Request for Proposals (RfP) Technical appraisal and advisory services for the project preparation grant (PPG) phase of the GEF-GBFF project 24 views0 applications

Request for Proposals (RfP)
Technical appraisal and advisory services for the project preparation grant (PPG) phase of the GEF-GBFF project “Advancing Biodiversity Conservation in Terrestrial and Marine Areas through Strengthened Governance and Sustainable Financing in Seychelles”

IUCN Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office, Seychelles – Multilateral Finance Unit
RfP Reference: IUCN-26-02-P05288 – 2

Welcome to this Procurement by IUCN. You are hereby invited to submit a Proposal. Please read the information and instructions carefully because non-compliance with the instructions may result in disqualification of your Proposal from this Procurement.

1. REQUIREMENTS
1.1. A detailed description of the services and/or goods to be provided can be found in Attachment 1.

2. CONTACT DETAILS
2.1. Please address your proposal and all correspondence and questions to the IUCN Contact:
IUCN Contact: [email protected]

3. PROCUREMENT TIMETABLE
3.1. This timetable is indicative and may be changed by IUCN at any time. If IUCN decides that changes to any of the deadlines are necessary, we will publish this on our website and contact you directly if you have indicated your interest in this procurement (see Section 3.2).
DATE – ACTIVITY
11-Feb-26 – Publication of the Request for Proposals
18-Feb-26 – Deadline for expressions of interest
20 Feb-26 – Deadline for submission of questions
22-Feb-26 – Planned publication of responses to questions
25-Feb-26 – Deadline for submission of Proposals to IUCN (“Submission Deadline”)
04-March-26 – Clarification of Proposals
06-March-26 – Planned date for contract award
09-March-26 – Expected contract start date

3.2. Please email the IUCN contact to express your interest in submitting a Proposal by the deadline stated above. This will help IUCN to keep you updated regarding the procurement.

4. COMPLETING AND SUBMITTING A PROPOSAL
4.1. Your Proposal must consist of the following four separate documents:
 Signed Declaration of Undertaking (see Attachment 2)
 Pre-Qualification Information (see Section 4.3 below)
 Technical Proposal (see Section 4.4 below)
 Financial Proposal (see Section 4.5 below)
Proposals must be prepared in English.

4.2. Your Proposal must be submitted by email to the IUCN Contact (see Section 2). The subject heading of the email shall be [RfP Reference – bidder name]. The bidder name is the name of the company/organisation on whose behalf you are submitting the Proposal, or your own surname if you are bidding as a self-employed consultant. Your Proposal must be submitted in PDF format. You may submit multiple emails suitably annotated, e.g. Email 1 of 3, if attached files are too large to suit a single email transmission. You may not submit your Proposal by uploading it to a file-sharing tool.
IMPORTANT: Submitted documents must be password-protected so that they cannot be opened and read before the submission deadline. Please use the same password for all submitted documents. After the deadline has passed and within 12 hours, please send the password to the IUCN Contact. This will ensure a secure bid submission and opening process. Please DO NOT email the password before the deadline for Proposal submission.

4.3. Pre-Qualification Criteria
IUCN will use the following Pre-Qualification Criteria to determine whether you have the capacity to provide the required goods and/or services to IUCN. Please provide the necessary information in a single, separate document.
Pre-Qualification Criteria
1 3 relevant references of clients similar to IUCN / similar work, including 2 in the Seychelles context
2 Confirm that you have all the necessary legal registrations to perform the work based in Seychelles
3 State your annual turnover for the past three years

4.4. Technical Proposal
The Technical Proposal must address each of the criteria stated below explicitly and separately, quoting the relevant criteria reference number (left-hand column).
Proposals in any other format will significantly increase the time it takes to evaluate, and such Proposals may therefore be rejected at IUCN’s discretion.
Where CVs are requested, these must be of the individuals who will actually carry out the work specified.
The individuals you put forward may only be substituted with IUCN’s approval.
IUCN will evaluate Technical Proposals with regards to each of the following criteria and their relative importance:

