Request for Applications: Independent Mineral Chain Auditor for the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR)

Transcription

1 Request for Applications: Independent Mineral Chain Auditor for the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) 1. Background 1.1. ICGLR Overview The International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) is a 12-member intergovernmental organization in the African Great Lakes Region. Its establishment was based on the recognition that political instability and conflicts in these countries have a considerable regional dimension and thus require a concerted effort in order to promote sustainable peace and development. As part of the Pact on Security, Stability and Development in the Great Lakes Region, which was signed by the Heads of States in Nairobi on December , the Protocol on the Fight against the Illegal Exploitation of Natural Resources outlines the actions that Member States have agreed to take. The Summit of the Heads of State held in Lusaka on 15 November 2010 recommended that the Conference Secretariat should support national institutions involved in the implementation of the six tools against the illegal exploitation of natural resources. Being the core tool, the Regional Certification Mechanism implies the tracking of the chain of custody of four selected natural resources to ensure that neither mine site nor channels of trade within the country as well the region are in predatory control of armed groups or criminal networks. For further details, please visit the ICGLR website: PPA Overview The Public-Private Alliance for Responsible Minerals Trade (PPA) is a joint initiative among governments, companies, and civil society to support supply chain solutions to responsible minerals challenges and opportunities in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the Great Lakes Region (GLR) of Central Africa. Leaders worldwide are calling for action to address conflict mineral concerns while delivering solutions that benefit those involved in responsible minerals trade in the Great Lakes Region. The PPA aims to demonstrate that it is possible to secure legitimate, conflict-free minerals from the Great Lakes Region. The PPA supports pilot programs, with the ultimate goal of producing scalable, self-sustaining systems, to demonstrate a fully traced and validated supply chain in a way that is credible Final IMCA Request for Applications Page 1 of 5

2 to companies, civil society, and government. The PPA maintains a website that is a resource for companies with reporting requirements mandated by section 1502 of the July 2010 Dodd-Frank legislation and other organizations seeking current, balanced information on conflict minerals. The PPA also provides a platform for coordinated, productive dialogue among government, industry, and civil society in a non-regulatory setting. For a full list of members, please visit the PPA website: CBRMT Overview The USAID-funded Capacity Building for a Responsible Minerals Trade (CBRMT) project, implemented by Tetra Tech, strengthens the capacity of national and regional actors, including the International Conference of the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), to establish and scale up conflict-free due diligence, traceability and certification systems for artisanal tin, tantalum, and tungsten (the 3Ts) and gold in the Great Lakes region. CBRMT and supports the auditing and monitoring of the minerals trade across the Great Lakes by supporting the establishment of a regional Independent Mineral Chain Auditor and conducting independent third-party audits in the region. It is in the above framework that the ICGLR Secretariat, with the support of Public Private Alliance for Responsible Minerals Trade (PPA) and the USAID-funded Capacity Building for a Responsible Minerals Trade Project,will establish an Office of the Independent Mineral Chain Auditor (IMCA) as one major pillar of the Regional Certification Mechanism (RCM). 2.0 Objective for the Consultant The ICGLR Executive Secretariat, in conjunction with Public Private Alliance for Responsible Minerals Trade (PPA) and CBRMT, is requesting proposals from individual candidates (consultants) qualified to establish and operationalize an office of the Independent Mineral Chain Auditor.. The IMCA is an independent office attached to the ICGLR Secretariat, which aims to fulfill three main purposes: Inspect Member States chain of custody tracking systems (within a year of those systems beginning operation) and other RCM system processes to ensure that they meet ICGLR Standards; this evaluation must be complete and published to validate each Member State s ICGLR certificates; in case of any non-compliance, advise and follow up with the ICGLR secretariat and affected Member States to bring the system(s) into compliance; Initiate independent investigations into data or topics such as the involvement of armed groups in the mineral chain (in ways that might not be revealed by a Third Party Audit), or suspected cases of large scale mineral smuggling; and Provide on-going risk assessments of the risk of conflict and conflict financing from mineral exploitation and mineral trading in the region. Final IMCA Request for Applications Page 2 of 5

