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Post Description:

Climate Change Portal Consultancy
PACIFIC CLIMATE CHANGE PORTAL TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR AN INITIAL SCOPING STUDY

Background:

In recognition of the potential adverse impacts of climate change in the Pacific region and the negative implications this has for the sustainable development of Pacific island countries, Pacific Island Leaders in 2005 endorsed the Pacific Islands Framework for Action on Climate Change 2006-2015. The Framework provides the region’s guiding vision for enhancing the resilience of the Pacific island people, their livelihoods and environment to the risks and impacts of climate change.

The goal of the Framework is to ensure that Pacific Island peoples and communities build their capacity in relation to climate change with the key objective to deliver on the expected outcomes under the following Principles:

1. Implementing adaptation measures
2. Governance and decision-making
3. Improving our understanding of climate change
4. Education, training and awareness
5. Contributing to global greenhouse gas reduction; and
6. Partnerships and cooperation

The Framework document is annexed as Attachment A.

At the request of Pacific Island Leaders an Action Plan for the implementation of the Framework was developed. The Action Plan provides detail on the steps required and outcomes to be achieved under the Framework. The Action Plan is annexed as Attachment B.

As part of the process of tracking progress on the implementation of the Framework and associated Action Plan, the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) convened a regional climate change meeting, the 2008 Pacific Climate Change Roundtable (13-17 October 2008, Apia, Samoa), which brought together representatives from Pacific island countries, Pacific regional organisations, donors, multilateral agencies and non-government organisations. A list of countries and organisations represented is annexed as Attachment C.

Delegates to the Roundtable began the task of collating a matrix of existing and planned climate change-related activities in the Pacific. It is envisaged that this matrix, once established, will form a crucial element of the proposed Portal.

Existing information and data:

A significant body of information on climate change issues in the Pacific already exists and considerable amounts of data are available from a variety of sources (on and off-line). Pacific-relevant climate information and data is produced by organisations and institutions in the Pacific, but are often not shared in a coordinated manner. Added to this, further information and data, both directly and indirectly relevant to the Pacific, is produced by organisations and institutions outside the region.

A key concern for decision makers, researchers, institutions and organisations in the region is accessing this information in a timely manner and in a useable form. This requires that the information to be provided in a way that can be interpreted and for the user to be able to interpret the information and apply it successfully. The portal will need to provide tools to allow the widest utilization by a large variety of end users, which may require that the portal also be considered in the context of other initiatives in the region on capacity building, such as the SPREP-EC MEA project.

There is a clear need for the Pacific to gain access to existing information and data and to ensure new information and data is made available to decision makers as soon as practicable. Yet, currently there is no region-wide agreed mechanism for collating and disseminating climate-related information in the Pacific.

SPREP, as the organisation with the mandate of “consolidating and distributing information on climate change” in the Pacific islands region, is the logical locus of any effort to provide a single point of access to information and data on climate, climate change and climate variability in the region.

In an effort to bring SPREP’s proposal for a Pacific Climate Change Portal to life, a sub-set of Delegates at the 2008 Pacific Climate Change Roundtable formed a working group to discuss the concept of the Portal, its operational requirements and potential format. The Pacific Climate Change Portal Working Group made recommendations to Roundtable Delegates endorsing the Portal concept and urging the Roundtable to mandate the Working Group to move forward to a scoping phase and exploration of funding options. The Roundtable endorsed the recommendations of the Working Group, resulting in the production of these terms of reference.

Consultancy objectives:

The objectives for this consultancy are to provide:

• SPREP and the Pacific Climate Change Portal Working Group with a business case for the development of a Pacific Climate Change Portal; and
• a range of feasible options for its design and implementation, and from these options to recommend the most effective way forward within the Pacific context.

Methodology:

The Consultant(s) will undertake desktop reviews of relevant literature and information references and data sources, including the project information matrices developed during and after the Roundtable. The Consultant(s) will consult with key stakeholders, including the Working Group members, through email, teleconferencing and possibly attendance at key regional meetings.

Specific tasks:

The consultant(s) shall undertake the following specific tasks:

• Carry out a literature review of relevant literature and information references and data sources, including the project information matrices developed during and after the Roundtable. The Consultant will identify key user groups and beneficiaries, assess the needs of these potential users and how these can be met, including access to and limitations of infrastructure as well as regional capability.
• Develop an inventory of existing websites (including other portals) with information relating to climate change in the Pacific; an analysis of interoperability and compatibility of and with these sites; and identification of institutions and organisations with relevant datasets, products and services.
• Carry out an assessment of other websites and portals, including portals being proposed or that are under development, to gather lessons learned and to make recommendations for the most appropriate options for a Pacific Climate Change Portal.
• Develop a proposal for investigation and identification of possible partnerships with other international portal projects of a similar nature.
• Based on identified user groups and their needs for climate change relevant information, formulate a set of high-level objectives that define the operational structure of the portal.
• Develop a series of feasible conceptual design options for the portal to meet these identified objectives.

The consultants shall then:

• Submit a draft report to SPREP review that summarizes the findings specified under paragraph 16 and provides recommendations for the most effective option that meets the identified user needs in a sustainable manner. The report should also include an outline of key next steps in the design process. The report shall also include a design template for the specifications of the portal concept as an annex.

Required Outputs and Timelines:

• Draft report to be completed by July 31, 2009.
• Technical working group to consult on the draft report, and submit comments by mid-August 2009
• Final report completed by August 29 2009.

Required expertise and inputs:

The Consultant(s) should meet the following requirements:

• Appropriate tertiary educational qualifications and relevant experience;
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience of climate change issues in a Pacific Islands context;
• Proven ability to write and communicate orally in a clear and concise manner;
• Proven ability to meet strict deadlines; and
• Knowledge of relevant information management issues.

Contract duration and timeframe:

This consultancy is to be conducted between May and the end of August 2009. The Draft Report should be submitted to SPREP by 30th July 2009 and the Final Report by 30th August 2009.

Application deadline and requirements:

Submission of proposals responding to this letter of invitation should be received at the SPREP Headquarters by 4:30pm on Thursday 16TH April 2009 (Samoa date and time).

Submissions should include the following:

• A letter of expression of interest;
• A schedule of planned activities and methodology;
• Names of the selected three countries to be visited and an explanation on justifications for choosing those countries;
• A proposed budget, clearly specifying the cost components for travel, consultancy fees, etc;
• Detailed curriculum vitae, including examples of previous work that are of relevance to the objectives of this consultancy;
• Names and contact details of three referees; and
• Date of availability to take up consultancy.

All applications must be addressed and sent to the address below and clearly marked "TENDER FOR CLIMATE CHANGE PORTAL CONSULTANCY":

The Director
SPREP
PO Box 240
Apia, Samoa

An electronic copy of the application is to be sent to this email address: sprep@sprep.org with the subject title “TENDER FOR CLIMATE CHANGE PORTAL CONSULTANCY”.

For further information:

Contact SPREP at the following addresses:

• Phone: +685 21-929 ext 248
• Fax: +685 20-231
• Name & email: Mr Espen Ronneberg, Climate Change Adviser at SPREP at espenr@sprep.org.