CONSULTANCY SERVICES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL AUDIT FOR THE VARIOUS FIELD ACTIVITIES UNDER HIPACD PROJECT TEVDERS AT MINISTRY OF WATER AND ENVIRONMENT

Reference No: MWECON 50202-2025/000224FFA.CO

1. The Government of Uganda has received financing from the World Bank towards the cost of the Investing in Forests and Protected Areas for Climate-Smart Development (HIPACD) Project and intends to apply part of the proceeds for consulting services.
2. The consulting services ("the Services") include conducting environmental and social audits for various field activities under the HIPACD project. The audit will evaluate the effectiveness of the project's environmental and social management systems and assess compliance with the World Bank's Environmental and Social Framework (ESF) and Uganda's Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) laws.
3. The HIPACD project targets 27 Central Forest Reserves (CFRs), 1 National Park, and 4 Wildlife Protected Areas, which are surrounded by communities whose economic activities are dominated by subsistence agriculture, with significant dependence on natural resources in these protected areas.
4. The Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE) now invites eligible consulting firms ("Consultants") to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services as set out in the Terms of Reference (TOR).
5. The shortlisting criteria are:
   • At least five (5) years of continuous experience in providing environmental and social audit services.
   • Specific experience of at least three (3) environmental and social audit assignments for international agencies or large private sector firms within the last five (5) years.
6. The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to Section III, paragraphs 3.14, 3.16, and 3.17 of the World Bank's "Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers" July 2016, revised November 2017 and August 2018 ("Procurement Regulations"), setting forth the World Bank's policy on conflict of interest.
7. Consultants may associate with other firms to enhance their qualifications in the form of a joint venture and/or a sub-consultancy. In the case of a joint venture, all the partners in the joint venture must be jointly and severally liable for the entire contract, if selected.
8. A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Least Cost Selection (LCS) method set out in the Procurement Regulations.
9. Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours from 09:00 to 17:00 hours, Monday to Friday.
10. Expressions of Interest must be delivered in written form in English (one original plus three copies) or by email to the address below by 12:00 hours on 15th March 2025.

Ministry of Water and Environment Headquarters
Plot 21/28, Luzira
P.O. Box 20026
Kampala, Uganda
Email: procurement@mwe.go.ug/">procurement@mwe.go.ug
Copy to: mwetsyasedefinance@yahoo.com/">mwetsyasedefinance@yahoo.com

NOTE: This selection is limited to firms (per section 1.16 of the Procurement Regulations). Government-owned entities are not eligible to apply as consultants—they can be included as sub-consultants only. NGOs may only apply singly or as JV if they operate as commercial entities and meet the conditions in section 2.20 of the Procurement Regulations.