Consultants Pool for Technical Assistance to Component 1 – Business Regulations & Institutional Reform

CALL FOR EXPERTS Consultants Pool for Technical Assistance to Component 1 – Business Regulations & Institutional Reform Project: USAID Linkages for Small and Medium Enterprises (LinkSME) Project Expected Duration: As needed depending on the project requirements Location: Vietnam (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and other areas) IESC – the International Executive Service Corps – is a U.S.-based nonprofit that seeks private enterprise solutions to problems of poverty in developing countries and around the world. By providing a mix of technical assistance and volunteer expert support, IESC works with emerging industries, financial institutions, and governments to stabilize economic environments, increase opportunity, and promote growth. We have completed over 25,000 projects in more than 130 countries worldwide. IESC is the implementing organization of Linkages for Small and Medium Enterprises Project funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). USAID LinkSME aims to strengthen the capabilities of the intermediary organizations in Vietnam, such as business associations, export development centers, and SME promotion agencies, in order to facilitate the supplier-buyer relationships between Vietnamese small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and lead firms located in Vietnam and expand Vietnamese SMEs’ capacity to participate in manufacturing supply chains. USAID LinkSME will enhance the business enabling environment by institutionalizing key reforms and strengthening the legal and regulatory framework for SME growth across the nation. Overall, this project will advance the Indo-Pacific vision of improved economic competitiveness and support USAID/Vietnam’s objective of expanding inclusive, market-driven, private sector-led growth. The Project includes 4 components with specific objectives as below:

Component 1: Promoting institutional reform, streamlining regulations and administrative procedures, cutting down compliance cost to enhance the competitiveness of SMEs
Component 2: Promoting an e-Government to improve government-to-business interactions, and facilitate SMEs’ investment, business and international integration
Component 3: Improving SMEs’ supply capacity and strengthening business linkages between SMEs and global value chains
Component 4: Project management, engagement of consultants, communication, and monitoring

IESC is establishing a pool of qualified local (Vietnamese) consultants for Technical Assistance to Component 1 for the USAID LinkSME project (the overall activity plan of this Component as per the approved Project Document is enclosed below in Annex 1 of this Call for Experts) until September 2023. After being selected to this pool, the consultants will sign with a principle agreement/contract (called a Blanket Purchase Agreement) with IESC, containing general provisions applied to all specific assignments under the LinkSME Project that the consultants will be invited to and accept to engage in. Depending on the nature of each specific activity and workload and based on the agreement of the government partner of that activity, a scope of work for each specific assignment will be developed, based on which IESC will select relevant consultants, with priority given to those in this pool. Each activity will have a designated point-person from the project’s technical staff. The Consultant will report directly to this technical staff member depending on the activity that the consultant is supporting. For this purpose, IESC calls for interest from individuals with the relevant qualifications in institutional reform, regulatory and policy research and development, or similar skill sets to apply to be in the LinkSME Project Consultants Pool – Component 1. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Consultants will provide necessary technical assistance to activities under Component 1 of the USAID LinkSME Project, including but not limited to:

Work directly with the Office of Government of Vietnam (responsible counterpart for Component 1) and other relevant stakeholders including government and non-government agencies to provide technical inputs/comments to specific technical products relating to business regulation/policy reforms.
Research and develop technical products such as training materials, technical reports on business regulation/policy reforms, technical tools to facilitate the reform process.
Conduct policy research including surveys and write reports on business environment and policy recommendations.
Attend/facilitate, prepare materials for and make technical comments at technical meetings/workshop/seminars and field surveys on the relevant topics.

Specific tasks and deliverables will be determined in the job description of each assignment, which will be developed at the stage of preparing for the implementation of a specific activity as approved in the annual Project workplan (activities are included below in Annex 1). QUALIFICATIONS:

Vietnamese national;
Master’s degree or higher in economics, law, or other related fields;
Minimum 5 years of work experience in economic and business policy research or development;
Prior experience working with government agencies responsible for business regulations is a plus;
Demonstrated research skills;
Maturity, professionalism, positive attitude, and self-motivation;
Experience working for USAID project is an advantage.

IESC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Please note that this position is intended for a Vietnamese national only. CV and letter of interest could be either in English or Vietnamese. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and qualified candidates may be contacted to join the consultant pool. ANNEX 1 OVERALL ACTIVITY PLAN OF COMPONENT 1 1. Promoting institutional reform, streamlining regulations and administrative procedures, cutting down compliance cost to enhance the competitiveness of SMEs 1.1 Assess and propose reductions and cutoffs of business conditions/procedures, evaluate reform effect 1.1.1 Assess the CCAP indicator by enterprises 1.1.2 Review, assess and propose reductions and cutoffs of business conditions 1.1.3 Assess the implementation of the solutions and policies on SME development support, propose a strategic plan for SME development 1.1.4 Review and propose reductions and cutoffs of processes, procedures and legal provisions 1.1.5 Events to launch studies/researches, proposals or achievements of the business environment improvement efforts 1.2 Study and assess the effectiveness of policy and institutional reforms, compare them with other countries 1.3 Gather breakthrough lessons and solutions adopted by countries around the world 1.4 Improve capacity to implement reforms and improve the business environment 1.4.1 Training courses; conferences, workshops, surveys/domestic connections and capacity building events 1.4.2 Study teams/missions to learn about international experiences on reform and improvement of the business environment 1.5 Propose options to improve policies, mechanisms, and general business environment 1.6 M&E: Phase 1 Evaluation, Mid-term evaluation and final evaluation 1.7 Launching and closing ceremonies of the Project APPLY NOW

Tags: LinkSME Project