Background 

The GEF Secretariat recently included the Congo Basin Sustainable Landscape Impact Program (CBSL IP) into the June 2019 work program of the GEF Councils. The CBSL IP includes the Cameroon child project “Integrated Management of Cameroon’s Forest Landscapes in the Congo Basin.” The objective of this project is to transform Cameroon’s globally important forests in the Congo Basin through an integrated landscape approach, in order to secure their ecological integrity and the livelihoods of forest dependent people. The project has five components: (1) Mainstreaming integrated landscape planning and management; (2) Advancing Sustainable Forest Management; (3) Promoting sustainable wildlife management; (4) Improving benefit generation from biodiversity through sustainable tourism development; and (5) Monitoring and Evaluation, Knowledge Management.

The Government of Cameroon, under the leadership of the Ministry of Environment, Protection of Nature and Sustainable Development (MINEPDED) oversee the development of the project, with support of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) as the accredited GEF Agency. Government Ministries such as MINEPAT, MINFOF, MINTOUL, MINAS, MINEPIA, MINIMIDT and MINADER as well as local and International NGOs shall equally accompany the project development process. In anticipation of the June 2019 decision of the GEF Council, WWF Cameroon office is requesting the services of national expert(s) or consortium of national experts to work in close cooperation with the WWF team and the Lead Consultant to support the project development and documentation process for the Cameroon child project. 

Tasks of the National Consultant(s)

The consultant is expected to accomplish the following tasks which details on specific workshops and other meetings might change according to the project requirements.

1. Document review: Read in detail the GEF Project Information Form (PIF) and associated documents, e.g. consultation notes from PIF stage, WWF GEF Policy and guidance documents, GEF7 Programming Directions, minutes, etc. 
2. Desktop analysis to define the policy and strategy baseline of the project.
3. Stakeholder engagement Plan (SEP): Contribute to the development of at least a SEP according to WWF GEF Agency guidance/templates and GEF policies.  
4. Round 1 stakeholder consultations: Undertake targeted consultation with key stakeholders of regional and national levels at project sites to identify the environmental problem, the related key threats, the barriers to the project objective, and the baseline of ongoing strategies, policies, initiatives and projects that are occurring (without GEF support) during the expected project implementation time and thus provide the foundation for this GEF project to achieve incremental results and global benefits. WWF GEF Agency and the Lead Consultant will provide guidance on methods/templates. Document these interactions including means of communication, location, dates, participation list, and received input from the stakeholders.
5. Inception and technical design workshops: With WWF and the Government of Cameroon, and under guidance by the Lead Consultant, prepare at least three workshops with key stakeholders to review the threat, barriers and baseline analysis, in order to define the project Strategies (from PIF) and develop the detailed activities.
6. Draft report on the threats, barriers, and baseline, drawing from the consultations and desktop analysis. The baseline should include, for each of the selected project components, a clear description of the existing environmental problem and related key threats; current barriers to addressing these threats; information on the policy, regulatory and institutional framework in Cameroon for the selected project components; capacity and training needs for organizations identified under relevant activities; ongoing and planned projects and initiatives that may contribute to resolving the identified environmental problems and threats; landscape data and information; existing risks and related mitigation strategies; additional information as requested.
7. Site Selection Process: Work with the Lead Consultant, WWF, and the Government of Cameroon to develop selection criteria for site selection for specific project activities, undertake site selection and get consensus from partners. 
8. Site Information: Develop for each selected site, a report detailing the socio-economic baseline, biodiversity values and the general geographical/ecological situation, supported by GIS maps and area figures.
9. Round 2 stakeholder consultation: Go to sites and conduct consultations with potential beneficiaries (e.g. communities that the project will work with, CSOs, local government) to discuss the identified activities and see whether they are agreeable (i.e. Free Prior Informed Consent (FPIC)), culturally appropriate, gender inclusive etc., or need revising. Document these interactions including means of communication, location, dates, participation list, and input received.
10. GEF Core Indicators and Tracking Tools: Collect core indicator-7 information and tracking tool information on the project sites.
11. Indicators data: Collect Year 0 data for the project objective and outcome indicators and define and agree indicator targets with Executing Agency and other partners.

Required profile of national consultants:

Expertise and experience in one or more of the four main project focal areas:

1. Integrated landscape planning

• Master’s degree in Natural Resources Management, Socioeconomics/ Rural Development/ Resources Economics, or a related field. 
• Knowledge of GIS/Remote sensing  
• At least 5 years of experience in Socio-economic Assessments, Rural Development/Community Development and Socioeconomic enhancement activities.  
• At least 10 years of proven experience in working / preparing integrated landscape-level management plan in the context of forest landscapes or forest management units/protected areas in Cameroon/Congo Basin.  

2. Sustainable forest management

• Master’s degree in forestry, natural resource management, or a related field;
• Knowledge of private sector- and community-based approaches to natural resource management;
• At least ten years of field experience managing conservation, forest policy initiatives and/or development projects, with preference for experience in Cameroon and the Congo Basin context;

3. Sustainable wildlife management

• Master’s degree in natural resource management, wildlife management, environmental or conservation management, development studies, or in relevant fields
• At least 7 years of practical experience in managing programs related to species and protected areas, with preference for experience in Cameroon and the Congo Basin context

4. Sustainable tourism 

• Master’s degree in natural resources management, environmental or management, development studies, or other relevant fields;
• At least 7 years of practical experience in managing programs related to sustainable tourism and conservation, with preference for experience in Cameroon and the Congo Basin context

All consultants expected to demonstrate the following:

•  
• Experience in developing and writing related project proposals to aid agencies
• Experience in results-based monitoring and evaluation methodologies;
• Familiarity with the project areas;
• Social, cultural and gender sensitive/engaged;
• Excellent writing skills in English;
• French and English fluency;
• Project design experience; 
• Community and stakeholder consultation experience;

Collaboration, Guidance and Supervision

• The team of national consultants will work under the guidance of the Lead Consultant
• The team will work in close collaboration with the government partner and WWF. 
• WWF GEF Agency will review deliverables and provide ultimate and final approval. 

The interested consultants are invited to submit their Bids should  in ONE file (PDF) and apply here  This files should contain a Cover letter, CV and a technical and financial offer. Tenders will be reviewed until suitable candidates have been selected.

The technical and financial offer should include the following:

• A brief statement on the understanding of the Terms of Reference and areas of improvement;
• A clear statement describing why the consultant is a suitable candidate;
• Outputs of at least two similar assignments;
• A brief (1- page maximum) curriculum vitae of consultant, highlighting only experiences relevant for this assignment;
• An indication of daily consultancy fee rate expectations (in man/day). As payment for this assignment will be in XAF, interested candidates are invited to bid in XAF.
• Copies of administrative documents - registration, taxpayer’s card, certificate of non-indebtedness (attestation de non redevance) to tax authority, …

The contract for this assignment may not necessarily go the highest or lowest cost bidder. Overall cost and best value for the budget will be strongly considered. WWF is under no obligation to issue a contract because of this call for tenders.