3 3.0 Application Requirements All candidates should respond to the attached terms of reference (TOR), which have been adopted by the ICGLR Regional Committee on the Regional Initiative on Natural Resources (RINR) for the IMCA based on ICGLR references. Successful candidates will: Include an updated resume or CV demonstrating the candidate has the required competencies and qualifications as outlined in the TOR; Include a letter of motivation as described in the TOR; Provide three professional references; Provide a summary of salary expectations and associated justification documentation based on prior work experience. Candidates must be African national, preferably from an ICGLR Member State. In the course of evaluation, the ICGLR Pre Selection Committee and/or the Regional Committee on the Regional Initiative on Natural Resources may ask for additional information in order to facilitate the selection process. In such cases, the ICGLR Pre Selection Committee or Secretariat will provide questions and a reasonable deadline for a response. The ICGLR Secretariat in collaboration with the Public Private Alliance for Responsible Minerals Trade (PPA) and CBRMT- and in consultation with the ICGLR Regional Committee on the RINR - may also request a phone or in-person interview of top candidate(s) before making a recommendations to the Executive Secretary Submitting a Proposal 1. Outline of the selection process and schedule Candidates should submit their applications in English to the ICGLR Secretariat at recrutement@icglr.org with a cc: to tkennedy@resolv.org, the PPA Facilitator, by 17:00 Eastern Daylight Time (GMT-4) on Friday, 7 August, All applications should include a letter of intent, updated resume/cv, three reliable professional references for correspondence regarding their submission. Proposals should be ed to the above contacts with the subject line Response to IMCA RfA, followed by the candidate s name. A joint pre-selection committee composed of the ICGLR Secretariat and the PPA Governance Committee will submit qualified pre-selected candidates to the ICGLR Regional Committee on the RINR for review, based on the selection criteria outlined in the terms of reference, and availability of funds,; The Regional Committee will recommend a short-list top candidates to the ICGLR Executive Secretary; The Executive Secretary will then consult with the RIMC on the candidate appointment; Final IMCA Request for Applications Page 3 of 5

4 The nominated candidate is sent to the PPA Governance Committee and CBRMT. The selected candidate will be notified, with funding contingent on final confirmation with RESOLVE (on behalf of the PPA Governance Committee) and CBRMT. 2. Queries during the proposal process Respondents may submit queries in English regarding the proposal process. Any queries should be directed to with a cc: to tkennedy@resolv.org, the PPA Facilitator. Queries will be accepted until 17:00 Eastern Daylight Time (GMT-4) on Tuesday, 21 July, The ICGLR Secretariat, in collaboration with the Pre-Selection Committee, will respond to all queries at one time, sharing all questions and responses for the benefit of all respondents. 3. Application Format and Content Applications should be submitted electronically, in English, and be no longer than 10 pages, Times New Roman font, size 12 with a minimum of one-inch margins. Proposals must include the information listed below; respondents may include other pertinent information as appropriate. Proposals must have a section each addressing/including the following: a) Letter of motivation outlining candidate s vision for IMCA office, anticipated challenges and plans to meet them, and particular qualifications for the assignment (maximum of 2 pages) b) Complete and update resume or CV summarizing the candidate s employment for at least the previous ten years, including position title, responsibilities held under each position, supervisor s name and contact information, language proficiency, education and other professional training. ( 7 page limit) c) Three professional references, their relationship to the applicant and their contact information ( , telephone, and Skype name, if applicable) (1 page). d) Salary expectations in USD including annual compensation and benefits, accompanied by copies of salary justification (paystubs, copies of employment or consulting agreements, etc.) (Page limit does not apply) 5.0 Evaluation criteria (100 points total) The following evaluation criteria are informed by Section 2.2 of the attached IMCA terms of reference: a) Capacity (30 points) Does the candidate have the right relevant experience/skill sets needed to accomplish the IMCA objectives? Does the Final IMCA Request for Applications Page 4 of 5

5 candidate have adequate experience with financial and reporting systems to support transparency and accountability? Does the candidate have demonstrated relevant language and communication skills and ability to work in a multicultural environment? b) Past Performance (25 points) Does the candidate have prior experience in the GLR? Does the candidate have a successful record of accomplishment in performing similar types of work? Does the candidate s mission and project portfolio demonstrate commitment to responsible sourcing of minerals? c) Demonstrated Commitment, Independence, and Other Attributes (30 points) Does the candidate have any potential conflict of interests (and if so, are they addressed adequately within the proposal)? Does the candidate have a demonstrated record of independence, integrity, and credibility among diverse stakeholders? d) Salary Expectations and References (15 Points) Did the candidate include sufficient justification for the stated salary expectations, and were professional references favorable based on the criteria identified in the terms of reference? In addition, all candidates must have excellent oral and written proficiency in English and must be African national, preferably from an ICGLR Member State. Final IMCA Request for Applications Page 5 of 5