Consultancy to Develop a Business Plan for Sustainable Financial Models in Coral Restoration 97 views

CALL FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST

SELECTION OF INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT

CONSULTANCY TO DEVELOP A BUSINESS PLAN FOR SUSTAINABLE FINANCIAL MODELS IN CORAL RESTORATION

(IDEA: Business Plan development for Sustainable Financial Models in Coral Restoration)

8th April 2024

1. Nature Seychelles is seeking Expressions of Interest (EOIs) from qualified individual consultants to develop a comprehensive business plan for creating sustainable financial models for coral restoration. The Business plan should encompass various income streams that support the ongoing conservation and restoration efforts.

2. About Nature Seychelles

Nature Seychelles is a leading NGO in the Western Indian Ocean and is an Association in good standing as well as a registered Charity in Seychelles and a paid-up, active member of the Citizen Engagement Platform Seychelles (CEPS). It currently manages two sites – The Sanctuary and Heritage Garden at Roche Caiman and Cousin Island Special reserve. The sanctuary, an OECM, is a restored mangrove and salt flat and the only managed urban wetland in Seychelles,  whereas the Heritage Garden is the demonstration site for the larger Heritage Garden Project, aimed at providing awareness and education on the nurturing and propagation of traditional plants. Cousin Island Special Reserve consists of a 29 Ha granitic island and the surrounding 400m of sea, originally bought by the International Council for Bird Preservation (now BirdLife International) in 1968 to protect the last tiny population of the Seychelles warbler. It was transformed from an ecologically impoverished plantation into a thriving indigenous forest that benefits other species, and now serves as an eco-tourism attraction where guided tours are given 5 days a week – annually attracting an average of 14,000 visitors. Extensive coral restoration work has been undertaken in the area surrounding Cousin as part of the Reef Rescuers Project that began over 11 years ago which was the world’s first large scale coral reef restoration programme using coral gardening. The Reef Rescuers has been funded by the USAID, GEF and others, and most recently the Adaptation Fund (PIMS 5736). It has to date grown more than 50,000 coral colonies in ocean nurseries and restored an area of over 5,300 sq.meters in the Cousin Island Special Reserve. The highly successful Reef Rescuers programme is now part of PIMS 5736, a 5 year project set to wrap up by the end of 2025. Under PIMS 5736, 1 hectare of reef is to be restored from corals grown on 10 midwater ocean nurseries. Additionally, Nature Seychelles is in the process of constructing a coral aquaculture facility named the Assisted Recovery of Corals (ARC) at Amitie, Praslin which will have the capacity to house & grow 10,000 corals at once.

Nature Seychelles currently employs 15 full-time staff plus at least 10 project staff. It also forms an active part of international networks such as being the Seychelles Partner of Birdlife International, and Member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and the Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA) from which it can tap into for additional capacity. For example through the BirdLife partnership it has been able to acquire various specialists through secondments, sabbaticals, internships and volunteering.

3. Scope of work

The consultant will be responsible for:

• Identifying potential revenue streams and sustainable financing mechanisms
• Develop a detailed business plan that outlines the strategies for revenue generation
• A timeframe of four months will be given to deliver the business plan

4. Eligibility Criteria

• Prior experience in developing business plans specifically within the aquaculture industry and/or related fields.
• Experience in developing comprehensive business plans, including market analysis, financial projections, and operational strategies.
• Expertise in financial planning and business development
• Priority will be given to consultants familiar with the coral reef ecosystems and restoration
• Prior experience working with seychelles regulations is desirable, but not Mandatory
• Fluency in English, both written and spoken
• Proficiency in writing

5. Budget

The maximum budget for this contract is US$10,000.00 inclusive of professional fees, reimbursable expenses and VAT.  Proposals exceeding this budget will not be accepted.

6. Submission:

The following documents should be submitted: A current CV with relevant experience, a brief cover letter expressing the individual’s interest and outlining expertise as well as a financial proposal.These must be submitted no later than 31st May 2024.

Applicants are to send in a CV, Covering Letter and financial proposals to the following email addresses: sam@natureseychelles.org & lize@natureseychelles.org