Request for Proposals (RfP)
Ecosystem / Land Use Mapping Consultancy
IUCN Mozambique Country Office, CBA Project
RfP Reference: IUCN-25-05-P03825
Welcome to this Procurement by IUCN. You are hereby invited to submit a Proposal. Please read the information and instructions carefully because non-compliance with the instructions may result in disqualification of your Proposal from this Procurement.
- REQUIREMENTS
A detailed description of the services and/or goods to be provided can be found in Attachment 1.
2. CONTACT DETAILS
2.1.During the course of this procurement, i.e. from the publication of this RfP to the award of a contract, you may not discuss this procurement with any IUCN employee or representative other than the following contact. You must address all correspondence and questions to the contact, including your proposal.
IUCN Contact: tenders.mz@iucn.org
3.PROCUREMENT TIMETABLE
3.1. The below timetable is indicative and may be changed by IUCN at any time. If IUCN decides that changes to any of the deadlines are necessary, we will contact you.
Publication of the Request for Proposals – 02 June 2025
Deadline for confirmation of intention to bid – 03 June 2025
Deadline for submission of questions – 04 June 2025
Planned publication of responses to questions – 06 June 2025
Deadline for submission of proposals to IUCN – 16 June 2025
Clarification of proposals- 18-20 June 2025
Planned date for contract award – 25 June 2025
Expected contract start date – 01 July 2025
3.2. Please email the IUCN contact to confirm whether you are intending to submit a proposal by the deadline stated above.
4. COMPLETING AND SUBMITTING A PROPOSAL
4.1. Your Proposal must consist of the following three documents:
- Signed Declaration of Undertaking (see Attachment 2)
- Technical Proposal (see Section 4.4 below)
- Financial Proposal (see Section 4.5 below)
Proposals must be prepared in English.
4.2. Your Proposal must be submitted by email to the IUCN Contact (see Section 2). The subject heading of the email shall be [RfP Reference – bidder name]. The bidder’s name is the name of the company/organisation on whose behalf you are submitting the proposal, or your own surname if you are bidding as a self-employed consultant. Your proposal must be submitted in PDF format. You may submit multiple emails suitably annotated, e.g. Email 1 of 3, if attached files are too large to suit a single email transmission. You may not submit your Proposal by uploading it to a file-sharing tool.
IMPORTANT: Submitted documents must be password-protected so that they cannot be opened and read before the submission deadline. Please use the same password for all submitted documents. After the deadline has passed and within 12 hours, please send the password to the IUCN Contact. This will ensure a secure bid submission and opening process. Please DO NOT email the password before the deadline for Proposal submission.
4.3.Eligibility
Donor-imposed eligibility criteria, Not Applicable
4.4.Technical Proposal
The technical proposal must address each of the criteria stated below explicitly and separately, quoting the relevant criteria reference number (left-hand column).
Proposals in any other format will significantly increase the time it takes to evaluate, and such Proposals may therefore be rejected at IUCN’s discretion.
Where CVs are requested, these must be of the individuals who will actually carry out the work specified. The individuals you put forward may only be substituted with IUCN’s approval.
IUCN will evaluate technical proposals with regards to each of the following criteria and their relative importance:
Description
1. Concept and Methodology – Relative Weight 65
1.1 Clarity and completeness of the proposal – Relative Weight 20
Information to provide
Demonstrated technical understanding of what ecosystem indicator measurement entails in the context of conservation and sustainable use. Clear explanation of how the consultant interprets the assignment.
