Expression of Interest (EoI)
Consultancy for delivering of training on Customs procedures and Trade Facilitation in the context of implementation of AfCFTA for Rwanda Freight Forwarders
Cosoft: 83404236
Introduction
The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH is a federally owned international cooperation enterprise for sustainable development with worldwide operations. GIZ has worked in Rwanda for over 30 years. The primary objectives between the Government of Rwanda and the Federal Republic of Germany are poverty reduction and promotion of sustainable development. To achieve these objectives, GIZ Rwanda is active in the sectors of Decentralization and Good Governance, Economic Development and Employment Promotion, Energy, and ICT (Information and Communications Technology).

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Context
After only 3,5 years of free trade negotiations amongst all 55 African countries, the African Continental Free Trade Area, in brief, AfCFTA, was established. The AfCFTA was operational-ised on 30th May 2019, 30 days after Sierra Leone and Sahara Republic deposited the last two necessary ratifications with the African Union (AU) for the AfCFTA to legally come into force for the ratifying countries. This landmark agreement offers significant promise for the continent’s transformation. The number of countries that have signed the Agreement currently stands at fifty-four (54) and as at 6th February 2022, forty-one 41 countries had deposited their instruments of ratification.
Through the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), Germany currently provides technical support to the African Union Commission (AUC), specifically to the Department of Economic Development, Trade, Tourism Industry, Minerals (ETTIM) and the AfCFTA Secretariat, with its project “African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)”. The project’s main objective is that “the framework conditions for intra-African trade have been strengthened”. Besides the outstanding topics of AfCFTA Phase I on Trade in Goods and Trade in Services and phase II negotiations, such as Investment, competition policy or digital trade are supported. Furthermore, involvement of the private sector and civil society are supported.

To this end, the project pursues a multi-level approach on the continental level working with the AUC ETIM and AfCFTA Secretariat, the regional level supporting Regional Economic Communities (RECs), and also the national level, specifically in the projects focus countries, like Rwanda.
The Republic of Rwanda like many African member states currently still need sufficient capacities to successfully realize the AfCFTA. The specific roles to be played by the government, private sector, and civil society are currently not fully supported with requisite knowledge and skills for each to implement the commitments under the AfCFTA. Although responsibilities have been defined in the framework agreement, the specific working methods still need to be established in Rwanda through the National Strategy for Implementation of AfCFTA. This requires building the capacity of all the key stakeholders in specific matters of trade in goods and services among others, trade in services as well as awareness raising and strengthening the necessary institutional and legal frameworks for realizing the AfCFTA at a National level.
Relevance of customs procedures & Trade Facilitation (TF) under AfCFTA
Trade facilitation (TF) entails the transparency, simplification, modernization and harmonization of import and export procedures. TF is critical for enhancing Africa’s competitiveness. However, Africa is still lagging in TF. Bureaucratic delays and red tape, corruption and inefficiencies at borders are common in Africa. These issues increase the costs and time of doing business across the continent thereby inhibiting intra and inter-regional trade.
Trade facilitation has been dealt with in the Agreement establishing the AfCFTA. The Protocol on Trade in Goods of the AfCFTA Agreement contains two annexes dedicated to TF: Annex 3 on Customs Co-operation and Mutual Administrative Assistance; and Annex 4 on Trade Facilitation. Annex 3 covers state parties’ cooperation in all areas of customs administration. Annex 4 deals with the simplification and harmonization of international trade procedures and logistics to expedite importation, exportation, and transit processes. Annex 4 thus aims to expedite the movement, clearance and release of goods including goods in transit across borders within state parties. The private sector operators (i.e. importers, exporters, and providers) are amongst the most significant beneficiaries from improved TF. The private sector should be able to access effective remedies when affected by non-tariff barriers of a state party.

Over the last two decades, Rwanda made robust trade reforms to create a conducive business environment. Rwanda now ranks 29th in the ease of doing business among 190 economies according to the 2019 World Bank Doing Business index, being the second best in Sub-Saharan Africa after Mauritius and reaching an all-time high of 143 in 2008 and a record low of 29 in 2018.
Rwanda is now ranked 88th on Trading Across Borders. Three years before, Rwanda was on the 131st position in the same category, meaning that the country improved in this aspect by 43 positions. The results came after a reform program undertaken by the Government to promote trade and make Rwanda a hub in East Africa. For instance, on Trading Across Borders, the Government eased trading across borders by removing the mandatory pre-shipment inspection for imported products which significantly reduced multiple requirements and steps. This contributed into current implementation of the Trade Facilitation Agreement that is at 83.6% after 2021 notifications to the WTO.

To this end, the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MINICOM) spearheads the simplification process that systematically and thoroughly study each business process, uncovering hidden sources of complexity, and permanently eliminating them. As of June 24, 2021; 29 procedures have undergone simplification, 28 required documents were removed; 25 steps have been eliminated and the Administrative Burden Cost (ABC) went down by 157,742 RWF;
Therefore, GIZ AfCFTA organized in cooperation with the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MINICOM) the first Training on Customs Procedures in the context of implementation of AfCFTA for Rwanda Freight Forwarders in November 2021. However, more of these trainings were highly recommended by the participants and other stakeholders to increase awareness and knowledge among many other Rwanda Freight Forwarders members. In this regard, a second Training is planned for 2022 with the main objectives and specific topics as indicated below.

