TERMS OF REFERENCE

CONSULTANCY SERVICE CALL FOR  PREPARE GUIDELINES ON COMPLIANCE TO AUDIT PROCEDURES AND CRITERIA OF DIFFERENT CERTIFICATIONS AND STANDARDS

(Activity 5.2.3 – 1.3)

1. BACKGROUND

Vietnam shrimp production provides livelihoods for over a million of people and improves income for small scale producers who are accounting for more than 80% of Vietnam shrimp production. However, the booming of shrimp industry, relies on saline water ecology, has been associated with serious environmental and social impacts. The linkage and relationship between various shrimp value chain actors has been fragmented and inefficient which negatively affects product quality and traceability that decreases the competitiveness of Vietnam shrimp products globally. Limited access to financial resources is also a barrier to expand production and comply with required standards of small scale producers and SME processors.

Project “Sustainable and Equitable Shrimp Production and Value Chain Development in Vietnam – SusV”is a four_year project funded by EU under SWITCH Asia programme (2016-2019), Implementing by OXFAM Vietnam and International Collaborating Centre for Aquaculture and Fisheries Sustainability (ICAFIS), The Project will focus mainly on the 3 provinces in Mekong Delta (Ca Mau, Soc Trang and Bac Lieu).

The project promotes sustainable economic prosperity and poverty reduction in Vietnam through improving social and environmental impacts of shrimp production and related activities in its value chain. The project facilitates adoption and practice of P-SIA/B-EIA of ASC and CSR standards by shrimp producers and processors; improves access to finance and production efficiency; empowers small scale shrimp producers; advocate for application of sustainable production criteria in government’s value chain credit policy. The Project envisions a multi-stakeholder approach (including public, private, NGOs and civil society stakeholders) for the development of the shrimp value chain through the application of sustainable standards, improved production efficiencies as well as scaling up effective access to finance. The Project specifically aims to reduce negative impacts on biodiversity and water sources. In addition, it will increase resources efficiency (water, energy and feed), ensure sustainable livelihoods and improve the economic condition of SME shrimp processor and small scale shrimp producers especially women. At the same time, through responsible standards compliance, the Project improves labour and working conditions, especially for female workers. The Project will introduce easily replicable solutions that can be adopted by other actors and sectors.

The Overall Objective of this Project is: Contribute to sustainable economic prosperity and poverty reduction in Vietnam through improving social and environmental impacts of shrimp production and processing. The four Specific Objectives of this Project are closely interlinked and lead to a sustainable outcome with benefits for small scale shrimp producers, SME shrimp processor, surrounding community members and consumers.

Specific Objective 1: Participatory Social Impact Assessment (p-SIA) and Biodiversity Environment Impact Assessment (B-EIA) criteria of Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) standards will be adopted by shrimp producers and CSR norms are practiced by shrimp processors, to minimize the social and environmental footprint of commercial aquaculture.

Specific Objective 2: Vietnamese small scale shrimp producers and SME shrimp processors have access to adequate finance and improved production efficiency.

Specific Objective 3: Small scale shrimp producers are empowered to have a stronger voice in negotiation with other actors in the value chain.

Specific Objective 4: Government’s credit policies targeting aquaculture/shrimp producers are promoting SCP and are designed effectively to support the development of the shrimp VC.

Project Management Unit (OXFAM/ICAFIS) open a call consultant for activity “Prepare guidelines on compliance to audit procedures and criteria of different certifications and standards”.

2. OBJECTIVES

The main objective of this study is to develop a guideline to help shrimp producers and processors to apply ASC standard criteria (p-SIA, B-IEA) and review and finalise the principles and guidelines on CSR norms (developed by Oxfam and ICAFIS) for the  small – scale shrimp producers/small and medium processing enterprises to apply the standards for the sustainable and fair shrimp value chain.

The specific objectives of the study are:

• To develop a guideline on compliance and practices  with ASC criteria (p-SIA, B-EIA) together with Oxfam and ICAFIS specialists (the guidelines also reach to VietGap (an internal Vietnamese standard that is promoted by the GoV) will be developed)
• To review and finalise the principles and guidelines on CSR norm that were developed by Oxfam and ICAFIS. This includes SA8000, labour conditions, the ASC fair contracting, Chain of Custody traceability and Business Social Compliance initiative (BSCI).

3. SCOPE OF WORKS

The consultants would be expected to carry out the following works:

• Working with ICAFIS/ OXFAM specialists.
• Review Project documents and the related standards, norm mannuals, guidelines… (ASC, VietGAP, principles and guidelines on CSR norm, BSCI, SA8000, ISO26000…)
• Design the study methodology with required tools and templates;
• Collaborate with ICAFIS/ OXFAM specialists to share, update and develop the guidelines;
• Disseminate the draft guidelines  to relevant stakeholders for feedbacks;
• Adjustment to finalize the guidelines.

4. METHODS

(1) Desk Review: Review current available reports, project documents, criteria of different certifications and standards such as VietGap, ASC standards, principles and guidelines on CSR norm.

(2) Specialists Focus Group Discussion.

(3) Consultation workshop

5. DELIVERABLES

The following are the expected deliverables:

- Guideline on compliance and practices  of Participatory Social Impact Assessment (p-SIA)

- Guideline on compliance and practices  of Biodiversity Environment Impact Assessment (B-EIA)

- Finalise the principles and guidelines on CSR norms

All outputs are required to be submitted to PMU (OXFAM, ICAFIS) in both English and Vietnamese language in hard copies and in electronic format, in hard copy as complete files fully formatted with all figures, tables and maps included within the text.

6. TIMEFRAME

Timeframe for the activity will be expected within 12 weeks (including consultation workshop) since signing date of the consultancy contract which is scheduled from August-November, 2016; and time for this consultancy will be 15 days. The consultants will be expected to provide a detail work schedule against the following time spots:

• The result of consultant selection will be available within 15 days after submission the inception report.
• Draft guidelines would be expected by end of November, 2016.

Final guidelines with consultations from other ICAFIS/OXFAM’s experts/consultants middle of October 2016

7. REQUIREMENTS FOR CONSULTANTS

The consultants must have:

- Consultant are including independent consultants and Vietnamese Certifying Bodies (CB) have qualifications in one of following majors: social sciences, food industry, aquaculture, environments, economics, aqua-culture standards

- At least 05 years’ experience in guided for compliance to audit procedures and criteria of different  seafood certifications and standards

- Skills and experiences on providing agriculture standards consultancy services/auditing, familiar with aquaculture/shrimp production in Vietnam

- Knowledge of agriculture standards and social/environmental issues in aquaculture production in the Mekong Delta

- Be committed to and able to meet the deadline

- Documentation skills

- Excellent Vietnamese and English writing skills.

8. PROPOSAL SUBMISSION

The Proposal should be submitted in English by email before 5 PM 5 August, 2016 to:

International Collaborating Centre for Aquaculture and Fisheries Sustainability – ICAFIS

Contact person: Dinh Xuan Lap – Deputy director, SusV project coordinator 

E-mail: lap.dinhxuan@icafis.vn

Phone: 84-985.024.307

 The Proposal should be specified in terms of:

• Introduction of the Consultants’ profile and related experience
• Technical methodology to achieve the study objectives within expected timeframe.
• Specific study schedule
• Study personnel including team structure and allocation (with CVs)
• Breakdown financial proposal

Note: Only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted