with the Ministry of Economic Planning, Sustainable Development, Industry, Labour and Information for Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Transcription

1 with the Ministry of Economic Planning, Sustainable Development, Industry, Labour and Information for Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 21 February 2017 NDA Strengthening & Country Programming

2 PAGE 1 OF 10 (Please submit completed form to countries@gcfund.org) Executive Summary (in one page) Country (or region) Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Submission Date 14/12/2016 NDA or Focal Point Contact Point (both NDA/FP and delivery partner) Ministry of Economic Planning, Sustainable Development, Industry, Information and Labour NDA/FP contact Name: Laura Anthony Browne (Mrs.) Position: Director of Planning cenplan@svgcpd.com Full Office Address: Ministry of Economic Planning, Sustainable Development, Industry, Information and Labour 1 st Floor Administrative Building Bay Street, Kingstown Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Tel: Fax: cenplan@svgcpd.com Decima C. Corea (Ms.) Deputy Director of Planning Ministry of Economic Planning, Sustainable Development, Industry, Information and Labour Kingstown Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Tel: Fax: dcorea@svgcpd.com; cenplan@svgcpd.com Readiness Area/s 1. Strengthening the capacity of the National Designated Authority (NDA) or Focal Point (FP) 2. Developing a strategic framework for engagement with the Green Climate Fund (GCF), including preparation of a country programme

3 PAGE 2 OF 10 The Government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines has identified climate change as a development challenge in its National Economic and Social Development Plan (NESDP) Specifically, Development Goal No. 4 - Improving Physical Infrastructure, Preserving the Environment and Building Resilience to Climate Change - seeks to address this challenge. Further, one of the strategic interventions highlights public education and awareness of the potential negative effects of climate change. In order to ensure that Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is well positioned to access climate financing, it is important that the requisite capacity be built and that strong systems be in place, so that coordination of funds are improved, ultimately leading to attainment of national goals and objectives. Request Summary (in 200 words) The Focal Point/NDA s ability to effectively perform its role as GCF coordinator is constrained by a number of factors. These include: a) limited understanding within the FP/NDA of the operational policies of the GCF and the respective roles and responsibilities; b) absence of a strategic framework which will act as the main guide for the FP/NDA s engagement with the GCF. Accordingly, the GCF readiness and preparatory proposal will attempt to address these two (2) constraints. The main objective of the project is to bolster Saint Vincent and the Grenadines readiness to access and receive climate financing mainly through capacity building. This will be done through: i) building the capacity within the office of the FP/NDA which has the responsibility for overall coordination of activities related to engagement with the GCF; and ii) developing a strategic framework for engagement with the GCF, which is consistent with national priorities. The activities leading to the attainment of the objectives will be executed mainly through training of staff in the FP/NDA to strengthen capacity to perform its role vis a vis the GCF, develop a communication strategy for engagement with the GCF, establish mechanisms for stakeholder consultations and the development of a country strategic framework. Based on the requirements of the GCF, this readiness proposal is consistent with activities 1 and 2 - Strengthening the capacity of the NDA or FP and the development of a strategic framework for engagement with the GCF. Anticipated Duration Estimated total cost 01/02/ /07/2018 (18 months) US$300,000.00