Criteria description – Information requested from the consultant – Relative weight
1. Individual qualifications and experience relevant to the PPG Technical Adviser & Coordinator role.
Experience supporting GEF (or equivalent) / other donor project preparation/design and GEF CEO Endorsement / other, similar processes
Evidence of direct involvement in GEF / other donor project preparation and design phases, including familiarity with CEO Endorsement requirements, Agency project documents (ProDoc), annexes, results frameworks, budgets, co-financing documentation, and review processes. (20 points)
Experience in technical review, appraisal, and quality assurance of
complex project documentation.
Demonstrated ability to review, synthesise, and quality-assure technical inputs from multiple consultants and stakeholders, ensuring internal coherence, completeness, and compliance with donor and agency requirements (including alignment between narrative, results framework, budget, ESMS, gender and other required annexes). (20 points)
2. Seychelles and other SIDSspecific coordination and stakeholder engagement experience.
Demonstrated experience coordinating or supporting multi-stakeholder environmental projects in Seychelles (strongly preferred). Such experiences in comparable Small Island Developing States (SIDS) or Western Indian Ocean contexts may be included but experience in Seychelles is mandatory.
2.1 Familiarity with Seychelles’ environmental governance architecture and institutions (e.g. MECENR, PA authorities, IUCN Members, conservation and finance entities); (10 points):
2.2 Experience facilitating or supporting national and site-level consultations, workshops, and validation processes; (10 points):
2.3 Ability and demonstrated experience (and expertise) to operate credibly as an in-country coordination focal point. ( 10 points)
3. Understanding of the assignment and feasibility of the proposed approach Clarity, coherence, and feasibility of the proposed approach in demonstrating a sound understanding of the Terms of Reference and the role of the PPG Technical Adviser and Coordinator.
 Clear understanding of the assignment, including explicit recognition of the consultant’s role in coordination, technical appraisal, and quality assurance, and not in drafting the GEF CEO Endorsement Request (5 points);
 Quality and appropriateness of the proposed methodological approach for coordinating inputs, supporting consultations, synthesising stakeholder feedback, and ensuring technical consistency and compliance across project components and annexes in line with GEF, GBFF, and IUCN requirements (15 points);
 Feasibility and realism of the proposed workplan and delivery approach in relation to the ToR deliverables, key milestones, the stated level of effort, and the March–August 2026 peak PPG period, including arrangements for coordination, communication, quality control, and risk management (10 points).
TOTAL – 100%

4.5. Financial Proposal
4.5.1. The Financial Proposal must be a fixed and firm price for the provision of the goods/services stated in the RfP in their entirety.

4.5.2. Prices include all costs
Submitted rates and prices are deemed to include all costs, insurances, taxes (except VAT, see below), fees, expenses, liabilities, obligations, risk and other things necessary for the performance of the Terms of Reference or Specification of Requirements. IUCN will not accept charges beyond those clearly stated in the Financial Proposal. This includes applicable withholding taxes and similar taxation at national level. It is your responsibility to determine whether such taxes apply to your organisation and to include them in your Financial Proposal.

4.5.3. Applicable Goods and Services Taxes
Proposal rates and prices shall be exclusive of Value Added Tax.

4.5.4. Currency of proposed rates and prices
All rates and prices submitted by Proposers shall be in United States Dollars (USD).

4.5.5. Breakdown of rates and prices
For information only, the price needs to be broken down as follows (use, if applicable):

Unit – Quantity – Unit Price – Total Price
A1 – Fees
International expert(s) – Person-day
National expert(s) Person-day
B1 – Per diem
Per diem for international expert(s) – Day
B2 – Local transport (hire) – Day
B4 – International transport
– Visit x Seychelles – Round trip
TOTAL
The heading “B4 – International transport” is intended to cover all access fees for international transport: taxi fares, visa fees, entry or exit taxes, etc.
4.6. Additional information not requested by IUCN should not be included in your Proposal and will not be considered in the evaluation.
4.7. Your Proposal must remain valid and capable of acceptance by IUCN for a period of 90 calendar days following the submission deadline.

4.8. Withdrawals and Changes
You may freely withdraw or change your Proposal at any time prior to the submission deadline by written notice to the IUCN Contact. However, in order to reduce the risk of fraud, no changes or withdrawals will be accepted after the submission deadline.

5. EVALUATION OF PROPOSALS
5.1. Completeness
IUCN will firstly check your Proposal for completeness. Incomplete Proposals will not be considered further.

5.2. Pre-Qualification Criteria
Only Proposals that meet all of the pre-qualification criteria will be evaluated.

5.3. Technical Evaluation
5.3.1. Scoring Method
Your Proposal will be assigned a score from 0 to 10 for each of the technical evaluation criteria, such that ‘0’ is low and ‘10’ is high.

5.3.2. Minimum Quality Thresholds
Proposals that receive a score of ‘0’ for any of the criteria will not be considered further.

5.3.3. Technical Score
Your score for each technical evaluation criterion will be multiplied with the respective relative weight (see Section 4.4) and these weighted scores added together to give your Proposal’s overall technical score.

5.4. Financial Evaluation and Financial Scores
The financial evaluation will be based upon the full total price you submit. Your Financial Proposal will receive a score calculated by dividing the lowest Financial Proposal that has passed the minimum quality thresholds (see Section 5.3.2) by the total price of your Financial Proposal.

Thus, for example, if your Financial Proposal is for a total of CHF 100 and the lowest Financial Proposal is CHF 80, you will receive a financial score of 80/100 = 80%

5.5. Total Score
Your Proposal’s total score will be calculated as the weighted sum of your technical score and your financial score.
The relative weights will be:
Technical: 70%
Financial: 30%
Thus, for example, if your technical score is 83% and your financial score is 77%, you will receive a total score of 83 * 70% + 77 * 30% = 58.1% + 23.1% = 81.2%.
Subject to the requirements in Sections 4 and 7, IUCN will award the contract to the bidder whose Proposal achieves the highest total score.

