Job Description
The purpose of The USAID Economic Governance Program (The Program) is to improve economic governance and leadership in Georgia. Building on the progress of the government’s economic reform agenda, the Program will support the sustainability of the consultative economic reform-making process and promote the formulation, adoption, and implementation of priority economic reforms.
The Program supports the development and implementation of several economic reform areas in Georgia, including trade policy reform to increase the country’s export potential. As part of the reform, the Program is supporting the implementation of ATA Carnet in Georgia. ATA Carnet is an international customs document that permits duty-free and tax-free temporary import of goods for up to one year and serves as a guarantee for customs duties and taxes. When implemented, the instrument will be beneficial to Georgian companies trying to expand into new export markets (especially the EU) by bringing their goods/production to international exhibitions and fairs. Currently, businesses must either pay taxes at customs inbound checkpoints or provide a costly financial warranty and lodge a declaration for the temporary admission of goods. ATA Carnet will be a more convenient and cost saving alternative as it serves as a goods declaration at export, transit, and import.
ATA Carnet is regulated by the Customs Convention on the A.T.A. Carnet for the temporary admission of goods (ATA Carnet) and Convention on Temporary Admission (Istanbul, June 26, 1990). The Georgian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), as Georgia’s potential national guaranteeing association (NGA), is the body authorized to issues the document.
Georgia joined the ATA Carnet convention in 2010, however, the ATA Carnet has not been implemented. One of the major obstacles to local adoption is the following: 1) the ATA Carnet requires businesses to insure the goods; however, as local insurance companies lack experience with the document, they charge too much for the insurance or even refuse to insure ATA Carnet cases at all. This means businesses must obtain a bank warranty, which is costly, making ATA Carnet an unattractive tool; 2) GCCI’s liability insurance with the Georgian customs authority: the liability arises when the owner of an ATA Carnet issued by another country in the customs territory of Georgia violates the rules of using the ATA Carnet (sale of goods without prior agreement, loss, etc.), which creates a tax debt; 3) the lack of local rules, regulations, and processes to issue ATA Carnet and participate in the ATA Chain.
As part of the larger trade facilitation reform, following a request from the counterparties/stakeholders, the Program started to cooperate with the GCCI and the Revenue Service (RS) to implement ATA Carnet in Georgia. As a first step, a consultant with relevant experience from a country successfully operating ATA Carnet should be engaged.
Objective
The objective of this work is to assist the GCCI and RS implement ATA Carnet; raise awareness on ATA Carnet among the relevant economic/business operators; and implement the due procedures, necessary for uninterrupted operating on ATA Carnet.
Specific Tasks under this Scope of Work
Under this scope of work, the Consultant shall perform, but not necessarily be limited to the tasks specified under the following categories:
Background Reading Related to Understanding the Work and Its Context
The Consultant(s) shall read, but not necessarily be limited to reading, the following materials to fully understand the work specified under this scope of work:
Tasks Related to Accomplishing the Scope of Work’s Objective
The Consultant shall use their education, experience, knowledge, and additional understanding gleaned from the background and objective specified in sections A and B to fulfill the following tasks:
Task 1: Raise awareness of local insurance companies on ATA Carnet
Activity 1.1: Conduct awareness raising workshop(s) on ATA Carnet for local insurance companies with the participation of foreign insurance companies. It is essential that foreign insurance companies operating in the EU, or in other economies where ATA Carnet is used extensively, share their experience insuring ATA Carnet.
Activity 1.2: Facilitate further communication of the local insurance companies with foreign peers or/and specific field expert(s) to clarify all important/relevant details.
Task 2: Study tour
Activity 2.1: Advise and support planning and conducting the study tour (identify the host country/institutions/officials to be visited, met, etc.). The Program is supporting GCCI, RS, and insurance companies to conduct the study tour to receive practical knowledge on ATA Carnet operations. The meeting will be held at the local customs, national guaranteeing association(s), and insurance companies.
