Expression of Interest (EoI) – Consultancy for Provision of Capacity Building Training to AfCFTA National Implementation Committee (NIC)

Expression of Interest (EoI)

Consultancy for provision of capacity building Training to AfCFTA National implementation Committee (NIC)

Reference Number: 83466702

Date of Publication: 03.06.2024

General information

The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH is a federally owned international cooperation enterprise for sustainable development with worldwide operations. The GIZ Office in Kigali covers GIZ’s portfolio in Rwanda and Burundi. GIZ Rwanda/Burundi implements projects on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, the European Union and other commissioning authorities in the following priority areas: Sustainable Economic Development, Good Governance, Climate, Energy and Sustainable Urban Development, Digitalization and Digital Economy, Mineral Governance, Peace and Security in the Great Lakes Region.

1. Brief information on the project

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is a trade agreement among African Union (AU) member states aimed at creating a single market for goods and services across the continent. Signed in March 2018 and launched in January 2021, the AfCFTA seeks to boost intra-African trade, promote industrialization, and foster economic integration among African nations.

The “Programme Support to the AfCFTA”, commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH addresses institutional challenges to support the negotiation and implementation of the AfCFTA. It operates at the continental, regional, and national levels to respond to the complex nature of the AfCFTA’s negotiation and implementation, as well as to the heterogeneity of the state parties. Rwanda is one of pilot countries supported at the national level.

2. Context

As per the African Union (AU) Council of Ministers decision for AfCFTA State Parties to put in place national implementation committees (NICs); Rwanda established the National Implementation Committee (NIC) responsible for the implementation of the AfCFTA agreement. The Committee coordinates and oversees the implementation of the agreement at the national level. The committee is comprised of five working groups.

As a component of GIZ’s efforts to advance the implementation of the AfCFTA agreement in Rwanda, the Ministry of Trade and Industry, in collaboration with GIZ, is coordinating a capacity-building workshop for three National Implementation Committees (NICs) working groups. These groups include the Tariff and Rules of Origin Working Group, the Services Working Group, and the digital trade Working Group. The primary objective of these workshops is to convene representatives from each working group, assess their respective roles and duties, and collaboratively develop an action plan for implementation of the AfCFTA Agreement in their respective working Groups.

3. GIZ shall hire the contractor for the anticipated contract term, from 01^st June 2024 to 15^th December 2024

The services described in Section 4 shall be provided until 30^th September 2024.

4. The contractor shall provide the following work/service:

The contractor shall provide three capacity building workshop training to the AfCFTA National Implementation Committee working Groups namely:

• Tariff and rules of origin Working Group
• Trade in services Working Group
• Digital Trade Working Group

Period of assignment: from July 2024 to 30^th September 2024.

Tender requirements

1. Qualifications of proposed staff

The tenderer is required to propose personnel for the positions specified here and described with respect to the areas of responsibility and qualifications on the basis of relevant CVs.

The below specified qualifications represent the requirements to reach the maximum number of points in the technical assessment.

Tasks of Expert 1: AfCFTA Tariff and rules of Origin

• Provide the training on the AfCFTA trade in goods protocol by focusing on the schedules of tariff concessions and rules of origin annex.
• Support the team in understanding their role in the implementation of the AfCFTA agreement,
• Provide the state of play regarding the AfCFTA tariff concessions and rules of origin ongoing negotiations,
• Support the working group to develop an action plan,
• Support the working group on *Trade Policy and Regulations*: Understanding international trade policies and regulations, including tariffs and trade agreements, is crucial for trade in goods.
• Support the group in understanding and enhancing trade facilitation measures, including customs procedures, border controls, and transport infrastructure, and how these can help streamline the movement of goods across borders, reduce trade costs, and improve supply chain efficiency for trade in goods.
• Support the group to enhance advocacy strategies, and stakeholder engagement to participate effectively in implementation, and advocate for the removal of NTBs that restrict market access.
• Training on quality standards, product certification, and conformity assessment procedures in ensuring that goods meet regulatory requirements, safety standards, and customer expectations in the AfCFTA markets.

Qualifications of Expert 1: AfCFTA Tariff and rules of origin

• Education: Master’s degree in economics, international trade, international business, trade law or any other related field
• Professional experience: Comprehensive understanding of trade policy concepts, principles, and frameworks, particularly related to trade in goods. This includes familiarity with international trade agreements, tariff structures, trade facilitation measures, and trade promotion strategies.
• In-depth knowledge of the legal and regulatory frameworks governing trade in goods under AfCFTA, including the AfCFTA Agreement itself, protocols, annexes, and related legal instruments. Expertise in customs regulations, import/export procedures, and rules of origin is essential.
• Specialized knowledge of rules of origin and their application in determining the origin of goods under AfCFTA.
• Experience in designing and delivering capacity-building programs, workshops, and technical assistance initiatives focused on trade in goods and rules of origin.
• 10 years ‘experience in economic analysis specific to trade in goods at regional and international level including assessing the potential impacts of tariff liberalization, trade facilitation measures, and rules of origin on trade flows, industries, and economies.
• Expertise in trade data analysis, economic modeling, and impact assessment techniques is valuable.
• Business fluency in English

Tasks of Expert 2: AfCFTA Trade in services

• Provide the training on the AfCFTA trade in services protocol,
• Support the team in understanding their role in the implementation of the AfCFTA agreement,
• Provide the state of play regarding the AfCFTA trade in services, ongoing negotiations and other relevant updates regarding TiS,
• Support the working group to develop an action plan,
• Provide training on the selected 5 priorities service sectors in TiS and how to engage the private sector in benefiting the AfCFTA trade in services protocol.

