Technical and Development Assistance to the Programme 'Monitoring for Environment and Security in Africa' (MESA)

Length of engagement: Long-term

Tender Submission

Deadline: 14/09/2012

Key Expert: Key expert 1 - Team Leader; Key expert 2 - Administrator; Key expert 3 - Technical Development Specialist; Key experts 4-10 - Thematic Experts; Key expert 11 - Technological Specialist

Duration: 48 months

Start: January 2013Donor: EDF

Project Description: 

Beneficiary countries: The 48 ACP countries of the five Regional Economic Communities (RECs) of sub-Saharan Africa, namely CEMAC, ECOWAS, IGAD, IOC and SADC.

The overall objective of the programme is: “to support African decision-makers and planners in designing and implementing national, regional and continental policies and development plans towards sustainable development, thereby advancing the socioeconomic progress and well-being of African populations towards achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).”

The purpose of the MESA programme, which is consistent with both the GMES and Africa Strategic Document and the draft GMES & Africa Action Plan, is: “to increase the information management, decision-making and planning capacity of African continental, regional and national institutions mandated for environment, climate, food security and related responsibilities by enhancing access to and exploitation of relevant Earth Observation applications in Africa.”

This includes a range of information responding to citizens’ needs such as monitoring the water level and flow rate of key rivers used for commercial transport; water cycle information to help agriculture (best planting time, improved crop yields, etc.) and warn of flood and drought risks; monitoring of the changing condition of rangelands for livestock management purposes; tracking the depletion and/or degradation of forest resources and biodiversity; monitoring of marine pollution, fisheries resources and coastal erosion, and others.

MESA main Programme Office and related experts of the Technical Assistance Team (TAT) will be located with the AUC in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Contact name: Gregory Whye

Contact e-mail: gregory.whye@humandynamics.org

Status: Bid preparation

Country: Multi-country

Sector: EnvironmentOther

Bid Profile: 

Position: Key expert 1 - Team Leader
Duration of the assignment: approx. 880 work days over 48 months

Requirements
Qualifications and skills:
- University degree (MSc or equivalent) in a domain related to environmental resource management or directly related discipline or any other relevant background replacing formal education combined with relevant professional experience
- Fluent in English with very good working knowledge of French; knowledge of Portuguese would be an advantage
- Excellent communication and managerial skills; ability to produce concise reports
- Familiar with and able to use proficiently standard office software packages, email and internet

General professional experience:
- Preferably 20, with a minimum of 10 years experience in programme management (planning, development and implementation)
- At least 10 years experience in developing countries, with relevant experience in Africa
- Preferably 10, but a minimum of 5 years in programme management at continental or regional level

Specific professional experience:
- Preferably 15, but a minimum of 10 years experience in environmental management in developing countries
- Fully conversant with EDF rules and experience of at least 1 EDF project/programme in the last 10 years as team leader/manager
- Experience in environmental decision making processes will be an advantage
- Understanding and professional experience in Earth Observation (EO) for environmental monitoring will be an advantage

Position: Key expert 2 - Administrator
Duration of the assignment: approx. 840 work days over 48 months

Requirements
Qualifications and skills:
- University (MSc) degree preferably in business, accounting, economics or law, or any other relevant background replacing formal education combined with relevant professional experience
- Fluent in English with very good working knowledge of  French
- Familiar with and able to use proficiently standard office and accounting software packages, email and internet

General professional experience:
- At least 15 years experience in programme and contract management
- Preferably 15, with a minimum of 10 years of professional experience in developing countries, with relevant experience in Africa

Specific professional experience:
- Fully conversant with EDF rules and at least 5 years experience in administrative and financial management of programmes/projects in accordance with EDF procedures
- Experience in evaluating projects including grants proposals will be an advantage
- Experience in delivering training on PCM and/or EDF will be an advantage
- Experience in environmental management in developing countries will be an advantage

Position: Key expert 3 - Technical Development Specialist 
Duration of the assignment: approx. 840 work days over 48 months

