Building Institutions And Systems to Harness And Realize Agenda 2063 Project ( - Тендер #54700755)

NOTICE AT-A-GLANCE

• Project ID

P180117

• Project Title

Building Institutions And Systems to Harness And Realize Agenda 2063 Project

• Country

Eastern and Southern Africa

• Notice No

OP00295217

• Notice Type

Request for Expression of Interest

• Notice Status

Published

• Borrower Bid Reference

ET-AUC-424525-CS-INDV

• Procurement Method

Individual Consultant Selection

• Language of Notice

English

• Submission Deadline Date/Time

Jun 27, 2024 17:00

• Published Date

Jun 12, 2024

• CONTACT INFORMATION
• Organization/Department

Africa Union Commission

• Name

Fungisayi Patricia Mwanyisa

• Address

Africa Union HeadquartersP.O.BOX 3243Tel: 251-11-5-517700webmaster: webmaster@africa-union.orgAddis

• City

• Province/State

Eastern and Southern Africa

• Postal Code

• Country

Eastern and Southern Africa

• Phone

+251 90 308 6604

• Email

MwanyisaP@africa-union.org

• Website

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

(CONSULTING SERVICES – INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT)

Country: Ethiopia

Name of Project: The Building Institutions and Systems to Harness and Realize Agenda (BIASHARA) 2063 Project

Grant No: P180117

Assignment Title: Individual Consultant as a Coordinator for AfCFTA Guided Trade Initiative (GTI)

Reference No. ET-AUC-424525-CS-INDV

The African Union Commission has received financing from the World Bank toward the cost of The Building Institutions and Systems to Harness and Realize Agenda (BIASHARA) 2063 Project, and intends to apply part of the proceeds for consulting services.

The consulting services (“the Services”) include Consulting Service to support the Member States and customs unions in making meaningful implementation of the AfCFTA Guided Trade Initiatives. Specific tasks include:

• Coordinate the work of relevant departments and divisions within the AfCFTA Secretariat participating in the GTI.
• Coordinate and provide support to National AfCFTA Coordination committees or focal points for the Guided Trade Initiative.
• Liaise with and respond to enquiries from enterprises and other entities from the private sector interested in the Guided Trade Initiative.
• Create and maintain a database of enterprises and products participating in the Guided Trade Initiative.
• Define clear linkage between AfCFTA operational tools and the Guided Trade Initiative.
• Facilitate stakeholder engagement in the activities of the Guided Trade Initiative.
• Provide appropriate technical support to the Guided Trade Initiative Committee and sub-committees.
• Provide capacity building and technical support to State Parties and RECs to ensure wider participation in the Guided Trade Initiative.
• Provide policy notes and facilitate policy dialogue among stakeholders on the future of the Guided Trade Initiative.
• Undertake subject specific research and analysis of areas of concern to Member States, mapping of participating countries and private sector participation in the GTI.
• Perform any other tasks as may be assigned.

The detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) for the assignment are attached to this Request for Expression of Interest.

The African Union Commission now invites eligible individuals (“Consultants”) to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services. The shortlisting criteria are:

• Must hold at least a Master’s degree in economics, business administration, global supply chains/logistics, statistics, international relations or related fields.

• A minimum of ten (10) years of relevant professional experience for candidates with a junior degree. Candidates with a Master’s degree must have a minimum of seven (7) years of relevant professional experience.

• Practical experience in trade policy formulation, negotiation, implementation at national and regional levels.

• Capacity to communicate fluently with different stakeholders (civil society, government authorities, businesses etc) and demonstrate excellent public speaking and presentation skills.

• Good understanding of the internal procedures and role of the AfCFTA Secretariat.

• Good understanding of the regional integration, trade and economic growth within the context of the continent.

• Experience working on AU, RECs and other multilateral institutions, especially in Africa.

• Experience in managing a project with multiple institutions/teams would be an advantage.

• Demonstrate good networking skills, judgment and ability to work in multi-cultural and multi - disciplinary project team.

• Proficiency in in one of the AfCFTA working languages. Fluency in another AfCFTA working language is an added advantage.

