CONSULTANT TERMS OF REFERENCE

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Position:	Consultant to develop coordination regulations in community forest patrol and protection, forest fire prevention and control with neighboring communities in Quang Tri
Project Name:	USAID Sustainable Forest Management
Activity Code:	1.1.5.5 Facilitate coordination with communities and neighboring localities in forest protection, forest fire prevention and control
Period of Performance:	From April 2023 to May 2023
Total Level of Effort:	32 person-days
Location:	Dakrong and Huong Hoa districts, Quang Tri province
Application deadline:	Before 17.00, March 30/ 2023

A. RECOFTC ORGANIZATION AND VALUES  

At RECOFTC, we believe in a future where people live equitably and sustainably in and beside healthy, resilient forests. We take a long-term, landscape-based and inclusive approach to supporting local communities to secure their land and resource rights, stop deforestation, find alternative livelihoods and foster gender equity. We are the only non-profit organization of our kind in Asia and the Pacific. We have more than 30 years of experience working with people and forests, and have built trusting relationships with partners at all levels. Our influence and partnerships extend from multilateral institutions to governments, private sector and local communities. Our innovations, knowledge and initiatives enable countries to foster good forest governance, mitigate and adapt to climate change, and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda.

At RECOFTC, our core values are the foundation of our culture and guide all our work. In addition to job specific skills and experience, the applicant should possess the following characteristics, attitudes and skills:

• Embrace innovation
• Adapt to, and learn from, challenges
• Collaborate with partners and stakeholders
• Nurture commitment, responsibility and ownership
• Prioritize sustainability
• Cultivate participation, social inclusion and gender equity

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

1.    Background and reasons for the implementation of the activity

In recent years, the participation of forest-dependent communities in forest management, protection, and development has become increasingly recognized as an important factor in effectively maintaining forest area and quality. Communities have participated in forest management and protection in various forms. Four main types of participation, including i) Traditional community forest management, ii)Community-based forest management, iii) Groups of households manage forest land and iv) Households, individuals who own forest and cooperate in forest management.

According to the Project, the concept of community forest includes two forms of local people's participation in forest management. The first approach is community forest management (CFM), in which the communities/villages manage their allocated forest. The second approach is community-based forest management (CBFM), where the village communities manage the contracted forest with the Protection Forest Management Boards. This modality also includes the approach of community groups/household groups/communities manage the forest allocated to each household.

To promote participation in forest management and protection activities while ensuring the tenure rights of households, individuals, and communities over forest and forestry land, Qu?ng Tr? province has implemented policies on land and forest allocation in the province since the 2000s. By the end of 2021, 14,438 hectares of forest and forestry land have been allocated to communities in the province. As forest owners, communities are implementing forest management, protection, fire prevention and control activities in the allocated forest areas. However, there is always a high risk of deforestation and forest fires in the neighboring forest areas among communities and/or with neighboring forest owners. The main reason is that these areas are often far from residential areas, adjacent to each other, but without clear boundaries, there is no mutual support and coordination in forest management and protection among neighboring communities and relevant agencies, causing difficulties in controlling people entering the forest.

Within the framework of the Project, RECOFTC Vi?t Nam is seeking to recruit one (01) consultant to develop coordination regulations in forest patrol and protection, forest fire prevention and control in 05 communities in ?akrông and H??ng Hóa districts, Qu?ng Tr? province.

This activity is expected to contribute directly to the Project's indicators, including Indicator 2: The number of organizations with capacity building to address sustainable landscape issues; and Indicator 8: Number of hectares under improved natural resource management,.

2.    Purpose of the consultancy assignment

2.1. General objective

To promote the coordination among communities and forest rangers, local authorities, forest owners, and neighboring communities in forest patrol ad protection, forest fire prevention and control.

2.2. Specific objective

Develop 05 coordination regulations in forest patrol and protection, forest fire prevention and control among communities and neighboring forest owners in 05 communities in ?akrông and H??ng Hóa districts (with Memorandum of Understanding/MoU and coordination plans attached).

3.    Expected results/Deliverables

3.1. Expected results:

Five (05) coordination regulations are developed in forest patrol and protection, forest fire prevention and control in 05 communities in Dakrong and Huong Hoa districts (with MoUs and coordination plans attached).

3.2. Deliverables:

• Implementation plan agreed by the Project
• Preliminary assessment report on the current coordination status among communities and neighboring forest owners and relevant agencies in forest patrol and protection, forest fire prevention and control.
• Five (05) coordination regulations in forest patrol and protection, forest fire prevention and control for 5 communities are approved and signed by stakeholders and certified by the Commune People's Committees.
• One consultancy report in Vietnamese (with a summary in English) within 10 days upon task completion.

