Summary of the assignment:
| Nature of assignment | Short term |
| Location | Web Based |
| Duration of the assignment | 21 days |
| Reporting | To Executive Director/CEO |
1.0 BACKGROUND TO THE SAFETRADE TRADEMARK EAST AFRICA PROJECT
Alarmed by potential decline of trade in Eastern Africa, and resulting jobs and export losses due to Covid-19, many governments in the region have mounted special efforts to keep trade safely running along the main transport corridors to ensure that: people access goods affordably; that markets are well supplied; that traders can still operate despite movement restrictions and loss of incomes. Eastern and Southern African governments have recognized an immediate need to mitigate the impacts of Covid-19 on trade for the good of the economy and their citizens.
As a result, TMEA has created a US$20 million Safe Trade Emergency Facility (STEF) to support governments to undertake critical measures along the transport and trade routes that will ensure trade continues safely while protecting livelihoods. Transport and trade routes are believed to be major infection conduits and present a significant threat to the entire region, disrupting health, the economy, and regional and national supply chains.
Among the components of the projects, there is having centralized data collection on trade flows and ensuring its availability to different stakeholders, on a regular basis for transparency and settlement of emerging bottlenecks as well as support advocacy work by private sector to ensure continued harmonized approach and quick intervention in addressing arising challenges to trade.
The implementation of the Safe Trade Emergency Facility will be undertaken alongside scaling up existing programmes, to capitalise into the emerging opportunities that build the region’s socioeconomic resilience. The programme will support trade continuing safely and unhindered; and protect the health of traders, trade officials and transport
2.0 ABOUT EAST AFRICAN BUSINESS COUNCIL
The East African Business Council (EABC) is the umbrella body of the Private Sector in the East African Community (EAC). It brings together national private sector umbrella bodies, manufacturers, employers, bankers, insurance and transporters associations, chambers of commerce, corporates, and medium and small enterprises from the entire East African region.
EABC’s mandate is to represent and promote the interests of the EAC business community, provide value-added services that enhance trade and competitiveness, and to participate actively and positively influence legal and regulatory formulation to improve the business environment. EABC works with the major stakeholders such as the EAC Secretariat, Organs, Institutions and National Governments and provides input in policy discussion while advocating for the implementation of resolutions at the national level aimed at increasing intra-regional trade. For effective implementation of the Regional PPD programme, EABC was selected by TMEA as the lead implementing partner for the Private Sector Organizations.
3.0 RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVE OF THE ASSIGNMENT
The deadly COVID-19 has spread rapidly since December 2019 creating a major global crisis and disrupting global supply chains. Governments have taken unprecedented containment measures underscored by social distancing to stop the spread of the virus. As a result, air travel dropped significantly, borders closed, factories have stopped production, and staying at home has become the norm.
Like many parts of the world, Eastern and Southern Africa have faced major disruptions in trade, with manufacturing and key export sectors like horticulture and tourism recording a massive decline in the first few weeks. The flow of goods across borders has slowed down, as government’s undertake physical distancing and transport operator testing measures along key trade and transport routes, as these are believed to be major infection conduits, Manufacturers have scaled back production leading to loss of jobs, logistics companies face labor shortages leading to constraints in accessing markets, and lockdowns may lead to closure of small businesses.
In the midst of this, opportunities have emerged: The importance of harmonized and joint regional approaches have been elevated, and ministries across countries have come together to undertake joint measures; Local manufacturers have developed capabilities to produce Personal Protective Equipment (PRE); There is increased focus on fast tracking harmonization of standards to enable intra-regional exports and digitization of key trade processes.
The East African Business Council (EABC) is thereby concerned with limited trade data regarding disruptions in key sectors such as the tourism, transport and logistics, agriculture and manufacturing. EABC would also like to be able to track progress on the implementation of recommendations and advocacy impact assessments in the aforementioned clusters. To track progress and enhance public private dialogue in these crucial sectors, EABC with support from TradeMark East Africa, desires to undertake trade data tracking and analysis that will help in developing advocacy positions that will guide recovery and sustainability for the respective industry players in the region.
