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Description of Activity/Service:

USAID Wildlife Asia

Counter Wildlife Trafficking Digest:

Southeast Asia and China

2020 Issue IV, March 2021

Background

The USAID Wildlife Asia Activity is a five-year regional counter wildlife trafficking initiative addressing the trafficking of pangolins, rhinos, elephants and tigers by working to reduce consumer demand for wildlife parts and products, strengthen law enforcement capacity and coordination, enhance policy, legislation and jurisprudence and improve regional action to reduce wildlife crime in Southeast Asia and China

To support this process, USAID Wildlife Asia aims to provide an evidence base to support decision-making about priority interventions in policy, law enforcement and consumer-demand reduction. This is done through the systematic compilation of open-source information which is then analyzed to capture the status, trends and changes in patterns of the illegal wildlife trade. The information is then documented in USAID Wildlife Asia’s annual Counter Wildlife Trafficking (CWT) Digest reports which include recommendations targeting the U.S. Government, national government counterpart agencies, and the broader CWT conservation community. It is also aimed at being a resource and reference document for a broader range of stakeholders including the private sector, journalists, students, academics and other interested parties.

To date, USAID Wildlife Asia has released three Digest reports, covering 2017, 2018, and 2019 respectively. The fourth in the series will cover 2020 and be launched on World Wildlife Day on March 3, 2021.

Approach

USAID Wildlife Asia is now looking to continue working with its conservation partners to capture and analyze relevant information for the preparation of its next Digest report. This forms part of USAID Wildlife Asia’s broader strategic approach of increasingly working with other CWT partners in the region to consider, assess and facilitate the development of more organized and adequately-resourced partner coordination mechanisms, to increase systematic, sustained and up to date information sharing, alignment of efforts and collective participation in supporting national and regional efforts among ASEAN countries to counter wildlife trafficking. 

As with previous reports, the aim of the next Digest will be to provide a global overview of the illegal wildlife trade with a regional emphasis on Southeast Asia/China with a focus on USAID Wildlife Asia’s target countries (Cambodia, China, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam). The report will maintain its focus on elephant, pangolin, rhino, and tiger (parts, products, and live) and where relevant discuss convergence or linkages with the illegal trade in other species or contraband.

Product or Service Expectations (both if applicable):

Work Summary

USAID Wildlife Asia is currently looking for an organization to lead the preparation of the 2020 Counter Wildlife Trafficking Digest for Southeast Asia and China covering the period from January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2020.

The assignment will largely involve a desk-based study, but is expected to include virtual interviews with relevant NGOs, organizations, government agencies and individuals in order to collect the information necessary to prepare the report. USAID Wildlife Asia is expecting the work to start as soon as the contract is awarded.

The organization contracted to lead the work will report to USAID Wildlife Asia’s Chief of Party and coordinate with the Senior Technical Advisor, Program Management Support Specialist and Deputy Chief of Party.

Key Tasks

Specific tasks in developing the 2020 CWT Digest are as follows:

• Lead data collection including information relating to Covid-19 and its relevance and impacts on the illegal wildlife trade. Key sources of information will include, but not be limited to:
  • Open-source: press releases, reports, peer reviewed papers, news articles, bulletins etc.
  • Databases: MIKE, ETIS, WCMC, EU TWIX, IUCN Red List etc.
  • Mapping tools: EIA and C4ADS
  • Seizure compilations: TRAFFIC, Robin des Bois etc.

• Compile and analyze data
• Update/revise graphics
• Prepare draft report for review
• Integrate feedback from review of draft report
• Submit final version to USAID Wildlife Asia for clearance with USAID
• Assist with launch of report through virtual or in person presentation/facilitation
• Assist with the dissemination of the report

The CWT 2020 Digest report is expected follow the same template as the 2019 report and will thus include:

• List of Abbreviations
• Executive Summary
  • capturing the highlights and main findings of the report
• Background
  • Including a short description of the approach and methodology used, and mention of any limitations in the data used and how this may have affected the analysis and subsequent findings.
• Introduction
  • Legal and Political Successes
  • Social and Behavior Change Research and Trends
  • Social and Behavior Change Campaigns
• Pangolins
  • Situation Update
  • Trade Routes
  • Seizures and Prosecutions
  • Summary
• Tigers
  • Situation Update
  • Trade Routes
  • Seizures and Prosecutions
  • Summary
• Elephants
  • Situation Update
  • Trade Routes
  • Seizures and Prosecutions
  • Summary
• Rhinos
  • Situation Update
  • Trade Routes
  • Seizures and Prosecutions
  • Summary
• Key Seizures
  • Pangolin Seizures
  • Tiger Seizures
  • Elephant Seizures
  • Rhino Seizures
• Discussion and Recommendations
  • Discussion
  • Recommendations
• References
• Endnotes

Key Outcomes

• The Digest becomes a key reference on the status and trends of wildlife trafficking for the U.S. Government, government counterpart agencies and the broader CWT stakeholder community.
• Information contained in the Digest gets used to support law enforcement training programs, behavior change campaigns, influence policy, strengthen legal frameworks, and increase government commitments to combating wildlife trafficking.
• The Digest gets widely circulated among the broader conservation community and is available for download through an increasing number of partner organizations.
• The Digest continues to be developed by partners so that the tool is sustained beyond the life of USAID Wildlife Asia and continues to inform and support counter wildlife trafficking efforts.

Minimum Eligibility Requirements

• A proven ability and track record of undertaking research an analysis and preparing reports especially in relation to the illegal wildlife trade.
• Working experience in the ASEAN region on matters related to counter wildlife trafficking.
• An appreciation and understanding of the challenges and potential sensitivities in documenting issues related to the illegal wildlife trade in the ASEAN region.
• Experience supporting USAID programs preferred.

Deliverables, Timelines, Special Terms and Conditions:

Submission Requirements

Qualified organizations are invited to apply by submitting the following:

1. Cover letter
2. Summary of qualifications
3. Relevant work samples
4. Price quote (not to exceed USD $15,000) in accordance with the deliverable schedule below

Deliverable and Payment Schedule

Evaluation Criteria

1. Price. (35%). Cost proposal is best value offered based on the budget.
2. Technical (35%). Offeror demonstrates ability to meet and exceed the minimum eligibility requirements described above.
3. Past Performance (30%).  Offeror has required experience for the task as demonstrated in examples of past performance and relevant work samples.

Timeframes

The anticipated procurement timeline is the following:

The anticipated implementation timeline is December 16 to February 28, 2021 with a plan to launch the CWT 2020 Digest in conjunction with World Wildlife Day on March 3, 2021. Specific milestones are outlined in the table below:

Item #

Quantity to be Purchased

Description of Preferred Commodity or Services Specifications

Unit of Measure

Unit Fixed Price (Each)

Total Fixed Price (Each)

Lead Time Availability (Number of Days)

1