Advance Action on Recruitment of Consultants

Invitation for Submission of Expression of Interest (EOI)

Consulting Services for Livelihood Improvement and Capacity Building of Ethnic Minority Communities in Central Vietnam

Country/Borrower: Socialist Republic of Viet Nam

Project: Livelihood Improvement of Vulnerable Ethnic Minority Communities Affected by the Song Bung 4 Hydropower Project in Quang Nam Province, Vietnam financed by Japanese Fund for Poverty Reduction (JFPR)

Executing Agency : Quang Nam Peoples Committee , Tam Ky town, Quang Nam Province

Grant Amount : $ 2.0 million out of which approximately $ 400,000 is allocated for the consultancy services

Objective & Scope :
ADB is preparing the Song Bung 4 Hydropower Project that will be presented to ADB Board of directors together with this proposed JFPR grant for approval. The Song Bung 4 Project is located in the Nam Giang District which has a high level of poverty (over 50%) and the Zuoih commune which would be relocated has a poverty rate of over 72% based on the national poverty line. There is a high degree of poverty (over 50%) in the downstream areas as well. As the Project developer of Song Bung 4 Hydropower Project, EVN is committed to compensate the quantifiable losses and restore the lost livelihoods. Most of the people in this area belong to Ca Tu ethnic minority group and have livelihoods mainly based on forest products and swidden agriculture. The goal of the JFPR Grant financed activities is to complement the compensation paid by EVN and to improve the living standards and reduce the prevalence of poverty of the people affected by the proposed Song Bung 4 Hydropower Project The JFPR grant will support;
  1. adaptation of the relocated villagers in their new natural and social environment
  2. development of land use and agricultural practices, pond fish raising, livestock breeding, community forestry management, and additional income generation opportunities;
  3. increasing and strengthening the capacity of the ethnic minority people through a participatory approach to enable the stakeholders to take a key role in livelihoods development
  4. increasing the competence and capacity of district and province level staff and organizations in resettlement management and livelihood restoration.
Implementation Arrangements :

The Quang Nam Provincial Peoples Committee (QNPPC) is the Executing Agency for the JFPR grant and will have the overall responsibility ensuring the resettlement activities are implemented in accordance with Provincial guidelines and the approved Resettlement Plan. The Nam Giang District Peoples Committee (NGDPC) is responsible for resettlement, compensation and livelihood improvement activities of the people affected by the reservoir inundation in Zuoih and Ta Binh communes. The Hydropower Project Management Board No. 3 (HPPMB 3) of Vietnam Electricity (EVN) will be working closely with NGDPC in implementing the EVN financed resettlement and compensation activities. For this purpose Resettlement Management and Implementation Unit (RMIU) will be set up under NGDPC having representatives from both NGDPC and HPPMB 3. The JFPR grant financed activities will also be implemented by the RMIU and the JFPR Consultants will be working in an advisory capacity to RMIU. The commune and village level resettlement committees will be set up under the District RMIU and the JFPR consultants are expected to play an active role in setting up these committees and training their members.

There is a component under the JFPR grant to assist the communities affected due to downstream impacts in Dai Loc District. The JFPR consultants are required to work closely with the Dai Loc District Peoples Committee in implementing this component.

Consulting Services :

A Non - Governmental Organization (NGO) or Consulting Firm with strong presence in Vietnam will be recruited to provide the consulting services to implement the proposed JFPR grant. A team of national experts consisting of following specializations are required for meeting the requirement of the TOR:
  1. Community Development & Ethnic Minority Specialist
  2. Gender Specialist
  3. Crop Specialist for highland agriculture
  4. Livestock Specialist
  5. Inland fisheries specialist
  6. Non farm income generation specialist and
  7. Village based community mobilizes.
The total consulting input is estimated to be approximately 150 person months of national experts.

Download the detailed Terms of Reference.

The Expressions of Interests should be submitted by 13 September 2007 addressed to
Pradeep Perera
Room 6433
South East Asia Department
Asian Development Bank
pperera@adb.org

Date of Advance Action Approval: 26 October 2006