6. EXPLANATION OF PROCUREMENT PROCEDURE
6.1. IUCN is using the Open Procedure for this procurement. This means that the contracting opportunity is published on IUCN’s website and open to all interested parties to take part, subject to the conditions in Section 7 below.
6.2. You are welcome to ask questions or seek clarification regarding this procurement. Please email the IUCN Contact (see Section 2), taking note of he deadline for submission of questions in Section 3.1.
6.3. All Proposals must be received by the submission deadline in Section 3.1 above. Late Proposals will not be considered. All Proposals received by the submission deadline will be evaluated by a team of evaluators in accordance with the evaluation criteria stated in this RfP. No other criteria will be used to evaluate Proposals. The contract will be awarded to the bidder whose Proposal received the highest Total Score. IUCN does, however, reserve the right to cancel the procurement and not award a contract at all.
6.4. IUCN will contact the bidder with the highest-scoring Proposal to finalise the contract. We will contact unsuccessful bidders after the contract has been awarded and provide detailed feedback. The timetable in Section 3.1 gives an estimate of when we expect to have completed the contract award, but this date may change depending on how long the evaluation of Proposals takes.

7. CONDITIONS FOR PARTICIPATION IN THIS PROCUREMENT
7.1. To participate in this procurement, you are required to submit a Proposal, which fully complies with the instructions in this RfP and the Attachments.
7.1.1. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have submitted a complete and fully compliant Proposal.
7.1.2. Any incomplete or incorrectly completed Proposal submission may be deemed non-compliant, and as a result you may be unable to proceed further in the procurement process.
7.1.3. IUCN will query any obvious clerical errors in your Proposal and may, at IUCN’s sole discretion, allow you to correct these, but only if doing so could not be perceived as giving you an unfair advantage.
7.2. In order to participate in this procurement, you must meet the following conditions:
 Free of conflicts of interest
 Registered on the relevant professional or trade register of the country in which you are established (or resident, if self-employed)
 In full compliance with your obligations relating to payment of social security contributions and of all applicable taxes
 Not been convicted of failing to comply with environmental regulatory requirements or other legal requirements relating to sustainability and environmental protection
 Not bankrupt or being wound up
 Never been guilty of an offence concerning your professional conduct
 Not involved in fraud, corruption, a criminal organisation, money laundering, terrorism, or any other illegal activity.
7.3. You must complete and sign the Declaration of Undertaking (see Attachment 2).
7.4. If you are participating in this procurement as a member of a joint venture,or are using sub-contractors, submit a separate Declaration of Undertaking for each member of the joint venture and sub-contractor, and be clear in your Proposal which parts of the goods/services are provided by each partner or subcontractor.
7.5. Each bidder shall submit only one Proposal, either individually or as a partner in a joint venture. In case of joint venture, one company shall not be allowed to participate in two different joint ventures in the same procurement nor shall a company be allowed to submit a Proposal both on its behalf and as part of a joint venture for the same procurement. A bidder who submits or participates in more than one Proposal (other than as a subcontractor or in cases of alternatives that have been permitted or requested) shall cause all the Proposals with the bidder’s participation to be disqualified.
7.6. By taking part in this procurement, you accept the conditions set out in this RfP, including the following:
 It is unacceptable to give or offer any gift or consideration to an employee or other representative of IUCN as a reward or inducement in relation to the awarding of a contract. Such action will give IUCN the right to exclude you from this and any future procurements, and to terminate any contract that may have been signed with you.
 Any attempt to obtain information from an employee or other representative of IUCN concerning another bidder will result in disqualification.
 Any price fixing or collusion with other bidders in relation to this procurement shall give IUCN the right to exclude you and any other involved bidder(s) from this and any future procurements and may constitute a criminal offence.

8. CONFIDENTIALITY AND DATA PROTECTION
8.1. IUCN follows the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The information you submit to IUCN as part of this procurement will be treated as confidential and shared only as required to evaluate your Proposal in line with the procedure explained in this RfP, and for the maintenance of a clear audit trail. For audit purposes, IUCN is required to retain your Proposal in its entirety for 10 years after then end of the resulting contract and make this available to internal and external auditors and donors as and when requested.
8.2. In the Declaration of Undertaking (Attachment 2) you need to give IUCN express permission to use the information you submit in this way, including personal data that forms part of your Proposal. Where you include personal data of your employees (e.g. CVs) in your Proposal, you need to have written permission from those individuals to share this information with IUCN, and for IUCN to use this information as indicated in 8.1. Without these permissions, IUCN will not be able to consider your Proposal.

9. COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE
If you have a complaint or concern regarding the propriety of how a competitive process is or has been executed, then please contact [email protected]. Such complaints or concerns will be treated as confidential and are not considered in breach of the above restrictions on communication (Section 2.1).

10. CONTRACT
The contract will be based on IUCN’s template in Attachment 3, the terms of which are not negotiable. They may, however, be amended by IUCN to reflect particular requirements from the donor funding this particular procurement.

11. 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.
Headquartered in Switzerland, IUCN Secretariat comprises around 1,000 staff with offices in more than 50 countries.
Created in 1948, IUCN is now the world’s largest and most diverse environmental network, harnessing the knowledge, resources and reach of more than 1,300 Member organisations and some 10,000 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 people’s well-being.
www.iucn.org
https://twitter.com/IUCN/

12. ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 1 Specification of Requirements / Terms of Reference
Attachment 2 Declaration of Undertaking (select 2a for companies or 2b for self-employed as applicable to you)
Attachment 3 Contract Template
Attachment 4 GEF-approved Seychelles PPG request, alternatively available online on the GEF portal:
https://www.thegef.org/projects-operations/projects/12044

Terms of Reference for IUCNConsultancy
Title: Technical appraisal and advisory services for the project preparation grant (PPG) phase of the GEF-GBFF project “Advancing Biodiversity Conservation in Terrestrial and Marine Areas through Strengthened Governance and Sustainable Financing in Seychelles”

Objective of the Consultancy
This consultancy has the following objective(s):
 Provide technical appraisal and advisory services for the GEF CEO Endorsement Request package, including the IUCN Agency project document (prodoc), and all required annexes and relevant analyses for the Seychelles GBFF Project concept (GEFID 12044) which would contribute to the achievement of GEF CEO Endorsement, no later than August 12th, 2026.
 In-country coordination support for the planning, facilitation, and oversight of stakeholder consultation processes, consolidation of technical inputs, and coordination with the project preparation team of national consultants, international firm, IUCN, implementing partners and the Ministry for Environment, Climate, Energy, and Natural Resources.
 This consultancy is for national/Seychelles-based consultant and the selected candidate will be referred to as the PPG Technical Adviser and Coordinator.

Background
Project Reference:
GEF GBFF PPG Seychelles (IUCNID P05288) / Seychelles GEF GBFF (GEFID 12044)
Donor reference:
Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF) / 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 world’s 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 people’s well-being.
www.iucn.org
https://twitter.com/IUCN/

About the Project
The project “Advancing Biodiversity Conservation in Terrestrial and Marine Areas through Strengthened Governance and Sustainable Financing in Seychelles” (GEFID 12044) co-developed by the IUCN and the Ministry for Environment, Climate, Energy, and Natural Resources (MECENR) of Seychelles and key national stakeholders, was approved by the GEF Council on November 19th, 2025.
This project aims to reinforce national capacities, institutional frameworks, and governance mechanisms to support the restoration of terrestrial and marine ecosystems in Seychelles, strengthen the management and sustainable use of protected areas, scale-up effective biodiversity conservation actions and impacts, while creating an enabling environment for innovative biodiversity finance and resource mobilization. This project, aligned with the KMGBF, national biodiversity targets, and the forthcoming Seychelles NBSAP, will build on existing national achievements to address the institutional and financial barriers for biodiversity conservation in Seychelles, and the need for stronger and more equitable management of protected areas, and for more policy aligned and coordinated ecosystem restoration and biodiversity conservation actions. It will, i. support the implementation of the Seychelles Marine Spatial Plan, improve PA management, and develop co-management arrangements; ii. support the restoration of priority wetlands and coral reefs based on national policies and guidelines, support capacity strengthening and building in ecosystem restoration, establish national standards and best practices for Nature-based Solutions and contribute to developing innovative technologies for IAS rodent eradication in island ecosystems; and iii. design and pilot innovative biodiversity finance instruments and tracking tools, while enhancing national capacity for long-term resource mobilisation and management.
Through targeted actions across key Inner and Outer Island sites (specific implementing areas can be found in Attachment 4), the project will establish conditions for scaling-up conservations efforts and capacity, as well as sustainable biodiversity financing, paving the way for broader upscaling under future GEF replenishments.
(please refer to Attachment 4 for the GEF-approved Seychelles PPG request, alternatively available online on the GEF portal: https://www.thegef.org/projects-operations/projects/12044))

The project is divided into the following components:
Component 1: This component focuses on strengthening governance and coordination for PAs management. Key actions include the development of a management plan for Alphonse Group MPA, and a co-management area covering Amirantes to Fortune Banks in Zone 2 of the SMSP which accounts for 16.1% of Seychelles EEZ. A national framework for co-management in PAs will also be designed alongside piloting a co-management model in Seychelles’ first seasonal MPA on Mahe Island. To improve enforcement and coordination, a central compliance database/dashboard will be created to record infractions and track judicial outcomes, and all PA management agencies, authorized officers, and relevant enforcement authorities, will be trained on evidence gathering, conflict resolution, PA regulations, and the new Nature Reserves and Conservancy Act (NRCA), 2022. In addition, a common standard operating procedure (SOP) for SMSP Zones 1 and 2 will be developed, and EIA permit procedures will be updated to align with SMSP codes, supported by scenario based workshops for national stakeholders.

