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(RE-ADVERTISEMENT) REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

CONSULTANCY TO REVIEW PRIORITY AREA 1 - REGIONAL ECONOMIC INTEGRATION OF THE
11TH EDF PACIFIC REGIONAL INDICATIVE PROGRAMME (PRIP)

Background

The Forum Secretariat is looking to contract a suitably qualified and experienced consultant to prepare a final Action Document for Priority Area 1 of the PRIP, entitled Regional Economic Integration for which an indicative amount of €50 million has been allocated. In order to manage the programme well, at an initial stage it was split into two components-Pacific Enabling Trade (PET) Programme and Pacific Private Sector Support Programme (PPSS). The final document should be discussed with all members of the Working Group, before submission to the European Union.

Both initial Action Documents (iADs) have passed through the QSG1 stage, but they have attracted a plethora of comments for incorporation before they can pass QSG2. Due to existing workloads and time constraints of the lead agencies, it is now necessary to secure the services of a suitably qualified independent person to review the good progress made so far in incorporating those comments, so that a final AD can be prepared and approved for QSG2.

The Contracting Authority is the Regional Authorising Officer (RAO) entrusted to the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, Suva, Fiji. However, proposal development must also be done in close consultation with Pacific Community (SPC), the European Union Delegation in Suva and the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS). The Senior Technical Adviser (EU) based in the RAO’s office will represent the Contracting Authority. All decisions on implementation of the assignment will be taken in close consultation with the above personnel.

Scope of Work

The scope of work will involve, but not be limited to:

(i) Appraisal of Documents
The consultants should review the existing documents relating to the programme, primarily the separate iADs for 1.1 and 1.2., which have been commented upon from Brussels. Also, in addition, any minutes of Working Group meetings held in the development of the programme should be scrutinized.

(ii) Donor Activity
The Consultant should undertake a comprehensive analysis of the work in Private Sector Development and Trade undertaken by other donors, particularly by AusAid and NZ Aid to ensure that the initiatives proposed do not overlap, but complement their activities.

(iii) Field Visits
A lump sum will be set aside for a programme of field visits to four locations outside of Fiji, including Australia so that the consultants get a feel of the key issues involved and meet the European Investment Bank in Sydney. The details will be finalized during the inception phase.

(iv) Stakeholder Analysis
It would also be helpful for the consultant to have contact with leading private sector organisations such as PIPSO et al, in finalizing the design of the programme. Both (ii) and (iii) would be conducted through a combination of desk research and consultation to ascertain who is doing what, including a review of lessons learnt from previous programmes. This would enable a concise donor matrix to be prepared so that specific gaps, can be identified which the programme can address.

(v) Contact with the EU Delegation
The EU has its own Private Sector Development Strategy and their concerns about the programme. It will therefore be very important for the consultant to discuss the programme with them at a very early stage in the assignment.

(vi) Action Document
Following appraisal of all the documents and from discussions with the existing consultant who has been detailing the programme, this expert will have 10 days to produce a revised AD to be sent for appraisal and agreement by both the working group and the EUD. In particular it will be important to support discussions on implementation modalities with the EUD, now that there are clear indications that both agencies (PIFS and SPC) have passed the fourth pillar – procurement. The consultant will integrate the comments made in the identification phase QSG1 in the AD and sent for appraisal of both SPC and PIFS and the EUD.

(vii) Additional Days
The consultant will then have an additional 10 days to draft the AD for the QSG2 phase, and submit it for the approval of PIFS, SPC and the European Union.

Academic qualifications:

Two experts will be required to complete the assignment within the projected time frame. The team of experts should have the following expertise and experience:

Minimum requirements for each expert:
(i) Advanced degrees (Masters Level) in business, economics, development studies or equivalent;
(ii) Strong analytical and relational skills;
(iii) Excellent communication and proposal writing skills in English;
(iv) Experience in designing trade or Private Sector Development/related technical assistance projects in developing countries.

Desirable expertise/experience of the team:
(i) Strong track record in trade and/or private sector development in the South Pacific, and or in Small Island Developing States;
(ii) Extensive experience in formulating and/or implementing large European Development financed projects;
(iii) Experience in drafting action documents and knowledge of EU funding procedures (management modes, procurement, etc.;
(iv) Good experience in trade related technical; assistance in the field of trade facilitation (customs harmonization, etc), Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures, Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) and strengthening the business enabling environment;
(v) Good experience in promoting the private sector development in sectors relevant for PACP economies (EG, tourism, agri business and fisheries);
(vi) Experience promoting entrepreneurship, SME’s and telecommunications technologies in developing countries.

Evaluation Criteria:
Item Percentage (%)
Qualifications of the Expert (s) 10%
Relevant Experience of the Expert 40%
Methodology 30%
Financial 20%

The Proposal should be a maximum of 2 pages, together with Annexes (Cv’s et al) and include a Financial Offer.

How to apply:

Submissions should be entitled:
Expression of Interest –
CONSULTANCY TO REVIEW PRIORITY AREA 1- REGIONAL ECONOMIC INTEGRATION OF THE 11TH EDF PACIFIC REGIONAL INDICATIVE PROGRAMME (PRIP)

Method of Submissions:
Submissions must be forwarded in PDF format following the instructions at: www.tenders.net/forumsec

*All interested bidders will need to register at www.tenders.net/forumsec

Deadline for Submissions:
Submissions need to reach the Secretariat by 5pm (Fiji time) on Tuesday, 24 January 2017.

Late or incomplete tenders will not be considered.

All queries or request for information must be submitted via the Question and Answer Forum on www.tenders.net/forumsec before 5pm on Thursday, 19 January 2017.

All queries will be responded to via the Question and Answer Forum on www.tenders.net/forumsec before 5pm on Friday, 20 January 2017.

Note: The Secretariat will not be responsible for non-receipt/non-delivery of the Bid documents due to any reason whatsoever.

Any complaints regarding the Secretariat’s tender must be directed to the following email: Tender.Complaints@forumsec.org. This email address will forward your complaint to a person that is independent and removed from the tender process. Complaints must be well founded and should not be used as a mechanism for notifying displeasure with the outcome of a tender award. Further information on making a complaint can be found on the Policies & Information page at http://tenders.forumsec.org.

In the event that further information is required by the Secretariat in relation to the tender for consultancy, the Secretariat reserves the right to seek the required information without the need for calling for resubmission of proposals.