Local Partner in Maldives Required

Request for proposals for a Local Implementation Partner to carry out a Circularity Assessment to tackle plastic pollution in Maldives

eXXpedition CIC is seeking a qualified Local Implementation Partner (LIP) in Maldives to carry out local waste management research and help facilitate the presentation of the research findings. The programme is in partnership with the DEFRA-funded Ocean Country Partnership Programme, the University of Georgia and the Commonwealth Secretariat, and with the support of the High Commission of the Republic of Maldives to the United Kingdom.

This 6 month project will take place from late May to November 2023 (part-time) and requires a lead person with a small field team. Activities include:

• data collection including litter surveys, store and restaurant surveys and stakeholder interviews on local waste management using a research methodology called the Circularity Assessment Protocol under the training and guidance of University of Georgia.
• assisting the facilitation of an action-focused stakeholder meeting in Male, where the findings will be presented to government, community and industry.
• working closely with eXXpedition CIC, the University of Georgia, relevant departments at the Government of the Republic of Maldives and local communities in Maldives to execute the project plan.

BACKGROUND & PURPOSE

Plastic pollution in the ocean is causing devastating environmental and health impacts globally and there’s no silver bullet solution to solve it. The problem needs to be tackled at the source and approached from many angles simultaneously. Decision-makers at a local, national and international level need data to take an informed holistic approach to identify successful research-driven solutions in policy, infrastructure and industry innovation.

The Circularity Assessment Protocol (CAP), developed by University of Georgia (UGA), will create a snapshot of Maldives’ circularity to holistically characterise how consumer plastic flows into a community, is consumed, and flows out. The CAP uses field data on plastic inputs, consumers, product design, use, collection, waste management and leakage into the environment, and interviews with key stakeholders. It will provide data for local, regional, and national policy and decision‐making, to reduce leakage of single‐use plastic into the environment and increase circular materials management.

See CAP Methodology here; See example report from the Pune, India assessment here.  

A qualified Local Implementation Partner, hired by eXXpedition and trained by UGA, will carry out the CAP data collection in Malé city and surrounding islands, and facilitate the presentation of the research findings at a stakeholder meeting. UGA will create a report summarising the circularity assessment data, which will be provided to the Maldives government and people to inform their decision making on plastic waste management.

This project will culminate in a Stakeholder Meeting to present key findings from the Circularity Assessment and to identify actions and opportunities for the next phase of Maldives SHiFT. Stakeholders will include national policy makers, industry, infrastructure, community and external experts.

 

PROJECT TIMELINE

Stage 1: June 12th – June 23rd 2023

During Stage 1 – Pre-field analysis, the LIP will:

• Attend virtual training (2-4 hours) with the UGA team to learn field methods
• Assist UGA team with finding background documentation, such as solid waste management plans, for the local community
• Review of sampling map and strategy to ensure methods are locally appropriate 
• Contacting and scheduling key stakeholder interviews with groups such as government officials, solid waste management companies, local businesses, and NGOs

Estimated time: Pre-field training + dry run: 10 hours, 4 people = 40 hours

Stage 2: June 26th – July 14th 2023

During Stage 2 – Fieldwork, the LIP will collect the following data:

• Conduct litter transects conducted in pre-selected locations with the Debris Tracker app (3 transects in each of 9 sites)
• Conduct store and restaurant surveys to purchase and survey common convenience products and to-go items (3 stores and 3 restaurants in each of 9 sites)
• Conduct key stakeholder interviews (typically 15-30 interviews)
• Provide photo and video documentation of the CAP surveys

Field work typically takes 2 weeks full time to complete, depending on the size of the team.

