Consultancy for enhancing manufacturing and assembly capacity

Scope of Work
Technical Assistance for MiSmart
Consultancy for enhancing manufacturing and assembly capacity

Background

Improving Private Sector Competitiveness (IPSC) is a U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) technical assistance project, and the Agency for Enterprise Development (AED) under the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) is the project owner. The project is implemented by Deloitte Consulting LLP (“Deloitte”) and runs from 2020 to 2025.

The purpose of the USAID IPSC Activity is to remove constraints and build the competitiveness of small and growing businesses (SGBs) in Vietnam, including those led by vulnerable populations. With this activity, USAID/Vietnam is supporting Vietnam’s competitiveness: vertically at the policy, market, and firm level; and horizontally by working along the entire spectrum of enterprise growth models, from household businesses transforming into registered firms to small firms on the cusp of scaling up.

IPSC is made up of four interrelated Objectives:

• Objective 1. Building business management capacity of SGBs, including those led by vulnerable populations, particularly women and ethnic minorities.
• Objective 2. Improving efficiency and productivity by promoting innovation, technology adoption, and sustainable business models.
• Objective 3. Enhancing business enabling environment for a broad-based inclusive economy.
• Objective 4. Strengthening business-to-business (B2B) and cross-sectoral linkages.

Summary of Activities

IPSC collaborates closely with the Government of Vietnam (GVN) counterparts, including the project owner, AED, under MPI. IPSC and AED develop strategies for sector selection, geographic focus, and SGB engagement and engage a broad range of market actors across the economy that make up the SGB ecosystem, including SGBs, cooperatives, and household businesses (HBs); business chambers, associations, and BDSPs; GVN Ministries and Agencies, provincial and local administrations; and private sector consultants, training institutions, and financial institutions. Using incentives and cost-sharing with SGBs, PEs, and other partners, IPSC builds greater demand and supply of business development services (BDS), while improving providers’ capacity to understand and offer services desired in the marketplace.

One of IPSC’s main objectives is supporting Pioneering Enterprises to receive customized technical assistance under the overall support package “Vietnamese Value – Reach out to the World” to create products with added value and Vietnamese intellectual property, nurturing them to become sustainable models for other SGBs to emulate and scale up proven examples. A PE is a growing Vietnamese enterprise with Vietnamese-branded products, sufficient competitiveness, the ability to lead and expand in the industry, sector, and locality, strong management capacity, and willingness to innovate and produce products with high added value, with the vision and objective to build a Vietnamese brand in international markets. Positioning the “Made by Vietnam” product brand successfully in regional and international markets is a priority for PEs.

Each support package will be customized for the individual PE, depending on their situation, needs, development capacity, commitment to participate, and willingness to co-invest. The support packages will focus on facilitating BDSPs and technical experts to deliver consulting services and specialized training to help enterprises strengthen their governance, management capability, and strategies (including strategy development, business model refinement, brand positioning, marketing, innovation, communications, and human resource development). IPSC will develop Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for each supporting package so PEs can quantify the results achieved and evaluate the effectiveness of the results.

Established in 2016, MiSmart Smart Technology Joint Stock Company (MiSmart) is a leading Vietnamese firm specializing in drone manufacturing, has achieved recognition by being chosen as one of the PEs receiving IPSC’s support package above. The company stands at the forefront of the industry in providing technology products and solutions for traffic, civil, and industrial construction. Through this SOW, IPSC will assist MiSmartin implementing an activity within IPSC’s provided technical assistance framework in the approved action plan –These two activities stated in signed MOU between the AED, IPSC and MISMART under Initiative 1: Research and develop new products suitably meeting the needs of the international markets.

1.  Scope Statement

A group of three qualified consultants will support the IPSC project to provide technical assistance for Mismart to enhancing manufacturing and assembly capacity, according to the tasks and deliverables below.

2.  Tasks and Responsibilities/Deliverables and Implementation Plan

The three Consultants are expected to undertake the following tasks closely with the MiSmart team, the PE team and IPSC. The number of consultant days listed for each task is an estimate designed to assist consultant in planning and competing activities within a certain period of time. The Consultants are encouraged to discuss the feasibility of allocated days and propose adjustments, if needed.

