Call for Expression of Interest (EOI): Conduct Carbon Sequestration Assessment

CALL FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST (EOI)

June 2024

Terms of reference

Project Activity: Conduct Carbon Sequestration Assessment 

Duration: Up to a maximum of 30 calendar days 

1. Project Overview

Action Against Hunger | Action Contre la Faim (ACF) is an international humanitarian organization committed to ending child hunger. Recognized as a leader in the fight against malnutrition, Action Against Hunger saves the lives of malnourished children while providing communities with access to safe water and sustainable solutions to hunger. As a non-governmental, non-profit organization, we are committed to principled humanitarian action as outlined in our International Charter of Principles: independence, neutrality, non-discrimination, free and direct access to affected populations, professionalism, and transparency. In coordination with Sahara Nepal (Local NGO), ACF, funded by Neuflize, has initiated the project implementation in wards 1, 4, and 8 of Belaka Municipality of Udaypur Nepal, from August 2022 to July 2024. The main objective of the project is to ensure disaster-resilient livelihoods and enhance food security (improved Household Dietary Diversity) among the most vulnerable households of the Udaypur district through innovative Value Chain development of bamboo, mushroom, and Neglected and Under-utilized Crop Species (NUCS). 

One unique value addition from promoting bamboo in the project is that bamboo is one of the fastest growing, annually regenerating species and has been proven to provide climate change mitigation and adaptation benefits. Due to its fast growth and short rotation period, bamboo has been known to have a higher annual capacity for carbon (C) sequestration per hectare (ha) than fast-growing trees under comparable conditions and is widely regarded as a perfect plant for sequestering carbon. Consequently, it is expected to play a significant role in climate change mitigation and poverty reduction.

2. Objective of the Assignment

The primary objective of this study is to assess the carbon sequestration potential of bamboo plantations and establish a baseline for project. The specific objectives are followings:

• To measure/estimate the amount of carbon stored in both bamboo biomass and soil;
• To evaluate the growth rates and biomass accumulation over time, and understanding the ecological benefits of bamboo as a sustainable carbon sink to address the impacts of climate change;
• To compare the carbon sequestration potential of bamboo plantations with other natural or farmer-owned bamboo stands;
• To provide valuable insights into optimizing bamboo cultivation for maximum carbon sequestration

3. Scope of the Work

The scope of work for this study encompasses several critical activities aimed at achieving the primary objective of evaluating the carbon sequestration potential of bamboo plantations and establishing a baseline. The study will involve extensive fieldwork to measure and quantify the carbon stored in bamboo biomass from three major carbon pools (i.e., above-ground biomass, below-ground biomass, and litter) at various plantation sites. This will include regular monitoring to assess growth rates and biomass accumulation over time. The study will conduct comparative analyses between plantation bamboo and naturally occurring or farmer-cultivated bamboo to evaluate differences in carbon sequestration efficiency. Soil sampling and laboratory analysis will be conducted to determine the carbon content in the soil. Ecological assessments should be performed to understand the broader environmental benefits of bamboo as a sustainable carbon sink. The research will also include the development of a comprehensive report detailing the selection of methods, tools, and measurement steps in the field to provide accurate data, results, and implications for future bamboo plantation initiatives.

4. Key Responsibilities

• Conduct field assessments to identify bamboo tree species suitable plantation areas;
• Identify and critically analyze relevant scientific and technical literature, including academic journals, reports, and other relevant publications, to document best practices in carbon assessment in the bamboo forest;
• Estimate carbon sequestration from bamboo tree species with comparative analysis of locally applied and internationally recognized methodologies and tools, such as from the Inter governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) criteria, INBAR etc; 
• Analyze the data collected from the field assessments and estimate the carbon sequestration potential of each bamboo tree species;
• Provide a draft report summarizing the methodology used, the results obtained, and the recommendations for the number of bamboo plants per hectare needed;
• Conduct validation and dissemination workshops among relevant stakeholders and incorporate feedback in the report;
• Submit final report

5. Deliverables

• Inception report with methodology and plan of action;
• Draft report after field assessment;
• Relevant photograph, data sheet/data base; 
• Final report.

6. Key Requirements

• The Consultant should have Master’s Degree in Forestry/Environmental Science or relevant discipline having extensive working experience in climate change mitigation;
• At least 5 years of experience working for carbon assessment, carbon offset, climate change, and agriculture in Nepal;
• Solid understanding of scenario of bamboo and fodder trees in Nepal, as well as their contribution to carbon sequestration; 
• Be familiar with national and international standards, protocols and tools for carbon assessment through forestry sector and apply these methodologies in estimating and reporting carbon sequestration from fodder trees;
• Knowledge about the practices of climate change mitigation and challenges in Nepal, particularly related to Green House Gas (GHG) emissions and climate change impacts will be preferred

7. Evaluation Criteria

The procurement committee will evaluate the proposals submitted to ACF Nepal, based on a pre-determined criteria using weighted scoring method. Technical and Financial Criteria will be provided with the following weightage.

Technical Criteria: 70% 

Financial Criteria: 30%

8. Application Procedure

• ACF Nepal will select applications from consultancy firms/ teams or individual.  
• Approaches that incorporate creative methodologies to draw out and document learning are welcomed. 
• Applications must include: 
  • Curriculum Vitae (CV) for all proposed individual or team members
  • Organizational document (registration, VAT/PAN, profile, audited report and tax clearance certificate )
  • Cover letter outlining how the consultant/s meet the person specification, confirmation of availability in the timeframe indicated, and contact details for three professional referees 
  • Technical proposal – outlining methodologies and plan for assessment with timeframe and an outline of the roles and responsibilities of each member of the consultancy team, 
  • Financial proposal – including daily rate and all costs in relation to travel, accommodation and other expenses related to assessment 
  • 2 sample of a similar piece of work previously conducted in the relevant field

Interested firms/teams or individual can apply to procurement@np-actionagainsthunger.org with subject as “Application for CO2 EOI” by 24 June 2024, 17:00 hours Nepal Standard Time. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. 

ACF Nepal reserves the right to reject any or all applications. Telephonic enquiries will not be entertained. 

Action Against Hunger | Action Contre la Faim (ACF) is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from women, people with disabilities and members from disadvantaged/underrepresented ethnic groups.