4 PAGE 3 OF 10 SECTION A: RATIONALE FOR REQUEST A.1 Background Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, a small island developing state (SIDS), is an archipelagic state in the Eastern Caribbean. The country is comprised of the main island, Saint Vincent while the Grenadines consists of 32 islands and cays, of which seven are inhabited, Bequia, Mustique, Canouan, Mayreau, Union Island, Palm Island and Petit St. Vincent. The total area of the country is 150 square miles (389 km 2 ), of which Saint Vincent is 133 square miles (344km 2 ). The population of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is estimated at 109,991 with a life expectancy at birth of 74.9 years and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita of US$6, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is considered a lower-middle income country with a small open economy that is highly vulnerable to external shocks and natural disasters. Economic activity in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines showed signs of recovery in 2015 relative to Preliminary estimates indicate that real Gross Value Added (GVA) increased by 0.6 percent, following growth of 0.2 percent in This movement was largely on account of growth in construction, manufacturing and financial intermediation. Reliance on the agriculture sector as the main contributor is slowly shifting. In recent times, other sectors including tourism, construction, manufacturing, financial intermediation and real estate, renting and business services have become increasingly important as contributors to the national economy. Specifically, the tourism sector continues to generate income through the creation of jobs and the receipt of foreign exchange earnings. Visitor arrivals in 2015 totalled 206,662 up from 204,934 in The increase in visitor arrivals induced an improvement in visitors' expenditure of 3.6 percent to EC$ million. Meanwhile, total public debt in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines increased over the period Preliminary estimates for 2015 accounts for total debt of 79.8 percent of GDP. According to the 2007/2008 Country Poverty Assessment (CPA), 2.9 percent of the population lived in abject poverty, 30.2 percent was below the poverty line, while 48.2 percent of the population was considered to be vulnerable. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is very dependent on the resilience of its natural resource base - which supports key economic sectors and activities such as agriculture, fisheries and the environment to the impacts of climate change, climate variability and land degradation. Over the last decade, increased coastal erosion, droughts, floods and landslides have negatively affected livelihoods in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. More specifically, within the last five (5) years, the country has suffered from adverse weather events, notably, hurricane Tomas in October 2010; excessive rains and resulting landslides in April 2011; a Christmas Eve storm in 2013 and two prolonged droughts in early 2010 and In terms of economic impact, the 2013 Christmas Eve storm resulted in total loss of US$108.4 million (EC$291.4 million), equivalent to 15% of the country s GDP. Most of the flood damage was sustained in the infrastructure sector (97%) - followed by the social and productive sectors 1. With per capita GDP among the lowest in the Caribbean, severe weather events caused by anthropogenic climate change could restrict economic growth and development. The Government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines ratified the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 1996 and the Kyoto Protocol in In 2015, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines developed and submitted its Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC) to the UNFCCC. In this document, the government pledged to achieve an unconditional, economy-wide reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of 22 percent by 2025 compared to its business-as-usual (BAU) scenario. Meanwhile, international support for a Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Action (NAMA) will be sought for the transport sector. Further, there are several projects being implemented to address elements of climate risk and resilience in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the largest of which is the Pilot Programme for Climate Resilience (PPCR). The PPCR proposes to enhance climate risk management through four areas of intervention: climate vulnerability, risk assessments and risk reduction; data collection, analysis and information management; strengthening of existing policy, legal and institutional framework; and, design and implementation of a public education capacity building programme. Although the PPCR has far reaching climate risk management implications, there are several gaps which the project does not cover. For instance, 1 Rapid Damage and Loss Assessment (DaLA), December 24-25, 2015 Floods. A report by the Government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. (January 16, 2014).

