INTERNATIONAL BIORAP METHODOLOGY, TOOLKIT, AND PRACTITIONER INSTRUMENTS CONSULTANCY, ECARE PROJECT

ADVERTISEMENT

International BIORAP Methodology, Toolkit, and Practitioner Instruments Consultancy, ECARE Project

Project Title: Expanding Conservation Areas Reach and Effectiveness (ECARE) in Vanuatu
Location: Port Vila, Vanuatu with travel to islands
Duration: 60 days spread out over 5-month period
Start Date: no later than 18 January 2026
Reporting to: ECARE National Project Coordinator, Department of Environmental Protection and Conservation, Ministry of Climate Change (MoCC), Government of Vanuatu
Funding Support from: Global Environment Facility and International Union for the Conservation of Nature

Background
The GEF-funded Expanding Conservation Areas Reach and Effectiveness (ECARE) project supports customary owners, provincial governments and the national government to formally protect more forest and coastal areas and improve capacity and processes for protected area management and sustainability.

The project responds to the current environmental threats by developing peer to peer visits and training to enhance management and implement improved nature-based solutions in a range of conservation areas, including those with livelihoods and income generating potential, including tourism.

The project directly contributes to a better targeting of investment for PAs through: clearer identification of needs and opportunities to achieve good results (including a reinforced link between PAs, conservation, adaptation to climate change, and disaster risk reduction) at appropriate levels, and an improved effectiveness of limited existing resources for the development of capacities at all levels, an increased visibility of the PA conservation effort at the national and local levels leading to a better recognition of conservation national commitments by other sectors, and a better socio economic and territorial resilience of the communities relying on natural resources.

About the Role
Under the leadership of the ECARE National Project Coordinator, the consultants will be responsible for undertaking review of existing methodologies for conducting Biodiversity Rapid Assessments (BIORAPs).

A primary technical bottleneck in Vanuatu’s conservation framework is the lack of standardized, nationally accepted methodologies for conducting Biodiversity Rapid Assessments (BIORAPs). Historically, biological assessments have been conducted in a fragmented, ad-hoc manner by various external researchers, leaving the Department of Environmental Protection and Conservation (DEPC) without a centralized, consistent database to verify environmental values, map species richness, or track management effectiveness over time.

To resolve this, the ECARE project requires the services of a consultancy team, including at least one (1) local consultant, to design, validate, and finalize the official Vanuatu National BIORAP Methodology, Toolkit, and Practical Practitioner Instruments, directly integrating the tools, software, and lessons gained from recent on-ground surveys.

Scope of Services

1. Standardize Rapid-Sampling Protocols: Establish clear, scientifically robust, repeatable, and cost-effective rapid-sampling methodologies tailored to Vanuatu’s unique tropical island biogeography across terrestrial, freshwater, and marine environments, directly incorporating established on-ground practices.
2. Harmonize Science and Kastom: Bridge Western taxonomic science with traditional customary governance systems, ensuring local chiefs, landowners, and community rangers are active co-investigators.
3. Deploy Actionable Field Instruments: Design simplified, user-friendly field datasheets, equipment checklists, metadata standards, and an automatic, offline data-analysis tool that allows local practitioners to input field measurements and instantly generate diversity indices.
4. Verify via Field Validation: Pilot-test and refine the draft methodology and toolkit directly at designated ECARE project sites across Sanma, Malampa, and Shefa provinces, working in partnership with national NGOs and departments.
5. Present the finalized, field-tested instruments to national officials and deliver formal, hands- on training sessions to government officers, provincial administrators, and NGO leaders to secure long-term sustainability and immediate national rollout.

