INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT SCOPE OF WORK

Consultant Name: (Last, First)		Position Title:	STTA- Silviculture Consultant implementing SFM field activities
Project Name:	USAID Sustainable Forest Management
Billing Code:	Multi-functional	Contract No:
Period of Performance:	6 months from Feb 15th, 2022
Travel Days:	8
Work Days:	53 (maximum 20 days per month)
Remaining Work Days: (Research, Report Writing)	10
Total Level of Effort:	71
Overseen by and report to:	The Consultant is technically overseen by the Silviculture Specialist, and the Director of Enterprise Development of the Project; and report to the Preferred by Nature ’s Country Manager, Vietnam
Project’s provinces	Lao Cai and Son La province

A. DAI ORGANIZATION AND VALUES

DAI is a global development company with corporate offices in the United States, the United Kingdom, EU, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Palestine and project operations worldwide. We tackle fundamental social and economic development problems caused by inefficient markets, ineffective governance, and instability. DAI works on the frontlines of global development. Transforming ideas into action—action into impact. We are committed to shaping a more livable world.

DAI and its employees are committed to confronting racism and holding ourselves accountable for positive change within the company and in the communities, cultures, and countries in which we live and work.  DAI is committed to attracting and retaining the best employees from all races and backgrounds in our continued effort to become a better development partner.

DAI upholds the highest ethical standards. We are committed to the prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment as well as other ethical breaches. All of our positions are therefore subject to stringent vetting and reference checks.

B. PROJECT BACKGROUND

The USAID Sustainable Forest Management Project (the Project) will work with the Government of Vietnam (GVN) to reduce carbon emissions associated with deforestation, the degradation of natural forests, and poor plantation management. The Project will implement a “Green Prosperity” approach that strengthens local communities’ ability to protect their natural resource base and reduce emissions while building a strong foundation for sustainable livelihoods and equitable economic growth.

The Project will work in seven provinces (Lao Cai, Son La, Hoa Binh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Quang Tri, Quang Nam) and focus on five objectives:

1. Improve and expand community forest management
2. Increase conservation-friendly enterprises in forest-dependent communities
3. Increase functionality of law enforcement system for forest crimes
4. Improve production forest management practices
5. Mobilize domestic resources for forest management and protection

The Project will be implemented during the period 2020-2025 by DAI in collaboration with RECOFTC and Preferred by Nature as partners, with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) as the counterpart and the Management Board of Forestry Projects (MBFP) as project owner.

C. DESCRIPTION OF CONSULTANCY SERVICE:

I. Background

Under the Objective 4 (Improve production forest management practices), there are three main tasks as follows:

1. Increase the Production of Sustainable Timber by Small-Scale Foresters
2. Increase the Demand from Processors for Certified Timber
3. Develop Market Linkages Between Timber Producers and Industry

The growing domestic and international furniture market has been creating huge demand for sawn timber and wood chips while inadequate domestic supply has caused the situation that the importation of timber from abroad has not been well controlled. The sustainable forest management can improve the outputs of current plantation forests and increase the domestic supply of timber products, indirectly decreasing demand for illegal timber products.

Many forest management practices can improve quality and outputs of plantation forests in the project sites. These practices include increase of forest business rotation times/cycles to 8 years or more and prevention of clear cutting or burning of vegetation. The increase of harvesting time requires the access to improved varieties as well as the application of silviculture techniques. The common practice with 3 to 4-year harvesting cycle is due to impacts of existing and short-term economic factors and risks of storm damage. Short-rotation timber products generally have low quality and quantity, mainly for production of wood chips or paper products. Longer rotation with fast growth rate over 8 to 10 years will result in high-quality and high value round timber. Small households which are the majority of production forest owners (mostly Acacia) in Viet Nam.

The Project will implement activities to promote sustainable timber production by small-scale forest owners which will be achieved by improving planning, ensuring quality of inputs (e.g. seeds, fertilizers, etc.) and supporting small-scale nurseries to improve production capacity; Improving silviculture techniques, including planting spacing, planting density, tending and management suitable for large, long-cycle timber plantations. Support activities to ensure standardization and application of good plantation management practices, using modern, low-cost and user-friendly monitoring tools, and small-scale planters will also be given priority.

The proper technical interventions will help to improve timber volume and quality, and the environmental value of the plantations. Plantation owners need to be more knowledgeable and skilled in SFM. The improved management practices of plantation forests can increase carbon sequestration, expectedly up to 49 tons of CO2 compared to maintaining business as usual.

This Scope of Work (SOW) is to recruit the short-term consultant position of Silviculture Consultant to facilitate production of sustainable timber amongst small-scale foresters in the provinces of Lao Cai, Son La and Hoa Binh, by introducing silvicultural practices to forest owners, developing SFM plans and strengthening the technical capacity amongst nurseries to produce high-quality planting material. This activity is under work plan of fiscal year 2022 and would directly contribute to three main indicators: ID1 – Number of people trained; ID2 – Number of institutions improved capacity; and ID8 – Number of forest areas (hectare) under improved plantation management (in 11 indicators of the Project).

II. Purpose of the consulting work

The purpose of the consulting work is to implement a range of silvicultural techniques, from strengthening the technical and management capacity of existing nurseries to producing high-quality planting materials, introducing silvicultural practices to improve forest management amongst forest owners (planting, tending, pruning, thinning, harvesting, pest controls, etc.) and cooperate with the certification consultant in the development and implementation of SFM plans.

