- Background
The East African Business Council (EABC), with support from the European Union through GIZ, is implementing the Leveraging Integration Frameworks for Trade in Services and Civil Society Organizations in the EAC (LIFTED) Project.
The LIFTED Project seeks to build the export readiness of private sector service providers—particularly women and youth-led enterprises—through targeted profiling, coaching, and support for developing export strategies. Although the EAC Common Market Protocol (CMP) provides for free movement of services, businesses continue to face challenges with regulatory restrictions, compliance requirements, and limited knowledge of market entry procedures.
To address these gaps, EABC intends to recruit a Consultant to provide structured coaching support to selected enterprises in four EAC Partner States (Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda & The United Republic of Tanzania). The Consultant will help enterprises understand rules and regulations governing services trade, strengthen their export readiness, and develop tailored export strategies. Download Advertisement – Consultancy on Coaching on Rules, Regulations, and Business Concepts for the Export of Services and Development of Export Strategies
- Objective of the Assignment
The overall objective is to provide hands-on coaching to selected firms in four EAC Partner States to enable them to design and pilot export strategies and successfully navigate rules and regulations for services exports.
Specific objectives are to:
- Coach enterprises, particularly women and youth-led businesses on rules, regulations, and compliance for exporting services.
- Build firms’ capacity in business concepts critical for export readiness (financial planning, market research, adoption and deployment of digital platforms, compliance with service export standards requirements and guidelines etc.).
- Guide selected firms to develop and refine export strategies tailored to their priority service sectors and markets.
- Generate recommendations for EABC to strengthen its policy advocacy on addressing barriers to trade in services.
- Scope of Work
The Consultant will undertake the following tasks:
- Inception Phase
- Review the LIFTED concept note to familiarize with the assignment rationale,
- Revie the EAC CMP provisions, Partner State commitments,
- Revie the AfCFTA frameworks in the liberalization of trade in services
- Prepare an inception report detailing methodology, work plan, and proposed coaching approach.
- Enterprise Coaching
- Provide structured one-on-one and group coaching sessions (physical and virtual when needed) to at least 15 firms per Partner State.
- Focus on:
- Rules and regulations governing services exports at national, regional, and continental levels.
- Business concepts underpinning export readiness (Not limited toexport planning, costing, financing, marketing, and partnerships).
- Digital trade and e-commerce opportunities.
- Addressing gender and youth-specific challenges in export trade.
- Apply practical case examples, tools, and templates to guide enterprises.
- Export Strategy Development
- Support participating enterprises to draft and refine export strategies.
- Provide individualized feedback on each strategy and ensure they are practical, market-oriented, and implementable.
- Reporting and Recommendations
- Prepare Partner State coaching reports highlighting progress, lessons, and enterprise needs.
- Produce a consolidated final report including best practices, common gaps, and policy recommendations.
- Deliver a services export readiness coaching toolkit/guidebook for SMEs.
- Deliverables
The Consultant will deliver the following outputs:
- Inception report with methodology and work plan.
- Coaching sessions delivered to at least 15 enterprises in each of the four Partner States.
- Export strategies developed by participating enterprises.
- Four Partner State coaching reports.
- A consolidated final report including policy recommendations and a coaching toolkit for SMEs.
- Duration and Timeline
The assignment is expected to run for two months (October-November 2025 & February-March 2026), with indicative activities:
- Inception and preparation: 2 weeks
- Enterprise coaching sessions: 2 months spread out in 2 years (Phase one Oct-Nov 2025 & Phase two, Feb-March 2026)
- Export strategy development and final reporting: 2 weeks
- Required Qualifications and Experience
The Consultant (individual) should possess the following:
- Advanced degree in International Trade, Economics, Business Administration, or related field.
- Minimum 7 years’ experience in trade in services, export development, and enterprise coaching.
- Demonstrated expertise in export strategy design and SME support.
- Knowledge of EAC integration frameworks and AfCFTA provisions on services.
- Strong coaching, facilitation, and report writing skills.
- Experience in working with women and youth entrepreneurs will be an added advantage.
- Reporting and Supervision
The Consultant will work under the supervision of the EABC Executive Director and day-to-day coordination of the LIFTED Project Manager.
- Application Procedure
Interested applicants should submit:
- A technical proposal (understanding of ToR, methodology, coaching approach, and work plan).
- A financial proposal (professional fees, travel, and other costs).
- Curriculum Vitae of key personnel.
- At least two references from similar assignments.
The Technical and Financial Proposals must be submitted via by email to:
📧 procurement@eabc-online.com with a copy to info@eabc-online.com
Subject: Consultant for Coaching on Rules, Regulations, and Business Concepts for the Export of Services and Development of Export Strategies under the LIFTED Project
🕔 Deadline: 22nd October 2025, 5:00 PM EAT
Late or incomplete submissions will not be considered.
EABC reserves the right to accept or reject applications and is not bound to award the contract to the lowest bidder but to the applicant with the best value for money.