!!CLOSED!! Call for Expression of Interest for Consultancy Services for the Development of a Full Project Proposal

Background:

Belize is a country rich in natural resources. This richness has resulted in the country building its major income earning sectors around the natural resources the country has to offer, thereby being heavily dependent on ecosystem services and its proper functioning. Traditional practices and way of life for many of the country’s ethnicities also rely heavily on Belize’s natural resources. Located on the eastern coast of Central America, Belize has a national territory of 46,620 km2, with its coastline extending 386 km and being notable for its rich coastal and marine ecosystems, inclusive of the Belize Barrier Reef System.

Although Belize contributes minimally to climate change the country is impacted by climate change and variability due to its distinct characteristic as a low-lying small island developing state. Most of the country, including its coastal areas and islands, are flat and low-lying, making the country highly vulnerable to sea level rise, erosion, storm surges and flooding. Some of the current threats of climate change extend to changes in the intensity, distribution, and frequency of extreme weather events, such as storms and hurricanes, sea level rise (SLR), increased sea surface temperature, ocean acidification, coral bleaching, drought, wildfires, and changes in crop production. All of which result in direct and indirect threats to the productive sectors of the country.

The water sector is notably a key sector possessing an important commodity necessary for the survival of all local communities. Although the country has an abundance of water resources and a high-water per capita rate, this sector is particularly vulnerable to impacts of climate change as the country extracts the majority of its water resources from rivers and groundwater sources. Belize’s Third National  Communication (TNC) to the UNFCCC, noted that rainfall is projected to decrease more and more from  the 2030s to the 2090s leading to worsened drought conditions. The latter will decrease the water supply with lower projected levels of rainfall. On the opposite end of the spectrum, given climate uncertainties, the changing climate will also lead to intense rains and flooding during other periods. Additionally, deforestation further threatens water availability by decreasing ecological functionality of watershed thereby affecting water quality. Population growth also impacts the availability of water resources. Belize’s TNC highlighted the need for adaptive measures such as the protection and restoration of ecosystems, increased water harvesting, water protection, and promoting sustainable water utilization.

The Protected Areas Conservation Trust (PACT) has received approval from the Adaptation Fund for the project Concept Note referenced above. Additionally, the Adaptation Fund has provided a Project  Formulation Grant (PFG) to provide technical assistance and preparation support for development of the project proposal. The project will be executed by the Ministry of Rural Transformation, Community  Development, Labour and Local Government (MRTCDLLG) and implemented by PACT, as the Fund’s National Implementing Entity in Belize.

The project contains three interlinked components:

Component one: Improved Potable Water Supply Systems

Component Two: Community Based Watershed Protection and Management

Component Three: Improved Governance and Enhanced Appreciation for Water Resources

PACT is interested in identifying a Consulting Firm or Team to undertake the requisite project development activities that will result in a project proposal which is aligned with the Adaptation Fund criteria. The following are the required project development processes to be executed under this consultancy:

1. Stakeholder Consultations

2. Gender Assessment

3. Social Assessment- Indigenous Peoples

4. Development of Project Proposal