Expert in Trade Promotion

Technical Expert - Terms of Reference

Project Name: Raising SME awareness of the CPTPP in Vietnam

Post Title:  Expert in Trade Promotion

Deadline to Apply: July 6, 2020

Background

Funded by the Government of Canada and implemented on behalf of Global Affairs Canada by Cowater International and the Institute of Public Administration of Canada (IPAC), the Expert Deployment Mechanism for Trade and Development (EDM) provides technical assistance to Official Development Assistance (ODA) eligible countries to maximize the development impact of their trade and investment agreement strategies with Canada.  Over seven years (2018-2025), EDM will invest CAD $16.5 million to support Canada’s developing country trading partners to negotiate, implement, and benefit from and adapt to trade and investment agreements with Canada.

EDM is a demand-driven project that will benefit potential partners – including governments, local private sector groups, and local civil society organizations – through capacity building and technical advisory support on policy reform issues that have a high potential to reduce poverty and gender inequalities, and support progress in trade and investment agreement negotiations.

Vietnam has been identified by Global Affairs Canada as a priority country for technical assistance, in the context of the implementation of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). Despite rapid economic growth since the introduction of the “doi moi” (renovation) reform policy in 1986, Vietnam faces daunting challenges:

• growth in total factor productivity has slowed;
• the demographic dividend is being eroded by low-wage competitors;
• trade costs remain comparatively high;
• its exports remain labour-intensive and low value-added;
• the benefits of economic growth are unevenly spread among its 58 provinces – 15% of the population, living in remote or rural areas, carry the burden of 50% of national poverty;
• women are disproportionately represented in subsistence farming, in low-skilled, precarious employment and in the informal economy, and;
• women remain underrepresented in senior management and the political class.

Implementation of the CPTPP also represents a significant challenge to Vietnam – a commitment to implement a comprehensive set of state-of-the-art trade disciplines that exceed the obligations of WTO agreements. Notwithstanding the suspension of certain measures after the US withdrawal (largely measures affecting intellectual property rights), the CPTPP calls upon Vietnam to further open its market, adopt stronger governance and regulatory practices, expand labour rights and meet higher environmental standards, provide greater protection to investments, and foster enhanced inclusiveness in trade. Implementing the many new obligations imposed by CPTPP membership will require support from CPTPP and development partners.

An EDM mission to Vietnam, identified many technical assistance needs, including in trade policy capacity-building. Subsequent discussions with the Multilateral Trade Policy Department of the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade identified support to develop public communication and training tools to raise awareness of the obligations and opportunities created by the CPTPP, particularly among SMEs.

This assistance is consistent with the approved EDM Country Needs Assessment Plan for Vietnam, Mandate 1, Trade Policy Capacity Building, and Mandate 2, Export Development Training for SMEs

This assistance will directly benefit Ministry of Industry and Trade officials, trade support organizations and academic organizations providing export development training to Vietnamese SMEs.  The indirect beneficiaries include Vietnamese SMEs receiving training from these organizations.

Linkage to EDM Performance Measurement Framework

This mandate aligns with Immediate Outcome 1220: Increased capacity of partner country MDAs to expand access to export-oriented economic opportunities for SMEs, particularly those led by women, indigenous or other under-represented groups.

Description of Assignment

Technical assistance has been requested by the Multilateral Trade Policy Department (MTP), Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT), to develop public information and training tools to increase awareness of the obligations and opportunities created by the CPTPP.

As part of this technical assistance project, the consultant(s) will:

• prepare a business guide to the CPTPP, focused on the core market access provisions of the agreement, namely goods tariffs, rules of origin, services, investment and government procurement;
• develop a training course for SME’s, including training materials (presentations, handouts, case studies, etc.), focused on the market access provisions of the CPTPP;
• develop a train-the-trainer program, to prepare government departments, industry associations and academic institutions, to train companies on how to identify and exploit the opportunities in the CPTPP; and
• deliver this training to groups of trainers, recruited by MTPD, in three centres in Vietnam.

Technical Expert Profile/Expertise Required

• Extensive experience in trade policy and a thorough knowledge and understanding of the CPTPP, particularly in respect of the market access provisions.
• Experience in trade promotion and export market development in either the public or private sector.
• Experience in the design and delivery of training in trade promotion and export development.
• Experience in the delivery of trade related technical assistance.
• Fluency in Vietnamese would be an asset. 
• The EDM includes a core focus on gender and social inclusion as well as on environmental issues associated with trade activities. The approach to TA related to both of these topics is included in guidance documents that are available to both TA applicants and Technical Experts. Integrating such analysis will form a core part of the mandate of the TA provider therefore any prior experience in the provision of TA on gender equality and social inclusion and environment will be viewed as a strong asset.

COVID-19 Travel Restrictions

EDM anticipates that COVID-19-related restrictions on international travel will remain in effect throughout the duration of this TA procurement and delivery. In this context, applicants are expected to propose an approach and methodology in which activities could be carried out through e-communications or online training. Bidders are also expected to ensure that any staff working or traveling domestically will apply local COVID-19 health and safety guidelines at all times.

Proposed timelines

Anticipated start date: August 1, 2020

Duration of assignment: 7 months (end March 31, 2021)

Reporting and Deliverables

Deliverables:

• Activity Workplan – this plan will include an overall implementation plan, performance measurement approach, including specific performance measures to evaluate the impact of the project, activity timelines, level of effort, and proposed budget
• Proposed structure and content of the business guide
• Final draft of the business guide
• Proposed agenda of the training course and draft training materials
• Final training course content and materials, including train the trainer detailed notes
• Final activity report as per EDM report guidelines below.

Reporting: 

On conclusion of the activities, the consultant will prepare a final report as per EDM report guidelines, including:

1. General context and broad objective(s) of the activity
2. A summary of the approach and specific activities
3. Expected and unanticipated challenges in the delivery of the activities
4. Outlines results, including the immediate outcomes and the anticipated longer-term benefits
5. Sustainability of results
6. Contribution to gender equality, social inclusion, and sustainable development
7. Recommended performance management framework and specific performance measures
8. Recommended next steps in the implementation of the CPTPP in Vietnam, including future EDM deployments.
9. Lessons learned for future EDM interventions

Application process

For your application to be considered, please name your document in the following format:

Candidate Last Name, First Name, and Mandate Name (1.1.1 Raising SME Awareness of the CPTPP in Vietnam).

To apply:

1. Describe your specific approach to implementing this TA.
2. Describe your project management and monitoring strategy for the implementation of the activities.
3. Indicate all personnel who are being proposed to implement this project and what their roles and responsibilities will be. Please include all their CVs.
4. Provide the estimated level of effort and consulting rates for consultants implementing the activities.