Call for tenders deadline for proposals: 31st March 2017

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CALL FOR TENDERS

Deadline for proposals: 31^st March 2017
CONSULTANCY
Providing expertise and capacity building in the fields of participatory mapping and participatory approaches to community development
Duration of contract: one year
Reporting to: RFUK’s Head of Programmes
Close working relationship with: DRC Coordinator, CAR Coordinator, Mapping Officer, Project Officers, Programmes Finances and Admin Coordinator

The Rainforest Foundation UK
The mission of the Rainforest Foundation UK (RFUK) is to support indigenous peoples and traditional populations of the world's rainforest to:

Secure and control the natural resources necessary for their long-term wellbeing and to manage these resources in ways which do not harm their environment, violate their culture or compromise their future.
Develop means to protect their individual and collective rights and to obtain, shape and control basic services from the state.

RFUK considers that an essential first step to protect and manage the tropical forests and to reduce poverty in tropical forest countries is to realise the rights of the traditional and indigenous communities who live in those forests. With secure rights to land and livelihoods, forest peoples can effectively manage forest resources and direct and manage their own development. Founded in 1989, RFUK has in the past 25 years built a solid body of work based on this rights-based approach to development and protection of the rainforest. Although our work is focused on the Congo Basin, where RFUK has worked since 1996, we also work in the Peruvian Amazon.

RFUK tackles the underlying causes of deforestation linked to the problems of disenfranchisement of indigenous forest peoples globally and locally. From the field to the international policy arena, RFUK reinforces the active participation of forest peoples in the decisions that affect them. We work with over 15 partner organisations in tropical forest countries and our programme work is split into the following thematic areas:

Threats to forests from the extractive industries, infrastructure development and agro-industrial expansion;
Conservation effectiveness and monitoring of initiatives to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD);
Community-based forest management, land-use planning and tenure reform;
Community mapping and forest monitoring;
Indigenous peoples’ rights.

Conservation effectiveness
RFUK is supporting a form of conservation of natural resources that fully takes into account the situation and rights of local communities. Our work seeks to incorporate traditional systems of forest and wildlife management into protected areas’ regimes in the Congo Basin. It must serve to give people a long-term stake in the future of the lands that they inhabit.
In this context we are undertaking work on the ground to document the situation of local communities around protected areas and their positions regarding parks, including on the extent to which adequate consultation is perceived by the communities to have taken place. Results and recommendations ensuing from thorough consultations with local communities are discussed amongst relevant stakeholders, with full participation of community representatives.

Supporting the implementation of Community Forests in Congo Basin

RFUK is currently implemented two DfID funded projects to support the implementation of community forest s in the Democratic Republic of Congo (RC) and in the Central African Republic (CAR).

The projects aim to improve livelihoods and reduce deforestation by establishing successful community based forest management, which responds to the rights and needs of local communities including those of marginalised groups such as indigenous peoples and women, and contributes to integrated land-use planning. It will practically test community forestry, provide access to learnings from approaches pioneered in Africa and forested regions globally, and contribute to the development of DRC’s and CAR’s legal, policy and institutional environment, engaging with all relevant stakeholders.
Community mapping
In close collaboration with civil society organisations and government agencies, RFUK has been developing and undertaking participatory mapping in the Congo Basin for 15 years for supporting indigenous and traditional communities in their efforts to fulfil their rights to land and livelihood.
RFUK has developed advanced methodologies based on new geo-spatial technologies and decentralised mapping support teams enabling communities to record data about their lands and on development needs at a significantly greater accuracy and scale. In 2011, RFUK launched the MappingForRights platform which brings together expertise in the fields of participatory mapping, geo-spatial technologies and policy development concerned with community and indigenous land rights and improved forest governance in the Congo Basin. The visualisation and accessibility of this data can help to engage policy-makers, the private sector and the international community in a vital step towards developing forest policy that help secure local communities’ rights such as community forests.
RFUK is finishing a large scale participatory mapping project in Cameroon and DRC and has launched a regional MappingForRights project in April 2016 that aims at empowering stakeholders in the Congo Basin to use community mapping data and the MappingForRights platform to inform community forest development and other land and forest related policy processes.

