Industry and trade / Trade and services

The TA is to promote integration within the GMS and with countries outside the region, by facilitating the movements of goods and people, and by building up the capacity for trade policy making and application. Part 1 of the TA aims to assist the GMS countries to operationalize the Strategic Framework for Action for Trade Facilitation and Investment (SFA-TFI) by delivering the following outputs: (i) national plans or road maps -- time-bound and coordiniated at the regional level through the Trade Facilitation Working Group (TFWG), and a regional work program for the TFWG for implementing the SFA-TFI; (ii) national institutional mechanismas for coordinating the SFA-TFI including strengthening of the trade facilitation focal point and core teams; and (iii) identification of capacity building and training needs, as well as targeted training acitivites. The TA will explore collaboration, and coordination with international organizations, related initiatives under other regional cooperation programs, such as ASEAN and the Ayeyawaddy-Chao Phraya-Mekong Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS), etc., and the private sector stakeholders.

Part 2 of the TA will deliver the following outputs: 1) institutional strengthening of International Institute of Trade and Development (TD); 2) material and training module development; 3) training of modules will be identified and trained; 4) support the development of networks, information system and information dissemination to promote understanding of economic integration issues in GMS; and 5) enhance the capacity of ITD and GMS countries to undertake specific research.

Part 1 of the TA will be implemented by an international consulting firm under close supervision of ADB staff. The consultants will be selected and engaged using QCBS, in accordance with ADB's Guidelines on the Use of Consultants. A total of 15 person-months is anticipated for the international consultants' input. This will comprise a trade facilitation expert/team leader (6 person-months), a customs expert (4 person-months), and an inspection and quarantine expert (5 person-months). They will be supported by the domestic research assistants, with a total of 20 person-months input, who have extensive research in areas related to trade facilitation, such as customs procedures, trade logistics development, standards, or business mobility. The domestic research assistantts will be engaged together with the firm. In addition, an international expert with extensive experience on institution building for trade facilitation will be recruited on an individual basis for 4 person-months.

Part 2 will be implemented by a team of four international consultants for 10 person-months; and two domestic consultants for 10 person-months. All consultants will be recruitied by ADB on an individual basis. The team will comprise an international institutional specialist/team leader, an expert on trade in services and investment issues, an expert on WTO economics, and trade in goods, an expert on trade law, and two domestic consultants on trade economics and law. In line with the recommendation of the consultant team, a pool of regional resource persons targeted as regional trainers will be identified, trained, and will conduct selected research studies.