The launch of the second Request for Proposals (RFP) by Symbiosis Coalition marks a notable evolution in the nature-based carbon removal market. With the inclusion of mangrove projects for the first time, alongside reforestation and agroforestry, this RFP signals both growing ambition and increasing sophistication in how high-integrity supply is sourced and evaluated.
At Xilva, we’re pleased to continue supporting Symbiosis as a due diligence partner. Building on our work in the first RFP, this next phase offers an opportunity not just to scale, but to sharpen—bringing greater clarity, consistency, and credibility to project evaluation.
This moment also provides a useful lens to reflect: what have we learned from the first RFP cycle, and how do those insights inform what comes next?
Expanding the frontier: Why mangroves, why now?
Mangroves have long been recognized for their carbon density, resilience, and co-benefits. Yet the market for investable, high-integrity mangrove projects has lagged behind terrestrial pathways.
Symbiosis’ decision to include mangroves is not just about diversification—it’s about market formation.
By introducing demand signals for blue carbon, paired with clear quality criteria and structured offtake pathways, the RFP helps address a core bottleneck: the gap between early-stage project potential and bankable, diligence-ready supply.
From a due diligence perspective, mangroves also introduce new layers of complexity—hydrology restoration, dynamic baselines in coastal systems, vulnerability to climate-driven permanence risks, and nuanced socio-ecological dependencies. These are precisely the kinds of challenges that require robust, structured evaluation frameworks.
What we learned from the first RFP
The first Symbiosis RFP offered a rare, system-level view into the pipeline of nature-based carbon removal projects. Applying our Xilva GRADE methodology across a diverse set of submissions surfaced several recurring patterns—both encouraging and instructive.
1. Quality is uneven—but improving
We saw a wide distribution in project maturity. While some developers demonstrated strong alignment with best-in-class standards, many projects struggled with foundational elements such as a lack of Theory of Change, baseline justification, additionality, or long-term monitoring plans.
Encouragingly, the direction of travel is positive. Developers are increasingly aware of evolving expectations, particularly around dynamic baselines and durability—while also recognizing that strong social frameworks and community engagement are core to long-term project sustainability and resilience in most cases.
2. Readiness is the real bottleneck
A key insight was that many promising projects were not yet “offtake-ready.” This was less about ambition and more about sequencing—projects often lacked the technical documentation, financing clarity, or operational track record required to progress into full diligence.
This reinforces the importance of staged processes (as reflected in the updated, sequenced RFP approach) and highlights the need for earlier-stage support mechanisms across the ecosystem.
3. Data quality drives confidence
Projects that performed well under the Xilva GRADE framework consistently demonstrated strong data management practices and transparency—clear assumptions, robust methodologies, management systems and evidence-based, demonstrable track record.
In contrast, gaps in data integrity or accessibility significantly slowed evaluation and increased uncertainty, even for otherwise compelling projects.
4. Social benefits are strong—but not a substitute for carbon integrity
Many projects delivered clear social and ecological benefits. However, a key lesson is that expected positive impacts cannot make up for weak carbon fundamentals.
High-integrity carbon removal requires both: rigorous carbon accounting and equally strong and meaningful social and environmental design and implementation pathways—there is no trade-off between technical robustness and the strength of the project’s social foundation.
Applying Xilva GRADE in a scaling market
The Xilva GRADE methodology is designed to bring structure and comparability to project evaluation across six interconnected core dimensions: carbon & social impact, financial viability, governance & team, project design, environmental & social safeguards, and growth potential.
In the context of the Symbiosis RFP, Xilva GRADE has proven valuable not only as an assessment tool, but as a decision-making lens for funders and offtakers navigating an increasingly complex market.
1. Standardization across diverse project types
As the scope expands from reforestation and agroforestry into mangroves, comparability becomes more challenging—and more critical. Whether assessing agroforestry in Latin America or reforestation in North America, a framework like Xilva GRADE enables apples-to-apples comparison without oversimplifying complexity, and a consistent, principles-based assessment across pathways, helping offtakers evaluate fundamentally different project types without losing nuance.
For buyers, this means clearer benchmarking: understanding what “high quality” looks like across geographies and methodologies, and avoiding fragmented or inconsistent internal criteria.
2. Early identification of material risks
Xilva GRADE systematically surfaces key risks, such as non-permanence, leakage, baseline inflation, and financial fragility, early in the evaluation process.
For offtakers, this translates into better portfolio construction. Rather than assessing projects in isolation, buyers can make informed trade-offs: balancing risk exposure across a portfolio, aligning with internal risk tolerance, and avoiding overconcentration in specific geographies or project types.
3. Actionable feedback for funders and offtakers
Perhaps most importantly, Xilva GRADE provides a structured way for funders, including advance market commitments like Symbiosis members, to engage more actively in shaping supply.
Instead of a binary “accept/reject” approach, the framework enables:
Targeted feedback loops: Identifying specific gaps (e.g. baseline robustness, monitoring plans, financing structure) and communicating them clearly to project developers
Conditional offtakes: Structuring agreements that are contingent on measurable improvements, helping promising projects reach the required standard
Capital alignment: Distinguishing between projects that are ready for immediate offtake and those better suited for catalytic or early-stage funding
Market signaling: Reinforcing consistent expectations around quality, which helps developers prioritize the right investments early on
In practice, this shifts the role of offtakers from passive buyers to active market participants—helping to de-risk and shape the pipeline, not just select from it.
What’s different this time—and why it matters
The second RFP reflects a clear learning curve. Several updates align closely with the challenges observed in the first cycle:
Rolling submissions reduce timing mismatches between project readiness and application windows
Sequenced application processes lower the initial burden while improving signal quality
Refined criteria help filter for readiness earlier, increasing efficiency across the pipeline
Leveraging prior diligence accelerates decision-making and reduces duplication
For due diligence partners like Xilva, these changes enable deeper focus on high-potential projects, while maintaining rigor.
Looking ahead: From pipeline to market
The inclusion of mangroves and the continued refinement of the RFP process point toward a broader shift: from experimentation to market building.
But scaling high-integrity nature-based carbon removal is not simply a question of volume. It requires:
Clear and consistent definitions of quality
Transparent and credible evaluation processes
Strong feedback loops between buyers, intermediaries, and developers
And sustained demand signals that reward integrity over shortcuts
Initiatives like the Symbiosis Coalition play a critical role in this transition—acting as both a catalyst and a standard-setter.
At Xilva, we see our role as helping translate ambition into credibility. As the market expands into new pathways like blue carbon, that role becomes even more important.
Final thoughts
The second Symbiosis RFP is more than a call for projects—it’s a signal of intent.
An intent to raise the bar.
To expand the frontier.
And to build a market where quality is not assumed, but demonstrated.
We’re proud to contribute to that journey.