The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) sets out to promote and protects Australia’s international interests to support our security and prosperity. It works with international partners and other countries to tackle global challenges, increase trade and investment opportunities, protect international rules, keep our region stable, and help Australians overseas.
As part of its Australian Aid Program, DFAT is making a nine-year investment in Climate Resilient Communities (CRC) in the Indo-Pacific. DFAT’s estimated initial investment for the first five years of the CRC program (2024-29) is $208.5 million.
The investment is designed to deliver impact so that people in the Indo-Pacific are more resilient to climate change and disasters. It forms part of the objective of Australia’s development program to advance an Indo-Pacific that is peaceful, stable, and prosperous.
To aid these goals, DFAT is calling for organisations to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) to manage the establishment of a Climate Resilient Communities Support Unit. The successful contractor will establish and manage a support unit for an initial five-year term at an estimated value of $70 million. The support unit will assist DFAT to implement the investment and deliver the following four workstreams:
1. climate integration technical assistance
2. program cycle support
3. learning
4. public diplomacy.
Unlike generic evaluation criteria seen in most tenders, this EOI has laid out very specific criteria as follows:
1. Demonstrated capability in climate change and/or natural resources management as it relates to the Indo-Pacific
2. Demonstrated understanding of the climate, investment, and political landscape in the Indo-Pacific relevant to this investment
3. Demonstrated capability in relevant people-management services, for international and local personnel, including deploying rapidly, and in mentoring and building capability including where English is a second language.
4. Demonstrated capability to cultivate a learning culture, and capture and communicate learning to inform policy and programming.
DFAT will select a shortlist of organisations from the EOI and invite them to respond to a request for tender. The contract will have options to extend for periods of up to a further four years to 2033.
The closing time and date for responses is 10 am ACT time on 29 November 2023.
If you are after further advice on this topic or any tender opportunity, feel free to contact us. You can also subscribe to this newsletter for regular weekly updates.