Objectives of the training
The objectives of the proposed training would be as follows:
The main objective of the training is to strengthen the technical capacity of the members of Rwanda Freight Forwarders Association (RWAFFA) to expedite the movement, clearance and release of goods including goods in transit across borders within state parties at the same time be able to participate in providing effective remedies when providing clearing and forwarding services to their clients in Rwanda and rest of the world. The training will also develop the capacity and understanding of the freight forwarders association members with providing export and logistical services related information for goods targeting the AfCFTA market. This training will equip these members with skills and knowledge to achieve the following specific objectives.
• To build the competitiveness of the members of freight forwarders to facilitating import and export trade in the region and ultimately explore upcoming opportunities brought by AfCFTA.
• To raise professional standards of RWAFFA members in Rwanda by acquiring more knowledge required to implement Annex 1 on schedules of tariff concessions, Annex 2 on rules of origin, Annex 3 on customs co-operation and mutual administrative assistance Annex 4 on trade facilitation & Annex 8 on transit, and other relevant Annexes, knowledge on laws of the AfCFTA agreement, Article 10.4 Electronic Single window, Article 3 Advance ruling, Article 7.1 Pre-arrival processing, Trade facilitation at EAC level; all in the context of implementing the AfCFTA.
• To raise awareness of the benefits and developments brought about by the AfCFTA for Rwandan import and export sector.
• To develop skills to be able to serve a wider market in the context of the AfCFTA, all which will be key to equipping RWAFFA Members to overcome the challenges and seize the opportunities provided by this agreement.
Specific tasks
GIZ AfCFTA is seeking an individual consultant or a consulting firm to develop content for a face-to-face training, provide training to the RWAFFA members on customs procedures required to implement AfCFTA in Rwanda . Successful applicants must be familiar with the Trade Facilitation, AfCFTA, EAC and Customs procedure and clearing process in Rwanda. Some of the other specific tasks include:
• Developing the content for the face-to-face training and delivering the training
• Developing trainer user manual for training of trainers including needs for future trainings
• Identify capacity building gaps in RWAFFA members in relation to the subject matter
• Identify gaps between the AfCFTA requirements and relevant regional and national standards and practices in customs procedures related aspects;
• Serving as a subject matter expert on the ‘customs procedures’ training module, through the provision of training content.
• Conceptualizing the delivery of the face-to-face training in Rwanda to RWAFFA members

Output and deliverables:
The training contains the following outputs
• Assessment to identify gaps in customs procedure nationally, regional into AfCFTA context
• Preparation of training module
• Preparation and facilitation of a training of up to 50 participants from Freight Forwarders Association members.
• Preparation of ToT user training manual
• Assessment of the training and handover a report on the training results
• Final report of the training which contains feedback from participants

Duration and Timeframe
The consultancy contract is planned for up to 20 expert days starting from 1st May 2022- 30th June 2022. The timeframe of this training is very important, and it is essential that the results will be delivered on time.
Proposed Workplan
Deliverable Activity Working expert days
(Up to )
1 Inception report 2 days
II Module preparation & Meetings with RWAFFA 10 days
III Preparation and conduct of training 6days
IV Documentation and reporting 2 days
Total expert workdays (up to) 20 expert days

The minimum qualification and experience requirements
• The consultant must have the following qualifications:
• Master’s degree in International Trade, Business Management and Business Law
• Specific training in customs procedures, Customs union operations, World Customs Organizations.
• Having worked for 5 years in institutions handling International Trade operations like Customs Authority, Regional Economic Communities, and others handling customs procedures matters.
• 1 assignment accomplished indicating the knowledge of the Trade Facilitation, AfCFTA and or EAC matters
• Proof of 3 different trainings prepared and delivered
• Proof of previous experience of working with RWAFFA members;
• Fluency in written and spoken English, Fluency in Kinyarwanda.

Costing requirements
This consultancy will be costed on man days worked on this assignment.
The contractor will facilitate the organization of the different activities related but the expenditures related to those activities will be fully covered by GIZ/AfCFTA Country component.
Inputs of GIZ or other actors
GIZ AfCFTA Rwanda Country component is expected to make the following available:
Training logistics.

Submission of the EoI
EoI will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
• Individual profile,
• Relevant experience,
• Your strategies to assure agility, flexibility and responsiveness,
• Personnel offer
• Financial offer.

The EoI should contain the following:
• For Technical Proposal:
o A Cover letter expressing interest in this assignment.
o Technical Proposal with a brief description of why you would be considered as the most suitable for the assignment, relevant expertise, and a detailed clear methodology, on how will be your approach and complete the assignment. It should be formatted, font type ARIAL, fond size 11, and should be clearly formulated. The offer should be drawn up in English language.
o The CVs shall not exceed 4 pages.
o Business /company registration certificate
o VAT registration certificate
o Tax clearance certificate
• References and recommendations of similar works executed in Rwanda or elsewhere outside of Rwanda.

For the Financial Proposal:
The Financial Proposal indicates the all-inclusive total contract price, supported by a breakdown of all costs. The cost must be in Rwf and VAT excluded.
Please submit electronically your EoI (technical & Financial offer) in 2 separated PDF files to this email: RW_Quotation@giz.de until latest 21st March 2022
Please you must write in your email subject this sentence:
EOI number 83404236 - submission of technical& financial offer,
without this sentence, your offer may not be considered
Hard copies are not allowed this time
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