4.0 SCOPE OF WORK AND DUTIES
To achieve the desired objectives of the consultancy, the technical proposal should detail how the monitoring tool will be developed, supplied, installed and how the staff will be trained. The technical proposal should also contain a work plan which explains how the assignment will be undertaken in line with the timeframe. Finally, the technical proposal will include a methodology that meets both the scope of work and deliverables described in the Terms of Reference (ToR). The main activities of the Consultant are not limited to:
- Develop a prototype/beta model of the Digital Monitoring tool for tracking progress on implementation of recommendations and Advocacy impact assessments undertaken in Tourism, Manufacturing, Logistics, Agriculture in the EAC region.
- Frontends: the system developed should have 2 main front ends. One for data entry and inputting all the various information and system will process. The other is display the systems outputs and all the analytics generated
- Backend: a backend system to administrate data being handled in the system by its administrators
- 3rd parties: along with the core system 3 party tools will also be used to facilitate functionalities such as communication and mapping. These should be clearly outlined when gathering the systems requirements and inception report.
- Hosting and Domain services for the new system so it can be accessed on computer and mobile phones for all stakeholders anywhere in Africa.
- To establish a working M&E System and action plan to track the results of the implementation of the recommendations.
- Develop a training manual on the use of the Digital monitoring tool.
- Organize a training workshop for EABC staff on the use of the Digital Monitoring tool.
- Engage with stakeholders in Tourism, Manufacturing, Logistics, Agriculture in the EAC region to collect data on the impact of the recommendations.
- Incorporate M&E functionalities for both the safe trade and the PPD project.
5.0 DELIVERABLES
The key deliverables include:
- Inception report which among other things will contain the detailed work plan for carrying out the scope of work, proposed methodology and research instruments.
- Working Prototype/beta version of the digital monitoring M&E tool to be presented to EABC for validation.
- Training of EABC staff on use of finished version of the Digital monitoring tool
- Training manual developed and presented to EABC staff for validation.
- Develop the database and backend that responds to the needs of the M&E digital monitoring tool in terms of the quantitative and qualitative data requirements.
The final product.
The final product will consist of an inbuilt M&E toolkit that will be able to track the progress of the implementations of recommendations of the advocacy impact assessments undertaken in Tourism, Manufacturing, logistics, Agriculture within the EAC for the Safe Trade project as well as incorporate a tracking of Activities, Outputs and Outcomes for the PPD project.
6.0 QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
A suitable candidate should hold the following qualifications and key competencies:
- Academic qualifications: Master’s Degree in Statistics, Computer Science, Econometrics, Quantitative Methods, Economics, Business Administration, with proven experience in Monitoring and Evaluation. (Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Excel and Knowledge of IT and software development will be an added advantage)
- Work Experience: A minimum of five (5) years’ demonstrable experience in Monitoring and Evaluation, Developmental Economics.
- Proven track-record in related assignments with specific emphasis in development of M&E digital tools.
- Knowledge and experience in consultancies for the specified sectors
- Languages: Fluency in oral and written English is required as it is the main EAC working language. Good working knowledge of French and Kiswahili will be an advantage.
- Additional Skills: Excellent computer skills (Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, and Excel), Email, analytical tools/software for data analysis, experience in working with internet searches, online databases, and data retrieval) are required.
- Software development competence: Experience in building web applications and robust management systems. Knowledge of frontend development with HTML, CSS, JavaScript and Bootstrap as well as backend development with server-side scripting languages and frameworks such as Ruby on Rails. Experience with database management system such as MySQL and Postgres
- Nationality: The position is only open to Nationals of any of the EAC Partner States, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and South Sudan.
7.0 THE APPLICATION PROCESS
The technical and financial proposal must be submitted separately addressed to;
The Executive Director / CEO
East African Business Council (EABC)
Ninth Floor, Mafao House, Old Moshi Road
P.O Box 2617
Arusha, Tanzania
Email: director@eabc-online.com with a copy to procurement@eabc-online.com clearly marked. “Consultancy to Develop, Supply, Install and train EABC staff on the use of a Digital Monitoring tool for tracking progress on implementation of recommendations and Advocacy impact assessments undertaken in Tourism, Manufacturing, Logistics, Agriculture in the EAC region” The proposal should include a current curriculum vitae, proposed methodology,
The financial proposal should be protected with a password.
Applications close on 03/2/2022
EABC is an equal opportunity employer thus recruitment is on merit and with no regard to one’s age, colour, gender, marital status, disability or impairment, race or creed. Canvassing shall lead to automatic disqualification. Environmental aspects will be taken into consideration.
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