Revitalising Multilateral Trade Cooperation in a Multipolar World: A Sustained Dialogue between Developing Country Think-tanks and Developed Country Peers The South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) is looking for a consultant to carry out an analytical review of the World Bank Grant Facility funded project on revitalising the multilateral trading system. Enclosed is the Terms of Reference (ToR) for the provision of technical advisory and implementation of an analytical review of the project. SAIIA invites interested consultants to submit their EOI and accompanying documents outlined in the ToR. EOIs should be submitted to the following address in either word or pdf format by 16h00 on 23 March 2015 to: Janine Mitchell Email: janine.mitchell@yahoo.ca PLEASE SEND WITH THE EMAIL HEADING: SAIIA EOI 23 March 2015 Queries should be directed to: Memory Dube Email: Memory.dube@saiia.org.za
Terms of Reference (ToR) Revitalising Multilateral Trade Cooperation in a Multipolar World: A Sustained Dialogue between Developing Country Think-tanks and Developed Country Peers 1. OVERVIEW Supported by the World Bank s Development Grant Facility, the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA), in partnership with the Cordell Hull Institute and developing country think tanks in: Bangladesh, China, Brazil, South Korea, and India, 1 has undertaken a project aimed at promoting dialogue in developing countries on the future of the WTO since 2014. This two-year project is nearing its end, and, according to the Grant Agreement between the World Bank and SAIIA, the project is subject to an independent monitoring and evaluation process. SAIIA is soliciting proposals for the development and implementation of this final evaluation, which, among other things, will provide both the World Bank, SAIIA and its institutional partners with important feedback to learn from this experience. 2. BACKGROUND As the World Trade Organization enters a period of adjustment after the Bali package negotiated in December 2013, which included a new trade facilitation accord, there is a need to search for new ideas that can assist in revitalising multilateral trade negotiations. These negotiations must face numerous established challenges, while also adapting to emerging trends in global trade. The continued importance of Global Value Chains, for example, could increase the benefits associated with further integration of the world economy, while at the same time challenging those marginal to them. Many countries also have to adapt to the rise of mega-regional Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), such as the Transpacific Partnership and Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, which threaten to distract the advanced economies from participation in WTO negotiations and institutions. This World Bank-funded project, initiated by the Cordell Hull Institute and coordinated by the South African Institute of International Affairs in partnership with a network of primarily developing-world think tanks, aims to examine what these changes mean for global trade, and how negotiations can be realigned to overcome new and established challenges. The outcomes of a series of expert roundtables convened in major emerging economies will be published to feed into multilateral trade negotiations. Roundtables were hosted in South Korea, Brazil and South Africa during the first phase in Fiscal Year 2014. The project is now in its second phase with major activities to be concluded by end-june 2015. During this second phase, a project discussion, which served as a dissemination event was hosted in Geneva, a Roundtable was held in Bangladesh and another Roundtable is scheduled for April 2015 in 1 The partner think-tanks are: Centre for Policy Dialogue (Dhaka); China Center for International Development (Tianjin); Cordell Hull Institute (Washington DC); Fundação Getulio Vargas (Sao Paolo); Instituto de Pesquisa Econômica Aplicada (Brasilia); Korea Institute for International Economic Policy (Seoul); South African Institute for International Affairs (Johannesburg); Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (New Delhi); and, the Global Governance Programme at the European University Institute in Florence.