Qualifications of Expert 2: AfCFTA Trade in services

• Education: Master’s degree in economics, international trade, international business, trade law or any other related field
• Professional experience: In-depth understanding of trade in services, including its concepts, principles, and modes of supply. This includes familiarity with international agreements on trade in services (GATS) and its relevance to AfCFTA.
• Strong understanding of the AfCFTA Trade in Services protocol and ongoing negotiations under the priority sectors. Specialized knowledge of the covered sectors in essential
• Understanding of the legal and regulatory frameworks governing trade in services, including domestic regulations, licensing requirements, standards, and non-tariff barriers. Knowledge of how these regulations impact market access, competition, and investment in services sectors.
• Familiarity with negotiation techniques and strategies specific to trade in services agreements, including identifying priorities, negotiating market access commitments, and addressing regulatory issues.
• Track record of designing and delivering capacity-building programs, workshops, and technical assistance initiatives focused on trade in services, targeting government officials, policymakers, regulators, and service providers.
• Strong communication and presentation skills
• 10 years’ experience in policy development and formulation related to trade in services, including advising governments on trade policy reforms, regulatory harmonization, and capacity-building initiatives to enhance trade in services competitiveness within the East Africa regio
• business fluency in English

Tasks of Expert 3: AfCfTA Digital trade protocol

• Provide training on the AfCFTA agreement and the AfCFTA digital trade protocol, its objectives and provisions.
• Support the team in understanding their role in the implementation of the AfCFTA agreement,
• Provide the state of play regarding the AfCFTA digital trade protocol and recent developments regarding the negotiations and implementation of the protocol.
• Support the working group to develop an action plan,

Qualifications of Expert 3: AfCfTA Digital trade protocol

• Education: Master’s degree in international trade, international law, international technology, international business, economics, or any other related field.
• Professional experience: Comprehensive understanding of the AfCFTA agreement especially the AfCFTA digital trade protocol, its provisions, objectives, and implications.
• Familiarity with trade policies, regulations and frameworks governing digital trade within the AfCFTA context.
• In-depth knowledge of digital technologies, e-commerce platforms, digital payment systems especially PAPSS, and other aspects of the digital economy. This includes understanding the role of digital trade in driving economic growth, fostering innovation, and enhancing competitiveness.
• Familiarity with legal and regulatory frameworks governing digital trade, including data protection laws, cyber laws, intellectual property rights, and consumer protection regulations. The expert should be able to explain how these regulations impact cross-border digital transactions within the AfCFTA framework.
• Proficiency in designing and delivering training programs, workshops, and seminars on complex topics related to digital trade and AfCFTA.
• Strong communication skills, both verbal and written, are essential for effectively conveying complex concepts and ideas to diverse audiences.
• Ability to conduct research, gather data, and analyze information relevant to digital trade and AfCFTA. The expert should be able to stay abreast of developments in the field and incorporate up-to-date information and case studies into their training materials.
• 10 years of practical experience working in the field of international trade, digital commerce, or related industries within the East Africa region.
• Business fluency in English

2. Quantitative requirements

Calculate your financial bid exactly in line with the quantitative requirements of the specification of inputs above. There is no contractual right to use up the full days/travel or workshops or budgets. The number of days/travel/workshops and the budgets will be contractually agreed as maximum amounts. The regulations on pricing are contained in the price schedule.

3. Requirements on the format of the tender

The CV submitted for each expert can have a maximum of four pages. The concept (if required) should not exceed five pages. If one of the maximum page lengths is exceeded, the content appearing after the cut-off point will not be included in the assessment. External content (e.g. links to websites) will also not be considered).

Submission of the offer

Technical Proposal

• A valid registration certificate (issued by RDB),
• VAT certificate (issued by RRA)
• Tax clearance certificate (issued by RRA).
• Proof of successful completion of related assignments as per assessment grid annex
• Technical Proposal (attached template for technical proposal MUST be used)
• Up to date CVs of proposed experts
• A cover letter expressing your interest in this assignment
• Technical Proposal (attached template for technical proposal MUST be used)
• Up to date CVs of proposed experts

Financial offer:

Financial offer indicates the all-inclusive total contract price, supported by a breakdown of all costs as described in the specification of inputs. The costs must be in RWF and VAT excluded.

Please submit electronically your EoI (technical & Financial offer) in 2 separated emails and should be in PDF files to this email ONLY: RW_Quotation@giz.de until latest June 18^th, 2024. Please you must write on each email subject this sentence: 83466702-Technical/financial offer, without this sentence, your offer may not be considered

Hard copies are not allowed this time

GIZ reserves all rights

Annex:

• Eligibility assessment grid
• Technical assessment grid
• Price sheet