Call for Project Proposals
Mainstreaming SCP policies for eco-innovation
in countries of Africa
Key Facts:
Who can apply:
Organizations with service provider and business intermediary
capacity in the area of Resource efficiency and Cleaner Production
(RECP) area from Africa
Focus of project:
Mainstreaming SCP policy framework for eco-innovation
Implementation period:
Up to 18 months
Available resources per project:
Depending on project proposal and identified needs, funds of a
maximum of US 90,000 per proposal available
How to apply:
Please send your project proposal form with a cover letter addressed
to Patrick Mwesigye, Regional Coordinator for SCP, the UNEP
Regional Office for Africa
To: patrick.mwesigye@unep.org
Cc: dtie.biu@unep.org
Timeline for application:
 Expression of interest
 Submission of proposals
 Notification of selection
21 July, 2014 (max 2 weeks from dissemination)
4 August 2014
1 September 2014
Background: the UNEP eco-innovation project
Eco-innovation is the development and application of a business model, shaped by a new business strategy
that incorporates sustainability throughout all business operations based on life cycle thinking and in
cooperation with partners across the value chain. It entails a coordinated set of modifications or novel
solutions to products (goods / services), processes, market approach and organizational structure which leads
to a company’s enhanced performance and competitiveness.
The UNEP eco-innovation project aims to develop local resources and capacities for eco-innovation in
developing and transition economies. It specifically targets small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). To
reach the SMEs, the UNEP eco-innovation project co-operates with service providers within Resource
Efficiency and Cleaner Production (RECP), other business intermediaries, and national governments. The
overall project is made-up of different key components: developing business case for eco-innovation,
enhancing policy context including methods for acquiring and developing technology, developing technical
expertise and capacity for adoption of eco-innovation and fostering regional and international collaboration.
The overall aim is to enhance the business sector contribution to the achievement of resource efficiency and
sustainable consumption and production patterns.
The project and its activities focus on the value chains of three sectors that have high environmental and social
impact: agri-food processing, metals and chemicals.
The UNEP eco-innovation is implemented with the financial support of the European Commission
The call for proposals falls within the project’s Policy Mainstreaming and Planning component, the goal of
which is to support the enhanced ability of service providers to effectively engage in the policy process. As a
foundation to the component, UNEP is developing:

A Mainstreaming Sustainable Consumption and Production Policy for Eco-Innovation Guideline that
informs policy-makers about necessary policy enabling conditions in the SCP framework, which can
provide incentives for eco-innovation. It also informs RECP business service providers about
proactive ways to contribute to a policy framework that will stimulate sustainable production and
consumption (SCP) and eco-innovation.

