REDD+ Feasibility Consultant for Morodok Baitang Project (Remote)

The USAID-funded Morodok Baitang project in Cambodia, implemented by Tetra Tech International Development (www.tetratech.com/intdev), is currently accepting expressions of interest for a REDD+ Feasibility Consultant to evaluate the feasibility of REDD+ projects in several locations in Cambodia. The position can be remote from the candidate’s home office but requires site visits in Cambodia both in Phnom Penh and to multiple protected areas.

The goal of the Morodok Baitang project is to conserve Cambodia’s unique biodiversity, reduce land-based sources of carbon emissions in support of national goals, and improve accountable and equitable economic development. REDD+ projects have been identified as an important market-based mechanism to achieve this goal. The Feasibility Consultant will evaluate the feasibility of REDD+ in one or more sites in Cambodia, including an assessment of the operational, technical, financial and legal feasibility of the project. If feasible, the study will inform the development of Project Design Documents (PDD). The assignment will take place between August 1, 2022 and October 31, 2022.

Responsibilities:

*****Develop a compliance checklist as the basis for material and design review and perform a desk review of all relevant project information, including project design, documents and materials, assessing all project materials against the checklist.

* Develop and provide a list of possible assessment materials to be used for the study, as well as supplemental independent research.

* Conduct four-day minimum site visits to each Protected Area and a three-day minimum visit to Phnom Penh; develop and negotiate site-visit agendas to verify material conclusions and fill knowledge gaps.

* Interview proposed project management teams, stakeholders and key government officials, development partners, multilateral development banks, NGO stakeholders, and key national government officials from the REDD+ Taskforce and REDD+ Secretariat.

* Identify, document and review proposed project activities and collect supplemental materials, including national REDD+ activities, policies, initiatives, and plans relevant to nested REDD+ and/or project REDD+

* Conduct a gap assessment of design, nesting options, and compliance market opportunities; review existing jurisdictional data to determine compatibility with VCS AFOLU and JNR requirements; assess project design options against national framework, JCM, ART TREES and CARM Tropical Forest Standard.

* Conduct a financial assessment of crediting for the Northern Plains region; using available information including FREL, carbon stock data and proposed REDD+ activities, estimate projections of emissions reductions over a 30-year project lifetime; estimate price for crediting and technical development costs in a cash flow.

* Enumerate all assumptions and conduct a sensitivity analysis.

* Draft technical report containing the results of the operational, technical, financial and legal/policy feasibility assessment.

Qualifications:

• Education: A relevant Master’s degree or PhD in a relevant discipline to the responsibilities above.
• A minimum of five years post-qualification professional experience in forestry, conservation, or international development sectors.
• Experience with REDD+ project implementation and/or design and/or validation required.
• Sound knowledge of carbon market, REDD+ benefit distribution systems, and credit certification requirements is required.
• Experience working with USAID projects is an advantage.
• Experience gathering input and perspectives from diverse stakeholders within government, NGOs, and communities, through interviews, focus groups, and other approaches is required.
• Written and spoken fluency in English. Knowledge of Khmer or other languages in use in project sites is a plus.
• Experience and knowledge of the Cambodian conservation and forestry sector is preferable.