Expert Services on Environmental Safeguards and Impact Assessment

The United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON) invites qualified Contractors to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) to participate in the upcoming tender exercise for the provision of Expert Services on Environmental Safeguards and Impact Assessment to be carried out on UN Environment projects. UN Environment’s Environmental, Social and Economic Sustainability (ESES) Framework (www.UNEnvironment.org/about/eses) is the UN Environment Safeguard Policy since 2015. This Framework sets minimum sustainability standards for UN Environment and its implementing/executing partners, and enables UN Environment to anticipate and manage emerging environmental, social and economic issues. The Framework includes two overarching Principles (precautionary approach and human rights-based approach) and nine specific thematic Safeguard Standards (biodiversity conservation, resource efficiency and pollution prevention, safety of dams, involuntary resettlement, indigenous peoples, labor and working conditions, protection of tangible cultural heritage, gender equality and economic sustainability). It describes the procedural requirements that UN Environment projects need to comply with during project development, review and approval processes, as well as implementation, monitoring and evaluation, partnerships and legal agreements with its implementing/executing partners, stakeholder participation processes and the stakeholder response mechanism. For the above requirement, UNON is seeking for a qualified and reputable Contractor with a proven record in the field of environmental, climate change and chemical impact assessment with a broad global prescence of a network of resources especially in Asia, East Europe, Africa, Latin America and Caribbean regions & countries. The range of functions expected to be carried out by the Contractor shall include: I. Safeguard screening of potential environmental and climate change safeguard risks: II. Impact assessment in the concerned environmental and climate change aspects of UN environment projects: III. Review of the quality of the impact assessments and related management plans: IV. Oversight review or mission during the project implementation. V. Investigation of the compliance or grievance cases: VI. Ad-hoc support on demand. The Contractor should have experience in providing support on a wide range of safe-guard- related tasks in biodiversity, natural habitats and living resources, resource efficiency, climate change, pollution prevention and management of toxic chemicals and wastes. Specifically, the Contractor should have expertise in the following areas: I. Critical or natural habitats or semi-natural habitats or that have such habitats within their potential areas of influence; II. Potential impact on ecosystem services; III. Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Fsheries and, Forestry; IV. Resource efficiency in Water, Energy, or other resources; V. GHG and climate change adaptation during and beyond project intervention; VI. Management of hazardous chemicals, waste and pesticides. The Contract resulting from the subsequent tender is anticipated to be for an initial period of three years with the option to extend for two additional consecutive one year periods (3+1+1).