Local consultant on Trade Promotion between Tajikistan, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan Entrepreneurs

Contract

This is a National Consultant contract. More about National Consultant contracts.

Background

The UNDP’s project “Livelihood Promotion in Tajik-Afghan Cross-border Areas” (LITACA) phase III is a four-year initiative, financed by the Government of Japan through Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and implemented by UNDP Tajikistan and Afghanistan. LITACA III is aimed to support start-ups by providing equipment and supporting marketing, labelling, design, and export. The beneficiaries are small and medium farmers, agro-processors, and handicraft workshops, both individuals and cooperatives and cooperatives, traders (wholesalers, retailers, small- and medium-sized enterprises) in Afghanistan and Tajikistan. The focus in on vulnerable women, unemployed youth, and people with disabilities.

The project has three outputs: (i) increased employment opportunities for communities living in border provinces of Afghanistan and Tajikistan; (ii) enhanced LITACA products’ access to market; and (iii) improved access to cross-border trade. It is implemented in 10 cities and districts of the Khatlon Region of Tajikistan (Kulob, Bokhtar, Shaartus, Jayhun, Qubodiyon, Panj, Dusti, Farkhor, Hamadoni, and Shamsiddin Shohin) and bordering districts of the Provinces of Badakhshan, Kunduz, Takhar, and Balkh of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.

Fruits and vegetables are Tajikistan's largest agricultural export item. Russia, Kazakhstan, and Afghanistan are among the top three trading partners. According to Tajik traders, export destinations for dried fruit also include Canada, Austria, China, UAE, and Japan. Lack of knowledge of the requirements of neighboring countries regarding import-export regulations, the unstable security situation in Afghanistan and poor trading conditions are important reasons for the underdevelopment of this sector. Long lead times for issuing documents, delays at borders (often until perishable goods disappear), requirements to provide the same data and/or documents more than once and requests for additional documents indicate inefficiencies in the supply chain. There may be many reasons for such inefficiencies: a lack of well-established supply chains, a lack of qualified staff in regulatory bodies or deliberate rent-seeking activities from trade. The result remains the same: reduced competitiveness and economic diversification.

At UNDP, external and internal communication is critical to achieving both development results and business objectives. Skillful communication contributes to transparency and development effectiveness, attracts, and fosters strong partnerships, and can boost resource mobilization.

Expansion of already developed export channels, market diversification and exploitation of niche markets for organic, organic products from local producers, as well as exports to Europe, the USA and Japan can be real opportunities, but ideas need to evolve, and producers and exporters need to better integrate into cross-border supply chains to realize this objective. Customs, imports, exports, and logistics are part of supply chain processes that plan, implement and control the efficient, effective forward and reverse flow and storage of goods, services and related information between the point of origin and the point of consumption in order to meet customs and customer requirements.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of UNDP LITACA Project Manager, the Local consultant will be responsible for the following:

1. Conduct an analysis of barriers to cross-border trade between Tajikistan and Uzbekistan/Afghanistan.

2. Conduct a review of import-export requirements to Uzbekistan and/or Afghanistan and develop a short guide for entrepreneurs with details on agricultural products and packaging requirements, import-export procedures, and a list of involved companies in logistics, storage, and customs support.

3. Development of a map of logistic routes for the export of goods from Tajikistan to Afghanistan and/or Uzbekistan, including road, air and rail transport as well as transit possibilities through Uzbekistan. The cross-border trade infrastructure of Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Uzbekistan should be considered.

4. Provision of consultancy services to the Export Agency for posting information on the Agency's portal in the logistics section on the possibilities of transporting cargo to Uzbekistan and/or Afghanistan

5. Carrying out presentation of the developed documents together with the Khatlon Provincial Executive Authority and Khatlon Chamber of Commerce and Industry by organizing 2 events with participation of 60 entrepreneurs of Khatlon Province.

6. Ensure posting of these documents on the websites of Chambers of Commerce and other organizations involved in the procedure of export of agricultural products from Tajikistan to Uzbekistan and/or Afghanistan (Chambers of Commerce of Uzbekistan and/or Afghanistan, Export Agency under the Government of Tajikistan).

7. Provide advisory assistance to 10 producers of the target areas, 3 of which are women, in improving or developing packaging of local agricultural products considering packaging requirements and standards for the markets of Uzbekistan and/or Afghanistan.

8. Provide advisory assistance to 10 companies and producers of agricultural products from the target districts in formulating commercial proposals for overseas supplies in English. Consultancy assistance is required in the formulation of presentable commercial proposals indicating detailed terms of supply and cooperation, development of company booklets and detailed product information in English.

9. Development and dissemination of 3 press releases and 2 success stories through stakeholder information portals.

10. Development of interim and detailed reports indicating issues addressed, a final report on implementation of the above tasks, lessons learnt and recommendations to improve cross-border trade between Tajikistan and Afghanistan.

Competencies

Corporate competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Treats all people fairly without favouritism;
• Fulfils all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment.

Functional competencies:

• Professionalism;
• Communication;
• Excellent analytical and drafting skills;
• Demonstrated facilitation, training, and presentation skills
• Teamwork;
• Accountability.

Required Skills and Experience

• A minimum of three years of experience in the field of business and market development, marketing, market demand and supply research, electronic market development. (Criteria A);
• Experience in market research/demand analysis on supply and demand for goods, services, equipment, facilities, and installations (minimum of 1 analytical report to be attached). (Criteria B);
• Proven experience in community empowerment (please attach minimum of 1 example of community outreach with topics and results achieved). (Criteria C);
• At least 1 year of demonstrated expertise in conducting trainings, public lectures, roundtable, and workshop presentations, working with research institutions and international organizations. (Criteria D);
• Experience in organizing meetings and discussions with authorities, private sector, and civil society representatives. (Criteria E);

• Knowledge of MS Word, Excel, and email software;

• Ability to use Zoom, WhatsUp as well as remote working methods.

Languages:

• Language skills: fluent Tajik, English and Russian is required (Criteria F);

Application Procedure:

Please follow the link to download Individual Consultant Procurement Notice and follow the application procedures indicated in the downloaded ICPN:

http://www.undp.tj/va/upload/va/Local%20consultant%20on%20Trade%20Promotion%20between%20Tajikistan%20Afghanistan%20and%20Uzbekistan%20Entrepreneurs.pdf

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

DOCUMENTS TO BE INCLUDED WHEN SUBMITTING THE PROPOSALS.

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications:

Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided by UNDP. Personal CV and/or resume. Brief description of approach to work/technical proposal of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment, and a proposed methodology on how they will approach and complete the assignment; (max 1 page) Financial Proposal that indicates the all-inclusive fixed total contract price and all other travel related costs (such as flight ticket, per diem, etc.), supported by a breakdown of costs, as per template attached to the Letter of Confirmation of Interest template. If an applicant is employed by an organization/company/institution, and he/she expects his/her employer to charge a management fee in the process of releasing him/her to UNDP under Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA), the applicant must indicate at this point, and ensure that all such costs are duly incorporated in the financial proposal submitted to UNDP. All application materials should be submitted by email at the following address ONLY: ([email protected]) by (3 November 2022). Incomplete applications will be excluded from further consideration.