The emphasis of the consultancy is on the outcome of the assignment, the following deliverables. Mismart is responsible for the following deliverables and requirements:

Consultant 1 – Team Lead

The Team Lead, in collaboration with both Consultant 2 and Consultant 3, will be responsible for tasks and deliverables listed in the table below:

Requirements for qualification of selected experts

• Bachelor or higher degree in aerospace engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering or a related field.
• Profound knowledge of drone technology
• Have more than 10 years of experience in leading engineer teams in the successful completion of complex projects,
• Strong project planning and organizational skill, including the ability to develop and adhere to the project timelines.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills to effectively convey technical concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Consultant 2 – Manufacturing Expert

Manufacturing Expert Consultant in collaboration with both Consultant 1- Team Lead and Consultant 3 – Industrial design Expert. This Consultant will be responsible for all the tasks and deliverables listed in the table below:

Requirements for qualification of selected experts

• Bachelor or higher degree in aerospace engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering or a related field.
• Have more than 5 years of hands-on experience in advanced lithium battery technologies, including solid-state batteries and emerging developments.
• Proficiency in designing and implementing Battery Management Systems for monitoring cell parameters, balancing cells, and ensuring overall battery health.
• Proficient in using CAD software for battery pack layout and design.
• Understanding of safety standards and regulations governing lithium batteries, with a focus on compliance with industry-specific requirements

Consultant 3 – Industrial design Expert:

Industrial design Expert Consultant in collaboration with both Consultant 1- Team Lead and Consultant 2 – Manufacturing Expert. This Consultant will be responsible for all the tasks and deliverables listed in the table below:

Requirements for qualification of selected experts

• Bachelor or higher degree in aerospace engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering or a related field.
• Have more than 05 years of experience in drone design, development and integration
• Profound knowledge of aerodynamics, flight dynamics, and control systems relevant to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
• Proficient in using SolidWorks software for modeling and simulation.
• Proficient in using CAD software for product layout and design.

3.   Period of Performance, Mode, and Level of Effort

• Tentative period of performance: May 30 – Oct 30 , 2024 
• Estimated level of Effort:              

1. Team Lead: 55 consultant days
2. Manufacturing Expert: 50 consultant days
3. Industrial Design and Simulation Expert: 50 consultant days

• Mode: Online/ Onsite/ Hybrid based on the determination from IPSC. 
• Location: Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam, with travel to other provinces as required 

Interested applicants are invited to submit Team CV, technical proposal with cost estimation (All taxes included) in English to [email protected]. Please state “Technical Assistance for MiSmart - Consultancy for enhancing manufacturing and assembly capacity.” in the subject line.

Due to the high volume of applications, only shortlisted applicants will be contacted. Deadline for applicants is COB 17h30, 23 May 2024, Hanoi time.

USAID Improving Private Sector Competitiveness Key Concepts and Definitions

• Small and Growing Business (SGB): An organization/economic unit of Vietnam, including enterprises, under the provisions of the Law on Enterprises, cooperatives operating under the provisions of the Law on Cooperatives, and business households registered in accordance with Vietnamese law, which employs no more than 500 full-time employees, has growth potential but lacks the resources of knowledge, finance, human resources, and technology to realize its goals and growth potential.
• Pioneering SGBs or Pioneering Enterprises (PEs): A growing Vietnamese enterprise with Vietnamese-branded products, good competitiveness, the ability to lead and expand in the industry, sector, and locality, good management capacity and willingness to innovate and produce products with high added value, the vision/objective to build a Vietnamese brand in the international market.
• Business Development Service Provider (BDSP): Agencies, organizations and enterprises in both the public and private sectors with functions, duties/business lines providing non-financial services to support enterprises to improve operational efficiency and business development.
• Business Support Organization (BSO): An organization with the function and mission to connect and support business development, often including business associations/clubs, industries, etc.
• Department of Planning and Investment (DPI): A specialized agency of the Provincial People’s Committee, which functions as a consultancy and assists the Provincial People’s Committee in managing planning and investment, including the management of domestic and foreign investment in the province; management of official development assistance (ODA) sources, concessional loans from donors, foreign non-governmental aids; Business registration within the province; providing public services within the scope of state management of the Department in accordance with the law.