Consultant – Minerals Environment – DRC

Company Background:

SoCha, LLC is contracted to provide technical and advisory services to the United States Agency for International Development in the Democratic Republic of Congo (USAID/DRC) on the 5-year Mission Strategic Support Program (MSSP). The purpose of MSSP is to provide services assisting the mission with strategy and activity-level performance monitoring, evaluation, and learning.

Position overview:

USAID/DRC, through MSSP, is seeking responses from qualified environmental experts to support the Mission and its implementing partners to fulfill the following scope of work. USAID/DRC’s Responsible Minerals Team (RMT) aims to issue at least three awards to private sector partners in the critical minerals sector through the Private Sector Collaboration Pathway. Each project’s Supplemental Initial Environmental Examination (SIEE) stipulates that grantees must demonstrate knowledge of and experience in applying environmental standards consistent with USAID environmental standards. This may be achieved through the support of environmental experts experienced in the industrial and artisanal mining sectors of DRC and/or Sub-Saharan Africa.

The Consultant will assist the RMT team to:

• Verify environmental requirements before implementation.
• Monitor project implementation.
• Provide guidance on environmental issues and serve as a technical advisor on environmental compliance in the mining sector.

Additionally, the Consultant, with the support of the Mission Environmental Officer (MEO), will support the RMT team to closely coordinate and collaborate with the USAID/Africa Bureau Environmental Officer (BEO) to ensure optimal environmental compliance.

Objectives and Responsibilities:

Support USAID/DRC to support the development and oversight of USAID/DRC critical minerals projects awarded through the Private Sector Collaboration Pathway, including, but not limited to environmental, social, and climate change risk assessment, ongoing effective mitigation, and ensuring compliance with USAID environmental standards and DRC environmental legislation. The Consultant needs to propose how they will accomplish the following scope of work:

1. On-Site Environmental Baseline Assessment (November/December 2024)

The RMT team has shortlisted Society Artisanal, an accredited artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) gold exporter, for a $2 million grant to support an ASM project in Fizi, South Kivu. However, an onsite environmental assessment needs to be conducted as part of the application package. This assessment will enable USAID to decide if the partner has the capacity to adequately analyze and mitigate environmental risks. The Consultant shall propose the number of days needed for the assessment, accompanied by USAID/DRC staff and representatives from Society Artisanal based in Bukavu. Specific deliverables include:

1. Identify environmental risks to proposed project site(s) and mitigation measures to be included in the Environmental Mitigation and Monitoring Plan (EMMP); assessment should specifically analyze the potential risks highlighted in the SIEE, among others.
2. Assess the capacity of the grantee, collaborating cooperatives, and other key stakeholders, including the Local Monitoring Committee (CLS in French) and specialized Ministry of Mines services to (1) implement practical environmental mitigation strategies, (2) continually monitor site(s) for potential new risks, and (3) report to USAID on risk management and mitigation progress on a regular basis.
3. Deadline for Report Submission: December 2024 (tentative).

2. Assist Grantees with Environmental Mitigation and Monitoring Plans (EMMPs). Development and Implementation (December 2024 – March 2025)

1. Support EMMP development for each grantee. This will entail travel to project sites in Kolwezi/Lualaba, Manono/Tanganyika, Likasi/Haut-Katanga and Mukera/South Kivu. A potential third trip to a grantee in Likasi, Haut-Katanga may be necessary. The EMMP fieldwork for Society Artisanal can be done in tandem with the environmental baseline assessment described in #1 above.
2. Virtual consultations before and after trips with grantees will be necessary to prepare the Consultant and ensure all requests made during the trip are followed-up on. The Consultant will ensure that the EMMP’s developed by each grantee are consistent with the SIEE, the project objectives and work plan, and are consistent with USAID environmental regulations and DRC legislation.
3. Once the EMMPs are approved, the Consultant, with support of the MEO, will support their implementation, ensuring compliance with identified mitigation actions.
4. The consultant will also assist grantees in reporting on EMMPs’ implementation using the EMMR.

3. Analysis of the National and International Standards

This benchmarking process will be undertaken by RMT with input from the Consultant and submitted to the BEO in December 2024 (tentative). It is expected that the Consultant will be informed and experienced enough to provide this input without any additional site visits than those listed above:

1. On contract signing, the Consultant will review the draft analysis developed by the RMT team and identify gaps or additions.
2. Draft and final reviews will be edited by the Consultant, ensuring consistency with international environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards as gaps are identified in the DRC standards which will need to be prioritized for EMMP integration.

4. Support Grantees in Procuring Environmental Advisors, if Needed

Per DRC legislation and regulations, three grantees will be required to submit Feasibility Studies and Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIA) given that these grantees plan to convert a portion of existing industrial mining permits to artisanal or semi-industrial “small mine” exploitation permits (PEPM, in French). These ESIA’s will identify key risks, and mitigation measures specific to project sites to be monitored and addressed throughout project implementation, which will require grantees to have their own in-house environmental expertise. The Consultant shall work with grantees to draft SOWs to procure their own accredited DRC environmental consulting firms (if they do not already count on such expertise), ensuring that any relevant requirements from the ESIA are incorporated, along with USAID environmental requirements Likewise, the Consultant will provide technical assistance and capacity building support to grantees, their selected DRC environmental consultant(s), and the MEO to ensure compliance with USAID standards above and beyond the statutory DRC requirements.

5. Oversight of Grant Implementation

Support USAID’s RMT team and grantees to monitor project implementation and ensure that environmental safeguards and mitigation measures are implemented throughout the duration of the grants and in such a manner that there is a reasonable probability of sustainable implementation beyond the life of the project.

Estimated Travel

Travel estimates are based on the above 6-month scope. The trips below are envisioned between November 2024 and April 2025. These trips should be scheduled so that they logistically and cost-effectively address the above tasks (Items 2-5):

• 2024 Q4:
  • November trip to South Kivu for on-site baseline environmental assessment of Society Artisanal.
  • December trip to Kolwezi for EGC/FCA project.
• 2025 Q1:
  • Trip to Tantalex in Tanganyika.
  • Trip to ROK Metals in Likasi.
• 2025 Q2
  • 1 trip to Society Artisanal in South Kivu.
  • Practical logistical and other issues may impact this schedule and flexibility will be accorded, but the above should be used as a template for budgeting across offerors.

Offeror Submissions and Proposed Timeline for Award

USAID/DRC requests that offerors submit short proposals (no more than 8 pages) for our review alongside MSSP, including the below information:

1. Approach.
2. Qualifications and relevant experience, including cv’s (can exceed 8 pages). If the offeror is a firm, include CVs of Key persons who will be involved in this work.
3. Notional work plan that is supported by the budget.
4. Estimated budget, including LOE and travel-related expenses.