Deliverables

• Document detailing the consultancy work plan and deliverable timeframes, proposed fieldwork sites, list of key stakeholders for consultation, BIORAP source documents to review and proposed FPIC/consultation protocols.
• BIORAP review report to include a comprehensive literature review of national/regional BIORAP methodologies, approaches and experiences, localized gap analysis of Vanuatu’s taxonomic and biodiversity assessment baselines.
• Draft National BIORAP Methodology and Toolkit to include the standardized sampling and assessment protocols for terrestrial/marine systems, draft field datasheets in Bislama and English, raw equipment checklists, and a beta-version of the offline automatic data- analysis macro tool.
• BIORAP Field-Testing and Capacity Validation Report: summarizing pilot results across the designated ECARE test sites, validating data collection methodologies, verifying the functionality of the macro analysis tool, and documenting local stakeholder training/engagement and signed FPICs.
• Final Vanuatu National BIORAP Manual & Toolkit: Standardized, professionally designed, and fully finalized manual and software, optimized for DEPC official endorsement, national rollout, and compatibility with SPREP and DEPC Biodiversity data portals.
• National Technical Presentations and Practitioner Training Report: Consisting of: (i) presentation materials and formal sign-off letters from the technical roundtable for senior government officials; (ii) a comprehensive ToT workshop report containing signed practitioner attendance sheets, pre- and post-workshop evaluations demonstrating at least an 80% capacity increase; and (iii) verified georeferenced dataset exports prepped and submitted for regional/national portal upload

Selection Criteria
The ECARE Project seeks a team comprised of at least one (1) internationally recognized ecologist, environmental scientist, or conservation biologist and (1) national consultant meeting the following requirements:

International Consultant Education

• A Master’s Degree or Ph.D. in Conservation Biology, Ecology, Marine Science, Natural Resource Management, Environmental Science, or a closely related field.

Local Consultant Education

• A bachelor’s or master’s degree in Natural Resource Management, Environmental Science, Marine Science or a closely related field.

Collective Consultancy Team Work Experience

• At least 7 years of demonstrated experience designing and implementing biological rapid assessments (BIORAPs, RAPs, or REAs) in tropical marine, terrestrial, and/or freshwater island ecosystems, preferably within the Pacific Islands / Melanesian region.
• Proven experience in developing practical scientific toolkits, data collection instruments, or quantitative analysis methodologies for environmental agencies or international NGOs.
• Demonstrated experience working within a biocultural co-management framework, with a deep respect for customary land and sea tenure, traditional ecological knowledge (TEK), and standard Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) protocols.
• Demonstrated experience in planning and delivering high-level technical presentations to government ministries, as well as designing and facilitating scientific “Training of Trainers” (ToT) workshops for government and NGO practitioners, translating complex biometrical metrics into accessible, Bislama-appropriate, and visual training structures.
• Experience in adhering to community protocols.
• Has a record of healthy working relationship with national and provincial stakeholders, and community organisations.
• Fluent English (verbal/written) with excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Proficient in using Microsoft Office applications and other web-based management systems.

Collective Consultancy Team Core Competencies

• Strong statistical and computational skills, with a proven track record of developing functional, macro-enabled spreadsheets or database tools for biodiversity indicators.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English, with the ability to draft concise, professional, and board-ready technical manuals. Working knowledge of Bislama is a highly distinct advantage.

Travel

The consultants will be expected to travel to selected ECARE project sites in Vanuatu, and so must be physically fit and willing to travel for three (3) weeks or more to remote, isolated project sites on small boats and via local transport, adhering to ECARE Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) protocols.

Duration
Approximately 60 days spread over a 5-month period, with the possibility of extension subject to performance and budget availability.

How to Apply

Expression of Interest (EOI) Submission Requirements

Interested applicants should submit:

• Updated Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• Cover letter outlining approach and motivation
• Expected daily rate, do not include costs for island travel
• Copies of qualifications
• Sample of previous work (or report)
• Valid Referee contact information (3)

Submit all soft copy of your EOI to; jlaloyer@vanuatu.gov.vu or dkalfatak@vanuatu.gov.vu

The subject line of the email should be “ BIORAP Consultant, ECARE Project ”. Address all correspondence to the National Project Manager, Department of Environmental Protection and Conservation, Ministry of Climate Change Adaptation.

Other Information
Date Published:  12 November 2025 .    Deadline of Expression of Interest:  26 November 2025, 05:00 PM