1.2 Proposed approach and methods, including workplan – Realative Weight 45
Information to provide
Detailed description of the proposed methodology for measuring the indicator, including use of geospatial tools (e.g., ArcGIS), remote sensing, and ground-truthing (25) Identification of relevant sub-indicators (e.g., restored area, area under sustainable use) and how they contribute to the main indicator (10) Workplan with timeline, data collection strategy, fieldwork, and reporting (10)
2. Qualifications and Experience of Proposed Consultants- Relative weight 20
Information to provide
Master’s or PhD in Environmental Science, GIS, Ecology, or related field (10) Minimum 8–10 years of experience in ecosystem mapping, conservation M&E, or similar assignments (5)
2.1 Team Leader/Lead Consultant – Relative weight 15
Information to provide
Master’s or PhD in Environmental Science, GIS, Ecology, or related field (10) Minimum 8–10 years of experience in ecosystem mapping, conservation M&E, or similar assignments (5)
2.2 Other Key Experts (if applicable)- Relative weight 5
Information to provide
Relevant experience in GIS, field data collection, conservation monitoring (5)
3. Track Record – Relative weight 15
3.1 Quality and relevance of previous work
Information to provide
At least 3 examples of similar projects, preferably for international organizations or IKI-funded projects (10)
3.2 Reliability and delivery- Relative weight 5
Information to provide
Demonstrated ability to meet deadlines and produce high-quality technical reports (5)
Total marks for technical evaluation 100
4.5. Financial Proposal
4.5.1.The financial proposal must be a fixed and firm price for the provision of the goods/services stated in the RfP in their entirety.
4.5.2. Prices include all costs
Submitted rates and prices are deemed to include all costs, insurances, taxes (except VAT, see below), fees, expenses, liabilities, obligations, risk and other things necessary for the performance of the Terms of Reference or Specification of Requirements. IUCN will not accept charges beyond those clearly stated in the Financial Proposal. This includes applicable withholding taxes and similar. It is your responsibility to determine whether such taxes apply to your organisation and to include them in your financial offer.
4.5.3. Applicable Goods and Services Taxes
Proposal rates and prices shall be exclusive of Value Added Tax.
4.5.4. Currency of proposed rates and prices
All rates and prices submitted by Proposers shall be in Meticais (MZN)
Breakdown of rates and prices
For information only, the price needs to be broken down as follows:
Description Quantity Unit Price Total Price
Detailed breakdown of professional fee
Total Price
4.6. Additional information not requested by IUCN should not be included in your Proposal and will not be taken into account in the evaluation.
4.7.Your proposal must remain valid and capable of acceptance by IUCN for a period of 90 calendar days following the submission deadline.
4.8.Withdrawals and Changes
You may freely withdraw or change your proposal at any time prior to the submission deadline by written notice to the IUCN Contact. However, in order to reduce the risk of fraud, no changes or withdrawals will be accepted after the submission deadline.
5.EVALUATION of PROPOSALS
5.1. Completeness
IUCN will firstly check your proposal for completeness. Incomplete proposals will not be considered further.
5.2.Technical EvaluationYour proposal will be assigned a score from 0 to 10 for each of the technical evaluation criteria, such that ‘0’ is low and ‘10’ is high.
5.2.2. Minimum Quality Thresholds
Proposals that receive a score of ‘0’ for any of the criteria will not be considered further.
5.2.3.Technical Score
Your score for each technical evaluation criterion will be multiplied with the respective relative weight (see Section 4.4) and these weighted scores added together to give your proposal’s overall technical score.
5.3. Financial Evaluation and Financial Scores
The financial evaluation will be based upon the full total price you submit. Your financial proposal will receive a score calculated by dividing the lowest financial proposal that has passed the minimum quality thresholds (see Section 5.2.2) by the total price of your financial proposal.
Thus, for example, if your financial proposal is for a total of CHF 100 and the lowest financial proposal is CHF 80, you will receive a financial score of 80/100 = 80%
5.4.Total Score
Your proposal’s total score will be calculated as the weighted sum of your technical score and your financial score.
The relative weights will be:
Technical: 70%
Financial: 30%
Thus, for example, if your technical score is 83% and your financial score is 77%, you will receive a total score of 83 * 70% + 77 * 30% = 58.1% + 23.1% = 81.2%.
