1. Background

The Greater Virunga Transboundary Collaboration (GVTC) is a regional institution established to promote transboundary collaboration among the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda for the conservation of biodiversity and sustainable development in the Greater Virunga Landscape (GVL). GVTC coordinates efforts to protect endangered species, combat wildlife crime, and promote ecosystem health through collaborative frameworks. GVTC operates under a treaty signed by the three partner states and works closely with protected area authorities, conservation NGOs, and development partners. Its mandate includes policy harmonisation, joint planning, and facilitating information exchange among stakeholders.

The Towards Zero Poaching Project in the GVL, which will fund this consultancy, is a regional initiative under the GVL Transboundary Strategic Framework (TSP) 2024–2033 aimed at reducing poaching to undetectable levels through enhanced capability, capacity, and coordination among partner states. The TSP also highlights broader landscape priorities, including biodiversity monitoring and early detection of zoonotic disease threats, with information sharing recognised as a key element in enabling coordinated action and timely decision-making. Despite these initiatives, differences in institutional mandates, legal frameworks, and data management practices create uncertainty concerning legal liability, data ownership, confidentiality, and compliance with national regulations, which hinder collaborative conservation efforts. Developing standardised information sharing protocols will provide a clear process, define responsibilities, establish secure frameworks for data protection, support trust-building among partners, and facilitate more effective collaboration across the landscape.

2. Purpose of the Assignment

The aim of this assignment is to engage a consultant to provide legal and technical assistance in developing data and information sharing protocols between GVTC and the partner states. These protocols will enable secure, efficient, and legally compliant data and information exchange among partner states, covering wildlife and biodiversity conservation, as well as zoonotic disease surveillance information.

3. Specific Objectives

• Review relevant literature including the existing draft regional information sharing protocol to evaluate its legal, technical, and operational adequacy and identify areas for improvement.
• Update the draft data and information sharing protocol into a legally sound and operational document, aligned with recognised conservation best practices, in consultation with institutional lawyers and Regional Technical Committees under GVTC governance frameworks.
• Lead stakeholder (partner states, protected area agencies, GVL NGOs) engagement meetings to present the draft protocol, gather feedback, and secure buy-in.
• Prepare a final draft protocol that incorporates all feedback, ready for adoption by state parties.

4. Scope of Work

The consultant will undertake the following detailed tasks:
1) Conduct a comprehensive review of relevant literature, including the draft information sharing protocols, and identify any gaps. 

The consultant will start by conducting a thorough review of all relevant literature on the landscape, including GVL TSP 2024-2033, the draft information sharing protocol prepared by GVTC, GVTC & NGO Collaboration MoU, among others. This review will entail a detailed analysis to identify any legal, technical, and operational gaps that could impede the effectiveness of the final protocol. Legally, the consultant will examine whether the draft incorporates essential clauses such as liability provisions, confidentiality agreements, dispute resolution mechanisms, and compliance with national and regional laws. From a technical perspective, the consultant will evaluate the clarity of data formats, interoperability standards, and secure transmission methods to ensure that information sharing is practical and dependable. Operationally, the consultant will determine whether the draft protocol clearly defines roles and responsibilities, sets timelines, specifies how shared data is to be used, protects intellectual property, and includes accountability measures to support compliance and adoption across partner states, while fully respecting national legal mandates. The result of this review will be a comprehensive gap analysis report highlighting areas needing improvement before the protocol can be finalised into a complete and effective document.

• Consult with the institutions’ lawyers, protected area agencies’ legal teams, and the RTCS on One Health, community engagement, and tourism to gather inputs.

Following this review, the consultant will engage in discussions with key stakeholders, including GVTC lawyers, partner lawyers, legal teams from protected area agencies, and members of the Regional Technical Committees, where feasible. These discussions are essential to ensure that the protocol reflects the perspectives of all relevant parties and complies with the legal frameworks of partner states. The consultant will facilitate these talks to gather insights on institutional requirements, national legislation, and operational realities, thereby establishing a strong foundation for the protocol.

Additionally, the consultant should identify relevant factors that hinder the exchange of information among partners and propose strategies to overcome them.

• Draft a protocol that aligns with international best practices and regional legal frameworks.

Using the findings from the gap analysis and stakeholder consultations, the consultant will proceed to revise the existing protocol draft, aligning it with international best practices and regional legal frameworks. This protocol will not only become a legally binding and operational document but will also incorporate global standards for data sharing, including confidentiality, cybersecurity, and ethical use of information. The consultant will ensure that the protocol is consistent with regional treaties, national laws, and GVTC governance structures, thereby guaranteeing its legitimacy and adaptability.

• Collaborate with GVTC to organise and facilitate stakeholder engagement meetings to present the draft protocol and gather feedback.

To validate the draft protocol and secure stakeholder approval, the consultant will organise and facilitate engagement meetings. These sessions will offer an opportunity to present the draft protocol, explain its provisions, and gather feedback from representatives of partner states, protected area agencies, and technical experts. The consultant will prepare comprehensive briefing materials for these meetings and record all comments and recommendations for inclusion in the final draft.

• Incorporate stakeholder inputs and finalise the draft protocol for submission to state parties for adoption.

Following the engagement process, the consultant will revise the draft protocol to incorporate stakeholder inputs and resolve any remaining legal, technical, or operational issues. The final version will be a well-polished draft ready for formal negotiation and adoption by state parties. This version will be designed to ensure clarity, enforceability, and alignment with the objectives of GVTC and its partners.

• Ensure the protocol addresses data security, confidentiality, and compliance with national and regional laws.

Finally, the consultant will ensure that the protocol includes strong provisions for data security and confidentiality. This will involve specifying measures such as encryption, access controls, and secure storage to safeguard sensitive information. The consultant will also define confidentiality clauses and confirm that the protocol complies with national data protection laws, regional agreements, and GVTC treaty obligations. These measures will guarantee that information sharing under the protocol is safe, lawful, and trusted by all parties involved.

5. Expected Deliverables

6. Methodology

The consultant will apply a participatory and consultative approach, engaging legal experts, technical teams, and stakeholders through virtual and in-person meetings. The process will include document reviews, legal analysis, and iterative drafting to ensure consensus and compliance.

7. Duration and Location

Duration: 30 working days between January and February 2026.
Location: GVTC Secretariat with travel to partner states as required.

8. Consultant Qualifications

• Advanced degree in law, international relations, or related field.
• Proven experience in drafting legal agreements and protocols.
• Knowledge of biodiversity conservation, wildlife crime, and zoonotic disease frameworks.
• Strong facilitation and stakeholder engagement skills.

9. Reporting and Supervision

The consultant will report to the GVTC Secretariat and work closely with institutional lawyers, PA agencies’ legal teams, and the Regional Task Force.

10. Payment Terms

• 30% upon signing the contract.
• 40% upon submission of the updated draft protocol and stakeholder engagement report.
• 30% upon approval and submission of the final draft protocol.

11. Evaluation Criteria

• Relevant experience and qualifications (30%).
• Quality of technical proposal and methodology (40%).
• Cost-effectiveness of financial proposal (30%).

12. Request for Proposal (RFP)

Interested consultants are invited to submit proposals, including:

• Technical proposal outlining understanding of the assignment, methodology, and work plan.
• Financial proposal with detailed cost breakdown.
• Curriculum Vitae (CV) demonstrating relevant qualifications and experience.
• Evidence of similar assignments completed in the past (references or sample reports).

Submission Deadline: January 12, 2026
Proposals should be submitted electronically to: es@greatervirunga.org with a copy to rkabeya@greatervirunga.org