• Advanced skills in use of MS Office software (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), preferably combined with knowledge and experience of SAP operations.

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” July 2016, revised November 2020 (“Procurement Regulations”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest.

A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Individual Consultant selection method set out in the Procurement Regulations.

Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours i.e. 0900 to 1700 hours.

Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form to the address below (in person, or by mail, or by e-mail) by 27 June 2024

African Union Commission,

Attn: Head of Supply Chain Management Division

Building C, 3rd Floor,

P.O Box 3243, Roosevelt Street

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Tel: +251 (0) 11 551 7700 – Ext 4305

Fax: +251 (0) 11 551 0442; +251 11-551-0430

E-mails: tender@africa-union.org

TERMS OF REFERENCE

INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT AS COORDINATOR FOR AfCFTA GUIDED TRADE INITIATIVE (GTI)

ET-AUC-424525-CS-INDV

• Background

• The AfCFTA Secretariat is established as a unique Pan-African body in charge of administering, facilitating, and monitoring the implementation of the AfCFTA Agreement. At the core is the implementation of the Agreement Establishing the AfCFTA, negotiated, signed and ratified by the State Parties. The goal is to ensure that trade is conducted smoothly, predictably and, as freely as possible across the continent.

• The AfCFTA Secretariat has received a Grant to finance the Institutional Support Project for the effective implementation of the AfCFTA. The AfCFTA Secretariat is the single organisation in the continent legally established and mandated to implement the AfCFTA Agreement. The main objective of the AfCFTA is to create a single continental market for goods and services in order to deepen the economic integration of the African continent, in accordance with the Pan African Vision of “An integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa” enshrined in Agenda 2063.

• AfCFTA Secretariat is at the core of implementing the Agreement establishing the AfCFTA and programmes designed to assist State Parties to conduct trade smoothly, predictably, and as freely as possible across the continent.

• The objective of the AfCFTA Secretariat Guided Trade Initiative is to support trading under the preferences of the AfCFTA Agreement among an interested group of State Parties that are certified as having met the minimum threshold for the start of commercially meaningful trade. The Guide Trade Initiative aims to:

• demonstrate the efficiency of the legal framework of the AfCFTA instruments;
• obtain feedback on the effectiveness of the legal and institutional national systems in the participating countries;
• test the readiness of the private sector to participate in trade under the AfCFTA; and
• identify possible future interventions to increase intra-African trade and maximize the benefits of the AfCFTA.

• The Guided Trade Initiative had participation of seven (7) State Parties – Cameroon, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Rwanda, and Tanzania, representing the five regions of Africa. A Committee on the AfCFTA Guided Trade Initiative was constituted to lead and provide policy direction for the operationalization of the Initiative.

• The Committee on the AfCFTA Guided Trade Initiative has progressively coordinated and operationalized activities, ensuring that the various players from the public and private sectors are on board. These activities culminated in the launch of the GTI on 7th October 2022 at the margins of the 10th Council of Ministers meeting held in Accra.

• More State Parties have expressed interest and are expected to join the Initiative, the with the roadmap for 2023 GTI expansion activities targeted at more countries from 5 African Regions and Islands States. Considering the coordination and technical role of the AfCFTA Secretariat for the success of the Initiative, the Secretariat requires the services of a consultant equipped to coordinate and manage the complex work of the Initiative.

• While the Guided Trade Initiative provides a great impetus for commercially meaningful trade among State Parties, its main success will be in the eventual phasing out of the Initiative because of seamless trade among State Parties without the continuing active involvement of the AfCFTA Secretariat in the actual movement of goods and persons. Thus, it is critical that the tariff liberalization offers & the schedules of commitment for services liberalisation be concluded in accordance with the adopted modalities as soon as possible.

• It is against this background that the AfCFTA Secretariat seeks to engage the services of the GTI Coordinator to coordinate, develop and manage strategies to support the Member States and the customs unions not only in actively participating in the Guided Trade Initiative, but also in the realisation of commercially meaningful trade under the AfCFTA.