Activity 2.1: Follow-up on the post study visit feedback and questions from participants.
Task 3: Assist to prepare and implement ATA Carnet procedures/regulations
Activity: 3.1: Provide recommendations/Assist the GCCI to introduce all the necessary rules and regulations for implementing and operating ATA Carnet.
Activity 3.2: Conduct workshop(s) with the GCCI, so it can prepare formal guidelines/rules/regulations on how to issue and operate ATA Carnet.
Activity 3.3: Advise GCCI through the ATA Carnet guidelines/rules/regulations preparation and implementation process.
Task 4: Hold workshop on issuing and operating ATA Carnet
Activity 4.1: Plan and conduct (including preparation of the necessary materials) workshop for relevant GCCI and RS staff on issuing/operating ATA Carnet.
Task 5: Conduct post Implementation follow-up
Activity 5.1: Follow-up and address the issues raised during the implementation of the ATA Carnet (during the first six months).
Deliverables/Results
The Consultant shall produce the following deliverables by the end of their assignment:
Unless otherwise indicated in writing, the Consultant will prepare, as applicable, written deliverables in the USAID Economic Governance Program-branded deliverable MS Word or MS PowerPoint template that will be provided to the Consultant by the USAID Economic Governance Program sector or sub-component manager overseeing their work.
Review and Acceptance of Deliverables
All deliverables mentioned under Section 3 must be submitted to the Program leadership in draft form and are subject to review. If further revisions are required, the Consultant will revise as necessary and submit the final draft within two days of receipt of comments.
Place and Period of Performance
The estimated level of effort (LOE) allocated for this consultancy is up to 50 days (including two trips to Tbilisi, Georgia (four travel days) for workshops as well as face-to-face meetings with the GCCI, RS, and other stakeholders as needed, and one study visit to the selected country (two travel days)). The assignment will take place both on-site and online on/around April 1, 2024 through September 30, 2024.
We are seeking candidates with the following qualifications:
The estimated level of effort (LOE) allocated for this assignment is 50 days. The tasks will take place on/around April 1, 2024, through September 30, 2024. If you are interested, please email your CV (template is attached) with the Cover Letter to stuwilliamson@deloitte.com and info@egp.ge before 5 pm on February 23, 2024.
ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION
Overview
Deloitte LLP is the U.S. member firm of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu and services are provided by its subsidiaries (the Deloitte U.S. Entities), including Deloitte & Touche LLP, which provides audit, assurance and risk management related services, Deloitte Consulting LLP, which provides strategy, operations, technology, systems, outsourcing and human capital consulting services, Deloitte Financial Advisory Services LLP.
Deloitte Consulting LLP (Deloitte Consulting) is one of the world’s leading consulting firms for business strategy, operations, technology, and human resources planning. Deloitte Consulting provides services that are designed to bring together the unique experience, scale, and capabilities of their professionals to help clients in their efforts to address their most complex business problems.
The Emerging Market sector of Deloitte Consulting works with clients to implement economic reforms, support financial and private sector growth, and develop capacity
The Consultant will be provided with a translated version of any relevant sections of these documents as needed.
Overview
Deloitte LLP is the U.S. member firm of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu and services are provided by its subsidiaries (the Deloitte U.S. Entities), including Deloitte & Touche LLP, which provides audit, assurance and risk management related services, Deloitte Consulting LLP, which provides strategy, operations, technology, systems, outsourcing and human capital consulting services, Deloitte Financial Advisory Services LLP.
Deloitte Consulting LLP (Deloitte Consulting) is one of the world’s leading consulting firms for business strategy, operations, technology, and human resources planning. Deloitte Consulting provides services that are designed to bring together the unique experience, scale, and capabilities of their professionals to help clients in their efforts to address their most complex business problems.
The Emerging Market sector of Deloitte Consulting works with clients to implement economic reforms, support financial and private sector growth, and develop capacity.
