Local STTA Cross-Border E-Commerce Survey Expert (focused on Enterprises)

Vietnam Digital Trade

SCOPE OF WORK

Local STTA Cross-Border E-Commerce Survey Expert (focused on Enterprises)

Date: September 13, 2024

Position: Local STTA Cross-Border E-Commerce Survey Expert (focused on Enterprises)

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

Location: Hanoi, Vietnam

Eligibility: Vietnamese

LOEs: (STTA) 45 days

Period of Performance: October 2024 – April 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 following up completion of the research report on methodology and a set of measurement and evaluation indicators on Vietnam's cross-border e-commerce. The annual report will base on the methodology and criteria set out in the research report to measure and evaluate Vietnam's cross-border e-commerce.

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; (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). 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, 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).
• Local STTA Cross-Border E-Commerce Survey Expert (focused on Individuals) (Local Expert 3). The local expert 3 will be responsible of all the relevant tasks regarding the organization, implementation and collection of data of surveys related to Individuals. The expert will support experts 1 and 2 to all the other relevant tasks relevant for the appropriate implementation of the survey, including any logistics and organization-related tasks related to Individuals.
• Local STTA Cross-Border E-Commerce Survey Expert (focused on Enterprises) (Local Expert 4) (this SOW). The local expert 3 will be responsible of all the relevant tasks regarding the organization, implementation and collection of data of surveys related to Enterprises. The expert will support experts 1 and 2 to all the other relevant tasks relevant for the appropriate implementation of the survey, including any logistics and organization-related tasks related to Enterprises.

In consultation with the VDT Technical Team, the Local Expert 3 will work closely with the MOIT iDEA, the Local Expert 1 and 2 and the VDT team in order to undertake this activity.

Key Tasks/Responsibilities:

The STTA Cross-Border E-Commerce Survey Expert (focused on Enterprises) will be responsible for:

• Provide comments on the activity plan and the timeline developed by Local Expert 1, in collaboration with VDT team, and MOIT iDEA (focused on Enterprises).
• Support experts 1 and 2 in organizing and implementing the survey, and, in particular, to the following tasks (focused on Enterprises):

1. Support experts 1 and 2 in defining the sampling method to ensure the representation from various sectors and areas of Vietnam;
2. Support experts 1, 2, VDT and iDEA to identify the survey mode (online, mail sending, face-to-face interview, etc.) and select the appropriate technology platform or tools for conducting the survey;
3. Support the effective implementation of the survey, including sending mail, collecting minutes from interviews, and any other related tasks, including the collection of data and information
4. Support expert 2 in processing and cleaning data collected from surveys and to build a database on cross-border e-commerce from methodologies and indicators;

• Support experts 1 and 2 in preparing the final report on Vietnam’s cross border e-commerce (focused on Enterprises survey), in consultation with and incorporating feedbacks from MOIT iDEA;
• Participate in and present key findings in a dissemination workshop of the report in Hanoi (focused on Enterprises survey) (if requested).

Deliverables

• Comments on the activity plan and the timeline developed by Local Expert 1, in collaboration with VDT team, and MOIT iDEA (focused on Enterprises survey);
• Implementation of the survey, including supervising organization and logistics tasks (e.g., identify the survey methods, preparation and formatting of the documents, ensure the efficient delivery of the survey-documents and the collection of the data and information, organize and participate in the interviews, collecting minutes) (focused on Enterprises survey);
• Inputs to Local Expert 2 in processing and cleaning data collected from surveys (focused on Enterprises survey);
• Inputs to Local Expert 2 in building a database on cross-border e-commerce from methodologies and indicators (focused on Enterprises survey);
• Inputs to report content, report design and publication (focused on Enterprises survey).
• Actively participation and a presentation (if requested) at a dissemination workshop in Hanoi on presenting key findings of the annual report (focused on Enterprises survey).

Qualifications

The STTA International Cross-border survey E-commerce Expert (focused on Enterprises) should have the following qualifications:

• A bachelor degree in a relevant field such as Business, Economics, E-commerce, Statistics, or a related discipline.
• Experience in supporting business/stakeholder surveys.
• Experience in working on cross-border e-commerce dynamics, trends, and challenges.
• 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.
• Good oral and written English

Proposals should be submitted to [email protected]

Deadline for submission:  October 4, 2024.