Consultancy Service on Frozen Mango Production Facilities Assessment

1.      Background

The Partners for Municipal Innovation in Local Economic Development (PMI-LED) Program is funded by the Government of Canada (Global Affairs Canada) and implemented by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) over a period of five years (2015–2021). This program aims to contribute to sustainable and equitable economic growth in selected countries in Africa (Mali, Burkina Faso, and Ivory Coast), Asia (Vietnam and Cambodia), and the Americas (Bolivia). PMI-LED’s principal goals are:

• Strengthening local leadership in economic development with a particular focus on the creation of planning and development mechanisms that are centered on economic growth;
• Establishing programs for the economic empowerment of women and youth from poor and marginalized communities;
• Promoting trade and investment, as well as the adoption of regional economic development strategies aimed at stimulating economic activity on a local scale.

PMI-LED Vietnam

The PMI-LED project in Vietnam is jointly implemented by the Association of Cities of Vietnam (ACVN) and FCM to November 2021.  PMI-LED project implementation in Vietnam encompasses three cross cutting themes - gender equality, environmental sustainability and good governance – and focusses on two thematic components:

• Enabling Environment (for local business and economic development);
• Regional Economic Development (RED) and trade with focus on Trade readiness, Sustainable Tourism Development in Mekong Delta and Frozen Mango export from the region to Canada.

The RED and Trade component of the project focusses on the ASEAN Trade and Economic Corridor in Vietnam (the Southern Economic Corridor) in the lower basin of Mekong Delta in Vietnam, an area identified as having strong potential for economic development in the country.  Cao Lanh was identified as the coordinating city, in connection with Can Tho City and 3 other municipalities (Sa Dec, Hong Ngu and Chau Doc cities) in creating a regional economic linkage in Mekong Delta Region of Vietnam in a demonstration project.

To date, ACVN and Canadian partners Edmonton, Alberta province and Rossland, British Columbia province have worked towards defining needs, assessing opportunities, and identifying challenges that are faced by city-regional governments in identifying ways to introduce a regional perspective to economic development including cross border trade. A number of technical missions have been exchanged between Canadian city partners and Cao Lanh (Dong Thap province) and Can Tho to identify economic cooperation opportunities between Canadian cities and Vietnamese municipal partners on cluster-based RED that encompasses the supply chain including producers, manufacturers, and foundational institutions like government, academics and financial institutions.  Work proceeded on a regional agriculture development action plan, identifying and prioritizing the elements that could form the action plan with multi-sectoral involvement.  

In February 2019, a technical mission by Edmonton to Cao Lanh and Can Tho developed the regional action plan further with greater involvement of and consultation with industry, in addition to local government partners.  Robust discussions around various sub-sectors of focus resulted in identification of the mango sub-sector as the principle crop of focus and to pursue trade development in this sector as a primary objective. The resulting priority action is the development of the Trade Development Strategy – Mango (TDS-Mango).

Focusing on the mango sector, anothermission to Vietnam (Can Tho Lanh, with some stakeholders joining session there from Cao Lanh and other partner communities), took place in June 2019.  PMI-LED Canadian Municipal partners Rossland, British Columbia were accompanied by the Lower Columbia Initiatives Corp (LCIC) in leading the trade component while Edmonton focused on tourism.  The Mission was successful in moving stakeholders closer to operationalizing RED, mainly by further defining and developing the Trade Development Strategy around the mango sector (TDS-Mango) and deepening their working understanding of trade concepts, practices, barriers and opportunities in their target region.  Local government actors developed their capacity to assist mango producers, exporters and other private sector stakeholders to pursue exportation and export markets.  The mission also provided an opportunity to better understand the current state of the export readiness in the mango sector and to start to build the network of private sector stakeholders that are implicated in this sector’s growth.

During the course of this mission the team learned that local (Cao Lanh) company Kim Nhung Produce Trading Co. had shipped their first 40 foot container of fresh elephant mangoes to Vancouver on June 10 to arrive 27 days later in early July 2019.  Lucky Star is the Edmonton-based buyer and importer she had connected with last year through this Municipal Economic Partnership program. This successful shipment stands as a positive potential case study to provide insights into the process of exporting and importing Vietnamese mangoes into Canada. 

During the workshop participants were instructed on preparing an outline for the TDS.  At the time, each City staff decided that they would prepare their own strategies and implementation plans. As a result, a 5-year strategy, focused on processed mango (particularly frozen) have been produced and finalized by both Canadian and Vietnamese city partners. Implementing the TDS- Frozen Mango plan, a series of technical training workshops and marketing have been organized for Vietnamese city partners, with technical support of Canadian counterpart and Canadian consultant in trade that gradually rolls out the TDS-Frozen Mango plan.

