Expert in professional development in trade support organizations (Peru)

Job Description

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 the development impacts of trade and investment. 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 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 conduct an assessment of 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, weakening global demand for natural resources and the impact of severe weather on agricultural production.  A common theme among government and private sector stakeholders was the need to improve export performance, increase the resources available to strengthen government services and reduce poverty and inequality.  For this reason, the priority targets of new EDM assistance are public and private sector trade support organizations, to build their capacity to deliver export services to Peruvian businesses.
 
In this context, the Association of Exporters of Peru (Asociacion de Exportadores – ADEX), has requested technical assistance to strengthen the capacity of export services staff to deliver high quality advisory services to Peruvian exporters.  Established in 1973, ADEX offers a broad range of export development services to their 500 affiliated members – large, medium and small companies – as well as many of the roughly 8000 exporting companies in Peru.  In addition, the Association offers certificate training programs in international business, logistics, marketing and business administration through its Foreign Trade Institute and Graduate School (ADEX Instituto).  ADEX also advocates the interests of Peruvian exporters to the Government of Peru on all matters related to national trade policy and promotion.
 
The ADEX Central Export Management (CEM) team is a special focus of the technical assistance request.  Comprising 14 service coordinators, 3 service assistants and 5 service managers, the team is a front-line export advisory service provider.  Providing high-quality services requires continuous updating and upgrading of skills and knowledge, both with respect to trade technical issues (such as rules of origin, product standards, digital commerce or export strategies adapted to SMEs) and “soft skills” in client service (such as effective communications, active listening, empathy, teamwork).
 
In order to strengthen the skills and knowledge of the CEM and broader ADEX staff, a baseline must be established for current skills and knowledge.  The technical assistance request, therefore, includes a needs assessment component, the results of which will be used to identify priority learning objectives and define the training program.  In order to ensure that the training results in behavioural change (i.e. improved service to ADEX service clients), it is proposed that the training sessions be divided into multiple (the proposal is for 3) separate workshops, separated over time (proposed to be at 2-month intervals) with results monitored at each stage.
 
It is also important that the impact of the training provided be sustained after the EDM intervention.  To this end, the training tools (manuals, presentations, teaching notes, etc.) will be provided to ADEX for future use and a “train-the-trainer” component to the teaching program should be included.
 
Linkage to EDM Performance Measurement Framework
 
This assistance is consistent with the EDM Performance Management Framework, Immediate Outcome 1310: Increased abilities among targeted private sector organizations (PSOs) to adapt to and benefit from trade and investment agreements with Canada.
 
The assistance also aligns with the EDM Country Needs Assessment Plan for Peru, Mandate 3: benefiting from trade and investment agreements with Canada.
 
Description of Technical Assistance Request/Key Responsibilities
The technical expert(s) will:
 
Design and conduct a training needs assessment of ADEX staff, with special attention to the CEM team, to establish a baseline of skills and knowledge on which to construct a training program to improve advisory services to exporters.
 
Design and deliver a training course for ADEX professional staff, tentatively including 3 training workshops, delivered at 2-month intervals. 

• Bidders should propose the mode of delivery of the training – virtual, in-person or hybrid – to achieve the best learning outcomes.
• Without pre-empting the outcome of the needs assessment, the training should include both trade technical issues and soft skills in service delivery.
• In addition, the content of the training should include best practices in integrating gender equality and social inclusion, as well as environmental protection, in export support services.
• Finally, the training should include a “train-the-trainer” component and training tools should be provided to the beneficiary to support continuous training in the organization.

 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, conflict victims (forced displacement) and Indigenous owned businesses in the consultations, seminar and workshops, as well as identifying strategies for these businesses to benefit from increased exports.
 
Technical Expert Profile/Expertise Required
Bidders for this technical assistance activity must demonstrate expert knowledge and extensive experience in the following:

• The content and organization of client services in trade support organizations
• Customer service skills in high-performance service organizations
• The design and delivery of adult education activities
• The delivery of trade-related technical assistance to developing countries
• The integration of gender equality and social inclusion considerations in the design and delivery of TA, preferably in trade support organizations

Note: The EDM includes a core focus on gender and social inclusion and 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.  Any prior experience providing TA on gender equality, social inclusion, and the environment will be considered a strong asset.   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 May 2024. The technical assistance activity is expected to be completed by December 31, 2024.
 
Deliverables

• A detailed work plan, work schedule and budget for the delivery of activities.
• Completed EDM Performance Measurement Framework template for the TA, including baseline data and targets against EDM indicators.
• Draft and final needs assessment survey instrument.
• Draft and final written report summarizing the results of the needs assessment.
• Draft and final training plan, agendas, teaching materials for the training workshops, including the “train-the-trainer” module.

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:
3.15 - Consultant Last Name, First Name (or Organisation’s 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:
Cover letter Proposal that includes the following: Your approach to implementing this TA (up to 10 pages maximum); Describe your approach to ensure that gender equality and social inclusion are considered in all aspects of the TA, including approach, content, and delivery (up to 2 pages maximum); Describe your approach to ensure that environmental impacts are considered in all aspects of the TA, including approach, content, and delivery (up to 1 page maximum); Outline your project management and monitoring strategy for the implementation of the activities (up to 2 pages maximum). Indicate all proposed personnel to implement this project and their roles and responsibilities.
Include all CVs of proposed personnel/experts (up to 20 pages maximum). Estimated level of effort (in days) and provide consulting rates (in CAD) for each proposed personnel and/or expert implementing the project.   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 [email protected]. 
 
About us:
Founded in 1985, Cowater International is a leading global development consulting company. Headquartered in Ottawa and with corporate hubs in Auckland, Berlin, Brussels, Helsinki, London, Madrid, Manila, Nairobi, Singapore and Stockholm, Cowater International has successfully delivered a portfolio of over 2500 projects and assignments in more than 95 countries. We work with governments, private sector actors, and communities to implement projects that support socio-economic development, institutional strengthening, and environmental improvements, as well as advance equal opportunities for all. We are a diverse and experienced team committed to building a better tomorrow for the people we serve. Our adaptive approach to management has led to our yearly award-winning work and recognition as one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies since 2017.

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