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ANALYSIS OF EAC TRADE INSTRUMENTS FOR COMPETITIVENESS OF SELECTED INDUSTRIAL VALUE CHAINS OF EDIBLE OILS, LEATHER, TEXTILES, AND PHARMACEUTICALS
Summary of the Assignment
- Nature of Assignment: Short-term consultancy
- Location: East African Community (EAC) region
- Procuring Entity: East African Business Council (EABC)
- Funding Partner: African Development Bank (AfDB)
- Project: Accelerating Sustainable and Inclusive Industrialization in the East African Community (EAC)
- Project ID: P-Z1-KC0-001
- Background
The East African Business Council (EABC), with support from the African Development Bank (AfDB) under the project “Accelerating Sustainable and Inclusive Industrialization in the East African Community” (Project ID: P-Z1-KC0-001), is implementing initiatives to strengthen corporate governance and gender mainstreaming, promoting inclusive industrial development across the East African Community (EAC).
The East African Community (EAC) employs trade instruments such as the Common External Tariff (CET), Duty Remission Schemes, Rules of Origin (RoO), Export Processing Zones (EPZs), and Special Economic Zones (SEZs) to enhance exports, regional trade, and industrial competitiveness. These instruments are critical for supporting the edible oils, leather, textiles, and pharmaceuticals value chains—priority sectors under the EABC-AfDB project “Accelerating Sustainable and Inclusive Industrialization in the EAC.” Despite their potential, gaps in implementation, enforcement, and awareness limit their effectiveness in boosting competitiveness, investment, and value addition in these industries. For instance, while the Common External Tariff (CET) is designed to protect local industries by imposing higher duties on competing finished goods, elevated tariffs on intermediate inputs can increase production costs and weaken competitiveness. At the same time, complex Rules of Origin (RoO) requirements under the AfCFTA and EAC frameworks can discourage firms from utilising preferential schemes, thereby limiting the intended benefits of regional integration and intra-African trade.
- Objectives
The primary objective of this assignment is to analyze the effectiveness of key EAC trade instruments in enhancing competitiveness, regional value chain development, and market access for the Edible Oils, Leather, and Textiles sectors, and to propose practical recommendations to optimize their impact, taking into account comparable instruments under AfCFTA and TFTA frameworks.
Specific Objectives:
- Assess the implementation and enforcement of the EAC Common External Tariff (CET) and analyze its implications for competitiveness within the edible oils, leather, and textiles value chains, including a comparison with tariff regimes under TFTA and relevant provisions under AfCFTA.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of Duty Remission Schemes in promoting investment, production, exports, and value addition, benchmarking their performance against similar schemes under TFTA and AfCFTA.
- Analyze the effectiveness of the EAC Rules of Origin (RoO), 2015, in facilitating trade, supporting regional value chains, and enhancing competitiveness, and compare them with RoO frameworks under TFTA and AfCFTA to identify best practices and simplification opportunities.
- Assess the performance and contribution of Export Processing Zones (EPZs) and Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in supporting industrial development, competitiveness, and value addition in the targeted value chains, with reference to equivalent incentive structures in TFTA and AfCFTA member states.
- Provide evidence-based recommendations for policy interventions, regulatory reforms, and capacity-building initiatives aimed at maximizing the benefits of EAC trade instruments, informed by lessons learned from AfCFTA and TFTA implementations.
- Scope of Work
The scope of work for the analysis of EAC trade instruments for the competitiveness of the edible oils, leather, textiles, and pharmaceuticals industrial value chains includes, but is not limited to, the following tasks across the EAC Partner States:
- Conducting a Comprehensive Review: Review existing literature, reports, and studies on the EAC CET, Duty Remission Schemes, RoO, EPZs, and SEZs relevant to the targeted sectors (e.g., EAC Trade Reports, AfCFTA protocols).
- Collecting Primary Data: Collect primary data through surveys, interviews, and consultations with stakeholders, including government agencies (e.g., customs authorities), industry associations, producers, exporters, and importers (20–30 per sector).
- Analyzing the CET: Analyze the implementation and enforcement of the EAC CET, assessing its impact on tariff structures (e.g., input vs. finished goods tariffs), trade flows (e.g., import/export volumes), and competitiveness (e.g., cost structures) in these sectors.
- Assessing Duty Remission Schemes: Assess the utilization and effectiveness of Duty Remission Schemes (e.g., duty drawbacks, exemptions, deferrals), evaluating their role in promoting investment (e.g., new facilities), production (e.g., output growth), and exports (e.g., market access) in these value chains.
- Evaluating RoO: Evaluate compliance and administrative procedures related to the EAC RoO 2015 criteria, analyzing their implications for accessing preferential tariff treatment under regional trade agreements (e.g., AfCFTA, EAC) and their effect on regional value chains.
