Develop a National Amplification Plan for Restoration Projects in Madagascar At Conservation International

Conservation International (Natural Climate Solutions (NCS), Finance, Policy, Regional and national staff) intends to co-develop a plan that does not duplicate national work, but rather builds on a plan that educates teams across Conservation International on national priorities as Policy, Science/capacity, networks/platforms, and financial mechanisms.

This plan would be built on past documents (restoration policy, reports, climate policy trackers, flagship landscape proposals. The results of this plan or research would provide guidance and a menu of options for amplification in key geographies to leverage direct work and enable amplification of direct results (plans rolled out). This plan would provide timelines for action within 2023-2025 range align with climate star and beyond (time bound and realistic to monitor progress).

The plan will also include an assessment and evaluation matrix of different enabling conditions, policies, and their effectiveness. It can analyze suite of public policies and implementation pathways for different restoration approaches showing how action taken through the plan will deliver outcomes measurable in hectares. Whether through further specificity on restoration in a National Determined Contribution (NDC)/National Biodiversity Strategy Action Plan (NBSAP)/Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) further specification of restoration pathways/locations (mapped Assisted Natural Regeneration (ANR) potential countries etc.) and/or a policy change that has unlocked an enabling environment. The plan will work towards outcomes and outputs including:

1. Restoration well integrated/strengthening National determined Contributions etc. and/or implementation plan (x hectares)
2. Well-designed restoration pathways and areas of opportunities identified e.g., ANR over x hectares to guide when and how
3. Leading policy change or strengthening policy for scaling (e.g., dedicated public funding/ tax due to policy change, improve tenure rights, improve incentives, livelihood boosters etc.)

Develop an internal guide to best policy options for encouraging restoration in multiple contexts to inform our amplification planning based on evidence of past effectiveness by:

1. Identify policies that support network and enabling environment for the three key pillars (catalyzing science, networking, and resource mobilization)
2. Existing Framework for a step-by-step amplification process
3. Government strategies to Upscaling at the local, national, regional, and continental levels

Project Overview

CI recognizes the need for natural climate solutions and habitat restoration with ongoing anthropogenic climate change. This project will help catalyze and amplify international action in key landscapes to restore and protect biodiversity, ecosystem services and increase ecosystem capacity for carbon sequestration. Amplification of target restoration projects will contribute to natural climate solutions enabling the removal of 1 Gt of Carbon Dioxide from the global atmosphere.

Terms of Reference

Objectives

The objective of the consultancy is to provide recommendations and policy pathways in which targeted policies can be strengthened to support restoration at scale. The expected result of the analysis is to provide a comprehensive yet clear national policy assessment for restoration.

Key tasks

The success of this consultancy is embedded in the four steps and procedures:

1. Policy: Carry out a landscape assessment of national policies that either incentivize or disincentivize restoration of natural ecosystems. The assessment will be carried out in two phases.

Phase 1: Preliminary national policy assessment:

1. 1. Assess how restoration is included in various policies, including national plans for climate action, Low Carbon Development Strategies and National Determined Contributions implementation plans, expected updates to national biodiversity strategies and action plans, policies that specifically target restoration in the country, Payment for Ecosystem services programs or other programs providing economic incentives for restoration or for revenue generation post-restoration, agriculture policies supporting restoration.
   2. Identify potential policy targets: Policies that could be improved or that are under development and could be informed so that they encourage and support restoration of natural ecosystems.
      1. Suggest possible pathways for influencing policy change/ formulation process, including identifying if there is no obvious window for doing so in the next two years.
      2. Include assessment of decision-making bodies/working groups/officials or programs with relevant mandates.
   3. Identify policy opportunities: Policies or programs that are already in place and include provisions that could be used to support increased restoration efforts.

Phase 2: Secondary national policy assessment

1. 1. Carry out similar assessment on an additional set of policies that could be important for restoration. Policies to be identified by Conservation International after Phase I is completed.
   2. Identify additional policy objectives and potential pathways to influence based on this secondary assessment.

Other supporting assessments:

1. Assessment of national policies that serve to either incentivize or disincentivize restoration of natural ecosystems. Among others, assessment will include:
   1. NDCs/NDC implementation plans
   2. Expected updates of National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans
   3. Low Carbon Development Strategies
   4. Policies that specifically target restoration
   5. Payment for ecosystem services, including Reduction Emission for Deforestation and Degradation (REDD+)
   6. Forest Landscapes Restoration (FLR) platforms and coordination policies
   7. Institutional set up and governance structures guiding restoration
   8. Policies governing land and natural resource tenure
   9. Financial or regulatory instruments that encourage or discourage restoration Examples
   10. Laws/regulations restricting clearing of remaining natural forest
   11. Policies providing financial incentives/capital for restoration
   12. Policies removing perverse incentives/subsidies for competing land uses

Deliverables

A detailed policy plan that outlines the best actions considering the key pillars

Recommendations on clear policy actions based on the primary and secondary national policy assessments, with stipulated timelines, owners of the actions and resources required.

Minimum Requirements

1. Minimum of a Master’s degree in a relevant field preferably Climate Change, Forestry, Policy, Natural Resources, or any other relevant degree. Holders of PhD will have an added advantage.
2. Minimum of 10 years professional experience in environmental or climate change policy including REDD+ and other related policy architecture including in Madagascar or a similar geography.
3. In-depth understanding of climate change, restoration, and environmental topics with demonstrated experience with policy work.
4. Experience working in Madagascar with an extensive network of contacts in climate change or restoration policy spheres.
5. 1. Strong stakeholder engagement skills and demonstrated practical consulting experience.
   2. Excellent quality of work and strong writing skills, with experience in carrying out large-scale research projects of a quantitative and/or qualitative nature.
   3. Proficiency in French – written and spoken – is mandatory.

Proposal Documents to Include

1. Signed cover page on bidder’s letterhead with the bidder’s contact information.
2. Signed Representation of Transparency, Integrity, Environmental and Social Responsibility (Attachment 1)
3. Technical Proposal.
   1. Corporate Capabilities, Experience, Past Performance, and 3 client references. Please include descriptions of similar projects or assignments and at least three client references.
   2. Qualifications of Key Personnel. Please attach CVs that demonstrate how the team proposed meets the minimum requirements listed in section 5 (Minimum Requirements).
   3. Technical Approach, Methodology and Detailed Work Plan. The Technical Proposal should describe in detail how the bidder intends to carry out the requirements described in the Terms of Reference (Section 3).
4. Financial Proposal. Offerors shall use the cost proposal template provided

For additional information, please check the below link:

https://www.conservation.org/about/procurement-opportunities