Ecotourism Specialist (National Consultant)

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Application deadline 1 year ago: Tuesday 15 Nov 2022 at 23:59 UTC

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Contract

This is a National Consultant contract. More about National Consultant contracts.

Background

Since 2014, the United Nations Development Program through its Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) Project, has been supporting the Philippine Government in articulating the financial resources it needs to maintain a healthy biodiversity portfolio in-country. In particular, BIOFIN in collaboration with Department of Natural Resources Biodiversity Management Bureau has conducted the following assessments: 1) Policy and Institutional Review (PIR); 2) Public and Private Biodiversity Expenditure Review (PPBER); 3) Assessment of financial needs (cost and gap analysis of implementing Philippine Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (PBSAP)). These assessments significantly contributed to the development of a Biodiversity Finance Plan.

Based on insights gained from the results of the three BIOFIN assessments, this Plan acknowledges the importance of tapping additional financing to support the biodiversity agenda of the Philippines, mainly through its National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (PBSAP), referred to henceforth in this Plan as the Philippine Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (PBSAP). This Plan is cognizant of the parallel challenges that could not be addressed by generating financing alone: thus, the Plan transcends the focus on generating additional resources and also identifies a range of “finance solutions” that leverage finance, fiscal and economic tools and strategies to improve the outcome of biodiversity objectives in the country. Financing solutions include a range of transformative actions: generating more financing to fund the PBSAP or associated planning documents; appropriate attribution of biodiversity expenditures in the budget; attaining cost effective budget execution by eradicating overlaps in biodiversity functions; eradicating expenditures that continue to or aggravate dissipation of biodiversity resources; and paving the groundwork for a responsive policy environment through greater awareness on biodiversity and biodiversity financing and enhancing institutional support towards monitoring of PBSAP.

One of the finance solutions that will be implemented is increasing site-based revenues generated for selected PAs through ecotourism. Last May, an ecotourism seminar-workshop was conducted for the Protected Area Management Office (PAMO) of Sibalom Natural Park and its partner community organizations from 5 barangays adjacent to the PA. At the end of the workshop, several short-, medium- and long-term follow-up activities were identified. BIOFIN commits to further assisting the PA in short-term activities mostly on capacity building, marketing and product development. A consultant will be onboarded to aid the PA and its partner communities in said activities

Duties and Responsibilities

A.Scope of Work

  1. The Ecotourism Specialist under the supervision of the Project Manager will implement, together with the PAMO of Sibalom NP, activities related to product development, capacity building and marketing. Specifically, the Ecotourism Specialist will:

  2. On Product Development:

  • Finalize 2 tour packages of Barangay Imparayan including costing and proposed fees;
  • Finalize thematic scripts for the 2 tour packages of Barangay Imparayan;
  • Conduct a dry run of 2 tour packages; and
  • Develop a checklist (for both PAMO and tourists) and/or standard operating procedures for the implementation of tour packages for guidance of PAMO and community;
  1. On Capacity Building:
  • In working towards becoming a community-based ecotourism association, assist the Bantay Gubat volunteers including other community members in developing their Constitution and by-laws, election process and ecotourism visioning and planning;
  • Assist in organizing the PO in complying requirements as an accredited PO by DOLE or LGU;
  • Develop and implement training programs on:
    • organizational management including basic financial management (bookkeeping) and organizational and tour operations.
    • food and beverage preparation and service, customer service
  1. On Marketing:
  • Develop branding for SNP products and services.
  • Starting with the 2 tour products, establish a centralized booking and payment system;
  • Establish linkages with local suppliers (transportation, tour operators, food, accommodation, etc.) essential to the Barangay Imparayan tour packages;
  • Develop a marketing plan for 2 tour packages;
  • Organize and conduct a familiarization tour for media and tour guides for 2 Tour packages.
  1. The Ecotourism Specialist may be required to attend relevant project meetings.
  2. BIOFIN PMU shall provide administrative assistance to the Ecotourism Specialist in organizing related activities. S/he shall submit reports as required by the BMB and UNDP.

B.Expected Outputs and Deliverables

Deliverables/ Outputs

Estimated Duration to Complete

Due Date

Review and Approvals Required

Name & Email address of designated person who will review and accept output

Inception Report

5 days

November 30, 2022

Project Manager, BIOFIN Ph

Team Leader, CAP

Director, BMB

Report on Product Development (finalized tour packages with costs and corresponding scripts, dry run of tour packages and PAMO-approved standard operating procedures)

20 days

February 28, 2023

Training design on organizational development including visioning, tourism-related skills)

7 days

PAMO-approved branding manual

7 days

April 30, 2023

Centralized booking and payment system

12 days

PAMO-approved marketing plan for 2 tour packages

7 days

Approved constitution, by-laws, vision and 3-year ecotourism plan of Bgy. Imparayan community organization

10 days

Documentation report on the conduct of the training program

20 days

June 30, 2023

Familiarization tour for 2 tour packages

7 days

MOAs or similar agreements with local suppliers for transportation, food and accommodations

10 days

C.Institutional Arrangement

The BIOFIN Project Manager shall directly supervise the consultant and approve his/her output.

The consultant is expected to liaise/interact/collaborate/meet with the national and global (as necessary) BIOFIN project team, DENR and its units, and UNDP. As needed, the project staff shall provide administrative assistance to her/him in order for her/him to accomplish all requirements.

The project staff including other project consultants, as well as, relevant technical staff shall provide comment on the outputs of the consultant within 2 weeks of the consultant’s submission of his/her outputs. Should there be further comments, the revised output shall be submitted within a week. Should there be no comments, the Project Manager shall endorse the consultant’s output/s for approval.

Based on the table above, outputs will be submitted to UNDP and BMB through the Project Manager in the dates indicated.

