Tenders Are Invited For Technical Appraisal, Advisory And National Stakeholder Coordination Services For The Project Preparation Grant (Ppg) Phase Of The Gef-Sccf Project

Tenders are invited for Technical Appraisal, Advisory and National Stakeholder Coordination Services for the Project Preparation Grant (Ppg) Phase of the Gef-Sccf Project. Closing Date: 24 Sep 2026 Type: Consultancy Terms of Reference for IUCN Consultancy Technical appraisal, advisory and national stakeholder coordination services for the Project Preparation Grant (PPG) phase of the GEF-SCCF project Blue Carbon Horizons: Strengthening Climate-Resilient Coastal Planning in Mauritius through Blue Carbon for Ecosystem-Based Adaptation (GEF ID 12334) Objective of the Consultancy This consultancy has the following objective(s): Provide technical appraisal and advisory services for the GEF CEO Approval package, including the IUCN Agency project document (prodoc), and all required annexes and relevant analyses for the Mauritius Blue Carbon Horizons project (GEF ID 12334), which would contribute to the achievement of GEF CEO Approval of the medium-sized project (MSP), with submission to the GEF Secretariat no later than 15 February 2027 and CEO Approval within the 12-month window from PIF approval (15 June 2026) required under GEF policy. Lead in-country stakeholder coordination for the PPG phase: mapping and convening national and site-level stakeholders, servicing the National Blue Carbon Task Force, planning and facilitating the consultation programme, maintaining the consultation record, and consolidating national technical inputs and co-financing commitments. Coordinate day to day with the project preparation team (national consultants and the international firm), IUCN, implementing partners, the Ministry of Agro-Industry, Food Security, Blue Economy and Fisheries (Blue Economy Division) and the Ministry of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change. This consultancy is for a national/Mauritius-based consultant and the selected candidate will be referred to as the PPG Technical Adviser and Coordinator. Background Project Reference: GEF SCCF PPG Mauritius (IUCN Project ID: to be confirmed) / Mauritius GEF SCCF (GEF ID 12334) Donor reference: Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF), Window A on Climate Change Adaptation / Global Environment Facility (GEF) About IUCN: IUCN is a membership Union uniquely composed of both government and civil society organisations. It provides public, private and non-governmental organisations with the knowledge and tools that enable human progress, economic development and nature conservation to take place together. Created in 1948, IUCN is now the worlds largest and most diverse environmental network, harnessing the knowledge, resources and reach of more than 1,400 Member organisations and around 15,000 experts. It is a leading provider of conservation data, assessments and analysis. Its broad membership enables IUCN to fill the role of incubator and trusted repository of best practices, tools and international standards. IUCN provides a neutral space in which diverse stakeholders including governments, NGOs, scientists, businesses, local communities, indigenous peoples organisations and others can work together to forge and implement solutions to environmental challenges and achieve sustainable development. Working with many partners and supporters, IUCN implements a large and diverse portfolio of conservation projects worldwide. Combining the latest science with the traditional knowledge of local communities, these projects work to reverse habitat loss, restore ecosystems and improve peoples well-being. www.iucn.org About the Project The project Blue Carbon Horizons: Strengthening Climate-Resilient Coastal Planning in Mauritius through Blue Carbon for Ecosystem-Based Adaptation (GEF ID 12334), co-developed by IUCN and the Ministry of Agro-Industry, Food Security, Blue Economy and Fisheries (Blue Economy Division) of Mauritius together with key national stakeholders, received GEF CEO approval of its Project Identification Form (PIF) and Project Preparation Grant (PPG) on 15 June 2026. It is a medium-sized project (MSP) financed under the Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF-A), with an implementation period of 60 months. The Blue Economy and Fisheries Division is the anticipated Executing Entity. The objective of the project is to enhance the climate resilience of Mauritius coastal communities and ocean-based sectors by enabling a regenerative Blue Economy through the development of a high-integrity knowledge base and the integration of blue carbon and biodiversity-based financial mechanisms into national adaptation and spatial planning frameworks. As a Small Island Developing State whose long-term resilience is closely tied to the health of its coastal and marine ecosystems (mangroves, seagrass beds, coral reefs and coastal forests), Mauritius faces rising sea temperatures, ocean acidification, coastal erosion, pollution and development pressures that are degrading the natural buffers protecting coastal