside the ecosystem. However, peat and mangrove ecosystems are one of the ecosystems that are vulnerable on risk. Peat and mangroves and peat ecosystems conservation being developed continuously by various parties, ranging from environmental organizations, governments, and international community. Rapid changes of function and development in coastal areas has reduced peat and mangrove vegetation ecosystems coverage impacting peat areas and mangrove in coastal areas to be more vulnerable to disasters. One of the factors causing the widespread conversion of these ecosystems functions is the lack of knowledge and understanding the value of these ecosystem services, either on economic and non-economic aspects, which reflect the benefits provided to communities around these ecosystems.

West Papua is one of the greenest provinces in Indonesia. Forests that are rich in biodiversity and carbon stocks, including vital peat ecosystems and 650 thousand hectares of mangroves are scattered across districts. The declaration of West Papua as a Sustainable Development Province and its commitment to protect at least 70% conservation area in its terrestrial areas needs secure and sustain investment both from public and private sources. In line with that, currently government of Indonesia trying to develop the best practices to support NDC processes and bringing investment through various sustainable funding mechanism, there is a need to create the architecture especially from forestry sector what would drive more green investment based on the structure of the emission reduction establish within the NDCs.

Addressing West Papua vision and climate change in general effectively and transitioning low carbon development in the future acquires mobilization of millions of funds. It also requires a shifting way from brown investments which are emission intensive infrastructure and energy into green infrastructure and development. Understanding and mobilizing this transition of all these funds are essential for different stakeholders. Conservation International through Mitigation, Adaptation through Conservation and Sustainable Livelihoods in Indonesia’s Peat and Mangrove Ecosystems project has an opportunity to take a part on provide inputs and recommendations by identifying all available source and mechanisms of sustainable funding from all diverse stakeholder perspectives focusing on forest protection including peat and mangrove ecosystems and developed a sustainable, long-term strategy through Sustainable Finance Feasibility Study of possible payoffs (carbon credit or dollars) and the risk to implementing a sustainable finance mechanism in selected site.

B. SCOPE OF WORK

The primary point of contact for contract related queries is the CI’s IKI PME Senior Project Manager. CI sustainable development coordinator, Indonesia Climate Policy Lead, and West Papua Program Manager will supervise the overall proposed activities. CI’s Director of West Papua, Senior Policy Advisor and the Terrestrial Technical Advisor will support to review milestones and provide technical oversight for this consultancy.

General Objective of the Consultancy:

The project will facilitate technical assistance and capacity building to pilot Province, West Papua in developing low emission development scenario and sustainable financing scheme for conservation including the PME. The results of this study are expected to cover:

Conducting feasibility study of possible payoffs (carbon credit or dollars) and the risk to implementing a sustainable finance mechanism, which includes:

· Typology (physical, spatial, land management) - Total area to be covered under the financing mechanism.

· Total investment required to land management, conserve and restore mangrove, peatland and social forestry in West Papua or South Sorong for land typologies and management options.

· Cost estimate (e.g. opportunity, transaction, and operational cost) and Investment needs.

· Availability of the public funding against the total investment required based on several options/scenario (Investment gap)

· Carbon and non-carbon benefits.

· Risk analysis (land ownership, policy related risks, and other relevant risks)

· Investment return based in form of carbon credit or dollars as a basis for claiming the impacts/contributions.

· Investment model and projection from 2021 – 2045 including projection of return of the investment

· Financing Strategy to sustain the mangrove, peatland, and social forestry initiatives.

This feasibility study might be done in one small specific area. For example, the feasibility study can be done to find out how many carbon projected potential, what is the dollar potential also the potential risk to implementing the project using the sustainable finance mechanism to sustain the PME protection in chosen area.

