Environmental Biodiversity Assessment Consultant

Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA) invites applications for a Environmental Biodiversity Assessment Consultant to join our dedicated and talented team in Davao City, Philippines on our mission to create business solutions to poverty!

MEDA’s work is built on a foundation of Mennonite business roots and faith-based values, within the global context of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. We believe business solutions are effective interventions to address poverty. Through a market-systems approach and strategic partnerships, MEDA enables access to finance and provides business and technical expertise to build transformative agri-food market systems that create decent jobs, allowing traditionally excluded groups to become active participants in a sustainable economy. MEDA welcomes all who share our values and want to join us in our mission. To find out more about MEDA, please visit our website at www.meda.org.

PROJECT SUMMARY

The five-year initiative, Resilience and Inclusion through Investment for Sustainable Agrikultura (RIISA), strives for more resilient and inclusive economic growth for women and men cacao smallholder farmers (SHFs), including religious and ethnic minorities, in Mindanao, Philippines, from strengthened cacao market systems supported by investment. With a focus on Davao region and exposure to the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), RIISA responds to multiple challenges in the Philippines cacao sector and draws on MEDA’s experience in market systems development (MSD), Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) business support, gender lens investing (GLI), gender equality and social inclusion (GESI), and environment and climate change (ECC). RIISA will address sectoral constraints by piloting an innovative market systems approach that identifies cacao market system gaps, mobilizes investment capital, and strengthens local capacity; as well as strategically gathering learnings that can be replicated to strengthen the cacao sector’s enabling environment.

With support from the Government of Canada, MEDA is implementing Resilience and Inclusion through Investment for Sustainable Agrikultura (RIISA). This project aims to support inclusive economic opportunities in the poor, rural areas of Mindanao (Davao Region and BARRM areas), in the Philippines. Aligned with the Government of the Philippines’ post-coronavirus (COVID-19) recovery response, this project works to increase the productivity of cacao farms and enterprises, particularly those led by women, while promoting gender equality and resiliency in communities vulnerable to conflict and climate change.

RIISA will address cacao SHFs socio-economic challenges while contributing to market systems resilience (MSR) by:

1. Mobilizing gendered Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) focused investment for cacao sector small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and financial intermediaries (FIs).
2. Strengthening the capacity on Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) and human rights (HR), and Environment and Climate Change (ECC), of local business service providers (BSPs) to deliver better services and products to cacao SMEs and cooperatives.
3. Strengthening the capacity of cacao cooperatives and smallholder farmers (SHFs) for environmentally sustainable and inclusive farming and business practices.
4. Improving the key enabling environment actors’ awareness of gendered Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices in the cacao market system. MEDA expects that RIISA’s investment and TA will directly benefit more than 5,400 SHFs (40% women), while indirectly impacting more than 30,000 members of cacao SHF households, employees of cacao SMEs and cooperative members.
5. MEDA expects to have positive impacts in the wider investment and market system enabling environment through the project’s Strategic Learning Agenda (SLA).

POSITION SUMMARY

The Environmental Biodiversity Assessment Consultant will use the existing biodiversity assessment tool of MEDA in accomplishing the deliverables. Based on the result of assessment, the Consultant will prepare a Gendered Biodiversity Assessment Report with recommendations for cooperatives and MSMEs to contribute to biodiversity conservation in cacao farming areas.

• Job Status:  Consultant Contract

• Anticipated Start Date: August 2022

• Location: Davao City, Philippines

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Work with MEDA Technical Specialist: Environment and Climate Change (ECC), and RIISA Project ECC Focal Person in reviewing and improving the Gendered Biodiversity Assessment Tool to be more adaptable and useful for cooperatives and MSMEs when they do their own monitoring and measurement of progress.
• Conduct a comprehensive assessment of biodiversity and conservation activities in target cacao farming areas in five provinces in Davao region focusing on areas with critically important keystone species. The Consultant will work with RIISA Project ECC Focal Person in selecting priority communities in five provinces for the assessment.
• Prepare and submit to MEDA a monthly interim report on the keystone species and the priority protection or conservation activities that need to be done by cooperatives and SHFs.
• Prepare and submit to MEDA a gendered biodiversity assessment report that provide details on biodiversity index in each of the selected priority cacao farming areas in Davao region. The report should include an executive summary as well as a section on the specific recommendations on environment and climate change and the activities that cooperatives and MSMEs will do to contribute to biodiversity conservation while doing cacao farming enterprises.

DELIVERABLES

1. Activities / Tasks

• Review and provide inputs to MEDA’s biodiversity assessment tool to adopt to the local context.