This Component already has pre-identified executing entities.

Component 2: This component focuses on developing national standards and guidelines for the restoration and conservation of critical coastal ecosystems, such as wetlands and coral Reefs and for the implementation and scaling up of Nature Based Solutions (NbS) in the country. A Wetlands Restoration Manual will be created, and restoration interventions will be piloted in three priority wetlands on Mahe Island – Petit Barbarons, Caiman Estate, and Port Launay, while training workshops will build capacity among key stakeholders. Similarly, standardized coral reef restoration guidelines will be adopted based on the Seychelles Coral Reef Restoration Manual. Following training and key equipment provisions, piloting of these guidelines will be conducted at the Sainte Anne Marine National Park and on Cousin Island Special Reserve. A key part of this component is also the development of NbS standards for Seychelles, providing certification-oriented training, and creating an enabling environment for NbS scale-up. Lasty, this component includes the development of innovative technologies to enable rodent eradication on islands with extensive mangrove areas. Eradication of invasive mammals is a highly effective and long-term nature-based solution to boost climate change resilience on islands, improving marine as well as terrestrial biodiversity, and the robustness and integrity of island ecosystems. The development of these technologies is an essential step towards national application and potential replication on other islands worldwide.

This Component already has pre-identified executing entities.

Component 3: This component strengthens long-term financing for conservation through the design and pilot of two innovative finance instruments, the establishment of a national Access and Benefit- Sharing (ABS) mechanism for genetic resources, and the organization of training and exchanges consolidating critical capacity and fostering new partnerships. These actions will strengthen SeyCCAT’s role and capacity as a national hub for long-term biodiversity finance and conservation trust fund management. This component will also support short to medium term financing models, through piloting of sustainable partnership models and replicable mechanisms for private investment in ecosystem restoration. These include a coral restoration private sector charter, and a sustainable coral aquaculture business enterprise based on a Coral Reef Restoration Business Plan. Additionally, a national tracking system to monitor progress on GBF targets and national biodiversity investment will also be developed. These actions are aligned with ongoing national efforts to meet the finance gap for both biodiversity and climate objectives in the country.

This Component already has pre-identified executing entities.

Component 4: Monitoring and evaluation – focuses on developing tools to monitor the project’s performance, efficiency and impact of project interventions. It involves a participatory and comprehensive M&E framework is designed and operationalised to track project impact on governance of marine and terrestrial protected areas, critical ecosystems restoration and conservation (including IAS action), capacity strengthening, and development of instruments, frameworks, and partnerships for sustainable biodiversity financing and resource mobilisation.

Total budget
Source of Funds (GBFF)- GEF Agency(IUCN) – Focal Area Source(GBFF) Amount (in US$)
Project Financing (2,979,888.00) + Project Financing Agency Fee (268,190.00) + Project Preparation Grant (PPG)(150,000.00) + Project Preparation (PPG) Agency Fee(13,500.00) = 3,411,578.00
Total GEF Resources – 3,411,578.00

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 Endorsement Request, IUCN project document and all required annexes and relevant analyses that contribute to achieve GEF CEO Endorsement. To ensure compliance with GBFF PPG duration, IUCN seeks to achieve GEF CEO Endorsement no later than August 12th, 2026.

Through this consultancy, IUCN is seeking to recruit a national PPG Technical Adviser and Coordinator to provide technical appraisal and advisory services, as well as coordination support, during the GEF GBFF PPG phase in Seychelles for the project, ultimately supporting the submission of a technically robust and compliant GEF CEO Endorsement package to the GEF Secretariat. The PPG Technical Adviser and Coordinator will serve as a key focal point for coordination and strategic technical guidance, facilitating the integration, review and quality assurance of technical inputs from national stakeholders, supporting the organization and facilitation of consultation processes, and ensuring the delivery of high-quality, technically sound inputs that meet stakeholder expectations and IUCN and GEF requirements.
The role will not involve drafting the CEO Endorsement Request, which will be undertaken under a separate consultancy; rather, the Adviser will be responsible for coordinating inputs, providing technical review and advice, and ensuring alignment, coherence and technical consistency across project components, working closely with MECENR, IUCN staff, the recruited consultants, and the preidentified co-executing agencies throughout the process.

Key responsibilities
The PPG Technical Adviser and Coordinator will play a central, cross-cutting role in the coordination and oversight of all PPG activities. While not responsible for drafting the CEO Endorsement Request, the Coordinator will ensure the coherence, technical quality, and timely delivery of all inputs contributing to its preparation and will provide technical appraisal and peer review of the CEO Endorsement package and related annexes.

