QUARTERLY REPORT APRIL 1 – JUNE 30, 2017 Moldova Competitiveness Project 1 QUARTERLY REPORT YEAR 2 QUARTER 3 (FY2017 Q3) APRIL 1 – JUNE 30, 2017 JULY 14, 2017 Prime Contractor: Chemonics International Inc. www.chemonics.com/ Partners: J. E. Austin Associates, Inc. www.jeaustin.com Bhavana World Project www.bhavanaworldproject.com Contract No.: AID-117-C-15-00001 DISCLAIMER The report was prepared by the Moldova Competitiveness Project. The contents are the responsibility of creator and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID, the United States Government or Sida and the Government of Sweden COVER PHOTO PHOTO CREDIT: MCP PHOTO CAPTION: An MCP supported event for tourism development: the open-air classical music festival DescOPERA, in Butuceni, June 10, 2017 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS ACRONYM LIST ................................................................................................................................................ 5 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ..................................................................................................................................... 7 SECTION I ....................................................................................................................................................... 13 PROJECT TECHNICAL INTERVENTIONS DURING FY17 Q3 ............................................................. 13 A. ACCOMPLISHMENTS, SCHEDULES, AND PROBLEMS ............................................................................... 13 A1. Wine and Tourism ................................................................................................................................. 13 Objective 1: Increased Productivity and Quality (Better Workforce and Adopted Innovation) ................... 13 Activity 1: Support Development of the Stauceni Viticulture and Winemaking Excellence Center (WEC) .. 13 Activity 2: Design Wine of Moldova (WoM) Academy ................................................................................ 13 Activity 3: Assist upgrade of wine quality ................................................................................................... 14 Activity 4: Support Moldovan Tourism Product Development .................................................................... 16 Activity 5. Better Trained Workforce and Modern Skills in the Tourism Industry ....................................... 22 Objective 2: Expanded Market Linkages ..................................................................................................... 22 Activity 1: Build Wine of Moldova Brand Equity and Increase Awareness about Moldovan Wines ........... 22 Activity 2: Foster Business Linkages and Expand Wine of Moldova Exports ............................................... 23 Activity 3: Export Support Program (ESP): increased wine sales on target markets ................................... 26 Activity 4: Develop domestic wine market and enhance wine culture ........................................................ 26 Activity 5: Enhance awareness about Moldova as a Tourism Destination .................................................. 29 Activity 6: Foster Business Linkages and Increase Demand for Moldovan Tourism Products on Target Markets ....................................................................................................................................................... 29 Objective 3: Improved Sector-Enabling Environment and Increased Capacity ............................................ 30 Activity 1: Support continued policy upgrading and legal regulatory reforms in the wine industry ........... 30 Activity 2: Strengthen the role of ONVV as the main professional organization of the wine industry ........ 31 Activity 3: Develop and strengthen the PGI wine associations ................................................................... 32 Activity 4: Upgrade Tourism Sector Policies and Reform Regulatory Framework ....................................... 33 Activity 5: Strengthen ANTRIM’s Role in the Tourism Sector ...................................................................... 34 A2. Light Industry ........................................................................................................................................ 35 Objective 1: Increased Productivity and Quality (Better Workforce and Adopted Innovation) ................... 35 Activity 1: Develop the ZIPhouse Accelerator and Raise Skills through Education ...................................... 35 Activity 3: SMART (Streamline Manufacturing, Accountability, Resource efficiency, and Transparency) Factory program ......................................................................................................................................... 39 Objective 2: Expanded Market Linkages ..................................................................................................... 43 Activity 1. Reposition Moldova as a Full Product Manufacturing Partner and Support Internationalization of Moldovan Fashion Brands on Regional Markets .................................................................................... 43 Activity 2: Consolidate the Din Inima Umbrella Brand and Expand Domestic Market ................................ 44 Objective 3: Improved Sector-Enabling Environment and Increased Capacity ............................................ 46 Activity 1. Assist APIUS to Develop an Industry White Paper and Advocate for Policy or Regulatory Changes ....................................................................................................................................................... 46 A3. Information and Communications TECHNOLOGY (ICT) and CREATIVE SERVICES INDUSTRY (CSI) ........ 47 Objective 1: Increased Productivity and Quality (Better Workforce and Adopted Innovation) ................... 47 Activity 1: Adapt University-Level ICT Education to Industry Needs ............................................................ 47 Activity 2: Improve STEM Education and Promote Tech Careers at the Secondary Education Level .......... 49 Activity 3: Link ICT VET with Labor Market Building practical skills to VET students .................................. 52 Activity 4: Develop an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem for the ICT Sector ......................................................... 53 Activity 5: Create IT infrastructure .............................................................................................................. 53 Activity 6: Enable training and certification for professionals and executives ............................................ 54 Activity 7: Create an enabling ecosystem for creative industry development ............................................ 54 Objective 2: Expanded Market Linkages ..................................................................................................... 56 Activity 1: Accelerate Adoption and Use of Technology by SMEs and Other Non-IT Sectors ...................... 56 Activity 2: Implement marketing coaching programs ................................................................................. 56 Activity 3: Enhance global positioning of Moldova as IT Destination ......................................................... 57 Activity 4: Profile the creative services industry and define export market opportunities .......................... 57 Objective 3: Improved Sector-Enabling Environment and Increased Capacity ............................................ 59 3 Activity 1: Improved public policies for technology ecosystem ................................................................... 59 Activity 2: Capacity building for ATIC .......................................................................................................... 59 Activity 3: Facilitate business support organizations that represent the creative industry ........................ 60 A4. PRECISION ENGINEERING...................................................................................................................... 61 Objective 1: Increased Productivity and Quality (Better Workforce and Adopted Innovation) ................... 61 Activity 1: Increase productivity and efficiency for manufacturing companies ........................................... 61 Activity 2: Development of Makers Space to foster product design, prototyping and startup for creative industries, engineering, and technology ..................................................................................................... 61 Activity 3. Support the Technical University of Moldova establish partnerships with leading technology and engineering international companies. ................................................................................................. 62 Objective 2: Expanded Market Linkages ..................................................................................................... 63 Activity 1: Improve marketing skills and export capacity for more developed and higher value markets .. 63 Objective 3: Improved Sector-Enabling Environment and Increased Capacity ............................................ 63 Activity 1: Map high precision engineering cluster ..................................................................................... 63 A5. OTHER TECHNICAL Activities to Support Implementation .................................................................... 64 Access to finance through special channels/USAID Development Credit Authority (DCA) .......................... 64 B. DELIVERABLES ........................................................................................................................................