Terms of Reference

Environmental Fund Specialist

 

A.      Background

The Agreement on the Establishment of the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity provided for the establishment of an ASEAN Biodiversity Fund that will “be utilized to meet the expenses necessary to implement the activities required to fulfill the purpose of the Centre, as approved by the Board.” The ASEAN member countries may make voluntary contributions to the Fund. It shall be open to contributions from other governments and organizations, as approved by the Board.    

The Fund is envisioned to sustain the operations and programs of the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) which, in turn, will enable ACB to support biodiversity efforts of the ASEAN Member Countries and biodiversity programmes in the region. Through its resource mobilization plan, ACB plans to raise an initial seed fund of Euro 20 Million for the Fund, consisting of Euro 5 Million for operations and Euro 15 Million as an endowment fund.

 

                The Fund is responsive to the recommendation of the Conference of Parties of the Convention of Biological Diversity (COP 8 Decision VIII/13 (2006)) to parties, governments and funding institutions, as appropriate, to promote and foster new national and regional environmental funds and strengthening/expanding such existing funds. The Fund is established in recognition that environmental funds have been set-up over the years as a way of providing long term financing for biodiversity conservation and other environmental activities (Interagency Planning Group Handbook on Environmental Funds)

 

B.      Objectives

In order to operationalize and mobilize the ASEAN Biodiversity Fund, ACB is in need of the services of an Environmental Fund Specialist that will provide guidance on the feasibility, design and eventual set-up of the Fund. 

 

C.   Scope of Work

 

The Environmental Fund Specialist is tasked to undertake the following services:

 

(1)    Prepare an issues and recommendations paper on the establishment of the Fund which will consider, among others, feasibility and sustainability issues, opportunities and constraints/threats/risks, appropriate legal domicile and applicable laws, alternative options and mechanisms, etc. The paper should advise and assist ACB as regards the Fund establishment.

 

(2)    Bearing in mind the above issues and recommendations, prepare a manual for the establishment of the Fund that will lead to its effective establishment.

The manual will include, but not limited to:  concept, rationale, design, scope, legal framework, tax status, governance and finance structures, accounts and auditing procedures, evaluation and reporting procedures, funding cycles, investment procedures, stakeholder involvement, and other procedures, rules and regulations.

 

It will include resource mobilization strategies and instruments that will enable ACB to raise the initial seed fund for the Fund and provide for its regular income generation and replenishment. It will outline the necessary legal steps to be undertaken by ACB to establish the Fund. It will also include the other requirements which are needed for the Fund’s establishment.

 

In preparation of the manual, he will also be guided by the institutional documents of the ACB such as strategic action plan, logical framework, manual of operations, report of Governing Board meetings, etc.

 

(3)    To ensure that the Fund manual is responsive to the requirements of ACB, its partners and beneficiaries, communicate with relevant stakeholders and eventually, consult with them for further validation of the manual.

 

(4)    Consistent with the proposed manual and with the end view of ensuring the most advantageous legal scenario for the Fund and its objectives, prepare the legal documents that are needed to establish the Fund.

 

 

D.   Expected Outputs

 

a.       Issues and Recommendations Paper

b.      Proposed Fund Manual

c.       Legal documentation of the Fund

 

 

E.    Required Expertise

 

The Environmental Fund Specialist should have an advanced education on environment, finance and law. He should have vigorous experience and an in-depth understanding of the design, establishment and operations of environmental and conservation funds. Familiarity with ASEAN region and its biodiversity concerns is an advantage.

 

F.    Contract Price. The contract price will be 16 thousand Euro, inclusive of professional fees, daily subsistence allowance, travel cost, administrative costs, communications costs, representation costs and all other costs incurred in the course of performance of the contract.

 

G.  Selection

 

The initial selection of the Fund Specialist will be based on the submission and evaluation of the following documents:

 

a.       Letter of expression of interest, with a brief statement of one’s fitness to undertake the services requested.

b.      Curriculum vitae and other proofs of qualification, and

c.       Preliminary proposed workplan.

 

The candidates will be shortlisted and interviewed. Selection will consist of two criteria: (1) qualifications and fitness, based on the documents submitted, which will consist of 70% of the evaluation score and (2) an interview, which will consist of 30% of the evaluation score.

 

 

H.  Schedule of Payment

        The Environmental Fund Specialist shall be paid according to the following schedule:

Deliverables	Submission Schedule	Payment Percentage of Contract Price
1.        Upon submission and satisfactory acceptance of Inception Report	1 week after contract signing	10%
2.        Upon submission and satisfactory acceptance of the Issues and Recommendations Paper	3 weeks after commencement of work	20%
3.        Upon submission and satisfactory acceptance of the Proposed Fund manual	8 weeks after commencement	25%
4.        Upon submission and satisfactory acceptance of the Legal documentation of the Fund	8 weeks after commencement	25%
5.        Upon submission and satisfactory acceptance of Completion report	10 weeks after commencement	20%

 

 

I.     Duration of Contract

 

The contract will consist two man months, spread over a period of three months.

 

J.     Reporting Arrangements

The Fund Specialist is expected to work independently, using his own time and resources. However, he must closely coordinate and consult with ACB over the progress of his work. He is also expected to be in the Philippines and another ASEAN country for a total of, at least, 15 working days to engage with the ACB staff and attend meetings as required.