Terms of Reference
Title: Development of the CEO Approval package for the GEF-8
International Waters project “Catalysing Transboundary Investment for
Ecosystem Restoration and Water Security in the Orange–Senqu River
Basin”
Objective of the Consultancy
This consultancy has the following objective(s):
Development of the CEO Approval Request package, including the IUCN Agency Project Document
(prodoc) and all required annexes and relevant analyses for the Orange–Senqu Water Fund project
(GEF ID 12143), which would contribute to achieve GEF CEO Approval, no later than 31 March 2027.
Background
Project Reference:
Orange–Senqu Water Fund PPG (GEF ID 12143) / Catalysing Transboundary Investment for
Ecosystem Restoration and Water Security in the Orange–Senqu River Basin
Donor reference:
Global Environment Facility (GEF) – GEF Trust Fund, International Waters focal area
About IUCN:
IUCN is a membership Union uniquely composed of both government and civil society organisations.
It provides public, private and non-governmental organisations with the knowledge and tools that enable
human progress, economic development and nature conservation to take place together.
Created in 1948, IUCN is now the world’s largest and most diverse environmental network, harnessing
the knowledge, resources and reach of more than 1,400 Member organisations and around 15,000
experts. It is a leading provider of conservation data, assessments and analysis. Its broad membership
enables IUCN to fill the role of incubator and trusted repository of best practices, tools and international
standards.
IUCN provides a neutral space in which diverse stakeholders including governments, NGOs, scientists,
businesses, local communities, indigenous peoples organisations and others can work together to forge
and implement solutions to environmental challenges and achieve sustainable development.
Working with many partners and supporters, IUCN implements a large and diverse portfolio of
conservation projects worldwide. Combining the latest science with the traditional knowledge of local
communities, these projects work to reverse habitat loss, restore ecosystems and improve people’s
well-being.
www.iucn.org
About the Project
The project “Catalysing Transboundary Investment for Ecosystem Restoration and Water Security in
the Orange–Senqu River Basin” (GEF ID 12143), co-developed by IUCN and the Orange-Senqu River
Commission (ORASECOM) with the four riparian states of Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and South
Africa, was approved at concept (PIF) stage by the GEF CEO on 15 June 2026. To allow sufficient time
for the iterative review process with the GEF Secretariat, IUCN will submit the GEF CEO Approval
package no later than 10 February 2027.
The project aims to establish and operationalise an ORASECOM Water Fund as a long-term, basin-
wide financing mechanism that catalyses sustained investment in ecosystem restoration, pollution
control, water conservation and demand management, inclusive governance and overall water security.
It responds to a persistent implementation gap in the basin: over two decades ORASECOM and the
riparian states have built a strong foundation for transboundary cooperation, technical analysis and
strategic planning — including the Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis (2014, updated 2024), the
Climate Resilient Water Resources Investment Plan (CRIP), the water resources quality Joint Basin
Surveys (JBSs) and a consolidated Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) Plan — but the
institutional and financing mechanisms required to translate agreed priorities into sustained,
coordinated action remain limited.
As part of the build-up studies and development of the IWRM Plan, ORASECOM first undertook a
feasibility study on the protection of the water sources, commonly known as “sponges” in the highlands
of Lesotho (the source areas of the Orange-Senqu River Basin), with support of the German
Government. Implementation of the recommendations of the feasibility study on addressing “land
degradation” is now being continued by the Lesotho Government through the “Renoka” Integrated
Catchment Management (ICM) programme in selected catchments, with financing from Government of
Lesotho (GoL), the German Government, and the European Union (EU).
Financing is fragmented and largely project-based, and governance remains predominantly
government-led, with limited structured participation from municipalities, utility companies (water,
energy, etc), the private sector, civil society and communities.
Housed within ORASECOM, the Fund will provide a structured platform to mobilise and align public,
private and community-level investment around shared basin outcomes, and to convert agreed
transboundary priorities into investable interventions in priority landscapes, sub-catchments and water-
use centres. It will be designed to build on existing precedents and similar funding mechanisms in the
region (for example: Cubango–Okavango River Basin Fund). In 2009, ORASECOM also undertook the
following two studies with the support of the French GEF: (i) ORASECOM Catchment Conservation
Fund – Mitigation Measures Assessment (https://orasecom.org/wp-
content/uploads/2020/05/551ORASECOM-Conservation-Fund_Mitigation-Measures-
Assessment_Ju.pdf) and (ii) ORASECOM Catchment Conservation Fund – Business Case
(https://orasecom.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/551ORASECOM-Conservation-
Fund_BC_June09__FINAL_.pdf).
(Please refer to the GEF-approved PIF, available on the GEF portal: https://www.thegef.org/projects-
operations/projects/12143)
The project is divided into the following components:
Component 1: Governance mechanism for the Water Fund, inclusive of institutional and governance
architecture, developed, validated and endorsed by the riparian states and major basin stakeholders.
This component supports the identification and spatial prioritisation of investment-ready interventions [...]
Procurement details
Reference: IUCN-26-09-Development of the CEO Approval package for the GEF-8 International Waters project-654
Procedure: SOP1 - Open Procedure
Procurement type: Consulting
IUCN office (lead): ESARO Kenya
Requisitioning unit: ESARO - Water Programme (KE)
Project: P05484 PPG ORASECOM
Expected contract duration: 8 months
Estimated contract value: 25,000-199,999 CHF
Currency of proposals: USD - United States dollar
Language of documents: English
Deadline for questions: 18 September 2026 20:59 UTC
Deadline for technical and financial proposals: 02 October 2026 20:59 UTC
Expected contract award date: 12 October 2026 20:59 UTC
Documents
- Terms of Reference: Terms of Reference.pdf
- Conditions for Participating: Conditions for Participating ENG-SPA-FRA.docx
- Standard contract: Standard Agreement.docx
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is a membership union of government and civil society organisations working on nature conservation and sustainable development. IUCN procures consulting services, goods and works for its projects worldwide through the IUCN Procurement Portal. For all contracts above CHF 25,000 IUCN selects contractors through a formal competitive tendering process under its Standard Operating Procedure 1 (Open Procedure). Interested bidders must register on the portal, review the Terms of Reference, the Conditions for Participating and the standard contract, and submit their technical and financial proposals through the portal before the stated deadline. Questions must be raised through the portal's Q&A function before the deadline for questions.
