Summary of the assignment:
| Nature of assignment | Short term |
| Location | Desk work |
| Timeframe | 20 working days |
| Report to | Executive Director/CEO |
I. BACKGROUND TO THE EABC TRADEMARK EAST AFRICA PROJECT
The TMEA project, “Public‐Private Sector Dialogue (PPD) for Trade and Investment ‐ Regional and Country Programmes” mainstreams advocacy throughout TMEA’s project clusters – i.e. in transport and logistics, trade facilitation, customs & tax, standards and NTBs. The new approach presented and approved by the TMEA’s Board will foster closer collaboration across project teams and will contribute to results across all intermediate outcomes. The programme’s core objective is to enhance private sector organisations’ (PSO) capacity to proactively and positively influence decision‐making, to accelerate dispute resolution, to sustain political buy‐in, to increase commitment and to reduce overall programme risks in TMEA’s project clusters. This will increase trade and investment in the EAC. The Regional and Country Programmes will contribute to core TMEA corporate results outlined below:
- Reduce transport (road, rail, and air) cost and time along transport corridors by 10% and increase efficiency in private sector logistics services provision
- Enhance Customs and other trade‐related agencies’ efficiency (25% reduction in time to process trade documentation) through integrated trade management systems and greater inter‐agency collaboration.
- Reduced tariffs, taxes, and levies by 5‐8% overall (including sub‐national) reduce exemption regimes, CET, and increase import/export tax incentives
- Enhanced efficiency of Bureaux of Standards, reduce related costs and time by 10%, reduce counterfeit and sub-standard goods by 20% through enhanced inter‐agency collaboration and improve private sector compliance.
- Resolve 30% of all reported NTBs along TMEA project clusters within a year.
- Catalyzing a 10% increase in exports annually, 93,000 direct jobs and $425m additional investment after seven years in targeted sectors in the EAC under the Compact and TLCs through increased investment incentives.
II. 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 TradeMark East Africa as the lead implementing partner for the Private Sector Organizations.
Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Measures at the EAC level
SPS measures at EAC regional level are enshrined in the EAC SPS Protocol that was developed in line with Article 108 of the EAC Treaty which requires the Partner States to harmonize sanitary and phytosanitary measures for pest and disease control. Taking cognizance of the above provisions of Article 108 of the EAC Treaty, Article 38 of the Protocol on the Establishment of the East African Customs Union requires the Partner States to co-operate in several areas including sanitary and phytosanitary measures. The Partner states are required under paragraph 1 of Article 151 of the Treaty; to conclude such Protocols as may be necessary for each area of co-operation, which shall spell out the objectives and scope of, and institutional mechanisms for, co-operation and integration. It is in line with the above requirements of the EAC treaty and the Customs Union Protocol that the SPS Protocol was developed.
Although not yet ratified by all EAC Partner States, the primary objective of the EAC SPS Protocol is to adopt and enforce SPS measures in order to minimize their negative effects on trade. The Protocol elaborates rules for application, which relate to the use of SPS measures, and recognizes the rights of importing countries to implement these measures.
III. RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVE OF THE ASSIGNMENT
Compliance with SPS guidelines constitutes a basic requirement for any exporter seeking increased market access for agricultural products in the regional and international trading system.
Several exports from East African countries also often suffer rejections in foreign countries, due to non-compliance with importing country SPS regulations.
Failures of food safety and quality systems often have devastating impacts on a country’s exports. There are numerous examples of products such as chicks, fresh fruits, beef, animals etc. from East African Partner States that have been banned before in some countries due to failure to meet food safety requirements. These bans cost millions of dollars in lost income for the cross-border traders.
In addition, cross border traders in agricultural products still find it quite challenging to comply with EAC Sanitary and Phyto Sanitary Measures (SPS) which are rules and procedures that governments use to ensure that foods and beverages are safe to consume and to protect animals and plants from pests and diseases.
EABC and TMEA recognise that an efficient and effective awareness about the SPS measures in the region is very critical for cross border trade to thrive in the region. A recent assessment by EABC through EAC border visits as well as consultative engagements with members of the business community mainly MSMEs observed;
- Very low stakeholder awareness about the relevance of SPS measures and why they are critical in cross border trade,
- Weak linkages between the private sector and the SPS regulatory agencies such as Plant Health Inspectorates, Ministries of Agriculture, etc.
- Many concerns by the business community regarding complying with SPS measures and the facilitation expected from relevant public agencies to the business community
- Bureaucracies in the attainment of SPS certificates from the regulatory agencies
EABC with support from TradeMark East Africa intends to hire services of a consortium in the EAC region to develop a good practice manual and a video documentary for the business community especially cross border traders on SPS measures. This good practice manual and video documentary will be handy in ensuring that agro-food procedures and cross border traders are properly guided to produce and transact products that meet requirements for regional and international trade.
IV. DUTIES
- For purposes of guiding agro-food producers and members of the business community to meet EAC SPS requirements:
- Develop and design easy to read and interpret materials on food safety implementation manuals targeting small and medium enterprises (SMEs), that will be distributed to the business community.
- Develop and design easy to read and interpret materials on animal health implementation manuals (including good animal health practices) targeting smallholder producers and traders
- Develop and design easy to read and interpret materials on phytosanitary (crop protection) implementation manuals (including good agricultural practices, crop protection measures for quarantine and regulated nonquarantine pests, and good manufacturing practices) targeting smallholder producers and traders
- Develop and design EAC SPS measures video documentary on, the role of SPS measures in cross border trade, why it matters to comply with SPS measures, process of engaging and acquiring SPS certificates.
- Present the good practice manuals and video documentary to EABC.
For video documentary, the focus should draw examples from livestock, fisheries, and crop sectors covering the application of food safety, animal health and plant.
V. DELIVERABLES
The key deliverables include:
- Inception report
- Draft manual and video documentary. The video should be in an editable format in English and Kiswahili with subtitles.
- Good practice manuals and a video documentary on EAC SPS measures
- A report from the assignment
VI. SCOPE OF WORK
The consortium will work in partnership with EABC secretariat, its Focal points and sector associations in all the EAC Partner States.
The consortium will familiarize themselves with the EAC and EABC work on SPS measures including all publications and relevant materials and review of all activity reports from EABC and EAC on SPS at the EAC regional level.
VII. QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
A suitable consortium should hold the following qualifications and key competencies:
Lead consultant:
- Academic and Professional Experience: A Master’s degree in, Agricultural or food sciences, or any other relevant field is required.
- Work Experience: A minimum of ten (10) years’ demonstrable experience in food safety systems and regulation.
- At least 5 years’ experience on SPS related work within the EAC region
- Knowledge of EAC Integration is a must
- Languages: Fluency in oral and written English is required as it is the main EAC working language. Good working knowledge of Kiswahili will be an advantage.
- Additional Skills: Communications, experience in working with internet searches, online databases
Support consultant
(Video Documentary):
The support consultant should possess the following skills and competencies;
- Videography
- Sound understanding of video content development/design, production and distribution
- Communication (should possess a good command of English and Swahili)
- Nationality: The consultancy is only open to Nationals of any of the EAC Partner States, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and South Sudan.
VIII. 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 a good practice manual and a video documentary for cross border traders on SPS measures”. The proposal should include current curriculum vitae, proposed methodology, work plan and a financial proposal.
The financial proposal should be protected with a password.
Applications close on (20th February 2021) at (5.00 p.m.)
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.
