Trade Remedy Expert For Vietnam in the Context of CPTPP Implementation

Funded by Global Affairs Canada, the Expert Deployment Mechanism for Trade and Development (EDM) provides technical assistance to Official Development Assistance (ODA)-eligible countries to maximize the development impacts of trade and investment. Over seven years (2018-2025), EDM will invest CAD $16.5 million to support Canada’s developing country trading partners to negotiate, implement and benefit from and adapt to trade and investment agreements with Canada.

EDM is a demand-driven project that will benefit potential partners – including governments, local private sector groups and local civil society organizations – through capacity building and technical advisory support on policy reform issues that have a high potential to reduce poverty and gender inequalities, and support progress in trade and investment agreement negotiations.

Vietnam has been identified by Global Affairs Canada as a priority country for technical assistance, in the context of the implementation of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). Despite rapid economic growth since the introduction of the “doi moi” (renovation) reform policy in 1986, Vietnam faces daunting challenges:

• growth in total factor productivity has slowed;
• the demographic dividend is being eroded by low-wage competitors;
• trade costs remain comparatively high;
• its exports remain labour-intensive and low value-added;
• the benefits of economic growth are unevenly spread among its 58 provinces – 15% of the population, living in remote or rural areas, carry the burden of 50% of national poverty;
• women are disproportionately represented in subsistence farming, in low-skilled, precarious employment and in the informal economy, and;
• women remain underrepresented in senior management and the political class.

Implementation of the CPTPP also represents a significant challenge to Vietnam – a commitment to implement a comprehensive set of state-of-the-art trade disciplines that exceed the obligations of WTO agreements. Notwithstanding the suspension of certain measures after the US withdrawal (largely measures affecting intellectual property rights), the CPTPP calls upon Vietnam to further open its market, adopt stronger governance and regulatory practices, expand labour rights and meet higher environmental standards, provide greater protection to investments and foster enhanced inclusiveness in trade. Implementing the many new obligations imposed by CPTPP membership will require support from CPTPP and development partners.

An EDM mission to Vietnam, conducted in November 2018, identified many technical assistance needs, including in trade policy capacity-building. Subsequent discussions with the Multilateral Trade Policy Department of the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade (the coordinating agency for EDM assistance projects in Vietnam) and the project leads for individual applicant organizations, established priority assistance projects for 2019-20. Among the priorities expressed by Vietnam was supported to broaden industry and local government awareness and understanding of trade remedy disciplines, and to strengthen public sector capacity to administer trade remedy actions.

This assistance is consistent with the approved EDM Country Needs Assessment Plan for Vietnam, Mandate 1, Trade Policy Capacity Building, and the EDM Performance Measurement Framework, Immediate Outcome 1210, enhancing the ability of partner country governments to strengthen, implement and measure legislation, regulations, policies and/or standards that support inclusive trade and investment agreements with Canada.

This assistance will directly benefit 40 to 50 public sector officials responsible for the administration of trade remedy actions in Vietnam. Up to 200 industry and local government representatives will benefit from direct training and many hundreds more from the public information materials produced and distributed as part of the assistance. The indirect benefit will be all industries and Vietnam generally, to the extent that the training and awareness helps avoid trade remedy actions against Vietnamese exports.

Assistance has been requested by the Trade Remedies Authority of Vietnam, Ministry of Industry and Trade (TRAV), to produce public awareness tools, deliver training courses for industry and strengthen public sector capacity to administer trade remedy actions. This assistance will include:

Activity 1: Conduct a mission to Vietnam to provide technical advice on the administration of the trade remedy regime, with particular attention to strengthening anti-circumvention measures, the establishment of “early warning” mechanism (i.e. monitoring trade remedy action by major markets), and measures Vietnam could take to meet the standard of market economy.

This mission will also provide an opportunity to assess and further develop the requirements for the other proposed activities listed below. A deliverable of Activity 1 will be the development of a workplan and budget for approval by EDM to implement the subsequent activities.

Proposed additional activities:

Activity 2: The design and drafting of a business guide to explain trade remedy disciplines, the specific provisions of the CPTPP, and Vietnam’s policies and procedures for administering trade remedies.

Activity 3: The design and delivery of training seminars on trade remedy disciplines for industry and relevant local government officials. The seminars are proposed to be delivered in Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City, for up to 100 participants at each event. 

Activity 4: The design and delivery of a training program for 40 to 50 officials of TRAV and related agencies, on the trade remedy provisions of the CPTPP.

Throughout the delivery of TA, the consultant will seek to identify opportunities to promote social inclusion, in both the short-term conduct of the project and longer-term economic policy development.

• Applicants for this assignment must have extensive experience in trade remedies, including direct experience in anti-dumping, countervailing measures and safeguard investigations, verifications, and dispute settlement procedures.
• A thorough knowledge and understanding of CPTPP disciplines in trade remedies is also required.
• Experience in the conduct of trade remedy actions in both the public and private sector will be an asset.
• Experience in the design and delivery of training on trade remedies would be an asset.
• Experience in the delivery of TA related to trade remedies would be an asset.
• Fluency in Vietnamese would be an asset. 
• The EDM includes a core focus on gender and social inclusion as well as on environmental issues associated with trade activities. The approach to TA related to both of these topics is included in guidance documents that are available to both TA applicants and Technical Experts.  Integrating such analysis will form a core part of the mandate of the TA provider therefore any prior experience in the provision of TA on gender equality and social inclusion and environment will be viewed as a strong asset

• Mission plan – including a mission schedule, list of meetings and planned activities
• The Consultant will develop a refined detailed activity workplan. This plan will consist of:

• An overall implementation plan, including identifying additional technical experts as required to support delivery of all activities, activity timelines, and proposed budgets (level of effort and costs associated with training workshops to be included), and;
• A performance measurement approach, including specific performance measures to evaluate the success of the activities.

• Final activity report as per EDM report guidelines (see below)

Reporting Guidelines:

On conclusion of the project, the consultant will prepare a final report of the project, setting out:

General context and broad objective(s) of the project

A summary of the project approach and specific activities

Expected and unanticipated challenges in the delivery of the project

Project results, including the anticipated longer-term outcomes and impacts

Sustainability of project results

Project contribution to social inclusion and sustainable development

Recommended performance management framework and specific performance measures

Recommended next steps in the implementation of the CPTPP in Vietnam, including future EDM deployments

Lessons learned for future EDM interventions

To apply,

Describe your specific approach to implementing this TA.

Describe your project management and monitoring strategy for the implementation of the activities.

Indicate all personnel who are being proposed to implement this project and what their roles and responsibilities will be. Please include all their CVs.

Provide estimate LOE and consulting rates for principal(s) implementing the project.

Please apply with your resume and cover letter by November 8, 2019:

1) Here, on our Career Page and, 

2) To Vicki Campbell, EDM Program Manager, at **************@cowater.com.

Please note that while we thank all applicants, we are only contact short-listed candidates.

Only non-shortlisted applicants who applied through our Career Page will remain in our database for future opportunities.