The Norwegian government is inviting bids from consultancy companies to verify the satisfactory execution by Guyana of a set of enabling activities under the Guyana-Norway forest protection agreement.

This is one of the necessary activities that have to be done annually before Oslo disburses money to Guyana under the agreement. The first review has been completed with money expected to be available by this month end after the Guyana REDD+ Investment Fund (GRIF) was set up.  Guyana and Norway in November inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will see Oslo paying US$30 million ($6.2 billion) this year and potentially up to US$250 million ($51.7 billion) by 2015 for Guyana to preserve its forests. Under the partnership, Guyana will accelerate its efforts to limit forest-based greenhouse gas emissions and protect its rainforest as an asset for the world. Norway will provide financial support to Guyana at a level based on this country’s success in limiting emissions. This will enable Guyana to start implementing its Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS).

In its public procurement notice, the Norwegian government said the assignment is an important component in the Guyana-Norway partnership on REDD+. “The Ministry of the Environment wishes to enter into a contract with a consultancy company to verify the satisfactory execution by Guyana of a set of enabling activities, as described in the Joint Concept Note developed by Guyana and Norway,” the notice said. The consultancy company shall submit a final report, in English.

The agreement period is one year from contract signing while the client has the option for further 1+1+1 year(s) prolongation. If the agreement is prolonged, the service provider shall deliver equivalent reports every year which verify the works carried out in Guyana in connection with the REDD+ co-operation. The client shall also have an option for additional purchases for further assistance, if needed to complete the verification process as stipulated in the Memorandum of Understanding and Joint Concept Note. The client has option for supplementary purchases in order to complete the verification works specified in the Memorandum of Understand-ing and the Joint Concept Note.