Firm to Undertake Analysis and Development of Knowledge Products for the Development Minerals Sector in Uganda: Minimum Operating Standards Toolkit for Safety, Health and Environmental Management and

Overview :

Background

Uganda is rich in natural resources and has a favourable geological environment that hosts over 27 different minerals including limestone, marble, stone aggregate, phosphate, dimension stone, clay, gold, tin, iron ore, sand, oil and natural gas among others. Mining offers a significant opportunity for the country; particularly as a source of employment and income, revenue, economic lifeline for industries and a way of contributing to social and economic development at local, national and sub-regional levels. Nationally the mining industry is key to attaining ‘Vision 2040’ and the National Development Plan II (2015/16 –2019/20).

Uganda’s strong economic growth, infrastructure boom and rapid urbanisation over the last two decades are driving the demand for construction materials (such as gravel and sand), dimension stones (such as marble and granite), industrial minerals (such as bentonite and talc) and semi-precious stones (such as garnet and amethyst). These minerals are referred to as Development Minerals, which are minerals and materials that are mined, processed, manufactured and consumed domestically in industries such as construction, manufacturing, and agriculture. Development Minerals are economically important close to the location where the commodity is mined and have the potential to support economic and social development through employment at the local level for millions of people.

Uganda’s new Minerals and Mining Policy (2016) corroborates geo-data on resource estimation indicating that Uganda has abundant mineral resource reserves for world class economic mineral deposits. Previously overlooked resources such as sand, clay and stone have taken center stage for their ability to create employment, drive national and local economic growth and reduce poverty.

The recently concluded Baseline Assessment and Value Chain Analysis of Development Minerals in Uganda indicates that the rapid urbanisation in Uganda, with an estimated urban population of 20 million by 2020 presents unique and new opportunities, and challenges, for the construction industry. In addition, over 700,000 new entrants into a job market with limited capacity to absorb them has also informed the Government of Uganda’s prioritization of job creation and infrastructure improvements.  

At 6% growth per annum, the construction sector continues to be strong and, with it, a market for a broad range of construction materials including sand, clay, limestone, marble, kaolin and stone aggregate. The Development Minerals sector directly employs approximately 390,000 Ugandans, with women making up more than 44% of the work force. This is almost 3% of the country's working age population. Furthermore, Development Minerals are estimated to indirectly benefit more than 2.5 million Ugandans or about 7% of Uganda’s total population.

However, the sector is not without its challenges. The mining of Development Minerals can pose environmental, social and occupational risks that require careful mitigation, management and oversight. Although the high participation of women in the workforce (particularly for commodities such as stone aggregate and salt) highlights the importance of increasing women’s access to strategic positions in the value-chain as concession holders, financiers, equipment owners, traders as well as in paid employment, there is a clear need for targeted measures to rectify inequalities in the sector. The sector is also severely under-documented and largely informal, presenting major challenges for regulators and those positioned to deliver more appropriately-tailored services.

It is estimated that 98% of ASM production and 56% of MSM production of Development Minerals takes place outside of the current mining sector legal framework. Conflict in the sector mainly occurs between miners themselves, between miners and traders (often related to non- or under-payment) and between miners and other land users.  Without adequate management, conflict can have negative social and environmental impacts. Mining-related conflicts can also reduce the sector’s ‘social license to operate’ - thus amplifying anti-ASM public sentiment.

It is therefore pertinent to strengthen the capacity of key stakeholders such as the small-scale private sector, associations/chambers, and public institutions to enhance the management of mining operations through conflict management and grievance handling mechanisms and to support adherence to and oversight over national and international environmental, health and safety standards towards sustainable mining of Development Minerals. In this regard, an in-depth analysis of drivers specific to  the Development Minerals sector is required within the thematic areas of Safety, Health and Environment as well as in Conflict Management.  Additionally,  the  development of i) a Minimum Operating Standards Toolkit for Health, Safety and Environment Management in the Development Minerals Sector in Uganda and ii) Conflict Sensitive Community Engagement Toolkit for Development Minerals sector stakeholders in Uganda are required.

UNDP in collaboration with the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development is implementing the ACP-EU Development Minerals Programme in Uganda.  The three-year capacity building programme aims to build the profile, and improve the management of Development Minerals (industrial minerals; construction materials; dimension stones; and semi-precious stones) as well as contribute to addressing gender inequalities. The programme is an initiative of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States, financed by the European Union and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and implemented by UNDP.

Objectives

The objectives of this assignment are:

• To generate data on and strengthen capacities of stakeholders in mitigating risk borne out of Safety, Health and Environmental mismanagement by strengthening capacities of sector stakeholders to respond and implement highlighted mitigation strategies.

• To undertake a explore sector conflicts dynamics and current state of play of the efficiency of existing systems.

Location: Uganda

Proposals Deadline for submission of proposals:

           5th September 2018 15:00 Hrs East African time

Languages Required: English

RFP should be submitted as per guidelines in the attached RFP.   Further information requests can be channelled to alexander.muhwezi@undp.org, diana.nabbanja@undp.org   and janet.ndagire@undp.org.

UNDP advocates for equal participation of men and women.  Qualified women owned businesses are highly encouraged to apply.

For further details, please visit http://procurement-notices.undp.org