**CLOSED** Call for Expression of Interest – IEAG Member – Environmental Management
Title of Project/Programme: Building Community Resilience via Transformative Adaptation
Background/Context:
In April 2018, the Protected Areas Conservation Trust (PACT) approved its Conservation Investment Strategy 2018-2021. This 3-year Conservation Investment Strategy guides investments made by PACT in the Belize National Protected Areas System (BNPAS) where it may have the greatest potential for achieving several desired outcomes. These agreed long term desired outcomes or Conservation Return on Investments (CROI) include:
- Improved protection and conservation of priority protected areas and
- 10% increase in public/private investments in priority protected areas
- Employment opportunities through PA management and public/private sector investments increased by 10%.
PACT’s long-term approach will be to respond to the needs of the Belize National Protected Areas System, as opposed to individual sites and, the achievement of these CROI corresponds to the agreed need to fulfil several critical needs of the BNPAS. These needs include investments towards biodiversity and ecosystem protection to improve overall ecosystem health and the continued provision of ecosystem services; improvements in the revenue generation potential of the BNPAS thus improving overall financial sustainability.
For implementing its CIS in an effective and transparent manner, PACT has also developed various guidance documents and policies. This includes the National Protected Areas Policy and System Plan, an internal Conservation Investment Programme Operations Manual, an Environmental and Social Management Framework and Associated Policies, and a Monitoring and Evaluation Framework. These policies and guidelines will support the work of the Conservation Investment Department (CID), as well as PACT’s Internal Screening Committee (ISC) and Board of Directors (BOD) in investment allocation decisions.
Whereas, PACT is ultimately responsible for the effective implementation of the CIS, it can co- opt external, independent, technical expertise to guarantee a robust and transparent investment program. Such experts will be openly selected to form a Group of experts composing an Independent Expert Appraisal Group (IEAG).
Function of the Independent Expert Appraisal Group
The Independent Expert Appraisal Group (IEAG) is established to provide specialized technical support to PACT and potential investment partners in the development and rationalization of sound Investment Programs developed in accordance with PACT’s Conservation Investment Strategy and National Development Strategies.
The IEAG will provide recommendations to PACT’s Internal Screening Committee on the technical merits of a funding proposal, and advise on national laws, policies and developmental frameworks that are outside the direct scope and capacities of PACT.
The IEAG will provide PACT with a compliance assessment with safeguards, policies and performance of projects and programs against PACT’s newly developed Environmental Social Management Framework (ESMF) and Associated Policies tools and standards of ongoing investments.
Roles and Responsibilities of the Independent Expert Appraisal Group
The following comprise the roles and responsibilities of the Independent Expert Appraisal Group:
- Provide support to PACT and potential Investment Partners (Grantees) in the design and planning of Investment Programs.
- Provide recommendations on corrective actions that may be necessary for the aversion or mitigation of potential environmental, social or gender mainstreaming risks associated with ongoing and proposed investments.
- Provide independent screening and technical evaluations of final application packages prior to the final deliberation by PACT Board of Directors.
- Provide expert opinion and recommendations to PACT on the feasibility of specific
Membership
The Independent Expert Appraisal Group will have a skills-based membership which will provide a cross-section of expertise in areas relevant to planning, managing, and evaluating the impacts and benefits of the Belize National Protected Areas System. Experts on the IEAG must have a minimum of a Graduate Degree and five (5) years relevant work experience in their field of expertise.
The Independent Expert Appraisal Group (IEAG) may include members with expertise in the following areas:
Compliance and Enforcement
- Expert with experience and knowledge in the interpretation and practical application of national green laws, regulations and schemes governing forest and marine resource extraction (including sustainable timber extraction, NTFPs, Managed Access, etc.), protocols related to enforcement within protected areas and the compliance with international regulations on biodiversity trade, invasive species, and bioprospecting.
Environmental Management
- This expertise relates to the provision of technical recommendations/ advise on the sustainable development of natural areas inclusive of a thorough understanding of national Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) regulations, development guidelines, and laws governing environmental pollution, effluent discharge, and industry controls, terrestrial, watershed, and marine ecosystems.
Climate Change
- Expert with experience and knowledge on the climatic, environmental, and socioeconomic dimensions of climate change. This experience may include technical understanding of developing vulnerability/ impact assessments, adaptation/mitigation planning frameworks, and the mainstreaming of climate change in developmental projects.
Social and Gender Management
- Knowledge and experience in social work, labour laws, community development, gender mainstreaming as well as the management of traditional knowledge and Indigenous People issues.
Engagement Mechanisms
The successful expert will form a Technical Group, consisting of four (4) members and one nonvoting member which will be a representative from PACT, that will deliberate ongoing and new investment concepts submitted and provide technical recommendations/reviews specific to the nature of the investment programs. This mechanism is expected to provide PACT and applicants access to expert third party opinion/feedback but doing so without affecting program approval and implementation schedule.
The primary mechanism for the solicitation of technical recommendations/ review from the IEAG shall be via email to convene a IEAG session and recommendation/review submitted via review matrix, which will be prepared by a member of the Conservation Investment Department. The Group will be expected to select from within the members a chair and a vice chair.
During the implementation and M&E process, the IEAG may also be engaged for the purpose of providing expert opinion especially in appraising situations (of an environmental, social, or legal nature) where urgent intervention is necessary.
Remuneration
The expert shall be remunerated at a rate that complies with Belize’s Labour Laws and comparable to local consultancy day rates in Belize. Remuneration will be at a set rate of $550.00 per session. Expert will be responsible to cover transportation to and from location of the sessions. Remuneration may also include allowances for the engagement and participation in site visits and shall be in accordance with PACT’s internal policies.
Scope of Service
The prospective IEAG members are engaged for their expertise irrespective of gender, social, political, and other affiliations. The PACT Internal Screening Committee (ISC) is responsible for determining the expertise that is required for the IEAG and whether an expertise remains relevant. By a fair and transparent process, interested experts shall be invited by PACT to submit their credentials for consideration. Experts whose credentials match with the expertise requirements shall be identified by PACT to join the IEAG members. Where an expert wishes to be removed from the Group or an expertise is no longer required by PACT, formal written communication is made between the PACT Executive Director and the member/expertise in question.
Accountability and Confidentiality
Members of the IEAG must act independently of any external influences or prejudices and solely based on their professional expertise. Where there may be a conflict of interest or perceived conflict of interest, an IEAG member is obligated to make such declaration to PACT who would then address the issue in accordance with its Conflict-of-Interest Policies.
Furthermore, all IEAG members shall not divulge information acquired during their participation on the Group and participation in program review and engagement. To this end, the members must sign a written confidentiality note prior to formal engagement indicating agreement with accountability and confidentiality protocols.
Expression of Interest
Interested consultants should present an expression of interest and Curriculum Vitae that responds to the content of this Terms of Reference no later than 5:00pm on September 16th, 2022. Of note is that this call for expression of interest is seeking to fill the vacant Environmental Management post of the Independent Expert Appraisal Group. The Expression of Interest should be addressed to:
Mr. Radin Santos
Procurement Officer
Protected Areas Conservation Trust
Re: Expression of Interest – IEAG Member – Environmental Management.
Soft Copies should be sent via email to:
procurementofficer@pactbelize.org and cimanager@pactbelize.org
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PACT is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against protected characteristics (gender, age, sexual orientation, race, nationality, ethnicity, religion, disability).