Responsibilities include:
• Serve as the primary coordination focal point for all PPG stakeholders, including IUCN, MECENR, the international and national consultants, and administrative support staff.
• Lead the preparation and implementation of a detailed PPG workplan and methodology, developed in close collaboration with the project design and preparation consultants (PPG Consultants), and aligned with GEF, GBFF and IUCN standards and timelines.
• Provide coordination support to the selected project design and preparation consultants, including those covering thematic areas such as biodiversity financing, environmental economics, ecosystem restoration, Nature-based Solutions, protected areas management and sustainable and equitable use, climate change, and stakeholder engagement. Ensure that their inputs are delivered on time, technically sound, and coherent across project components.
• Ensure quality control of all national-level deliverables and technical contributions prior to their integration by the project design and preparation consultants into the CEO Endorsement Request and annexes.
• Synthesize and organize inputs from national stakeholders, facilitating their effective integration into successive drafts of the CEO Endorsement Request by the project design and preparation consultants. The PPG Technical Adviser and Coordinator is not responsible for drafting the proposal but plays a critical role in aligning and validating national contributions.
• Support the planning and facilitation of stakeholder consultations at national and local levels (including inception, consultation and validation workshops), in close collaboration with IUCN and MECENR.
• Review and provide technical input on key supporting documents, including baseline and feasibility studies (in particular biodiversity-related studies), safeguards planning and ESS documentation, stakeholder engagement plans, and other annexes required for the CEO Endorsement Package, ensuring consistency with national priorities and project objectives.
• Facilitate the collection, verification and consolidation of co-financing commitments, in coordinating with IUCN, MECENR, pre-identified co-executing agencies and key partners, and ensuring that the cofinance documentation meets GEF requirements.
• Provide regular progress updates to IUCN and MECENR, proactively flagging risks and bottlenecks and proposing mitigation measures to keep the PPG process on track.
• Support the final packaging and submission of a complete, coherent and high quality CEO Endorsement Request package, including all required annexes.
• Carry out any other relevant tasks, as requested by IUCN or MECENR, in support of the efficient and successful delivery of the project’s PPG phase.

Duration of the Assignment
The consultancy will run from 27 February 2026 to 12 December 2026. The assignment includes up to 30 days of input, with the majority of time allocated between March and August 2026 to support the preparation and submission of the full-sized project to the GEF. The remaining period, expected to run from August to December 2026, will cover the GEF review and approval process, during which the consultant may be called upon to coordinate the collection of ad hoc technical inputs and ensure that responses to reviewers’ and GEF Task and/or Project Manager’s comments are delivered within GEF timelines and are technically sound, including, where required, consultations with stakeholders and IUCN internal experts.

Deliverables
The consultant will provide the following deliverables and carry out the following activities, in coordination with IUCN, MECENR, and the project design and preparation consultants/team:

KEY DELIVERABLE 1: Development of a draft PPG workplan and methodology, including consultation and logistical needs, and co-coordinate preliminary consultation meetings between IUCN, MECENR and the Co executing Agencies, as well as the kick-off meeting with the chosen project design/preparation consultants and key stakeholders This deliverable will establish the analytical and operational foundations of the PPG phase. It entails the development of a draft preliminary PPG workplan and methodology setting out the overall approach, sequencing of activities, consultation strategy, and logistical arrangements required to deliver the CEO Endorsement package within GBFF timelines. As the overall assignment will include the co coordination of preliminary consultation meetings between IUCN, the Ministry of Environment, Climate, Energy and Natural Resources (MECENR), and the Co-executing Agencies, as well as the facilitation of a kick-off meeting with the selected project design and preparation consultants and the above stakeholders , the objective is to ensure early alignment on roles, expectations, timelines, and quality standards, and to provide a common reference framework guiding all subsequent PPG activities.

KEY DELIVERABLE 2: Inception Workshop coordination support, participation technical review and synthesis of Inception workshop outcomes and PPG strategy
Review the outputs of the Inception Workshop and associated final strategy documents (final methodology, stakeholder engagement plan, site visit plans, etc.). Provide a concise synthesis note outlining key recommendations for follow-up actions and confirming alignment with GEF, GBFF and IUCN expectations, including any early issues requiring adjustment during the PPG phase.

KEY DELIVERABLE 3: Consolidated technical review and synthesis of consultations.
Review the baseline reports, studies and technical inputs submitted by the PPG design and preparation consultants/team. Provide consolidated technical feedback, verify alignment, completeness and internal coherence, and flag any gaps or issues requiring clarification prior to integration into the CEO Endorsement Request and annexes. Support the PPG design and preparation consultants/teamby structuring and organising inputs to facilitate their integration into the first draft of the CEO Endorsement Request, while ensuring consistency with the project context and stakeholder expectations.

