IUCN Production of Rangeland Resource Management Maps of the Lower Tana Basin Request for Proposal

Request for a Proposal for the Production of Rangeland Resource Management Maps of the Lower Tana Basin using GIS Data with an Overlay of Community and Visioning Information
 

1. Background
 

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) was founded in 1948 to influence, encourage and assist societies throughout the world to conserve the integrity and diversity of nature and to ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable. 

Within the framework of global conventions IUCN has helped over 75 countries to prepare and implement national conservation and biodiversity strategies. 

IUCN Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office (ESARO) have thematic programmes (including Drylands and Water and Wetlands) with projects spreading across twenty three countries in the Horn of Africa, Eastern Africa, Southern Africa and the Western Indian Ocean. 

One such project is a 3-years (2012-2014) Austrian Development Cooperation funded project on Building Drought Resilience through land and water management (BDR) in Kenya (Lower Tana Basin: Garissa and Tana River Counties), and Uganda (the Upper Aswa-Agago sub-catchment). These are arid and semi-arid (ASAL) areas respectively.
 

The overall objective of the project is to improve resilience of dryland communities within a river catchment to the impacts of increasingly severe and frequent drought, through strengthened ecosystem management and adaptive capacity. 

The project aims to ensure that ecosystems in the project areas are effectively and sustainably managed through coordination of local and formal institutions that are supported by an enabling positive policy environment. 

Communities living in arid and semi-arid areas of East Africa face multiple challenges including land degradation, weak local norms and institutions in the management of natural resources, inadequate research and extension services and recurrent droughts that hinder development and livelihood strategies. 

Interventions that enhance resilience and adaptive capacity or both the ecosystem and communities reliant upon them are of paramount importance.
 

In the Lower Tana River Basin the project is being implemented in partnership with Fafi Integrated Development Association (FaIDA) and Water Resource Management Authority (WRMA). Other partners include Government institutions (National Drought Management Authority - NDMA, Water and Irrigation, Forest and Wildlife, Livestock, Agriculture, National Environment Management Authority - NEMA, Provincial Administration and County/Local Government). 

The project is expected to build on existing initiatives being implemented by IUCN and partners within the project area or borrow from regions with similar environment with emphasis on building capacities of communities and institutions on sustainable ecosystem management, strengthening livelihoods and adaptation to climate change; supporting greater coordination between multi-sectoral institutions and improving awareness among policy makers on catchment management approaches. 

The areas of project focus are initially 4 broad areas classified by WRMA as being in the 4GC and the 4GB management units in the Lower Tana sub-catchment, as follows:

1. Khorweyne Sub-catchment in Balambala District (in 4GC), Garissa County – which stretches from Danyere to Saka. There is already a WRUA in this area and WRMA with IUCN support has facilitated the development of a sub-catchment management plan (SCMP) for this area.
 

2. Al-Amin Moju Sub-Catchment in Tana North District (in 4GB), Tana River County which is in the locations of Boka and Kamaguru and stretches from Oduwame, Roka, Balambala and Bangale. Similarly, the area has a WRUA and IUCN has supported the development of a SCMP.
 

3. Saka Sub-Catchment in Balambala District (in 4GC), Garissa County – includes current Saka Division. IUCN supported establishment of the WRUA. The WRUA in collaboration with IUCN and implementing partners have prepared an adapted SCMP.
 

4. Tula Sub-Catchment in Tana North District (in 4GB), Tana River County. The WRUA stretches from Odowani to Balambala to Roka to Karati to Tula (in 4GB) – IUCN supported the establishment of the WRUA for this area and adapted SCMP has been developed.
 

The project aims to achieve the following five key results:
 

Result 1: Integrity and functioning of catchments improved through ecosystem-based actions that are gender sensitive and diversify livelihood assets;
 

Result 2: Improved capacity of traditional and formal resource management institutions to sustainably manage natural resources within a catchment area;
 

Result 3: Knowledge and skills of local communities to implement adaptation, innovation and change within institutions are mobilized and improved;
 

Result 4: Greater coordination between multi-sectoral institutions improves harmonization of plans and interventions;
 

Result 5: Awareness among policy makers on catchment management approaches are increased through learning based on project experiences.
 

