CALL FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST

PROJECT TITLE: ASSESSMENT OF THE NATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND CAPACITY FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF MERCURY IN NAMIBIA

1. Background

The Minamata Convention on Mercury is an international treaty designed to protect human health and the environment from anthropogenic emissions and releases of mercury and mercury compounds. The main objective of this treaty is to protect the human health and the environment from anthropogenic emissions and releases of mercury and mercury compounds. Its major highlights include a ban on new mercury mines, the phase-out of existing ones, the phase out and phase down of mercury use in a number of products and processes, control measures on emissions to air and on releases to land and water, and the regulation of the informal sector of artisanal and small-scale gold mining. The Convention also addresses interim storage of mercury and its disposal once it becomes waste, sites contaminated by mercury as well as health issues.

Historically, the convention was a result of three years of meeting and negotiating, after which the text of the Convention was signed by delegates from 140 countries on 19 January 2013. The Convention is named after the Japanese City of Minamata. This naming is of symbolic importance as the city went through devastating incident of mercury poisoning. It is expected that over the next few decades, this international agreement will enhance the reduction of mercury pollution from the targeted activities responsible for the major release of mercury to the immediate environment. The Convention is the latest in the series of chemicals and waste conventions. It follows the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), 12 years after that convention was adopted in 2001.

The convention is not yet in force. The timing on when the obligations become binding to a signatory parties depends on when the country (or regional economic integration organization) ratifies the Convention and when the Convention comes into force. Countries will need to consider that certain obligations under the Convention will require preparatory work since they must be complied with immediately once the Convention enters into force for each of them.

The consultancy is conducted the Africa Institute and funded by the United Nations Environment Programme. The Africa Institute is an inter-governmental organization established primarily to serve the 23 Anglophone African countries on matters of chemicals and hazardous waste management. The Africa Institute is seeking the services of a qualified consultant to undertake a study on assessment of the national infrastructure and capacity for the management of mercury in Namibia.

2. Objective of the Consultancy

The overall objective of this consultancy is to assess the readiness of Namibia to undertake the early implementation of the Minamata Convention that is facilitated by the use of scientific and technical knowledge.

3. Scope of work and Tasks

As the key step in the Minamata development process, one of the first activities before embarking on the establishment of inventories is to review and assess the national capacities (technical, administrative, infrastructure and regulatory). This review and assessment will result in a preliminary identification of national needs and gaps for the ratification and early implementation of the Minamata Convention. The assessments produced under this component will provide Ministries with strong justification for the ratification of the Minamata Convention and prioritization of mercury management on the national agenda. Once the Convention is ratified, this component outputs will be essential to comply with the reporting obligations of the Convention and to monitor its implementation. This component will ensure that the gender issues and the interests of vulnerable populations are fully taken into account in the assessments. This work will:

1. Assess the key national stakeholders, their roles in mercury management and institutional interest and capacities.
2. Analyse the regulatory framework and assessing the regulatory reforms needed for the early implementation of the Minamata Convention in Namibia.
3. Identify the national needs and gaps necessary for the early implementation.
4. Prepare the report on the above mentioned findings.
5. Develop a sound roadmap for the early implementation of the Minamata Convention and ensuring that gender issues are incorporated and vulnerable communities are considered.

4. Output Deliverables

1. Inception Report.
2. 1st Draft Report.
3. Final Draft Report with clear road map for the early implementation.

The inception report shall include (but not necessarily be limited to the following issues):

• An up-dated work plan and timetable.
• List of literature to be reviewed.
• List of stakeholder organizations and key informants to be consulted by the consultant during the study.
• Number, venues and invitees of meetings to be organized with the critical stakeholders in the Namibia by the consultant during the study.
• Structure and outline of the study report to be produced by the consultant during the study.

5. Budget

The Consultant has to present a detailed budget, including VAT, for carrying out the tasks of the study. The budget should include the costs in relevant categories, such as consultancy fees, travel expenses, per diems as well as all other expenses in detail.

6. Time Frame and Reporting

The selected bidder shall be contacted as soon as is practical for a briefing session with the Ministry of Environment and Tourism and the Africa Institute prior to starting the assignment. The selected consultant shall then prepare and submit to Africa Institute for approval an Inception Report which defines the approach and methodology in detail.

7. Required Skills and Experience

The following requirements must be fulfilled by applicants to this consultation:

1. Minimum educational background: Master’s degree in Environmental Management/Science, Natural Science, etc.
2. Professional experience with regional integration processes (at least 10 years of working experience).
3. Past consulting experience in related topic will be an added advantage.
4. Knowledge of national, regional and international legislations including on international conventions will also be an added advantage.

8. Submission of Proposals

All interested and qualified consultants must submit their expression of interest not later than 16.00 local time, Friday July 29, 2016. All proposals must be submitted in a sealed envelope, marked ‘MIA – Component 2 Consultancy’ to the following address:

Attention:

The National Project Coordinator
MIA Project
Department of Environmental Affairs Ministry of Environment and Tourism
Troskie Building
Corner Dr. Kenneth David Kaunda Street / Robert Mugabe Avenue
Private Bag 13306
Windhoek
NAMIBIA

Each proposal should contain the following information:

1. Signed separate technical and financial proposals, submitted in separate sealed envelopes. Financial elements must include details on the bidder’s calculation in form of a price schedule while Technical elements must include a description of the services and the scheduled working methods, a time schedule for the individual measures to be implemented with the earliest possible date for commencing the work, dates for the completion of steps of the project and alternatives for the dates where appropriate.
2. Company experience and past track records on successful similar assignments.
3. A personnel assignment plan with details of the personnel to be engaged in the individual fields of work and their periods of assignment and on the position to be held by the individual experts in the project.
4. Curricula vitae (CVs) of the experts designated for the project.
5. Gender equity is encouraged.

All queries should be addressed to Mr. James Mulolo by emailing him on jmulolo@environment.gov.za or telephone +270123999866.