Background
The Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Action Plan
Illegal logging continues to have a devastating impact on some of the world's
most valuable remaining forests, and on the people who live in them and rely on
the resources that forests provide.
The EU is one of the largest consumers of timber products in the world. EU
companies and governments that buy timber and timber products have the power to
affect rates of illegal logging. Buying illegally-sourced timber creates
profitable markets for illegal loggers and undermines efforts to enforce forest
law in timber-exporting countries. Alternatively, purchasing timber from
producers that comply with national laws, pay for the timber they fell and act
responsibly towards the local population and the environment, creating
incentives for timber producers to act responsibly and helps to reduce illegal
logging.
In 2003, the EU launched the Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade
(FLEGT) Action Plan. It sets out several measures that together aim to prevent
the importation of illegal timber into the EU, improve the supply of legal
timber and increase demand for timber from responsibly managed forests. Primary
amongst these measures are:
[*] Enacting legislation to halt the trade in illegal timber. The EU
Timber Regulation came into effect in all countries in the EU on the 3rd of
March 2013. The Regulation prohibits the placing of illegally harvested timber
on the European market and covers both imported and domestically produced
timber and timber products. The Regulation sets out procedures to minimise the
risk of illegal wood entering the EU market. Businesses placing a timber
product on the EU market must make efforts to ensure that it is legal, known as
'due diligence.' Businesses selling or buying timber already on the market must
keep records that adequately trace the origin of the wood they buy or sell.
[*] Establishing partnerships with tropical timber producing
countries to tackle the trade in illegal logging. These Voluntary Partnership
Agreements (VPAs) aim to improve forest governance and provide guarantees that
timber and timber products exported to the EU are legal. Each VPA defines
'legal timber' according to the laws and regulations of the timber-producing
country. Negotiating the Agreement provides an opportunity for the private
sector and civil society to participate in the development of national legality
standards. VPAs also require that the timber producing country develop a timber
legality assurance system (TLAS) that can verify whether a consignment of
timber is legal and merits the award of a 'FLEGT licence'. Timber or timber
products that carry a valid FLEGT licence are automatically considered to
comply with the requirements of the EU Timber Regulation and are free to enter
the EU market without additional due diligence checks. A VPA can also help a
timber-producing country achieve its development objectives by securing
employment, increasing government revenues, strengthening the rule of law and
safeguarding the rights of forest peoples.
For more information, please see http://www.flegt.org/.
Indonesia’s FLEGT reforms
Indonesia has some of the world’s largest and richest rainforest: approximately
70% of its land area is categorised as forest. Indonesia is also one of the
world's largest exporters of tropical timber products, worth US$ 12 billion in
2018.
In 2003, Indonesia began to develop a control system for all its timber
exports, building on a mandatory certification approach for legality and
sustainability. The system, called Sistem Verifikasi Legalitas Kayu (SVLK), was
developed jointly by the government, members of civil society and businesses.
It became the basis for the timber legality assurance system under Indonesia’s
FLEGT VPA with the EU. The SVLK system now covers all timber production for
exports and is expanding to include the domestic market on a stepwise basis.
On 15 November 2016, Indonesia became the first country to formally meet the
requirements of its VPA and began issuing FLEGT licences to verified legal
timber products exported to the EU. Over the past year, Indonesia has issued
more than 38,000 licences with a total value of more than US$ 1.2 billion.
Recent research has collected a wealth of evidence on the positive impacts of
SVLK and the partnership between Indonesia and the EU. SVLK has helped to
significantly reduce the proportion of illegal timber within Indonesian timber
exports[1]. A study from Indonesia’s Independent Forest Monitoring Network
(JPIK) found that SVLK has contributed to decreasing deforestation in East and
Central Kalimantan.[2]
The Multistakeholder Forestry Programme
The UK-funded Multistakeholder Forestry Programme Phase 4 (MFP4) is implemented
by Palladium and Systemiq. MFP4 supports Indonesia to achieve its objectives
regarding sustainable timber and community forestry, building on earlier
programme phases to deliver an ambitious set of results on coverage of timber
legality licences, export volumes of sustainably sourced timber, and the growth
of community-based forest enterprises.
