Term of Reference
Consultancy Assignment
Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) and Environmental and Social Management
Framework (ESMF) for Mikumi-Selous-Nyerere sub-landscape within the Ruvuma
Transboundary Landscape
Supervised by:
Work location:
Application Deadline:
Duration:
Ruvuma Transboundary Landscape Coordinator
Ruvuma Landscape (Mikumi-Selous-Nyerere sub-landscape)
28nd September 2022
To be agreed with consultant at contracting stage
1. Background of consultancy assignment/ project
The World-Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), the global conservation organization, has a mission to stop
the degradation of the planet’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in
harmony with nature by conserving the world’s biological diversity; ensuring that the use of
renewable natural resources is sustainable; and reducing pollution and wasteful consumption.
Under its global mission, WWF Tanzania Country Office (WWF TCO) works with various partners to
implement its conservation program in Forestry, Marine, Freshwater, Wildlife, Energy, and Climate
in Tanzania. TCO’s partners include central and local government agencies, the private sector, civil
society organizations (CSOs), community-based organizations (CBOs) and local communities.
WWF’s Environmental and Social Safeguards Framework (ESSF) provides an institutional mechanism
to manage the environmental and social risks of WWF’s work, helps deliver better conservation
outcomes, and aims to enhance the social wellbeing of local communities in the places where WWF
operates. The ESSF seeks to improve the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of
WWF activities to secure better conservation by identifying and addressing environmental and
social risks, mindful of the different challenges and needs in other parts of the world. It supports
the systematization of good governance practices to achieve the respect of human rights,
transparency, non-discrimination, public participation and accountability in conservation work
implemented or supported by WWF, among other goals. WWF’s ESSF has been designed to meet
the specific needs of WWF, which is a global network of independent NGOs that operates under a
standard licensing agreement and brand and which pools funds to advance common conservation
objectives.
The ESSF was adopted by the Board of WWF International and the WWF Network Executive Team
(NET) in June 2019 to ensure consistent, comprehensive application of safeguards across the entire
WWF Network.2. Scope of application of the WWF ESSF
Safeguards play a vital role in achieving WWF’s vision. They guide how we engage local communities
to plan and manage our work to improve and protect their lives, rights, and livelihoods while
conserving nature and wildlife. WWF interventions in the landscape/seascape are expected to yield
positive environmental and social outcomes. The implementation of some conservation activities
can result in unintended negative impacts, which makes it crucial to effectively apply safeguards to
identify, avoid and mitigate these impacts. Assessment of environmental and social effects and the
subsequent preparation of appropriate mitigation plans in a participatory manner is an essential
part of this. WWF uses the Environmental and Social Safeguards Framework (ESSF) to identify, avoid
and mitigate these risks, uphold human rights, and ensure conservation projects deliver better
outcomes for communities and nature. We apply safeguards in designing, implementing, and
monitoring all of our activities.
3. Objective of the consultancy
The main objective of this assignment is the preparation of a targeted Environmental and Social
Impact Assessment (ESIA/SIA) and subsequent Environmental and Social Mitigation Framework
(ESMF) that maps how WWF-supported activities in the Ruvuma landscape can meet the
requirements of applicable Safeguard Standards. The consultancy includes development of a
stakeholder engagement plan (SEP) and a gender mainstreaming plan, including giving attention to
the stakeholders most vulnerable to rights violations such as women and children and people living
with disabilities. The consultancy will develop a landscape mitigation framework and monitoring
plan to assess and mitigate potential environmental and social impacts of WWF activities, including
measures to promote gender equality and human-wildlife conflict management.
While this ToR aims to outline the core tasks, the Consultant team shall critically verify the scope of
services indicated and may extend, reduce or amend those services wherever such is deemed
necessary according to his/her own professional judgment and knowledge. Any suggested
amendments to the ToR should be clearly documented within the Consultant team’s submission,
including accompanying justification for the proposed amendments, and must be approved by the
contracting party at WWF.
NDA/Confidentiality
In order for the Consultant to fulfill this ToR, confidential documents will be made available for
review. The Consultant will therefore be required to sign and abide by a non-disclosure agreement
(NDA) that will be included with the formal contract.
On WWF’s E&S safeguards and for avoidance of doubt, the Framework document has been publicly
disclosed but the ten Standards remain confidential, pending a consultation and subsequent
disclosure.4. Scope of work/ Major responsibility
Task 1: Document review, gap analysis, adequacy assessment, and workplan.
A kick-off meeting (virtual) with relevant WWF staff members and review of the available
documentation provided, including strategies, workplan documents; ESSF Standards, and
supporting guidance notes; the completed Safeguard Screening Tool (SST), including comments
provided during the internal peer review; the E&S Categorization Memo, which assigns WWF’s risk
category, summarizes the potential impacts and related safeguards triggered, specifying
requirements for the next stage (further impact assessment, mitigation planning); situation analysis,
socio-economic assessment(s), participatory mapping(s), tenure assessment(s), etc.
a. Following the analysis of this documentation, the Consultant will: identify gaps in baseline
information, review the adequacy of any proposed mitigation (about achieving safeguards
compliance), prepare an inception report (with methodology and workplan). The inception
report will be discussed with the WWF team, amended, and finalized.
b. Preparation of the workplan, with accompanying detailed budget, will form the basis of the
precise terms of the assignment and shall be approved by WWF before starting the work. The
workplan will be routinely reviewed with WWF during the project and adapted to reflect any
change of circumstance.
Task 2: Carry out a stakeholder analysis and develop a stakeholder engagement plan (SEP) for the
ESIA-ESMF.