KEY DELIVERABLE 4: Technical oversight for national and project target sites consultations
Provide any technical support required for consultation processes at national and site level. Cofacilitate, when required, the consultation meetings/workshops and ensure technical consistency of subsequent drafts of the GEF CEO Endorsement Request package with a focus on coherence across components, alignment with GEF/GBFF requirements, and consistency between the narrative, results framework, budget and annexes. Where needed, technical appraise of the outputs from the PPG design consultants/firm to ensure high quality, technically sound inputs into the pre-final GEF CEO Endorsement Request package.

KEY DELIVERABLE 5: Validation Workshop coordination support, participation and technical support to ensure finalisation and submission of the GEF CEO Endorsement Package to GEF Secretariat
Coordinate technical preparations for, and participate in, the national Validation Workshop. Based on stakeholder feedback and the pre-final GEF CEO Endorsement Request package, support the PPG design and preparation consultants/team in integrating final national inputs into the final GEF CEO Endorsement Request and annexes, and in ensuring timely, high-quality submission of the complete GEF CEO Endorsement Package.

Payment Schedule
The timetable below summarises the chronological order of deliverables and indicates milestones at which IUCN will pay the consultant.
Deliverable – Expected date of delivery – Milestone payment
Deliverable 1 – Upon submission of first draft of PPG workplan and methodology and meeting notes for first stakeholder engagement meetings/kick-off meetings. – 14/03/2026 – 10%
Deliverable 2 – Upon submission and acceptance of the Inception Workshop synthesis and the consolidated review of PPG design and preparation consultants/team’s interim deliverables. – 27/03/2026 – 10%
Deliverable 3 – Upon submission of the consolidated technical review and synthesis of baseline reports, studies and technical inputs prepared by the project preparation consultants, including documented technical feedback, verification of alignment, completeness and internal coherence, and identification of gaps or issues requiring clarification prior to integration. This deliverable is achieved once inputs have been structured and organised to support their integration by the chosen project design and preparation consultants into the first draft of the GEF CEO Endorsement Request and annexes, ensuring consistency with the project context and stakeholder expectations. – 27/04/2026 – 30%
Deliverables 4 – Upon provision of technical oversight and support to national and project target-site consultation processes, including co-facilitation of consultation meetings and workshops where required, and documented technical appraisal of successive drafts of the GEF CEO Endorsement Request package. This deliverable is achieved once technical consistency, coherence across components, alignment with GEF and GBFF requirements, and consistency between the project narrative, results framework, budget and annexes have been verified and any required technical recommendations communicated to the chosen project design and preparation consultants for incorporation into the pre-final GEF CEO Endorsement Request package. – 27/0620256 – 30%
Deliverable 5 – Upon coordination of technical preparations for, and participation in, the national Validation Workshop, and provision of technical support to the consultants’ team to integrate final stakeholder inputs into the final GEF CEO Endorsement Request and annexes. This deliverable is achieved once the complete GEF CEO Endorsement Request Package has been technically validated, finalised and submitted to the GEF Secretariat in a timely manner and in accordance with GEF, GBFF and IUCN requirements. – 10/08/2026 – 20%
– All products will be paid once delivered to IUCN and MECENR complete satisfaction.
– Disbursements will depend on the availability of funds from the donor.

Skills and Experience
 Master’s degree in natural resource management, environmental sciences or policies, or a related field.
 At least 6 years of experience in managing or coordinating projects related to biodiversity conservation, ecosystem restoration, or climate change.
 Prior experience coordinating multi-stakeholder environmental projects in Seychelles, preferably involving international donors (GEF experience is a strong asset).
 Proven ability to lead technical teams, synthesize complex inputs, and align outputs with donor requirements.
 Strong facilitation and communication skills, including the ability to engage constructively with diverse stakeholders and manage multi-stakeholder discussion
 Fluency English (spoken and written) is required.
 Fluency in Creole Seychellois is a strong asset.
 Excellent writing and document review skills; strong proficiency in Microsoft Office tools.

Supervision and Coordination
The consultant will report to and work under the supervision of the IUCN ESARO GEF/GCF Regional Portfolio Manager and closely collaborate with the IUCN ESARO Coastal and Ocean Resilience Programme Manager (Seychelles).
The consultant will be expected to work in close collaboration with the PPG design and preparation consultants/team recruited for the preparation of the GEF CEO Endorsement Package.
The work will require coordination with IUCN senior staff based in Headquarters and in the Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office, IUCN staff based in Seychelles, and close collaboration with the Seychelles Ministry of Environment, Climate, Energy, and Natural Resources (MECENR), key national stakeholders, and co-executing entities.

