Local STTA Cross-Border E-Commerce Expert (Lead)

Vietnam Digital Trade

SCOPE OF WORK

Local STTA Cross-Border E-Commerce Expert (Lead)

Date: May 27, 2024

Position: Local STTA Cross-Border E-Commerce Expert (Lead)

Reports to: USAID Vietnam Digital Trade (VDT) Technical team

Location: Hanoi, Vietnam

Eligibility: Vietnamese

LOEs: (STTA) 70 days

Period of Performance: September 2024 – February 2025

International Development Group LLC is an international development consulting firm that assists donors, governments, and the private sector to create and take advantage of opportunities for sustainable, broad-based economic development and poverty reduction. IDG provides entrepreneurs and policymakers with the practical tools needed to achieve real and measurable impact for their communities and countries. IDG assistance programs aim to build the capacity, skills, and knowledge of local individuals and institutions in the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors, fostering synergies between local knowledge and international experience. 

Project Background

The VDT is a two-year activity (2023-2025) addressing regulatory gaps and promoting private sector engagement in the rapidly growing digital economy. USAID VDT Activity supports the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s (MOIT)’s implementation of frameworks that facilitate digital trade, with an emphasis on supporting MOIT in holding public-private dialogues to ensure implementation is done in consultation with the private sector. Regulations that are responsive to private sector needs remove bottlenecks in trade faced by enterprises and increase regulatory transparency, helping to shape an e-commerce sector where enterprises of all sizes can benefit. The Activity encourages the participation of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in digital trade by introducing new business models and other best practices, such as traceability of goods, as well as facilitating cross-border connections between enterprises via MOIT’s digital trade promotion platform.

Activity Background

As approved in the work plan between the MOIT and USAID, the VDT will support the MOIT’s Vietnam E-Commerce and Digital Economy Agency (the “iDEA”) to develop the very first annual Vietnam’s Cross-Border E-Commerce Report (the Report) following up completion of a study on methodology and a set of measurement and evaluation indicators on Vietnam's cross-border e-commerce. The Report will base on the methodology and criteria set out in this study to measure and evaluate Vietnam's cross-border e-commerce. Herein, cross-border e-commerce is limited to trade in goods which includes importation and exportation.

The annual report on Vietnam’s cross-border e-commerce will be useful reference document for (i) state management agencies in measuring and evaluating the level of development of cross-border e-commerce in Vietnam, thereby supporting policy planning in the future and (ii) businesses and organizations participating in cross-border e-commerce activities.

In order to develop this report, the USAID VDT will collaborate with the MOIT iDEA to conduct the following activities:

• Survey to businesses with cross-border import-export activities or consumer communities participating in cross-border e-commerce shopping in 2023; (1) it’s expected:

1. Survey for around 300 import and export enterprises
2. Survey for around 500 consumers participating in cross-border e-commerce shopping;

• Processing and cleaning data collected from surveys; (2)
• Build a database on cross-border e-commerce from methodologies and indicators; (3)
• Develop report content, design reports and print and publish; (4)
• Workshop for publication of the Annual Report. (5)

To conduct this activity, the VDT will mobilize two local STTA experts to implement the following tasks:

• Local STTA Cross-Border E-Commerce Expert (Lead) (Local Expert 1) (this SOW). In charge of designing and leading the activity in cooperation with VDT team, MOIT iDEA, Local Expert 1 will take lead in conducting the survey (including the interviews) and be the main responsible of delivering the final Vietnam’s Cross-Border E-commerce Annual Report for 2023, in cooperation with the Local Expert 2 (mostly tasks 1 + 4 +5)
• Local STTA Cross-Border E-Commerce Expert (statistician) (Local Expert 2). The Local Expert 2 will help processing and cleaning data and building a database on cross-border e-commerce from methodologies and indicators and contribute to final report (mostly tasks 2+3).

In consultation with the VDT Technical Team, the Local Expert 1 will work closely with the MOIT iDEA and the Local Expert 2. The Local Expert 1 may also be required to work in collaboration with other members of the VDT team in order to undertake this activity.

Key Tasks/Responsibilities:

The STTA Cross-Border E-Commerce Expert (Lead) will be responsible for:

• Collaborate with VDT team, MOIT iDEA, and Local Expert 2 to design and agree on the activity plan and the timeline.
• Desk study on the methodology and indicators to measure and evaluate Vietnam's cross-border e-commerce.
• Lead to conduct the survey to businesses with cross-border import-export activities or consumer communities participating in cross-border e-commerce shopping:
• Draft the annual report on Vietnam’s cross border e-commerce based on data collect from the survey, in coordination with the Local Expert 2;
• Lead to complete the final report on Vietnam’s cross border e-commerce, in consultation with and incorporating feedbacks from MOIT iDEA; 
• Participate in and present key findings in a dissemination workshop of the report in Hanoi.

Deliverables

• A concise activity plan outlining the activity's scope, objectives, methodology, key milestones, and timeline agreed upon by VDT team, MOIT Foreign Trade Agency, and the Local Expert 2;
• Agreed methodology and indicators to measure and evaluate Vietnam's cross-border e-commerce;
• Survey to businesses with cross-border import-export activities or consumer communities participating in cross-border e-commerce shopping:
• Draft annual report on Vietnam’s cross border e-commerce based on data collect from the survey, in coordination with the Local Expert 2;
• Final report on Vietnam’s cross border e-commerce, in consultation with and incorporating feedbacks from MOIT iDEA; 
• Active participation and a presentation at a dissemination workshop in Hanoi on presenting key findings of the annual report.

Qualifications

The STTA International Cross-border E-commerce Expert should have the following qualifications:

• A Master's or Ph.D. degree in a relevant field such as Business, Economics, E-commerce, Statistics, or a related discipline.
• Experience in doing business/stakeholder survey and annual report.
• Experience in working on cross-border e-commerce dynamics, trends, and challenges, in an international context.
• Knowledge of international trade policies, regulations, and the economic factors influencing cross-border transactions.
• Ability to analyze complex data sets and interpret findings in a meaningful way.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills to convey research findings, methodology, and recommendations clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Strong English written, oral, and presentation skills.

Proposals should be submitted to [email protected] no later than July 31, 2024.