Technical Analysis and Background Supplement for PFM Operatiomal Framework

Country:     Vietnam
Organisation:    SNV – Netherlands Development Organisation
Program:     REDD+
Project:    Exploring mechanisms to promote high-biodiversity REDD+: piloting in Vietnam
Duration:    Indicative 10 days over period: April to May 2012

1. Background:
Local communities have participated in the monitoring of forest resources, through national programmes and development co-operation, for decades.  REDD+ presents a new opportunity to capitalize on previous experiences whilst presenting new technical challenges in terms of forest carbon monitoring.  International commitment to REDD+ safeguards also demand monitoring systems to demonstrate social and environmental performance of REDD+; forest carbon supplier countries need to track both carbon and non-carbon forest values, such as biodiversity, livelihoods, and governance indicators.

SNV aims to add value to existing practices of participatory monitoring of forests in Vietnam through application of emerging best practice, together with contributing to methodological and operational innovation.  Recognition of local actor contributions to local and national REDD+ monitoring needs are key to securing forest carbon financing as a significant contribution to the livelihoods of rural poor communities, together with recurrent investments in the conservation of the biological diversity that underpins these livelihoods.   

A key area of intervention for SNV REDD+ programme is the developing and piloting of participatory forest monitoring (PFM) for improving land use planning and management at local (forest management unit) levels and national REDD+ applications, including forest carbon measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) and safeguard information system (SIS) purposes.  The SNV-VNFOREST Exploring mechanisms to promote high-biodiversity REDD+: piloting in Vietnam (HB-REDD+) project intends to pilot PFM at scale in the province of Lam Dong, within the Cat Tien landscape to demonstrate PFM potential in the Vietnamese context.  Consequently, the programme is seeking a highly qualified and experienced Local Capacity Builder (LCB) to take the lead in updating and providing technical analysis and background information for the current PFM operational framework already developed by the project.

2. Objective:
Rationale for the development and application of PFM in a Vietnamese legal, policy and regulatory context elaborated to inform refinement of a draft operational framework for PFM

3. Tasks:
Conducting a thorough legislative, policy and regulatory framework review of existing commitments to engaging local (State and non-State) actors forest protection and development in general, and inventory and monitoring in particular
Conducting a thorough literature review of government and non-government analysis and documentation of forest inventory and monitoring systems
Consulting with relevant stakeholders on the requirements of PFM and how it could be operationalized in the current context of forest inventory and monitoring systems
Identifying gaps and entry points in existing forest inventory and monitoring systems, in addition to any necessary regulatory or procedural modifications required to accommodate PFM
Updating PFM operational framework to incorporate recent and on-going developments in existing inventory and monitoring systems in the forestry sector, particularly the current NFI reforms
Elaborating detailed roles (responsibilities, rights, benefits and relationships with other stakeholders) for each key actor identified in the revised operational framework
Presenting the work and results at relevant national (such as the REDD+ sub-technical working group on local implementation) and provincial (such as the SNV REDD+ Lam Dong technical working group) as necessary
Commenting on draft iterations of the Lam Dong provincial proposal to pilot PFM

4. Deliverables: (all in English and Vietnamese)
Initial work plan, programming above tasks over the two-month assignment
Annotated table of contents for a narrative text to accompany an annexed PFM operational framework; indicative sections include, but are not limited to:
Statement of problem/need – outlining existing inventory/monitoring systems
Legal, policy and regulatory justification for PFM – existing commitments
Rationale for adoption of PFM – opportunities presented by PFM
Definition and objectives of PFM – exactly what PFM is/is not
Description of purpose and key elements of the operational framework 
Operational framework document incorporating novel narrative text as outlined above, together with a fully revised and updated operational framework as an annex

5. Selection criteria
SNV is looking for a consultant who is able to fulfill this assignment and meet the following selection criteria
Deep understanding about forestry policies in Vietnam
intimate and up-to-date working knowledge of Vietnams forest inventory and monitoring systems
Strong understanding about REDD+ and the potential role of PFM in REDD+

Interested persons should submit his/her recent curriculum vitae by email to SNV at [email protected] by April 30, 2012. In the submission email, pleases indicate your preferred compensation rate.