Liberia Forest Sector Project: Consultancy Services to Train Forestry Development Authority (FDA) Staff working in Protected Areas on Sustainable Protected Areas Management

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

(CONSULTING SERVICES – FIRMS SELECTION)

REPUBLIC OF LIBERIA

FORESTRY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

LIBERIA FOREST SECTOR PROJECT

PROJECT ID: P154114

GRANT ID: TFA2427  

CONSULTANCY SERVICES TO TRAIN FORESTRY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (FDA) STAFF WORKING IN PROTECTED AREAS ON SUSTAINABLE PROTECTED AREAS MANAGEMENT UNDER THE LIBERIA FOREST SECTOR PROJECT

 (REFERENCE NO: LR-FDA-257156-CS-CQS)

This request for expressions of interest follows the General Procurement Notice for this project that appeared in Development Business No. WB452-01/17 of January 31, 2017.

The Republic of Liberia has received a grant from the Government of Norway in the amount of US$36.7 million equivalent through the World Bank towards the cost of the Liberia Forest Sector Project, and it intends to apply part of the proceeds of this Grant to eligible payments for the provision of Consulting Services to Train Forestry Development Authority (FDA) Staff Working in Protected Areas on Sustainable Protected Areas Management Under the Liberia Forest Sector Project

The objective of this assignment is to conduct hands-on training for all FDA staff working in protected areas and proposed protected areas to improve their skills and strengthen their on-the-ground capacity to effectively, efficiently, and sustainably manage the Protected Area Network System, in partnership and collaboration with local communities whenever feasible.   

The specific objectives of this assignment include the following:

• To prepare a training program with focus on priority training needs to significantly improve the capacity of about 120 FDA staff working in protected areas with focus on sustainable protected area management;
• To develop a set of supporting materials (a Toolkit) for protected area management training;
• To deliver this training program as a set of two similar training events (covering all trainees in two batches) aimed at improving the operational effectiveness and safety of FDA staff working in existing and proposed protected areas.

A full copy of the terms of reference can be found below, as Attachment 1 to this request for expressions of interest

The Forestry Development Authority now invites qualified and eligible firms to express their interest in providing the required Services for the Liberia Forest Sector Project. Interested consultants must provide information indicating that they are qualified to perform the services (brochures, description of similar assignments, experience in similar conditions, availability of appropriate skills among staff, etc.). See shortlist criteria below:      

  QUALIFICATION AND EXPERIENCE

The consulting firm selected must possess the following experience and competencies:

• At least five (5) years of experience in developing and delivering Protected Areas Management trainings; 
• Availability of competent staff with the relevant qualifications and experience to undertake the assignment;
• Comprehensive knowledge of the requirements for effective protected area management;
• Strong community engagement skills; and
• Experience working in Sub-Saharan Africa.

 Note: In addition to other relevant information to be submitted, Consultants (firms) are to present all assignments of similar nature undertaken: Assignment details, name of client & country of assignment, contract value and role of firm etc.

The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to paragraph 1.9 of the World Bank’s Guidelines: Selection and Employment of Consultants [under IBRD Loans and IDA Credits & Grants] by World Bank Borrowers Conflict of Interest, January 2011 revised July 2014 (“Consultant Guidelines”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest.

Consultants may associate with other firms in the form of a joint venture or a sub-consultancy agreement to enhance their qualifications.

A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Selection based on the Consultants’ Qualifications method (CQS). For reference, please see paragraph 3.7 of the World Bank’s Guidelines on Selection and Employment of Consultants, January 2011 revised July 2014, by following the link below:

http://pubdocs.worldbank.org/en/894361459190142673/ProcurementConsultantHiringGuidel inesEngJuly2014.pdfhtt

Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours 0900 to 1600 hours.

Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form to the address below (in person, by mail or by e-mail) by 16:00 GMT on Friday, OCTOBER 29, 2021.  Envelopes or subject of emails must be marked “Ref: EOI for CONSULTANCY SERVICES TO TRAIN FORESTRY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (FDA) STAFF WORKING IN PROTECTED AREAS ON SUSTAINABLE PROTECTED AREAS MANAGEMENT”

Forestry Development Authority

Whein Town, Mount Barclay

 P. O. Box 3010 Montserrado County

Monrovia, Liberia

Attention: National REDD+ Project Coordinator

Tel: +231(0)880-699-711

Email:  fawasa@gmail.com & cc: hdd1960wllms@gmail.com, fahnco76@yahoo.com 

 Attachment 1: Terms of Reference: Consultancy Services to Train Forestry Development Authority (FDA) Staff Working in Protected Areas on Sustainable Protected Areas Management

1.0 Background:

Liberia contains about 6.6 million ha of lowland tropical forest that comprises 43 percent of the remaining Upper Guinea forests of West Africa.  Most of Liberia’s rural population is dependent on forests and their various products and ecosystem services. The country’s forests are under threat due to the continued deforestation and forest degradation (D&FD) for the expansion of agriculture, unsustainable and illegal logging, mining activities, and inadequate oversight and enforcement. D&FD are the second leading cause of global warming, making the loss and depletion of forests a major issue for climate change.

