National WTO TFA Specialist (Art 1.2)

USAID Vietnam Trade Facilitation Program
SCOPE OF WORK
Support implementation of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA)

Proposed Personnel:        Name TBD,

                                        National WTO TFA Specialist

Period of Performance:    o/a August 10 – September 10, 2022

Level of Effort:                 15 days (estimated)

Origin/Destination:          Hanoi, Vietnam

Travel Dates:                        

Activity No.:                   FY2021 Activity 1.4 – Administration of WTO TFA implementation. Detailed assessment of the implementation level of Article 1.2 Information Available Through Internet [Sub- activities 1.4.2]

MEL indicator(s):             EG 2_1-1 and CLBD 9

Project Background:

The USAID Vietnam Trade Facilitation Program is a five-year project that aims to support the adoption and implementation of a more risk-based approach to customs and specialized inspection institutions in Vietnam. The program will work with the General Department of Vietnam Customs (GDVC) to strengthen the National Trade Facilitation Committee (NTFC) of Vietnam and its Working Groups; streamline border clearance procedures (including specialized inspection implemented by other line ministries and agencies); harmonize the implementation of risk-based approaches between the national and provincial levels; train national and provincial customs officers and staff from other ministries on risk management; and facilitate dialogue between customs and business and between stakeholders in Hanoi and in the provinces.

Activity Background

Objective: The overall aim is to provide assessment and recommend solutions for Vietnam to achieve full implementation of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement Article 1.2 Information Available Through Internet.

Background: Members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) concluded the negotiations on a Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA), which entered into force in February 2017 after two-thirds of WTO members completed their ratification process. Vietnam had notified the WTO of acceptance of the Protocol of Amendment and ratification of the TFA on 15 December 2015. Vietnam has undertaken a self-assessment of the articles or measures of the WTO TFA identifying which are Category ‘A’ (measures that will be implemented by the time the TFA enters into force); Category ‘B’ (measures that will be implemented after a transitional period following entry into force of the TFA); and Category ‘C’ (measures that will be implemented on a date after a transitional period following entry into force of the TFA and requiring the acquisition of assistance and support for capacity building). The Government of Vietnam (GVN) subsequently identified 14 measures as Category ‘B’ and 9 measures as Category ‘C’.

In 2020 the Program conducted a study and issued a Report on Vietnam’s Implementation of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement. The Report provided an assessment on Vietnam’s current status and situation of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) measures identified as Category A, B and C, and recommendations of acceptance, validation and further action for full implementation and timeline for full implementation of the Agreement against notifications sent to the WTO[cd1] [BH2] .

Under this Scope of Work, the Program is seeking a national WTO TFA Specialist to conduct a final conclusion on whether Vietnam could achieve full implementation by the 31 December 2022 deadline of the Agreement’s Article 1.2 Information Available Through Internet. His/her final report should identify what are the gaps between the current situation and full implementation, and solutions to achieve the full implementation of the Agreement’s Article 1.2.  

Tasks and Responsibilities

The national WTO TFA specialist will be responsible for providing a report on Vietnam’s readiness to fully implement WTO TFA Article 1.2 Information Available Through Internet. In order to fulfill the tasks and responsibilities, he/she will:

• Discuss with GDVC the recommendations provided by the WTO/TFA as well as by the other reports produced by the Program, verify the latest development and agree on a common plan of action;
• Gather and review legal provisions related to the commitments under this article, comparing to the requirements under TFA, on-going programs and projects related to the construction and implementation of the commitment in Vietnam;
• Collaborate and consult with the relevant units of GDVC and other relevant agencies to study the current operational mechanism, analyzing and identifying the shortcomings, problems, common difficulties with regard to meeting the commitments under Article 1.2 of the TFA;
• Recommend solutions, roadmap to fully implement the commitments. The recommendations include ones on setup a national trade information portal, procedures, processes and other required inputs for the portal.
• Draft report for consultation with stakeholders
• Complete the Final Report

Deliverables

• An agreed Workplan for the activities
• Draft report with findings, analysis, conclusions and recommendations to consult with stakeholders
• The final report includes all the tasks performed and the results of consultation with the stakeholders

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years of experience coordinating or working with line ministries and/or customs in Vietnam at central or provincial level;
• Proven experience of working with, or practical knowledge of, implementing the WTO TFA;
• Good understanding of the WTO and WCO instruments such as the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) and the Revised Kyoto Convention (RKC);
• Background knowledge and understanding of the current status of Vietnam as related to trade facilitation measures and implementation of the WTO TFA;
• Proficient in word processing, spreadsheets and office software such as Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Google Applications;
• Good communicator with fluency in Vietnamese and with strong written, oral and presentation skills;
• English language skills preferred; and

Reporting

The national WTO TFA specialist will report to Mr. Claudio Dordi, Chief of Party ([email protected])  and Mrs. Nguyen Thi Bich Ha, the Program’s Trade and National Trade Facilitation Committee Expert ([email protected]).

How to apply:

Applications should be sent no later than August 5, 2022 to email [email protected]

Applications should include:

1. Cover letter (no longer than 1 page)
2. CVs (see attached template); 
3. Updated USAID 1420 form (see attached template)
4. Cost proposal (See attached template)