Duration: up to three (3) months

Modality: remote consultancy

Estimated level of effort: 25 to 30 working days (indicative)

Maximum budget: EUR 20,000 (fees inclusive)

1. Objectives of the assignment
The overall objective of the consultancy is to provide technical, analytical and methodological support to Expertise France for the implementation of selected activities under SWIOP 3, and, in a limited and targeted manner, under SWIOP 1.2.
Its Specific objectives are to:

•   Strengthen the technical robustness and coherence of project activities and deliverables;
•   Support Expertise France in the drafting, review and quality assurance of technical documents;
•   Provide non-operational strategic technical advice to inform EF’s internal decision-making

2. Scope of the assignment
2.1. Technical support to activity design and preparation (SWIOP 3 – core focus)
Under the supervision of Expertise France, the consultant will provide technical support to the design and preparation of selected activities under SWIOP 3. This may include:

•   Contributing to the drafting and technical review of Terms of Reference for studies, expert assignments and facilities (e.g. baseline studies, feasibility studies, project preparation or support facilities)
•   Providing methodological input to scoping exercises and analytical frameworks, including objectives, assumptions, methodological choices and expected outputs;
•   Advising on the technical structuring of emerging or innovative thematic areas, such as nature-based solutions, blue carbon, marine spatial planning or science–policy interfaces, ensuring consistency with EU expectations and regional contexts

2.2. Quality assurance and technical review of key deliverables (SWIOP 3)
The consultant will support Expertise France in ensuring the technical quality and credibility of selected project outputs by:

•   Reviewing draft technical deliverables (reports, studies, analytical notes, concept documents);
•   Assessing the technical soundness, internal coherence and feasibility of proposed approaches;
•   Providing written technical comments and recommendations aimed at strengthening quality, clarity and relevance.

2.3. Technical analysis of proposals and expert inputs (SWIOP 3 and, on a limited basis, SWIOP 1.2)
Upon request, the consultant may be mobilised to:

•   Review and analyse technical proposals submitted in response to calls for proposals or calls for tenders;
•   Provide a technical assessment of strengths, weaknesses and risks, to support EF’s internal analyses;
•   Contribute to the comparison of proposals from a purely technical perspective.

For SWIOP 1.2, this support will remain exceptional and targeted, focusing on cross-cutting or high-risk issues, and will not duplicate the role of existing technical partners

2.4. Targeted strategic technical advice (non-operational)
Drawing on knowledge of the WIO region and of similar programmes, the consultant will provide non-operational strategic technical advice, notably by:

•   Contributing to the technical coherence and articulation between activities, outputs and expected results;
•   Providing advisory input on the technical positioning of Expertise France within the regional ecosystem of actors;
•   Identifying potential technical risks or gaps and proposing mitigation options.

All advices will be provided in a written form and will not entail any decision-making authority.

2.5. Technical notes and synthesis inputs
The consultant may be requested to prepare short technical notes or synthesis documents, such as:

• Technical briefing notes on specific thematic issues;
• Consolidated technical feedback across several documents;
• Summary notes highlighting key technical considerations for internal use by Expertise France.

3. Explicit exclusions from the assignment
To avoid any ambiguity of roles, the consultant shall not:

•   Represent Expertise France vis-à-vis the European Union, partner institutions, States or stakeholders;
•   Coordinate, supervise or manage project activities or teams;
•   Assume any decision-making, validation or arbitration authority;
•   Manage budgets, contracts, procurement or administrative processes;
•   Substitute for the Project Manager or any member of the Project Management Unit.

All recommendations provided by the consultant will be non-binding and subject to validation by Expertise France.

4. Deliverables
The consultancy will be structured around a limited number of clearly identified deliverable categories, with an indicative level of effort (LoE) and an indicative delivery timeline, to be confirmed and adjusted at the inception stage.

 The list below presents the expected main deliverables, their estimated workload and indicative timing, for an overall ceiling of up to 30 working days over a maximum period of three (3) months:

Deliverable 1 - Drafting and review of ToRs (4 ToRs / ≈15 working days)

•   One (1) ToR – Technical Assistance on Marine Spatial Planning (C1): targeted technical assistance (including governance arrangements, stakeholder engagement and operational deliverables) 
•   One (1) ToRs – Call for proposal for ocean conservation engagement projects (C1) to be carried by local CSOs  ;
•   One (1) ToRs – Nature-based Solutions (C2): feasibility/scoping and/or scaling-up pathways (including methodological choices, MRV considerations where relevant, and institutional/operational set-up);
•   One (1) ToR – Science & research (C3): support to the design and implementation of research/knowledge activities (e.g. research agenda definition, baseline/data needs, partnership modalities with research institutions, science–policy interface deliverables, knowledge products).

Deliverable 2 - Technical review notes on studies / proposals (Up to 5 review notes / ≈9 working days) 

•   Up to five (5) written technical review notes, each linked to a specific draft deliverable or technical proposal under SWIOP 3 (and, on an exceptional and targeted basis, SWIOP 1.2).
Each review note shall:
•   Assess the technical soundness, internal coherence and feasibility of the document reviewed;
•   Identify key technical risks, gaps or inconsistencies;
•   Provide clear, written and actionable recommendations, without assuming any decision-making or validation role. 

Deliverable 3 – Short technical or advisory notes (3 notes / ≈3 working days)

•   Up to three (3) short technical briefing or advisory notes addressing specific questions (e.g. methodological choices, risk analysis, technical positioning)

Deliverable 4 – Synthesis inception report  (1 report / ≈3 working days) 

•   One (1) synthesis inception report consolidating key technical feedbacks and recommendations provided during the assignment, to be included in the technical seminannual technical report to EUD Mozambique