Liberia Investment, Finance and Trade Project (Либерия - Тендер #66745787)

NOTICE AT-A-GLANCE

• Project ID

P171997

• Project Title

Liberia Investment, Finance and Trade Project

• Country

Liberia

• Notice No

OP00376797

• Notice Type

Request for Expression of Interest

• Notice Status

Published

• Borrower Bid Reference

LR-MOCI-508691-CS-QCBS

• Procurement Method

Quality And Cost-Based Selection

• Language of Notice

English

• Submission Deadline Date/Time

Sep 18, 2025 17:00

• Published Date

Sep 03, 2025

• CONTACT INFORMATION
• Organization/Department

Ministry of Commerce and Industry

• Name

Julius Saye-Kehnel

• Address

Ministerial Complex Congo Town Tubman Blvd, Monrovia,

• City

• Province/State

Liberia

• Postal Code

• Country

Liberia

• Phone

0776654713

• Email

jsayekehnel@gmail.com

• Website

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST (REOI)
(CONSULTING SERVICES – FIRM SELECTION)

Project ID: P171997
Credit Number 7037-LR
Grant Number D9690-LR

September 3, 2025

The Government of Liberia recognizes the critical importance of trade facilitation in driving economic growth and fostering Liberia’s competitiveness in the Regional, Continental and global markets. Over the years, trade bottlenecks, administrative inefficiencies, and limited digital infrastructure have hindered the country’s ability to maximize revenue from import and export activities. To address these challenges, the establishment of a Liberia National Single Window (LNSW) has been identified as a priority initiative as part of the implementation of the Liberia Investment, Finance and Trade Project (LIFT-P) being spearheaded by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI). A US$40 million initiative funded by the Government of Liberia, the LIFT Project aims to improve the investment climate, expand sustainable access to finance, and increase the efficiency of trade in Liberia and a portion of the funds have been allocated to support implementation of the LNSW and to establish sustainable structures for its operation.

The LNSW is envisioned as a centralized digital platform where traders, Government Ministries, Departments, Agencies (MDAs) and other stakeholders can electronically submit applications and undertake electronic processing through to generation of the necessary import, export, and transit licenses, permits, certificates and other approvals (LPCO) required for international trade. This platform aims to streamline the regulatory approval processes, reduce transaction costs, and improve efficiencies of Liberia’s trade environment.

Key Objectives of the Assignment

The objective of the assignment is to hire a firm to develop a business model for the long-term operation of the LNSW, consisting of options, proposals and recommendations for instituting an optimal governance structure, a supportive operational mechanism, and self-sustaining financial plans together with providing means to deliver and effective program of change and preparing agencies for adoption of the principles of risk management in their everyday operations.

A further objective of the assignment requires the firm to identify gaps and impediments in the laws and/or regulations that could adversely affect the functioning of the LNSW, and prepare recommendations for a program of legislative change, including proposed draft amendments to laws and regulations, or new laws and regulations, if required.

The detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) for the assignment can found at the link below: hppt //: www.moci.gov.lr / www.emansion.gov.lr

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry now invites eligible Consulting Firms (“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 listed as per the Terms of Reference provided below.

The Consulting Firm should have minimum qualifications and experience as follows:

• Demonstrated expertise in National Single Window (NSW) systems or similar trade facilitation platforms, including operational models, implementation, and regulatory alignment.
• The firm must have at least eight (8) years of demonstrated experience and expertise in National Single Window (NSW) systems or similar trade facilitation platforms, including operational models, implementation, and regulatory alignment.
• The firm must have completed at least one of the above-mentioned contracts with value of at least USD 500,000.00.
• Strong governance and institutional analysis capabilities, particularly in assessing public-private coordination mechanisms, inter-agency collaboration, and regulatory oversight in trade environments.
• Proven experience in legal and regulatory frameworks related to cross-border trade, customs procedures, digital documentation, and data protection.
• Robust financial and economic analysis skills, including construction of sustainable financing models.
• Change management and stakeholder engagement expertise, with experience designing and facilitating multi-stakeholder transitions in complex institutional environments.
• Customs and risk-based assessment experience, particularly for ICT-driven reform projects in the trade and border clearance sector.
• Experience delivering similar assignments in developing or transitioning economies, with a clear understanding of institutional capacity and infrastructure challenges.
• Multidisciplinary team with relevant qualifications and regional or international experience, including trade facilitation, ICT, law, governance, and public sector reform.

