Local Consultant for Drafting a White Book

USAID Trade Facilitation Program

SCOPE OF WORK

Publication of a White Book providing Essential Customs Information to Businesses

Proposed Personnel:  Local consultant for drafting a White Book

Period of Performance:           March 28 – June 30, 2022

Travel Dates and Location:    

Interviews: Ho Chi Minh city Customs Department

Project Background

According to the situational assessment conducted by the Program during FY2020 the technical assistance needs of the six targeted provinces (Hanoi, Hai Phong, Quang Tri, Da Nang, HCMC and Dong Nai) relates mainly to areas of TFA awareness raising, SI, RM, CBM and the utilization of the NSW. Specific technical assistance requests focused on the mentioned topics presented by the six local authorities and later endorsed by the PMU have been included in the Y3WP (from October 2020 to September 2021). Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, many local activities in Y3 have been carried forward to Y4 (from October 2021 to September 2022).

Activity Background

Building the capacity of customs officials at the local level improves their operational efficiency, ability to reduce customs clearance times and increasing of local customs’ support to help improve the trade and investment environment for the business sector, and help Vietnamese enterprises further integrate into global value chains.

The Program, in closed collaboration with HCMC Customs Department will design, develop and publish a White book providing essential customs information to business. This book will be available in both electronic and hard copy version.

Objective

The main objective of this activity is to support HCMC Customs Department in design, development and publication of a White book providing essential customs information to business sector for enhancing the Partnership between Customs and the Private Sector.

This publication will be available to both electronic and hard copy version.

Responsibilities and Tasks

Conduct desktop review and conduct interview with HCMC Customs officials to identify needs and priorities areas of concerns for the White book to cover

Work with relevant technical divisions from HCMC Customs Department to collect data and information assigning to the content of the White book. The proposed White book areas of interest will include:

1. Provide message from Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department, USAID Mission in Vietnam
2. Provide a concise overview of sustainable development and trade facilitation of HCMC Customs Department. With this purpose, in each Chapter of the White Book will focus on the issues of: (i) Overall introduction of HCMC Customs; (ii) Administrative reforms and Customs modernization tasks; (iii) Development of Public and Private Partnership between Customs and Business sector; (iv) USAID Trade Facilitation Program and (v) Achievements of the period from 2016 - 2021. Each Chapter should be structured as follows:
   
   WHITE BOOK TITLE: SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT & TRADE FACILITATION MATTERS OF HO CHI MINH CITY CUSTOMS DEPARTMENT
   
   TABLE OF CONTENTS
   
   PART I. INTRODUCTION
   
   I. Message of the HCMC Customs Department
   
   1. Message of the Director of HCMC Customs Department
   
   2. Message of the Deputy Directors of HCMC Customs Department
   
   3. Message of the Heads of Divisions, Directors of Sub-departments of HCMC Customs Department
   
   II. Structure of the book
   
   III. Disclaimer
   
   PART II. CHRONICLE OF THE HCMC CUSTOMS DEPARTMENT
   
   I. History
   
   II. Organizational Structure
   
   III. Leaders of HCMC Customs Department throughout the history of the Department
   
   IV. Global, regional and national background in 2016 - 2020
   
   V. Development Strategy in 2011 - 2020
   
   1. Vision, Mission, Core Values
   
   2. Key Objectives
   
   VI. Custom Development Strategy in 2021 - 2030 (expected)
   
   1. Vision, Mission, Core Values
   
   2. Key Objectives
   
   PART III. ADMINISTRATIVE REFORM AND CUSTOMS MODERNIZATION
   
   I. Administrative Reform
   
   II. Customs Modernization
   
   III. Smart, Centralized Customs System
   
   PART IV. CUSTOMS – BUSINESS & STAKEHOLDER PARTNERSHIP
   
   I. Annual activities to develop Customs-Business and Stakeholders partnership of HCMC Customs Department
   
   II. HCMC Customs – Business/Organization partnership
   
   1. HCMC Customs Department – Embassies, Consulates General
   
   2. HCMC Customs Department – Businesses, Business Associations
   
   3. HCMC Customs Department – Line Departments of HCMC
   
   PART V. USAID TRADE FACILITATION PROGRAM
   
   I. Introduction of the Program
   
   II. Trade facilitation activities of HCMC Customs Department
   
   III. Capacity building on the implementation of the FTA and risk management and compliance management of officers
   
   PART VI. ACHIEVEMENTS OF 2016 – 2020 & 2021
   
   I. Customs supervision
   
   II. Tax administration
   
   III. Anti-smuggling and trade fraud
   
   IV. Anti-Narcotics
   
   V. Application of Information technology and digital transformation
   
   VI. The scheme on the HCAS (HCMC Customs Administration System)
   
   VII. The scheme on Logistics development and anti-congestion at Cat Lai terminal
   
   VIII. Business requirement development
   
   PART VII. ANNEXES
   
   I. Overview of concepts
   
   1. State management in Customs matters
   
   2. Foreign trade management
   
   3. Tax administration
   
   4. Standards, technical regulations and quality of products and goods
   
   5. IPR, origin and trademarks
   
   6. Risk management and compliance management
   
   7. Anti-smuggling, trade fraud and narcotics
   
   II. Updated laws and policies in Customs matters
   
   III. Warnings on common Customs violation
   
   IV. Website, contact information and hotlines
   
   PART VIII. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
3. Communicate with HCMC Customs and the Program to revise and edit necessary according to their comments and feedbacks

Qualifications:

Ideally, the Consultant should have:

• At least 10-year experience in marketing or relevant sectors relating to communications
• Working experience and network with HCMC Customs in order to work with relevant technical divisions from HCMC Customs to collect data and information for drafting  the content of the White book
• Experience in drafting communication materials such as brochures, leaflets, booklets etc. for customs
• Experience in conducting interviews of relevant stakeholders to collect inputs, experience in conducting desktop review and data collection within customs sectors
• Solid understanding of HCMC Customs administration and structures, strategic plan etc.; and
• Good written, oral, and presentation skills in Vietnamese and English (preferable)

Reporting

The expert will report to Nguyen Hong Son, TFP DCOP and Le Thanh Hai, TF Coordinator in charge of HCMC Customs

Activities:

1. Planning, meetings & interviewing relevant stakeholders to collect inputs for the White Book drafting.
2. Drafting the White Book to send to HCMC Customs Department for reviews
3. Finalizing the draft based on HCMC Customs Department’s feedback

Deliverables:

1. 1^st draft of the White Book
2. Final version of the White Book approved by the Leader of HCMC Customs Dept for the design of the hardcopy print-out and electronic version

How to Apply

Interested candidates should send applications to [email protected] [1] no later than March 18, 2022

Applications should include:

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