INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT: COMPLETE TONGA'S MOF DAEA APPLICATION TO THE GCF

Please note that the deadline is based on Korean Standard Time Zone (KST, UTC+9)

INTRODUCTION TO GGGI

The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) is a treaty-based international, inter-governmental organization dedicated to supporting and promoting strong, inclusive and sustainable economic growth in developing countries and emerging economies. To learn more please visit about GGGI web page.

GENERAL INFORMATION

PROJECT BACKGROUND

Pacific Island Countries (PICs) are dispersed across the world’s largest ocean and while generally small in land area, have large oceanic resources and are highly diverse geographically, economically, ecologically and culturally. PICs are highly exposed to the adverse effects of climate change such as tropical cyclones, sea-level rise, droughts and increasing temperatures which are negatively impacting their economies, human and physical capital, and long-term resilient development. Access to finance for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) thus needs to be accelerated and funds mobilized and translated into project implementation with urgency. However, despite some success in project approval, the scale and pace of financial flows in the region is not commensurate with the existential threat posed by climate change to Pacific nations.

A major barrier to access, absorb and deliver climate finance is limited preparedness and capability in key institutions such as government ministries, national funds, regional and nationally nominated entities and development banks. This means that even when climate finance is approved there can be considerable delays in deploying this funding. Lessons learnt from completed climate change projects are also not collated, shared nor proactively utilized to inform new projects. New mandates for fast-tracking climate finance delivery and implementation stemming from COP26 signalled that increased finance flows are about to be available to SIDS. PICs must be able to seize this opportunity. The next five years is therefore critical for unlocking access to finance in PICs and supporting them to strengthen absorption and delivery capacity to enable implementation before 2030.

Organizational Context

The GCF is the largest fund for climate finance established by the United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change (UNFCCC). A global platform investing in a paradigm shift towards low-emission and climate-resilient development, the GCF operates through a country-owned partnership approach and serves as a long-term financial mechanism mandated to make an ambitious contribution to attaining international climate goals under the Paris Agreement.

The Tonga Ministry of Finance (MoF) is one of two Tongan entities nominated by the National Designated Authority (NDA)/focal point[1] to the Green Climate Fund (GCF), to be one of Tonga’s Direct Access Entity (DAE) by completing its three-stage accreditation process (preliminary, stage one and stage two). This will allow the MoF to administer funding and oversee the implementation of climate change projects and programmes. However, the MoF must meet the GCF’s requirements based on strong fiduciary standards, environmental and social safeguards (ESS) and the management of gender-based related risks.

Through the GCF’s Readiness and Preparatory Support Programme, the MoF has started the accreditation process and recently underwent a Gap Assessment by Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC) UK auditing firm, outlining the remaining gaps that need to be completed through the GCF’s Digital Accreditation Platform (DAP). Therefore, we are seeking to recruit a short-term individual consultant to assist the MoF in addressing the GCF’s preliminary questions on its Digital Accreditation Platform (DAP). The consultant will work under the overall supervision of the Deputy CEO/Head of the Aid Management & Resilient Development Division (AMRD), in close coordination with other staff members as well as relevant ministries and participating counterparts.

OBJECTIVES OF THE ASSIGNMENT

The Consultant will lead a comprehensive review of the Ministry of Finance’s application for ‘Direct Access Entity’ accreditation to the GCF on its Digital Accreditation Platform (DAP) and facilitate compliance with the GCF’s requirements based on strong fiduciary standards, environmental and social safeguards (ESS) and the management of gender-based related risks.

To achieve the above the Consultant will deliver the following activities:

Inception phase

(i) Review MoF’s current accreditation status and identify current progress in addressing the latest GCF preliminary questions in the Digital Accreditation Platform (DAP).

(ii) Recommend a workplan for addressing the remaining gaps both in the preliminary accreditation phase and the 2021 PwC Gap Analysis outlining indicative schedule, costs and responsible organisations that would be required to complete the following Accreditation Stages I and II.

Preliminary Accreditation Phase

Address all GCF preliminary questions in the Digital Accreditation Platform (DAP), including:

(a) Building on an existing stock-take of all past and present climate change related projects and programmes managed by the MoF, including classification of the environmental and social risk levels as well as greenhouse gas emissions reductions and/or adaptation impacts.

(b) Identifying and validating the Government of Tonga’s intended GCF project pipeline and complete and upload in the required GCF DAP format.

(c) Develop Implementation Arrangements for the MoF to complete the following Accreditation Stages I and II, this must include:

(d) Address any other gaps identified by the Consultant to ensure successful conclusion of the preliminary accreditation phase.

Capacity building programme for Accreditation Stages I and II

(i) Provide training on the proposed GCF ‘Direct Access Entity’ modality. Capacity building will target MoF’s lead departments and departmental climate change champions, as well as sensitization on climate financing to the Minister and Senior Management team.

(ii) Deliver a final training report including information on stakeholder attendance, assessment of learning outcomes and a press release.

DELIVERABLES AND PAYMENT SCHEDULE

Deliverable

Due Date

% of Payment

Deliverable 1: Final Inception Report and Workplan

1st month

20%

Deliverable 2: Stocktake Reports (current Climate Change Portfolio and GCF Excel Sheet template completed with intended projects seeking GCF resources)

2nd month

30%

Deliverable 3: Implementation Arrangement Report (for completing Accreditation Stages I and II)

3rd month

20%

Deliverable 4: Training Report

4th month

30%

Deliverable 5: Successful Completion of Preliminary Accreditation Phase (upload all required docs to the DAP)

The consultancy is expected to be at least 80 workdays / 4 months total duration based in Tonga. In the case of the consultant NOT being originally based in Tonga – ONE return travel in economy class will be paid as well as per diem and hotel according to GGGI travel rules and regulations.

Reporting Requirements:

EXPERTISE REQUIRED

The description of required expert may be split into following parts:

ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Date to close is 3 July, 2024, 12:00 Korean Standard Time (KST). Applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered. Application, Cover Letter, and CV must be sent in English. A consortium, or a firm may not be engaged for the individual consultant assignment.

Child protection – GGGI is committed to child protection, irrespective of whether any specific area of work involves direct contact with children. GGGI’s Child Protection Policy is written in accordance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child.