Subject to the requirements in Sections 4 and 7, IUCN will award the contract to the bidder whose proposal achieves the highest total score.
6. Explanation of procurement procedure
6.1. IUCN is using the Invitation Procedure for this procurement. This means that only invited bidders may submit a proposal. IUCN typically invites from four to six bidders to submit a proposal.
6.2. You are welcome to ask questions or seek clarification regarding this procurement. Please email the IUCN Contact (see Section 2), taking note of the deadline for submission of questions in Section 3.1.
6.3. All proposals must be received by the submission deadline in Section 3.1 above. Late proposals will not be considered. All proposals received by the submission deadline will be evaluated by a team of two or more evaluators in accordance with the evaluation criteria stated in in this RfP. No other criteria will be used to evaluate proposals. The contract will be awarded to the bidder whose proposal received the highest Total Score. IUCN does, however, reserve the right to cancel the procurement and not award a contract at all.
6.4.IUCN will contact the bidder with the highest-scoring proposal to finalise the contract. We will contact unsuccessful bidders after the contract has been awarded and provide detailed feedback. The timetable in Section 3.1 gives an estimate of when we expect to have completed the contract award, but this date may change depending on how long the evaluation of proposals takes.
7. Conditions for participation in this procurement
7.1.To participate in this procurement, you are required to submit a proposal, which fully complies with the instructions in this RfP and the Attachments.
7.1.1. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have submitted a complete and fully compliant proposal.
7.1.2. Any incomplete or incorrectly completed proposal submission may be deemed non-compliant, and as a result you may be unable to proceed further in the procurement process.
7.1.3. IUCN will query any obvious clerical errors in your proposal and may, at IUCN’s sole discretion, allow you to correct these, but only if doing so could not be perceived as giving you an unfair advantage.
7.2. In order to participate in this procurement, you must meet the following conditions:
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Free of conflicts of interest
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Registered on the relevant professional or trade register of the country in which you are established (or resident, if self-employed)
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In full compliance with your obligations relating to payment of social security contributions and of all applicable taxes
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Not been convicted of failing to comply with environmental regulatory requirements or other legal requirements relating to sustainability and environmental protection
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Not bankrupt or being wound up
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Never been guilty of an offence concerning your professional conduct
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Not involved in fraud, corruption, a criminal organisation, money laundering, terrorism, or any other illegal activity.
7.3.You must complete and sign the Declaration of Undertaking (see Attachment 2)
7.4. If you are participating in this procurement as a member of a joint venture, or are using sub-contractors, submit a separate Declaration of Undertaking for each member of the joint venture and sub-contractor, and be clear in your proposal which parts of the goods/services are provided by each partner or sub-contractor.
7.5. Each bidder shall submit only one proposal, either individually or as a partner in a joint venture. In case of joint venture, one company shall not be allowed to participate in two different joint ventures in the same procurement nor shall a company be allowed to submit a proposal both on its behalf and as part of a joint venture for the same procurement. A bidder who submits or participates in more than one proposal (other than as a subcontractor or in cases of alternatives that have been permitted or requested) shall cause all the proposals with the bidder’s participation to be disqualified.
7.6. By taking part in this procurement, you accept the conditions set out in this RfP, including the following:
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It is unacceptable to give or offer any gift or consideration to an employee or other representative of IUCN as a reward or inducement in relation to the awarding of a contract. Such action will give IUCN the right to exclude you from this and any future procurements, and to terminate any contract that may have been signed with you.
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Any attempt to obtain information from an employee or other representative of IUCN concerning another bidder will result in disqualification.
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Any price fixing or collusion with other bidders in relation to this procurement shall give IUCN the right to exclude you and any other involved bidder(s) from this and any future procurements and may constitute a criminal offence.
