Trade Facilitation Consultant to Support for Women in Trade (WiT) Capacity Development Effort

SCOPE OF WORK

Trade Facilitation Consultant to support for Women in Trade (WiT) capacity development effort  

OVERVIEW

The USAID Trade Facilitation Program (“the Program”), is a five-year (May 2018 – May 2023) project that aims to support the adoption and implementation of a risk–based approach to customs and specialized inspection institutions in Vietnam.

In this context, the Program will work with the General Department of Vietnam Customs (GDVC) to strengthen Vietnam’s National Trade Facilitation Committee (NTFC) and Working Groups; streamline border clearance procedures (including specialized inspection implemented by other line ministries and agencies); harmonize the implementation of risk-based approaches between the national and provincial levels; train national and provincial customs officials and staff from other ministries; and facilitate dialogue between customs and business and between stakeholders in Hanoi and in the provinces.

After 3 fiscal years (FY) of implementation, the USAID Trade Facilitation Program has achieved a number of results throughout its assistance to the counterpart in both technical areas and cross-cutting areas. Specifically, the achievement in cross-cutting areas include gender responsiveness and integrity: 

• FY 2019: A comprehensive survey and report on gender-related situations and recommendations to integrate gender responsiveness into the Program activities;
• FY 2020:
  
  • Gender Training for the Program staff and announcement of the Program’s Gender Integration Objectives;
  • Gender Training for Vietnam Customs: successfully delivered in-person a training on gender equality and diversity in customs workplace for 109 customs officials;  
  • Gender Integration in Activity Implementation: gender questions included and gender related data processed in the 2020 Customs Satisfaction Survey (CSS);
• FY 2021: Gender Training for Vietnam Customs: successfully delivered virtual training on gender equity, equality and social inclusion to 110 customs officials;
• FY 2022:
  
  • Completed a revisited training for the Program staff on Gender equity, equality and inclusion, stock-taking of gender achievements and review of the mid-term evaluation recommendations;
  • To be delivered: a request initiated by the GDVC’s Personnel Organization Department (HRD) on gender training for GDVC customs officials; 
• Engagement of Female Participants:  
  
  • FY18-21 Results: Female participation was 47% vs. 30% targeted.

However, results of the mid-term evaluation by USAID revealed that the USAID Trade Facilitation Program needs to strengthen further gender responsiveness in its implementation of the annual work plans’ activities, both as cross-cutting integration/incorporation and stand-alone initiatives.

Taking into consideration of gender training course(s) in 2022 proposed by GDVC’s Personnel Organization Department (HRD) as a sign of successful awareness raising on gender in customs throughout 2019, 2020 and 2021 and the Program’s designed action plan in gender responsiveness, the Program decided to include further efforts in implementation of gender as a more comprehensive activity in terms of capacity development, awareness raising, action taking and measurement, as well as knowledge management. 

The Program will work with an experienced consultancy team/firm to:

• Develop high-quality awareness-raising and behavior-changing educational materials that convey global standards, practices and Vietnam local context of women-in-trade-and-customs, including but not limited to the following related thematic areas:
  
  • Women's Economic Empowerment and Gender Equality (WEEGE);
  • WEEGE in Trade Facilitation;
  • Women in Trade (WiT);
  • Gender equity and equality in trade and customs;
  • Advancement of women in trade and customs;
  • Women at work and the case for greater diversity in trade and customs workplaces;
  • Early-career Gender gap;
  • How tackling gender gap can boost national GDP; 
  • Challenge for women in economic fallout from COVID-19;
• Design and deliver in-person training sessions for GDVC’s customs officials on the selection of the above-mentioned topics/thematic areas, including:
  
  • Training outline of key contents;
  • Training materials in the form of: MS PowerPoint presentations, MS Word, MS Excel handouts, videos, audio, etc.
• Develop a guideline manual for post-training actions for the participants and relevant stakeholders;
• Design and facilitate 1-2 seminar workshop on WiT, WEEGE, advancement of women in trade and customs and other related topics with GDVC and representatives from businesses enterprises;
• Develop and carry out follow-up monitoring actions after the training workshops at (ii) for GDVC and possibly the seminar workshops with private sector at (iv), including:
  
  • 1 or 2-month progress: questionnaire/check-list answers;
  • 3 or 4-month progress: in-depth interview answers;
  • 6-month progress: in-depth interview answers;   
• Write up 6-month result report; 
• Design relevant recommendations for better improvement;
• Deliver the 6-month results & recommendations at the 2022 year-end national dissemination workshop;
• Implement a sustainable knowledge management solution for the entire process’s results and legacy.

In addition to the awareness-raising and behavior-changing consultancy team, the Program identifies the crucial need for an independent trade facilitation expert to accompany along the process, who will provide consultancy on integration of trade facilitation issues into gender-related issues as mentioned above, including but not limited to gender equality and equity (GEE), women in trade (WiT) and women economic empowerment (WEE).

RESPONSIBILITIES & TASKS

The trade facilitation consultant will work with the awareness-raising and behavior-changing consultancy team to ensure all of their activities are well integrated with trade facilitation substances, incorporated with suitable trade facilitation contents, and can promote the effort of enhancing Vietnam customs women’s role in trade facilitation. 

DELIVERABLES

1. An action/implementation plan to work with the awareness-raising and behavior-changing consultancy team to deliver the above-mentioned responsibilities and tasks;
2. A framework of trade facilitation integration into gender-sensitive issues;
3. Direct inputs into the awareness-raising and behavior-changing consultancy team’s materials and products from February 2022 to December 2022.

QUALIFICATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:

Education and Experience

• Graduate degree with minimum 8 years of professional experience, or post-graduate degree with minimum 5 years of professional experience in research and consultancy service on trade facilitation or similar issues;
• Knowledge on gender-sensitive issues is a plus;
• Demonstrated experience in working with government bodies or international organizations; having working experience with Vietnam Customs is an advantage.

Languages

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in Vietnamese and English are required.

Technical competencies

• Solid understanding and knowledge of the political-economic-social system, government bodies and international organizations in Vietnam;
• Familiarity with gender-related issues in Vietnam and its integration/incorporation into trade and/or customs-related issues;
• Experience delivering consultancy service to government officials;
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills; ability to work constructively with stakeholders;
• Strong presentation, public speaking skills with a focus on effective delivery of academic knowledge to large audience;
• Commitment to quality and flexible cooperation approach;
• Good team player, positive mindset, and comfortable in working in multi-cultural settings;
• Keen sense of ethics and integrity.

REPORTING:

The Chief of Party, the Senior Customs Expert/Deputy Chief of Party and the Training Coordinator of the Program team will work with the consultant.

TIMELINES

Interested candidates should send applications to [email protected] no later than March 18, 2022

Applications should include:

1. Cover letter (no longer than 1 page)
2. CVs (see attached template);
3. Updated USAID 1420 form (see attached template)
4. Cost proposal (See attached template)