Verfahrensangaben

Caribbean ecosystems are exceptionally rich in biodiversity and provide essential services for climate resilience, economic activity and social development. However, biodiversity is declining due to resource overexploitation, habitat loss, unsustainable agriculture, pollution and climate change. Ecosystem values are often insufficiently reflected in decision-making, partly because national assessments and relevant data are lacking. Inclusive assessments are also needed to better understand how different groups, including women, young people, Indigenous Peoples and local communities, use and benefit from biodiversity.

National Ecosystem Assessments (NEAs) are nationally led processes that bring together scientific, government, local and traditional knowledge. They assess biodiversity and ecosystem services, their status and trends, drivers of change, impacts on people and the effectiveness of responses. By addressing national policy questions, NEAs aim to integrate the value of nature into planning and decision-making.

The regional CARIBIO project, "Promotion of regionally harmonised approaches to the protection and sustainable use of biodiversity in CARICOM member states", is financed by Germany"s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by GIZ. Led by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), it runs from July 2025 to June 2028. Its outputs include strengthening CARICOM"s coordination role, promoting NEAs in national development planning and supporting access and benefit-sharing mechanisms in selected member states.

The project builds on the experience of Grenada which conducted the Caribbean"s first NEA in 2019-2023, and on lessons from other countries. The Grenada experience showed the need to adapt guidance to small-island contexts, where published data and national expertise may be limited. It also demonstrated how surveys, interviews, workshops and participatory mapping can complement scientific research and government data, strengthen local ownership and improve the relevance of findings.

Lessons learned will be shared through CARICOM"s sub-regional Technical and Scientific Cooperation Centre, the PANORAMA knowledge platform and the Sub-Global Assessment Network to inform future assessments and regional cooperation.

GIZ and government partners will agree on governance and operational arrangements. The CARIBIO project team will act as the Technical Support Unit, coordinating experts, providing technical support and organising stakeholder meetings and workshops. UNEP-WCMC"s Global NEA Initiative will provide expert support and tailored training. Preparatory work includes organising relevant online and offline resources in a suitable repository and holding launch events in both countries. The events will introduce ecosystem services and their relevance to development planning, help identify priorities and policy entry points and prepare stakeholders for the scoping phase.

Support to the completion of two National Ecosystem Assessments (NEAs), one for Saint Lucia and one for Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, including technical reports and government-reviewed Summaries for Policymakers. The work contributes to CARIBIO"s objective of improving regionally harmonised biodiversity conservation and sustainable use in selected CARICOM member states. It supports the use of NEAs in government development planning and the integration of nature"s value into policy decisions.

Technical expertise is required as well as advice and facilitation in close cooperation with GIZ, the Technical Support Units (TSUs) in both countries and UNEP-WCMC"s Global NEA Initiative. Work will be carried out in English and will build on existing results, particularly the Grenada NEA, and use participatory, gender-sensitive approaches.

Capacity development will be integrated into the process, potentially covering environmental data management, interoperability, spatial analysis, ecosystem-service valuation, scenario modelling and decision-support tools. The assessments will take account of existing projects, data and national monitoring and reporting systems.

Work package 1 - Scoping: In each country, relevant policies, biodiversity information, literature, databases, partnerships and knowledge holders will be reviewed. Key policy questions, ecosystems and ecosystem services, information needs, stakeholders, methods, capacity-building needs and relevant lessons from other NEAs will be identified. Two national kick-off workshops and, where needed, further consultations will help define the scope and stakeholder engagement approach, including ethical considerations and the inclusion of Indigenous and local knowledge. Preparation and finalizing of two scoping reports, with proposed report structures, methods, data sources, operational arrangements and work plans.
Milestones: kick-off workshops, award; stakeholder analysis and engagement plan; capacity-needs and capacity-building plans and finalized scoping reports.

Work package 2 - Technical assessments: Coordination of authors and experts, delivery of relevant training and engagement activities, and synthesizing evidence addressing the agreed policy questions. If agreed during scoping, this may include collecting primary data or using fellows to compile background information. Each assessment will address relevant biodiversity and ecosystem-service status and trends, drivers of change, plausible scenarios and implications for human well-being, monetary and non-monetary values, and response options. Drafts will undergo stakeholder engagement and peer review. The final technical reports should also identify gaps in data and knowledge.

Milestones: chapter outlines and authors agreed; training and workshops; first-draft reviews; both final technical reports.

Work package 3 - Summaries for Policymakers: Translation of assessment findings into concise, accessible policy messages linked to the questions defined during scoping. Draft summaries will be presented to stakeholders and policymakers, highlighting opportunities to incorporate findings into national policy. Support to the review, government approval and finalization of both summaries.
Milestones: draft summaries presented for government approval; final summaries.

Work package 4 - Additional advice and knowledge sharing: Short advisory assignments, each of up to two expert days, on mainstreaming NEA findings, policy uptake, communication, training and regional knowledge sharing. Activities may include advice to governments, participation in working groups, webinars, outreach products, workshops and networking. Supporting the sharing of lessons through CARICOM"s Sub-regional Technical and Scientific Cooperation Centre and relevant NEA networks. Three communication or training products should be available by month 15.

Contributions to the project"s results-based monitoring., accounting and invoicing in line with GIZ requirements; monitoring shall cover implementation, progress against objectives and milestones, results, risks and relevant external developments.Contributions to CARIBIO progress and final reports, share updates in coordination meetings and attend monthly meetings with the project coordinator. Support to knowledge management, relevant contributions to the Sub-Global Assessment Network and project evaluation.

Digital tools and AI may be considered to improve efficiency, but their use must support the credibility, integrity and inclusiveness of the assessments and follow the IPBES Code of Practice on AI. Gender measures must ensure meaningful participation of women, including Indigenous and local women, in decision-making. Women experts and representative organisations shall be engaged, gender differences in knowledge and participation recognized, and practical barriers such as meeting times, transport and childcare be addressed. Diverse methods should be used to ensure that different voices are heard, and that Indigenous and local knowledge receives appropriate recognition.

Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines as described in the Terms of Reference

GIZ may optionally commission contract amendments and/or increases based on the criteria in the tender documents to the successful bidder of this tender. For details, please see the terms of reference.

According to Article 160, Section 3 of the German Act Against Restraint of Competition (GWB), application for review is not permissible insofar as
1. the applicant has identified the claimed infringement of the procurement rules before submitting the application for review and has not submitted a complaint to the contracting authority within a period of 10 calendar days; the expiry of the period pursuant to Article 134, Section 2 remains unaffected,
2. complaints of infringements of procurement rules that are evident in the tender notice are not submitted to the contracting authority at the latest by the expiry of the deadline for the application or by the deadline for the submission of bids, specified in the tender notice.
3. complaints of infringements of procurement rules that first become evident in the tender documents are not submitted to the contracting authority at the latest by the expiry of the deadline for application or by the deadline for the submission of bids,
4. more than 15 calendar days have expired since receipt of notification from the contracting authority that it is unwilling to redress the complaint.
Sentence 1 does not apply in the case of an application to determine the invalidity of the contract in accordance with Article 135, Section 1 (2). Article 134, Section 1, Sentence 2 remains unaffected.

All communication takes place in English via communication tool in the project area of the procurement portal.

GIZ asks the applicant or bidder to submit, complete or correct documents, within the framework laid down by law.

The execution conditions result from the information given in the contract notice and the tender documents.