5 PAGE 4 OF 10 considerable work needs to be done on the impact of climate change on the health sector the impact of climate change on the health of the Vincentian population and the additional resources which would be required for strengthening the health infrastructure. A.2 Justification for request The Government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines has identified the Director of Planning in the Ministry of Economic Planning, Sustainable Development, Industry, Information and Labour, as the focal point for GCF-related activities. The Ministry is responsible for, inter alia, (i) implementing the UNFCCC; (ii) coordinating climate change initiatives; (iii) aligning climate change efforts of various government agencies; and (iv) providing support to negotiations at regional and international climate change fora. The Ministry has a long history of implementing programmes and projects with other development partners such as the World Bank, the European Union, the Caribbean Development Bank, Global Environment Facility (GEF), the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). Notwithstanding, this will be the first time that it will be engaging with the GCF to obtain climate financing as it relates to adaptation and mitigation efforts. As a consequence, with funding from the readiness programme of the GCF, the NDA/FP will be able to build the requisite technical capacity needed to perform its roles and responsibilities. This will include improvement in the coordination of multiple stakeholders in a cross section of projects as it relates to the provision of accurate and timely information on the GCF and receive feedback on proposed projects. In addition, with the completion of a country programme, the NDA/FP would be better able to align the GCF requirements with national, regional and international development plans. The main aim is to ensure that the projects and programmes which are identified and selected to be submitted for funding are closely aligned with national priorities and GCF criteria. The readiness support will assist the NDA/FP of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in addressing the issues which will allow for the effective execution of its mandate. It will also enhance the capacity of the Ministry to strengthen its ability to collaborate with other agencies. Finally, the NDA/FP is well-positioned as the agency with responsibility for macro-economic planning and with enhanced capacity will be able to maximise synergies from ongoing programmes and projects. N SECTION B: SCOPE OF WORK B.1 Description of activities The Government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines has identified climate change as a development challenge in its National Economic and Social Development Plan (NESDP) Specifically, Development Goal No. 4 - Improving Physical Infrastructure, Preserving the Environment and Building Resilience to Climate Change - seeks to address this challenge. Readiness area 1: Strengthening the capacity of the NDA or Focal Point (FP) The main purpose of the support is to build the capacity within the office of the FP which has responsibility for overall coordination of activities related to engagement with the GCF within Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The activities to be undertaken, with assistance from consultants to be procured, as part of the readiness request include: i) Strengthening the FP/NDA s capacity to carry out its roles and responsibilities. Strengthening will be achieved through engagement in active communication with the GCF and all stakeholders, and through training provided to the NDA staff to: - strengthen knowledge on climate change and finance priorities - establish capacity and systems to monitor, evaluate and report on the activities of the GCF and other relevant finance mechanisms and institutions - develop operational guidelines for the functioning of the FP/NDA and to use these operational

6 PAGE 5 OF 10 guidelines - fully understand the roles and responsibilities of the NDA/FP - ensure coherence between funding proposals and national priorities - provide nomination letters to entities seeking accreditation - establish a no-objection procedure for funding proposals ii) iii) iv) develop a communication strategy for engagement with the GCF by all stakeholders; coordinate national stakeholder consultations to include, among other things, identification of investment priorities; other activities may be added in accordance with the GCF s defined scope of works for strengthening of the FP/NDA. Readiness area 2: development of a strategic framework for engagement with the GCF i) develop a country programme which is consistent with the NESDP , the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), the National Environment Management Strategy (NEMS) and other policy and strategic documents; ii) iii) iv) review existing policy and strategic documents and identify and reduce gaps; identify opportunities for the private sector to execute the programming priorities of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; identify programmes and projects, including public-private partnerships, consistent with the GCF s initial investment framework; v) Identify synergies between the GCF and other development partners; vi) Conduct stakeholder consultations on investment priorities. B.2 Expected results At the end of the readiness project, the capacity of the FP/NDA will be strengthened to allow for effective communication with the GCF and relevant stakeholders. In particular, the mechanisms for consultation, project identification and public awareness of national development policies and plans will be enhanced. Additionally, the projects identified for GCF funding will be consistent with the development objectives of the NESDP This will be country-driven and contribute to more meaningful development of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. SECTION C: BUDGET (include total cost and share of GCF funding) Category Amount (in US$) Package 1 only Amount (in US$) Package combined Consultant fees 113, ,000 Travel & per diem of consultants 34,000 40,000 Workshops (training, venue, catering, travel, per diem, materials, etc.) 93, ,800 Other (incl. audit costs) 5, , Contingency 8, , Project management fees (up to 10%) Grand Total 255, ,000.00

