Myanmar: Green Business: Environmental Goods and Services Promotion

May 16, 2020 | UNDP
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UNDP Myanmar has commenced implementation of its Country Programme for 2018-2022. Integrated programming has guided the design of the new programme in order to better address the interlinkages between peacebuilding, governance, natural resource governance, natural resource management, and disaster resilience, inclusive growth, and the vertical linkages between subnational and national governance levels.

Over the 5-year period of the new CPD, GRSP aims to enable the GoM mainstream environment, climate change, and DRR considerations into planning and project appraisal systems of at least three key sectors and three States and Regions. It will also support key counterparts implement the new policies, including by promoting an integrated environmental financing framework by helping develop comprehensive organisational and human resources development plans. GRSP also aims to help promote green investments in environmental goods and services to protect natural resources, minimize and manage waste more effectively, while simultaneously creating sustainable wealth and employment.

GRSP is engaging a specialist to lead (technically and managerially) the  work  with  counterparts promoting green investments.

and three States and Regions. It will also support key counterparts implement the new policies, including by promoting an integrated environmental financing framework by helping develop comprehensive organisational and human resources development plans. GRSP also aims to help promote green investments in environmental goods and services to protect natural resources, minimize and manage waste more effectively, while simultaneously creating sustainable wealth and employment.

GRSP is engaging a specialist to lead (technically and managerially) the  work  with  counterparts promoting green investments.

Scope of Work, Outputs and Deliverables

With the technical guidance of the Project Manager/Chief Technical Advisor (GRSP) from UNDP Country Office, the international consultant will lead the work with the Environmental Conservation Department (ECD) and Directorate of Investment and Company Administration (DICA) to develop a work plan, finalise a Folio of Green Business Cases for publication, conduct background analysis on environmental goods and services, and facilitate initial consultations with relevant stakeholders.

Initial research has been undertaken to identify potential cases from ASEAN countries to demonstrate the potential for green business development. Building on this research, the Folio of Green Business Cases will be published to highlight real world examples of financially successful businesses that provide environmental goods, services and finance. The knowledge product will be prepared in a way that can help demonstrate that green economy principles work in practice and the viability of green investment. It must be prepared for wide dissemination and be able to be communicated in multimedia format.

The process of finalising the Folio will be used to support a series of round-table discussions among decision-makers and stakeholders on the strengths, weaknesses and lessons learnt from sample cases; and identifying needed policy measures and technology/market research. The round-table discussions and Folio will be used to raise awareness of the potential for green investments and expand the menu of options for policy-makers as well as for the business and financing sectors.

At the same time, more analytical materials are necessary to support stakeholders' understandings of environmental goods and services, and how these could be promoted within Myanmar's investment regime. A series of background research papers and briefing notes will be prepared to provide further evidence and advocacy materials. These will be further developed into a situational analysis to understand the status of environmental goods and services in Myanmar (whether as a collective sector concept or otherwise)

In this way, the consultancy will inform the work with DICA to support the expansion of investment promotion categories to include environmental goods and services.

In particular, the international consultant will:

• Develop a work plan and strategy (including an operational budget), in consultation with DICA, ECD and other key stakeholders, for the inputs under this TOR
• Review the research conducted for the Folio of Green Business Cases and finalise the Folio for publication, in consultation with DICA and ECD (note: actual print and distribution costs, and any agreed graphic design or other multi-media design, will be covered by UNDP following agreement with the Project Manager)
• Organise a public launch event for the Folio of Green Business Cases
• Prepare at least two background research papers on environmental goods and services, covering:
  • Concepts of environmental goods and services, including how they could be defined and applied in Myanmar
  • Policies in other ASEAN countries designed to promote investments in environmental goods and services
  • Situational analysis on the extent to which the defined environmental goods and services sector already exists in Myanmar and in what forms, identifying specific examples of environmental goods and services that could be promoted in Myanmar (including, but not limited to, the agriculture, mining, renewable energy, fisheries and tourism sectors)
• Based on the situational analysis, prepare detailed studies of five specific examples of environmental goods and services (covering large- and small-scale investments) that include:
  • review of the current and potential demand and supply situation;
  • value chain analysis;
  • stakeholder analysis;
  • gender analysis, both in terms of the potential impacts and potential benefits to women as contributors to the value-chain; and
  • an assessment of policy and institutional drivers (including both incentives and disincentives) as they apply on the ground.
• Based on the situational analysis and detailed studies, prepare recommendations on potential enabling interventions to support increased investment in environmental goods and services, including (but not limited to):
  • policy settings that affect resource access and utilisation, including policy implementation by local authorities;
  • improved production processes, including quantity and quality of supply, access to technology and skills upgrading;
  • promotional programs that target value addition, consumer education, and access to profitable and sustainable markets; and
  • potential national, regional and global providers of expertise that could support these interventions
• Design, organise and facilitate a series of at least 3 round-table discussions among decision­ makers and stakeholders on the strengths, weaknesses and lessons learnt from studies, including the Folio of Green Business Cases, and on potential interventions (including policy measures and technology/market research) to support increased green investment
• Conduct interviews/consultations with a diverse stakeholder group, including ECD, DICA, social enterprises, business associations, foreign business chambers, CSOs, banking and finance, throughout the implementation of the duties under the TOR
• Be guided throughout the implementation of the duties under the TOR by the priorities identified in the Myanmar Green Economy Policy Framework (GEPF)
• Coordinate meetings with DICA, ECD and other stakeholders including private sector representatives, at both the Union and sub-national levels
• Undertake administrative and coordination tasks in support of implementation of the TOR, including budgetary oversight and identification and procurement of any additional, complementary inputs (technical or otherwise)
• Provide technical and operational support to UNDP's broader inclusive growth activities
• Support the development and implementation of UNDP's private sector engagement strategies and resource mobilisation strategies, including by drafting and contributing to funding proposals
• Provide general administrative and technical support to related activities under GRSP, including the development of an environmental finance framework and the Environmental Management Fund, and to overall GRSP implementation (including, but not limited to, governance arrangements such as project board meetings).

