Policy Specialist for NIPAS and ENIPAS Act of 2018 and its IRR
Procurement Process
IC - Individual contractor
Office
UNDP-PHL - PHILIPPINES
Deadline
13-Aug-25 @ 07:00 AM (New York time)
Published on
30-Jul-25 @ 12:00 AM (New York time)
Reference Number
UNDP-PHL-00747
Contact
UNDP Procurement Philippines Philippines - procurement.ph@undp.org This specific tender is managed via the new supplier portal system of UNDP Quantum. If you are interested in submitting a bid for this tender, you must subscribe following the instructions in the user guide. If you have not registered a profile with this system, you can do so by following the link for Supplier Registration.
If you already have a supplier profile, please access the negotiation using quicklink or please login to the Supplier Portal, then search for the negotiation using the reference number UNDP-PHL-00747, following the instructions in the user guide.
Introduction
Policy Specialist for the Support to the Development of National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) Master Plan and Review and Enhancement of the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System (ENIPAS) of 2018 and its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR)
Country: Philippines
Description of the Assignment:
A. Project Title: Umbrella Programme to Support NBSAP Update and the 7th National Report
B. Project Description and Background
The Umbrella Programme to Support National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAP) Update and the 7th National Report is a GEF grant that has the objectives to provide technical and financial assistance to eligible countries in revising and updating their NBSAPs in order to align with the recently agreed upon Kunming- Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, and enable effective implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KM GBF) at the national level. In addition, this grant supports countries in preparing and submitting their 7th National Report on the implementation of the CBD and the KM GBF.
It aims to foster cooperation and coordination among different sectors and stakeholders, including, and not limited to, governments, civil society organizations, private sector, academia, and Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs), to ensure their effective participation in the NBSAP revision and implementation process. The ultimate goal is to support countries to take urgent action to halt and reverse biodiversity loss to put nature contribute to the achievement of the 2050 Vision for Biodiversity and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
In addition, this Global Programme will also build upon existing work through the GEF EAS that is ongoing, as well as support to countries to develop biodiversity finance plans, through the recently approved โUmbrella Programme to Support Development of Biodiversity Finance Plansโ.
The Government of the Philippines, following its ratification to the Convention on Biological Diversity, is an eligible country to the Global Programme and is supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The Department of Environment and Natural Resources, through its Biodiversity Management Bureau, is leading its implementation to further the country efforts to update its Philippine Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plan (PBSAP) and to ensure its targets are revisited and are aligned to the KM GBF. It will also facilitate the development and submission of its 7th National Report.
Under this project, UNDP will hire a Policy Specialist to ensure the proposed amendments reflect multi-stakeholder participation, inclusiveness, transparency, and research-based policy development. The Policy Specialist will also lead the policy component of the NIPAS Master Plan, coordinate with BMB and relevant agencies to vet participants, and provide regular consultation updates. This forms part of the DENR-BMBโs broader effort to address persistent challenges in implementing the ENIPAS Act of 2018, such as legal ambiguities, overlapping mandates, and limited site-specific policy guidance. Beginning in the third quarter of 2025, the BMB will conduct a comprehensive review and consultation process, including five cluster workshops and a national consultation, focused on key themes such as governance, stakeholdersโ rights, sustainable use, and conservation.
C. Scope of Work
Under the supervision of the Technical Lead and in close coordination with the DENR Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB), the Policy Specialist shall be responsible for leading the policy development process related to the amendment of the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System (ENIPAS) Act, as well as overseeing the policy component for the NIPAS Master Plan.
Specific Functions:
With guidance from BMB and the UNDP Climate Action Programme Team, and support of the Project Team,
specifically, the Policy Specialist will:
โข Conduct a comprehensive review of the existing ENIPAS Act and related policies to identify areas for enhancement, alignment, or clarification;
โข Provide inputs to the policy component of the NIPAS Master Plan
โข In coordination with DENR-BMB, design the activity framework for the series of regional and national consultations, to be conducted through the following clusters:
a. Southern Luzon
b. Northern Luzon
c. Visayas
d. Northeastern Mindanao
e. Southeastern Mindanao
f. National Cluster
โข Serve as lead facilitator for all regional and national consultations, ensuring the smooth flow of discussions, active stakeholder engagement, and effective documentation of key issues, insights, and recommendations;
โข Lead the consolidation and processing of consultation outputs, and the development of proposed amendments to the ENIPAS Act, including the formulation of corresponding policy recommendations, in coordination with the DENR-BMB;
โข Provide technical and legal advice during meetings, round table discussions and consultation workshops; and
โข Participate in all related project meetings, workshops and other relevant activities as required.Qualifications of the ConsultantThe Policy Specialist shall demonstrate the following competencies at the required minimum level:Educationโข A Degree in law with relevant experience in policy development.Experienceโข At least (8) eight years' experience as a legal and policy specialist;โข At least (8) eight years' experience in local governance issues;โข At least (5) five years' experience with national and local programs, projects, and initiatives on biodiversity conservation and related areas; andโข Experience in dealing with international and national experts and institutions is an advantageLanguageโข Proficient verbal and written skills in English and Filipino.
Period of assignment/services: fifty-four (54) person days between August 2025 โ 31 March unless revised in a mutually agreed upon timetable between the Consultant and UNDP.
Proposal should be submitted directly in the portal no later than indicated deadline.
Any request for clarification must be sent in writing via messaging functionality in the portal. UNDP will respond in writing including an explanation of the query without identifying the source of inquiry.
Please indicate whether you intend to submit a bid by creating a draft response without submitting directly in the system. This will enable the system to send notifications in case of amendments of the tender requirements. Should you require further clarifications, kindly communicate using the messaging functionality in the system. Offers must be submitted directly in the system following this link: http://supplier.quantum.partneragencies.org using the profile you may have in the portal. In case you have never registered before, you can register a profile using the registration link shared via the procurement notice and following the instructions in guides available in UNDP website: https://www.undp.org/procurement/business/resources-for-bidders. Do not create a new profile if you already have one. Use the forgotten password feature in case you do not remember the password or the username from previous registration.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are core principles at UNDP: we value diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate, we foster inclusion as a way of ensuring all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, and we ensure equity and fairness in all our actions. Taking a โleave no one behindโ approach to our diversity efforts means increasing representation of underserved populations. People who identify as belonging to marginalized or excluded populations are strongly encouraged to apply.
UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Women, individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.
UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.