communities and Blue Economy sectors across its 2.3 million km² Exclusive Economic Zone. The PIF identifies a set of barriers that the project is designed to address: a limited operational link between evidence, planning and implementation; an inadequate institutional architecture for integrated blue carbon governance across environment, fisheries, ocean economy, climate change, finance, tourism and spatial planning mandates; limited readiness to mainstream blue carbon into national policy instruments such as the NAP, NDC, NBSAP, ICZM and marine spatial planning; and weak valuation and monetisation of ecosystem services. It also identifies important enablers, including strong national policy momentum, the National Blue Carbon Task Force as an existing coordination platform, regional and international technical partnerships, and private sector exposure to coastal and marine climate risk. https://www.thegef.org/projects-operations/projects/12334 The project will move Mauritius from fragmented ecosystem studies toward a proactive, investment-ready approach to climate resilience, providing a replicable model for SIDS seeking to connect blue carbon science, ecosystem-based adaptation and community stewardship. It is structured around three technical components and a monitoring and evaluation component: Component 1 Strengthening Institutional Capacity and Adaptation Readiness, Governance Frameworks and Knowledge Systems. Establishes the institutional, policy, governance and knowledge foundations for blue carbon. Covers the National Blue Carbon Strategy and Action Plan and mainstreaming into the NDC, NAP, NBSAP, ICZM and Blue Economy and climate finance strategies (Outcome 1.1); a blue carbon and biodiversity finance framework including registry infrastructure and a regenerative Blue Economy taxonomy; national blue carbon assessment guidelines aligned with IPCC guidance, a national MRV system and digital data platform, and science-to-policy reporting mechanisms (Outcome 1.2); and a knowledge management and capacity-building suite with toolkits, training modules, legal and regulatory assessments and a community of practice (Outcome 1.3). Component 2 Strengthening Blue Carbon Ecosystem Mapping, Baseline Inventory and MRV Systems. Generates a national high-resolution spatial map of blue carbon ecosystems (mangroves, seagrass meadows and tidal wetlands) using standardised field survey protocols, and a decision-grade national blue carbon baseline inventory including a geospatial database and ecosystem extent, condition and carbon stock assessments (Outcome 2.1). Component 3 Accelerating the transition to a regenerative Blue Economy. Integrates blue carbon into national and sub-national planning instruments, marine spatial planning, climate finance and coastal zoning frameworks (Outcome 3.1); implements priority restoration and conservation interventions at demonstration sites, operationalises community-based co-management systems, and supports blue jobs and livelihoods across tourism and blue food value chains with targeted inclusion of women and youth (Outcome 3.2); and operationalises blue financial instruments, an investable NbS pipeline with benefit-sharing mechanisms, and a Mauritius Blue Finance for Adaptation roadmap and regulatory framework aligned with TNFD (Outcome 3.3). M&E. A GEF and IUCN compliant project monitoring, evaluation, learning and reporting system, including annual Project Implementation Reports, a Mid-term Evaluation and a Terminal Evaluation. Indicative demonstration and sampling sites are Mont Choisy (north-west coast), Poste Lafayette (east coast), Bain Boeuf (north coast), Le Morne (south-west coast) and Albion (west coast), alongside Rodrigues and offshore areas including Agalega, St Brandon and the Saya de Malha and Nazareth Banks, to be confirmed during the PPG phase. Exact site boundaries, polygons and coordinates will be validated during the PPG through GIS review, field verification and confirmation with the Ministry and the National Blue Carbon Task Force. The project was validated through consultations with the National Blue Carbon Task Force on 2 April 2025, which brought together government institutions, academic partners, civil society organisations and private and technical partners. Those consultations confirmed the projects relevance and identified the need to further define institutional roles, technical capacities and coordination mechanisms during the PPG phase. Coordination is also foreseen with regional and international research programmes, including the IORA Blue Carbon Hub, CSIRO, the WIO Mangrove Network and the Blue Africa network. Technical appraisal and national stakeholder coordination -Mauritius GEF SCCF Project Pre Description of the Assignment As per the GEF and IUCN project cycle, the next and final stage in project development is for IUCN to lead the development and submission of a fully developed GEF CEO Approval request, IUC Tender Link : https://reliefweb.int/job/4228426/technical-appraisal-advisory-and-national-stakeholder-coordination-services-project-preparation-grant-ppg-phase-gef-sccf-project