Empanelment of Experts on Environmental and Health Risk Management under DBT-BIRAC, National Biopharma Mission – Program Management Unit at BIRAC, New Delhi, India

Empanelment of Experts on Environmental and Health Risk Management under DBT-BIRAC, National Biopharma Mission – Program Management Unit at BIRAC, New Delhi, India

Applications are invited for empanelment of experts in the National Bio-Pharma Mission for conducting environmental site visits and review of quarterly environmental reports of the projects funded under the mission.

1. About the Mission:

The National Biopharma Mission is an Industry-Academia Collaborative Mission of Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science & Technology, Govt. of India for Accelerating Early Development for Biopharmaceuticals; to be implemented by Biotechnology Research Assistance Council (BIRAC)-a Public Sector Undertaking of DBT

Approved by the Government for implementation at a total cost US$ 250 million the Mission is co-funded 50% with World Bank loan assistance.

The Mission Programme is a Pan-India Programme with the main aim of making India a hub for design and development of novel, affordable and effective biopharmaceutical products and solutions. This Program would aid in enhancing India’s innovation research and product development capabilities, especially by focusing on development of vaccines, biologics and medical devices for combating public health concerns. The Program would aid academic researchers (through enhancing their translation capability); empower bio-entrepreneurs and SMEs (by decreased cost and risk during early stages of product development) and the industry (by elevating their innovation quotient). Anticipated long term impact would benefit the Indian population at large benefit due to availability of affordable solutions and products relevant to Indian health needs.

More details about the Mission Programme can be seen at website BIRAC (Mission Document)

2. About the Implementation Agency:

Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) a Public Sector Undertaking of the Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science & Technology, and Government of India has been entrusted the responsibility of implementing this Program. It will house the Program Management Unit (PMU) that would work as an operational and functional arm to oversee and monitor program implementation.

The qualifications and experience required and other terms and conditions for empanelment are given below:

Experience: More than 15 years of experience either with Central Pollution Control Board or as demonstrated through work experience with other agencies.

Purpose of Empanelment:

• To conduct Environmental due diligence and assessment of possible health and environmental risks associated with the projects funded under NBM.
• To provide professional advice and guidance to ensure better safeguard compliance during project implementation regarding environmental regulation for air, water, soil, noise, hazardous material and biological pollution.
• To ensure adequate safeguard for biomedical waste management, hazardous waste management, occupational health & safety, e-waste management etc. are undertaken by the grantees.
• To endeavor for minimizing/mitigating adverse environmental and social impacts/risks.
• To ensure for minimization or mitigating of environmental and social impacts/risks meet the requirements of laws and regulation of GOI and states, and responsive towards environmental and social safeguards requirements
• of i3 Programme.
• To sensitize various stakeholders involved in Infrastructure development about safeguard issue, and in monitoring, reporting, and in undertaking corrective action, if any.
• To ensure that mechanisms are in place for Safeguard compliance during project implementation.

Tasks and responsibilities:

• The environmental expert shall judge the adequacy of the following through offline review of documents and site visits:
• Inclusion of appropriately defined environment and health risk management plan in the agreement signed between BIRAC and grantee and ensure implementation of EMF.
• The expert will ensure that each grantee has adequate environment related regulatory clearances required for the activity and monitor it every quarter during the project and suggest corrective action/ improvements if required and support BIRAC in reporting these and maintain database on safeguards related aspects.
• The expert would provide guidance on institutional mechanism with each grantee to ensure safeguards management, identify training requirements, and support in preparing training modules.

 Fee: Fee etc. on engagement of experts after empanelment will be paid as per mission norms

The accommodation and travel expenditure will be met by the PMU, BIRAC. Interested experts may send their CVs for consideration to Mission Director, PMU, NBM, BIRAC at technical@birac.nic.in