Ukraine: Consultancy: Environmental Impact Assessment for Ukraine Programmatic Portfolio

Dec 8, 2023 | ADRA Deutschland e.V.
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As an aid organization ADRA Germany e. V. provides support for people in need worldwide - regardless of ethnic origin, gender, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual identity. The state-approved non-governmental organization was founded in 1986 and is part of a global network with over 118 independent country offices and around 7,500 full- time employees. The organization has been conducting development cooperation and humanitarian aid projects for over 30 years. ADRA Germany is a member of the German relief network (ADH) and carries out projects financed with own funding, ADH funding as well as with institutional donors (GFFO, BZM, EU etc.). The main office with around 70 employees is located in Weiterstadt near Darmstadt, with a second office in Berlin.

Ukraine humanitarian response

ADRA Deutschland e.V., together with its local partners, the ADRA offices in Ukraine and Moldova, is implementing since March 2022 a cross-sector, life-saving humanitarian aid project financed mainly by the GFFO. Belonging to the global ADRA network with shared values and support systems, each ADRA office is an independent organization. The project builds on the existing humanitarian presence of local partner organizations and is in line with the UN Flash Appeal, which aims to address the key needs of IDPs and left-behind affected people in Ukraine and refugees crossing the border. The interventions of the project are focusing on 3 key areas:

1. survival packages (food and non-food items (NFI) in kind or cash) for IDPs and left-behind affected persons in Ukraine and refugees in neighboring countries,
2. protection, psychosocial support and legal counseling for IDPs and left-behind affected persons in Ukraine and refugees in neighboring countries,
3. safe shelter components for IDPs and left-behind affected persons in Ukraine and refugees in neighboring countries. In accordance with the Grand Bargain, the project is contributing to localisation, which means a high degree of autonomy of the local offices towards implementation.

The communication between ADRA Germany and the offices in Moldova and Ukraine was supported by on-side visits as well as regular online meetings with project managers and project staff. While ADRA Germany was already cooperating with ADRA Ukraine in the years 2014-2017 along the conflict line with activities such as PSS, light repair (financed by GFFO), the cooperation with ADRA Moldova on a large-scale project and with an institutional donor was new.

The project has been planned in two phases:

Phase 1: 1-6 months - Focus on immediate needs to provide life-saving assistance through multisectoral interventions in Ukraine and neighboring countries to ensure that affected target groups have access to food, other essentials, and shelter, as well as psychosocial support and legal counseling. Conducting feasibility analyses for cash interventions in Ukraine determined the modality required, and the intensity of the emergency response continued to build over six months.

Phase 2: 6-21 months - Focus on providing rents and shelter rehabilitation and improvement support to ensure they meet minimum standards and requirements. Accompanying emergency assistance via cash and in-kind distributions due to emerging emergencies in this context and activities adapted in response.

Project Objective: Provide emergency life-saving humanitarian assistance to vulnerable internally displaced persons and populations left behind in the conflict region in Ukraine, and support women, children, and the elderly fleeing the war and seeking refuge in the neighboring Republic of Moldova.

Activity overview: Multi-purpose cash assistance, Winterization kits distribution, Evacuation, Transit centres support, Mobility assistance, Cash for rent, Psychosocial support and referral mechanism, Light repair

Methodology

The environmental impact assessment will be conducted for Ukraine. It will include desk review and inerviews with relevant partners and stakeholders. For the specific environmental assessment analysis, the consultant will be provided with the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) tool established by ADRA Germany. The report will include risk analysis, stakeholder analysis, and environmental plans.

The consultant will conduct:

1. Desk review of at least the following but not limited to it: Project concept and related documents of the proposed project, reports of previous projects and ongoing projects with the same thematic, ADRA Ukraine and ADRA Germany related policies to environmental impact, donor gender equality and inclusion strategy (BMZ, GFFO).
2. Desk review of government policies and regulations on environmental protection and preservation
3. In-dept Interviews with ADRA Ukraine, their beneficiaries and stakeholders to understand the current context, the needs of the project, designed goal, and relate them to the environmental impact. Interviews with ADRA will collect information on the need for environmental impact assessment to underline topics and issues that need to be highlighted from in new strategy and proposals.

Research questions of the assessment

Analysis of the environmental situation in the targeted project areas with a focus on future environmental needs and actions to be taken.

1. What is the current quality and condition of the environment and how the project activities will impact it?
2. What challenges can arise?
3. What current problems of the environment have been identified relevant to the proposed project portfolio? This include land environment, climatic conditions, air quality, water environment and water quality, soil environment, flora and fauna, socio-economic environment.
4. Which of the causes of these problems will be prioritised and addressed in the future projects?
5. What existing local potential, structures (institutions, networks, policies, action plans etc.) and mechanisms can be built on? What gaps have been identified in the system?

Recommendations

On the basis of the main findings on topics, the report should present predictions of impact, evaluation of impact and mitigation measures for environment. Example:

1. Both negative & positive impacts will be assessed and presented on the basis of program activities and components.
2. How to incorporate the environmental protection at each level: project design, implementation, reporting, monitoring and evaluation.
3. Integration of environmental protection to all project activities.
4. Integration of environmental protection in risk analysis.
5. Capacity-building measures to strengthen the capacities of the project team (ADRA Ukraine)
6. Evaluation of potential Impacts will be carried out according to their significance by using appropriate Matrices.
7. All adverse impacts (Negative Impacts) will be discussed in details and mitigation measures/procedure to minimize negative impacts will be suggested, in the Environmental Management Plan.

Deliverables, Timeline, and Budget

The environmental impact assessment will be started in January 2024. A final report should be produced by 16th February 2024 and supported with presentation. The consultant individual/company is expected to submit financial proposal with the detailed work plan for the assessment. The budget should include any cost related to execute the assessment, any costs beyond the proposed budget will not be approved. A total of a maximum 15 days is envisioned for the purpose of this consultancy to undertake and produce the final report. Expressions of interests should include a rough plan and outline of the proposed approach.

Experience and Skills Required

The consultancy will be conducted by a consultant / consultancy firm with minimum criteria as below:

1. At least 4 years of expertise to carry out analysis related to the topic
2. Technical competency and knowledge of the topic of environmental protection, environmental policies, climate change, health protection, economics of environment etc.
3. Familiarity with the environmental protection programs in Central, Eastern Europe and Balkans and in war conflict countries will be an advantage.

The consultant/evaluation team must adhere to humanitarian principles, ADRA Protection Policy, and ethical values of ADRA.

How to Apply

The application should include:

1. Applicant’s CV, highlighting experience relevant to this topic
2. A sample report from a prior assignment with content directly relevant to this assessment.
3. Technical proposal illustrating the applicant’s understanding of the TOR, draft assessment framework and plan including any logistic support required.
4. Financial proposal- should provide cost estimates for services rendered including daily consultancy fees.
5. Contact details of at least two references

All documents have to be merged into one PDF file.

Deadline to submit application is December 20th, 2023. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. Please submit application by email to MEAL Manager, Mr. Eldar Komar, MA (eldar.komar@adra.de) with subject Environmental Impact Assessment Application. No phone calls!

Project location: Ukraine

Project duration: April 2024 – April 2026

Donor: German Federal Foreign Office

Implementing organization: ADRA Germany with ADRA partners from Ukraine