The Upper Guinean Forests of West Africa are globally recognized biodiversity hotspots, spanning Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Togo. These forests provide critical ecosystem services, including biodiversity conservation, carbon sequestration, and climate stabilization, while supporting local economies and livelihoods. However, these ecosystems are under severe threat due to agricultural expansion, illegal logging, urbanization, and weak governance systems. Addressing these challenges is essential for achieving sustainable development and climate resilience in the region.

Significance of the Upper Guinean Forests:

·        Biodiversity Conservation: The forests are home to unique flora and fauna, including endemic species and critically endangered wildlife.

·        Carbon Sequestration: As significant carbon sinks, these forests play a vital role in mitigating climate change.

·        Livelihood Support: Forest resources contribute to the economic well-being of local communities, particularly through agriculture, forestry, and ecotourism.

·        Water Regulation and Soil Stabilization: These forests regulate water cycles and reduce soil erosion, benefiting both rural and urban populations.

The World Bank has been instrumental in addressing these challenges through its Analytical and Advisory Services (ASA) and technical assistance programs. The current ASA initiative for the Upper Guinean Forests aligns with:

·        Global Priorities: The World Bank’s Global challenge program on Forests, Climate Change Action Plan, the Global Program on Sustainability (GPS), and the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF).

·        Regional Priorities: Enhancing ecosystem services integration into national accounts, promoting sustainable forest management, and facilitating access to climate finance.

Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea and Togo have made significant progress in advancing Natural Capital Accounting (NCA) and addressing deforestation, but challenges remain.

The World Bank’s Environment Global Practice invites expressions of interest from qualified firms to support the development and integration of Natural Capital Accounting (NCA) within the Upper Guinean Forests region, with a focus on Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, and Togo. This initiative will contribute to national and regional efforts to enhance sustainable forest management, promote climate finance readiness, integrate forest ecosystem services into national accounts and development planning frameworks. 

The required expertise will support the World Bank to provide technical support for developing systems of Natural Capital Accounting (NCA) and building capacity in Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, and Togo. The initiative focuses on the specific accounts detailed in subsequent sections, utilizing proven global approaches and methodologies, including those applied under the Wealth Accounting and Valuation of Ecosystem Services (WAVES), as part of the World Bank's Global Program on Sustainability (GPS).

SELECTION OF CONSULTING FIRMS BY THE WORLD BANK GROUP

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST (EOI)

Electronic Submissions through WBGeProcure RFx Now

ASSIGNMENT OVERVIEW

Assignment Title: Natural Capital Accounting for Forest Ecosystem Services in selected countries in West Africa

Assignment Countries:

• Cote d'Ivoire
• Guinea
• Togo

ASSIGNMENT DESCRIPTION

The Upper Guinean Forests of WestAfrica are globally recognized biodiversity hotspots, spanning Guinea, SierraLeone, Liberia, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Togo. These forests provide criticalecosystem services, including biodiversity conservation, carbon sequestration,and climate stabilization, while supporting local economies and livelihoods.However, these ecosystems are under severe threat due to agriculturalexpansion, illegal logging, urbanization, and weak governance systems.Addressing these challenges is essential for achieving sustainable developmentand climate resilience in the region.

Significance of the Upper GuineanForests:

·Biodiversity Conservation: Theforests are home to unique flora and fauna, including endemic species andcritically endangered wildlife.

·Carbon Sequestration: Assignificant carbon sinks, these forests play a vital role in mitigating climatechange.

·Livelihood Support: Forestresources contribute to the economic well-being of local communities,particularly through agriculture, forestry, and ecotourism.

·Water Regulation and SoilStabilization: These forests regulate water cycles and reduce soil erosion,benefiting both rural and urban populations.

The World Bank has been instrumental inaddressing these challenges through its Analytical and Advisory Services (ASA)and technical assistance programs. The current ASA initiative for the UpperGuinean Forests aligns with:

·Global Priorities:The World Bank’sGlobal challenge program on Forests, Climate Change Action Plan, the Global Program on Sustainability (GPS),and the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF).

·Regional Priorities: Enhancingecosystem services integration into national accounts, promoting sustainableforest management, and facilitating access to climate finance.

Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea and Togo have made significantprogress in advancing Natural Capital Accounting (NCA) and addressingdeforestation, but challenges remain.

The World Bank’s Environment GlobalPractice invites expressions of interest from qualified firms tosupport the development and integration of Natural Capital Accounting (NCA)within the Upper Guinean Forests region, with a focus on Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea,and Togo. This initiative will contribute to national and regional efforts to enhancesustainable forest management, promote climate finance readiness, integrateforest ecosystem services into national accounts and development planning frameworks.

The required expertise will support the World Bank to provide technical support for developing systems of Natural Capital Accounting (NCA)and building capacity in Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, and Togo. The initiativefocuses on the specific accounts detailed in subsequent sections, utilizingproven global approaches and methodologies, including those applied under theWealth Accounting and Valuation of Ecosystem Services (WAVES), as part of theWorld Bank's Global Program on Sustainability (GPS).

FUNDING SOURCE

The World Bank Group intends to finance the assignment / services described below under the following:

• BB: Bank Budget
• TF0C6158: PROGRN
• TF0C6316: SCALE
• TF0C0112: PMIF

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

The World Bank Group invites eligible firms to indicate their interest in providing the services. Interested firms must provide information indicating that they are qualified to perform the services (brochures, description of similar assignments, experience in similar conditions, availability of appropriate skills among staff, etc. for firms; CV and cover letter for individuals). Please note that the total size of all attachments should be less than 5MB. Firms may associate to enhance their qualifications unless otherwise stated in the solicitation documents. Where a group of firms associate to submit an EOI, they must indicate which is the lead firm. If shortlisted, the firm identified in the EOI as the lead firm will be invited to the request for proposal (RFP) phase.

Expressions of Interest should be submitted, in English, electronically through WBGeProcure RFx Now

NOTES

Following this invitation for EOI, a shortlist of qualified firms will be formally invited to submit proposals. Shortlisting and selection will be subject to the availability of funding.

Only those firms which have been shortlisted will be invited to participate in the RFP phase. No notification or debrief will be provided to firms which have not been shortlisted.

If you encounter technical difficulties while uploading documents, please send an e-mail to the Help Desk at corporateprocurement@worldbank.org prior to the submission deadline.