Key Experts will not be evaluated at the shortlisting stage.

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 dated July 2016, Revised November 2017, August 2018, November 2020, September 2023 and February 2025 (“Procurement Regulations”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest.

Consultants may associate with other firms to enhance their qualifications but should indicate clearly whether the association is in the form of a joint venture and/or a sub-consultancy. In the case of a joint venture, all the partners in the joint venture shall be jointly and severally liable for the entire contract, if selected.

The Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Quality and Cost Based Selection (QCBS) method set out in the Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers (July 2016 as Revised in November 2017, August 2018, November 2020, September 2023 and February 2025).

Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours, i.e., 0900 to 1600 hours GMT, Monday to Friday.

Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form to the address below (in person, or by mail, or by fax, or by e-mail) on or before Thursday September 18, 2025, with subject:

“Re: Development of a Business and Financial Model and Strengthened Legal and Regulatory Framework for Implementation of a National Electronic Single Window (NESW) - LR-MOCI-508691-CS-QCBS”.

Liberia Investment, Finance and Trade Project (LIFT-P)
Attn: Julius Y. Saye Keh-nel
Acting Project Coordinator
Insurance Building, 5th Street, Sinkor
Monrovia, Liberia
Tel: +231 88 682 2025 /776 654 713
Email: jsayekehnel-lift@moci.gov.lr/ jsayekehnel@gmail.com
Cc: /vanyanbah.julius@yahoo.com /fahnco76@yahoo.com

Terms of Reference

Development of a Business and Financial Model, and Strengthened Legal and Regulatory Framework for the Implementation of a National Electronic Single Window (NESW)

1. Background

The Government of Liberia recognizes the critical importance of trade facilitation in driving economic growth and fostering Liberia’s competitiveness in the Regional, Continental and global markets. Over the years, trade bottlenecks, administrative inefficiencies, and limited digital infrastructure have hindered the country’s ability to maximize revenue from import and export activities. To address these challenges, the establishment of a Liberia National Single Window (LNSW) has been identified as a priority initiative as part of the implementation of the Liberia Investment, Finance and Trade Project (LIFT-P) being spearheaded by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI). A US$40 million initiative funded by the Government of Liberia, the LIFT Project aims to improve the investment climate, expand sustainable access to finance, and increase the efficiency of trade in Liberia and a portion of the funds have been allocated to support implementation of the LNSW and to establish sustainable structures for its operation.

The LNSW is envisioned as a centralized digital platform where traders, Government Ministries, Departments, Agencies (MDAs) and other stakeholders can electronically submit applications and undertake electronic processing through to generation of the necessary import, export, and transit licenses, permits, certificates and other approvals (LPCO) required for international trade. This platform aims to streamline the regulatory approval processes, reduce transaction costs, and improve efficiencies of Liberia’s trade environment.

The introduction of the LNSW aligns with Liberia’s commitments to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and World Trade Organization (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA). Through this initiative, Liberia seeks to modernize its international trade ecosystem, ensuring it remains competitive in an increasingly digitized global economy.

The establishment of the LNSW will require the Government of Liberia to decide upon the means to establish its long-term operation. As such there is need to develop a business model, consisting of proposals and recommendations for instituting governance, operational, and financial plans, together with establishing an enabling legal framework to support the LNSW introduction. This Terms of Reference outlines the objectives, tasks and deliverables required to address these goals.

2. Objectives

The objective of the assignment is for a firm to develop a business model for the long-term operation of the LNSW, consisting of options, proposals and recommendations for instituting an optimal governance structure, a supportive operational mechanism, and self-sustaining financial plans together with providing means to deliver and effective program of change and preparing agencies for adoption of the principles of risk management in their everyday operations.

A further objective of the assignment requires the firm to identify gaps and impediments in laws and/or regulations that could adversely affect the functioning of the LNSW, and prepare recommendations for a program of legislative change, including proposed draft amendments to laws and regulations, or new laws and regulations, if required.

