Presolicitation_notice_SOL-486-16-000007.pdf

Presolicitation Notice

USAID Counter Wildlife Trafficking Activity

Solicitation Number: SOL-486-16-000007

Release Date: February 12, 2016

The United States Agency for International Development’s Regional Development Mission for

Asia (USAID/RDMA) intends to issue an Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ)

Contract with a ceiling of $50 million for the implementation of the USAID Counter Wildlife

Trafficking Activity (CWT) in Asia. USAID also anticipates issuing an initial task order with a period of performance of five years that will focus on CWT efforts in Southeast Asia and China.

USAID intends to use full and open competition for this procurement and to release the solicitation within the second quarter of U.S. fiscal year 2016.

The purpose of the anticipated IDIQ Contract is to provide USAID Missions in the Asia region with an integrated set of technical assistance components to address complex CWT related development needs across multi-use landscapes. The objectives of the IDIQ is to reduce consumer demand for wildlife and wildlife products in target areas, strengthen regional law enforcement capacity and coordination, and increase commitment to addressing CWT.

With this notice USAID is posting the draft statement of work for the IDIQ. USAID is not requesting comments and is not accepting questions at this time. The purpose of this notice is to allow interested organizations to familiarize themselves with the envisioned Activity. The information contained within this notice may change significantly during the Mission’s final approval processes.

Prospective Offerors are advised that this procurement is subject to internal USAID approvals and the availability of funds. This is NOT an Invitation for Bid (IFB) or a Request for Proposals

(RFP) and in no way obligates the US Government to issue an RFP/IFB and/or award a contract.

This notice satisfies the synopsis requirement in FAR 5.2. If a solicitation is issued, all necessary information will be supplied at the time it is posted at www.fedbizopps.gov.

Questions/requests for information will not be responded to until RFP issuance. Interested parties are advised to periodically monitor the above website and solicitation number for updates http://www.fedbizopps.gov/

SOL-486-16-000007

ATTACHMENT 1 – DRAFT DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS/STATEMENT OF

WORK

BACKGROUND C.1

The Development Challenge

The Asia-Pacific Region is home to over half of the global population and is the fastest growing region in the world. Stretching from the Central Asian Republics through the population-dense countries of South Asia, across the dynamic countries of East Asia, to the expansive stretch of the Pacific Islands, the region has become a key driver of global politics and economies, and is closely tied to U.S. security and prosperity. While much of Asia has recently experienced robust economic growth, the region continues to grapple with large pockets of poverty, malnutrition, food insecurity, environmental degradation, and fragile governance institutions. Trans-border threats such as climate change and wildlife trafficking are increasingly affecting global security.

Wildlife trafficking—the poaching and illicit trade of marine and terrestrial animals—is one of

USAID’s highest priority biodiversity concerns. Poaching and illegal trade of wildlife and wildlife products have far-reaching economic, national security, and ecological consequences that are undermining decades of development gains. The loss of iconic wildlife and the presence of violent elements linked to trafficking affect the safety of rural communities and diminish their economic prospects, including nature-based tourism, an important source of revenue in many developing countries.

Many Asian countries have long been recognized by the Parties to the Convention on

International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) as global

“hotspots” for poaching, trafficking, and the consumption of illegal and protected wildlife and wildlife products. Greater disposable incomes in these hotspots have fueled the rising demand for illegal wildlife products in the region and sparked a crisis in illegal wildlife poaching. This crisis threatens a number of species with extinction and affects a huge range of species. For example, the illegal trade in ivory alone increased by nearly 300 percent between 1998 and 2011. The level of global wildlife crime continues to rise - rhinos and elephants are under serious poaching pressure throughout Africa, with even previously safe populations collapsing. At current rates, experts predict that the world’s most iconic endangered species including tigers, African elephants, and rhinos, could be extinct in the wild within a few decades. On the marine front, the illegal harvest of endangered marine species (i.e., turtles, sharks, dolphins, etc.) remains unabated as illicit trade increases in consumer countries both within and outside of Asia.

Voracious demand for wildlife products in Asia has led to skyrocketing prices for these goods.

