Expression of Interest (EoI)  

Provision of training for the Specialized Cluster of youth, women and persons with disabilities on AfCFTA benefits. 

Reference Number: 83442703 

1. Introduction

The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH is a federally owned international cooperation enterprise for sustainable development with worldwide operations. The GIZ Office in Kigali covers GIZ’s portfolio in Rwanda and Burundi. GIZ Rwanda/Burundi implements projects on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, the European Union and other commissioning authorities in the following priority areas: Sustainable Economic Development; Good Governance; Climate, Energy and Sustainable Urban Development; Digitalization and Digital Economy; and regional projects in the Great Lakes Region. 

2. Context  

The AfCFTA is the world’s largest free trade area bringing together the 55 countries of the African Union (AU) and eight (8) Regional Economic Communities (RECs). As part of its mandate, the AfCFTA is to eliminate trade barriers and boost intra-Africa trade, and advance trade in value-added production across all service sectors of the African Economy. The AfCFTA will contribute to establishing regional value chains in Africa, enabling investment and job creation. The practical implementation of the AfCFTA has the potential to foster industrialization, job creation, and investment, thus enhancing the competitiveness of Africa in the medium to long term.

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 and Minerals (ETTIM) and the AfCFTA Secretariat, with its project “African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)”. The project’s main objective is to strengthen the framework conditions for intra-African trade. 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 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 DTI and AfCFTA Secretariat, the regional level supporting Regional Economic Communities (RECs), and the national level, specifically in the projects focus countries, like Rwanda. 

3. Rationale

The Assembly of the Heads of State and Government of the African Union committed to broaden inclusiveness in the operation of the AfCFTA through interventions that support young Africans, women, and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) as well as integrating informal cross-border traders into the formal economy by implementing the simplified trade regime. The AfCFTA prioritizes women and youth as priority actors in Africa’s trade. The AfCFTA protocol for Women and Youth is one of the AfCFTA legal instruments in addition to the protocols on Trade in Goods, Trade in Services, and Procedures for the Settlement of Disputes. The AfCFTA phase II also includes Protocols on Investment, Intellectual Property Rights, Competition Policy and Digital trade.

In Rwanda, a conducive policy and legal environment has greatly contributed to the realization of gender equality and empowerment of women across different sectors. This principle is upheld at the highest level by the Constitution and is clearly reflected in the policies and laws for the various respective areas of national life. In this light and building on the successes of gender equality in Rwanda, the implementation of the AfCFTA will take into consideration specific programs and initiatives to encourage participation of women especially those in business. Additionally, the Government of Rwanda recognizes the rapid rate at which its population is growing and the dynamism of its young people in the contribution of the country’s socioeconomic progress and attainment of Vision 2050.

Rwanda signed and ratified the AfCFTA agreement and is currently keen to implement the AfCFTA commitments and to support youth and women take advantage of the AfCFTA benefits. It is within this background that GIZ is seeking for an individual consultant or a consulting company to deliver a training on AfCFTA agreement to the Specialized Cluster for youth, women and people with disabilities.

4. Objective of the assignment.

The main objective of the assignment is to increase the AfCFTA awareness for the Private Sector Federation (PSF) specifically the Specialized cluster for youth, women, and people with disabilities. The training workshop will focus on the general information about the AfCFTA and its benefits to youth and women in Rwanda. Additionally, the workshop will discuss policy recommendations to increase youth, women and people with disabilities involvement in the AfCFTA implementation and discuss how they can benefit from the AfCFTA agreement. 

5. Specific objectives.

• Raise AfCFTA awareness to the private sector especially the specialized cluster members (women, youth and persons with disabilities entrepreneurs)
• Increase the understanding of the AfCFTA agreement to the specialized cluster.
• Strengthen the specialized cluster engagement on the implementation of the AfCFTA at national level
• Elaborate the AfCFTA opportunities for youth and women in trade and how they can take advantage of the AfCFTA opportunities.
• Provide the AfCFTA negotiation status on the AfCFTA protocol of youth and women in trade.
• Propose policy recommendations to increase women, youth and persons with disabilities involvement in the implementation of the AfCFTA agreement.
• Propose policy recommendations to increase youth and women participation in trade under the AfCFTA 

6.  Tasks to be performed by the

The scope of work for the consultancy shall cover all activities necessary to accomplish the stated objectives of the project, whether a specific activity is cited in these terms of reference. During the first week of the assignment there will be an inception meeting between all parties (the consultant, the Specialized cluster of youth, women and people with disabilities, and the RCSP) to introduce the assignment, clarify any open questions and to further determine the scope of work and the way forward (activities).