UNDP Philippines will not provide a workstation, transportation, or ICT equipment for the consultant.

UNDP Philippines shall be entitled to intellectual property and other proprietary rights over all materials that have direct relation to the project.

Considering the COVID-19 pandemic and declaration of State of Public Health Emergency in the Philippines, all work of the Individual consultant shall be done within the guidelines and protocols set by the local and national government.

  1. Duration of the Work, Duty Station and Travel

The Contractor will be engaged from November 15, 2022 to June 30, 2023 unless revised in a mutually agreed-upon timetable by UNDP and the Contractor. Changes in the duration of the contract will be implemented through the issuance of a contract amendment. The consultant is expected to render a total of 105 person-days spread for 7 months.

Duty station: The Consultant is not required to report daily at the duty station but shall have an agreed reporting schedule with the project management unit and other relevant UNDP and BMB personnel.

Travel: As may be deemed relevant to the assignment, the Consultant is required to travel within the Philippines.

  1. Scope of Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments

  2. The Contractor should send the financial proposal based on a daily-fee amount for the delivery of the outputs identified below. The total amount quoted shall be “all inclusive” (professional daily fees X number of days, communications, etc.) that could possibly be incurred by the Contractor should be factored into the final amount submitted in the proposal. Travel, as deemed relevant by UNDP and compliant with government guidelines on community quarantine, will be arranged and paid for by UNDP and should not be included in the financial proposal.

  3. Medical/health insurance must be purchased by the individual at his/her own expense, and upon award of contract, the Contractor must be ready to submit proof of insurance valid during contract duration
  4. Payments will be done upon satisfactory completion of the delivery and submission of daily time sheets. Outputs will be certified by the Project Manager prior to release of payments.

The Payment terms are as follows:

Percentage

Description

Deadline

10%

Submission and Acceptance of Inception Report

November 30, 2022

30%

Submission and Acceptance of Report on:

  1. Product Development (finalized tour packages with costs and corresponding scripts, dry run of tour packages and PAMO-approved standard operating procedures)
  2. Training design on organizational development including visioning, tourism-related skills)

February 28, 2023

30%

Submission and Acceptance of Report containing the below:

  1. PAMO Approved branding guidelines
  2. Centralized booking and payment system
  3. PAMO Approved marketing plan for 2 tour packages
  4. Approved constitution, by-laws, vision and 3-year ecotourism plan of Bgy. Imparayan community organization

April 30, 2023

30%

Submission and Acceptance of Report on

  1. Documentation of the conduct of capacity building activities
  2. Familiarization tour for 2 tour packages
  3. MOAs or similar agreements with local suppliers for transportation, food and accommodations

June 30, 2023

Competencies

Corporate Competencies

  • Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN mission, vision, values, and ethical standards
  • Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality, and age sensitivity and adaptability
  • Promotes UNDP's agenda in meetings

Other Competencies

  • Ability to work in close collaboration with a group of national and international experts, to meet strict deadlines and plan the work according to priorities;
  • Demonstrates capacity to plan, organize, and execute effectively;
  • The initiative, good analytical skills, mature judgment, and ability to work under tight schedule while respecting deadlines achievement, ethics, and honesty;
  • Ability to establish effective working relations in a diverse environment
  • Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
  • Builds strong relationships with internal and external clients;
  • Demonstrated ability to function in a team environment and to deal with a complex multi-stakeholder environment
  • Good ability to use information and communication technologies as tools and resources;

Excellent written communication and presentation/public speaking skills focus on results, ability to interact productively in a teamwork environment

Required Skills and Experience

  1. Criteria for Selection of the Best Offer and Qualifications of Successful Candidate

The Offers received will be evaluated using a combined scoring method - where technical proposal will be weighted 70 points and combined with the price offer which will be weighted 30 points.

The CV will be reviewed using the criteria in the table below. Only offerors who will obtain a minimum of 70% or 49 out of 70 obtainable points will be shortlisted and considered for evaluation of financial proposal.

Criteria

Points Obtainable

(70pts)

Education

  • Degree in tourism, biology, development communications, marketing

(7 points if relevant Bachelor’s Degree, 10 points if additional points for advance degree or certifications)

10 points

Experience

At least 10 years’ experience in travel and community-based/sustainable tourism

*(**(Below 10 years, zero points; 21 points if 10 years’ experience, additional 3 points for each additional year)*

30 points

At least 5 years’ experience in nature conservation and culture/heritage projects

(Below 5 years’ experience, zero points; 21 points if 5 years’ experience; additional 3 points for each additional year)

30 points

TOTAL

70 points

Recommended Presentation of Offer

  1. Duly accomplished Offeror's Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability for the IC that indicates the all-inclusive lumpsum contract price, supported by a breakdown of costs, as per template provided; If an Offeror is employed by an organization/company/institution, and he/she expects his/her employer to charge a management fee in the process of releasing him/her to UNDP under Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA), the Offeror must indicate at this point, and ensure that all such costs are duly incorporated in the financial proposal submitted to UNDP;
  2. Financial Proposal (Annex 2 of Offeror's Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability)- use UNDP Template
  3. Personal CV or P11 Personal History Form, indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references;

Offerors must upload in one (1) file the documents mentioned above.

Templates for a) P11 Personal History Form and b) Offeror's Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability and Financial Proposal (Annex 2) are available through the link below. UNDP General Terms and Conditions for Individual Contractors are also available:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1vB63DIM-ogrwNGNyj22jBaQnYP6k7p4f?usp=sharing

Incomplete submission of required documents may result in disqualification.

Please see the deadline of submissions above.

Because of the volume of applications UNDP receives, only shortlisted offerors will be notified.

Added 1 year ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: jobs.undp.org