Does your research institution or consultancy work with young people, Indigenous communities or conservation? UNESCO is inviting proposals for a paid research contract: Youth, Nature and Sustainable Futures. The selected team will carry out an ethnographic study of young people living in and around two UNESCO Biosphere Reserves in India. Proposals are due by October 22, 2026, at 11:55 p.m. India time (IST).
Please note: this is a formal procurement contract for legally registered firms, institutions or consultant teams. It is not a grant, scholarship or job for individuals.
About the UNESCO Youth, Nature and Sustainable Futures Research
The study falls under UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme. Biosphere Reserves are places where nature protection and community development go hand in hand. Many young people in these areas hold valuable traditional knowledge. At the same time, they face pressure from changing livelihoods, migration, climate change and new technology.
However, little evidence exists on how these young people see conservation, find work or plan their futures. This study aims to fill that gap. Its findings will shape a new regional MAB initiative on youth and Biosphere Reserves across South Asia. They will also feed into applications for new Biosphere Reserve sites in the region. For this study, UNESCO defines youth as people aged 15 to 35.
What the Research Will Cover
- Young people’s hopes for education, jobs, mobility and digital access
- How youth take part in conservation, natural resource management and local knowledge
- An inventory of tangible and intangible cultural heritage linked to each reserve
- Barriers and opportunities for youth in local governance and decision-making
- Climate-related challenges and migration pressures
- New livelihoods and green skills that support both youth and nature
- Recommendations to strengthen the role of youth in the MAB Programme
The team will choose the two Biosphere Reserves to study and must clearly justify each choice. Fieldwork must include at least 15 days at each site, with at least 3 focus group discussions and 8 key informant interviews per site.
Deliverables and Timeline
- Inception report and research tools: within 45 days of contract start (30% of the fee)
- Draft research report: within 4–5 months, including a cultural heritage inventory (40% of the fee)
- Final report and dissemination: within 9 months, with a policy brief and a presentation to the Global MAB Youth Network and the South and Central Asia MAB network (30% of the fee)
Your work plan must finish by October 2027 at the latest.
Who Can Apply? Eligibility Requirements
The call is open to national and international suppliers that are legally registered. This includes institutions, firms, and teams of individual consultants registered as a legal entity. Mandatory requirements include:
- At least 5 years of institutional experience in research, consultancy or development work on youth, Indigenous and local communities, biodiversity, conservation, cultural heritage, livelihoods or related fields (with registration documents)
- Evidence of at least one comparable assignment using ethnographic, participatory or mixed methods
- A team of at least three people
Team leader: a master’s degree or higher in social sciences, anthropology, development studies, environmental studies or a related field; at least 5 years of research experience; and experience with Indigenous or local communities and/or youth, qualitative methods and policy writing.
Two field researchers: ideally a bachelor’s degree in a related field, 2 years of research experience, fieldwork experience with rural or Indigenous communities, and age below 35. These rules are relaxed for researchers recruited from communities inside the Biosphere Reserves.
Bidders on UN, UN Security Council or World Bank exclusion lists are not eligible.
How Proposals Are Scored
- Firm or institution expertise: 200 points
- Work plan and approach (including youth-centred, participatory and gender-responsive methods): 200 points
- Team qualifications: 200 points
- Interview (shortlisted bidders only): 100 points
- Price: 300 points (the lowest price gets full marks)
Only bidders scoring at least 420 of the first 600 technical points move to the interview stage.
What to Submit
- Technical proposal: your qualifications, evidence, site choice, methodology, data collection plan, work plan, and CVs of the team (with a clear commitment to gender mainstreaming)
- Financial proposal: a full cost breakdown in Indian Rupees (INR), including staff days, travel and accommodation for at least 15 days at each site
- The proposal submission, price schedule and vendor information forms in the RFP annexes
No budget ceiling is published. Proposals must stay valid for 90 days.
How to Apply for the UNESCO Youth, Nature and Sustainable Futures RFP
- Read the official UNESCO announcement and download the full RFP document (PDF).
- Email Shraddha Chickerur ([email protected]) to confirm receipt and say whether you will bid. Send any questions to the same address.
- Prepare your technical and financial proposals as separate PDF files.
- Send the technical proposal in one email and the financial proposal in a second email to [email protected], copying [email protected] only.
- Put the reference RFP A210454041 SCS Youth and Nature for Sustainable Futures, the closing date and time, and “Technical Proposal” or “Financial Proposal” in each subject line.
Important: each email must be under 10 MB. Offers sent to any other address, or copied to other addresses, will be disqualified.
Tips for a Strong Proposal
- Explain your choice of reserves with real facts: your access, contacts and the diversity of the sites.
- Show past work with Indigenous or rural youth, ideally with links to reports.
- Involve young researchers from the reserve communities. The rules encourage this.
- Keep your budget realistic. Price counts for 30% of the score.
Key Details at a Glance
- Issuer: UNESCO Regional Office for South Asia
- Reference: RFP A210454041
- Type: Paid research contract (procurement)
- Who: Registered firms, institutions and consultant teams
- Location: Two UNESCO Biosphere Reserves in India
- Duration: About 9 months, ending by October 2027
- Currency: INR
- Deadline: October 22, 2026, 11:55 p.m. IST
