REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST (CONSULTING SERVICES)

AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK NEPAD, REGIONAL INTEGRATION AND TRADE DEPARTMENT ATR B, 5th Floor 13 Avenue de Ghana, B.P. 323 - 1002 Tunis-Belvédère, Tunisia

The Union Trade Facilitation Study

The invites Consultants to express their interest in undertaking a Trade Facilitation Needs Assessment Study for the (MRU). The services included under this assignment are:

 A review of relevant background materials on the MRU, including the Treaty and its Protocols that define the legal framework, principles and polices for intra-union trade;  A review of state of trade and integration in the MRU; the trends, patterns of trade flows, including informal trade;  Identification trade policy handicaps, including human; institutional; non-tariff barriers that hinder movements of goods, services and persons - Rules of Origin, Customs Procedures, Technical Barriers, Regulations and administrative measures etc.  A review of relevant trade facilitation regulations;  Assessment of critical trade facilitation needs, especially in the areas of transport and transit corridor facilitation, border operations and management, legal issues associated with transit border management; customs procedures, systems connectivity and automation, the legal/regulatory frameworks, This should also be linked to the new concept of the MRU growth triangle programme;  Assessment of and situate the MRU roles in the overall trade policy and trade facilitation process vis-à-vis the ECOWAS;  Assessment of capacity building needs, including human and institutional needs;  Based on the foregoing, produce a trade facilitation needs assessment report and design a related capacity building/action plan for the MRU;

At the conclusion of study, the Consultant will be expected to organize a workshop to validate the content of the draft policy to stakeholders in the MRU, including member states, the private sector and civil society and subsequently, finalise the report, incorporating comments and outcomes distilled from the stakeholder workshop.

The MRU was established in 1973 with the key aim of fostering closer economic co-operation among its Member States (i.e. , Cote d’Ivoire, and ), through the establishment of a Customs Union, elimination of barriers to trade and expansion of productive capacity, among others. The MRU constitute regionally cohesive group of countries with similar economic and recent historical backgrounds. Their attempts at fostering regional cooperation through political and socio-economic development have been marginal and severely undermined by the political and civil strife in the region over the last decade. It is however noteworthy that their interdependence is also underpinned by the need to develop their hard and soft infrastructures in order to overcome challenges that limiting their connectivity and trade within the bloc and as well as the larger ECOWAS.

The objective of this assignment is to deliver technical assistance to the assist the Mano River Union Secretariat to undertake an assessment of trade facilitation needs for the region the implementation of whose recommended outcomes will help to achieve the following Improve intra- MRU trade and hence lead to the closer economic co-operation goals of the Union and foster greater engagement in the wider ECOWAS integration space.

 Develop trade facilitation infrastructure, especially soft infrastructure, with a view also for efficiency and effectiveness of installed infrastructure, with clear linkages to the Growth Triangle programme  Create more efficient and effective trade facilitation processes that reduce the cost of doing business, reduce delays, enhance competiveness of the MRU origin products  Significantly reduce barriers that inhibit freer movements of goods services and person across borders  Improve trade policy, streamline policy making, foster closer economic cooperation within the MRU and take advantage of market access opportunities in the wider ECOWAS region.

The NEPAD, Regional Integration & Trade Department (ONRI) of the African Development Bank now invites eligible (Consultant) to indicate their interest in providing these services. Interested consultants must provide information indicating that they are qualified to perform the services (brochures, description of similar assignments, experience in similar conditions, availability of appropriate skills among staff, etc.). Consultants may constitute joint-ventures to enhance their chances of qualification.

The eligibility criteria, the establishment of a short list and the selection procedure shall be in conformity with the Bank’s Rules and Procedure for the Use of Consultants under projects financed by the Bank Group, May 2008 Edition, revised on July 2012 available on the Bank Website at http://www.afdb.org. Please, note that interest expressed by a Consulting Firm does not imply any obligation on the part of the Bank to include it in the shortlist.

The estimated duration of services is Two 2 months and the estimated starting date is 15 October 2013.

Expressions of interest must be delivered through emails or to the address below by 17:00 hrs. local Tunis time on 23 August 2013 and mention “THE Mano River Union Trade Facilitation Study.”

Attn: Inye N. Briggs Task Manager, MRU Trade Facilitation Study Regional Integration & Trade Division (ONRI.2) 5th Floor, ATR “B” Building, African Development Bank Group 13 Avenue du Ghana P. O. Box 323-1002, Tunis-Belvédère, Tunisia Fax: +216 7125 4295

Email: [email protected]