Tonga: Pathway to Sustainable Oceans: Master Plan and Feasibility Study

Project ID: P164941

Project Title: Tonga: Pathway to Sustainable Oceans

Borrower Bid Reference: TO-MOF-100648-CS-CQS

KINGDOM OF TONGA 

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

PROJECT MANAGEMENT UNIT, MINISTRY OF FISHERIES

WORLD BANK PROJECT “PATHWAY TO SUSTAINABLE OCEANS”

CONSULTING SERVICES – FIRM SELECTION (International)

CONSULTANT’S QUALIFICATIONS BASED SELECTION (CQS) 

Project Tite: PATHWAY TO SUSTAINABLE OCEANS PROJECT

Grant No.: D488-TO

Assignment Title: Fisheries Infrastructure Investment Master Plan Study.

Reference No. TO-MOF-100684-CS-CQS

Date and time Expression of Interest (EOI) due: Friday, 26th November 2021. Not later than 16:30pm local time

The Government of Tonga has secured financing from the World Bank toward the cost of the Tongafish to Sustainable Oceans Project. The project development objective is to “improve management of selected fisheries and aquaculture in Tonga.

The Ministry of Fisheries is the Implementing Agency for the Tongafish Pathway to Sustainable Oceans Project and is responsible for the achievement of the Project Development Objective and the implementing of works and securing services and goods in order to effectively and efficiently implement the Project.

The Ministry of Fisheries on behalf of the Government of Tonga intends to apply part of the proceeds to contracting of a firm to carry out the assignment of “Fisheries Infrastructure Investment Master Plan Study” for the Pathways to Sustainable Oceans Project".

The Ministry of Fisheries now seeks services for the above Project to carry out the assignment to help deliver the Project Development Objectives. It is anticipated the Consultants will commence in January 2022 for a period of up to one year.

Following the objectives laid out in the Tonga Fisheries Sector Plan 2016 – 2024 (TFSP), the objective is to draft a Fisheries Infrastructure Investment Master Plan that evaluates and prioritizes Phase 2 investment opportunities in ecologically, economically, and socially sustainable fisheries in Tonga across three broad sectors outlined in the TFSP: (1) offshore tuna longline and deepwater snapper fisheries (2) inshore small-scale and subsistence fisheries, and (3) aquaculture of mabé pearl and giant clam.

The detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) for the assignment can be found at the following link:

Tongafish Pathway_Fisheries Master Plan Study Terms of Reference

The Ministry of Fisheries now invites eligible consulting firms (“Consultants”) to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services.

The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to paragraph 3.14, 3.16 and 3.17 of the World Bank’s Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers, July 2016, revised November 2017 and August 2018 (“the Regulations”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest.

The best qualified firm to carry out the services will be selected in accordance with the Consultant’s Qualifications Based Selection (CQS) method set out in the Regulations, and based on the following criteria

Selection Criteria

Core business and years in business: 25 points; Technical and managerial capability of the firm: 25 points; and Relevant experience: 50 points.

Qualifications and Experience:

General Professional Expertise/Experience of Project Leader

1. A master's degree or its equivalent in relevant fields such as fisheries economics, marine science; marine biology; fish, wildlife and conservation biology; aquaculture; fisheries science; natural resource management; marine ecosystems; sustainable development; climate change, public and private sector administration.
2. Prior working experience (at least 10 years) in the fisheries sector or national policy development in the South Pacific (or at a bare minimum, work in Small Island Developing States) working in senior positions with national institutions and regional fisheries organizations on national fisheries policy. 

Specific Areas of Expertise/Experience of Project Team

Detailed understanding and experience with:

1. Proven expertise and in-depth knowledge of the fisheries sector in Tonga and the region; and the threats, hazard, vulnerabilities posed by climate change.
2. Rapid assessment methods to measure triple-bottom line social-ecological-economic performance of fisheries and aquaculture
3. SWOT analysis and stakeholder engagement in Pacific Island Countries
4. Fisheries science, fisheries economics, and fisheries management, including:
   1. Data-poor methods for estimating fish stock abundance
   2. Methods for estimating potential productivity of fisheries, including multi-species coral reef fisheries
   3. Stock assessment training modules and capacity building for fisheries data collection and analysis
   4. Value chain assessment methods

      5.    Marine tenure and Community-Based Resource Management (CBRM)

1.  Fisheries and aquaculture in Tonga, including
   1. Offshore fisheries: esp. tuna and deepwater snapper
   2. Inshore commercial fisheries and Special Management Areas (SMAs)
   3. Aquaculture: esp. Mabe pearls and giant clams
   4. Fisheries value chains, including soft and hard infrastructure bottlenecks

7.    Projections and impacts of climate change and climate variability on the fisheries sector and their relationship to fisheries management

      8.   Sensitivity to gender, disadvantaged groups, and diversity

      9.   Development project management 

Essential members of the team will include the following expertise: fisheries development, civil engineer, fisheries economist, business development and value chain specialist.

Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours 8.30am to 4.30pm Tongan time.

Email Submission of EOI: Please email to: ceo@tongafish.gov.to and copy to: gvete@tongafish.gov.to and alice.funaki@tongafish.gov.to  with the subject heading “Expression of Interest for the Fisheries Master Plan Study”.

Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form to the address below (in person, or by mail, or by e-mail) by 26 November 2021.

Attn: Dr Tu’ikolongahau Halafihi

Chief Executive Officer

Ministry of Fisheries

Tel: 676 74 01201

CONTACT INFORMATION
Organization/Department Tongafish
Name George Vete
Address Vuna Road, Sopu Tongatapu, Tonga
City 
Province/State Tonga
Postal Code 
Country Tonga
Phone +6767742155
Email siaosi.vete@gmail.com
Website http://www.tongafish.gov.to/