LEGAL STRUCTURING AND REGISTRATION - The QEEMA Cluster (Waste Valorization Cluster)

Background

The QEEMA Cluster (Waste Valorization Cluster) is a national multi-stakeholder platform currently hosted and managed by Berytech. It brings together private sector operators, municipalities, academia, innovators, development partners, and public institutions working across the waste value chain in Lebanon, with a focus on advancing waste valorization in Lebanon.

 

Since its establishment, QEEMA has operated under Berytech's institutional umbrella, which has provided governance, operational, and administrative support during the cluster's formation phase. QEEMA has since developed its governance framework, including a Strategic Advisory Board Charter, and has convened a founding community of 13 organizations and institutions that have actively shaped the cluster's direction.

 

In line with its strategic roadmap, QEEMA is now pursuing independent legal registration as a formal entity under Lebanese law by end of 2026. This transition is necessary to enable the cluster to enter into contracts, access funding, manage its own affairs, and operate as an autonomous national platform.

 

QEEMA is seeking to engage a qualified legal counsel or law firm to advise on and support this legal structuring process.

Objectives and Key Activities

Berytech seeks an external consultant to develop a Cluster Development Playbook and Cluster The objective of this assignment is to advise QEEMA Cluster Management and Berytech on the most appropriate legal structure for QEEMA, and to support the preparation and registration of QEEMA as an independent legal entity under Lebanese law by December 2026.

 

The preferred legal structure is a Lebanese association. The selected legal counsel is expected to confirm the suitability of this structure or recommend an alternative where justified, and to guide the full registration process through to completion.

 

Scope of Work

The selected legal counsel shall undertake the following:

 

3.1  Legal Structure Assessment

• Review QEEMA's mandate, governance framework, stakeholder composition, and operational model
• Confirm the suitability of registration as a Lebanese association under the 1909 Law, or recommend an alternative legal form with justification
• Advise on the implications of each structural option with respect to governance, liability, taxation, donor compliance, and operational flexibility
• Provide a concise written legal opinion on the recommended structure

 

3.2  Founding Documents and Statutory Instruments

• Draft the founding statutes (bylaws) of QEEMA in accordance with Lebanese legal requirements and QEEMA's governance framework
• Ensure that the statutes reflect QEEMA's multi-stakeholder nature, advisory board structure, and relationship with Berytech during a transitional period
• Draft any supplementary governance documents required for registration (founding declaration, member list, board resolutions, etc.)
• Review and align the existing Strategic Advisory Board Charter with the new statutory framework

 

3.3  Registration Process

• Prepare and compile all documentation required for submission to the relevant Lebanese authorities (Ministry of Interior and Municipalities)
• Submit registration application on behalf of QEEMA and manage all procedural follow-up
• Liaise with relevant ministries, notaries, and other authorities as required
• Advise on any regulatory requirements specific to QEEMA's sector (waste, environment, circular economy)
• Obtain official registration certificate and all related legal instruments

 

3.4  Transition Advisory

• Advise on the transition of QEEMA's operational and governance responsibilities from Berytech to the newly registered entity
• Identify any contractual, financial, or institutional matters that need to be addressed as part of the transition
• Recommend a transition timeline and flag any legal risks associated with the handover

 

Deliverables

The legal counsel shall produce the following deliverables within the agreed timeline:

1

Written legal opinion on recommended structure

Within 2 weeks of contract signing

2

Draft founding statutes and governance documents

Within 5 weeks of contract signing

3

Complete registration file submitted to authorities

By September 2026

4

Official registration certificate obtained

By December 2026

5

Transition advisory note

Concurrent with registration process

 

Qualifications

Applicants must demonstrate the following:

 

• Licensed to practice law in Lebanon with a minimum of seven years of relevant experience
• Demonstrated experience in Lebanese association law and civil society legal structuring
• Prior experience advising non-profit entities, multi-stakeholder platforms, clusters, or similar organizations
• Experience advising on governance frameworks and institutional transitions is an advantage
• Ability to work in English; Arabic drafting capacity required for statutory documents

 

Selection Criteria

 

Criterion

Weight

Relevant legal experience (association law, civil society, cluster structuring)

35%

Quality of proposed approach and workplan

25%

Team qualifications and references

10%

Financial proposal (value for money)

30%