Liberia is faced with enormous challenges in managing its forests to contribute in a balanced way to long-term, sustainable economic growth; support the livelihoods of rural communities; and ensure that its important national and global heritage is conserved. As part of the reform process, Liberia’s engagement with the World Bank has been towards the national efforts to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation and foster conservation, sustainable management of forests, and enhancement of forest carbon stocks (REDD+) and improve the livelihoods of most forest dependent people.

Towards this end, the Government of Liberia (GoL) and the Government of Norway (GoN) signed  a Letter of Intent (LoI) in September 2014, with the purpose of (a) supporting the development and implementation of Liberia’s REDD+ strategy to ensure significant net reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from D&FD; (b) contributing to sustainable development in Liberia through protecting natural forests, restoring degraded lands, and developing Liberia's agricultural sector; and (c) working together to support progress on global efforts regarding climate change and sustainable development in general and REDD+ in particular. The Liberia Forest Sector Project (LFSP) is a result of this partnership aimed at improved management of, and increased benefit-sharing in, targeted forest landscapes. Implementation of the LFSP is led by the Forestry Development Authority (FDA) and co-implemented by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information Services (LISGIS), Ministry of Agriculture (MOA), Ministry of Mines and Energy, and the Liberia Land Authority (LLA) implementing specific sub-components of the project. 

As a Government agency with responsibility to sustainably and effectively manage the forest sector, the FDA is required by law (Act establishing the FDA) to conserve and sustainably manage all forest areas so that they will continue to produce a complete range of goods and services for the benefit of all Liberians and contribute to poverty reduction in the nation.

The Government of Liberia (GOL) wishes to apply a portion of the funds from the LFSP to finance the preparation and implementation of a plan to train all FDA Protected Areas Management staff within the Department of Conservation, as part of an initiative to strengthen and improve the skills of staff at site levels of management of the Liberia’s Protected Area Network System. FDA’s protected area management enhancement sets out to improve the management skills and technical expertise of FDA PA rangers.

Particular emphasis is also placed on supporting the establishment of new protected areas with innovative management systems, to be administered by local authorities, national government, and conservation partners, in collaboration with local communities. The proposed training will promote the introduction of enhanced knowledge management by FDA and raise public awareness of the value of biodiversity.

The training proposal should align with the provision of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) which has made the establishment of effectively managed protected areas one of its main objectives 

2.0 Objective(s) of the Assignment

The objective of this assignment is to conduct hands-on training for all FDA staff working in protected areas and proposed protected areas to improve their skills and strengthen their on-the-ground capacity to effectively, efficiently, and sustainably manage the Protected Area Network System, in partnership and collaboration with local communities whenever feasible.  

The specific objectives of this assignment include the following:

• To prepare a training program with focus on priority training needs to significantly improve the capacity of about 120 FDA staff working in protected areas with focus on sustainable protected area management;
• To develop a set of supporting materials (a Toolkit) for protected area management training;
• To deliver this training program as a set of two similar training events (covering all trainees in two batches) aimed at improving the operational effectiveness and safety of FDA staff working in existing and proposed protected areas.

3.0 SCOPE OF SERVICES, TASKS AND EXPECTED DELIVERABLES 

3.1 Scope of services & Tasks

The Consultant will be charged with the following responsibilities:

•  Undertake a training needs assessment.

• Identify current level of training of the Rangers and training required as their assigned responsibilities, their identified strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

• Prepare a Training Plan/Program outlining modules and objectives of each module, Toolkit, and Final Training Report. This will include training and learning concepts and objectives. This training plan/program will support priority trainings on sustainable protected area management with focus on, but not limited to, the following:

•  Introduction to the Concepts and Principles of Protected Area Management- Nature conservation, basic ecology, the importance of the environment and its protection, wildlife management, and forest monitoring.
•  Unlawful Threats to Natural Resources in and around Protected Areas- Understanding of threats to protected areas, illegal activities, key areas and species under threat, importance of spatial and temporal distribution of threats, historical data, and developing mitigation strategies.
• Roles and Responsibilities of Conservation Rangers- Roles of a conservation ranger, strengthening staff performance based on their respective terms of reference, self-discipline, values, and ethics, team and personal targets, maintenance of equipment.
• Mental and Physical fitness- Drill and discipline, physical training, teamwork, etc.
• Patrolling- The purposes, organization, structure, and types of patrols, planning, preparation, and orders for a patrol, command & control, methods of movement, equipment, logistics, rations, etc.
• Navigation- Maps: scale/distance, symbols, Grid References, and contour lines. GPS: taking waypoints and plotting them on a map. How to use a compass and a GPS device. 
• Information and Reporting- Preparing patrol data sheets and reporting templates, completing patrol data sheets and patrol reports to build a database of information about the protected areas.
• Basic survival principles, techniques and skills, and first aid- Basic first aid in the field in case of injuries, how to improvise, and how to run a casualty evacuation with minimal equipment.
• Communications- Training in the use of base radio, communication codes, and language (verbal and nonverbal communication and good listening skills).
• Community and Private Sector Engagement- Understanding the role of community and government; and the role of forest rangers and Community Watch teams, Eco-guard and private sector engagement.
• Law Enforcement- Education and awareness of the National Wildlife Conservation and Protected Area Management Law and related laws, forest rangers’ responsibilities to educate the communities about the laws, demarcation of boundaries, evidence preservation, court procedures and principle of giving evidence, crime scene management, anti-poaching tactics (safety precaution).

