Request for Expressions of Interest for Consultancy Services

The Green Climate Fund (the “GCF”) was established in December 2010 with the purpose of making a significant and ambitious contribution to the global efforts towards attaining the goals set by the international community to combat climate change. In the context of sustainable development, the GCF will promote a paradigm shift towards low-emission and climate- resilient development pathways by providing support to developing countries to limit or reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and to adapt to the impacts of climate change. The support to the reduction in emissions and adaptation to climate change impact will ensure adherence to Environmental and Social Safeguards (ESS), and extensive consideration of Gender and Indigenous Peoples (IP) issues in all investments of the Fund.

The GCF was designated as an operating entity of the financial mechanism of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (“UNFCCC”). It is governed and supervised by a Board that has the responsibility for funding decisions pursuant to the Governing Instrument for the Green Climate Fund. It is supported by an independent Secretariat, accountable to the Board, having management capabilities to execute day-to-day operations of the GCF, providing administrative, technical, legal and financial expertise. The Sustainability Team within the Division of Country Programming (DCP) of the GCF is responsible for the adherence to the ESS, gender and IP policies of the Fund. The GCF’s headquarters (the Secretariat) are located in Songdo, Incheon City, Republic of Korea.

The Secretariat is intending to employ the services of a firm to support the conduct of environmental and social due diligence, assessment of gender equality and indigenous peoples issues in funding proposals (FP). The support will involve desk reviews of submitted environmental and social safeguards, gender, and indigenous peoples-related documents.

Through this Expression of Interest (EOI), GCF intends to access expertise of a firm in the field of environmental and social safeguards, gender and indigenous peoples. The firm will need to have demonstrated track record in undertaking and providing similar support in the fields considered at various levels including global level. This should also be including Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS). Subsequent to the EOI, GCF will issue Request for Proposal (RfP) for the firm.

2.0 Objectives and Scope of the Assignment

The objective of this assignment is to strengthen the capacity of the GCF and particularly the DCP in its assessment of projects and programmes proposed for funding by the GCF. This will be done by engaging the services of a firm to provide expert advice on the extent to which ESS, gender and IP issues have been considered and incorporated in projects/programmes proposed to be funded or already funded by the GCF.

The scope of the assignment will be advising on FP, and in certain circumstances, concept notes, on an as-needed basis. Each FP will be considered as a separate assignment (subject to a separate request for proposal from firms identified through this EOI). The GCF anticipates that there will be a number of separate requests during the duration of assignment with increasing demand expected going forward.

The work entails supporting the GCF Secretariat in environmental and social due diligence, addressing gender equality and indigenous peoples issues within the projects and programmes proposed for funding. The support will involve desk reviews of the environmental and social safeguards, gender, and indigenous peoples-related documents submitted in support of the FPs and with the following three separate outputs, as maybe requested:

1. 2.1  Environmental and social Due Diligence
   1. 2.1.1  Provide timely expert opinion on the extent to which projects and programmes proposed forGCF funding is able to meet the requirements of the GCF environmental and social

      safeguards (ESS);

   2. 2.1.2  Identify any gaps in the project safeguards, particularly the environmental and socialassessment of projects and programmes and the proposed measures to avoid, minimize and/or

      mitigate identified environmental and social risks and impacts;

   3. 2.1.3  Provide recommendations for addressing any identified gaps and for improving theenvironmental and social performance of the proposed projects and programmes; and
   4. 2.1.4  Undertake expert reviews of component projects and subprojects of approved programmes, projects and financial intermediations to ensure the appropriate exercise of due diligence andcompliance with the approved safeguards framework as well as the GCF ESS.
2. 2.2  Addressing Gender Equality Issues
   1. 2.2.1  Provide timely expert opinion on the extent to which projects and programs proposed forGCF funding is able to address and mainstream gender equality issues within the project/program management cycle by:
      1. (a)  Determining whether there is sufficient gender analysis to identify and respond to theneeds of women and men (and/or those identified as vulnerable) in view of the specific

         climate change issue to be addressed;

      2. (b)  Identifying the drivers of change and gender dynamics in order to achieve theproject/programme adaptation or mitigation goals;
      3. (c)  Identifying and designing specific gender related interventions/activities in theproject/programme with sufficient human and financial resources;
      4. (d)  Identifying and selecting outputs, outcomes, indicators that are disaggregated by sexsupported with clear implementation and monitoring plans.
   2. 2.2.2  Provide recommendations for addressing any identified gaps and for improving themainstreaming of gender issues of the proposed projects and programmes; and
   3. 2.2.3  Undertake expert reviews of components of projects and subprojects of approved programmes, projects and financial intermediations to ensure the implementation of theapproved gender action plans.
3. 2.3  Addressing Indigenous Peoples issues

2.3.1 Provide timely expert opinion on the extent to which projects and programs proposed for

GCF funding is able to foster full respect, promotion and safeguarding of indigenous peoples by:

1. (a)  Ensuring benefits from GCF activities and projects in a culturally appropriate manner;
2. (b)  Ensuring indigenous peoples do not suffer harm or adverse effects from the design andimplementation of GCF-financed activities.

2. 2.3.2  Provide recommendations for addressing any identified gaps and for improving the addressing of indigenous peoples issues of the proposed projects and programmes; and
3. 2.3.3  Undertake expert reviews of components of projects and subprojects of approved programmes/projects and financial intermediations to ensure the implementation of the approved actions on Indigenous peoples.

3.0 Duration of Assignment

The Secretariat wants to engage the services of the firm initially for a year which may be extended at its discretion.

4.0 Request for Expression of Interest

The GCF now invites eligible firms to indicate their interest in providing the services. Interested firms must provide detailed information indicating that they are qualified to perform the services (description of similar assignments, evidence of familiarity with undertaking reviews on ESS, Gender and IP issues in similar conditions, evidence and technical capability, etc.). The Expressions of Interest should include advice and or suggested approach on how the review will be undertaken, team composition and expected inputs from the GCF for execution of the assignment.

5.0 Qualifications of advisory firms

The firm shall have at least 5 years’ experience in conducting similar assignments.

The firm shall consist of people with extensive professional experience in the three issues in climate change sector in the EOI.

The global presence of the firm with experiences in all regions of GCF

6.0 Selection of advising Firms

The firms will be selected through request for proposal, which could be issued after the EOI process in accordance with the procedures set out in GCF Administrative Procurement Guidelines. Information regarding these guidelines can be found at: https://www.greenclimate.fund/documents/20182/574763/GCF_policy_- _Administrative_Guidelines_on_Procurement.pdf/b767d68e-f8b7-46d1-a18c-b6541f3dc0101

Expression of Interest clearly marked “CONSULTANCY SERVICE TO SUPPORT THE REVIEW OF FUNDING PROPOSALS AND CONCEPT NOTES FOR PROJECTS AND PROGRAMMES FUNDING BY THE GREEN CLIMATE FUND ON ENVIRONMENTAL SOCIAL SAFEGUARDS, GENDER EQUALITY AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLES ISSUES” can be submitted at the address below on or before 17:00 hours local time on 11 January 2018. Questions (or requests for clarifications) can be sent to the below email address on or before 26 December 2018.

Green Climate Fund

11th Floor, G-Tower, 175, Art Center-daero Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 406-840
Republic of Korea

Attention: Procurement Specialist
Or through email using the following address; procurement@gcfund.org

Procurement Notice