Lowongan ARISE+ Indonesia - Trade Support Facility (Request for Proposals for Economic and business research consultancy)

Request for Proposals (RFP)

In the framework of the EUROPEAN UNION funded ARISE+ Indonesia Trade
Support Facility programme, deliver three technical research / background
studies for the Government of Indonesia, to support preparation of
negotiating positions in the context of the current Indonesia-European
Union Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement negotiations.

Background

The EU-funded programme “ARISE+ Indonesia Trade Support Facility”, which
runs from 21 August 2018 to 20 August 2025. The project provides further
support to the Indonesian Government in Trade Related Assistance, to build
on the work delivered under previous EU-funded projects. The lead
implementing consultancy is Cardno (Brussels).

ARISE+ Indonesia is a programme of support that aims to strengthen the
capacity of government institutions and stakeholders on a wide range of
areas within international trade, competitiveness and business environment.
It is coordinated by BAPPENAS, the Indonesian National Development Planning
Ministry, which is also an implementing agency, together with the Ministry
of Trade and additional ministries, government agencies and stakeholders
that have a direct interest in the areas covered by the Programme. ARISE+
Indonesia runs from 2 January 2019 to 1 January 2023.

The project responds to the importance given by both regions to trade
cooperation and technical assistance and supports four Priority Areas:

*Priority Area 1: Trade and Investment Policy including FTA/CEPA *

Component 1.1. Support to the national development planning process

Component 1.2. Support to FTA/CEPA through a Rapid Response Facility

*Priority Area 2: Trade Facilitation *

Component 2.1. Support trade facilitation in the context of the WTO-TFA
implementation

Component 2.2. Trade remedies

*Priority Area 3: Export Quality Infrastructure *

Component 3.1. Support to the Implementation of NQA scheme Component 3.2.
Support to the improvement of EQI

*Priority Area 4: IPR focusing on Geographical Indications *

Component 4.1. Capacity building of farmers’ communities and GI producers'
associations Component 4.2. Effective GI quality control systems Component
4.3. Support GI governance at national and local levels

The expected results of the programme are as follows:

*Result 1*: Enhanced institutional capacities to implement and coordinate
strategic policies related to trade and investment sectors.

*Result 2*: Improved trade-related competencies to implement the
EU-Indonesia FTA/CEPA and the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement.

*Result 3*: Export Quality Infrastructure and National Quality Assurance
system are implemented in line with international best practices and
standards, thus increasing export competitiveness.

*Result 4*: Improved capacities of national and local stakeholders to
develop Geographical Indications (GIs) to enhance the local economy and
employment opportunities in regions.

*Result 5*: Improved awareness and knowledge of the domestic industry
including SMEs in participating in Global Value Chains. This is a
cross-cutting result that will be addressed across all priority areas
covered by ARISE Plus-Indonesia.

The project also has a number of cross-cutting elements including
dissemination and socialisation within the Private Sector; gender
inclusion/women empowerment; monitoring and evaluation; and visibility and
outreach. Two key concepts in the project’s overall objective are
sustainability and inclusivity.

About Cardno Emerging Markets, Belgium s.a.

Cardno is a professional services company working in the infrastructure,
environment, and international development sectors. Cardno has more than 45
years of experience in international development. Cardno Emerging Markets,
Belgium s.a. is part of Cardno’s Emerging Markets Division which works in
association with donors and governments to provide targeted professional
services associated with the planning, design, implementation, evaluation
and monitoring of development programmes across a broad range of sectors.
Cardno’s Brussels office has a long history of managing EU-funded projects
in the areas of trade, economic integration and institutional
strengthening, including in Asia in particular.

Objective

Being the central institution in the Government of Indonesia, in
co-operation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, concerned with
international trade negotiations, the Ministry of Trade coordinates all
research, consultation, analysis and preparation for international trade
negotiations. This includes coordination of intra- and inter-ministerial
consultations, as well a public-private sector consultation.

There is currently great focus on the negotiations of the EU-Indonesia
CEPA. The EU officially launched negotiations with Indonesia on 18 July
2016. The eighth round was held from 17 to 21 July 2019 in Indonesia and
the ninth round will take place in December 2019 in Brussels.

There are varying levels of progress in the negotiations, which cover a
number of specific areas. These are:

· Trade in Goods

· Rules of Origin

· Customs and trade facilitation

· Technical Barriers to Trade

· Sanitary and Phyto-Sanitary (SPS) measures

· Trade in Services

· Investment

· Dispute settlement

· Government Procurement

· Competition, Subsidies and State Owned Enterprises

· Intellectual Property Rights

· Trade and Sustainable Development

· Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)

· Institutional and final provisions

· Transparency and Good Regulatory Practices

· Economic cooperation and capacity building

During the course of the negotiations, the GoI has a requirement for
technical expertise to deliver highly specialised research in areas where
it does not currently have the required levels of information and knowledge
to support its understanding of the issues/areas under negotiation, and
therefore its ability to develop empirically informed positions.