The consultant is expected to produce an inception report indicating the proposed detailed workplan, a training concept for the training as well as agreed communication and reporting lines. 

The contractor is responsible for providing the following services.

• Draft a training concept including a layout of the proposed training schedule for the identified stakeholders targeting their specific needs.
• Develop training materials or modules.
• Conduct a 3 day training workshop for the Specialized Cluster for youth, women and persons with disabilities. (1^st Day for youth, second day for women and third day for person with disabilities).
• Prepare a questionnaire (in close cooperation with GIZ) to assess the participants’ satisfaction with the conducted training workshops.
• Prepare a report including the used concept and outcome of the workshop and reflect on recommendations for future trainings based on the feedback of the participants and the outcome of the Training. 

7.  Period of Assignment

The assignment is expected to be implemented within the period of 1^st August 2023– 30^th September 2023. The total number of estimated days is 15 working days.

The assignment requires travelling to and within Rwanda as the trainings shall be held in person.

These milestones, as laid out in the table below, are to be achieved within the contract period.

8. Concept 

In the offer, the contractor is required to show how the objectives defined (Tasks to be performed) are to be achieved, if applicable under consideration of further method-related requirements (technical-methodological concept). 

9.  Technical-methodological concept 

Strategy (1.1): The contractor is required to consider the tasks to be performed with reference to the objectives of the services. Following this, the contractor presents and justifies the explicit strategy with which it intends to provide the services for which it is responsible (Tasks to be performed).

The contractor is required to present the actors relevant for the services for which it is responsible and describe the cooperation (1.2) with them.

The tenderer is required to present and explain its approach to steering the measures with the project partners (1.3.1) and its contribution to the results-based monitoring system (1.3.2).

The contractor is required to describe the key processes for the services for which it is responsible and create an operational plan or schedule (1.4.1) that describes how the services (Tasks to be performed by the contractor) are to be provided. In particular, the tenderer is required to describe the necessary work steps and, if applicable, take account of the milestones and contributions of other actors (partner contributions) (1.4.2).

The tenderer is required to describe its contribution to knowledge management for the partner (1.5.1) and GIZ and to promote scaling-up effects (1.5.2) under learning and innovation. 

     10. Project management of the contractor (1.6)

The tenderer is required to explain its approach for coordination with the GIZ project. 

The consultancy shall be provided by one expert. 

Qualifications of the Expert:

• Post graduate qualification in Economics, Law, International Business, International Trade or other related fields.
• Knowledge and technical understanding of the free trade agreements especially the Regional Free Trade agreements and the African continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement.
• Proven experience in implementing similar assignment regarding AfCFTA capacity building.
• In depth understanding of the AfCFTA rules, protocols, instruments, and negotiation processes.
• Fluency in English and Kinyarwanda required.

• Proven ability to conduct capacity building and/or training activities evidenced by 2 assignments.

11. Costing requirements 

Specification of inputs

12.  Inputs of GIZ

GIZ will assume the costs for the venue for the trainings and the catering during the workshop. 

13. Submission of offer

The Expression of Interest should contain the following:

Technical Proposal:

• A cover letter expressing your 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, your approach to complete the assignment.
• CV of the Expert proposed.
• VAT Registration certificate
• Latest tax clearance certificate if applicable
• Company registration certificate (RDB) if applicable
• Proof of successful completion of related assignments if applicable. 

Financial Proposal: indicates the all-inclusive total contract price, supported by a breakdown of all costs based on parameters provided in specific inputs. The costs must be in RWF and VAT excluded. 

Please submit electronically your EoI (technical & Financial offer) in 2 separated emails and should be in PDF files to this email ONLY: RW_Quotation@giz.de  until latest 13^th July 2023

Please you must write on each email subject this sentence: 

83442703 Technical/financial offer, without this sentence, your offer may not be considered. 

Hard copies are not allowed this time 

GIZ reserves all rights