For example, rhino horn is valued at an estimated $60,000 per kilogram on the black market -more valuable than gold. The ivory trade is estimated to be worth as much as a billion dollars annually and will likely increase as scarcity grows. However, elephant poaching for ivory is not only a biodiversity conservation issue; the sale of ivory also funds a wide range of destabilizing criminal activity across Africa and Asia, providing a great source of revenue for transnational organized crime and a funding source for violent groups, thereby having significant implications for human conflict and the security of nations.

A rapid response from the international community is required to reverse the trend of this growing global conservation crisis. The illegal wildlife trade is recognized throughout the international community as a priority for international cooperation. For example, the East Asia

Summit Declaration “recognizes that illicit trafficking and illegal trade in wildlife specimens are prejudicial to the planet’s natural heritage, and notes that it necessitates increased cooperation, coordination, investigative and enforcement measures amongst all agencies responsible for wildlife law enforcement, including wildlife, forestry, customs, police, judicial, and prosecutorial authorities.”

The U.S. Government Response

On July 1, 2013, President Obama signed Executive Order Number 13648 on Wildlife

Trafficking (http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2013-07-05/pdf/2013-16387.pdf), which created the U.S. Task Force and led to the U.S. National Strategy to Combat Wildlife Trafficking, which was released on February 11, 2014. This Task Force identified three strategic priorities to respond to the global wildlife trafficking crisis and address related threats to U.S. national interests:

1. Strengthen enforcement;

2. Reduce demand for illegally traded wildlife; and

3. Build international cooperation, commitment, and public-private partnerships.

The U.S. Government (USG)’s planned response to the wildlife trafficking crisis is comprehensive and includes efforts that: increase capacity to carry out anti-poaching patrols;

increase the use of science and technology to stop wildlife crime; increase arrest and successful prosecution of poachers, shippers, and sellers; increase monitoring and capacity to detect movement of illegally harvested/collected wildlife species and products (customs, transport, lab analysis); and reduce demand for illegal wildlife and associated products. This Contract is designed to respond to the USG’s commitment to tackle the crisis of illegal wildlife trafficking efforts globally.

http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2013-07-05/pdf/2013-16387.pdf http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2013-07-05/pdf/2013-16387.pdf https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/docs/nationalstrategywildlifetrafficking.pdf

USAID Response

USAID partners with governments, business sectors, civil society and non-profit organizations to tackle these challenges. Over the past decade, USAID has supported activities to combat wildlife trafficking that reduce demand, disrupt transit, and fight poaching in more than 25 countries.

USAID operates fourteen regional and bilateral missions in Asia: Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, Central Asian Republics, Kyrgyzstan, India, Indonesia, Mongolia, Nepal, Philippines, Sri Lanka & the Maldives, Timor Leste, Vietnam and the Regional Development Mission for

Asia (RDMA) based in Bangkok. USAID’s Pacific Islands satellite office, currently based in

Papua New Guinea, assists in supporting 12 Pacific island nations. RDMA implements regional programs across 24 countries in Asia that address critical and trans-boundary development challenges including counter wildlife trafficking (CWT).

USAID/RDMA has supported CWT interventions since 2005. USAID/RDMA’s CWT activities directly contribute to the U.S. National Strategy for Combating Wildlife Trafficking and respond to Congressional earmarks for Biodiversity Conservation, CWT and, more recently, for rhino conservation. USAID/RDMA has invested in: increasing regional cooperation, networking, and information sharing to combat wildlife trafficking in Southeast Asia; strengthening law enforcement capacity at the regional level; and reducing targeted demand and increasing commitment to address CWT within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). USAID/RDMA works closely with USAID bilateral missions in Asia and Africa, USG agency partners, and major donors to align assistance in order to ensure efficient and effective use of USG funds to combat wildlife trafficking.

USAID/RDMA’s CWT efforts have primarily been implemented through the following two major programs:

● ASEAN-Wildlife Enforcement Support Program: 2005-2010; and

● Asia’s Regional Response to Wildlife Trafficking (ARREST): 2011-2016.

Through the ASEAN-Wildlife Enforcement Support Program, USAID/RDMA and USG partners achieved the following notable results:

● facilitated the establishment of the ASEAN Wildlife Enforcement Network

(ASEAN-

WEN), a regional interagency and intergovernmental initiative to counter the illegal cross-border trade in endangered flora and fauna in the region;

● facilitated the establishment of the ASEAN-WEN secretariat program coordination unit

(PCU), and interagency national task forces in each ASEAN member state;

RDMA supported the development of a Wildlife Enforcement toolkit through the U.S. Forest Service, which can guide countries to improve their National WENs, or start new WENs. The toolkit was based on the lessons learned from ASEAN-WEN and the IDIQ contractor will be able to use this toolkit in their CWT efforts.

● enhanced the capacity of wildlife law enforcement officials and judiciaries in ASEAN member states; and

● increased commitment and public support for the ASEAN-WEN network at national and regional levels.

Expected to conclude in 2016, the ARREST program has so far achieved the following results:

● trained 8,500 officials in anti-poaching operations and wildlife crime investigations;

● contributed to a ten-fold increase the number of arrests and seizures of illegal wildlife since 2009;

● supported the ASEAN-WEN secretariat in Bangkok and national task forces to combat wildlife crime in almost every ASEAN country; and

● supported extensive media and advertising campaigns in China, Vietnam, and Thailand to help reduce the consumption of protected wildlife.

In addition, USAID/RDMA and its partners have also achieved the following results:

● the successful inclusion of Combating Wildlife Trafficking in the East Asia Leaders’

Summit Declaration;

● sustained commitment to include Wildlife Trafficking in the U.S.-China Strategic &

Economic Dialogue (S&ED); and

● the successful inclusion of wildlife and timber trafficking on the ASEAN Senior Officials

Meeting on Transnational Crime (SOMTC).

IDIQ COMPONENTS C.2

This mechanism provides USAID Missions in the Asia region with an integrated set of technical assistance components to address complex CWT related development needs across multi-use landscapes. The ability to engage USAID Missions throughout Asia and other donors and stakeholders is critical for the success of this Contract. The Contractor must provide required services and operational support to fulfill all requirements of Task Orders (TOs) issued hereunder.

Interventions are required to be informed by robust research, support USG CWT country-level strategies, adhere to the statement of work, and build upon CWT efforts implemented by USAID bilateral and regional programs, as well as other interventions in order to magnify impact.

This IDIQ mechanism covers all CWT related interventions in Asia, including the following three objectives, critical in addressing wildlife crime:

1. Reduce consumer demand for wildlife and wildlife products in targeted areas;

2. Strengthen regional law enforcement capacity and coordination; and

3. Increase commitment to addressing CWT.

The tasks described below will contribute to the achievement of the three aforementioned objectives through the Contract. The approach(es) used and interventions implemented will be tailored based on each country’s needs, as described in TOs.

C.2.1 Overarching Themes

Given the varying needs of USAID Missions in Asia, TOs issued under this Contract will include a variety of approaches. Successful approaches target a number of sectors working holistically to achieve benefits for a range of stakeholders.

The tasks/services under the IDIQ Contract include the following three objectives: 1) Reduce consumer demand for wildlife and wildlife products in target areas; 2) Strengthen regional law enforcement capacity and coordination; and 3) Increase cooperation and commitment to addressing CWT.

1. Reduce consumer demand for wildlife and wildlife products in target areas (Objective 1)

Consumer demand in Asia and the lucrative prices of wildlife products are the main causes of the drastic decline in the numbers of iconic species such as elephants, rhinos, and tigers. Reducing consumer demand is an important component in addressing the international crisis in wildlife crime. This objective will therefore focus on changing behaviors among select targeted audiences through proven social marketing and Social and Behavior Change Communication

(SBCC) methodologies.

The mid-term evaluation of ARREST concluded that USAID should focus on improving the quality of its social marketing efforts and focus on truly changing behavior to reduce consumer demand. Many seemingly attractive and flashy media campaigns can appeal as one-off media hits but may not necessarily contribute to reducing demand. The wildlife sector also recognizes the pressing need to use SBCC technical expertise in demand reduction campaigns to better understand consumer desires, improve strategy and message quality, and build efficiency in demand reduction costs. SBCC is considered a best practice in the health sector and, when utilized as part of a comprehensive approach, has been shown to be effective in CWT.

SBCC is a process that strategically uses communication to promote and sustain changes in the behavior of individuals, communities, and/or societies through participatory processes.

Figure 1 (Above): Illustrative Sample of Application of a Social and Behavior Change

Communication Framework to Illegal Wildlife Trade Project

For the targeted groups to change their behaviors, they need to understand the issue, develop favorable attitudes towards positive behaviors and master skills for changing behaviors. Based upon the illustrative SBCC Framework in Figure 1, key steps for making a SBCC intervention a successful one is the integration of gender and a culturally-sensitive approach that: 1) understands the targeted groups and the environment/circumstance around the issues; 2) develops an evidence-based intervention and tools/materials; 3) implements and manages the intervention; and 4) monitors and evaluates the intervention for adaptive management.

Under this objective, this Contract will seek to offer USAID missions in the Asia region a suite of technical expertise that will reduce consumer demand for wildlife products through activities that include but are not limited to:

1) Providing technical assistance to infuse SBCC best practice methodologies into existing demand reduction campaigns;

2) Supporting the design, implementation, and funding of new demand reduction campaigns using SBCC methodologies;

3) Strengthening networks of NGOs that are already working to reduce the demand for target wildlife products;

Strategies to reduce consumer demand for wildlife products shall present a comprehensive strategy that includes community engagement, mobilization, and advocacy with identified and understood target audiences. Special attention shall also be paid to power and influence pathways as well as the role of Asia’s youth (university-level) and community leaders and traditional healer communities. Interventions under this objective will accelerate changes in behavior regarding wildlife consumption, which should be reflected in a reduction of the number of target wildlife products purchased. Local organizations must be engaged in the Contract.

As relevant, work may be coordinated with partners in Africa and other donors who can inform the network and contribute to synergies across programs. Historical engagement with local organizations has yielded positive results. Partnerships must be formed with international, local, and indigenous organizations already working in this area and may include, but are not limited to, the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), Love Wildlife Foundation, Humane

Society International, Wildlife Conservation Society, TRAFFIC, WildAid, Flora and Flora

International, African Wildlife Foundation (working with partners in Asia), Chinese NGOs, and

TCM practitioners.

2. Strengthen regional law enforcement capacity and coordination (Objective 2)

Reducing the demand for illegal wildlife products through behavior change is necessary to the long-term success of any CWT activity. Strengthening the ability of law enforcement officers and institutions to effectively locate, apprehend, and prosecute illegal wildlife traffickers is also an essential component of a comprehensive CWT effort. Thus, under this objective, the Contract must provide comprehensive technical services to partner with relevant institutions to: 1) institutionalize capacity building programs within law enforcement agencies; 2) strengthen the legislative, policy, and regulatory environment for CWT; and 3) strengthen the cooperation and coordination among law enforcement in the region. Individual TOs may address capacity and coordination activities singly or in any combination. The specific results required under this mechanism will be determined by individual TOs and are likely to be extremely diverse.

Specific TOs under this mechanism are expected to address targeted interventions as well as integrated approaches to regional law enforcement with institutions engaging in CWT activities across a variety of geographic and engagement scales from the community to transnational levels. This section provides a brief overview of these three goals. \

2.1 ) Institutionalize capacity building efforts for effective enforcement agencies by supporting training efforts and following-up trainings which can be conducted by the respective agencies themselves. The Contractor will be expected to monitor and evaluate the degree of institutionalization. These will primarily include but will not be limited to the following:

a) Reviewing training materials and curricula;

b) Hosting targeted training sessions of police and/or other law enforcement bodies;

c) Convening experts from NGOs, academia, private industry, or governments to share best practice and lessons learned;

c) Incorporating wildlife trade issues into the curricula of law enforcement training academies; translating capacity building materials into relevant languages to facilitate adoption by agencies; and

d) Developing a strong cadre of trainers and securing sustained human and financial resources for enforcement capacity throughout the region.

2.2) Strengthen the legislative, policy, and regulatory environment for combating wildlife crime by promoting national and regional level legal, policy, and regulatory reforms to improve combating wildlife crime efforts. As requested, the Contractor must work closely with the appropriate governments and/or legislative bodies to strengthen CWT legislation and policies. Illustrative activities may include:

a) Working with the aforementioned partners, as appropriate and requested, and with others to assess and harmonize regional laws and penalties for wildlife crime;

b) Working with legislators and adjudicators in the regional context to strengthen laws in their respective countries; and

d) Within the relevant legal contexts, support judges and lawyers in bringing CWT cases to court.

2.3) Strengthen regional, national, and inter-institutional law enforcement cooperation and coordination by focusing on three levels of actors, including the regional-level task force, national-level task forces, and international donors and organizations in supporting data sharing, trust building, coordination, and cooperation for improved law enforcement. Illustrative activities may include:

a) Providing targeted technical support as requested by law enforcement agencies at all levels. This may include assessing and utilizing tools for cooperation and communication; trainings and exchange to enhance cooperation & coordination; law enforcement coordination and cooperation at certain wildlife chokepoints to determine whether different agencies, e.g. police, CITES officials, quarantine officials, and environment officers are working together as efficiently as possible. These types of assessments will inform future needs and programming; and

b) Supporting general institutional strengthening for wildlife including assessment, support and secondment, including to national and regional WENs.

3. Increase commitment to addressing CWT (Objective 3)

Building international cooperation, commitment, and public-private partnerships is one of three priorities of the U.S. National Strategy for CWT. Specific TOs under this Contract anticipate inclusion of interventions that will seek to build cooperation and commitment through increased

CWT coordination as well as improved information on species and threats. Below are examples of possible required services.

3.1) Increase commitment of host country actors to combat wildlife crime by enhancing the efforts and initiatives of governments and other actors in the region to take the actions necessary to combat wildlife crime as requested and appropriate. This includes recognizing that infrastructure development can have severe consequences for wildlife and taking the necessary and appropriate measures. Interventions will primarily include, but will not be limited, to the following:

a) Providing technical assistance to support government leadership in addressing CWT;

b) As requested and appropriate, supporting meetings and conferences to keep the profile of CWT high and to push the advocacy agenda;

c) Conducting targeted assessments (e.g., the relationship between infrastructure development and wildlife trafficking) and engaging key stakeholders on CWT.

d) Partnering with banks and the private sector to ensure that safeguard measures are in place for their infrastructure projects.

e) Supporting government efforts to strengthen WENs, including tracking and reporting on the degree to which countries are supporting their WENs (national and regional

WENs including ASEAN-WEN and South Asia Wildlife Enforcement Network).

3.2) Improve monitoring and response to status and trends of wildlife crime to inform the international CWT community on trends and status of key species and related trade in the region to inform and adapt actions taken through other strategic approaches. Illustrative activities may include:

a) Monitoring and assessing the status of wildlife (threats to wildlife, population, etc.) in certain areas depending on priorities; and

b) Relaying this information to the relevant agencies that request the information to inform conservation action.

3.3) Facilitate regional coordination of CWT stakeholders to effectively manage the investments on CWT in the region by providing administrative, logistical, and technical support to facilitate in-country and regional coordination between and among the regional platforms; development partners from non-governmental, multilateral and bilateral organizations; and USG agencies in Asia.

C.2.2 Implementation and Management Approach

A proactive and forward-thinking regional approach is essential to successfully implement the orders under this contract due to the transboundary nature of the drivers of wildlife trafficking

(including market source and demand dynamics, international trafficking networks, etc.) and the regional impacts of wildlife crime on development prospects. The implementation approach must consider, respect, and leverage the governance structures in place for regional cooperation.

The implementation of this Contract requires a combination of technology, innovation, and creativity into an approach that is grounded in theory and evidence. Fundamental to the approach is an understanding that behaviors and norms are based on a complex socio-ecological context— i.e., behavior does not occur in a vacuum–and that successful programs require communication interventions at multiple levels; taking into account gender equality, socio-economic status, and culture.

As specified in orders, the contractor will help to improve understanding of why and how people behave as they do, and the associated approach must examine the structural, social, supply, and demand-side drivers to the consumption of illegally traded wildlife products. In line with this, the interventions must propose a comprehensive approach that is gender relevant and utilizes communication to change behaviors and norms at the political and social levels. This approach must take advantage of existing local and regional mass media programming and community-level efforts to prompt conversations. The approach must also take into account gender equality, socio-economic, and culturally specific consumer behavior patterns.

Management and implementation approaches must consider the root causes behind barriers to the institutionalization of actions to combat wildlife crime at the regional level, and ensure that activities under the contract prioritize long-term sustainability rather than one-off events.

Other USAID activities and USG agencies present potential opportunities for synergy. The

Contractor must ensure complementarity with relevant USG and non-USG activities, including the following:

USAID’s Regional Development Mission for Asia (RDMA): Located in Bangkok, USAID/RDMA is home to a number of regional activities to combat wildlife trafficking, including an Interagency Agreement with the Department of Interior.

USAID’s Bilateral Missions in Asia: Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, Central Asian Republics, Kyrgyzstan, India, Indonesia, Mongolia, Nepal, Philippines, Sri Lanka & the Maldives, Timor

Leste, and Vietnam. USAID’s Pacific islands office supports 12 Pacific island countries. In East

Asia and the Pacific, Indonesia, Philippines and Vietnam receive CWT funds.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS): A USFWS special agent is based in Bangkok to help strengthen and coordinate wildlife law enforcement activities.

U.S. Department of Justice (USDOJ): USDOJ has been working across Southeast Asia to strengthen the investigation and prosecution of environmental crimes, including those related to wildlife trafficking. Its Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training

(OPDAT) and International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program (ICITAP) are both active in the region.

U.S. Department of State (DOS): The Office of Environment, Science, Technology and Health

(ESTH) within the Embassy’s Economic Section plays the principal role in coordinating the embassy’s “whole of government” approach to environmental matters. Furthermore, the State

Department’s International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL) office is spearheading the development of a Joint Action Plans to Combat Wildlife Trafficking in several Asian countries.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA): Internationally, NOAA supports and promotes national policies and interests in ecosystem-based management, climate change, Earth observation, and weather forecasting seeking to maximize the mutual benefits of international exchange with its global partners.

USAID Washington activities: USAID’s E3 Bureau Office of Forestry and Biodiversity maintain global projects to support countering wildlife trafficking, including the Wildlife

Trafficking Response, Assessment and Priority Setting (Wildlife TRAPS) program with IUCN that focuses on providing new knowledge of the status and trends of wildlife species and crime, as well as the Reducing Opportunities for Unlawful Transport of Endangered Species (ROUTES) partnership with the transit industry. USAID’s Bureau for Asia supports INTERPOL’s Project

Predator, which combats trafficking in big cats including tigers and snow leopards.

C.2.3 Biodiversity and Combating Wildlife Trafficking Funds; Legal Considerations

TOs under this IDIQ contract will be implemented primarily with congressionally mandated

Biodiversity Conservation funds, including funds specifically for CWT. Biodiversity funding must meet the requirements of the Biodiversity Code, which is articulated in the Biodiversity http://www.usaid.gov/biodiversity/policy http://www.usaid.gov/biodiversity/policy http://www.usaid.gov/biodiversity/policy http://www.usaid.gov/biodiversity/policy

Policy: http://www.usaid.gov/biodiversity/policy. The Code comprises four criteria, all of which must be met to be considered eligible for a Biodiversity activity:

a) The Activity must have an explicit biodiversity objective; it is not enough to have biodiversity conservation result as a positive externality from another program;

b) Activities must be identified based on an analysis of drivers and threats to biodiversity and a corresponding theory of change;

c) Site-based activities must have the intent to positively impact biodiversity in biologically significant areas; and

d) The Activity must monitor indicators associated with each stated theory of change for biodiversity conservation results.

The Theory of Change (TOC) approach to activity design, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation will be required as listed in the USAID Biodiversity Code. A TOC approach will be applied to each TO issued under the IDIQ.

Within Biodiversity Conservation funds, the Activity will be implemented with funds dedicated to Combating Wildlife Trafficking. Funds reported under the Combating Wildlife

Trafficking must provide direct support to efforts which prevent or reduce poaching and/or illegal trade in wildlife, including terrestrial, freshwater, and marine species (elephants, pangolins, sharks, coral, etc.).

Section 660 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (FAA) prohibits assistance to police and prisons, with certain exceptions. However, Section 119(b) of the FAA provides specific notwithstanding authority to fund assistance to law enforcement entities for the purposes of

“protecting and maintaining wildlife habitats and in developing sound wildlife management and plant conservation programs.” It also states that “special efforts should be made… to enact and enforce anti-poaching measures.” USAID interprets “law enforcement” as any entity that has authority to carry out some or all of the functions normally exercised by a law enforcement force, including the authority to carry weapons, make arrests, conduct searches, interrogate, supervise confinement, or initiate prosecutions.

By way of policy, USAID will not rely on FAA Section 119(b) authority to support actual law enforcement operations activities such as participation in field investigations, covert operations, raids and arrests that have a potential risk to the physical safety of USAID partners and USG staff. However, relying on the notwithstanding authority, the activities under the Contract may include other assistance to law enforcement entities such as training, coordination, and planning.

The Contractor must consult with USAID/RDMA and seek authorization prior to conducting any activities that might be considered law enforcement operations.

http://www.usaid.gov/biodiversity/policy http://www.usaid.gov/biodiversity/policy http://www.usaid.gov/biodiversity/policy

An additional legal requirement related to work with law enforcement is that assistance to the security forces of any country is prohibited when there is credible information that such forces have committed gross human rights violations (FAA Sec. 620M). This is referred to colloquially as “Leahy Vetting.” Therefore, beneficiaries of the activities contemplated under this Contract who are considered “security forces” must be successfully vetted per Leahy Vetting guidelines prior to receiving assistance.

EXPECTED RESULTS C.3

The prime contractor will be responsible for achieving measurable programmatic results based on targets set at the TO level. Individual TOs will include specific deliverables and indicators measuring anticipated results of the services tasked. The Contractor will work with the IDIQ’s

COR to develop a set of indicators to measure the expected results. Illustrative indicators may include but are not limited to the following:

● Number of organizations with improved skills in the use of strategic social and behavior change communication methods, and improved understanding of tailored messaging to be effective for different gender, culture, and socio-economic target groups;

● Number of new SBCC campaigns on demand reduction implemented which can show demonstrable (and statistically significant) change in consumer demand and actual purchasing of illegal wildlife products;

● Number of NGO networks that collaborate and benefit from shared consumer preference research derived from improved formative research skills in identifying gender, socio-economic, and culturally relevant consumer preferences and framing effective messages;

● Number of consumer demand reduction campaigns that employed state of the art social and behavior change methods that are gender relevant as well as socio-economically and culturally relevant;

● Percentage of target audience acquiring minimum level of law enforcement competency;

● Number of CWT actions taken based on new or strengthened laws/policies;

● Number of cooperative CWT enforcement actions taken by countries within the region;

● Number of target CWT actions through increased commitment;

● Number of conservation actions influenced by analyses and recommendations;

● Number of cooperative CWT actions taken by partners within the region;

● Other relevant indicators related to CWT, learning, gender equality and female empowerment, and local capacity development as required by the Foreign Assistance

Standardized Program Structure.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES AND POLICIES C.4

The Contractor shall adhere to the following guiding principles during the Contract implementation.

1. Coordination

Collaborative working relationship between the Contractor and relevant USAID staff is required under this Contract. RDMA maintains regular coordination with USAID Bilateral Missions, as well as U.S. Embassies and Consulates in order to avoid duplication with any bilateral projects, identify opportunities to add value, and ensure smooth relations and communications with the host country governments and other stakeholders in the Region. At a minimum, the Contractor shall follow “RDMA’s Protocol for Coordination and Communication with Bilateral Missions”

(to be shared with the Contractor post-award) and other U.S. government counterparts in the

Region, engage them in all activities from the inception stage to ensure their inputs in the activity design, provide advance notice about upcoming activities in any country, and conduct briefings with USAID or U.S. Embassy staff during each assignment in the relevant countries.

Where applicable and appropriate, the Contractor must collaborate with other organizations/agencies/firms providing services to relevant USAID Missions in the Region. In addition, the Contractor must work with relevant Missions to ensure participation by national/regional counterparts and other stakeholders, both people and institutions and also including beneficiaries, during each assignment as appropriate under guidance of relevant

CORs/COs. Specific coordinating activities, in addition to the above, shall be identified in the individual TOs.

2. Gender and Socio-cultural Integration

The Contract’s interventions will have a greater impact on CWT if the approach is sensitive to building upon and deepening the understanding of the illegal wildlife trade as a social issue which needs to be understood through a gender lens at all stages of the illegal global wildlife trade. Gender and culture are core components of identity, and thus have significant implications for how consumers behave in the marketplace. The Contract must utilize a strategic approach that is guided by an appreciation of prevalent social, cultural, and gender norms and how they influence and interact with individual and community demand for illegally traded wildlife and associated products.

The Contract seeks to understand the factors that influence the behavior of men and women (and when relevant girls and boys) by focusing on their roles as purchasers and/or consumers of illegal wildlife products. Understanding the dynamics of the international trade in illegal wildlife trade and the complicated systems of access, control, and consumption patterns involve examining the gender roles related to individual participation at different stages of the wildlife trafficking value chain, from sourcing (poachers) to consumption (the consumers).

The Contract seeks to examine and understand the roles of men, women, girls and boys in the response to wildlife crime. Successful interventions must be analyzed through a gender lens in order to gauge the impact of gender on the intervention. For example, how do target groups respond to demand reduction campaigns with different gender profiles? How does this vary for different products and why? This will help us determine which strategies are the most successful and to inform future interventions. In the same vein, gender integration in law enforcement to address CWT must also be understood.

Men, women, girls and boys play varying roles at different stages of the wildlife trafficking value chain. Although data are limited, men are believed to carry out the bulk of activities in the illegal value chain. The role of women in the economic decision-making of consumer purchases or as participants in the value chain is poorly understood. In general, end user consumption of wildlife products differs between men and women. The consumption of wildlife products for medicinal purposes is mainly associated with cultural practices and beliefs centered on enhanced masculinity and sexual prowess, as well as wealth and prestige; while it is believed that women mainly purchase wildlife associated products for ornamental and beautification purposes, such as jewelry and accessories.

The Contractor must ensure the USAID policies and strategies including the Gender Equality and Female Empowerment Policy are incorporated and applied during implementation of the

IDIQ and all TOs as guided in ADS 205. The Mission Gender Advisor and/or RDMA’s Regional

Gender Advisor will provide technical guidance on the issue to the Contractor through relevant

CORs/COs according to the TOs. The Contractor, the IDIQ’s COR, and the Regional Advisor will review and discuss progress every six months during overall Contract implementation.

In addition to the guidance provided in ADS 205, the Contractor is encouraged to propose alternate, additional, or revised gender-related research questions to be approved by the

CORs/COs of individual TOs. Activities shall take into account the factors that influence the behavior of men and women by focusing on their roles as purchasers and/or consumers of illegal wildlife products, as well as utilize a gender lens in any intervention. The Contractor is required to provide clear recommendations for improved programming and measurement of gender equality and female empowerment in all services under this Contract.

3. Science and Technology

The Contractor must look for opportunities to use the best science and emerging technologies, including mobile technology and geospatial technologies, to magnify the impact of the http://www.usaid.gov/biodiversity/policy

Contract’s investments. The potential of the mobile internet to transform society is both the product of its scale and its boundless versatility: by transforming how people interact, mobile technology can empower civil society and increase their engagement with government.

Science and Technology (S&T) tools are identified as a priority need by the wildlife conservation sector in CWT and must be actively used and promoted. This includes opportunities for DNA analysis for species identification, electronic systems for cross-border data sharing, GPS tracking, the use of GIS systems, and the deployment of novel technologies as appropriate.

S&T has been used with success in CWT and its use must be expanded and scaled up.

4. Partnerships

The Contractor must work closely with NGOs, the private sector, governments, international organizations, and other development partners to create innovative partnerships that leverage outside resources, including new public-private partnerships. Partnerships will also help promote innovative and evidence-based practices and regional networking.

MANAGEMENT OF SUBGRANTS (GRANTS UNDER CONTRACT) C.5

Funds may be made available in individual TOs for the award and administration of grants. In these cases, the contractor must solicit, negotiate, award, and administer grants under TOs.

Grants management tasks may include: contractor(s) participation in or responsibility for the drafting and publication of Requests for Applications (RFAs). However, the program direction, focus, type of grantees and final grant approval will remain with the relevant Mission TOCO.

The Contractor will be responsible for working with local groups to develop grant proposals, evaluation of proposals, establishment of grant agreements, delivery of financial and in-kind assistance, monitoring implementation and grant close-out. The Contractor’s responsibilities may also include: screening of potential grantee partners, design of the grant, database entry, and/or monitoring and evaluating the grantee deliverables. The Contractor(s) must review all grant proposals before final approval to assure they are consistent with USAID policies and procedures, grant format and disposition of property. If grants under contracts are authorized, the task order will so state.

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