The main components of the TDS-Strategy have been developed:

• A Market Analysis of the Canadian (MAC) mango market as necessary input for the Cao Lanh and Can Tho TDS-Mango;
• A Mango Export Financial Feasibility Analysis (EFFA);
• A Trade Readiness Assessment (TRA)
• A Case Study on the recent successful shipment of a container of 7 metric tones of mangoes to Vancouver (as mentioned above) will provide useful inputs to the Feasibility Analysis being conducted in Vietnam and eventually the TDS-Mango. 

Based on TDS-Frozen Mango plan with support from PMI-LED, the city partner of Cao Lanh will  develop the short term (12 month) Action Plan.  A final version of the TDS-Mango, along with Action Plan will then be agreed upon by all parties and disseminated fully. Better understanding of mango freezing/processing capacities in the region is required, including facilities/logistics within the producer areas (Cao Lanh, Can Tho and region)  as well as outside of the Mekong Delta region for frozen mango export.  Aan assessment on frozen mango processing capacity and facilities is therefore being  conducted in February - March 2021. This assessment will be also a basis for Cao Lanh city government and mango producers to continue to the next step in implementing of TDS-Frozen Mango plan: marketing and market access . This TOR specifies the purpose, process and deliverables of the assessment that will  help both Canadian and Vietnamese stakeholders be better prepared to export frozen mango to Canadian market in the near future

2.       Purpose:

The purpose of this work is to provide an assessment of local mango freezing/processing capacities in the Mekong Delta region (Dong Thap province and the city of Can Tho) as well as  facilities/logistics outside of the Mekong Delta region, including Hochiminh city.

Specific objectives:

• Assess the local capacity of freezing/processing mango and other fruit products that can provide services for frozen mango export;
• Map out the process of freezing mango, from the farm to ship that is ready for export;
• Provide cost-efficient analysis on the operation of the local freezing/processing facilities;
• Work together with PMI-LED team in Vietnam (ACVN and FCM project staff) to consolidate the frozen mango export plan (TDS-Mango Plan) with the assessment findings of local and regional processing capacity;
• Update marketing website with assessment details on Vietnamese frozen mango processing capacities and logistical structure;.

3.         Deliverables/ Level of Effort

The key deliverable for this consultancy service include:

• A description of different local modalities of mango freezing process;
• An inventory of local and accessible (i.e. HCMC) freezing/processing facilities and logistics providers for frozen mango (and fruit) export;
• A comprehensive analysis and report on local mango freezing/processing capacity and logistics for export readiness of frozen mango to Canadian market;  Ideally this report also contains visuals (pics, videos) of the facilities that can be later used for marketing purposes (note: we would need to have permission of same facilities to use these materials);
• A presentation on the findings of local capacity assessment on freezing and processing mango for export.

4.         Desired Profile

• Hands-on experience in agri-fruit processing and export in Mekong Delta; in agribusiness or agricultural economics;
• A minimum of 5 years professional experience in local governments or research in Mekong Delta region;
• Proven skills in analysis and market development, particularly in the agro-food industry or agro-development;
• Sound knowledge of agri-product processing and market in Mekong Delta;
• Marketing processed products; transportation logistics / distribution and export;
• Equipment, processing, and improving agri-food products;
• Promotion of small- and medium-sized agri-food businesses;
• Control, quality monitoring, certification, labelling.
• Fair good English capability is an asset.

5.         Relationships:

The Consultant will be guided in their work by Nguyen Phuong Thao, the National Program Coordinator, PMI-LED Vietnam and Dzung Nguyen PMI-LED Regional Project Coordinator, PMI-LED Asia.

The Consultant will send materials, as they are obtained to:

• Philip Kelly, Project Manager, PMI-LED Asia:  [email protected];
• Thao Phuong, National Coordinator, PMI-LED VN:  [email protected];
• NT Dzung, Regional Project Coordinator PMIL-LED Asia: [email protected]

6.         Financial

Up to 15 days. This assignment may include some travel in the region. Should travel be required, this will be discussed between contractor and Phuong Thao/ACVN.  While on travel status, all costs for domestic travel, accommodation, local transport and per diems (meals and incidental expenses) will be covered by the FCM-PMI-LED project in accordance with locally applicable rates.

The Consultant invoices FCM for professional fees. Each Invoice must be accompanied by time sheets (template to be provided by FCM). Invoices are payable within 30 days of receipt. 

7.         How to apply

Candidates are requested to submit their application to Ms. Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao – PMI LED National Coordinator Vietnam via [email protected] before 17 February 2021. Applications should include:

• A Curriculum Vitae;
• A Draft Proposal with methodology, detailed work plan/roadmap, budget estimate for costs, working rate;
• Any other documents supporting for the applications (Recommendation Letters, evidences of experiences etc.).

TOR (Vietnamese)