7 PAGE 6 OF 10 SECTION D: IMPLEMENTATION PLAN D.1 Implementation arrangements The Ministry of Economic Planning, Sustainable Development, Industry, Information and Labour has responsibility for implementing the readiness programme. The Director of Planning is the focal point and, through a projects officer, will perform the role of project manager and support the Director of Planning. The Director of Planning is the principal advisor to the Prime Minister and the Government on macroeconomic issues. This allows for close cooperation with other ministries, project implementation units, the private sector and civil society. In addition, the Director of Planning has responsibility for coordinating donor funding such as the World Bank and the EU. The dedicated projects officer will work along with 2 consultants who will be recruited with funding from the GCF. The functions of the FP/NDA will be located within the Ministry of Economic Planning, Sustainable Development, Industry, Information and Labour, in which there is wide cross section of skills which would augment that of the projects officer. A work programme, which is aligned with the logical framework, will be developed by the project officer and approved by the Director of Planning and used to implement the project. Please see Annex III for organisational chart. D.2 Disbursement and implementation schedule The project is proposed to run for 18 months. It is proposed that funding be transferred to the Ministry of Economic Planning, Sustainable Development, Industry, Information and Labour in three tranches: the first disbursement, which amounts to US$ 120,000, will be transferred after closing of a grant agreement between the NDA/FP and the GCF; the second tranche of US$130,000 will be transferred upon submission of an interim progress report within 12 months of the start of implementation and a financial report, in form and substance acceptable to the GCF, including an audited expenditure statement; and the final disbursement of US$50,000 will be made upon submission of a completion report and financial report, including an audited expenditure statement. Submission of a completion report will be made in up to two (2) months after the end date of the project. D.3 Procurement plan The procurement of services would closely follow the procurement guidelines of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. In terms of recruitment of consultants, the quality and cost based selection (QCBS) method will be employed to ensure that value for money is obtained. Other procurement procedures will utilise the shopping method and local purchase orders. The table below presents a summary of the procurement processes to be undertaken: Expected procurement period Feb/17 Sep/17 Description of good/service procured 2 individual consultants for duration of 6 months each. Value of good/service US $ Procurement Method Threshold associated to method 125,000 International RFP > US $20,000 Feb/17 Jul/18 Office supplies 3,000 Local Purchase Order < US $5, Feb/17 Jul/18 Printing manuals and 6,000 Shopping US $20, brochures Mar/17 Jul/18 Producing electronic 6,000 Shopping US $20, media Apr/17 Sep/17 2 Workshops per consultancy 45 participants per workshop 14,000 Local Purchase Order < US $5,000.00

8 PAGE 7 OF 10 SECTION E: MONITORING & REPORTING PLAN The project will be located within the Public Sector Investment Programme Management Unit (PSIPMU) of the Ministry of Economic Planning, Sustainable Development, Industry, Information and Labour. This Unit has direct responsibility for preparing, implementing, managing and coordinating various bilateral and multilateral funded projects and programmes. The FP/NDA will provide audited financial statements and a technical report at the end of the first year of implementation as well as a terminal report when the project has been completed. SECTION F: RISK & MITIGATION MEASURES Risks Risk Assessment Mitigating Measures Trained persons are transferred from the FP/NDA Low Train a cadre of persons in the PSIPMU in GCF procedures Stakeholders are the project not interested in There is low political buy-in Consultants are unavailable at a reasonable cost Implementation time frame is inadequate to achieve programme objectives Low Low Medium Medium Communication strategy in place as well as increased dissemination of information on climate change issues and the GCF Communication strategy as well as increased dissemination of information on climate change issues and the GCF Advertise in the wider Caribbean region Well prepared procurement plan and implementation plan will provide realistic timelines for the completion of activities

9 PAGE 8 OF 10 Annex I. Logical Framework PROJECT SUMMARY INDICATORS BASELINES OUTCOMES 1. To strengthen the capacity of the FP/NDA 1.1 Operationalization of the FP/NDA to the GCF by 30/09/ no-objection procedures in place and staff is trained - stakeholders coordination mechanisms in place 2. To develop a strategic framework for engagement with the GCF 2.1 Strategic framework developed and adopted by 30/09/2017 No operational framework in place for engagement with the GCF No strategic framework for engagement with the GCF

