SBS: Export Strategy Development Training
Background
The activities of the Small Business Support Team ("SBS") of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development’s (the "EBRD" or the "Bank") support economic transition across the countries of operations of the EBRD. SBS enables micro, small and medium sized enterprises ("MSMEs") to access a diverse range of consulting services by facilitating projects with local consultants and foreign advisors on a cost-sharing basis.
In 2013 the EBRD engaged a consultant who has developed and delivered ”Export Promotion Training Level 1” training to over 70 participants in Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyz Republic and Mongolia, aimed at local consultants. Its content delivered over a course of 3 days and a number of follow up activities served as basic introduction to export consulting services and included:
1. Assessment of strengths and weaknesses and identification of business needs of local consultants in export promotion consulting services field.
2. Introduction to the essential components of export promotion consulting services.
3. Application of key consulting tools and methods in export promotion field, such as:
a. Assessment of a client enterprise’ export readiness, gap analysis and addressing change;
b. Identification of export goods, addressing required challenges in improving product quality, volume of production, timing and other parameters;
c. Selection of methods of exporting;
d. Understanding of Government’s export regulation and procedures, including product certification requirements;
e. Working with key local partners;
f. Relevance and importance of quality management standards, including but not limited to ISO and HACCP for export promotion;
g. Understanding of target foreign market regulation, including import taxation;
h. Understanding of financial aspects of foreign trade (trade finance facilities offered by EBRD and other FIs in the region);
i. Other important aspects of exporting.
4. Implementation a number of pilot projects through mentoring of selected consultants during implementation of their first consulting projects with local producers.
The EBRD now intends to one Framework Agreement to a consultancy firm (the Consultant”) for design and delivery of a more advanced Level 2 training programme named “Export Strategy Development" (the "Training", the "Assignment").
While MSMEs possess significant potential to produce goods and services suitable for export, the actual volume remains comparatively low. The target audience for the Assignment will be local consultants and export managers / marketing specialists of local MSMEs in EBRD countries of operations, and it is expected that the Training will improve participants’ knowledge and skills in the fields of development of export strategies.
Assignment description
The overall objective of the Assignment is to design and deliver the Training in accordance with the requirements of the Bank. The selected consultant (the “Consultant”) will be responsible for preparing, developing and delivering the Trainings. Each Training event shall be tailored to the needs of local consultants and MSME export managers/marketing specialists. If required, representatives of key export promotion institutes will be involved and breakout sessions with existing exporters will be organized. The Consultant shall also undertake the follow up activities for each Training session, including post-training coaching. The Training curriculum will be designed in close cooperation with the EBRD SBS and other relevant EBRD teams such as TFP (Trade Finance Programme) and SBI (Small Business Initiative).
The specific objectives of the Assignment are to:
1. In conjunction with the SBS Team, draft a comprehensive Training curriculum and related Training materials (including Practical Handbook to be further used by the Training participants).
2. Conduct the Training in English and/or Russian language in various countries of SBS operations as and when required by the Bank including planning, logistics, organizing simultaneous translation (where required) and delivering the Training sessions. It is envisaged that the ideal group size for each Training will be around 20-30 participants and its duration is around 3 full days.
3. Adapt training materials for the delivery of each Training event in every country taking into account the country specifics, key exported products composition, and the specifics of its key target foreign markets;
4. Provide the Training participants with practical toolkits that will serve as guides in development of Export Strategies. The toolkits and all hand-out materials should be provided in English and in the local language.
5. Conduct follow up activities post training, such as coaching of trained participants on their first pilot projects.
6. Provide the Training participants with certificates of attendance and/or implement more advanced certification in export promotion proficiency upon completion of individually coached pilot projects.
The content of the Training will include, but will not be limited to, the following components:
1. Introduce of essential components, methods of research and analysis, structuring and compilation of the Export Strategy document.
2. Teaching how to apply consulting tools, perform assessment and utilize research methods for elaboration of the Export Strategy:
3. Implement pilot projects through mentoring of selected consultants and export managers / marketing specialists during implementation of their follow up consulting projects for SME clients.
The Consultant will be engaged via a Framework Agreement, with Call-Off Notices to this Framework Agreement to be issued for each individual Training event across the Bank’s countries of operations. The first Training event is planned in Q2 2015 in Kazakhstan, with others to follow depending on the availability of funding, needs of the Bank and performance of the Consultant.
The Framework Agreement will not limit the Bank’s ability to contract with other firms in accordance with its PP&R outside the Framework Agreement if it so chooses.
