REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS:
SUMMARY OF PROCUREMENT
WRI intends to award a Fixed Price type contract to an organizational or individual consultants to conduct a comprehensive sub-landscape Situational Analysis to build a shared understanding of the state of each of the Four Sub-landscapes, drivers of land degradation, trends, opportunities and challenges in the context of Food, Land and Water, through the lens of Biodiversity, Food (Agriculture) and Water Outcomes in The Great Rift Valley landscape in Kenya.
About the World Resources Institute
Founded in 1982, The World Resources Institute (WRI) is a global environmental think tank that goes beyond research to put ideas into action. We work with governments, companies, and civil society to build solutions to urgent environmental challenges. WRIโs transformative ideas protect the earth and promote development because sustainability is essential to meeting human needs and fulfilling human aspirations in the future.
About the Project
The Greater Rift Valley Landscape covers 14 out of 47 Counties in Kenya: Baringo, Elgeyo Marakwet, Kajiado, Laikipia, Marsabit, Nakuru, Narok, Nyandarua, Samburu, Turkana, Makueni, Kiambu, Murangโa and West Pokot. It has a total landscape area of approximately 15 million hectares, excluding water and settlements, with most areas being Arid and Semi-Arid (ASALS). Itโ s a host to major biodiversity areas in the country, with major water towers in Kenya; Mau Forest Kenya's largest water tower, Mt Elgon, The Aberdares, and Cherangany Hills, five Ramsar sites; Lake Naivasha, Lake Nakuru, Lake Bogoria, Lake Bogoria, Lake Baringo, Lake Elementaita. and Important Bird Areas (IBAs) It is a major wildlife corridor and hosts the leading prime national parks and reserves; Lake Nakuru National Park and Maasai Mara National reserve and home to majority of the indigenous communities in Kenya; Ogiek, Ilchamus, Njemps, Endorois and Maasai.
WRIโs Restore Local initiative recently completed the process of reprioritization and selection of priority sub-landscapes within the initial broader Great Rift Valley Landscape (the GRV landscape). The process was guided by multilevel criteria using both biophysical and Socio-economic data, focusing on Food, Water and Biodiversity as the key outcome areas for the Landscape. The participatory sub-landscape selection process, which leveraged a comprehensive geospatial and socio-economic data analysis and stakeholder consultations, successfully prioritized 4 sub landscapes within the larger Greater Rift Valley cutting across 10 counties. The four sub landscapes are: Makueni Sub landscape; Southern GRV Sub landscape; Central GRV Sub landscape and Northern GRV Sub landscape as represented in the map.
Below is a link to the maps:
https://my.gfw-mapbuilder.org/v1.latest/?appid=ef8e6c515d014f5fa554b759912dd5dd
As a follow up of this process, to further guide our interventions in the selected sub-landscapes, WRI intends to conduct a comprehensive sub-landscape Situational Analysis to build a shared understanding of the state of each of the Four Sub-landscapes, drivers of land degradation, trends, opportunities and challenges in the context of Food, Land and Water, through the lens of Biodiversity, Food (Agriculture) and Water Outcomes.
The analysis involves conducting an environmental and socio-economic context analysis of the history, current state and (future) projections of resources, community livelihoods, and land use in the sub-landscape to help assess important trends in the landscape. It includes analyzing the ecological conditions/ecosystem services, social structures and norms, cultural and spiritual beliefs, economic opportunities, legal and institutional frameworks, financial flows, and market dynamics. It also includes clarifying spatial patterns, i.e. how different areas of the sub-landscape have been affected by these trends.
SCOPE OF WORK AND OUTPUTS/DELIVERABLES
Detailed Report on Situational Analysis and Stakeholder Analysis and Social Landscape mapping for each of the 4 Sub landscapes. The following are the specific details:
1. Highlight the key natural resources in the sub-landscapes, with emphasis on Food, Water and Biodiversity, including which are healthy and which are degrading.
2. Identify priority challenges and opportunities, including history, state, the main trends and drivers of land degradation that are affecting natural resources (especially agriculture, water and biodiversity) use and management in the sub-landscape. Key issues may include land use change (e.g. agricultural expansion, land tenure and land use practices, urban development and resource extraction), socio-economic trends (e.g. main sources of income for different groups), presence of indigenous people and demographic trends (e.g. migration patterns and population growth).
3. Highlight how different parts of the sub-landscape interact or connect, e.g. how upland soil and/or forest management affect water flow and quality, downstream, biodiversity, food production or habitat quality.
