In the context of supporting the organization of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP 23/CMP 13/CMA 1.2) in Bonn in 2017, the secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (the “Convention”), the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement (the “secretariat”) seeks to engage in mutually beneficial collaborative partnerships with non-Party stakeholders, including the private sector, that share the values and principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter, the Convention, the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement, as well as internationally recognized principles concerning human rights, labor, the environment and anti-corruption, as reflected in the United Nations Global Compact, and whose behavior demonstrates a willingness to exercise social and environmental responsibility towards global peaking of emissions and enhanced resilience.

The secretariat has adopted the UNFCCC secretariat guidelines for partnership (408 kB) (the “UNFCCC Guidelines") and all partnerships entered into by the secretariat shall be subject to these Guidelines.

A partnership in the context of the UNFCCC Guidelines is understood as a voluntary and collaborative agreement between the secretariat and one or more partner entities in which participants agree to work together to achieve a common purpose or undertake a specific task, to contribute financial, in-kind and/or knowledge resources, and to share risks, responsibilities and benefits. The partnership is not for the purpose of establishing a commercial relationship or for commercial or private gain.

Partnerships are non-exclusive and are open to multiple partners at any time.

General public outreach

• Public outreach activities to support the conference branding, marketing campaigns and issue-driven competitions.
• Production of marketing materials from flyers and posters to public advertisements and TV spots.
• Media partnerships, including collaborations to promote content via TV programming and social media networks, as well as tools to analyze media content.

Enhanced stakeholder engagement

• Financial support to ensure the presence of non-Party stakeholders such as civil society from developing countries.

Virtual participation

• Increasing or facilitating virtual participation through any technology that could help those who will not be at the conference to follow the UNFCCC sessions and meetings remotely; projects comprising but not limited to, making information accessible to people with disabilities including auditory, cognitive, neurological, physical, speech, and visual disabilities.

Sustainability

• Measuring and reducing the climate and overall environmental footprint of the conference: any technology or initiative that can help measure and reduce the event’s footprint.

Other in-kind and or financial contributions

• Proposals for partnerships outside of the categories indicated above can also be addressed by interested stakeholders.

Specifically, the secretariat seeks to engage into partnerships related to the categories described above. The nature of these partnerships may include in-kind and financial contributions to the secretariat in its effort to support the organization of COP 23. Partners will be formally recognized and given high visibility through the UNFCCC’s websites and social media channels, conference branding, thought leadership activities, media engagement activities, among many other opportunities to reach a global audience.

The secretariat hereby invites entities interested in entering into such partnerships with the secretariat to submit their proposal for partnership in accordance with Section IV below.

In case of any questions, or clarifications required, and/or willingness to explore areas for collaboration, prospective partners are encouraged to contact the secretariat by email at partnerships@unfccc.int.

Entities interested to enter into a partnership with the secretariat under this call for proposal should submit their formal proposal by e-mail to partnerships@unfccc.int

In its proposal the entity should:

a. Clearly reference this call for proposal;

b. Indicate the scope, objectives and duration of the proposed partnership and, if applicable, the financial value of the entity’s contribution;

c. Address, to the extent possible and with supporting documentation, its capacity to enter into and implement the partnership (including proof of juridical personality, proof of sound financial management and proof of technical capacities to carry out the partnership);

d. Address, to the extent possible and with supporting documentation, whether and how it meets each of the eligibility criteria set out in the annex to the UNFCCC Guidelines, indicating any relevant present and/or past activity or advocacy with regard to these criteria;

e. Confirm by a formal statement that it does not meet any of the exclusionary criteria set out in the annex to the UNFCCC Guidelines, indicating any relevant present and/or past activity or advocacy with regard to these criteria;

f. Include a statement of its intention to fully comply with the terms of a partnership agreement to be agreed with the secretariat, as outlined in the UNFCCC Guidelines*;

g. Indicate any requirements regarding the use of the UNFCCC name and logo in accordance with paragraph 29 of the UNFCCC Guidelines.

The secretariat will review proposals for partnerships in accordance with section V below.

The secretariat reserves the right to reject or propose modifications to any proposal, and inform the proponent accordingly.

* The specific requirements of a partnership agreement with the UNFCCC secretariat are outlined in paragraph 39 of the UNFCCC Guidelines.

In selecting its partners, the secretariat shall respect the process of due diligence, set out in the annex to the UNFCCC Guidelines, which includes the application of eligibility and exclusionary criteria.

The prospective partner responding to this call for proposal shall therefore disclose to the secretariat all relevant information that will allow the secretariat to conduct due diligence.

If, further to the due diligence process, the entity is found to be a suitable partner for the secretariat, and if, in accordance with the UNFCCC Guidelines, the entity’s proposal is selected for a partnership under this call for proposal, the secretariat will inform the entity accordingly and a partnership agreement will be concluded in writing in accordance with the UNFCCC Guidelines.