3. Scope of Work

The firm will undertake the following tasks:

Task 1: Governance and Operational Model for the LNSW

This activity will, in coordination with the NTFC, Project Steering Committee, LNSW working team, and other key stakeholders including the private sector to define the governance and operational model for the LNSW. The Governance Model concerns the establishment and mode of operation of the entity tasked by the Government of Liberia (GOL) to be responsible for policy implementation and oversight of the development and operation of the LNSW. The Operational Model concerns the institutionalisation and mode of operation of the entity tasked (currently identified as the Liberia Revenue Authority) with operating the LNSW facilities on a day-to-day basis and providing the service to the users.

This activity will consider international experience in such models as well as comparable experiences in the region from other sectors. The Consultants will assist the stakeholders with evaluating the strengths, weaknesses, and risks of each option. This activity further aims to support he stakeholders in reaching consensus among stakeholders for the preferred options.

Once the stakeholders have finalized their selection of preferred options and obtained endorsement from the GOL, the firm, as part of this task, shall develop the service specifications for the Operator and a suitable draft Service Level Agreements between the Operator and the users, i.e. traders, Government agencies and any external parties (e.g. banks, regional border custom, and financial institutions -in case of cross border, etc.) that may from time to time exchange data with the LNSW.

The service specifications will include draft Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and draft other contractual and operating documentation.

Task 2: Revenue Model and Fee Structure for the operation of the LNSW

This activity will involve consultation with the GOL counterpart team and other identified stakeholders (including those in the private sector) to define an appropriate user fee structure for the LNSW. This activity will take into account international experience in establishing this structure as well as existing WTO rules and disciplines. As a key element of this work, this activity will determine and reach agreement on an appropriate self-sustaining model in the future to ensure smooth operation and maintenance of the LNSW to meet all operational cost elements, covering personnel and technical infrastructure expenditure, amongst others.

Task 3: Legal and Regulatory framework for the LNSW

The activity will review and analyse the current national legal and regulatory framework for trade and related areas that will govern the functions and operations of the LNSW. The analysis will focus on identifying gaps and impediments in laws and/or regulations that could adversely affect the functioning of the LNSW. In consultation with the Government counterparts including the Ministry of Justice and other stakeholders, this activity will prepare recommendations for a program of legislative change, including proposed draft amendments to laws and regulations, or new laws and regulations, as may be required to institutionalise the LNSW Governance and Operating entities, allow for collection and redistribution of LNSW fees and other matters impacting full and sustainable operation of the LNSW.

Task 4: Change Management and Communications strategy and plan for the LNSW

The LNSW will introduce a new level of automation and modernization in the core participating Agencies for the issuances of permits, licenses and permissions necessary for import, export and transit of goods and for the way they interact with each other and the public. This is necessary to provide an end-to-end service to facilitate trade.

This activity will develop an approach to development and implementation of change management strategies and plans for each government agency. The eventual change management and communications strategy for agencies participating in the LNSW will be developed recognizing fact that successful introduction of the LNSW will require more than equipment and technology, and will rely heavily on the readiness, energy, capability and commitment of the people who will implement it and use it on a day to day basis, both in the trading community and in government departments. In line with this, the strategy will be required to cover the needs of the full range of stakeholders. The change management tasks will be required to incorporate a robust training, capacity building, and awareness-raising strategy and plan to ensure all users, including traders and agency officers, are adequately trained to use the system post-implementation and on an ongoing basis thereafter. The Change Management and Communications strategy will be required to include activities related to external and internal communications, stakeholder engagement, awareness/advocacy, training, facilitation, monitoring, staff and technical support strategies, among others.

The Change Management and Communications Strategy will include monitoring on an ongoing basis during implementation to ensure effectiveness. This will also include the development of a monitoring and evaluation framework to gauge the effectiveness of the strategy on an on-going basis during implementation.

Task 5: Design of a Risk Management Strategy and model for Agencies

More effective use of risk management is a benefit to be derived by the government agencies through use of the LNSW for targeting fraud, risk and increasing compliance and revenues. To gain the benefits of improved Risk Management, it will be necessary for LRA/Customs and other government agencies involved in the import, export and transit of goods to establish systems for leveraging data held in the LNSW and profiling risk, underpinned by risk management models in each agency, within an overarching risk management model for the LNSW.

The output of this activity will be a Risk Management model aimed at leveraging the data created within the LNSW which encompasses all the transaction generated by GAs – not just Customs transactions – as well as data supplied to all GAs (e.g. data in requests for CLPs from commercial invoices, certificates of inspection, etc.) to allow the GAs to prioritize the way they decide to exercise risk-based interventions.