The Consultant will draw on previous stakeholder engagement analyses and plans where available,
and will analyze national regulatory frameworks on land tenure, including traditional land rights and
obligations to and use of natural resources by different local communities. Jointly with WWF
establish a programme of partner and site visits informed by the inception phase, and identification
of any relevant stakeholders WWF may not have identified to date. Stakeholders to be consulted
considering the following; Area of influence, accessibility, and location, ethnicity, livelihoods,
dependency on natural resources for household livelihoods; and Impact: difference in types of
positive and negative impacts from WWF activities and their spatial distribution. The stakeholder
engagement plan (SEP) should synthesize best practices in stakeholder engagement, including
attention to the stakeholders most vulnerable to rights violations such as issues affecting women
and children and people living with disabilities. Gender should be mainstreamed in this plan. Ensure
adequate documentation of ongoing stakeholder engagement processes and consultations in this
SEP.
Task 3: Carry out field visit(s) and consult with stakeholders on the stakeholder engagement plan.
Site visits and fieldwork shall be conducted in cooperation with WWF project staff and other
relevant authorities and stakeholders. Information shall be obtained from local communities, using,
to the extent possible in the scope of the mission, participatory rural appraisal methods based on a
mix of qualitative and quantitative data collection techniques, including focus group discussions.During the site visits, particular attention should be paid to local public views on environmental and
cultural heritage, and social effects that could be/are imposed by WWF activities as they are already
observable on the ground.
Task 4: Development of the targeted ESIA.
This will fill the gaps in information identified in the inception report and integrate the views and
feedback provided by stakeholders about the potential negative social and environmental impacts
and the appropriate mitigation measures. The impact assessment shall be undertaken by the
Consultant in a structured manner, along with the relevant national legislation and the
requirements of the relevant WWF E&S Safeguard Standards (ESSS), with a particular focus on, but
not limited to; Involuntary Resettlement and Restriction of Access; Indigenous Peoples; Community
Health, Safety, and Security; Protection of Natural Habitats; Physical and Cultural Resources and any
known risks and issues in the Ruvuma landscape.
Task 5: Field visit(s) and engagement with stakeholders to validate the findings of the ESIA and
further discuss the mitigation measures and institutional arrangements for the ESMF.
The Consultant will work with WWF to prepare consultation materials (questionnaires, activities,
and other appropriate supporting materials) and plan the consultations.
Task 6: Drafting the Environmental and Social Mitigation Framework (ESMF).
The Consultant will develop an ESMF framework for managing and mitigating the environmental
and social risks and impacts associated with implementing WWF’s activities in the Ruvuma
landscape. Its content will depend on how issues have been identified during the documentation
review, the field visit(s), and the engagement with stakeholders. To prepare the ESMF, the
Consultant will: propose a set of mitigating actions to address potential adverse impacts highlighted
by the earlier steps; determine requirements (e.g. in terms of capacity, partners and resources) that
need to be in place to ensure that responses to risks are effective and timely; describe the means
for meeting those requirements (including a detailed budget); and an estimate of the period
required for the mitigating action to become effective and a recommendation for the frequency of
status monitoring and review. The ESMF shall be developed in close cooperation with WWF project
staff.
5. DELIVERABLES
i. Inception report with detailed workplan and methodology, and a record of accompanying
discussions with key members of the WWF team;
ii. Stakeholder analysis and engagement plan (including checklists, questionnaires/interview
guides/guiding questions for assessing potential impacts and identifying mitigation
measures);
iii. ESIA with annexes in English (including a non-technical summary);
iv. ESMF with annexes in English (including a non-technical summary);v. Summary report of stakeholder engagement activities and how views influenced the
ESIA/SIA and ESMF (included as an annex to the ESMF);
vi. Final Reports: The Consultant(s) will produce a report summarizing the results of the tasks
undertaken above with supporting documentation, including minutes of meetings, a
summary of the consultation outputs, etc. This will include a soft copy in an external drive.
6. Required profile of the consultancy:
The position is suitable for a consulting firm with team expertise in conducting and advising on
analytical research in environmental and social safeguards and overall natural resource
management. The following specific qualifications must be met:
• A Masters degree or PhD in a discipline that is relevant to environmental safeguards, forest,
wildlife or natural resource management, governance, gender, and human rights issues;
• Knowledge, understanding, and practical implementation of survey methodology that
demonstrates clear cognizance of technical, environmental, and social safeguards
associated with natural resources management;
• Knowledge and understanding of current natural management and governance issues in
Tanzania;
• Experience in accessing various research documents, familiarity with a range of research
and documentation methods, and creation of quality technical reports;
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and use discretion at all times when dealing with sensitive
community and political issues;
• Knowledge of WWF’s work globally and regionally is an asset;
• Fluency in oral and exceptionally written English;
• Cultural awareness and sensitivity to gender and human rights issues.
7. Team composition
The Consultant or firm and their qualifications should have team leaders with credible qualifications
to reflect the scope of services and demonstrate excellent technical and professional capabilities.
The Consultant shall provide a description of tasks to be performed by each team member and
details on the selection and experience of the proposed members about their tasks. WWF
anticipates that proposed team members will include local experts who are nationals with (1) sound
expertise in the country’s legal context and (2) personal knowledge of the Ruvuma landscape and
the communities that reside within it.
8. Budget, payment arrangements and logistics
The Consultant shall estimate the human and other resources required to complete Tasks 1-6 and
the listed deliverables. The financial proposal(s) shall include all costs in Tanzanian shillings for the
elaboration of works, as described above, including consultancy fees and reimbursable costs. The
payment schedule will be determined in agreement with the Consultant at the contracting stage,
and the role of WWF in facilitating the delivery of the consultancy will be agreed with the Consultant
at the same time.
