Apply by: August 16, 2024
Background:
Funded by Global Affairs Canada, the Expert Deployment Mechanism for Trade and Development (EDM) provides technical assistance to Official Development Assistance (ODA)-eligible countries to maximize trade and investment development impacts. Over seven years (2018-2025), EDM will invest CAD 16.5 million to support Canada’s developing country trading partners to negotiate, implement, benefit from, and adapt to trade and investment agreements with Canada.
EDM is a demand-driven project that will benefit potential partners – including governments, local private sector groups and local civil society organizations – through capacity building and technical advisory support on policy reform issues that have a high potential to reduce poverty and gender inequalities and support progress in trade and investment agreement negotiations.
Global Affairs Canada has identified Peru as a beneficiary of EDM technical assistance in order to deepen the economic and trade relationship between Canada and Peru, to increase the utilization of the Canada-Peru Free Trade Agreement (CPFTA) and to support the implementation of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). To date, the principal focus of EDM technical assistance to Peru has been to strengthen trade policy capacity, including providing training on competition policy (pre-merger review), risk-based food safety regulation, and methodologies for economic impact assessment of trade agreements and the adoption of product standards. Support is also being provided to assess export financing needs among Peruvian businesses and to design government programs to address their most urgent access to capital needs.
A recent EDM mission to Peru was conducted to identify additional technical assistance needs. The mission found the Peruvian economy in a downturn, with estimates of GDP growth in 2023 at 1% or less. Despite a strong recovery from the pandemic, the economy has been negatively affected by recent social and political unrest, a weakening in global demand for natural resources and the impact of severe weather on agricultural production.
During these recent consultations, a common theme among government and private sector stakeholders was the need to build public sector capacity to deliver government services. Responding to EDM’s invitations to seek expert assistance, the Instituto de Defensa de la Competencia y de la Propiedad Intelectual (Institute for the Defense of Competition and Intellectual Property – INDECOPI) has requested support to strengthen the enforcement of health and safety regulations for imported consumer products. This assistance is contemplated in the CPFTA, Chapter 18 – Trade Related Cooperation.
The challenge of enforcing consumer product regulations has been exacerbated by the growth of electronic commerce. While facilitating exporter access to foreign markets (including micro and small businesses) and consumer access to goods at competitive prices, e-commerce also facilitates importing prohibited and hazardous products. Monitoring and enforcing imported consumer product regulations – particularly those imported through B2C platforms – requires interagency cooperation and effective, risk-based enforcement strategies.
To strengthen enforcement in Peru, INDECOPI has requested in-person training in Lima and Ottawa from experts with experience in relevant public sector agencies, including the Competition Bureau of Canada, Health Canada, the Canada Border Services Agency and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
The complexity and scale of this request are challenging, given the limited resources of the EDM and the capacity of Canadian government agencies to participate. A training mission to Lima by multiple officials might be the most effective delivery mechanism, but it may also be impracticable. A study tour to Ottawa by Peruvian government officials may facilitate the participation of all of the relevant Canadian government experts, but only a small number of Peruvian officials would benefit directly from the training. Alternative approaches may be needed to achieve an optimal outcome of the training, including webinars, virtual round tables, online courses, manuals and guides. Bidders for this technical assistance project should carefully consider these challenges and provide their advice on the most efficient and effective delivery approach.
In defining the content of the training, bidders may find useful guidance in the 2020 “Voluntary Peer Review of Consumer Protection Law and Policy in Peru” conducted by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), which may help establish a baseline for the training.
Linkage to EDM Performance Measurement Framework
This assistance is consistent with the EDM Performance Management Framework, Immediate Outcome 1210 Enhanced ability of partner country MDAs to strengthen, develop, and execute legislation, regulations and policies supporting the implementation of sustainable and inclusive trade and investment agreements with Canada.
Description of Technical Assistance Request/Key Responsibilities
The technical expert(s) will design and deliver training on Canadian health and safety regulations for imported consumer products and how they are monitored and enforced. The training materials should be designed for subsequent use by officials as an operating manual and training tool to orient new staff. The training will be delivered to officials of INDECOPI and other Peruvian government agencies responsible for the formulation and implementation of consumer product health and safety regulations.
The EDM promotes gender equality and social inclusion and environmental sustainability as cross-cutting objectives of all technical assistance. Proposals should explain how these objectives will be integrated into the assistance activity, including through the participation of women, Indigenous Peoples and other marginalized groups in the design and delivery of this technical assistance activity.
Technical Expert Profile/Expertise Required
Experts bidding for this technical assistance activity must demonstrate expert knowledge and extensive experience in the following:
Note: The EDM includes a core focus on gender and social inclusion, as well as on environmental issues associated with trade activities. Successful applicants must research and integrate specific good and emerging practices in these areas, partnering with other expert consultants if necessary. Before starting activities, the successful consultant (s) will be required to complete the Government of Canada’s online Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+) training (approximately 2 hours).
Timelines
The recruitment of experts is expected to be completed by July 2024. The technical assistance activity is expected to be completed by January 31, 2025.
Deliverables
Final Narrative Report on Mandate: Due within 30 calendar days of completing all TA activities. The report shall describe activities delivered; results achieved (versus initial expected results and baseline); lessons learned relevant to future EDM activities, and expenses incurred by the Consultant in carrying out this mandate. This report will be reviewed and approved by EDM before being shared with Global Affairs Canada.
Proposal Submission Process
For your proposal to be considered, please name your document in the following format:
3.18 Consultant Last Name, First Name
(Proposals can be submitted by a single consultant or a consortium of consultants).
Your proposal should be in English and contain the following sections:
Proposal that includes the following:
Please submit your proposal as one PDF document through the Cowater Career Page. Emailed proposals will not be accepted. If you have any questions, please email info@edm-mde.ca.
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