8. Confidentiality and data protection
8.1. IUCN follows the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The information you submit to IUCN as part of this procurement will be treated as confidential and shared only as required to evaluate your proposal in line with the procedure explained in this RfP, and for the maintenance of a clear audit trail. For audit purposes, IUCN is required to retain your proposal in its entirety for 10 years after the end of the resulting contract and make this available to internal and external auditors and donors as and when requested.
8.2. In the Declaration of Undertaking (Attachment 2) you need to give IUCN express permission to use the information you submit in this way, including personal data that forms part of your proposal. Where you include personal data of your employees (e.g. CVs) in your proposal, you need to have written permission from those individuals to share this information with IUCN, and for IUCN to use this information as indicated in 8.1. Without these permissions, IUCN will not be able to consider your proposal.
9. Complaints procedure
If you have a complaint or concern regarding the propriety of how a competitive process is or has been executed, then please contact procurement@iucn.org. Such complaints or concerns will be treated as confidential and are not considered in breach of the above restrictions on communication (Section 2.1).
10. Contract
The contract will be based on IUCN’s template in Attachment 3, the terms of which are not negotiable. They may, however, be amended by IUCN to reflect particular requirements from the donor funding this particular procurement.
11. About IUCN
IUCN is a membership Union uniquely composed of both government and civil society organisations. It provides public, private and non-governmental organisations with the knowledge and tools that enable human progress, economic development and nature conservation to take place together.
Headquartered in Switzerland, IUCN Secretariat comprises around 1,000 staff with offices in more than 50 countries.
Created in 1948, IUCN is now the world’s largest and most diverse environmental network, harnessing the knowledge, resources and reach of more than 1,300 Member organisations and some 10,000 experts. It is a leading provider of conservation data, assessments and analysis. Its broad membership enables IUCN to fill the role of incubator and trusted repository of best practices, tools and international standards.
IUCN provides a neutral space in which diverse stakeholders including governments, NGOs, scientists, businesses, local communities, indigenous peoples’ organisations and others can work together to forge and implement solutions to environmental challenges and achieve sustainable development.
Working with many partners and supporters, IUCN implements a large and diverse portfolio of conservation projects worldwide. Combining the latest science with the traditional knowledge of local communities, these projects work to reverse habitat loss, restore ecosystems and improve people’s well-being.
- ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 1 Specification of Requirements / Terms of Reference
Title: Ecosystem / Land Use Mapping Consultancy
Objective of the Consultancy
This consultancy has the following objective(s):
- To conduct a comprehensive ecosystem / land use mapping exercise to inform community-based adaptation strategies. The mapping will be used as baseline to monitor changes / improvements in land use management and will be a useful tool for influencing.
Background
Project Reference: P03825
Donor reference: DR03825.23
About IUCN
IUCN is a membership Union uniquely composed of both government and civil society organizations. It provides public, private and non-governmental organizations with the knowledge and tools that enable human progress, economic development and nature conservation to take place together.
Created in 1948, IUCN is now the world’s largest and most diverse environmental network, harnessing the knowledge, resources and reach of more than 1,400 Member organizations and around 15,000 experts. It is a leading provider of conservation data, assessments and analysis. Its broad membership enables IUCN to fill the role of incubator and trusted repository of best practices, tools and international standards.
IUCN provides a neutral space in which diverse stakeholders including governments, NGOs, scientists, businesses, local communities, indigenous peoples organizations and others can work together to forge and implement solutions to environmental challenges and achieve sustainable development.
Working with many partners and supporters, IUCN implements a large and diverse portfolio of conservation projects worldwide. Combining the latest science with the traditional knowledge of local communities, these projects work to reverse habitat loss, restore ecosystems and improve people’s well-being.
About the Project
The project “Community-Based Adaptation: Scaling up Community Action for Livelihoods and Ecosystems in Southern Africa and Beyond (CBA-SCALE Southern Africa+)” aims to build climate resilience in around 100 vulnerable communities across Mozambique, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Funded by the International Climate Initiative (IKI) support, the project promotes inclusive, gender-responsive, and nature-based adaptation (NbA) approaches.