4.    Location

The indicative location of this consultancy assignment is in 5 following communities:

• Ho village, Huong Son commune, Huong Hoa district
• Moi village, Huong Son commune, Huong Hoa district
• Ra Ly village, Huong Son commune, Huong Hoa district
• Huc Thuong village, Huc commune, Huong Hoa district
• Ta Lenh village, Dakrong commune, Dakrong district

Theses above communities may be changed subject to the findings of the preliminary assessment.

5.    Tasks

• Develop the implementation plan for this consultancy assignment.
• Study the Project documents, other documents, and reports related to coordination regulations in forest patrol and protection, forest fire prevention and control among communities and neighboring forest owners.
• Work with Commune People's Committees, Forest Protection Departments, and communities to assess the status of forest patrol and protection, forest fire prevention and control at neighboring areas of 05 selected communities to develop coordination regulations. Agree on the contents of the implementation plan and coordination among stakeholders during implementation.
• Organize community meetings to collect information for developing coordination regulations in forest patrol and protection, forest fire prevention and control.
• Develop 05 coordination regulations in forest patrol and protection, forest fire prevention and control for 5 communities that are approved and signed by stakeholders and certified by the Commune People's Committees.
• Prepare consultancy report in Vietnamese (with a summary in English).

6.    Level of Effort (LOE) and Deliverables

The total number of working days for this consultancy assignment is 32, and details are below:

#	Activities	LOE	Deliverables	Due date (of deliverable)	Means of Deliverable Verification
1	Develop the implementation plan	01	Implementation plan for this consultancy assignment	3/4/2023	Approved by RECOFTC/SFM Office
2	Study documents and reports related to coordination regulations in forest patrol and protection, forest fire prevention and control among neighboring communities	02	Assessment report outline on the coordination status	4-5/4/2023	Approved by RECOFTC/SFM Office
3	Primarily assesses at Commune People's Committees, Forest Protection Departments, and village leaders of 05 selected communities to identify the current forest protection work. Identify forest owners and relevant agencies for coordination	10	Draft assessment report on the current status of coordination among communities and neighboring forest owners, and relevant agencies in forest patrol and protection, forest fire prevention and control	10-21/4/2023	Approved by RECOFTC/SFM Office
4	Synthesize and analyze the collected information, and develop a report on the current status of coordination among communities and  neighboring forest owners, and relevant agencies in forest patrol and prevention, forest fire prevention and control	02		24-25/4/2023
5	Organize meetings with communities, neighboring forest owners, and relevant agencies for consultation and information collection for the development of coordination regulations	05	05 meetings at 5 selected villages, information collected	8- 12/5/2023	Approved by RECOFTC/SFM Office
6	Synthesize, analyze information and draft regulations, draft MoUs, and draft coordination plans	05	Draft 05 coordination regulations (with 05 MoUs and coordination plans)	15 -19/5/2023	Approved by RECOFTC/SFM Office
7	Organize meetings with communities and neighboring forest owners round 2 for consultation, comments, and finalization of the draft coordination regulations with the participation of relevant agencies. Finalize regulations and MoUs and have them signed by stakeholders.	05	- 05 meetings at 5 villages organized, and comments for regulations and MoUs responded to and synthesized. - 05 regulations and MoUs finalized and signed right after meetings	22-26/5/2023	Approved by Communities, RECOFTC/SFM Office, and VFBC Project
8	Report on the results of this consultancy assignment	02	Final report on the assessment of the current status of coordination among relevant agencies in forest management and protection, forest fire prevention and control (Vietnamese with a summary in English).	29-31/5/2023	Approved by RECOFTC/SFM Office, and VFBC Project
	Total	32

7.    Qualifications

To carry out the tasks, the consultant needs to meet the following requirements:

• Being Vietnamese, priority is given to the local candidates
• Having a Master's degree or higher in forest management and protection, natural resource management or relevant areas
• Having at least 10 years of experience in forestry, occupation, especially in forest patrol and protection, forest fire prevention and control at the Project sites. Having experience working in Qu?ng Tr? province is an advantage
• Having experience in the development of coordination regulations in forest protection, forest fire control.
• Having in-depth knowledge and understanding of policies and institutions on community forest management
• Having skills and experience working with communities and community forestry
• Having experience writing reports; being able to use English are an advantage.

8.    How to apply and requested documents

Interested individuals are requested to submit their CV and a cover letter indicating why they are suitable for this consultancy along with the expected fee or daily rate and current contact details of three references, to [email protected]. Please quote the consultancy title in the subject line of the email. Only shortlisted individuals will be notified.

For any further information you may need about the consultancy, please contact [email protected].

To learn more about RECOFTC, please visit our website www.recoftc.org

Organization: RECOFTC
Location:
Application deadline: 2023-03-30
Send application to: [email protected]