TERMS OF REFERENCE

MEDIUM-TERM WORK PLAN FOR IABIN

BACKGROUND

In December 1996, leaders of the governments of the Americas met at the Santa Cruz (Bolivia) Summit on Sustainable Development. Government leaders recognized the importance of reliable and accurate information on biodiversity topics in decision-making processes and of cooperation among Inter-American countries to link information sources together. Summit leaders agreed to:

Seek to establish an Inter-American Biodiversity Information Network, primarily through the Internet, that will promote compatible means of collection, communication and exchange of information relevant to decision-making and education on biodiversity conservation, and that builds upon such initiatives such as the Clearing-House Mechanism provided for in the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, the Man and the Biosphere Network (MABNet), and the Biodiversity Conservation Information System (BCIS), an initiative of nine IUCN programs and partners.

The above declaration, Initiative 31, prompted a series of informal meetings among interested parties, which were followed by two OAS-supported Experts' Meetings regarding the establishment of the Inter-American Biodiversity Information Network (IABIN). At the last Experts' Meeting (January 1998), the United States Geological Service, Biological Resource Division (USGS/BRD) announced the availability of funds from an inter-agency agreement with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). These funds are designed to help support planning of the IABIN concept by addressing key issues deemed important and of mutual interest to planning experts. By focusing on such issues, IABIN will advance from the concept phase to start-up operations.

PROBLEM STATEMENT

A conference to launch IABIN is expected to take place in Brazil in December of 1998. At that time, IABIN experts will have reviewed four other studies regarding the establishment of IABIN. These studies include models for IABIN organization and coordination (i.e., governance), legal, institutional and technical issues surrounding information exchange, and two pilot project proposals focusing on invasive species. Although the studies are designed to help IABIN experts decide on an approach for the implementation IABIN, some issues will require more analysis before recommendations can be made concerning the final configuration and operation of IABIN.

The implementation of IABIN will require a work plan to help guide the efforts of the governing body and appropriate working groups. This Terms of Reference will provide a work plan which will outline the tasks, organized by topic or area of effort, to be addressed and which will allow progress against projected plans to be measured. These areas of effort could include implementation of the governance structure, determining the details of the governing instrument(s), developing an outreach methodology to increase awareness of IABIN, recruiting network participants, defining a technical configuration, deciding on standards, addressing and resolving financial sustainability issues, and others to be determined.

Work on this Terms of Reference will begin immediately with interaction with contractors on the other TORs and with other experts on laying the foundation for the work plan. It will be completed subsequent to three events:

• Completion, and acceptance by IABIN experts, of the four other studies relating to IABIN;
• Selection of the IABIN governance model; and
• Conclusion of the Brazil IABIN meeting.

GOAL STATEMENT

The goal of this Terms of Reference is to enable IABIN's governing body to initiate implementation of IABIN by providing a recommended operational work plan.

OBJECTIVE

In response to this TOR, a work plan for the implementation of IABIN will be developed that will build upon the findings and recommendations contained in the other IABIN studies, in national and international discussions, and other issues and topics expressed by the IABIN experts at the Brazil meeting.

Phase I of Work Plan

1. Begin working with interested parties and gathering background information.

2. Review the findings and recommendations contained in the IABIN studies as accepted or modified by the IABIN experts.

3. Consult with the governing body of IABIN to determine outstanding and unresolved issues arising during the Brazil meeting but which were not resolved by IABIN experts during the meeting.

4. Analyze the issues and provide specific recommendations to the IABIN governing body or its designate(s). If issue resolution requires a level of effort greater than the two-month period, and/or are beyond the expertise available, undertake efforts to engage the volunteer expertise of IABIN experts, or refer the issue to the IABIN governing body with recommendations on how to proceed.

5. Prepare a report of findings and recommendations for each issue or group of related issues identified.

Phase II of Work Plan

6. Consult with the IABIN governing body or its designate(s) to determine topical areas that will comprise the work plan for the implementation of IABIN. Examples of these topics include but are not limited to:

A. Financial sustainability of IABIN

B. Governance and membership issues

C. Promotion of IABIN and recruitment of participants

D. Technical configuration for IABIN

E. Standards selection

F. Capacity-building requirements of IABIN

G. Training requirements

H. Others to be determined

7. Develop a 24-month work plan for the implementation of IABIN. The work plan shall include a written description of tasks to be performed accompanied by a visual representation of the time-line showing tasks, milestones and deliverables.

DELIVERABLES AND TIMETABLE

All deliverables shall consist of four (4) paper copies, accompanied by a WordPerfect v.6.xx or higher file of the deliverable on a 3.5" floppy diskette. The schedule for deliverables follows:

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