Call for EOI: Assisted Natural Regeneration - CAFE-REDD Project

CALL FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST (EOI)

ASSISTED NATURAL REGENERATION – CAFÉ-REDD PROJECT

BACKGROUND

Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) is an international policy initiative that has been developed through international negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) that aims to provide results-based financial incentives to developing countries for actions which reduce emissions from forested lands and investing in low-carbon paths to sustainable development.

Vietnam has demonstrated considerable interest in REDD+ and has made important progress to date in terms of preparing for REDD+ implementation at both national and sub-national levels. Recently, Vietnam became one of the few developing countries in the world to have completed meeting the REDD+ ‘readiness’ requirements under the Warsaw Framework (or ‘REDD+ rulebook’). One of the core requirements is to have a National Strategy or Action Plan, and the Government of Vietnam approved an updated National REDD+ Action Programme (NRAP) in 2017. The new NRAP provides a clearer orientation towards the integration of REDD+ in the context of sustainable development/green growth. It identifies 7 work packages with a total of 35 policies and measures for the development and implementation of actions to achieve REDD+ in addition to a further 4 work packages which focus on REDD+ readiness and programme management, monitoring and evaluation. Several of the new policies/measures indicate REDD+ actions beyond the forest sector - notably reviewing land use planning and the promotion of sustainable and deforestation-free agriculture in key forest landscapes.

In this context, and in an effort to support the provincial government of Lam Dong to implement its stated policies and plans, SNV – The Netherlands Development Organisation (SNV) has obtained funding from the International Climate Initiative (ICI) for a project entitled ‘Coffee Agroforestry and Forest Enhancement for REDD+ in Lam Dong’ (CAFÉ-REDD). The project aims to establish and develop a public-private-producer partnership (4P) approach for forest landscape conservation and restoration in one of Lam Dong’s most important forested landscapes i.e. the Langbiang Biosphere Reserve comprised of Bidoup Nui Ba National Park and Buffer Zone in Lac Duong District. Activities will include: i) strengthening public sector capacity for climate smart/sustainable land use planning and collaborative management of forests with communities; ii) working with coffee-buying companies to improve monitoring and traceability systems to prevent deforestation in supply chains; and iii) investing in (mainly ethnic minority) smallholder farmers to promote climate smart, sustainable coffee production techniques leading to improved coffee quality and prices, whilst also promoting landscape restoration through mixed agroforestry systems and alternative livelihoods.

The CAFÉ-REDD project successfully piloted the model of enhancing of forest quality and regenerating with 30 hectares to restore priority forest landscapes in Lang Biang highland area in period 2020-2021.

The CAFÉ-REDD is looking for a qualified consultant/ team to extend and strengthen the impact of model to assist natural regeneration with/without additional plantation for forest enrichment in Lang Biang Biosphere Reserve.

To enhance forest carbon stocks through demonstration activities to restore natural forests in the context of REDD+ via the application of silvicultural measures to promote assisted natural regeneration with/without additional plantation for forest enrichment model.

TASKS

The organisation who carries out demonstration activities must prepare technical documents on assisted natural regeneration with/without additional plantation for an area of ??at least 30 hectares and these technical designs must be appraised and approved by the Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. Demonstration activities will be assessed by the CAFÉ-REDD project team via the acceptance report for work completion to ensure the required progress and quality.

For more details on the Expression of Interest process, submission requirements, and evaluation details, please see corresponding sections below:

Selection Process

SNV will review all Expressions of Interest received in accordance with the guidelines and criteria in this solicitation. SNV reserves the right to exclude any EOIs that do not meet the guidelines. Please note that SNV is unable to provide detailed feedback to those EOIs that are not selected.

Step 1: SNV will shortlist selected EOIs, and unsuccessful respondents will be notified. Successful applicants will be contacted by SNV.

Step 2: SNV will release Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for the specific activities and contract with the selected organizations/ consultants.

Protection of Information

We request that Expressions of Interest responses be free of any intellectual property that the applicant wishes to protect. Should offerors wish to include proprietary intellectual property that they believe would be helpful for SNV, please note the proprietary nature of such information. Costing information will be kept confidential and will not be shared beyond SNV.

Issuance of this EOI does not constitute a commitment, award, or engagement on the part of SNV nor does it commit SNV to any future commitment or engagement.

Note: SNV reserves the right to change or cancel this requirement in the EOI/or solicitation process at any time.