The MFP4 team has been supporting stakeholders in Indonesia to build the
profile of FLEGT-licensed timber in domestic and international markets,
including through the development of a communications strategy. Work done so
far includes the follow activities:
[*] In September 2019, the MFP4 team held a workshop with forest
sector stakeholders to identify the communications priorities area for
promoting the standard – stakeholders agreed that a clear communication
strategy must be developed to consistently explain the system, the improvements
in forest governance it has enabled, and promote the standard to timber buyers.
[*] MFP4 then contracted communication consultants to develop two
strands of the strategy. The first strand of the strategy focusses on
increasing understanding and buy in for the system among the domestic
Indonesian audience. The second strand focusses on building recognition and
demand for Indonesia’s FLEGT licensed timber products in foreign markets.
[*] Each strand of the strategy was built on a series of interviews
examining the differing perceptions and priorities of government ministries,
producers, customers, certification bodies, NGOs, and timber traders in
Indonesia, Europe and the US. Desk research was also conducted on furniture
suppliers, manufacturers, and retailers across the three regions.
[*] The communication strategy was developed in close consultation
with SVLK stakeholders (see ‘Indonesian Stakeholders/Audience’ section below)
as it is intended to be owned and implemented by them.
Communications Secretariat Team
MFP4 is now seeking communications and public relations experts to support the
execution of the communications strategy. The Supplier will establish a
Secretariat team, to coordinate, develop and support the delivery of
communications outputs by key forest sector stakeholders in Indonesia, from
government, private sector and civil society. The Secretariat will ensure that
the messages produced are all strategically aligned. The Secretariat will
therefore assemble relevant communications experts, advisors and project
managers to deliver the work below, in close collaboration with key forest
sector stakeholders. The Supplier will be managed by the MFP4 team.
The full communications strategy will be made available to the selected
Supplier. For the purposes of this procurement, summaries of each of the two
strands of the strategy (international and domestic) will be shared with
shortlisted suppliers in order to develop their proposals, after submission of
initial Expressions of Interest.
Scope of Work: Preparing and launching and coordinating the initial phases of a
communications campaign, up to August 2021
Through the Secretariat, the Supplier will coordinate the first two phases of
the communication campaign:
Phase 1: Pre-launch planning reconciliation, and re-branding phase (October
2020 – February 2021)
The Supplier will first facilitate collaboration between forest sector
stakeholders in generate a single, cohesive communications plan for 2021 to
2023, including refreshed branding for the standard, key materials and
connections ahead of the launch of the communications campaign. This plan will
be based on the communications strategy that has already been developed. This
requires building a shared understanding of the roles and responsibilities of
stakeholders in delivering communications messages. Specifically, the Supplier
will:
[*] Develop a communications plan for 2021 to 2023. This plan will
include: establishing two cohesive message houses based on drafts from the
strategy: one each for domestic and international audiences; a definition of
the respective roles of stakeholders in delivering communications messages to
domestic and international audiences, and a communications calendar. This plan
will build on several sections in the strategy document, which contains the
facts and advice needed to develop messages that can be targeted at national
and international audiences.
[*] Develop a coherent brand for Indonesian SVLK certified timber.
The standard is currently described in different ways at different steps of the
timber value chain: SVLK as a timber legality assurance system from harvesting
through processing of wood products, V-Legal certification at the point of
export out of Indonesia, and FLEGT-licenced timber upon arrival in the EU
market. This branding needs to be clarified and harmonised. The Supplier will
develop a refreshed brand and guidelines for the system, based on the analysis
in the communications strategy.
[*] Identify and facilitate links between stakeholders in Indonesia
and key international influencers of timber traders, such as associations,
trade federations and international NGOs (see ‘International Audience’ bullet 1
below) to cohesively communicate evidence and key messages about the integrity
of the system, and a narrative of the systems role in securing sustainable
forest management .
[*] Develop specific materials and guidance with forestry
stakeholders, in preparation for phase 2 of the programme. These materials will
be used to a) raise the profile of Indonesia as a low risk source of timber,
among international buyers, and b) conduct policy promotion campaign in
Indonesia. Materials will be tailored to the stakeholder groups that will be
sharing messages, as well as targeted audiences.
[*] Create a knowledge management platform as a central point of
information for the system and a series of associated demonstration activities
with private sector associations, government agencies and civil society. The
knowledge management platform should be publicly accessible. The platform and
associated activities should enhance stakeholders’ knowledge of the latest
policy updates, regulations, timber trade data and market trends, with the aim
of improving the evidence-base available to decision makers within the
stakeholders group (particularly those under ‘Indonesian Stakeholders/Audience’
bullets 1 and 3 below).