China, dovetailing a day later into a dissemination event in Hong Kong. Further dissemination activities are anticipated in advance of the project s conclusion in June 2015. For more information on the project, please visit: http://www.thetradebeat.com/trade-agreements/restoring-multilateral-trade-cooperation 3. OBJECTIVES The project is intended to promote discussion amongst key players in the multilateral trading system, focusing on think-tanks as over the horizon thinkers and influencers. The project s core objective is to strengthen, where possible, discourse over multilateral trade issues between key actors in developed and developing economies. Specifically, its broad aims are: Strengthening dialogue and cooperation between advanced and advancing economies in the multilateral trade system administered by the WTO; Bringing together policy-oriented think-tanks in emerging markets and developing economies in collaborative discourse with experts and research institutes in advanced economies; Achieving strong regional representation, by ensuring that roundtables are held in as many represented regions as possible. Within this, the project aims to involve domestic stakeholders in the host country and regions that have real interests in advancing the multilateral trade agenda. This particularly means focusing on businesses particularly companies but also organized business, and addressing their concerns with tailored analytical inputs from the research community that resonate with practical trade issues. Program Results Framework The results framework, as set out below, is intended to demonstrate SAIIA s contribution to achieving the project objectives, as well as the extent to which sub-grantees have contributed to the overall project. As coordination and implementing partner, SAIIA has strategic oversight of the project and will focus on the results framework set out in Table 1 below. Table 1
Each of the sub-grantees, and SAIIA representing South Africa, will be responsible for reporting against the framework captured in Table 2 below. Table 2 4. OUTPUTS From April 2015, the consultant will work closely with SAIIA as well as the project partners in the evaluation of the project. The main objective of this evaluation exercise will be to: Assess whether, and to what extent, the project has contributed to greater engagement of policymakers with the business and research communities in emerging markets, Assess whether multilateral cooperation on trade and investment-related policies has increased amongst countries engaged through the project; Assess the extent to which the countries engaged in the project related activities continue to use multilateral auspices (embodied by the WTO) for identifying issues of national interest; Assess the regional and domestic interest and participation in issues of interest raised by the Roundtables and related activities within the project. It is recommended that the consultant should be available to attend the China Roundtable, as well as the final global dissemination event as part of the project evaluation process. The consultant will inter alia undertake the following tasks: Review all relevant project documents, including the original project proposal or concept note, any and all reports submitted to the World Bank so far; Design a detailed evaluation plan, including surveys and other tools, in close collaboration with SAIIA; Attend the last discussion roundtable and the last dissemination event, with a view to assessing first-hand the extent to which the project is achieving its objectives, Interview relevant stakeholders whose contacts will be provided by SAIIA and its institutional partners; Collate and codify the data collected during the evaluation process; Present the draft evaluation report to the project managers at the World Bank and project partners, including SAIIA and the Advisory Board for discussion and feedback; and Conclude the draft report for final submission. The consultant shall familiarise themselves with the generally accepted principles and standards of development evaluation, such as those in the IEG/DAC Sourcebook for Evaluating Global and
Regional Partnership Programs: Indicative Principles and Standards, 2007 and apply these in the evaluation of this project. 5. STAKEHOLDERS The project has been managed by SAIIA since its implementation; however, the Institute has been assisted by an advisory group made up of the think tanks invited to host roundtables in their respective regions plus representatives of the Cordell Hull Institute, European University Institute (Global Governance Programme) and the World Bank. The advisory group typically meet in the margins of the roundtables with a view to providing guidance to the hosts of the roundtables on the focus and format of each event, the proposed programmes, and research outcomes inter alia in line with the overall objectives of the project. 6. QUALIFICATION/SKILLS/KNOWLEDGE To be considered for appointment, the consultant should have the following qualifications, skills and knowledge: 6.1. An advanced degree (Master or PhD). Preferably in political science or international relations, however evaluation or other appropriate study area will also be considered. 6.2. A minimum of 5 years professional experience specifically related to design and implementation of monitoring and evaluation assessments at regional or global programme level. 6.3. Preferably knowledge and experience on issues of multilateral trade and/or investment. 6.4. Experience working in diverse developing regions. 6.5. Proven ability to write and present complex, multi-stakeholder, multi-country issues. 6.6. Excellent English written and oral communication skills. 7. DURATION AND DELIVERY The following includes the activity breakdown: 7.1. 04 April Appointment of Consultant 7.2. 09 to 14 April 2015 Travel to China and Hong Kong for roundtable and dissemination event 7.3. September 2015 - Submission of draft evaluation report to SAIIA 7.4. December 2015 Submission of final draft of evaluation report to SAIIA 8. REMUNERATION Remuneration will be as negotiated with the consultant. 9. TRAVEL
The consultant will be required to travel to the final roundtable in Beijing, China in early April 2015 and to one of the dissemination events in Hong Kong, also in April 2015. 10. APPLICATION PROCESS Interested consultants should submit an EOI including the following: Technical offer: Budget: An overview of services to be completed by the consultant; A brief explanation of the consultant s approach to monitoring and evaluation; A concise explanation of the tools and methodology the consultant will employ during the final evaluation; A proposed time-line for the evaluation (including data collection, analysis, report preparation phases) A list of evaluations, baseline studies, and other relevant work; Three professional references (name, relationship, email and phone number) A budget detailing consulting fees and other inputs required for the consultancy. EOIs should be submitted to the following address in either word or pdf format by 16h00 on 23 March 2015 EOIs should be submitted to: Janine Mitchell Email: janine.mitchell@yahoo.ca PLEASE SEND WITH THE EMAIL HEADING: SAIIA EOI 23 March 2015