• Objectives of the Assignment

• To engage the services of an individual consultant to coordinate the implementation of the GTI and the Committee. The consultant to also ensure all the functions, activities and programmes of the AfCFTA Secretariat, especially in relation to the Guided Trade Initiative and African MSMEs.

• Scope of Work

• The Consultant is to support the Member States and customs unions in making meaningful implementation of the AfCFTA Guided Trade Initiatives . The Consultant will report to the Directorate of Trade in Goods and Competition on the following tasks, among others:
• Coordinate the work of relevant departments and divisions within the AfCFTA Secretariat participating in the GTI.
• Coordinate and provide support to National AfCFTA Coordination committees or focal points for the Guided Trade Initiative.
• Liaise with and respond to enquiries from enterprises and other entities from the private sector interested in the Guided Trade Initiative.
• Create and maintain a database of enterprises and products participating in the Guided Trade Initiative.
• Define clear linkage between AfCFTA operational tools and the Guided Trade Initiative.
• Facilitate stakeholder engagement in the activities of the Guided Trade Initiative.
• Provide appropriate technical support to the Guided Trade Initiative Committee and sub-committees.
• Provide capacity building and technical support to State Parties and RECs to ensure wider participation in the Guided Trade Initiative.
• Provide policy notes and facilitate policy dialogue among stakeholders on the future of the Guided Trade Initiative.
• Undertake subject specific research and analysis of areas of concern to Member States, mapping of participating countries and private sector participation in the GTI.
• Perform any other tasks as may be assigned.

• The Consultant will coordinate, and provide support in the execution of all activities and requirements under the AfCFTA GTI. In addition, the Director of Trade in Goods and Competition, may assign additional responsibilities.

• Qualifications and Experience

• The Consultant shall have the following qualifications:

• Must hold at least a Master’s degree in economics, business administration, global supply chains/logistics, statistics, international relations or related fields.

• A minimum of ten (10) years of relevant professional experience for candidates with a junior degree. Candidates with a Master’s degree must have a minimum of seven (7) years of relevant professional experience.

• Practical experience in trade policy formulation, negotiation, implementation at national and regional levels.

• Capacity to communicate fluently with different stakeholders (civil society, government authorities, businesses etc) and demonstrate excellent public speaking and presentation skills.

• Good understanding of the internal procedures and role of the AfCFTA Secretariat.

• Good understanding of the regional integration, trade and economic growth within the context of the continent.

• Experience working on AU, RECs and other multilateral institutions, especially in Africa.

• Experience in managing a project with multiple institutions/teams would be an advantage.
• Demonstrate good networking skills, judgment and ability to work in multi-cultural and multi - disciplinary project team.

• Proficiency in in one of the AfCFTA working languages. Fluency in another AfCFTA working language is an added advantage.

• Advanced skills in use of MS Office software (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), preferably combined with knowledge and experience of SAP operations.

• Reporting

• The Consultant will report directly to the Directorate of Trade in Goods and Competition or any other officer that may be designated by the Secretariat Offices in Accra, Ghana.

• Duration

• The Consultancy service shall be for a period of 1 year.

• Workstation

• The Consultant will be based at the Secretariat of the AfCFTA in Accra-Ghana, with travels to Member States and Regional Economic Communities (RECs) should the need arise.

• Evaluation Criteria

• The eligibility criteria, the establishment of a shortlist and the selection procedure shall be in conformity with the WBG’s Rules and Procedure for the Selection of Consultants. Interested individuals should provide information on their qualifications and experience demonstrating their ability to undertake the assignment (CV, reference to similar services, experience in similar assignments, etc.). The consultants shall be evaluated based on the following criteria.

• Fees and Payments

• Remuneration is payable on a monthly basis. It is negotiable but based on qualifications, experience, and the applicable AU rates for the level of the consultancy. Fees payable do not include costs associated with project related travels, coordination/organization of project related activities and events, stakeholder dialogues, consultations and workshops. The AU will meet these costs.

• Services /facilities to be provided by the client

The AU shall make the following available:

• Office accommodation;
• Computer, Photocopying, Stationary;
• Facilitation of Visa and
• Internet Access

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