Consultant- Private Sector Investment and Financing in Disaster Risk Management and Climate Adaptation

Mercy Corps

Details / requirements:

Scope of Work

Mercy Corps Nepal, Zurich Flood Resilience Alliance

Private Sector Investment and Financing in Disaster Risk Management and Climate Adaptation

Background

The private sector is an important factor in disaster risk reduction, and its importance has been highlighted after the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction was adopted in 2015. The role of the private sector varies from corporate social responsibility activities to providing innovative solutions for disaster risk reduction and climate change. As evidence on future climate change impacts and related costs becomes more evident, the role of the private sector has been more prominent in both disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation.

Mercy Corps, Practical Action, and IFRC, partners of the Zurich Flood Resilience Alliance in Nepal, are working to improve policies and increase funding for disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation, especially related to flood resilience. This consultancy will be a key part of our work  on identifying how the private sector can provide services and support, in collaboration with the public sector, to increase the resilience of communities to climate-related disasters such as floods, with the following objectives.

  • Private sector, including SMEs, micro-finance institutions, and cooperatives understand the risk of disasters and the impacts of climate change to their business, value and supply chain, customer base, and employ measures to reduce those risks and maintain business continuity. 
  • Private sector, including SMEs, micro-finance institutions, and cooperatives, understand how they can work with the public sector to contribute to the resilience of vulnerable communities through their business activities, and develop opportunities to conduct such activities.
  • Corporations that have corporate social responsibility (CSR) requirements mandated by the Industrial Enterprise Act and Nepal Rastra Bank circular, understand opportunities to invest in disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate change adaptation (CCA); and develop plans and programs to expand their CSR portfolio to invest in activities that contribute to preparedness for climate- related disasters.

Scope of Work

This assignment will identify opportunities and good practices of i) large corporate businesses; and  ii) medium & small scale enterprises, micro finance institutions, and cooperatives, in investing in/financing disaster risk reduction/climate change adaptation activities that strengthen the resilience of communities. The assignment will highlight the enabling factors for such activities; challenges and opportunities; and recommendations on how good practices can be replicated and scaled, and challenges can be addressed. 

Specifically, this assignment will: 

i)   For large corporate businesses

Identify the challenges faced in financing disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation activities

Examine the existing ways that large corporate businesses take on risk assessment of their own, value/supply chain, and customer base

Investigate and examine the ways to expand the scope of corporate social responsibility in achieving resilience of the vulnerable population

ii)   For medium and small scale enterprises, micro-finance institutions and cooperatives

  • Assess their roles in providing services and products to vulnerable communities, with a focus on small-holder farmers, on disaster risk management and climate adaptation mechanisms.
  • Identify enabling environments and conditions that contribute to successful services and products; and how good practices can be replicated and scaled.
  • Identify barriers, challenges, and opportunities for increased investment from the private sector in disaster resilience.
  • Engage medium, small and micro enterprises, microfinance and cooperatives, and local governments to develop a mechanism that facilitates investment in the sector of disaster risk reduction/ climate adaptation.

Accordingly, the assignment is expected to follow the following steps (to be finalized after discussion): 

i)   Large corporate businesses

  • Map/review ongoing initiatives (both donors supported and private sector-led) in private sector involvement in disaster risk reduction including adaptations made in business operations and service delivery.
  • Illustrate the current private sector supply chains and systems during disaster response and recovery.
  • Identify/map existing tools to help the private sector themselves to identify/assess risks to their own business, supply chains and mitigate risks arising from the disaster and effects of climate change for their business continuity.
  • Identify the actions to be taken by the private sector through corporate social responsibility and their ongoing business activities that will contribute to the resilience of the vulnerable population and communities with defined roles and responsibilities of the private and public sector. 
  • Facilitate discussions and meetings of the private sector and regulatory mechanisms to expand the scope of corporate social responsibility on disaster management and climate adaptation. 
  • Develop potential steps/measures for the private sector to embrace climate-smart and risk-informed approaches to their business and services.

ii)   Medium and small scale enterprises, micro-finance institutions and cooperatives

  • Conduct desk review and interviews to produce reports on good practices of SMEs, microfinance institutions and cooperatives in Nepal risk transfer, risk mitigation, and adaptation mechanisms that are contributing to the resilience of vulnerable populations. The report will provide case studies; identify enabling environments and conditions for success, especially in the rural areas where the service of large-scale enterprises is limited; identify opportunities and challenges; and recommendations for replication and scale.