4. Identify and evaluate the presence and effectiveness of key national and county-specific policy instruments (including laws, policies, regulations, guidelines, strategies, plans and incentive mechanisms) for forest landscape restoration in the sub-landscapes, with emphasis on food, water and biodiversity. This includes local land tenure arrangements and traditional decision-making mechanisms.
5. Detailed stakeholder analysis and social landscape mapping: Social landscape mapping, roles and responsibilities and mapping influence. Map all the key institutions and stakeholders/actors in the sub-landscape (through the lens of food, water and biodiversity), including who is doing what and where, who is benefitting from the natural resources and/or who are impacted by their degradation. This includes identifying any multi-stakeholder platforms (MSPs) present related to forest landscape restoration, with emphasis on food/agriculture, water and/or biodiversity. Develop a power map that not only identifies key actors but also examines the structures, institutions, and norms that influence decision making and resource access within the sub-landscape. This will include analyzing power dynamics, hierarchies, and relationships that shape resource governance, equity, and community participation, providing a deeper understanding of the enablers and barriers to forest landscape restoration in these priority landscapes.
6. Identify hot spots of land degradation, in the different biophysical and ecological zones (riparian areas, agro- pastoralists, highly intensive agriculture, wetlands etc. and identify feasible restoration contextualized methods in the specific sub landscapes, including maps and list of specific areas in the 4 sub landscapes where restoration implementation would have most impact for water, food and biodiversity in the sub-landscape.
Methodology: This assignment will be carried out through desktop review, consultative meetings and interviews with local actors. Sources of information may include reports from routine monitoring by government agencies, studies by research organizations or NGOs, participatory assessments with farmers and other local practitioners, and structured workshops with stakeholders including insights and reconstructed histories developed by focus groups including diverse individuals who have deep experience in the landscape for the 4 sub landscapes.
TIMING
Timeline 2 months (60 days) consultancy, starting upon the signature of the contract.
BUDGET
Compensation will be based on a total fixed fee for the delivery of all required deliverables.WRI will not reimburse for miscellaneous costs (e.g., travel, office supplies). Rather, these costs should be built into the total cost of the contract. If the Consultant sub-contracts other individuals or organizations to assist in the performance of the Services, the Consultant shall be responsible for any payments to such individuals or organizations. Each payment will be based on the receipt and acceptance by WRI of a product/deliverable and invoice.
Please note that WRI is an IRS-registered 501(c)3, tax-exempt organization. WRI is not VAT exempt. All prices or quotes should include VAT and tax, as applicable.
GUIDELINES FOR PROPOSAL SUBMISSION
Requirements
The selected vendor should be able to demonstrate capacity in similar work, particularly:
- Excellent knowledge and understanding of the Greater Rift Valley Landscape
- Expertise and experience in research on drivers of and impacts on land degradation in context of Food, Land and Water and its impact on Food, Water and Biodiversity in the Greater Rift Valley Landscape.
- Expertise and experience in socioeconomic research in Kenya, Gender and Social Equity issues across GRV sub landscapes, intersectionality and Community livelihood dynamics.
- Expertise and experience in using GIS and other statistical tools.
- Experience in publishing in journal articles and technical reports
Proposal content
Prospective vendors should submit:
- A statement of interest describing the proposed team and how it meets the above requirements.
- A concept note describing the proposed methodology and workplan of executing the assignment.
- Examples of and references for similar previous work.
- CVs of team members.
- A proposed budget with a breakdown of costs sufficient to assess reasonableness and compliance with our funder requirements. If proposing for a Fixed Price contract, please also include a competitive payment schedule associating amounts with work milestones.
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Expression of Interest, Deadline for Questions, and Proposal
All questions about this RFP must be received via email to the contact below well in advance to allow for timely proposal submission by the deadline. Answers to the questions will be shared will all parties who have asked questions or otherwise expressed interest.
g[email protected] and [email protected]
All proposals must be sent by 26th February, 17:00 (East African Time- EAT) in electronic format to the same contact listed above.
EVALUATION AND SELECTION
Evaluation Criteria
The following elements will be the primary considerations in evaluating all proposals submitted in response to this RFP
- Completion of all required elements;
- The extent to which the vendorโs/organizationโs/consultantโs proposal fulfills WRIโs stated requirements as set out in the RFP;
- Experience with similar projects;
- Overall cost of the vendorโs/organizationโs/consultantโs proposal;
- Debarment and sanctions โ WRI will not consider proposals from vendors/organizations/consultants that are presently debarred by the U.S. government or named on any restricted parties lists