Phase 2: Communications launch phase (February 2021 – August 2021)
In this phase, the Supplier will launch the communications campaign. This phase
will focus on two priority communications issues identified in the strategy.
Specifically, the Supplier will:
[*] Support stakeholders to raise the profile of Indonesia amongst
international timber buyers as a low risk source of tropical timber. The
Supplier will work closely with Indonesian timber businesses and associations
to support their marketing and promotion work. A market analysis study has
already been completed to guide this work – highlighting the interests,
pressures and pain points of the target buyers regarding risk when they choose
new source countries for their timber. Communications will therefore focus on
conveying messages and content about the standard’s ability to reduce
reputational and environmental risk for international buyers of tropical
timber. Entry points include the procurement criteria buyers utilise when
selecting new timber suppliers, engaging organisations that may influence
buyers’ decisions, conducting promotional campaigns at national and
international timber trade fairs and other promotional channels (see
‘International Audience’ bullet 2 below for target audience). Further detailed
requirements under this programme can be found in the strategy document, which
will be shared with shortlisted Suppliers.
[*] Support the Ministry of Environment and Forestry to deliver a
domestic policy promotion programme. This will target Indonesian regulators
(outside of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry), industry, and support
groups in Indonesia to improve awareness, adoption, and support for the system
domestically by communicating SVLK improvements policies and supports that has
been done and or has been doing by Ministry of Environment and Forestry based
on prioritised issues identified . The Supplier will also increase Indonesian
media coverage of the wider campaign goal of increasing public support for SVLK
implementation domestically. Further detailed requirements under this programme
can be found in the strategy document, attached.
Stakeholders and audience size
The forestry stakeholder network in Indonesia is made up of the following key
organisations. MFP4 will facilitate introductions and collaboration between the
Supplier and each stakeholder. Those with an asterisk* are considered core
representatives of the VPA community. Note that stakeholders are also
considered a target audience for this communications programme:
Indonesian Stakeholders/Audience:
[*] Regulators: Ministry of Environment and Forestry, and other
Indonesian line and coordination ministries
[*] Observers and Supporters: Network of Independent Forest monitors,
NGO watchdogs, international development partners, Indonesian academics and
experts
[*] Implementers: Business associations, timber and furniture
industry players, certification bodies
International Audience:
[*] Direct importers of timber and timber products into countries
with anti-illegal logging laws: Retailers, manufacturers and importers
[*] International timber businesses that sell products to customers
interested in responsible sourcing: Retailers, manufacturers, architects and
specifiers
[*] Regulators, implementors, and supporting groups: International
NGOs, competent authorities in EU member-states, wider forest policy and
governance community
Deliverables
The Supplier is expected to produce the following deliverables:
[*] A communications plan that enables stakeholders to implement the
communication strategy, targeting both Indonesian and international audiences.
This plan should include a single message house that unifies all existing
communications programme messages, a shared calendar of communications, and
clear breakdown of roles for respective stakeholders.
[*] A refreshed brand for Indonesian SVLK certified timber and the
brand guidelines for use in campaigns.
[*] A publicly accessible knowledge management platform and a series
of demonstration sessions with private sector associations, government agencies
and civil society that can be used by stakeholders as a learning tool about key
developments in SVLK. The platform should also include simple guidelines about
how to update the platform with new information and the way to collaborate with
the stakeholders in developing this platform.
[*] Design, production and delivery of communication materials and
coordination of events to raise the profile of Indonesia amongst international
timber buyers as a low risk source of tropical timber, in collaboration with
stakeholders
[*] Design, production and delivery of communication materials and
coordination of events as part of a domestic policy promotion programme for the
standard, in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and Forestry.
Qualifications and Experience
MFP4 is seeking a qualified supplier to carry out the work described in these
ToRs. The Supplier may be a team of individual consultants, an organisation, or
a consortium of organisations. Applicants will need to demonstrate the
following qualifications and experience:
[*] Experience in engaging with both Indonesian and international
audiences and markets within proposed team.
[*] Experience in Communications and/or Pubic Relations with proven
record of influencing audiences in the private and public sectors.
