RFP_008_2026_Natl Firm develop policy assessment, regulatory, planning framework

Under this consultancy, the firm selected will need to work closely with the PMU, review the existing literature and report prepared by experts, as well as review existing systems already developed within national frameworks. The consultancy firm will perform following tasks:

1.     Inception meeting and desk review:  

• Conduct an inception meeting with the PMU and Government Partners.
• The PMU will facilitate a virtual meeting with the GEF Critical Forest Biome regional coordination programme, to exchange information on the regional policy review and align terminology and methodology. The Service Provider is expected to ensure alignment with regional and global programming for GEF Critical Forest Biome Integrated Programme.
• Conduct a desk review of international and regional definitions and frameworks for primary forest (e.g., intact forest landscapes, primary forests, high conservation value areas);
• Compile and review datasets, including GIS where possible, relevant to forest cover, biodiversity, land use, protected areas, infrastructure, and concessions (documenting metadata, sources, and data gaps);
• Review project documentation, national policies, strategies, laws, regulations, and institutional frameworks relevant to forestry, biodiversity, protected areas, agriculture, mining, energy, infrastructure development, environmental management, land administration, and national development planning.
• Assess national policies relevant to Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), land use planning (LUP), gender, safeguards and planning tools for relevant sectors that impact primary forest landscapes in Lao PDR
• Review international and regional good practices for integrating primary forests into planning and development processes.
• Assess the extent to which Primary Forest Landscapes are currently defined, recognized, and incorporated within:

• • National policies and legislation;
  • Sector strategies and plans;
  • Government planning and budgeting processes;
  • National Forestry Strategy 2035;
  • Provincial and district planning frameworks.

• Identify available data and initial gaps from the above, and methodology for the Stock-taking Exercise.  Determine the extent of data gathering that will be required to ensure the qualitative depth of this study and which steps will be required (interviews, literature review etc.)
• Prepare and submit the desk review, methodology, and detailed workplan report. The workplan should provide proposed activities and timeframe to complete the tasks and achieve outputs. This will include plans to facilitate two workshops in Vientiane and one workshop in Pakse.  
• Identify key stakeholders, including government agencies, private sector actors, and relevant institutions to consult. Share a workshop outline and stakeholder list with DoF, who will coordinate invitations and logistics for the consultation workshop. Provide consideration for how the consultations will include meaningful participation from both men and women, and consideration of ethnic groups and FPIC.  
• Present the objectives of the consultancy, tasks, deadlines and logistical schedule to DoF and the PMU.

Output 1: Draft Stock-Taking Assessment for Primary Forest Landscapes and Inception Report

2.     Present Stock-Taking Assessment and Capacity Needs Assessment at Stakeholder Consultations

The consultancy firm will present initial findings from the stock taking assessment and consult stakeholders in Pakse and Vientiane, organized by DoF. The purpose of the consultation will be to present preliminary results, the methodology, and to assess/confirm the extent to which PFLs are recognized in (a) existing national policies related to forestry, extractive industry, agriculture and other development sectors); (b) forest and land use planning and management; (c) national, provincial and local decision-making process; (d) government decision-making and budgeting processes. The Service Provider shall:   

·       Work with DoF as required on the agenda and development of the PFL Stock-Taking Consultations in Vientiane and Pakse.

·       Design and deliver sessions in Vientiane and Pakse for the national and project landscape stakeholder consultations that present preliminary findings, provide information about PFLs to stakeholders, and validate findings from the policy gap assessment.

·       Develop workshop report with detailed minutes, insights, and remaining information gaps.

·       Identify challenges in recognition of PFLs (institutional failures, inadequate government decision-making in policy and processes), which will be captured with recommendations in the PFL Roadmap.

·       Identify priority reforms, institutional arrangements, coordination mechanisms, and implementation pathways.

·       Draft recommendations for integrating PFLs into:

o   National Forestry Strategy 2035;

o   Other relevant national policies, with justification;

o   National socio-economic development planning;

o   Sector development planning;

o   Provincial and district planning systems;

o   Spatial planning;

o   Public investment and budgeting processes.

·       Prepare a draft National Roadmap for Mainstreaming Primary Forest Landscapes in English and Lao.

·       Present to DoF and PMU for approval.

Output 2: Draft National PFL Policy Roadmap and Stakeholder Consultation Report

3.     Conduct Capacity Needs Assessment for National and Landscape-Level Stakeholders

The  consultancy firmwill conduct consultations and capacity assessments with relevant national authorities and associations, and with target stakeholders in the four target provinces, which will identify the drivers of deforestation and degradation of PFLs, including sectoral activities such as expansion of commodity production (e.g., rubber, charcoal, timber), infrastructure development, and extractive industries. The capacity needs assessment will include DoF staff, and provincial, district, and national park authorities, as well as private sector actors, to determine needs for practical, evidence-based recommendations and training to strengthen the use of gender-sensitive safeguards and planning tools for PFL conservation within national and sectoral development processes. The Service Provider shall:

·       Review relevant project safeguard documents including the gender action plan, the environment and social management framework, and the capacity development scorecard developed during project preparation stage;

·       Review ongoing work by the Environment and Social Impact Assessment consultants;

·       Review the Communications and Knowledge Management Strategy;

·       Design capacity needs assessment questionnaire building on Task 2;

·       Engage provincial and district authorities, protected area management authorities, local communities, NGOs and private sector actors.

·       Ensure meaningful representation of women, ethnic groups, and marginalized communities in the capacity needs assessment.

·       Review current regulatory frameworks, incentives, safeguards, certification systems, and compliance mechanisms affecting private sector activities.

·       Analyze private sector impacts, dependencies, risks, and opportunities relating to PFLs.

·       Assess institutional, technical and human resource capacities related to PFL integration into EIA, spatial planning, land use planning and monitoring systems, including the use of spatial data systems in planning and development decision-making.

·       Evaluate the best entry point(s) for incorporation of PFLs into these respective sector and development planning systems.

·       Identify training needs and institutional barriers, with considerations for gender-sensitivity and inclusion of ethnic groups and marginalized communities.

Output 3: Gender-sensitive Capacity Needs Assessment and Training Recommendations

4.     Prepare Technical Outputs and Roadmaps

Information gathered from previous Outputs will be used to develop the following Roadmaps towards improved PFL integration into national policy:

·       The Primary Forest Landscape Mainstreaming Roadmap will chart the required enabling framework (specific policies, strategies, planning guidelines, decision-making processes and budgeting systems) to ensure that PFLs are fully incorporated in the National Forest Strategy through 2035, among other key processes. The roadmap should also suggest means to integrate PFLs in economic and sector development planning, land use planning, multi-scale approaches and other appropriate instruments to ensure the effective and efficient integration of PFLs at all levels of decision-making. The policy mainstreaming roadmap should include a connected, but separate annex:

o   The Primary Forest Private Sector Roadmap will outline pathways for private sector to improve the protection and restoration of PFLs to assist , including regulations, procedures, guidelines, technical standards, and decision-support tools. The roadmap will include potential and real opportunities and incentives for private sector participation in PFL protection and restoration. The Private Sector Roadmap will identify opportunities and incentives for private sector participation in forest conservation, restoration, sustainable supply chains, nature-positive and gender-sensitive investments.

To support the Roadmaps, the Service Provider shall develop practical procedures, technical guidelines, and regulatory recommendations for integrating PFL considerations into:

o   Environmental Impact Assessment regulations (EIA);

o   Safeguard assessment and management;

o   Land-use and planning mechanisms;

o   GIS Guideline (using open-source programs and openly available datasets);

o   Infrastructure planning;

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