4. Duration, Deliverables, Timelines and payment

The assignment will commence within 30 days of contract award and is expected to last six (6) months from the date of the contract signing.

The assignment should be delivered in a number of stages which may be staggered and scheduled in line with project tasks and expected deliverables. The following timetable provides a tentative timetable and may be used by the Supplier as a basis for overall planning and scheduling of assignment activities.

5. Methodology and Approach

To ensure the success of this initiative, the assignment will involve:

• Desk Research: Reviewing existing legal and policies frameworks, trade data, and case studies from similar implementations in Africa and beyond.
• Stakeholder Consultations: Engaging with government officials, private sector representatives, and international partners to present the main topics, gather insights and ensure alignment and practicality.
• Workshops: Facilitating interactive sessions for stakeholder education, information validation and feedback, plus those of promoting decision-making on the main themes of deciding upon Governance, Operational, Financing models for the LNSW, and scrutiny of all draft legislation, regulations and/or legal amendments.

By combining these methodologies, the project aims to deliver results that are both practical and impactful for Liberia’s trade environment.

6. Governance and Reporting

The firm will report to LIFT-P Secretariat on administrative matters and the Deputy Minister of Commerce for the technical aspects of the assignment. The firm will further be required to present to the LNSW Steering Committee comprising representatives from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Liberia Revenue Authority, and other relevant agencies to advise on its proposals, options, and recommendations to address all aspects of the assignment. Regular progress meetings, milestone presentations, and feedback sessions will ensure transparency and alignment throughout the project.

In addition to the inception, final and task related reports detailed in section 4 above, the Consulting firm will be required to deliver:

• Monthly Progress Reports: The firm shall prepare concise monthly reports reporting on progress of activities conducted in the preceding month and plans for the next month aligned with the workplan. The report will further highlight achievements, emerging issues and challenges with recommendations for addressing risks and improvement of implementation. Monthly reports to be delivered within 7 days of each end of the calendar month.

7. Local Services, Personnel and Facilities Provided by the Client

The LIFT-P will provide:

• Access to all necessary information and stakeholders to facilitate the execution of the assignment
• Office space at the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA)
• Essential office furniture
• Essential miscellaneous office equipment
• Access to Internet, and network resources, where necessary

All other facilities for delivery of the assignment will be provided by the firm.

8. Qualifications and Experience

It is envisaged that the Consulting firm will satisfy the following conditions:

• Demonstrated expertise in National Single Window (NSW) systems or similar trade facilitation platforms, including operational models, implementation, and regulatory alignment.
• The firm must have at least eight (8) years demonstrated expertise in National Single Window (NSW) systems or similar trade facilitation platforms, including operational models, implementation, and regulatory alignment.
• The firm must have completed at least one of the above-mentioned contracts with value of at least USD 500,000.00.
• Strong governance and institutional analysis capabilities, particularly in assessing public-private coordination mechanisms, inter-agency collaboration, and regulatory oversight in trade environments.
• Proven experience in legal and regulatory frameworks related to cross-border trade, customs procedures, digital documentation, and data protection.
• Robust financial and economic analysis skills, including construction of sustainable financing models.
• Change management and stakeholder engagement expertise, with experience designing and facilitating multi-stakeholder transitions in complex institutional environments.
• Customs and risk-based assessment experience, particularly for ICT-driven reform projects in the trade and border clearance sector.
• Experience delivering similar assignments in developing or transitioning economies, with a clear understanding of institutional capacity and infrastructure challenges.
• Multidisciplinary team with relevant qualifications and regional or international experience, including trade facilitation, ICT, law, governance, and public sector reform.

The Consulting firm will comprise of at least the following key experts with input duration of each role to be proposed for full and successful delivery of the assignment.