Requirements
Qualifications and skills:
- University degree (min. MSc) in  a discipline directly related to the purpose of the programme, in particular environmental monitoring through the use of Earth Observation data in support to decision making or any other relevant background replacing formal education combined with relevant professional experience
- Fluent in English, with very good working knowledge of French
- Excellent communication and managerial skills; ability to produce concise reports
- Familiar with and able to use proficiently standard office software packages, email and internet

General professional experience:
- Preferably 10, at least 5 years experience in developing countries, with relevant experience in Africa
- Preferably 5, but a minimum of 3 years professional experience in development projects covering directly coordination responsibilities, at national or, preferably, at regional or continental level

Specific professional experience:
- Preferably 15, with a minimum of 10 years experience in earth observation, environmental monitoring or equivalent
- Experience in the use of Earth Observation data, technologies and methodologies techniques for monitoring of the environment, particularly in the use of low-resolution satellite data, data access and data transfer
- Experience in the applications of telecommunication and earth observation
- Familiar with EDF rules and experience of at least 1 EDF project/programme in the last 10 years will be an advantage
- Experience with developing and evaluating project proposals in areas relevant to the programme will be an advantage
- Experience in training in earth observation, including on the use of products and applied to decision support will be an advantage

Position: Key experts 4-10 - Thematic Experts
Duration of the assignment: approx. 800 work days per expert over 48 months

The ideal profile of the TE is that of an excellent manager with experience in working with developing countries and capacity development, with technical specialisation in the domain of the THEMA. Both technical and development aspects need to be covered.

Requirements
Qualifications and skills:
- University degree (MSc) preferably in a discipline directly related to the thematic content of the services to be deployed in the implementation centre where he/she will be seconded or any other relevant background replacing formal education combined with relevant professional experience (for the expert in IGAD region, knowledge in the forest theme would be an additional asset) 
- Fluent in English or French depending on the working language of the implementation centre of secondment, and preferably with good working knowledge of the other (English or French)
- Excellent communication and managerial skills; ability to produce concise reports
- Familiar with and able to use proficiently standard office software packages, email and internet

General professional experience:
- Preferably 10, at least 5 years experience in developing countries, with relevant experience in Africa
- Preferably 5, with a minimum of 3 years professional experience in management of development projects

Specific professional experience:
- Preferably 10, with a minimum of 5 years experience in the domain of the THEMA
- Familiar with EDF rules and experience of at least 1 EDF project/programme in the last 10 years as manager
- Knowledge and experience in the use of Earth Observation for environmental monitoring, and preferably in the thematic action to which he/she will be seconded (i. e. water management, water cycle information to help agriculture,  monitoring of the changing condition of rangelands for livestock management purposes, tracking the depletion and/or degradation of land, forest resources and biodiversity, monitoring of marine pollution, fisheries resources and coastal erosion, etc) will be an advantage
- Experience in the deployment of operational services will be an advantage
- Experience of capacity development required and preferably with experience in coaching/training

Position: Key expert 11 - Technological Specialist
Duration of the assignment: approx. 334 work days over 48 months

Requirements
Qualifications and skills:
- University degree in Engineering in field related to space application or Information Communication Technologies (ICTs), or directly related discipline, or equivalent
- Fluent in English, with very good working knowledge of French
- Excellent communication and managerial skills; ability to produce concise reports
- Familiar with and able to use proficiently standard office software packages, email and internet

General professional experience:
- At least 10 years experience in developing countries, with relevant experience in Africa
- Preferably 10, with a minimum of 5 years experience in supporting management of infrastructure implementation (planning, development and implementation) 
- Preferably 10, with a minimum of 5 years professional experience in development projects at continental or regional level covering directly coordination responsibilities

Specific professional experience:
- Preferably 15, with a minimum of 10 years experience in earth observation, environmental monitoring or equivalent
- Experience in the use of earth observation data, technologies and methodologies techniques for monitoring of the environment, particularly in the use of low-resolution satellite data, data access and data transfer
- Experience in the applications of telecommunication and earth observation
- Familiar with EDF rules and experience of at least 1 EDF project/programme in the last 10 years as manager/specialist will be an advantage
- Experience with developing and evaluating technical project proposals in areas relevant to the programme will be an advantage
- Experience in training in earth observation, including on the use of products and applied to decision support will be an advantage