Key deliverables are:

1. Methodology, strategy and work plan for the assignment
2. Final Folio of Green Business Cases prepared for publication
3. Launch event for Folio of Green Business Cases completed
4. Two background research papers on environmental goods and services
5. Situational analysis on the environmental goods and services sector in Myanmar
6. Detailed studies of five specific examples of environmental goods and services in Myanmar
7. Recommendations on potential enabling interventions to support increased investment in environmental goods and services
8. Three round-table discussions completed among decision-makers and stakeholders on promoting green investment in Myanmar
9. Final report summarising research undertaken, interviews/consultations held, and recommendations for next steps for UNDP in supporting the promotion of green investment in Myanmar

Expertise and Qualifications Required

The successful applicant should have the following expertise and qualifications:

• Masters degree in relevant field, including environmental economics or environmental policy.
• At least 7 years of experience with research and writing in support of sustainable development policy reforms in developing countries (with an emphasis on green growth and investment highly desirable).
• Demonstrated understanding of the potential for green investment and green economic development to contribute to environmental and human development outcomes and of the structure and operation of investment incentives and disincentives.
• Experience working and knowledge of private sector and business approvals in Asia (with experience in Myanmar, including practical experience working with DICA and ECD, highly desirable).
• Demonstrated ability to conduct research in Myanmar.
• Demonstrated capacity to work in a consultative manner, good networking and capacity to deal well with people.
• Demonstrated ability to produce high-quality knowledge products.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Must be an international expert.

Management and Implementation Arrangements

• The consultant will report to the Project Manager/CT A, GRSP, of UNDP Myanmar.
• The consultant will work closely with the GRSP project team and the Sustainable and Inclusive Growth Unit of UNDP Myanmar
• The consultant is also required to comply with the UN security directives set forth under http://dss.un.org
• Any duty travel in Myanmar will be undertaken in agreement with the Project Manager/CTA, GRSP.
• UNDP will provide economy class air fares and living allowance rates prevailing at the time of sourcing, for the duty station and all other cities indicated in the TOR as part of duty travel destinations, in line with UNDP's travel policy for consultants.
• The consultant will be given access to relevant information necessary for execution of the tasks
• under this assignment;
• The consultant is responsible for providing their own laptop computers and mobile phones for use during this assignment; the consultant must have access to reliable internet connection
• Payments will be made upon submission of a detailed time sheet and certification of payment form, and acceptance and confirmation by the supervisor

Duty Station

• The consultant will be based in Yangon, with travel other locations in Myanmar as required
• Some of the inputs may be provided as home-based inputs, but the bulk of the work will be required to be undertaken within Myanmar
• Any necessary missions must be approved in advance and in writing by the supervisor

Timeframe

• The consultancy will be carried out for 140 days between March and December 2020.

Payment Schedule

Interested persons are requested to submit their financial proposals quoting their daily fees noting the following conditions:

• Payments will be made upon submission of certification of payment form, and acceptance and confirmation by the supervisor

Recommended Presentation of Offer

Interested persons are requested to submit the following documents as part of their application:

1. Brief description/ cover letter of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment. Please paste the letter into the 'Resume and Motivation' section of the electronic application
2. Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided by UNDP
3. Pl 1 Form indicating all relevant experience as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the candidate and at least three (3) professional references. Please use the Pl 1 form provided by UNDP
4. Financial Proposal that indicates the daily fees as per the template provided by UNDP 

Criteria for Selection of the Best Offer

The following criteria shall serve as basis for evaluating offers:

Combined Scoring Method:

• Where the qualifications and methodology will be weighted a maximum of 70% and combined with the price offer which will be weighted a maximum of 30%

Technical Evaluation of Proposals:

• All applications comprising the information/documentation provided will be evaluated to ascertain the suitability of the applicants to carry out the assignment. Candidates who obtain the minimum of 49 points of the full mark (70 points) will be considered technically compliant and their financial evaluations will be evaluated thereafter. Applications will be scored as per the following breakdown (Total 70 points):

• Educational background: 10 points
  • Masters degree in relevant field, including environmental economics or environmental policy.

• Relevant Experience: 55 points
  • At least 7 years of experience with research and writing in support of sustainable development policy reforms in developing countries (with an emphasis on green growth and investment highly desirable). (15 points)
  • Demonstrated understanding of the potential for green investment and green economic development to contribute to environmental and human development outcomes and of the structure and operation of investment incentives and disincentives. (15 points)
  • Experience working and knowledge of private sector and business approvals in Asia (with experience in Myanmar, including practical experience working with DICA and ECD, highly desirable). (10 points)
  • Demonstrated ability to conduct research in Myanmar. (5 points)
  • Demonstrated capacity to work in a consultative manner, good networking and capacity to deal well with people. (5 points)
  • Demonstrated ability to produce high-quality knowledge products. (5 points)

• English language skills: 5 points
• Excellent command of written and spoken English

Financial Evaluation of Proposals:

• The financial proposals of all the applicants who pass the technical evaluation will be scored. The maximum 30 points will be allotted to the lowest financial bid, and all other ids shall receive points in inverse proportion to the lowest fee e.g. [30 points] x [USD lowest] / [USD other] = points for other proposers’ fees

The contract shall be awarded to the applicant who receives the highest cumulative score.