Declaration of Undertaking in Relation to Request for Proposals (RfP) Technical appraisal and advisory services for the project preparation grant (PPG) phase of the GEF-GBFF project “Advancing Biodiversity Conservation in Terrestrial and Marine Areas through Strengthened Governance and Sustainable Financing in Seychelles”
I, the undersigned, hereby confirm that I am an authorized representative of the following
organization:
Registered Name of Organization (the “Organization”):
Registered Address (incl. country):
Year of Registration:
I hereby authorize IUCN to store and use the information included in the attached Proposal for the purpose of evaluating Proposals and selecting the Proposal IUCN deems the most favorable. I acknowledge that IUCN is required to retain the Proposal in its entirety for 10 years after then the end of the resulting contract and make this available to internal and external auditors and donors as and when reasonably requested.
Where the Proposal includes Personal Data as defined by the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), I confirm that the Organization has been authorized by each Data Subject to share this Data with IUCN for the purposes stated above.
I further confirm that the following statements are correct:
1. The Organisation is duly registered in accordance with all applicable laws.
2. The Organisation is fully compliant with all its tax and social security obligations.
3. The Organisation and its staff and representatives are free of any real or perceived conflicts of interest with regards to IUCN and its Mission.
4. The Organisation agrees to declare to IUCN any real or perceived emerging conflicts of interests it or any of its staff and representatives may have concerning IUCN. The Organisation acknowledges that IUCN may terminate any contracts with the Organisation that would, in IUCN sole discretion, be negatively affected by such conflicts of interests.
5. None of the Organisation’s staff has ever been convicted of grave professional misconduct or any other offence concerning their professional conduct.
6. Neither the Organisation nor any of its staff and representatives have ever been convicted of fraud, corruption, money laundering, supporting terrorism or involvement in a criminal organisation.
7. The Organisation acknowledges that engagement by itself or any of its staff in fraud, corruption, money laundering, supporting terrorism or involvement in a criminal organisation will entitle IUCN to terminate any and all contracts with the Organisation with immediate effect.
8. The Organisation is a going concern and is not bankrupt or being wound up, is not having its affairs administered by the courts, has not suspended business activities, is not the subject of proceedings concerning those matters, or in any analogous situation arising from a similar procedure provided for in national legislation or regulations.
9. The Organisation complies with all applicable environmental regulatory requirements or other legal requirements relating to sustainability and environmental protection.
10. The Organisation is not included in the UN Security Council Sanctions List, EU Sanctions Map, US Office of Foreign Assets Control Sanctions List, or the World Bank listing of ineligible firms and individuals. The Organisation agrees that it will not provide direct or indirect support to firms and individuals included in these lists.
11. The Organisation has not been, is not, and will not be involved or implicated in any violations of Indigenous Peoples’ rights, or injustice or abuse of human rights related to other groups or individuals, including forced evictions, violation of fundamental rights of workers as defined by the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Declaration on the Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, child labour, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment.

< Name and position of authorised representative of the Proposer>

Declaration of Undertaking in Relation to Request for Proposals (RfP) Technical appraisal and advisory services for the project preparation grant (PPG) phase of the GEF-GBFF project “Advancing Biodiversity Conservation in Terrestrial and Marine Areas through Strengthened Governance and Sustainable Financing in Seychelles”
I, the undersigned, hereby confirm that I am self-employed and able to provide the service independent of any organisation or other legal entity.
Full name (as in passport):
Home or Office (please delete as appropriate) Address (incl. country):
I hereby authorise IUCN to store and use the information included in the attached Proposal for the purpose of evaluating Proposals and selecting the Proposal IUCN deems the most favorable, including Personal Data as defined by the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). I acknowledge that IUCN is required to retain my Proposal in its entirety 10 years after the end of the resulting contract and make this available to internal and external auditors and donors as and when reasonably requested.
I further confirm that the following statements are correct:
1. I am legally registered as self-employed in accordance with all applicable laws.
2. I am fully compliant with all my tax and social security obligations.
3. I am free of any real or perceived conflicts of interest with regards to IUCN and its Mission.
4. I agree to declare to IUCN any real or perceived emerging conflicts of interests I may have concerned IUCN. I acknowledge that IUCN may terminate any contracts with me that would, in IUCN sole discretion, be negatively affected by such conflicts of interests.
5. I have never been convicted of grave professional misconduct or any other offence concerning my professional conduct.
6. I have never been convicted of fraud, corruption, money laundering, supporting terrorism or involvement in a criminal organisation.
7. I acknowledge that engagement in fraud, corruption, money laundering, supporting terrorism or involvement in a criminal organisation will entitle IUCN to terminate any and all contracts with me with immediate effect.
8. I am not included in the UN Security Council Sanctions List, EU Sanctions Map, US Office of Foreign Assets Control Sanctions List, or the World Bank listing of ineligible firms and individuals. I agree that I will not provide direct or indirect support to firms and individuals included in these lists.
9. I have not been, am not, and will not be involved or implicated in any violations of Indigenous Peoples’ rights, or injustice or abuse of human rights related to other groups or individuals, including forced evictions, violation of fundamental rights of workers as defined by the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Declaration on the Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, child labour, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment.