Consultancy: Project Impact Assessment Verified listing

WWF-Pakistan, with financial support from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), is implementing the project:

"Scaling up Nature-based Solutions (NbS) for improving integrated water resources management and enhanced water security in Pakistan."

The project aims to pilot and scale Nature-based Solutions across selected locations in:

• Gilgit-Baltistan (GB)
• Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP)
• Punjab

The project seeks to improve ecosystem health, water resource management, watershed resilience, biodiversity conservation, and community livelihoods.

Objective of the Consultancy

The consultancy aims to:

• Undertake a comprehensive impact assessment of WRAP Nature-based Solutions interventions.
• Develop recommendations for institutionalizing and scaling NbS in Pakistan.
• Assess financing opportunities for future NbS investments.
• Develop a National Policy Brief on Nature-based Solutions within the framework of Pakistan's National Adaptation Plan (NAP).
• Recommend mechanisms for strengthening NbS governance, including integration of the NbS Cell within the Climate Action Board (CAB), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Geographic Coverage

The assessment will cover interventions implemented in:

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

• Upper Chitral
• Haripur
• Abbottabad
• Mansehra
• Kolai Palas

Gilgit-Baltistan

• Ten project districts

Punjab

• Khabeki

Scope of Work

The consultant will:

Impact Assessment

• Assess environmental, ecological, hydrological, socio-economic, institutional and financial impacts of NbS interventions.
• Evaluate watershed restoration, forest rehabilitation, ecosystem restoration and biodiversity outcomes.
• Assess erosion control and slope stabilization measures.
• Quantify impacts on groundwater recharge, water retention and water availability.
• Assess climate-smart agriculture outcomes and livelihood resilience.
• Evaluate community adaptation and resilience outcomes.
• Assess gender equality and social inclusion impacts.

Biodiversity and Ecosystem Assessment

• Conduct biodiversity and ecosystem health assessments using:
  • Field observations
  • Participatory approaches
  • Remote sensing techniques

Value for Money Analysis

• Conduct cost-benefit analysis.
• Assess efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability of interventions.
• Evaluate equity and environmental returns.

Institutional Assessment

• Assess functionality and effectiveness of NbS Cells established under WRAP.
• Review institutional arrangements supporting NbS implementation.
• Develop recommendations for strengthening governance and coordination mechanisms.
• Develop an institutional integration framework for embedding the NbS Cell within the Climate Action Board (CAB), KP.

Investment Pipeline Development

• Conduct provincial assessments of NbS opportunities and climate-risk hotspots.
• Identify priority investment areas.
• Develop prioritization criteria for future NbS investments.
• Prepare standard NbS Concept Note and Pre-Feasibility templates.
• Develop a pipeline of short-, medium- and long-term NbS projects.
• Identify flagship investment opportunities.

Financing Assessment

• Assess existing and potential financing mechanisms.
• Explore:
  • Public investment opportunities
  • Climate finance
  • Blended finance
  • Private sector engagement
  • Resource mobilization mechanisms
• Develop a financing roadmap for scaling NbS.

Policy Analysis

• Review national and provincial policies relevant to NbS and climate adaptation.
• Conduct policy gap analysis and SWOT analysis.
• Recommend pathways for integrating NbS into planning, financing, implementation and monitoring systems.
• Prepare a National Policy Brief on Nature-based Solutions in the context of Pakistan's National Adaptation Plan.

Key Deliverables

The consultant shall provide:

1. Inception Report including methodology, workplan and assessment framework.
2. Comprehensive field-based assessment of project sites.
3. Assessment of NbS effectiveness in ecosystem restoration and water management.
4. Evaluation of erosion control and slope stabilization measures.
5. Water resource impact assessment.
6. Biodiversity and ecosystem health assessment.
7. Value for Money (VfM) assessment.
8. Institutional assessment of NbS Cells in KP and GB.
9. SWOT and policy gap analysis.
10. Provincial NbS Opportunity Mapping and Prioritization Report.
11. Standard NbS Concept Note Templates.
12. Standard NbS Pre-Feasibility Templates.
13. Provincial NbS Project Pipeline.
14. National Policy Brief on Nature-based Solutions.
15. Final report and presentation of findings, lessons learned and recommendations.

The assignment may be awarded to either:

• An Individual Consultant; or
• A Consulting Firm

Registration Requirements

The consultant/firm must:

• Be legally registered.
• Be registered with income tax authorities.
• Possess a valid NTN.

Education

The lead consultant or team leader must possess:

• At least a Master's degree in a relevant discipline.

Experience

• Minimum 8–10 years of relevant professional experience.
• Proven experience in:
  • Environmental impact assessments
  • Economic impact assessments
  • Nature-based Solutions
  • Watershed and water resource management
  • Climate policy and financing

Additional preference will be given to experience in:

• Multi-regional assessments
• Application of international frameworks (IUCN NbS, AWS or similar)
• Working with government institutions