A Moving Ahead with Technologies for Eco-Innovation report, which outlines and illustrates the
potential for the development and uptake of appropriate eco-innovation technologies. It informs about
an enabling policy context necessary for development and diffusion of technology and how national
level service providers can effectively contribute to this.
The summary of the Mainstreaming SCP Policy for Eco-Innovation Guideline is provided in Annex 1.
Who can apply?
Proposals are sought from national organizations with service provider and business intermediary capacity in
the area of RECP, including National Cleaner Production Centres (NCPCs) and members of the global UNEPUNIDO RECPnet. Within the project and hereafter, these organizations are called Service Providers (SP).
What is this call about?
This call is focused on Mainstreaming SCP policies for eco-innovation in the national policy context of
developing countries and emerging economies.
The project will be implemented in 6 countries from Africa, Asia and Latin America and Caribbean (two
countries from each). It is expected that selected Service Providers will work in strong collaboration with
national governments and other related policy stakeholders towards reviewing and assessing the national
strategies and policies and developing a roadmap for action for mainstreaming SCP policies for ecoinnovation.
Below is a proposed process for the project implementation at the national level:
-
In advance of project implementation, selected Service Providers will develop an overall work plan
for national activities, which should include the timeframe and key deliverables and information
relating to resources required (financial and technical) to guide their support to companies. The work
plan will be used to determine UNEP funding allocation and will constitute the basis for the funding
agreement.
-
Service providers will receive training at the regional level on the UNEP eco-innovation approach
through its manual and supplements as well as on the guideline on Mainstreaming SCP policies for
eco-innovation.
-
Service providers will organize a start-up event to present the UNEP eco-innovation approach
particularly focusing on conducive policy framework and to engage relevant stakeholders from
government and other public sector organizations in the project. Whenever relevant, Service providers
will build on existing national policy initiatives in the area of Green Economy or Sustainable
Production and Consumption (SCP) and work in close cooperation with the national focal points for
10 Year Framework of Programmes of SCP (10YFP).
-
Service providers will initiate and conduct a review and assessment of relevant national strategies and
policies to identify a) which policies are relevant to eco-innovation (e.g. sustainable public
procurement, extended producer’s responsibility) and should therefore be considered in potential
policy interventions, and b) concrete recommendations regarding these policy interventions including
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the identification of possible entry points/potential opportunities and tailored methods/tools that could
be used to affect the policy in question. Policies related to project sector value chains should be
considered. The assessments should also highlight the supporting measures that could facilitate the
implementation of the outlined recommendations and identify technical skills that would be required
by the service provider. The findings will be presented in a report on policy mainstreaming for ecoinnovation.
-
On the basis of the findings outlined in the policy report, the Service Provider will organize and
facilitate a national level validation workshop for relevant stakeholders from the governmental and
private sectors in order to validate its findings and identify actionable steps to implement the
recommendations in the policy mainstreaming report. A country-specific Roadmap for Action will be
elaborated.
-
The service providers will then implement the initial relevant components of the Roadmap for Action
with the support of the project.
-
A final implementation report will summarize the results of the activities and outline concrete
proposals for further action including activities, which need to be undertaken by other stakeholders,
such as the formulation of policy proposal or revision to strengthen eco-innovation mainstreaming.
The report will also contribute to awareness-raising at regional and global RECPnet events and feed
into national and regional level 10YFP activities.
-
Service providers will give a documented feedback on the use of the project tools and lessons learned
from the project implementation. These will be used to modify and finalize the tools described above
for further replication and scaling up activities by Service Providers, companies and other interested
organizations including UNEP.
This call for project proposals invites Service Providers to submit a proposal to undertake the work described
above.
UNEP will provide some financial support to carry out the work, as well as help to support the establishment
of a coordination platform for policy relevant efforts, such as those under RECPnet and Green Economy, SCP
and 10YFP activities. The extent of the support required will be allocated based on the needs identified by the
Service Provider in the national work plan.
How to apply?

Interested Service Providers should first send an expression of interest to submit a proposal.

Then they should fill in the template for technical proposal and prepare a cover letter to explain their
motivation for participation.

Joint applications can be submitted with the concurrent call for project proposals on Pilot Application
of Eco-innovation in SMEs, for which a separate proposal template is available.

Expression of interests and applications to be sent to Patrick Mwesigye, Regional Coordinator for SCP,
the UNEP Regional Office for Africa at patrick.mwesigye@unep.org with a copy to dtie.biu@unep.org
How will the projects be selected?

Quality of the application to address the work to be undertaken;

The location of the activities: 2 countries per region

The conduciveness of the country’s policy framework to the implementation of the activities, i.e.
existing initiatives on Green Economy, SCP and specifically on 10YFP;
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
Experience of the SP in the policy field, including any specific experience with SCP policies,
engagement with the Green Economy and SCP and 10YFP process and in particular with the national
10YFP focal point in the promotion of related activities.

The demonstrated potential for collaboration with other key policy stakeholders including
government, business federations, chambers of commerce and others;

The amount/quality of co-funding and/or in-kind contribution that the organization can provide to the
project.
For any further information, please contact:
Mr. Patrick Mwesigye
Regional Coordinator for SCP
UNEP Regional Office for Africa
Email: patrick.mwesigye@unep.org
Ms. Katie Tuck
Associate Programme Officer, Eco-innovation
Business and Industry, SCP Branch
Tel: (33-1) 44 37 14 90
Email: katie.tuck@unep.org
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