Deliverable

• Final copy of the assessment tool

LOE

• 1.0 day

Timeframe

• Week 22-26 August 2022

2. Activities / Tasks

• Work with MEDA in selecting the priority communities in Davao region for the assessment

Deliverable

• List and description of the final communities for the biodiversity assessment

• Work Plan detailing the assessment activities and timeframe

LOE

• 0.5 day

Timeframe

• Week 29-31 August 2022

3. Activities / Tasks

• Field work / Conduct assessment of biodiversity and conservation efforts in the target sites

Deliverable

• Data sources submitted for quality check

LOE

• 50 days

Timeframe

• Sept 2022 to November 2023

4. Activities / Tasks

• Monthly Interim report for each of the priority areas. This will be shared with the four cooperatives on Y2 to inform their ESG-focused Action Plan

Deliverable

• A one-to-two-page summary report on the keystone species and the priority protection or conservation activities that need to be done by cooperatives and SHFs

LOE

• 0.5 each month

Timeframe

• One for September
• One for October
• One for November

5. Activities / Tasks

• Writing of the full assessment report.

Deliverable

• First Draft of the Report

LOE

• 10 days

Timeframe

• 1st-2nd week Dec 2022

6. Activities / Tasks

• Revision of report based on MEDA’s comments and validation activities

Deliverable

• Final revised report

LOE

• 2 days

Timeframe

• 2nd week Dec 2022

QUALIFICATIONS AND SELECTION CRITERIA

Generic and Mandatory:

• If institution, legally registered in the Philippines and been providing consultancy services on biodiversity assessment for the past three years. If individual, with Tax Identification Number and been doing biodiversity assessment for the past five years.
• Fulfill MEDA’s due diligence requirements:
  • Not involved in terrorist, illegal or criminal activities, including but not limited to drug, arms or sex trafficking, money laundering, violation of women’s rights and human rights
  • Does not appear on the US, UK, UN, or EU lists of terrorist organizations or individuals
  • Sample work is required to be submitted
• Has contingency plan and mechanism in place to adapt to the pandemic situation o Willing to adopt MEDA’s existing tool and provide inputs as necessary to improve the tool.

Specific Expertise and Experience:

• Demonstrated expertise and experience in assessing biodiversity and conservation efforts in the past 3-5 years. Proponent needs to submit a work sample.
• Knowledge of mapping software (e.g., ArcGIS) and its integration within the biodiversity assessment.
• Preference is given to environmental science related educational background (Biology, Zoology, Wildlife Studies, Forestry, Conservation and Restoration Ecology)
• Experience working with cooperatives and small holder farmers, and Indigenous Peoples
• Preferably based in Mindanao and consultant should have contacts with the local Indigenous communities in target assessment areas and with other organizations working on biodiversity conservation activities in Davao region.
• With working knowledge on either of the following: cooperative governance; gender equality, and human rights; social entrepreneurship; cacao market system; environmentally sustainable technologies and practices.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

Proponent shall follow the prescribe proposal format below and submit in electronic copy with the following information:

1. Contact Information

• Organization’s / Consultant’s Legal Name:
• Mailing Address:
• Main Contact Person and Title:
• Telephone:
• Email address:
• Website, if available (Facebook, twitter):
• SEC/CDA/DTI / TIN Registration Number

2. Proposal Outline

• Introduction (maximum half page): provide understanding of the ToR and how your organization or company can respond to the ToR’s requirements.
• Capability Statement (maximum of one page):
  • Briefly describe your consultancy services you have provided, in relation to the expertise required by this ToR, in the last three years with specific information on the beneficiaries, contracting company/organization, and results of your engagements.
  • Briefly discuss your contingency plan and strategy to adapt to the pandemic situation and the safety and security risks in Davao region.
  • Please include the contact details (contact person, phone, and email) of at least three (3) organizations/companies/agencies who can speak to your capability and credibility.
  • Describe the qualifications of the personnel who will possibly be involved in the engagement.

3. Proposed Methodology (maximum of one page).

• Describe how the proponent will conduct the assessment and realize the deliverables on time given the challenges and limitations you have identified. Discuss risk mitigation on identified challenges and limitations.
• Describe your assessment framework, and the process you will go through to meet the deliverables.
• Discuss how it will ensure participation of women, youth, and IPs in the assessment process.

4. Work Plan. Outline the activities, timeline, expected outputs, and the expertise needed (half page)

5. Estimated Cost of the Engagement

6. Annex:

• Certificate of Registration / TIN o Resume or CV of Consultant or Experts who will work on this engagement.
• Work sample/s

APPLICATION DEADLINE: July 18**, 2022.** Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis when received. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. Only successful applicants will be contacted.

MEDA is an equal opportunity employer dedicated to creating an inclusive and diverse environment of mutual respect_. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities are available during all phases of the recruitment process. We ask that any applicants requiring such accommodation make their needs known in advance._