The key pillars of the project include: (i) Supporting community-led climate risk management and planning through participatory tools like PCVA (Participatory Climate Vulnerability Analysis) and CAAPs (Community Adaptation Action Plans); (ii) Strengthening local-to-national policy linkages to ensure alignment and funding for adaptation actions; (iii) and Enhancing learning and knowledge exchange at local, national, regional, and global levels.
In Mozambique, the project responds to acute vulnerabilities in both coastal and inland areas, where communities face increasing risks from cyclones, floods, sea-level rise, and environmental degradation. The project: Supports adaptation for communities dependent on climate-sensitive sectors like fisheries and smallholder agriculture; Addresses gaps in local implementation capacity despite progressive national climate policies; and Engages institutions such as the Ministry of Land and Environment and the National Disaster Management Institute to foster a stronger enabling environment for community-based adaptation.
Description of the Assignment
The primary objective of this consultancy is to conduct a comprehensive ecosystem / land use mapping exercise to inform community-based adaptation strategies. The mapping will be used as baseline to monitor changes / improvements in land use management and will be a useful tool for influencing.
The Consultant will use the GIS / Geo data to document the current land use mapping and other ecosystem dynamics in Govuro, Mabote, Inhassoro and Vilankulos districts, in Inhambane Province. The map should provide detailed information on ecosystem types, services, biodiversity, and interactions relevant to community livelihoods and resilience.
Ecosystem Mapping:
- Biodiversity Assessment: Evaluate species diversity, abundance, and distribution. This may involve identifying plant and animal species and assessing their habitats.
- Develop detailed and accurate maps of local ecosystems, illustrating key features, services, and biodiversity.
- Utilize appropriate tools and technologies (e.g., GIS, remote sensing) for mapping and data analysis.
Analysis and Reporting:
- Analyze the data to identify critical ecosystem services, vulnerabilities, and areas for potential adaptation actions.
- Produce a comprehensive report detailing the findings, including maps, data analysis, and recommendations for community-based adaptation strategies.
- Stakeholder Engagement & Dissemination: Facilitate dissemination workshop with local stakeholders to present findings and incorporate feedback into the final deliverables.
Capacity Building of the Project Team:
- Provide training to project team and local stakeholders in Inhambane Province on interpreting and using ecosystem maps for adaptation planning.
Duration of the Assignment
The consultancy is expected to commence on [1st July] and be completed by [15th August]. The total duration of the consultancy is [1 1/2/months].
Deliverables and Activities
The consultant will provide the following deliverables and carry out the following activities:
Deliverable/Activity
1. Inception Report
Description
Outline of methodology, data collection plan, and timeline
Deadline – 5 July
2. Draft Ecosystem Maps
Description
Preliminary maps and analysis for review
Deadline – 20 July
3. Final Ecosystem Maps and Report
Description
Comprehensive final maps and a detailed report including methodology, findings, and recommendations.
Deadline – 10 August
4. Presentation and Workshop Materials
Description
Materials for stakeholder workshop and presentations / guides and resources for local capacity building
Deadline -15 August
Payment Schedule
The Timetable below summarizes the chronological order of deliverables and indicates milestones at which IUCN will pay the Consultant.
Deliverable Milestone payment
5 July 20%
20 July 30%
10 August 30%
15 August 20%
Skills and Experience
The consultant must have the following skills, education and experience as a minimum:
- Proven experience in ecosystem mapping and related fields.
- Expertise in GIS and remote sensing technologies.
- Demonstrated ability to engage with and involve local communities.
- Strong analytical and report-writing skills.
Supervision and coordination
The consultant will report to and work under the supervision of Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Of Mozambique Country Office
Estimated cost of USD 14,000.00
How to Apply:
Kindly send your technical and financial proposals to tenders.mz@iucn.org before COB 16 June 2025.