CONSULTANCY
Overall aims and objectives of the consultancy
To contribute to the achievement of project objectives, a Consultant will be contracted by RFUK to:
Providing expertise and capacity building in the fields of participatory mapping and participatory approaches to community development, to support RFUK work in the Congo Basin.
Expected outputs of the consultancy

Facilitate two national/regional workshops to build capacities of local stake holders on GIS and participatory mapping, including developing specific terms of reference and workshop material , actual facilitation of workshop and reporting;
Facilitate one to two training(s) of Congo Basin partners on participatory approaches with forest communities, including developing specific terms of reference and workshop(s) material , actual facilitation of workshop(s) and reporting;
In the DRC, participate in and facilitate two research missions at the community level to support documentation of communities’ situation and needs in relation to forest conservation;
In the DRC, facilitate one inter-community workshop to present and discuss the findings of the research.

Timeframe
The estimated number of days of work required from the consultant for the above activities is 100, including travel to/from the Congo Basin.
An indicative timeline for implementing activities is given page 4.
Final timeframe will be agreed upon with the consultant when contracting.
Methodology
Under the supervision of RFUK’s Head of Programmes, the consultant(s) will be responsible for the overall implementation of the consultancy activities, including developing a detailed methodology and work plan, undertaking capacity and needs assessment for trainings, developing applied-research and training tools, etc.
The consultant is expected to work with relevant RFUK staff, local partner organisations, as well as with relevant stakeholders in the DRC, depending on the requirements of the projects.
Budget
RFUK will cover travel of the consultant to the Congo Basin to undertake activities.
The budget for the actual implementation activities (such as venues for workshops, travel of participants etc.) will be covered by RFUK project budgets, under the management of relevant RFUK staff.
The Consultant is encouraged to provide his/her daily rate for fees as part of the proposal. The budget for fees will be agreed upon with the consultant when contracting.
Indicative timeline. Please note that this timeline will be revised depending on availability, internal discussions and global project progress.

Action/Deliverables	Date
Submission of technical and financial offers	By 31^st March 2017
Signing of contract and commencement date	By 10^th April 2017
Submission and agreement on Workplan	By 10^th April 2017
First research mission at the community level (scoping)	April 2017
Training(s) of Congolese partners on participatory approaches	May-June-July 2017
1^st workshop to build capacities of local stake holders on GIS and participatory mapping	May 2017
Second research mission at the community level	August 2017
2^nd workshop to build capacities of local stake holders on GIS and participatory mapping	September 2017
Inter-community workshop to present and discuss the findings of the research	November-December 2017

RFUK inputs

Supervision from the RFUK Head of Programmes, in collaboration with relevant RFUK programmes staff;
Information on ongoing and past projects related to community based forest management and community mapping, including access to the online participatory mapping database www.mappingforrights.org.;
A network of relevant resource people to contact as well as their contact details where possible;
Periodic reviews based on project activity implementation and results achievement.
Appropriate funds to conduct activities.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

DETAIL	ESSENTIAL	DESIRABLE
Education	This position requires a strong background in GIS and participatory mapping, Environmental Management, Forestry or Natural Resource Management, at PhD or Masters level.	• Working experience in Africa, especially in the DRC. • Experience in land rights and/or natural resources rights in the Congo Basin, especially in the DRC. • Experience of working to tight deadlines.
Experience	At least 8 years of relevant experience in the forestry/environment sector with specific experience in working at community level; Extensive experience in the field of participatory mapping; Experience in delivering and facilitating training/capacity building and developing training tools in the fields of participatory mapping and participatory approaches to communities; Experience in working with local NGOs and local institutions.
Expertise	Excellent knowledge of GIS and participatory mapping methodologies; Proven track record of capacity building projects/consultancies in the field of natural resources, forest and land rights.
Management	Ability to plan, monitor progress, and work effectively with counterparts to realise goals; Ability to prepare reports as required by the contracting organisation and donors, as appropriate.
Leadership, facilitation and training	Ability to lead processes by coaching, persuading and accommodating other opinions and positions with a positive attitude; Ability to effectively participate and contribute to a multi-stakeholder project, facilitate technical meetings and processes effectively, compile complex and technical information in an understandable language to a wide variety of audiences including local communities.
Language and Communications	An excellent command of French and English is essential; Strong drafting, presentation and reporting skills; Ability to communicate complex information in understandable and relevant terms adapted for different stakeholders especially local communities.
IT	Strong computer skills, MS Office package, internet search.

Please note the successful candidate will be expected to undertake overseas missions and field work in the Congo Basin. This position carries considerable autonomy and requires good organisational capacity, good interpersonal and networking skills and a willingness to work as part of a team.

CONSULTANCY PROPOSALS SHALL INCLUDE :

CV and proven records of implementing participatory mapping and delivering trainings/capacity building
An indicative work plan according to expected outputs and provided timeframe;

An indicative methodology the consultant would use;
Indicative outline budget.

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