III. Expected outputs/results

• At least 12 participants in Lao Cai, 15 participants in Son La trained on nursery management and produce hi-quality planting material. The participants including nursery manager and key-staff;
• At least 03 Cinnamon farmer groups established in Lao Cai with at least 20 households per group and at least 04 Bamboo farmer groups established with at least 15 households in each group in Son La;
• At least 10 participants in Lao Cai and 15 participants in Son La trained on groups management as group’s leaders;
• At least 60 forest owners in Lao Cai, 60 forest owners in Son La province trained and coached on Sustainable Forest Management plan and application of the silvicultural techniques promoting sustainable forest management, in which, at least 3 technical staff from SFM entity will be as trainer for each province;
• At least 50 participants from forest owners organization (Lao Cai 20, Son La 10) trained on Sustainable Forest Management planning and application of silvicultural techniques promoting sustainable forest management, in which, at least 3 technical staff will be as trainer for each province.

IV. Location

The consultant will be home-based and implement the field tasks in Lao Cai, Son La provinces. When necessary, the consultant will work in other target provinces as well.

V. Tasks

The primary tasks of the consultant art to closely with the Silviculture Specialist and the wider Project team as well as cooperative with the FM certification consultants at the provincial level to ensure close coordination of project activities. The tasks that the consultant is expected to conduct will include, but not be limited to, the following:

1. Collect and analyze secondary data, including the reports (1) “Workplan for fiscal year 2022”[1] and (2) “Capacity-building needs assessment for plantation owners and nurseries”^[2] and other relevant data and documents on silviculture techniques as well as procedures and regulations on the management of farmer groups; Select most relevant/priority training topics for specific participants on nursery management/ producing high-quality planting material, on group management and applying the silviculture technique in plantation; Prepare training materials according to separate training courses;
2. Prepare a work plan, an approach to conducting activities and field work; discuss and reach consensus on plan and agenda with the Project’s technical staff (Objective 4 team) and the PPMU of each province before carrying out field activities;
3. Conduct 03 training courses on training and coaching on nursery management for managers and key staffs on the production of high-quality seedlings, cutting, and tissue culture production in the three provinces (01 course with 12 participants in Lao Cai, 01 course with 15 participants in Son La and 01 course with 15 participants in Hoa Binh);
4. Establish/re-enforce 03 farmer groups growing Cinnamon in Lao Cai province and 04 farmer groups managing Bamboo forests in Son La province with the aim to build capacity in the application of silvicultural techniques promoting sustainable forest management.
5. Conduct 02 training courses on group management for 10 participants in Lao Cai and 15 participants in Son La. The training shall also include a focus on group management, for the leaders of the targeted farmer groups.
6. Conduct training and coaching for technical staff of local partners and farmer groups in silviculture practices regarding (i) plantation Cinnamon in Lao Cai; and (ii) Bamboo forest in Son La. This includes to provide training of trainers to technical staff and include them as assisting trainers, in the capacity building of farmers. This will strengthen the project impact, as the technical staff will thereby be able to continue providing training activities to farmers beyond the lifetime of the project. (2 training with 60 participants in Lao Cai, 2 training with 60 participants in Son La, in which, 3 technical staff will be included in training as trainers in each province);
7. Conduct training and coaching on Sustainable Forest Management planning and implementation for forest owners, which are organizations in Lao Cai, Son La and Hoa Binh provinces. This includes to provide training of trainers to technical staff and include them as assisting trainers, in the capacity building of farmers. This will strengthen the project impact, as the technical staff will thereby be able to continue providing training activities to farmers beyond the lifetime of the project (1 training with 20 participants in Lao Cai, 1 training with 10 participants in Son La, in which, 3 technical staff will be included in training as trainers in each province);
8. Prepare a final report, detailing the results of the implementation of the beforementioned activities.

VI. Anticipated Level of Effort (LOE) and Deliverables

• The employment contract has a duration of six months and may be extended, depending on work performance, availability of budget and work demand.
• The consultant working days depending on the implementing tasks mentioned in Section V above.
• Working location: Lai Cai, Son La provinces
• The estimated LOE for this assignment is 63 person-days, starting as soon as possible, but no later than Feb 07, 2022. The required deliverables are listed in the table below. The final report, including deliverables, must be submitted in both English and Vietnamese in accordance with the deadlines listed in the table below. Other reports shall be submitted in Vietnamese.

VII.            Qualifications

• Vietnamese National
• Have a bachelor’s degree or higher in forestry or other relevant areas
• Have at least 5 years of practical experience working with the application of silvicultural techniques and sustainable forest management
• Have experience in capacity building for nurseries and forest/plantation owners
• Have skills in the preparation of technical guidelines, presentation, analysis and report writing as well as presentation of research results.
• Have skills and experience in working with local partners and farmers
• Have Vietnamese proficiency in speaking and writing. Communicable English is an advantage.
• Candidates from one of the three focus provinces are encouraged to apply

VIII. How to apply and requested documents

Interested candidates are requested to submit:

• A CV in English and Vietnamese.
• A cover letter in English indicating why they are suitable for this position along with salary requirements and current contact details of at least three references.
• Scanned copy of relevant degrees.

Application shall be done via email to our recruitment at [email protected] / [email protected]

Please quote the position title in the subject line: “Candidate’s full name _ Consultant on Silviculture”

Deadline for application: 5.00 p.m. (Hanoi time), Mar 11, 2022

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To learn more about DAI, please visit our website: https://www.dai.com/  

DAI is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer with a commitment to diversity. DAI does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, parental status, veteran status, or other non-merit factor.

Organization: Preferred by Nature
Location:
Application deadline: 2022-03-11
Send application to: [email protected]; [email protected]