2. Purpose and scope of the consultancy
 

In order to sustainably manage resources effectively and derive maximum benefits from the existing natural resources it is essential to know location, distribution and amount of available resources in a given area per season. 

Result 1 of BDR project aims at improving integrity and functioning of catchments through ecosystem-based actions that are gender sensitive and diversify livelihood assets. 

To achieve the result array of activities are planned key among them being participatory mapping with stakeholders on the use and access of natural resources through visioning and dialogue approaches. 

Two stage approaches are planned to achieve participatory mapping the first one directed towards facilitation of community consultations to develop rangeland resource use maps using appropriate technologies which provide input into development of a vision for future resource management (already done for two sub-catchments during Sub-catchment Management Plan development) and the second stage focusing on production of rangeland resource management maps of the catchment area using GIS data with an overlay of community and visioning information.
 

IUCN is looking for suitable consultant to undertake participatory mapping that will produce geo-referenced rangeland resource maps with overlay of community vision of current and future natural resource management for four sub-catchments in BDR project area.

The consultant is expected to collaborate with IUCN ESARO to finalize the design of the study prior to field work and work closely with community members and IUCN project staff in the field.

Specific tasks of the consultant include:

• Classification of land use in four sub-catchments specifically rangeland resources
• Ground truthing of classified land uses/resource maps
• Participate in the production of community current and vision maps
• Overlay of community information on classified maps to produce geo-referenced maps that include community inputs.

3. Required documents
 

To be considered for this work the consultants must submit technical and financial proposals outlining the following:
 

Technical proposal

• Understanding of the assignment (20 points)
• Description of approach to be applied i.e. design and methodology (40 points)
• Description of the deliverables based on the overall and specific objectives of the consultancy (10 points)
• Work plan (10 points)
• CV(s) of the person (s) who will undertake the work (20 points)

Total score for technical proposal 100 points
 

Financial proposal

• Consultant’s daily rate in US Dollars
• Other relevant costs for example production and printing of maps, travel, stationery, communications etc.

4. Duration of the consultancy
 

The consultant is expected to complete the work in 30 days within the months of January/February 2014.
 

5. Profile of the suitable candidate

• A postgraduate degree (at least Master’s degree) in GIS and Remote Sensing or other relevant fields from recognized university,
• Proven experience in application of GIS and Remote Sensing techniques in natural resource sector
• Knowledge on development issues, gender, cultures and the drylands of Kenya
• Demonstrated high level of professionalism and ability to work independently in high pressure situations under tight deadlines
• Strong communication skills
• High proficiency in English language both written and spoken.

Selection criteria
 

IUCN will use a version of the World Bank’s QCBS procurement approach {Ref:http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/PROJECTS/PROCUREMENT/0,,contentMDK:20060635~menuPK:92323~pagePK:84269~piPK:84286~theSitePK:84266,00.html} in selecting the prospective consultants. 

The technical proposals will be scored out of 100. 

For Financial proposals, that with the lowest cost will be given a financial score of 100 and all other proposals given financial scores that are inversely proportional to their prices.

The total score shall be obtained by weighting the quality and cost scores and adding them. 

The weight for the "cost" will be 20 points and the weight for the “technical” will be 80, out of a total score of 100. The firm obtaining the highest total score shall be invited for negotiations.

7. Submission of proposal
 

Application should be sent to: 

Yasin Mahadi Programme Officer, Drylands Programme and Ahmed Mohamed Programme Officer, Water & Wetlands Programme, IUCN ESARO, Email: Yasin.MAHADI@iucn.org and Ahmed.MOHAMED@iucn.org not later than 14th January 2014. 

Only successful candidate will be contacted.