Assignment Start Date and Duration
It is expected that the Assignment will start in the beginning of Q2 2015. The Consultant will be engaged via a Framework Agreement for an initial validity period of three years. Subject to the availability of funding, needs of the Bank and performance of the Consultant the duration of the Framework Agreement may be extended for an additional two years.
Cost Estimate for the Assignment: The cumulative value of all Call-Off Notices issued under the Framework Agreement will not exceed EUR 250,000.00, exclusive of VAT.
The Consultant must determine whether any VAT would be chargeable on the services and the basis for that determination, without taking into consideration the Bank's special status as an IFI and state this to the Bank in their response to the Invitation for Expressions of Interest. To the extent that a consultant incurs input VAT on goods and services purchased in connection with the provision of services (e.g. VAT on airline ticket) which is not otherwise recoverable by the consultant from the local tax authority, the gross cost to the consultant of such expenses shall be treated as a reimbursable expense.
Funding Source: This Assignment is funded by the Technical Cooperation Programme managed by the EBRD. The selection and contracting will be subject to the availability of funding.
Eligibility: There are no eligibility restrictions.
Consultant Profile: Corporate services are required. The Consultant shall be a firm or consortium of firms with extensive experience in the design and delivery of international training programmes, preferably in the EBRD countries of operations. The Consultant shall be able to demonstrate the following:
1. Experience in export promotion consulting field;
2. Experience in trade barriers and TTT (trade, transport, transit) issues in the EBRD countries of operations;
3. Experience in design and delivery of training programmes covering similar subjects, preferably in the EBRD countries of operations The Consultants shall provide a team of experts with knowledge and experience required to successfully complete the Assignment.
The Consultant's team of experts shall include a Team Leader and experts with professional experience related to items 1 - 3 above. All experts shall be fluent in English. The Consultant’s team will include experts fluent in Russian.
Status of Selection Process: Interested firms or groups of firms are hereby invited to submit expressions of interest.
Submission Requirements: In order to determine the capability and experience of consultants seeking to be selected for this Assignment, the information submitted must include the following:
(1) brief overview of the firm/group of firms including company profile, organisation and staffing;
(2) details of similar experience of firm or group of firms and related assignments undertaken in the previous five years, including information on contract value, contracting entity/client, project location/country, duration (mm/yy to mm/yy), expert months provided, assignment budget, percentage carried out by consultant in case of association of firms or subcontracting, main activities, objectives;
(3) CVs of key experts who could carry out the Assignment detailing qualifications, experience in similar assignments, particularly assignments undertaken in the previous five years, including information on contracting entity/client, project location/country, duration (mm/yy to mm/yy), expert months provided, assignment budget, main activities, objectives.
(4) Completed Consultant Declaration and Contact Sheet, the template for which is available from the following web-link:
http://www.ebrd.com/pages/workingwithus/procurement/notices/csu/contact_sheet.doc
Failure to provide the duly completed and signed Consultant Declaration may result in the applicant being disqualified from the selection process.
The above information should not exceed 20 pages excluding CVs, Consultant Declaration and Contact Sheet.
Expressions of interest must be submitted in English, electronically through e-Selection, to reach the Bank not later than the above referenced closing date and time. The complete expression of interest (including CVs and Contact Sheet) shall be one file (pdf or Word) to be uploaded to eSelection. The EBRD reserves the right to reject applications of firms submitting more than one file. Only if the permissible file size is exceeded, the consultant may split the expression of interest into further files.
EBRD Contact Person:
Marina Matushina
Advisor
Technical Cooperation
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
One Exchange Square
London EC2A 2JN
Tel: + 44 20 7338 6577
E-mail: MatushiM@ebrd.com (Expressions of interest must be submitted through eSelection and NOT to this email address)
Notes:
1. The selection will normally be made from responses to this notification only. Consultants will not be asked to submit a proposal. The Consultant will be selected from a shortlist and will be invited to negotiate the contract, subject to availability of funding.
2. Consultants shall not submit financial proposals for the Assignment.
3. Following an evaluation of all Expressions of Interest the Bank may invite Team Leaders of up to five shortlisted firms to interview. The date and format of these interviews will be communicated to the firms selected for interview in advance. The EBRD will not reimburse any costs associated with travel to/from these interviews.
4. The criteria for Consultant’s selection will be as follows:
i) Firm’s experience in export promotion, trade barriers and related issues, preferably in EBRD countries of operations -25%;
ii) Firm’s experience in design and delivery of training programmes covering similar topics, preferably in EBRD countries of operations -25%;
iii) Expertise and experience of key experts as per section “Consultant Profile” above-25%;
iv) Performance in interviews -25%.