- Examining EPZs and SEZs: Examine the performance, incentives (e.g., tax breaks), infrastructure, and regulatory frameworks of EPZs and SEZs, assessing their contribution to value addition (e.g., processing capacity) and competitiveness (e.g., export growth) in these industries.
- Developing Recommendations: Develop actionable recommendations and strategies for enhancing the effectiveness of EAC trade instruments, streamlining administrative procedures (e.g., RoO certification), and promoting investment and value addition in these sectors.
- Benchmarking: Compare EAC trade instruments with best practices from other regions (e.g., SADC, ASEAN) to identify improvement opportunities.
- Reporting: Compile findings into a main report, policy briefs, and a stakeholder presentation.
- Deliverables
The consulting firm will deliver the following outputs:
- Inception Report: Outlining the proposed methodology, data sources, work plan, and timeline for the analysis of EAC trade instruments
- Draft Analysis Report: Documenting the findings, methodology, analysis, conclusions, and recommendations regarding the effectiveness and impact of trade instruments on the competitiveness of the targeted value chains
- Policy Briefs (Draft): Summarizing key findings and recommendations for dissemination to policymakers and stakeholders
- Validation Workshop Presentation: PowerPoint summary of findings and recommendations for stakeholders, including government agencies and industry associations.
- Final Analysis Report: Revised comprehensive report with feedback, including annexes (e.g., trade data tables, stakeholder inputs)
- Final Policy Briefs: Two-page briefs for dissemination
- Placement and Timeline of Assignment
The assignment will combine physical and virtual work, including desk reviews and consultations.
Duration: Up to 25 consultancy days.
6.Submission Criteria
Interested consulting firms must submit:
- Company profile detailing core business areas, organizational structure, staffing capacity, years of operation, and technical competencies relevant to trade policy analysis and competitiveness studies
- Brief profiles (CV summaries) of key experts highlighting academic qualifications, professional experience, sector expertise, and suitability for the assignment (minimum Master’s degree in Economics, International Trade, Trade Law, Public Policy, or related field)
- Evidence of relevant experience in at least three (3) similar assignments, including trade policy analysis, trade instrument evaluations, and competitiveness studies, with clear indication of scope, duration, and outcomes
- Evidence of proven experience working in Africa or with regional integration and public sector institutions
- Description of technical expertise in trade instruments including EAC CET, Rules of Origin (RoO), Duty Remission Schemes, Export Processing Zones (EPZs), and Special Economic Zones (SEZs), with understanding of AfCFTA implications
- Certificate of Registration/Incorporation
- Valid Business License
- Valid Tax Compliance/Clearance Certificate
- Any other valid legal and administrative documentation
- Proposed approach and methodology for undertaking trade policy and competitiveness analysis
- Work plan showing clear sequencing of activities and alignment with assignment objectives and deliverables
- Reporting and Coordination
The consulting firm will report to the EABC Executive Director, providing weekly updates and coordinating with the EABC project team on substantive and administrative matters.
- Ethical Considerations
- Confidentiality: Protect sensitive data (e.g., trade statistics, company details) and use it solely for this project.
- Integrity: Ensure data accuracy and impartiality; cite verifiable sources.
- Compliance: Adhere to EABC and AfDB anti-corruption policies; violations may lead to termination.
- Inclusivity: Consider gender and youth perspectives (e.g., impacts on women-led firms).
- Intellectual Property: Outputs are owned by EABC and AfDB; consulting firm may not publish without permission.
- Evaluation Criteria
| Criteria | Description | Points |
| Firm’s Core Business and Technical Capacity
Compliance with Administrative Requirements |
Assessment of the firm’s mandate, organizational structure, staffing capacity, years of operation, and technical expertise relevant to growth diagnostics, competitiveness analysis, and trade and industrial policy
Submission of required legal and administrative documentation |
10 |
| Qualifications of Key Experts | Academic qualifications, professional experience, and suitability of the proposed team. A Master’s degree in International Trade, Economics, Industrial Development, or related field is required | 10 |
| Relevant Experience in Similar Assignments | Demonstrated experience in at least three (3) similar assignments; quality and relevance of past work and proven experience working in Africa or with regional integration/public sector institutions
Track record in trade policy instrument analysis; Conducting relevant similar assignments and evidence of previous work undertaken. |
20 |
| Methodology and Approach | Clarity, relevance, and practicality of the proposed methodology, work plan, and deliverables | 30 |
| Technical Proposal total | 70 | |
| Financial Proposal | Cost-effectiveness and financial competitiveness | 30 |
| Total | 100 |
Application Process
Interested firms should submit:
- Technical proposal (maximum 20 pages).
- Financial proposal (separate, password-protected).
Submit to procurement@eabc-online.com and info@eabc-online.com, marked “Consultancy: Analysis of EAC Trade Instruments– Edible Oils, Leather, Textile.”
The deadline for submission is Monday, 3rd August 2026.
EABC is an equal opportunity employer, encouraging applications from qualified individuals regardless of gender, age, or background.