Request for Proposals - Livelihoods Assessment, Simien Mountains National Park Buffer Zone

African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) is an international conservation organization formed in 1961. Together with the people of Africa, AWF works to ensure that the wildlife and wild lands of Africa will endure forever. Headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, AWF has field offices in nine African countries: (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Cameroon, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Niger, and Rwanda) and is registered in the United Kingdom, Canada, Switzerland and South Africa.

In 2015, German Financial Cooperation (German Development Bank/KfW) signed a financing agreement with the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia to support the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in the Simien Mountain National Park (SNMP), Ethiopia

The purpose of the Project is to improve the management of the protected areas in collaboration and partnership with the local communities and other concerned stakeholders. This is to conserve and sustainable use of the landscape and its biodiversity and parallelly improve the livelihood of the local community and contribute to the economic development of the country.

Under the auspices of the cooperation framework between the Ethiopian and German governments, the Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority (EWCA) and African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) signed a co-financing and advisory contract in April 2018 which establishes the terms and conditions for the implementation of the project called ‘Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity in SMNP, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

SMNP is bordered by 42 Kebeles (lower administrative structure Ethiopia) in Debark Zuria, Janamora, Beyeda, Tselemt, and Adiarkay Districts showing the need for significant engagement and benefit of the community within and around the park buffer zones which is an action for reducing the threats from the community to the park for their livelihood means.

With this understanding, AWF’s ‘Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity' project planned to support the community in and around the buffer zone of the park with alternative livelihood options applicable to the ecology of the area, culture and working condition of the local community, Market option, and similar preconditions. The newly on implementation General Management Plan of the park also suggested ensuring the livelihood of the buffer zone community.

For the effectiveness of this livelihood support, AWF with EWCA(SMNP office ) agreed on the need to conduct a standard livelihood assessment/study which is assumed to be implemented with a budget from KfW within AWF Project in the SMNP.

Download the Request for Proposals document

Please submit proposals via email to SimienProcurement@awf.org copying TKassa@awf.org by 5.00 pm Local time on November 18, 2022. Early submissions are welcome and appreciated. AW may request meetings or calls to discuss proposals and reserves the right to reject any and all Proposals. AWF also reserves the right to consider Proposals for modification at any time before an award is made.