The Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific (AIFFP) is Australia’s largest and most significant infrastructure investment in the Pacific. This $4 billion infrastructure initiative is actively engaging with countries in the region to significantly boost Australia’s support for infrastructure development in Pacific countries and Timor-Leste. The Facility uses grant funding combined with loans to support the development of high priority, quality infrastructure.
The AIFFP Investment Preparation and Support Unit (SU), managed by Tetra Tech International Development, is contracted to support the AIFFP meet its objectives.
The AIFFP requires an Independent Environmental and Social Consultant (IESC) to assess the E&S compliance of AIFFP projects for the lender of record, Export Finance Australia (EFA). The IESC will be required for up to five projects over the contract period. The IESC will be required initially for three port projects under the AIFFP funded Papua New Guinea (PNG) Ports Infrastructure Investment Program: 1) Oro Bay, 2) Kavieng, 3) Lae Tidal Basin.
The purpose of the IESC role is to provide an independent assessment of the adequacy of the E&S project documentation for EFA and AIFFP and provide an opinion as to whether the Borrower (project proponent) has the capacity to implement the project in accordance with the following safeguards standards:
- Equator Principles, 4th Edition
- The International Finance Corporation (IFC) Performance Standards 2012
- World Bank Group General Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) Guidelines
- Other relevant sector-specific World Bank Group EHS Guidelines (e.g. ports, roads)
- DFAT Environmental and Social Safeguard Policy
- National laws, regulations and permits that pertain to environmental and social issues.
EFA will be relying on the IESC to inform their risk screening and approval processes to comply with the EFA Policy for environmental and social review of transactions.