Consultancy for delivering of training on Rules of Origin in the context of the AfCFTA for the Rwanda Exporters/companies in the selected priority products.
Reference Number: 83430601
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 Great Lakes Region 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), Natural Resources, Peace and Security and Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).

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 operationalized 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. 

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, phase II and III issues, such as Investment, competition policy, Intellectual Property rights, women and youth or digital trade are supported. Furthermore, involvement of the private sector and civil society are encouraged. 

To this end, the project pursues a multi-level approach on the continental level working with the AUC ETTIM and AfCFTA Secretariat, the regional level supporting some 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 do not have enough 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, as well as awareness raising and strengthening the necessary institutional and legal frameworks for realizing the AfCFTA at a National level.  

Rules of Origin Rational
Trading under the AfCFTA commenced on 1st January 2021 and the Annex 2 of the AfCFTA on Rules of Origin has agreed on about 88% of tariff lines. Additionally, State Parties, individually or through their respective Regional Economic Communities (RECs) have already exchanged their tariff concessions, agreeing to liberalize about 90% of tariff lines over the next 10 years all expected to boost intra-Africa trade under the AfCFTA.

Just like many trade agreements, the appropriate understanding and application of the AfCFTA Rules of Origin by all stakeholders: public and private sector will be very important in successful implementation of the agreement. Moreover, AfCFTA Rules of Origin determination are quite different from what exists in other preferential trade agreements that State Parties have signed on to and as a new trade agreement, the level of awareness of the AfCFTA and its Rules of Origin is very low among industry players, including private sector business associations and chambers of commerce.

Therefore, the focus for this training will be on Rwanda’s Agro-processed products namely Wheat Flour, Maize Flour, Cassava flour, fermented and unfermented Juices, milk, edible oil and main traditional exports Tea & coffee.

Coffee: Rwandan coffee plays a major role in the economy of the country, contributing significantly to foreign exchange earnings and to the monetization of the rural economy. Currently, 400,000 small holder farm families produce it and depend on it for their livelihoods.

Tea: The tea sector in Rwanda is growing rapidly, with strong foundations and collaboration between stakeholders catalysing a burst of investment and innovation. This is particularly impressive given the global oversupply of tea and its impact on world prices. More than 23,000 farmers across Rwanda and achieving higher incomes through factory and service company investments.

Agro processing Sector: Agro-processing in Rwanda is a flourishing sector that contributes up to a third of Rwanda’s GDP. The sector has seen the adoption of improved and validated food processing technologies, enforcement of good quality standards, hygiene and regulatory instruments which have assisted local agro-processing industries to compete favourably in intra Africa trade and international marketplace a large.

Objectives of the Assignment
The overall objective of the awareness creation activity is to contribute to the readiness of the Rwanda Agro processing sector (Wheat Flour, Maize Flour, Cassava flour, Juices, milk and edible oil) , tea & coffee sectors to adequately comply with the new AfCFTA Rules of Origin requirements.  This will be achieved through:

Development of training concept and reference materials on AfCFTA Rules of Origin as applicable to the Agro processing sector; and
Conduct of awareness creation workshops on AfCFTA Rules of Origin for exporters and potential exporters in selected products.
Modules and Objectives

The topics proposed to be covered during the AfCFTA Rules of Origin sensitization workshop will be in two focus areas: first provide context and introduction to the AfCFTA Agreement as well as the status of implementation of the agreement and the second part on the AfCFTA Rules of Origin for the selected products.

Five Modules are proposed as follows:
Overview of AfCFTA Agreement, Objectives & Architecture: this module will cover the AfCFTA agreement in detail, providing an overview of the framework agreement, its general and specific objectives as well as its overall architecture in term of protocols, annexesand status of the implementation structures from national to regional and continental architectures.
Trade in Goods and Introduction to Rules of Origin for selected products; to provide the implications of rules of origin on selected goods/products especially when it comes to market access in preferential trade agreements.
Rules of Origin-AfCFTA: the negotiated AfCFTA Rules of Origin and cover the key principles and interpretation of origin requirements, origin criteria, origin certification and documentation for the selected products. The practical exercises to enable the exporters under the selected goods/products practically apply for and obtain certificates of origin. Mainly focus on rules of origin in the identified potential markets under AfCFTA implementation strategy for the selected Rwanda products.
How can the exporters in the selected goods/products take Advantage of AfCFTA: cover the national context on the AfCFTA, focusing on national policies, processes for exporter registration, obtaining certificates of origin, market requirements and tariff offers for the selected products.
Appeal procedures of Customs and NTBs reporting systems: This module will address the processes that the private sector will follow to make an appeal to Rwanda Revenue Authority and how to report a complaint to the NTBs reporting mechanism. This module will discuss both the AfCFTA NTBs reporting mechanism, Tripartite and National.
Specific tasks 
GIZ AfCFTA is seeking a Regional or international individual consultant or a consulting firm to develop content for a face-to-face training including the facilitation of the training in Rwanda on Rules of Origin required to implement AfCFTA for the Rwandan existing and potential Exporters from the selected products in the  agro processing sector and Tea & Coffee sector. Successful applicants must be familiar with the AfCFTA, EAC and most importantly Rwanda trade. Some of the other specific tasks include:

Developing the content for the face-to-face training and delivering the training;
Serving as a subject matter expert on the Rules of Origin training module, through the provision of training content;
Conceptualizing the delivery of the face-to-face training;
Produce the training content customized for Rwanda selected products/goods in relation to the potential identified markets in Africa; and
Able to deliver a training in Rwanda-to-Rwanda companies.
Output and deliverables:
The training contains the following outputs 

Preparation of training modules
Preparation and facilitation of a training of up to 80 companies (30 companies from cassava, Wheat and Maize Flours, 20 companies from tea and coffee and 30 companies from Milk, Juices and edible oil). Three ( 3) groups of exporters trained in two(2) days per each group.
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 25 expert days starting from 1st March– 31st May 2023. 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 preparation & approval through a Kickoff meeting with all relevant stakeholders.
3 days
III 
Preparation of the training content &
14 days
 
delivering the physical training
6 days
IV 
Documentation and reporting
2 days
 
Total expert workdays (up to)
25 expert days
The minimum qualification and experience requirements
The consultant must have the following

Master’s degree in International business, international development, international trade economics & international law.
Proven expertise in International business, Business management, Project Management, Development studies, International Trade Policy, International trade facilitation, Rules of Origin and market intelligence.
Knowledge of the AfCFTA and familiarity with African international trade environment.
Minimum of 5 years working related to rules of origin policy with evidence
Minimum of 10 years as a training module developer in international trade.
Evidence to have participated in Negotiating and drafting rules of origin; preferably for AfCFTA.
Experience in assisting businesses in various export issues faced by the African /Rwandan SMEs.
Fluency in written and spoken English and 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 EoI
EoI will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

Company or individual profile,
Relevant experience,
Company strategies to assure agility, flexibility, and responsiveness,
Personnel and,
Financial offer.
The EoI should contain the following:

For Technical Proposal:
A Cover letter expressing interest in this assignment.
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.
The CVs shall not exceed 4 pages.
Company or business registration certificate
References and recommendations of similar works executed by the company in Rwanda or elsewhere outside of Rwanda.
VAT registration certificate if available
Latest tax clearance certificate
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 9th February 2023.

Please you must write in your email subject this sentence: 83430601-Technical/financial offer; without this sentence, your offer may not be considered 
Hard copies are not allowed this time
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