iii)   For both sectors 

  • Identify incentives or mechanisms for businesses to engage in disaster management and climate adaptation (like; legal and fiscal benefits).
  • Develop advocacy tactics and messages for the private sector, governments, and community-based on the recommendations to promote replication and scale of good practices.  
  • Engage the public and private sector for discussions and dialogue on the current gaps, policy windows, and opportunities for the private sector investment and financing disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation.
  • Collaborate with private sector associations and individual foundations to develop a roadmap for corporate investment in the sector of disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation.
  • Pilot an intervention of private-public sector partnership in co-financing disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation initiatives at the local government level as a model. 

Duration of assignment: 

To start as soon as possible until April 2021, estimated to be 70 working days. 

Deliverables:

For i)   Large corporate businesses:

  • Report: Status Paper/Position Paper on Private Sector Engagement and Investment
  • Brief: Recommendations on how the private sector can consider and invest more in DRR/CCA.
  • Advocacy strategy on how the private sector can consider and invest more in DRR/CCA in Nepal.
  • Workshop design and facilitation guides.
  • Other reports and meeting minutes as specified in the work plan.

For ii)   Medium and small scale enterprises, micro-finance institutions and cooperatives

  • Case Study Report: Good practices of the private sector (corporate, SMEs, and cooperatives) in investing and financing in disaster management and climate adaptation at the community level - includes opportunities, challenges, and recommendations.
  • Advocacy strategy on how the private sector can consider and invest more in DRR/CCA in Nepal.
  • Workshop design and facilitation guides, especially related to piloting an intervention of private-public sector partnership in co-financing disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation initiatives at the local government level as a model. 
  • Other reports and meeting minutes as specified in the work plan.

Qualifications (Individual/Firm) 

  • Demonstrated experience working on local level public-private partnerships. Experience on initiatives specifically related to climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction preferred;
  • Demonstrated experience and networks working with national and sub-national levels business associations, banking sectors, microfinance and cooperative and  insurance companies.
  • Experience working with organizations such as the Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industries, Federation of Small and Cottage Industries, Nepal Chamber of Commerce, Confederation of National Industries, and National Cooperative Federation of Nepal Nepal Bankers Association a plus;
  • Strong analytical and writing skills with the ability to synthesize large amounts of information into concise and descriptive documents a must.
  • Experience in developing CSR strategies for the large corporate sector including banks and financial institutions, insurance companies, microfinance and cooperatives and its mechanism in Nepal. DRR/CCA related CSR initiatives a plus;
  • Excellent stakeholder engagement skills and ability to coordinate with diverse stakeholders such as the federal, provincial, and local governments; private sector organizations; and community level organizations;
  • Understanding of DRR/CCA issues, key stakeholders related to DRR/CCA, and familiarity with relevant policies and frameworks, at least 5 years of experience working on DRR/CCA issues preferred;
  • At least 10 years of experience working with local level development initiatives;
  • At least 3 years of direct experience working with local governments both at rural and urban settings;
  • Excellent analytical and writing skills in both Nepali and English.

Monitoring and Supervision

The consultant will report to the Policy and Advocacy Specialist, Mercy Corps Nepal (Zurich Flood Resilience Alliance) and work closely with other relevant Mercy Corps team members. S/he will also collaborate with Zurich Flood Resilience Alliance partners, Practical Action and International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to receive technical inputs on deliverables.

Required Documents for Submitting the Proposal:

Qualified firms/ Individuals registered on VAT  can send their application to np-procurement@mercycorps.org with the Title "Private Sector Investment and Financing in Disaster Risk Management and Climate Adaptation" along with the following documents by 22 November 2020

  • Financial proposal
  • Technical proposal
  • Company Profile/ CV
  • Relevant Past Experience list 
  • Firm Registration & Renewal certificate 
  • Copy of VAT Registration Certificate 
  • Latest Tax clearance certificate 

Overview

Category Development and Project, Expression of Interests, Tender Notice, Bid
Openings 1
Position Type Contract
Experience Please check details below.
Education Please check details below.
Posted Date 12 Nov, 2020
Apply Before 22 Nov, 2020
City Lalitpur