10 PAGE 9 OF 10 OUTPUTS 1.1 Capacity of the FP/NDA strengthened to engage with the GCF Operational guidelines approved by 31/07/ Training of FP/NDA in use of operational guidelines, roles and responsibilities for engagement with the GCF and stakeholders completed by 30/09/2017 No operational guidelines No trained persons in operational guidelines for engagement with the GCF and stakeholder 1.2 Communication strategy for engagement with the GCF completed A comprehensive communication strategy approved by 31/07/2017 No GCF communication strategy 1.3 National stakeholder consultations to identify investment priorities Two (2) consultations conducted on investment opportunities identified by 30/09/2017 No consultations 2.1 Country programme consistent with the NESDP and the SDGs developed Country programme published by 30/11/2017 Preliminary stage of the process 2.2 Opportunities for the private sector to execute the programming priorities of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines identified number of private sector opportunities identified by 30/09/2017 Ad hoc arrangement for engagement with the private sector 2.3 Programmes and projects, including public-private partnerships, consistent with the GCF s initial investment framework identified number of programmes, including public-private partnerships, identified by 30/09/2017 No public private partnership consistent with GCF s initial investment framework

11 PAGE 10 OF 10 Annex II. Implementation and Disbursement Schedule Implementation Year 1 Year 2 strengthen the capacity of the FP/NDA to engage with the GCF develop a communication strategy for engagement with the GCF by all stakeholders coordinate the conduct of national stakeholder consultations develop a country programme consistent with the NESDP and the SDGs identify opportunities for the private sector to execute the programming priorities identify programmes and projects, including public-private partnerships, consistent with the GCF s initial investment framework

12 READINESS INCEPTION DOCUMENT TEMPLATE PAGE 1 OF 3 Annex III: Procurement Plan The procurement plan will cover the implementation period. The implementing entity shall update the procurement plan throughout the duration of the project at least annually by including contracts previously awarded. All procurement plans, their updates or modifications shall be published on the website of the implementing entity. General Information Project Name: : Readiness and Preparatory Support Programme Country: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Executing Agency: Ministry of Economic Planning, Sustainable Development, Industry, Information and Labour Grant Amount: US $300, Date of First Procurement Plan: Grant Agreement Number: Date of updated Procurement Plan: A. Process Thresholds, Review - Month Procurement Plan 1. Project Procurement Thresholds The following national process thresholds shall apply to procurement of goods and works Procurement of Goods and Works Method Threshold Shopping/Request for Quotations/Invitation to tender Request for proposals (services) US $20, Local purchase Orders (LPO) US $5, National Prior or Post Review Shopping is a procurement method based on comparing price quotations obtained from several suppliers (in the case of goods) or service providers (in the case of non-consulting services) with a minimum of three (3), to assure competitive prices, and is an appropriate method for procuring limited quantities of regularly available off-the-shelf goods or standard specification commodities of small value, or simple civil works of small value when more competitive methods are not justified on the basis of cost and efficiency. [Source: The World Bank Guidelines Procurement of goods, works and non-consulting services (2011)] US $20, The following national prior or post review requirements apply to the various procurement and consultant recruitment methods used for the project. Procurement Method Procurement of Goods and Works Prior or Post Comments Shopping/Request for quotations/invitation to tender Prior Local Purchase Order ( LPO) Post Recruitment of Consulting Firms Request for Proposal ( Services) Prior

13 READINESS INCEPTION DOCUMENT TEMPLATE PAGE 2 OF 3 Procurement Method Prior or Post Comments Recruitment of Individual Consultants Request for Proposal ( Services) Prior