• Prepare lecture notes and presentations.
• Deliver this training to the PA staff to improve their operational effectiveness; the training will be mainly practical and will not include firearms training, because FDA’s rangers do not carry firearms, in accordance with the Liberian law; project-supported training will help enhance the FDA’s effectiveness in harmonizing efforts with police authorities and the judicial system. 

3.2 EXPECTED WRITTEN DELIVERABLES

The consultant will be responsible for the following written deliverables:

• A detailed work plan (inception report) at the start of the consultancy, which clearly describes the activities, methodology. and expected outputs. (Within ten (10) days of contract signing)
• A written Training Program that incorporates a Training Needs Assessment and provides specific training modules with clear objectives; (Within twenty days of contract signing)
• A Toolkit including a series of associated operational materials that can be used by the FDA, even after the Consultant’s training event for onboarding of new staff/refresher trainings; (Within fifty days of contract signing)
• A Final Report that describes the training delivered and other results from this assignment. (Within 60 days of contract signing)  

Payment Terms

•  First Payment: Twenty (20%) percent payment of the contract value upon submission and acceptance of a detailed work plan (inception report) at the start of the consultancy, which clearly describes the activities, methodology, and expected outputs (Within ten (10) days of contract signing)
• Second Payment: Twenty-Five (25%) percent payment of the contract value upon submission and acceptance of a written Training Program that incorporates a Training Needs Assessment and provides specific training modules with clear objectives; (Within twenty (20) days of contract signing)
• Third Payment: Thirty (30%) percent payment of the contract value upon submission and acceptance of a Toolkit including a series of associated operational materials that can be used by the FDA, even after the Consultant’s training event for onboarding of new staff/refresher trainings; (Within fifty (50) days of contract signing)
• Fourth Payment: Twenty-Five (25%) percent payment of the contract value upon submission and acceptance of a Final Report that describes the training delivered and other results from this assignment. (Within sixty (60) days of contract signing)

The Final Report will be a detailed narrative of the activities carried out, including but not limited to:

- Assessment of staff capacities before and after the delivered training;

- Training Program developed and delivered and observed results; and

- Recommended future trainings for continued effectiveness.

4.0 DURATION OF THE ASSIGNMENT

The assignment will last sixty (60) days. This will include a minimum of twenty (20) days in country, to deliver the training program as a set of two (2) similar training events (covering all trainees in two batches) 

5.0 REPORTING

The Consultant shall report to the Managing Director of the FDA through the REDD+ National Coordinator; the Technical Manager (Conservation) shall be a substantive contact point for this assignment. All deliverables will first be submitted as drafts, which are to be reviewed and commented on before final copies are produced and submitted.

6.0 LANGUAGE 

English shall be used for all deliverables under this assignment. 

7.0 CLIENT’S INPUT AND COUNTERPART PERSONNEL 

The FDA will provide supporting documents, such as copies of the Wildlife Conservation and Protected Area Management Law, protected areas’ Management Plans, Conservation Department personnel job descriptions, and Protected Areas maps. FDA will also designate competent staff to work with the Consultant team. 

The FDA will identify the trainees, convene the training events, identify a suitable training site within Liberia, and finance all expenses related to the travel and subsistence of the trainees.

8.0 QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

I. Qualification and experience

The consulting firm selected must possess the following experience and competencies:

• At least five (5) years of experience in developing and delivering Protected Areas Management trainings; 
• Availability of competent staff with the relevant qualifications and experience to undertake the assignment;
• Comprehensive knowledge of the requirements for effective protected area management;
• Strong community engagement skills; and
• Experience working in Sub-Saharan Africa. 

II. Team composition:

• Team Leader: M.Sc. in Conservation Biology or similar field and experience in security management, with a minimum of five (5) years of experience as a team leader; experience working in Sub-Saharan Africa; and
• Forest Ranger: Diploma or B.Sc.  in Natural Resources Management, Forest Conservation, or similar field, with at least five (5) years’ experience working on protected area and conservation issues in Sub-Saharan Africa or developing countries in other regions.