Local STTA Digital Trade Promotion Platform Regulatory Expert

Vietnam Digital Trade

SCOPE OF WORK

Local STTA Digital Trade Promotion Platform Regulatory Expert

Date: February 2024

Position: Local STTA Digital Trade Promotion Platform Regulatory Expert

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

Location: Hanoi

LOE: (STTA) 15 days

Period of Performance: March - April 2024

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 (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

Following the Decision 1968/QD-TTG on 22 November 2021 to “Promote the application of information and technology and digital transformation in trade promotion activities for the period of 2021-2030”, the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency (Vietrade) under the Ministry of Industry and Trade is assigned to formulate the Digital Ecosystem for Business (DECOBIZ) by 2025 and complete it in 2030.

DECOBIZ, a soft infrastructure for trade, includes: Platforms of digital exhibitions, Smart B2B Matching, and other trade promotion tools/platforms. DECOBIZ’s goal is not only to promote e-commerce but also create a rich, flexible and effective digital trade environment. DECOBIZ is committed to providing the business community with an opportunity to access the potential world of digital business, taking advantage of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data, Internet of Things (IoT), and block chain. Thereby, businesses, cooperatives and business households can optimize operations, enhance competition and develop sustainably in the digital age.

Under Decision 1968, the MOIT/VIETRADE is in charge of developing and issuing regulations on management, operation and exploitation of the digital trade promotion ecosystem (provided in Part V.1 (d) of Decision 1968).

Under the approved work plan between the USAID and MOIT, the USAID VDT will support Vietrade to draft an operational regulations of DECOBIZ identifying rights and responsibilities of all the participants in DECOBIZ, focusing in particular on the following topics:

• Criteria for the connection of stakeholder in the ecosystem (e.g. DOITs, government agencies and BSOs, private companies, public users etc.)
• Data exchange mechanism between stakeholder’s platforms of the DECOBIZ and other database systems inside and outside Vietrade/MOIT
• Protect the security and privacy of Users’ personal data.
• Determine intellectual property rights and rights to use data and content by participating parties.
• Determine rules for handling conflicts and how to resolve disputes.
• Rating by service users for the service quality
• Pricing policy.

VDT will hire one local STTA expert and one STTA international expert to work with VIETRADE to support the development of the operational regulations. In consultation with the VDT Technical Team, the Local STTA Digital Trade Promotion Platform Regulatory Expert will work primarily closely with Vietrade/MOIT and other relevant departments if needed.

Key Tasks/Responsibilities:

• Review and comment on the 1^st Draft regulations on management, operation and exploitation of the digital trade promotion ecosystem (Operational Regulations) prepared by Vietrade.
• Work with relevant stakeholders (trade promotion agencies under the Government, trade promotion support organizations, businesses, cooperatives, and business households), to discuss and collect details of practical and significant issues and to gather feedback and comments on the Draft Operational Regulations;
• Actively participate in a consultative workshop in Hanoi to provide technical inputs and to present key findings; and to facilitate discussion with relevant stakeholders to get comments for the Operational Regulations;
• Follow up with the VIETRADE to support incorporating comments into the final draft of the Operational Regulations;
• Produce a Final Report containing details of all work carried out and proposals for improved Draft Operational Regulations.

Deliverables

• Research paper(s) containing findings from review of 1^st Draft Operational Regulations prepared by Vietrade.
• Active participation at the consultative workshop to facilitate discussion and making presentations of expert’s findings from review of the Draft Operational Regulations, practical and significant issues, and feedback and comments from the relevant stakeholders on the Draft Operational Regulations;
• Final Report containing details of all work carried out and suggestions or proposals for improved Draft Operational Regulations.

Qualifications

• A Degree in Law, Trade, Business Administration, Economics, Political Science or a related field.
• At least 7 years of professional experience in digital trade-related topics.
• Demonstrated track records in developing operational regulations for platforms related to trade, e-commerce, or similar domains and in engaging with Government agencies.
• Strong written, and oral English.

Proposals should be submitted to [email protected] no later than March 5, 2024.