Estimated Time: Field work + interviews: 80 hours, 4 people = 320 hours

Stage 3: July 17th – July 28th 2023

During Stage 3 – Data analysis and reporting, the LIP will:

• Weigh and characterise samples purchased in stores
• Enter the data and transcribe the interviews
• Provide local context to analysis

Estimated Time: Data transcription: 20 hours, 4 people = 80 hours

Stage 4: July 31st – September 22nd 2023

During Stage 4 – Final report writing and stakeholder meeting planning, the LIP will:

• Collaboratively review analysis and report drafts from the UGA team to share insights.
• Identify and coordinate key stakeholders to attend the meeting
• Coordinate a meeting venue, participant transportation and event logistics

Estimated Time: Review and support of data analysis: 40 hours + Event coordination: 80 hours

Stage 5: September 25th – November 24th 2023

During Stage 5 – Presentation of the findings, the LIP will:

• Identify points for stakeholder meeting and create summary presentation documents to share with stakeholders
• Final stakeholder meeting planning and attendance (event date TBC)
• Stakeholder meeting follow up

Estimated Time: Data dissemination and document preparation: 40 hours + Event coordination and attendance: 80 hours

 

TEAM ROLES

A successful LIP typically has 4-6 members. Roles for the project team are described below; team members can participate in multiple roles.

Project Lead

• A team member with experience in project management to oversee and coordinate the entire CAP and be the primary point of contact with eXXpedition and UGA for matters of communication and data-sharing.
• Qualified persons may include: faculty, staff, or higher level students (PhD or mature Masters) at a University; an experienced person at an NGO; or experienced government employee.
• A general understanding of waste management in the community and some awareness of plastic issues is necessary. Experience in Geographic Information Systems is a plus; at a minimum, comfort with reading Google maps is required. General knowledge of the community about culture, social norms, safety, etc. is also required.
• The project coordinator will be required to attend virtual training sessions with UGA, take part in some fieldwork and ensure all field work is completed and data transcribed on time. They will review the report draft and provide feedback.

Field Staff – Litter Transect Team 4 people recommended

• Team members will be using mobile app technology to record georeferenced data on litter and potential sources of litter including stores, cafés, etc. Being comfortable using maps and apps on smartphones is critical. Team members will need to be willing to do a lot of walking and be outside in various conditions. They’ll likely get asked questions by curious residents, so research assistants will also be liaisons with the community in explaining the project. Attention to detail is important – litter tracking can be tedious.
• Undergraduate or graduate students in any discipline should be able to help do this work.
• The litter transect team will be required to attend virtual training with UGA.

Field Staff – Survey Team 2 people recommended

• The survey team will be working to conduct interviews in the field sites with key players in the community, including: key stakeholders, shopkeepers, waste management workers, and informal waste sector workers.
• Graduate students who have either conducted surveys in the past or have an interest in this area of work are preferred. 

Stakeholder Meeting Coordinator

• An individual with excellent organisational skills to coordinate the stakeholders, venue, catering and travel logistics for the 1-day stakeholder meeting.
• The coordinator should have good contacts within government and have experience of putting together high level events in the past.

 

BUDGET

The maximum budget payable under this contract is £10,000 (including VAT, and any other fees). Payment will be made upon satisfactory completion of work signed off by eXXpedition CIC and within 30 days upon submission of the invoice.

 

REQUIREMENTS

• University degree required in a field relevant to this contract, such as, environmental management, science, engineering, etc.
• Demonstrable experience of more than 4 years in working in a research capacity; ideally, relevant to marine or coastal planning and/or waste management in the respective country;
• Excellent research skills;
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills to build collaborative relationships and supportive engagement with stakeholders;
• Skilled at managing competing priorities and meeting tight deadlines;
• Solid writing abilities;
• A strong commitment to partnership and collaborative approaches;
• Must be based in Malé in Maldives;
• Links with government and local communities
• Network within the Maldives in relation to the environment, ocean, health and waste management sectors.
• Have their own computer equipment, GPS-enabled smart-phones, computer applications and internet connection.

 

APPLICATION PROCESS

Please apply for this contract by submitting a concise proposal (2 pages) to [email protected] by 23:59 GMT on 22nd May 2023 . 

The proposal should include:

• How you will carry out the project, the team’s relevant expertise and experience, team roles and team location.
• The bid amount and budget breakdown, including any necessary transport costs in the Malé region eg. ferries. Bids must include all relevant fees and taxes, which in total cannot exceed the maximum amount (£10,000). 

Evaluation will be based on both competency and cost. Where submissions are similar in quality, preference will be given to Contractors that are Maldivian citizens or entities registered in Maldives.

You can find more information about Maldives SHiFT partners here.