Risk Categorization and Import Strategy Development Consultant

Job Description

Project Description: The Transforming the Assessment and Inspection of Food Businesses in Egypt (TAIB) project is a five-year $8.5M project funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) that will expand domestic and international trade of Egyptian food products through supporting the establishment and scale-out of a new government entity, the National Food Safety Authority (NFSA). TAIB will provide technical and financial support to NFSA that is responsive to the evolving needs of the nascent regulatory authority. Assistance will be aimed at harmonizing Egyptian food law and regulations and international standards, implementing robust inspection systems, managing outbreaks, conducting science-based risk assessments, monitoring Egyptian food safety systems, and reducing food borne illnesses.

Background: In February, 2019 the Prime Minister of Egypt issued decree 412-2019, Executive Regulations of Law 1-2017 National Food Safety Authority. Article 15 and 16 of the Executive Regulations empower NFSA as the sole authority controlling the inspection and sampling of imported food and task NFSA to establish rules governing the withdrawal and examination of samples. NFSA must now assume responsibility for monitoring the food safety of imported food, combining the responsibilities previously divided between the Ministry of Trade and Investment, Ministry of Health and Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation.

In taking on the responsibility of monitoring food imports, the Chairman of the NFSA seeks to re-design and update Egypt’s import inspection and sampling process, streamlining procedures to reduce the time required for goods to be released from port, while not sacrificing food safety. NFSA seeks to modernize Egypt’s import program, transitioning away from sampling 100% of goods to a risk-based approach to sampling.

Purpose and Objectives of the Assignment: The consulting assignment will provide direct support to the Chairman and leadership team of NFSA to develop a risk categorization matrix and sampling protocol for imported food that will promote an evidence-based approach to balancing human health concerns with fair food trade. The consultant will review existing work done to date by NFSA and FAO, catalogue international best practices and approaches for risk categorization and import sampling and finalize an approach based on the Egyptian context and regulatory framework. The risk categorization and sampling protocol shall seek to lessen the time to release imported goods while not sacrificing food safety and will prescribe the rate of inspection and food release mechanisms. Furthermore, the consultant shall prepare a detailed food import management strategy document that can ultimately serve as the roadmap to guide the implementation of the import food control system.

Level of Effort

Not to exceed 15 working days.

Period of Performance

The consultancy is proposed to take place as soon as the selected consultant is available with work taking place between November 24 and December 22, 2019.

Place of Performance

The consultancy will involve both remote work as well as time in Egypt to work with NFSA and TAIB in developing and refining the risk categorization matrix and import strategy.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Review, as necessary, the current import inspection and sampling processes and procedures and determine areas for improvement.
• Review existing international food and establishment risk categorization systems and propose a methodology for NFSA to categorize consignments based on risk over the short (1-2 years) and medium (3-4 years) timeframes.
• Review initial food categorization matrix prepared by NFSA/FAO and develop a complete food categorization matrix and system to support risk-based management of imported food and agri-food consignments. The risk categorization matrix should be presented to NFSA and then refined based on their feedback.
• Develop the associated levels of oversight and control systems for each category of risk including sampling protocols and review of content and documentation.
• Develop an initial food import management framework and accompanying strategy for NFSA that relies on a risk-based approach to food import control. The framework and strategy should be presented to NFSA and then refined based on their feedback.
• Coordinate with FAO and other donors working to support NFSA to develop their import food control system.
• Draft a food risk categorization matrix, methodology and associated sampling and oversight protocols to be adopted by NFSA leadership.
• Draft a risk-based food import management framework and strategy to be presented to NFSA and submitted in final form.

Required Skills and Qualifications:

• Demonstrated experience at the executive level within an agency, organization or department that regulates food. Executive level experience should include oversight of operations in food regulatory program design or import food inspection design and operations.
• Proven experience in developing and implementing risk-based food control systems.
• Experience working in the Middle East required. Familiarity with NFSA is highly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience drafting import food risk categorization matrices.
• At least 3 years of documented experience advising international food regulators.
• Fluency in Arabic is highly preferred.

To Apply

Please submit a cover letter in addition to your detailed CV. The cover letter should include the proposed daily rate for work to be completed and outline relevant experience, educational background, etc.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. No phone calls will be accepted.

Land O’Lakes never requests money or payment from candidates for any position type. Please report any such requests to Land O’Lakes.

About the Organization

Since 1981, Land O’Lakes Venture37 has applied an integrated approach to international economic development that capitalizes on Land O'Lakes, Inc.'s nearly 100 years as a leading farm-to-market agribusiness. We use our practical experience and in-depth knowledge to facilitate market-driven business solutions that generate economic growth, improve health and nutrition, and alleviate poverty. We believe in the value of people and ensuring our work is rooted in honesty, integrity and respect.

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, our vision is to be a global leader in transforming lives by engaging in agriculture and enterprise partnerships that replace poverty with prosperity, and dependency with self-reliance. Since our inception, we have implemented nearly 300 programs and training initiatives in over 80 countries, which have enabled farmers and agribusinesses to become more profitable and to leverage economies of scale through well-functioning cooperatives and producer groups.