Objectives

The primary objective is to review, consolidate, and update the municipality’s existing climate instruments into an integrated Durban Climate Change Strategy (DCCS 2027) and a prioritised, time-bound Climate Action Plan (CAP). The assignment aims to strengthen the mainstreaming of climate action across municipal governance, planning, infrastructure, budgeting, investment, and service delivery. It seeks to transition from fragmented, project-based interventions to a coordinated, programmatic approach, while developing robust monitoring, reporting, adaptive management, and climate finance frameworks. Additionally, the contract includes implementation support, institutional strengthening, and knowledge transfer to ensure sustained municipal ownership and continuous improvement beyond the contract period.

Scope of Work

The assignment spans thirty-six months and is structured across five interrelated phases:

• Phase 1: Inception, Assessment, and Strategic Review – Establishes baseline data through strategic alignment assessments, existing strategy reviews, greenhouse gas emissions profiling, climate risk and vulnerability analysis, stakeholder mapping, and institutional capacity evaluations.
• Phase 2: Climate Strategy and Action Planning – Designs strengthened governance structures, develops the integrated DCCS 2027/CAP, creates implementation-support and monitoring systems, and formulates a climate investment and resource mobilisation framework.
• Phase 3: Implementation Systems Operationalisation and Institutional Integration – Embeds the strategy and associated systems into municipal planning, budgeting, performance management, and reporting processes; tests and refines data management dashboards; and advances priority projects toward financing readiness.
• Phase 4: Implementation Acceleration, Capability, and Programme Strengthening – Delivers structured capacity-building programmes, establishes strategic partnerships, and implements a climate communication and awareness framework.
• Phase 5: Institutionalisation, Continuous Improvement, and Transition – Consolidates outputs, establishes knowledge management systems, and facilitates structured handover to ensure long-term sustainability.

Cross-cutting services include inclusive stakeholder engagement, co-design validation, and ongoing technical, governance, and secretariat support throughout all phases.

Technical Requirements

• Tenderers must demonstrate a comprehensive, multidisciplinary understanding of climate change mitigation, adaptation, legislative frameworks (including the Climate Change Act No. 22 of 2024), municipal planning cycles, and climate finance.
• The methodology must clearly outline how assessments will inform strategy development, how deliverables will be sequenced across phases, and how quality assurance, risk management, and adaptive learning will be embedded.
• All outputs must be submitted electronically in editable formats, version-controlled, and aligned with municipal templates. Hard copies are only required upon specific request.
• The contractor must maintain Professional Indemnity Insurance of at least R10,000,000, comply with occupational health and safety legislation, and adhere to strict confidentiality and intellectual property provisions, where all final deliverables automatically vest in the municipality.
• Unusual Terms Explained: The tender mandates a minimum 30% subcontracting goal to designated empowerment groups (e.g., black-owned Exempted Micro Enterprises/Qualifying Small Enterprises, youth/women/disabled-owned entities, and cooperatives). Failure to meet this target triggers a financial penalty calculated as 1.5 times the shortfall percentage multiplied by the award value. Additionally, the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) is referenced for academic equivalency, ranging from Level 7 (Advanced Diploma) to Level 10 (Doctoral degree).

Skills and Personnel Requirements

• Project Lead: Must hold a recognised tertiary qualification at NQF Level 8 or higher in a relevant field (e.g., environmental science, urban planning, public administration, or climate policy) and possess extensive experience (minimum fifteen years) leading complex, multidisciplinary climate assignments.
• Key Specialists: The team must collectively cover eight principal technical areas: mitigation and decarbonisation, adaptation and resilience, climate finance and investment, stakeholder engagement and capacity building, governance and institutional strengthening, monitoring and evaluation/data systems, implementation support, and social sciences/planning. Members must hold appropriate qualifications (NQF Levels 7–10) and demonstrate substantial relevant experience (five to fifteen years depending on role).
• Knowledge Outputs: Candidates must submit verifiable peer-reviewed publications, technical reports, or climate knowledge products demonstrating practical application across the required technical areas.
• Supporting Personnel & Resourcing: Adequate supporting staff must be allocated per the proposed project plan, with clear roles, level of effort, and sequencing mapped to milestones.
• Compliance & Location: The service provider must maintain a local presence within the eThekwini municipal area and satisfy standard procurement prerequisites, including Central Supplier Database registration, SARS tax compliance, Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment status verification, and submission of an Independent Bid Determination certificate.