C. DELIVERABLES & SCHEDULE

No	Activities	Deadline	Deliverables
1	Conduct internal meeting with the CII staff to discuss detailed of the work plan and getting the same perspective of the consultancy objective.	1-2^nd week after the agreement	· Final work plan · Meeting MoM
2	Part 1. Initial stage of the study.	4^th week after the agreement	· Revised methods based on the result of the initial internal meeting. · Results plan based on the outputs of the initial discussion. Both of the deliverables should be submitted in one package.
4	Part 2. Data collection, analysis, and reporting.	14^th week after the agreement	· Data collection and Analysis · Summary findings and recommendations for different stakeholders · Submitting Full comprehensive report based on the Scope of Work (Section 2.1)
5	Part 3. Dissemination.	16^thweek after the agreement	· Dissemination materials (slide deck) · List attendees segregated by sex · Pre and post questions to identify improvement of participant knowledge on sustainable financing

D. EVALUATION AND BASIS FOR SELECTION

An award will be made to the offeror whose proposal is determined to be responsive to this solicitation document, meets the eligibility criteria stated in this RFP, meets the technical capability requirements, and is determined to represent the most advantageous to CI.

a) Personal qualifications (25 points)

b) Experience with similar assignments (25 points)

c) Proposed methodology (35 points)

d) Proposed budget (15 points)

E. INSTRUCTION FOR OFFERORS

All proposals must be submitted in one volume, consisting of:

1. Technical proposal: The technical proposal should outline the methods (collect data and data analysis) and results plan (both for temporal and spatial dimensions). Both methods and results should be in line to the Scope of Work (Section 2.1), and

2. Budget proposal

This RFP does not obligate CI to execute a contract, nor does it commit CI to pay any costs incurred in the preparation and submission of the proposals. Furthermore, CI reserves the right to reject any and/or all offers, if such action is in the best interest of CI.

1. Technical Proposal

The technical proposal shall comprise the following parts:

Part 1: Technical Approach, Methodology and Detailed Work Plan and Time Schedule. This part shall be between 2 and 3 pages long and may not exceed 5 pages.

The Technical Proposal should describe in detail how the offeror intends to carry out the requirements described in Section 2.1, Scope of Work (SOW). The technical proposal should demonstrate a clear understanding of the work to be undertaken and the responsibilities of all parties involved.

Part 2: Management, Key Personnel, and Staffing Plan. This part shall be between 2 and 3 pages long and may not exceed 5 pages. CVs for key personnel may be included in an annex to the technical proposal and will not count against the page limit. The Technical Proposal should include CV(s) for the following:

Minimum qualifications requirements:

The offerors have wide range expertise on the Feasibility study for natural resource management and development. Experience in conduct and facilitate meetings with government officials and providing success recommendation is an advantage. Applicants are welcome to propose modified milestones that support the achievement consultancy objectives and deliverables in an efficient and effective manner.

The consultants are expected to meet minimum personnel qualifications requirements:

· Postgraduate or other advanced university degree in Political Economics, Behavioral Economics, or related social finance science.

· Demonstrated experience with research project related to financial investment and/or feasibility study for designing a public private partnership.

· Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.

· Experience working on economy development, sustainable financing, and environmental sustainability issues.

· Familiarity with sustainable financing and its architectures.

Part 3: Institution Capabilities (if applicable), Experience and Previous Performance, and 3 references. This part shall be between 2 and 4 pages long and may not exceed 5 pages.

2. Budget Proposal

The budget proposal is used to determine which proposals are the most advantageous and serves as a basis of negotiation for award of a contract. The price of the contract to be awarded will be all-inclusive of profit, fees or taxes. Additional budget cannot be included after award. Nevertheless, for the purpose of the proposal, offerors must provide a detailed budget showing major expense line items. Offers must show unit prices, quantities, and total price. All items, services, etc. must be clearly labeled and included in the total offered price (including approximately number of travel and personnel and required workshop, FGD, and stakeholder meetings if applicable). All budget information must be expressed in IDR Rupiah. The budget shall also include a budget narrative that explains the basis for the estimate of every budget element or line item. Supporting information must be provided in sufficient detail to allow for a complete analysis of each budget element or line item. CI reserves the right to request additional budget information if the evaluation committee has concerns of the reasonableness or completeness of an offeror’s proposed budget.

If selected, Offeror shall use its best efforts to minimize the financing of any taxes on goods and services, or the importation, manufacture, procurement or supply thereof. If Offeror is eligible to apply for refunds on taxes paid, Offeror shall do so. Any tax savings should be reflected in the total cost.

Please send your documents required on Point E in .PDF to:

ci-indonesia.hrd@conservation.org cc- isanjaya@conservation.org

Please fill the “subject” column of the e-mail with this format:

< SF Feasibility Study > - < Name >

Closing date for the application is June 24, 2021

(Only short-listed candidates will be notified).