Consultant in Trade (International)

Result of Service The consultant will deliver the following outputs:

A. Collect and analyze data to systematically expand and strengthen CBPT: 1. collect data on cross-border paperless trade between a country in the region with its trading partner(s) (either within the same region or outside of the region); 2. data collection should cover at least 15 countries – excluding China, Mongolia, Republic of Korea and the Russian Federation – in Asia and the Pacific or at least 30 case studies. These cases should not be covered by the current CBPT; 3. data collection methods: (i) review existing reports, presentations. (ii) interviews with government officials and other stakeholders or a questionnaire survey should be conducted if necessary.

B. Identify possible pilot projects on cross-border paperless in China, Mongolia, Republic of Korea and the Russian Federation, including identification of at least four specific trade-related documents (e.g., certificate of origin, invoice, bill of lading, sanitary certificate, commercial invoices; warehouse receipts; packing lists; bills of lading; customs declaration forms; and insurance certificates) which could be piloted by the participating countries. 1. This requires the consultant to review the best practices of electronic exchange of these four documents and discuss how relevant these documents are related to the four countries. 2. The consultant needs to review the previous work carried out by the WCO-ESCAP task force on cross-border electronic data exchange. 3. The consultant needs to work closely with national consultants to ensure quality, consistency, and adherence to the project's scope. It is expected that regular virtual meetings with national consultants will be organized, and the consultant will be required to attend the meetings.

C. Write a comprehensive report analyzing the challenges and solutions to implementing the pilot project on the electronic exchange of these four trade-related documents. The report needs to be prepared based on the inputs provided by the national consultants. The tentative structure of the report is shown in Annex 1.

Evaluation of outputs: The performance will be evaluated based on the overall quality and timely delivery of the outputs. The report is expected to be submitted adequately formatted and in good English.

Copyrights over all outputs are owned by the United Nations. The United Nations reserves its exclusive right at its sole discretion to alter, publish or use any part of the outputs under this contract in any respect. The United Nations shall have no obligation to inform or consider the needs of the contractor in connection therewith.

The consultant should inform and request explicit permission for any use of the outputs under the project, in particular, during the project delivery and before it has been published and disseminated publicly by the United Nations. Dissemination under another organization's name is not permitted unless permission is granted in writing. Failure to follow this requirement may result in non-payment to the contractor.

Work Location Home-based

Expected duration 22/03/23-30/06/23

Duties and Responsibilities The first session of the Standing Committee of the Framework Agreement on Facilitation of Cross-Border Paperless Trade in Asia and the Pacific agreed to the parties' joint actions. (https://is.gd/QHpTGq).

The consultant will support outputs and activities contributing to the implementation of prioritizing cross-border paperless trade processes, documents and data for pilot projects" (action 13.2). The outputs and activities will include member States from East and North-East Asia including China, Mongolia, the Republic of Korea and the Russian Federation. China, Mongolia, and the Republic of Korea have acceded to the Framework Agreement, and the Russian Federation is at the final accession stage.

Qualifications/special skills Master’s or higher degree in economics or related areas

At least ten years of research or work experience on trade, trade facilitation or e-commerce.

Languages Fluency in English is required.

No Fee THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.