• Lead Consultant
• Legal Expert
• Change Management Expert
• Customs/Risk Management Expert

The proposed individual consultants to be proposed by the Consultant firm must satisfy the following minimum requirements:

• Lead Consultant
• Qualifications & Experience:
• The Lead Consultant must have worked, in a technical and/or management capacity, on least Two (2) National Single Window projects similar in scope and nature as that for Liberia.
• The Consultants must have direct experience of having worked on and delivered on one or more of the task clusters of work as described in this TOR but must also demonstrate having overall understanding of all the inter-related components.
• Must have 15+ years of international professional experience as a project manager or other equivalent leading position and must have acted as Team Leader in a series of international projects of a similar nature and scale as this consultancy.
• Must have in-depth knowledge of the technical issues relevant to each of the project’s components.
• Must hold, as a minimum, a post-graduate degree in Information Technology, Business Administration, Trade or other relevant disciplines.
• In particular, the Lead Consultant must demonstrate:
• Extensive experience in developing strategic information systems plans for trade facilitation, complex enterprise software systems implementation, extensive knowledge in informatics management and current technology trends;
• Broad understanding of trade related legal and regulatory issues. Knowledge of legal and regulatory impacts on ICT systems for trade and trade facilitation highly desirable;
• Knowledge of development and trade issues facing countries on the way to WTO accession or seeking to implement the provisions of the Trade Facilitation Agreement, particularly related to implementation of National Single Windows for trade facilitation;
• International experience with complex projects of similar nature in low-income developing countries in the areas of financial public sector management;
• Experience of relevant Single Window preparation work in at least one African or countries neighboring Liberia; and
• Previous experience of having worked in Liberia on any public sector related projects would be a distinct advantage.
• Must have a proven track record of leading workshops and engaging with the participation of the stakeholders.
• Must be fluent in written and spoken English at native language level. 2. Legal Expert

One (1) consultant with background in trade related law gained preferably by working in or with the public sector of Liberia.

Qualifications & Experience:

• Degree in Law, preferably, majoring in international trade Law.
• At least 10 years of practicing law, preferably in the trade related sector or in public administration of Liberia.
• Extensive knowledge of trade related legal matters in Liberia, in particular of Customs law and laws relating to the import/export of controlled goods such as ones subject to phytosanitary or other restrictions is highly desirable.
• Knowledge of international conventions in relation to cross-border trade (e.g. WCO/RKC[1], WTO/ GATT and TFA[2], CITES[3], etc.) is highly desirable.
• Specific knowledge of the best international practice standards and issues in legislation concerning electronic exchange of data, e.g. UNCITRAL’s[4] model electronic transaction law, data protection and privacy law, data sharing, etc.
• Ability to draft sample legislation and regulations to Liberia’s standards
• Fluency in written and spoken English
• Ability and willingness to work under direction of the International Consultants 3. Change Management Expert

The Change Management Expert will lead the design of strategies to support stakeholder adoption, institutional alignment, and seamless transition during the project implementation. Their role ensures that organizational, procedural, and cultural changes are effectively managed to achieve sustainable reform outcomes.

Qualifications & Experience:

• Graduation Degree or Diploma in Change / Business Management or a relevant discipline.
• 7 years of professional experience in managing change aspects of software information systems implementation.
• Have experience of the design and development change management plans, encompassing communications planning, training and capacity building planning and their delivery.
• Have experience of public engagement and designing and running public awareness / information campaigns.
• Hands-on experience of delivering similar assignments undertaking business process reform through automation at government and trade agencies would be an advantage.
• Have an understanding of international developments and approaches for change management and communications.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills in English. ​​​​​​4. Customs/Risk Management

The Customs/Risk Management Expert will assess and recommend introduction and enhancement (where they might already exist) to Customs’ and border agencies approach to risk management, through development of organization structures and risk-based frameworks to support efficient, compliant, and secure trade operations on the LSNW And ASYCUDA World. The role ensures alignment with international standards while optimizing the use of data and technology to streamline border processes.

Qualifications & Experience:

• A post-graduate degree in Customs, Management or related disciplines and/or relevant experience that demonstrates acceptable level of professional skills and expertise.
• At least 10 years of international professional experience in border or customs operations, ideally in projects of government/organizational reform in international settings.
• At least 7 years of professional experience in working in the area of Risk Management; establishing risk committees, building capacity of staff on use of risk principles, determining risk profiles, undertaking inspection and assessing results of risk selection etc.
• Knowledge of development issues and challenges facing developing countries particularly related to organizational reform projects will be beneficial.
• Experience of the working procedures and policies of the Customs and border agencies is mandatory.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills in English.

[1] WTO/RKS: World Customs Organization’s Revised Kyoto Convention
[2] WTO/GATT and TFA: World Trade Organization’s General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, Trade Facilitation Agreement
[3] CITES: Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species
[4] UNCITRAL: United Nations Commission for International Trade Law

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