The objectives of the Technical Assistance are to : 

(i) Design the project, ensuring the design is suitable for ADB financing through identifying the most appropriate project components and providing innovative ideas, concepts, management approaches, and technology including pilot testing to enhance project impacts;  

(ii) Review proposed project components based on detailed due diligence assessment of technical, economic and financial, governance, safeguards and poverty and social, and project risk and mitigation measures;  

(iii) Provide training to the executing agency, implementing agency, their project implementing units, local design institutes, and other relevant stakeholders, to increase institutional capacity on effective project development and implementation;  

(iv) Coordinate the project activity at all levels;  

(v) Maintain high quality of project design and reporting;  

(vi) Maintain firmly the schedule and project processing milestones; and 

(vii) Prepare inputs to project documents, including feasibility study reports, 

The following tasks will be achieved: 

1. Technical design developed, and feasibility assessments conducted. This output will provide technical support to design the project and conduct project feasibility and technical design assessments to ensure that the project activities integrate inclusive and best practices for forest sector development. 

2. Technical and project management capacity of the executing and implementing agencies improved. This output will strengthen the capacity of the executing and implementing agencies to improve project readiness and project implementation. 

3. Assessment and planning on social, gender, and safeguards completed. This output will support the assessment and planning for the project-related social and safeguards (social and environment) due diligence requirements. 

4. Implementation arrangements, investment plan and procurement packages prepared. This output will support the review and preparation of economic and financial and governance due diligence requirements for project preparation. 

5. COVID-19 (pandemic) surveillance system piloted. This output will help pilot appropriate surveillance system as part of the early warning system for pandemic in close coordination between National Emergency Management Agency and Ministry of Health. 

6. Know-how from the project design documented. This output will support the review of the overall project design and disseminate the know-how to the broader audience and clients.