BWABWATA KWANDU HUNTING CONCESSION: A
Case Study on Contract Governance
Bwabwata Kwandu Hunting
Concession Case Study
By: Chris Weaver, Richard Diggle, & Theunis Petersen
Organizations: WWF and IRDNC, NNF and MET
Region: Caprivi
Date: June, 2006
Introduction & Background
• Community: Kyramacan Association,
represents close to 7,000 residents of
Bwabwata NP;
• Members Association registered to serve as
co-manager Bwabwata NP; struggled to
acquire recognition since independence;
• In 2006, finally recognized and granted the
rights to benefit from Park resources;
• Context: new community body tasked with
effectively tendering and negotiating the
two hunting concessions in transparent and
optimal manner
Problem Identification
• Tendering and contracting a new
experience for the Association;
• Some safari companies were
attempting to influence key
committee members by offering
special “deals”;
• Would the concessions be
transparently awarded to the
benefit of the broader
membership or to the gain of
individuals?
Importance of Case Study To
Good Governance:
• The transparent tendering and negotiation of
hunting (or lodge) contracts is critical to the
credibility of the CBNRM Programme –
– Ensures integrity to the process;
– Optimizes returns to communities; and
– Leads to true community empowerment
The Tender Process
• Quota approved by MET;
• Association advertised concessions through
NAPHA via letter;
• Tender document sent to interested big
game hunters;
• 8 Tenders received;
• Tenders reviewed and top offers chosen for
interviews
Reviewing The Offers:
Tender Results:
Guaranteed Quota
Annual
Value
US$
Annual
Value
N$
A
150,000
Allen Cilliers
Hunting Safaris
Optional Quota
Jobs
Others
Training
Value
N$
Benefits
in Kind
Value
N$
Total Values of
Offers in N$ (not
including
Optional Value)
Annual
Value
US$
Annual
Value
N$
Job
Creation
930,000
98,000
607,600
10
48,600
-
40,000
1,018,600
106,200
658,440
112,200
695,640
12
91,200
24,000
69,250
842,890
C
93,000
576,600
88,300
547,460
16
33,300
60,000
-
669,900
D
99,750
620,000
70,800
438,960
7
26,700
8,000
-
654,700
E
92,300
572,260
91,250
565,750
10
18,440
16,000
-
606,700
F
67,400
417,880
61,650
382,230
13
52,500
-
-
470,380
G
70,850
439,270
71,600
443,920
13
15,827
-
-
455,097
Operator
Job
Value
N$
Training
Practicing for The Interviews
Interview Process:
• Interviewed the top
three offers
Final Results of Tender Process
• Highest offer was turned down, even though it was
much more than second-next offer;
• Community experience with Safari Company
offering the highest amount had been very bad in
the past;
• Committee opted for second highest offer, as the
operator was deemed to be the best combination of
partner and income; and
• The interests of individual committee members
were overcome by the wishes of the broader
committee
Intervention Description:
• Offers were publicly opened in a transparent manner;
• Offers were compared by the entire committee;
• Trade-offs (pros and cons) were openly discussed by the entire
committee;
• Tender process was guided by a diverse mix of unbiased
stakeholders (i.e., committee, MET, NGO, and private sector);
• Strong facilitation was required to ensure all committee members
had a say in the selection process
Final Results:
• Community was empowered with not only right to
benefit, but also with right of choice;
• Some safari operators have continued to attempt to
influence the committee and individuals on the
committee, but failed;
• Excellent results have been achieved, but it has not been
without challenges
Lessons Learned:
• The greater the transparency in a tender process,
the better the process is;
• Involving the entire committee increases the
chances that decisions with integrity will be made;
• A good tender process requires considerable
knowledge and skills transfer, and confidence
building;
• Knowledgeable facilitators are a essential to
creating a level playing field for communities to
negotiate with private sector
Conclusion
True empowerment is not
only about the rights to
benefits, but about the right
of knowledgeable choice
The Beginning …