FELLOW –SUPPORT TO CBC COALITION OF SERVICES INDUSTRIES PROGRAM – BUSINESS AND POLICY ADVOCACY PILLAR

REQUEST FOR  INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANTS TO SUBMIT CVS

FOR A CONSULTANT POST OF

FELLOW –SUPPORT TO CBC COALITION OF SERVICES INDUSTRIES PROGRAM – BUSINESS AND POLICY ADVOCACY PILLAR

A.   BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

The COMESA Business Council (CBC) is a member-based private sector institution of the Common Market of Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA). CBC is the only recognized regional apex body of the private sector, with the mandate as the “Voice of the Private sector” within the COMESA region. The institution represents private sector interests in all spectrum of business, ranging from policy and business advocacy, business development and trade capacity building. One of the key objectives of the CBC is to upscale enterprises, most especially Small and Medium Enterprises to compete effectively at a regional and international level; and to influence policy on behalf of business to the highest levels of decision making in the region, hence creating a more conducive environment to do business in the region.

Under Chapters twenty three and twenty four of the COMESA Treaty, the CBC advocacy position is further solidified as per constitutional agreements to take part in the meetings of the Technical Committees and make recommendations to the Intergovernmental Committee as a Policy Organ of COMESA. The representatives to meetings are accompanied by such experts and advisers as the CBC may deem necessary for its effective functioning on various advocacy agendas. The CBC Secretariat has established three pillars with targeted services to its membership within;-

                              i.        Trade Policy and Business Advocacy Pillar;

                             ii.        Business Development services and linkages Pillar; and

                            iii.        Membership development services Pillar;

General activities under the pillars include; business/policy advocacy, business partnerships and linkages, trade capacity development and promotion, business/market information and intelligence, Regional Public-Private Dialogues.  As part of its institutional strengthening, CBC has been seeking support from various partners to drive specific private sector led programs implemented through the CBC National Focal Points.  Of key interest is the establishment and/or coordination of the Coalition of Services Industries Associations at the national level, which would form a Regional Services Group/network under the CBC. This activity lies within the Trade Policy and Business Advocacy Pillar. 

As part of International Lawyers and Economists Against Poverty (ILEAP) capacity building efforts and collaboration with the COMESA Secretariat and CBC, ILEAP will support the placement of a full-time CBC-ILEAP Fellow within the COMESA Business Council - Trade Policy and Business Advocacy Pillar.   The aim of such support would be to provide critical assistance to the COMESA Business Council on trade and development issues more generally, but specifically in the area of trade in services (and related areas).  The Fellow will thus be charged primarily with:

·      Coordinating the CBC Secretariat’s work on trade in services and the formation of service coalitions, including other related activities as designated by the CBC Secretariat.

·      Acting as a Private Sector focal point on services related issues with Member States (in particular as related to implementation and negotiations under the COMESA region , but also, as relevant, WTO and EPA)

·      Serving as a private sector liaison for the COMESA Business Council between Member States - Public and Private Sector, ILEAP and other development partners working on these issues;

B.   MAIN OBJECTIVE

The primary objective of this activity is to implement the Secretariat’s activities in the business and policy advocacy pillar in general and in setting up national and regional sectoral services associations/coalitions in particular.

C.   SPECIFIC TASKS

The specific tasks of this assignment include but not limited to the following:

·         Provide general technical support to the COMESA Business Council;

·         Work with the COMESA Business Council membership to coordinate work in services (linking sector development, regional integration and other negotiations), including other related activities within Trade and Business Advocacy as designated by the CBC Coordinator;

·         Support the CBC in working with Member States to advance the implementation of existing commitments on trade in services as well as prepare for negotiation of future negotiations;

·         Serve as a liason between the CBC, COMESA Member States, and/or with CBCs approval  ILEAP, working on services and other trade related and membership advocacy  issues;

·         Assist in infusing services-related issues into the design of future support programmes and projects with the CBC;

·         Engage in CBC related research and the preparation of analytical papers with ILEAP on negotiating interests and options in the COMESA Region; and

·         Any other activities as directed by the COMESA Business Council. 

D.   CONSULTANT QUALIFICATION AND EXPERIENCE

·         The consultant should have the following qualifications, experience and attributes:

Nationality:

·         The Fellow must be a national of one of the COMESA Member States, with a Private Sector Background, and ideally recommended by the respective CBC National Focal Points.

Skills:

·         The Fellow must have excellent communication skills (in English). Working knowledge of French would be considered a significant advantage.

·         The Fellow should preferably have an advanced legal background (e.g. LLM), with demonstrated knowledge of economics and an in-depth understanding of issues surrounding regional integration and trade in services (including on sector development, regulatory reform and negotiations).  A strong graduate-level economic background covering these issues is also acceptable (e.g. MA/MSc).

·         Special consideration will be given to women candidates who equally meet the other criteria in the person specification.

Experience:

The Fellow should preferably have at least 3-5 years direct experience working in the private sector on topics related to service sector development, regulatory issues and/or services negotiations.

E.   DELIVERABLES /END PRODUCTS

·         The expected products are as follows:

                      i.        A fully functional regional network of services sector informed from existing sectoral associations at the national level;

                     ii.        Increase membership of the CBC from the service sector;

                    iii.        Private sector policy position sector clearly articulated and represented at the decision making level;

                   iv.        Significant information dissemination and capacity building in business development for the SMEs in the services sector delivered;

                    v.        Full engagement and commitment from private sector on supporting the regional integration agenda of unlocking the potential in the services industry

F.    DURATION OF THE CONSULTANCY

The consultancy shall require a period of six months of individual consultancy input , with a provision for renewal for an additional six months.

G.   PAYMENT TERMS AND CONDITIONS

The consultancy fees attached to this post is a lump sum of US$3,000.00 per month. No other allowances are payable.

H.   SUBMISSION

 Written applications should be submitted electronically to COMESA Procurement Unit at procurement@comesa.int with copies jkinyele@comesa.int  and before 12:00 hours on 5 October 2012.

Submissions should include the following:

                      i.        Updated CV of consultant including the e-mail and telephone contacts

                     ii.        Cover letter detailing their understanding of the task and highlighting experience and expertise in similar work;

                   iii.        copies of academic certificates.

 Only individual consultants with the required profile are encouraged to apply.