NATURE CONSERVANCY INDIA SOLUTIONS PRIVATE LIMITED

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) FOR PURPOSE NCIS WITH THE HELP OF EXPERIENCED STAFF, EQUIPMENTS AND SUPPLIES

INTRODUCTION

The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is a leading conservation organization working to make a positive impact around the world in 76 countries and territories. Founded in 1951, TNC’s mission is to conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends. With our core values of integrity beyond reproach, respect for people communities and culture, and commitment to diversity we aim at environmental conservation through lasting tangible results.

TNC has been advancing projects in India since 2017 to support India’s efforts to “develop without destruction”. We work closely with the Indian government, research institutions, other NGOs, private sector organizations and local communities to develop science-based, on-the-ground, scalable solutions for some of the country’s most pressing environmental challenges.

Nature Conservancy India Solutions Private Limited (NCIS) is a Private Limited Company incorporated under The Companies Act, 2013. It is a subsidiary of The Nature Conservancy, one of the largest not-for-profit conservation organisations in the world. NCIS was incorporated with the objective of providing research, consulting, technical support, and advisory services to various stakeholders in and outside India relating to conservation of nature, environment, biodiversity, and climate change.

PURPOSE

The Sundarbans is the largest mangrove forest in the world spanning 9,630 km² across the borders of West Bengal, India, and Bangladesh. It is the world’s largest delta formed by the rivers Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Meghna. A large part of Sundarbans is recognized as a Ramsar Site, wetlands of international importance, and the protected areas on the Indian side have been declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987.

Millions of people are dependent on the Sundarbans for sustainable livelihoods. They get protection from storms, cyclones, tidal surges, seawater intrusion, and flooding.

The Indian Sundarbans mangroves, particularly in non-protected regions, currently face many threats that affect their ecological integrity. The threats include exposure to environmental hazards like cyclones, storms, rising sea levels, exploitation of natural resources, unsustainable agriculture and aquaculture practices, reduced freshwater supply, stress induced by air pollution, loss of land due to erosion, depletion of crucial marine resources including diminishing fish population. The degradation of mangrove ecosystems in the Sundarbans has had profound consequences for vulnerable coastal communities, exacerbating flooding risks caused by rising sea levels and climate change. This environmental decline has also undermined local livelihoods by depleting essential resources such as fish stocks, shrimp, and other non-timber forest products (NTFPs)

Nature Conservancy aims to restore 60 ha degraded mangrove habitat areas of the Indian Sundarbans in line with the MISHTI initiative of the Government of India to rehabilitate degraded mangrove ecosystems, enhance biodiversity, secure livelihoods, and improve climate resilience. Community participation and socioeconomic upliftment are core components of this initiative. Understanding the current socioeconomic conditions, resource dependencies, and vulnerabilities of the target communities is crucial for effective planning, livelihood interventions, and long-term ecosystem stewardship.

Through mangrove restoration and capacity-building efforts, the initiative will aim to enhance ecosystem services and foster sustainable economic opportunities. It will strive to bolster community resilience by reducing exposure to climate-related challenges and encouraging proactive local stewardship of natural resources.

Key Objectives

The objective of this assignment is to:

• Restore 22 hectares of degraded mangrove ecosystems using scientifically validated, community-led ecological restoration techniques.
• Maintain and monitor 38 hectares of previously restored mangrove sites under the same project, ensuring survival, ecological health, and resilience.
• Strengthen community stewardship and build local capacity for long-term conservation and sustainable livelihoods.
• Support formal protection of restored areas through OECM (Other Effective Area- Based Conservation Measures) designation in partnership with government agencies and other key stakeholders.
• Generate longitudinal ecological and socio-economic data to inform future scaling under national programs like MISHTI and global frameworks like the Global Mangrove Alliance.

PRE-BID QUERIES AND CLARIFICATIONS ON RFP

To clarify technical queries (excluding cost and fee), Bidders must submit questions via email to s.narayana@tnc.org; manoj.singh@tnc.org and any query relating to cost, bid price, etc. must be submitted to jayalakshmi.nair@tnc.org by no later than 11:59pm IST, 31.12.2025. TNC India will make every effort to answer questions by 06.01.2026, Answers to all questions will be shared with all Bidders.

SUBMISSION OF PROPOSAL

1. Last date for submission of proposal is 12.01.2026, by 11:59pm IST.
2. Technical and Financial Proposals are required in soft copy only. The subject line of the email submission should state “Proposal for MANGROVE RESTORATION IN THE NON-PROTECTED AREAS OF SUNDARBANS “and will be shared at:

• Financial Bid: jayalakshmi.nair@tnc.org; sunil.choudhary@tnc.org
• Technical Bid: s.narayana@tnc.org ; manoj.singh@tnc.org

To download the full RFP, click here: RFP FOR PURPOSE NCIS WITH THE HELP OF EXPERIENCED STAFF, EQUIPMENTS AND SUPPLIES