Consultancy services to develop a National Land Use Plan for Belize.

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST (CONSULTING FIRM) PREPARATION OF A NATIONAL LAND USE PLAN FOR BELIZE

Institution: Ministry of Finance

Country: Belize, Central America

Project: Belize Blue Cities and Beyond Project ( P181064 )

Process ID: BZ-CEU-460793-CS-QCBS

Duration: 18 months

Deadline: October 21, 2026; 9:00 AM. (Local Belize Time)

Assignment Title: Consultancy Services to Prepare a National Land Use Plan for Belize.

The Government of Belize has received financing from the World Bank for the implementation of the Belize Blue Cities and Beyond Project and intends to apply part of the Project’s proceeds to contract a firm to prepare a National Land Use Plan for Belize. The consulting services (“the Services”) involve the preparation of a comprehensive and legally sound National Land Use Plan (NLU Plan) for Belize. The assignment will operationalize the National Land Use Policy (NLUP) by establishing a national spatial and technical framework to guide sustainable land use, zoning, and development across sectors and administrative levels. The consultancy will include situational analysis, preparation of strategic and zoning frameworks, stakeholder consultations, development of digital and GIS-enabled planning tools, institutional strengthening, capacity building, and establishment of a monitoring and evaluation framework. The assignment will be implemented under the Belize Blue Cities and Beyond Project, managed by the Central Executing Unit (CEU) within the Ministry of Finance, in collaboration with the Ministry of Natural Resources, Petroleum and Mining, through the Lands and Surveys Department.

Implementation Period:

The duration of the consultancy is eighteen (18) months.

Expected Start Date:

The consultancy is expected to commence following completion of the Quality and Cost-Based Selection (QCBS) process and contract signing. Based on the application submission deadline of October 21, 2026, at 9:00 AM, the anticipated start date is the beginning of 2027. The Terms of Reference (TOR) for the primary procurement stage for the assignment are attached to this Request for Expressions of Interest and can be found at the following website: https://procurement.gov.bz/mof-ceu-consultancy-services-to-prepare-a-national-land-use-plan-for-belize-ceu-firm-bz-ceu-460793-cs-qcbs-mof-ceu-2026/ . The Central Executing Unit, Ministry of Finance, now invites eligible consulting firms (“Consultants”) to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Firms should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services.

The shortlisting criteria are:

General Experience: Demonstrated experience in national or regional land use planning, spatial planning, or sustainable land management assignments for public sector institutions, including the preparation of policy, regulatory, or strategic planning instruments. Firms should have completed at least two (2) similar assignments of comparable scope and complexity. Specific Experience: The Firm must demonstrate experience in at least two (2) similar assignments within the last ten (10) years involving the preparation of national or regional land use plans, spatial development frameworks, or zoning instruments. Experience in integrating spatial analysis, stakeholder consultations, and institutional capacity support will be considered an asset. Adequacy of Assignment: At least two (2) references must be submitted and should demonstrate assignments of comparable scope and institutional context, involving coordination with government entities, preparation of comprehensive planning instruments, and support to implementation or institutional strengthening processes.

To be considered for shortlisting, Consultants must meet the required criteria above. Key Experts will not be evaluated at this stage. The shortlist will contain not fewer than five (5) and not more than eight (8) eligible firms. The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to Section III, paragraphs 3.14, 3.16, and 3.17 of the World Bank's "Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers" (September 2025), which sets out the World Bank's policy on conflict of interest. Consultants may associate with other firms to enhance their qualifications but should indicate clearly whether the association is in the form of a joint venture and/or a sub-consultancy. In the case of a joint venture, all the partners in the joint venture shall be jointly and severally liable for the entire contract, if selected. The GOB reserves the right to cancel this invitation, in whole or in part, without assigning any reason. It is under no obligation to select any consultant and will not be liable for any costs incurred by applicants in the preparation and submission of their Expressions of Interest. Further information can be obtained from procurement@ceu.mof.gov.bz CC [contact details removed] during office hours Monday to Friday 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM (Local Time). Expressions of interest must be delivered in written form to the address below (in person or by e-mail) by October 21, 2026 at 9:00 AM.

ATTN: [contact details removed]

Procurement Specialist Central Executing Unit Ministry of Finance Sir Edney Cain Building, 2nd Floor, Belmopan City, Belize Central America

Tel: [contact details removed]

Email: procurement@ceu.mof.gov.bz