14 READINESS INCEPTION DOCUMENT TEMPLATE PAGE 3 OF 3 3. Goods and Works Contracts Estimated (insert amount) The following table lists goods and works contracts for which procurement activity is either ongoing or expected to commence within the next 12 months. General Description Office supplies Printing manuals and brochures Producing electronic media Workshops (including venue, refreshments etc.) Contract Value US$ 3,000 Procurement Method Local Purchase Order Prequalification of Bidders (y/n) N Advertisement Date (quarter/year) 2 nd Quarter ,000 Shopping Y 4 th Quarter ,000 Shopping Y 4th Quarter ,000 Local Purchase Order N 3 rd Quarter 2018 Comments At least three quotations are needed At least three quotations are needed 4. Consulting Services Contracts Estimated (insert amount) The following table lists consulting services contracts for which procurement activity is either ongoing or expected to commence within the next 12 months. General Description Develop operational guidelines and related activities Develop and publish country programme Contract Value Recruitment US$ Method 1 74,000 Request for proposals 100,000 Request for proposals Advertisement Date (quarter/year) International or National Assignment 2 nd quarter 2017 Both 3 rd quarter 2017 Both Comments 1 QCBS Quality and Cost Based Selection - This uses a competitive process among shortlisted firms that takes into account the quality of the proposal and the cost of the services in the selection of the successful firm. [Source: World Bank Guidelines Selection and Employment of Consultants (2011)]

15 READINESS AND PREPARATORY SUPPORT PROPOSAL TEMPLATE PAGE 1 OF 2 ver. 15 June 2017 OUTCOMES (same as in section 2) 1. Capacity of the Focal Point/National Designated Authority Strengthened 2. Strategic framework for engagement with the GCF including ACTIVITIES (same as in section 2) 1. Develop Operational guidelines for the functioning for the FP/NDA 2. Training of FP/NDA in use of operational guidelines, roles and responsibilities for engagement with the GCF and stakeholders. (With assistance from Consultant no.1) 3. Develop a comprehensive communication strategy for engagement with the GCF and key stakeholders 4. Conduct national stakeholder consultations to include awareness of GCF roles etc. (With assistance from Consultant no.1) 2.1 Develop and publish country programme consistent with the NESDP, SDGs NDCs, and the NEMS and other policy and strategic documents. TOTAL COST (per activity) Consultants 1 COST CATEGORIES Travel Workshops/ Trainings EXPENDITURE AND IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE (add columns if >24 months) Others 6m 12m 18m 24m 74,000 55,000 19,000 18,500 44,400 11,100 55,800 55,800 13,950 27,900 13,950 (Subsumed within activity 1.1) 22,500 22,500 6,750 15, ,000 79,000 21,000 25,000 60,000 15,000 1 All the activities under Outcome 1 will be treated as a single consultancy. Similarly, all the activities under Outcome 2 will also be treated as a single consultancy (please refer to Procurement Plan below). The expectation is that the advertisement for these two (2) consultancies will be for firms, not individuals, who will then bring a range of skills to fulfill the terms of reference to be developed. This firm will conduct at least two (2) training workshops, but is expected to hold smaller group meetings with various sectoral and other stakeholders as the need arises. At this stage it is impossible to provide a number of persons that would be attending, each workshop, but the projection is for at least 50 persons per workshop.

16 READINESS AND PREPARATORY SUPPORT PROPOSAL TEMPLATE PAGE 2 OF 2 ver. 15 June 2017 the preparation of country programmes established and operationalised CONTINGENCY (UP TO 4%) External Audit PROJECT MANAGEMENT COSTS (UP TO 10%) TOTAL 2.2 Review existing policy and strategic documents and identify gaps. 2.3 Identify opportunities for the private sector to execute the programming priorities of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2.4 Identify programmes and projects, including public-private partnerships, consistent with the GCF s initial investment framework 2.5 Identify synergies between the GCF and other development partners (Subsumed within activity 2.1) Subsumed within activity 2.1) Subsumed within activity 2.1) Subsumed within activity 2.1) 29,500 29,500 8,850 20, Conduct stakeholder consultations on investment priorities Unforeseen/unplanned expenses 13,200 13,200 2,000 6,700 4,500 External audit to be conducted by an Independent Audit firm at Project end Management, Supervision and Administration Costs 5,000 5,000 5,000 N/A , ,000 40, ,800 18,200 75, ,400 44,550