Services Strategy and Action Plan Consultants- St. Vincent and the Grenadines

GOVERNMENT OF ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES

BUILDING EXPORT CAPACITY AND IMPROVING COMPETITIVENESS IN THE SERVICES SECTOR

SERVICES STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN CONSULTANCY

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

1. BACKGROUND

1.01 The Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines (GOSVG) has received financing by way of a grant from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) pursuant to the CARIFORUM-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) Standby Facility for Capacity Building under the 10th European Development Fund (EDF) in an amount not exceeding the equivalent of two hundred and thirty-five thousand, six hundred and thirty-five United States dollars (USD235,635) towards the cost of the Building Export Capacity and Improving Competitiveness in the Services Sector Project. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade, Commerce and Information Technology (FAFTCIT), the Implementing Agency of the Project, intends to apply a portion of the proceeds of this financing to eligible payments under a contract for which this invitation is issued, pursuant to the Financing Agreement between CDB and GOSVG.

1.02 Payments by CDB will be made only at the request of GOSVG and upon approval by CDB, and will be subject in all respects to the terms and conditions of the Financing Agreement. The Financing Agreement prohibits withdrawal from the financing account for the purpose of any payment to persons or entities, or for any import of goods, if such payment or import, to the knowledge of CDB, is prohibited by a decision of the United Nations Security Council taken under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations. No party other than GOSVG shall derive any rights from the Financing Agreement or have any claim to the proceeds of the financing.

2. SCOPE OF CONSULTANCY AND ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

2.01 The FAFTCIT now intends to procure consultancy services for Services Strategy and Action Plan Consultants.

2.02 The objective of the consultancy is the development of a results-based Services Sector Strategy and Action Plan, with related Budget, that promotes inclusive growth, is gender-responsive and focuses on the service industries identified as having export potential. The duration of the assignment is expected to be over a period of 6 months.

2.03 The FAFTCIT now invites interested eligible consulting firms to submit Expressions of Interest for the provision of these consultancy services.

2.04 Consultants shall be eligible to participate if:

(a) in the case of a body corporate: it is legally incorporated or otherwise organised in an eligible country, has its principal place of business in an eligible country and is more than 50 per cent beneficially owned by citizen(s) and/or bona fide resident(s) of eligible country(ies) or by a body(ies) corporate meeting these requirements;

(b) in the case of unincorporated firms, the persons are citizens or bona fide residents of an eligible country; and

(c) in all cases, the consultant(s):

(i) has no arrangement and undertakes not to make any arrangements, whereby any substantial part of the net profits or other tangible benefits of the contract will accrue or be paid to a person not a citizen or bona fide resident of an eligible country;

(ii) is not bankrupt or insolvent or in the process of either, or having their affairs administered by the Courts, has not entered into an arrangement with creditors, or is in any analogous situation arising from similar procedures provided for in their national legislation or regulations;

(iii) has not been convicted of an offence concerning their professional conduct by a judgment which has the force of res judicata;

(iv) has not been the subject of a judgment which has the force of res judicata for fraud, corruption, involvement in a criminal organisation or any other illegal activity detrimental to the EU’s financial interest;

(v) is not guilty of misrepresentation in supplying the information required as a condition of the participation in the procedure or if they fail to supply this information; and

(vi) does not expose a conflict of interest

2.05 Consultants from St. Vincent and the Grenadines and other member countries of CDB, as well as EU Member Countries, which are not CDB Member Countries, and other countries which are eligible under EU procurement provisions, will be eligible to participate in these procurement opportunities.

3. SELECTION CRITERIA

3.01 The assignment should be conducted by a firm. The consulting team should comprise a Lead Consultant/Trade in Services Expert, and an expert in Gender and Private Sector Development Issues. In the assessment of submissions, consideration will be given to the following combination of qualifications and experience:

(a) technical competence, qualifications and experience, including:

(i) Post graduate qualifications in Development Economics, International Development, International Trade Policy or Public Policy and Administration; and Gender and Development.

(ii) At least 10 years’ working experience in external trade matters at a senior or policy level within the public sector or an international development agency.

(iii) Significant hands-on experience in trade policy and trade strategy development and administration at a national level within a developing country context.

(iv) A sound understanding of the World Trade Organistion (WTO) Agreement especially General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), the CARIFORUM-EU Economic Partnership Agreement and CARICOM Single Market and Economy and the implications for the development and expansion of SVG’s services sector.

(v) A minimum of five years’ experience and a demonstrable track record in development of results-based and gender-responsive trade policies, strategies and action plans.

(vi) Detailed knowledge of trade in services issues as they relate to the business environment in the Caribbean.

(b) local and regional experience on similar assignments;

(c) financial capacity; and

(d) existing commitments.

4. SUBMISSION OF EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

4.01 Expressions of Interest must be submitted in English and electronically by email to both office.trade@gov.vc /office.foreignaffairs@mail.gov.vc in pdf format no later than 4:00 pm St. Vincent and the Grenadines time on Wednesday, November 4, 2015. The email subject line should state “Expression of Interest – Services Strategy and Action Plan Consultancy” and the email body must state the name and address of the applicant. The Expression of Interest will be deemed to have been received at the time that it is received by the Permanent Secretary. The burden of proving receipt of the e-mail will be on the applicant and will not be met solely by a read receipt or sent items report generated by the bidder’s computer. In addition, three (3) hard copies of the Expressions of Interest must be received at the first address below and one (1) hard copy must be sent simultaneously to CDB at the second address below. The sealed envelope containing each submission should include the name and address of the applicant and shall be clearly marked “Expression of Interest – Services Strategy and Action Plan Consultancy.” GOSVG reserves the right to accept or reject late applications or to cancel the present invitation partially or in its entirety. It will not be bound to assign any reason for not selecting any applicant and will not defray any costs incurred by any applicant in the preparation and submission of Expressions of Interest.

5. SELECTION METHOD

5.01 The selection method shall be Quality and Cost-Based selection. Therefore, following the receipt of submissions, firms shall be assessed and compared and a short-list, not less than three (3) and not more than six (6) firms, will be provided with the full Terms of Reference (ToR) and invited to submit technical and financial proposals to undertake the assignment.

6. REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

6.01 All information or request for information must be submitted in English. Further information may be obtained from the first address below between 8:00 am to 4:15 pm Monday to Friday.

[1]^/External action financial instruments and European Development Fund, Rules on participation in procurement procedures and grants, a2a_ecprogrammes_eligibility2014_2020_en.doc, page 7 of 11.

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