Pronatura Noreste and National Audubon Society (NAS) are joining forces to work at scale on conservation efforts in the Chihuahuan Desert Grasslands and Gulf of Mexico Coastal ecosystems shared by Mexico and United States. As a first step together they are developing a 5-year comprehensive strategic plan that can guide a unified approach, help identify and partner with other key strategic actors, optimize opportunities and address the conservation challenges to working in these areas.
Given both organizations’ institutional focuses and coverage of these vital ecosystems and their complementary conservation approaches and philosophies, together they are well positioned to work in a unified manner and have a potential for greater conservation success. The plans will help guide them to reach the scale of conservation needed by acting jointly across these vast and highly threatened ecosystems and to achieve the results that can improve their ecological health and better support migratory and resident birds and other biodiversity that these regions are home to.
To accomplish this, the National Audubon Society seeks a contractor to lead the following:
• Evaluate significant conservation investments ($100,000 and up) carried out in Chihuahua grasslands and Laguna Madre wetlands regions over the last 10 years to identify gaps, opportunities, clear strategies and next steps that can help achieve greater conservation results at scale across both ecosystems;
• Through the process, help build a unified team and approach to optimize both organizations capacities and potential by evaluating needs and opportunities and finding innovative and strategic ways to advance the conservation agenda of both organizations working together; and
• Develop a plan that serves as a clear guide for both organizations to work together at the scale required and as strategically as possible for the next five years.
B. SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES
1. Facilitate all aspects of the development of a shared strategic plan for Pronatura Noreste and National Audubon Society that covers the binational conservation areas of the Chihuahuan grasslands and Gulf of Mexico coastal region.
2. Coordinate the communication, meetings and flow of information between both organizations as part of the planning process.
3. Carry out the information gathering and analysis that will serve as input to the meetings and workshops for developing the strategies.
4. Actively reach out to other actors as needed for the information gathering component of this consultancy.
5. Carryout a high level of communication and coordination within the team of Pronatura NE and Audubon staff, partners and experts supporting the development of the strategy.
6. Write and coordinate the edition of the final plans.
C. PRODUCTS
1. Based on the information provided by Pronatura Noreste and Audubon, as well as relevant secondary sources where available, a comprehensive analysis of the major investments and activities made in both ecosystems and recommendations for key strategies to build on work done before and reach a higher level of conservation results at scale that serves as input for the meetings / workshops.
2. Three planning meetings / workshops (2 in-person and one virtual meeting) planned, developed and facilitated for Pronatura, Audubon staff and other key participants to formulate the strategic plans. Workshops will be carried out one in Texas and one in Monterrey, with Pronatura and Audubon staff.
3. Two concise written strategies and action plans that will guide Pronatura Noreste and Audubon’s conservation work for: 1) the Chihuahuan Grasslands Landscape shared between Mexico and the United State, and 2) The Gulf of Mexico coast shared between Tamaulipas, Mexico and Texas.
D. DURATION OF CONTRACT
From June 1, 2014 to September 30, 2014.
E. RELATIONS AND RESPONSABILITIES
The contractor will be responsible for maintaining efficient and consistent communications as the overall coordinator of the planning process that facilitates timely completion of activities and products. Specifically, the contractor will:
1. Coordinate closely and directly with the Director for Conservation for Pronatura NE and The Director for the Latin America Program for National Audubon who will be the principle contacts and supervisors of the planning process.
2. Coordinate closely with key Pronatura and Audubon staff to provide the quality input needed for developing the strategies.
3. Communicate and actively reach out to other experts and stakeholders as needed to provide further input on the analysis and strategy development.
4. Carry out all communication and coordination activities needed to complete the strategic plans in an efficient and timely manner.
F. PAYMENT METHOD
Payments will be made based on the successful completion of each product to the satisfaction of Pronatura and Audubon. A payment schedule will be negotiated at time of contract signing.
G. CONTRACTOR QUALIFICATIONS
• Expertise in developing strategic plans, coordinating planning processes, facilitation and analysis.
• Ability to gather and analyze information and proven capacity to write well and present information concisely and clearly.
• Entrepreneurial and creative, with innovative ideas on how to create conservation initiatives/projects and implement them.
• Highly organized and efficient individual/team that can ensure timely, solid, high quality results.
• Knowledge and understanding of the conservation, institutional and cultural contexts of Mexico and Texas.
• Fluency in English and Spanish.
• Experience with grassland and wetland ecosystem conservation and/or experience engaging key stakeholders, including the cattle industry a plus.
Contact Information:
Interested individuals or institutions should send a letter of interest and resume/background to iapconsultancy@audubon.org. Candidates must be eligible to work in Mexico or the United States.