The objective of this assignment, which falls under Priority Area 1,
Component 1.2 (above) is to deliver three comprehensive research studies /
background papers in the following areas, which will assist the GoI in
preparing its negotiating positions in the context of the current
Indonesia-EU CEPA negotiations:

*1. Research on Trade in Services in the context of the CEPA*

*2. Research on digital trade and e-commerce in Indonesia: information and
policy options in the context of the CEPA*

*3. Research on Government Procurement Market Access in the context of the
CEPA*

Duration

The work should commence (subject to contract) 1st October 2019 and be
completed no later than 31st December 2019.

Approach and Deliverables

The precise approach will be decided in consultation with the Programme
Team Leader and the beneficiary, Ministry of Trade.

· The sub-contractor will agree on a suitable approach/methodology
dependent on the nature of each study, including relevant consultative and
communication mechanisms

· The studies will be conducted through a combination of desk
research, consultation forums, presentations, meetings and other
information collecting activities (e.g. questionnaires, surveys, field
visits (if required).

· Detailed analysis using both primary and secondary data will be
undertaken, taking guidance, where appropriate from Ministry of Trade on
relevant sources.

· A record of data sources used will be maintained and will be
included in the EoAR

· The sub-contractor will identify, in collaboration with the
Ministry of Trade and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, relevant stakeholders
from public sector, private sector, academia and civil society, dependent
on the nature of the study

· The sub-contractor will develop and present analytical results
during the course of the study to relevant stakeholders for consideration,
debate and decision making, and will capture all stages of the process in
the technical report that will be submitted to GoI

· The sub-contractor will finalise each study in alignment with the
requirements of the Ministry of TradeDevise, in collaboration with MoT, an
appropriate approach and methodology for each study, relevant to the
particular area/sector.

· Undertake all necessary research in the given areas/sector in
order to prepare for, and competently and effectively deliver all
consultation forums, including meetings with government, public and private
sector discussion forums (including Focus Group Discussions), field visits,
workshops, advisory meetings with Ministry of Trade
representatives/negotiators, etc.

· Manage, coordinate and facilitate all consultation
forums/meetings, generating appropriate programmes/agendas, presentation
materials, meeting notes and workshop reports

Deliverables:

· Three technical research / background studies in the three CEPA
negotiation priority areas / sectors identified above (note: these will be
subject to a Confidentiality Agreement and will be embargoed for submission
to the GoI only)

· Brief plan of approach for each study (to be incorporated in
methodological End of Assignment Report (EOAR))

· Meetings/consultation forums, including programmes, agendas,
meeting minutes, presentation materials, workshop reports etc.

· One end of assignment methodological report (EoAR)

Selection Criteria

Cardno (Brussels) is looking for a non-individual consultant
(vendors/professional organizations/team of individuals under a legal
entity) meeting the following criteria:

- Well established firm with a demonstrated track record in the
field of trade research and analysis with at least 5 years of operations

- Proven experience in the field of economic and business research
and consultancy

- Proven experience in undertaking detailed analysis for policy and
decision making in government

- Significant experience in the area of international trade
research, trade policy development and international trade
negotiations/trade agreements

- Proven experience of undertaking studies at macro and
micro-economic level

- Expertise in varied data collection methodologies, including
quantitative and qualitative data

- Experience in triangulation methodologies for data validation

- Experience in working with/alongside government for research
purposes

- Extensive familiarity with the Indonesian trade context is
essential, including contacts to relevant networks in the proposed
areas/sectors of study, including private sector

How to Apply

The following should be submitted by email no later than 18.00 on 29th
September, 2019 to:

Programme Manager, Ms Nathalie Piana nathalie.piana@cardno.com and
Programme Office Manager, Ms Maya Herlina, maya.herlina@cardno.com :

· A comprehensive Technical Proposal, including proposed work plan
with timeline for key activities, milestones, and deliverables for the
duration of the assignment, (including the CVs of the experts proposed to
undertake the studies),

· A complete Financial Proposal in Indonesian rupiah, with a
*Total* *Fixed
Price Fee* showing the breakdown for consultancy resource, budget
allocation for activities, including all workshops and consultations (it is
expected that two workshops per topic will be delivered), venues,
refreshments for participants, training materials, travel, monitoring and
evaluation activities, dissemination activities, incidentals and any other
expenses.

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