Independent Consultant/Contractor - Review on CMS existing instruments and projects on Terrestrial Mammals (including bats)

Position:          Independent Consultant/Contractor 

Branch:            United Nations Environment Programme 

Division:          Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) 

SUMMARY STATEMENT OF REQUIREMENT

The contractor is to undertake an evaluation of the operation of instruments and projects on species of terrestrial mammals (including bats) developed under the aegis of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS). The array of CMS initiatives consists of Agreements, Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and concerted and cooperative actions.

 BACKGROUND

The Ninth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CMS (COP9) requested, through Resolution 9.2 paragraph 6, that reviews be undertaken of existing agreements and related projects covering taxonomic groups. These reviews are to be carried out “in the context of the inter-sessional process regarding the Future Shape of CMS initiated by Resolution 9.13”.

The ultimate objective of the Future Shape process is to identify options regarding the potential strategic evolution of CMS and its instruments (CMS Family), on the basis of an assessment of the current organization and functioning of the CMS Family, and the broader international context in which it operates.

An evaluation, which has been undertaken by the Inter-Sessional Working Group on the Future Shape of CMS (ISWGoFS) with support by consultants and was submitted to the 36^th Meeting CMS Standing Committee (2-3 December 2009), already provides an institutional, financial and organisational overview of the CMS Family and some elements of the analysis related to its capacity to carry out activities, its integration and cooperation with other international organisations highlighting strengths and weaknesses of the system.

The CMS Standing Committee has however decided, in consultation with the ISWGoFS and the CMS Secretariat,  that the Future Shape process would benefit from a more in-depth assessment of the functioning of CMS initiatives as well as from an examination of the possibilities of implementing a more integrated conservation programme.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

The main objectives of this exercise are to

1. Briefly review the main threats and conservation issues affecting taxa of terrestrial mammals (including bats) included in CMS appendices;
2. Summarize coverage of existing CMS and non-CMS multilateral instruments/frameworks relevant to the taxa referred to in 1. above;
3. Review the extent to which existing CMS and non-CMS multilateral instruments/frameworks are addressing or not addressing threats/issues identified under 1;
4. Undertake an analysis of strengths, gaps and overlaps between CMS instruments and non-CMS instruments/frameworks, (highlighting strengths of CMS instruments and relationships with non-CMS instruments);
5. Propose options for the better and effective implementation and further development of existing CMS instruments, (including their revision where appropriate and opportunities for collaboration and synergies with other instruments/frameworks);
6. Propose priorities for development, if any, of new CMS instruments or other relevant arrangements or mechanisms to cover major identified gaps.

In the context of this review, the following CMS instruments are to be considered:

-        Agreement on the Conservation of Gorillas and their Habitats;

-        Agreement on the Conservation of Populations of European Bats (EUROBATS);

-        Memorandum of Understanding concerning Conservation Measures for the West African Populations of the African Elephant (Loxodonta africana);

-        Memorandum of Understanding concerning the Conservation and Restoration of the Bukhara deer (Cervus elaphus          bactrianus);

-        Memorandum of Understanding concerning the Conservation, Restoration and sustainable use of the Saiga antelope    (Saiga spp.);

-        Memorandum of Understanding concerning the Conservation of the Southern Huemul (Hippocamelus bisulcus);

-        Action Plan for the Conservation and Restoration of the Sahelo-Saharan Antelopes and their Habitats;

-        Concerted Action for Central Eurasian Aridland Mammals.

 The results are expected to identify advantages and drawbacks of the design and functioning of these initiatives, lessons to be learnt and options, as appropriate, for improvement in achieving their conservation objectives, including possibilities to apply different approaches such as the “Multispecies Initiatives” by grouping the existing initiatives and/or developing new ones under main migratory species groups, or addressing the conservation need via alternative mechanisms and instruments.

 Specifically, the evaluation will take into account the analysis presented in the report of the first step of the Future Shape process and further develop, to the extent possible, the following issues for each initiative and identify possible strengths, synergies, gaps or overlaps:

-          scope of these initiatives, specifically the geographical and species coverage;

-          contribution to the conservation of target species/populations as well as the protection of their habitats;

-          capacity to raise awareness and funds;

-          cooperation with other international/regional organisations and with other interested partners, including business     organisations;

-          suitability of the institutional and organisational setting established under the different initiatives to achieve the goals/objectives defined by the same initiatives ;

-          lessons to be learnt for existing and new initiatives, instruments and projects (including those already in the pipeline),   including possibilities for moving or merging of instruments/instruments into CMS or other regional or multilateral initiatives, change of coordination and name financial, administrative and institutional implications;

METHODS

The review will be based on the following:

-          Review of the current organisation and activities of CMS and the CMS Family undertaken within the First Step of the    Inter-Sessional Future Shape Process;

-          Main relevant literature, to the extent possible, on status of, and conservation action on target species;

-          Institutional documents and outputs of activities (texts of the instruments; papers, resolutions, recommendations and   reports of meetings; relevant websites), including existing assessments of performance or the development of indicators;

-          Administrative and budgetary information related to the operation of these instruments and projects;

-          Written inquiries and interviews, if necessary, to Parties; Ranges States; partner organisations (IGOs and NGOs) and    other stakeholders.

OUTPUT

The contractor shall provide a final report fulfilling the objectives (1-6) identified here above. The report should include an explanation of the purpose of the review, issues and documents evaluated and the methodology used. The report should also underline any methodological limitations, identify major concerns and present evidence-based findings, consequent conclusions and recommendations.

The report will have an indicative length of 50 pages, excluding annexes. It will be written in English with numbered paragraphs and can include charts and tables.

PROGRAMME OF WORK

 The accomplishment of the assignment is expected to require approximately 3 months of work. It will have to be undertaken in the period March-August 2011, according to the following schedule:

 ORGANISATIONAL SETTINGS

The Contract will be managed in accordance with the CMS “Standard Terms and Conditions for Research and Development Contracts”.

The contractor will work in close collaboration with the CMS Secretariat.

The CMS Agreement Development and Servicing Officer and the CMS Scientific & Technical Officer will act as the principal points of contact for the contractor to provide all information that has been identified as necessary or useful basis for the assessment.

 The CMS Secretariat is looking forward to receiving offers, including fee expectations, from interested candidates by 13 March 2011. Please send your offer, together with Curriculum(s) Vitae to: Jeanybeth Mina jmina@cms.int

 For any clarifications concerning these Terms of Reference, you can contact Marco Barbieri  mbarbieri@cms.int   tel. +49-228-8152424