Issued on :23rd September 2025

Reference No.: EABC/TCCIA/AGRA/PROC/2025/06

Summary of the Assignment
Nature of assignment: Short-term
Location: EAC region
Timeframe: 20 working days
Reporting: EABC Executive Director

Open to Firms or Individual Consultant

Deadline of Application: 30th September 2025

Download  Advert Consultancy to Develop Trade Facilitation Manual and an EAC Simplified Trade Regime (STR) Booklet focusing on cereals and horticultural products

1. Background

The East African Business Council (EABC), in partnership with the Tanzania Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (TCCIA) and AGRA, is implementing the project titled: “Promoting Intra-EAC Agri-Food Cross-Border Trade by Addressing Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs) to Trade.”

The project seeks to enhance the participation of women and youth-led agri-food traders and improve cross-border trade in key agricultural commodities such as maize, maize flour, rice, beans, soybeans, and horticultural produce.

Targeted border corridors include:

  • Taveta/Holili
  • Busia
  • Nimule/Elegu
  • Sirari/Isibania
  • Kibirizi/Kigoma
  • Mutukula/Kagera
  • Namanga
  • Tunduma/Mbeya

To facilitate access to trade-related information, EABC seeks to develop a Trade Facilitation Manual and an EAC Simplified Trade Regime (STR) Booklet focusing on cereals and horticultural products to be used by cross-border traders.

2. Rationale

The EAC Simplified Trade Regime (STR), rolled out in 2011, is a special arrangement designed to ease access to the Simplified Certificate of Origin for consignments valued at less than USD 2,000. It provides simplified documentation requirements and customs procedures.

Despite these provisions, small-scale traders of cereal and horticulture (especially women and youth) face challenges such as limited access to information on trade procedures and complex SPS/TBT requirements.

This consultancy will therefore:

  • Develop a print ready user-friendly Trade Facilitation Manual for cereals and horticulture trade at selected borders.
  • Develop a print ready user-friendly Booklet with step-by-step procedures for trading cereals and horticultural goods under the STR focusing on East African Community.
  • Validate the outputs through a regional webinar with trade facilitation agencies and small-scale cross border traders’ association leaders.

3. Objectives of the Consultancy

The overall objective is to facilitate access to trade-related information for small-scale cross-border traders, thereby enhancing intra-EAC agri-food trade.

Specific objectives are to:

  1. Develop a Trade Facilitation Manual for trading cereals and horticulture products under the STR, targeting small-scale traders (women and youth).
  2. Document a Booklet outlining step-by-step trade procedures, including required documents, SPS/TBT compliance, and border agency roles at selected border posts.
  3. Facilitate and validate findings during a regional webinar with Trade Facilitation Agencies and cross border traders.

4. Scope of Work

The consultant is expected to:

  • Review the EAC and COMES and AfCFTA STR and its implementation, the status of implementation of the Trade Facilitation Agreement by EAC Partner States, and existing documentation.
  • Conduct consultations with border agencies, cross-border traders’ associations, and clearing agents at selected borders.
  • Develop a Step-by-Step Trade Facilitation Manual for trading under STR, covering:
    • Simplified Customs Document
    • Simplified Certificate of Origin
    • Common List of Eligible Products
    • Value Thresholds
    • SPS/TBT and quality requirements
  • Draft the Trade Facilitation Manual.
  • Draft the Trade STR Booklet (visual, easy-to-read, trader-friendly).
  • Facilitate a validation webinar where Trade Facilitation Agencies (Ministry of Agriculture, Bureau of Standards, KEPHIS/TPHPA, Customs Authority, Radioactivity/Atomic Commission) present STR procedures and initiatives for cereals and horticulture. The session will also be attended by a representatives from the Cross-Border Traders Associations (CBTAs).
  • Incorporate stakeholder feedback and submit final approved versions of both documents.

5. Deliverables

  • Inception Report outlining understanding of the TORs, methodology, work plan, deliverables, and timeframe.
  • Draft technical Trade Facilitation Manual for cereals and horticulture, including STR procedures and conformity measures (SPS, TBT, quality and certification requirements).
  • Draft simplified and illustrated STR Booklet in English and Kiswahili, incorporating conformity and compliance requirements in English and Kiswahili
  • Validation Webinar to review drafts and incorporate stakeholder recommendations on STR and conformity measures.
  • Final STR Booklet and Trade Facilitation Manual reflecting stakeholder inputs and integrated conformity requirements.

6. Duration

The consultancy is expected to take 20 working days.

7. Qualifications and Experience

The consultant (individual) must have:

  • Degree in International Trade, Economics, Agriculture, or related fields.
  • Proven expertise working in trade facilitation, customs procedures, SPS/TBT standards.
  • At least 5 years’ experience working in EAC trade integration frameworks or similar regional economic communities.
  • Demonstrated capacity to develop trade manuals, toolkits, simplified guides, or similar work.
  • Excellent communication skills in English and Kiswahili (knowledge of French is an added advantage).

8. Reporting and Supervision

The consultant will report to the EABC Executive Director in close coordination with the EABC–AGRA Project Coordinator, TCCIA, and partners for comments

Published On: September 24th, 2025 / Categories: Tenders /

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