[*] Experience delivering communications campaigns on environmental
topics, particularly certification schemes and / or commodity production
standards
[*] Experience in brand design
[*] Team assembling fluent English and Bahasa Indonesia speakers
Timeline
Phases 1 and 2 of this project will be delivered between October 2020 and
August 2021.
Budget
A maximum budget of GBP 130,000 (IDR 2,470,000,000) is available for phases 1
and 2 of this work. This budget is comprised of GBP 100,000 (IDR 1,900,000,000)
for personnel fee time (including all overheads and taxes) and GBP 30,000 (IDR
570,000,000) for other costs (travel, events, and production of materials etc).
How to Apply: Expressions of Interest
This work is open to either organisations, individual consultants, or teams of
consultants. The procurement will take place in two stages:
* Stage 1: Interested Suppliers are invited to submit a short Expression of
Interest (EoI).
* Stage 2: A shortlist of Suppliers from Stage 1 will be invited to submit
a full proposal for this work. Shortlisted Suppliers will receive a summary of
the communications strategy and perception studies completed to date, to
support the development of their proposal. The successful Supplier will be
chosen from this shortlist.
We are currently inviting Suppliers to submit Expressions of Interest. These
EoIs should be up to 5 pages maximum in length, and include:
* A covering letter explaining the Supplier’s interest in this work, plus
any feedback or questions on these ToRs
* A description of the Supplier’s relevant experience for this work (see
desired qualifications above)
* A short profile of proposed team members
To respond to this opportunity, please send the following documents and
information to
christiani.sagala@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:christiani.sagala@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
with the name of the project as your email subject:
Closing date for EoIs: 23rd September 2020 at 11.59 pm Jakarta time
Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted and invited to submit a full
proposal.
Postscript: potential extension of work
This contract may be extended beyond August 2021, subject to performance of the
Supplier and available funding. The contract extension will cover two further
phases in the communications campaign, building on the two initial phases
described above.
Please note that Phases 3 and 4 are not included in the current scope of these
ToRs, and applicants are not expected to include costs for this work in their
proposals.
Phase 3: Strengthening communication phase (after August 2021)
This phase focuses on shaping and promoting SVLK’s narrative on sustainability
and strengthening domestic market support and acceptance for SVLK timber
product certified in Indonesia. The Supplier will:
[*] Develop and promote SVLK’s narrative on sustainability by
creating ‘verified stories’ that Indonesian timber businesses can use with
their customers to demonstrate that Indonesian timber and timber products meet
customers’ sustainability standards. Storylines might, for example, focus on
community-sourced timber which is mostly used in teak furniture and the
skilled, individual artisans that produce Indonesian furniture.
[*] A campaign to secure adoption of public procurement policies by
Indonesian government bodies that favour SMEs and SVLK-licensed businesses.
This campaign should leverage the momentum from the expected construction boom
that will result from the decision to relocate Indonesia’s capital city.
[*] A campaign to improve wider domestic customer awareness of the
importance of buying legal wood products in Indonesia.
Phase 4: Handover phase (after August 2021)
This phase focuses on evaluating the communication strategy’s success, planning
the longer-term communications strategy, and handing over ownership of the work
to SVLK stakeholders so that the SVLK communications team can be dissolved. The
Supplier will:
[*] Evaluate the communications programme and measure the impact
through a final quantitative perceptions survey to understand key lessons
learned and inform the design of a future communications strategy.
[*] Develop the long-term strategy for stakeholders that can be
delivered once the SVLK communications team has been dissolved, informed by the
evaluation of the current strategy.
[*] Hand over all roles and functions undertaken by the SVLK
communications team by developing a hand over manual and assigning people and
organisations from within the stakeholder group to take forward the proposed
programme activities programme.
Each of the phases, and the activities described therein, are subject to change
should circumstances change or the approach prove unsuitable.
For more information on our company, please review our website:
www.thepalladiumgroup.com<http://www.thepalladiumgroup.com>
Palladium provides equal employment to all participants and employees without
regard to race, colour, religion, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation,
veteran or marital status.
________________________________
[1] CIFOR report 2020: Collecting Evidence of FLEGT-VPA Impacts for Improved
FLEGT Communication
[2] JPIK. 2019. PHPL: Dari Legalitas Menuju Keberlanjutan