Summary
The Regional Trade for Development (RT4D) initiative is funded by both the Governments of Australia and New Zealand. It assists ASEAN Member States (AMS) in meeting their commitments and realising the advantages offered by the Agreement establishing the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area, or AANZFTA, and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, or RCEP.
Through the AANZFTA Implementation Support Program (AISP) and the RCEP Implementation Support Program (RISP), RT4D provides tailored support to enhance the capabilities of ASEAN Member States by strengthening skills, building networks, facilitating policy options and ensuring that trade benefits everyone, including Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), women and people with disabilities.
The Governments of Australia and New Zealand have committed up to AUD 53.3 million to fund RT4D from 2020-21 to 2027-28.
Project Summary
The RCEP Implementation Support Program (RISP), implemented RT4D Facility, aims to support AMS to realise the full benefits of RCEP through the provision of capacity-building support and access to technical expertise.
The following two projects are approved under RISP.
- Project 1: Operationalising the National SPS Committee through joint systems, tools and pilots for RCEP implementation
- Project 2: Inclusive Digital Transformation under RCEP: Strengthening Stakeholder Capacity for Compliance with Updated SPS Regulations in Lao PDR
Description
The Opportunity
RT4D is seeking a consultant (a firm or an individual expert) (hereafter referred to as "the Consultant") to manage and deliver two (2) separate Project Designs for both projects mentioned above. The delivery will follow standard RT4D templates and be subject to comments, amendments, and approval from the RT4D Facility Team, the Project Proponents and Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).
The general competencies and qualifications the Consultant should demonstrate, include (but are not limited to):
General Technical and Experience Requirements
- Demonstrated expertise in project design for donor-funded programs, including development of theories of change, results frameworks, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) frameworks, risk assessments, and implementation-ready project design
- Strong experience conducting policy, institutional, regulatory, and stakeholder analysis, and translating findings into practical and evidence-based project design
- Proven experience in designing and facilitating mixed-methods research, stakeholder consultations, key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and synthesis of qualitative and quantitative evidence to inform project
- Strong facilitation and stakeholder engagement skills, including experience working with government agencies, development partners, private sector stakeholders, and civil society organisations during project formulation processes.
- Demonstrated expertise in Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI), including integration of GEDSI considerations into research methodologies, stakeholder engagement approaches, project design, and results frameworks.
- Strong analytical, report writing, and communication skills, with demonstrated ability to produce high-quality project design documents, policy briefs, operational frameworks, and strategic recommendations.
- Proven ability to manage iterative project design processes, including synthesising stakeholder feedback, responding to technical comments, and producing high-quality revised and final project design documents that reflect agreed priorities and
- Experience working with the Government of Lao PDR, development partners, and regional stakeholders, including ASEAN Member States and programs supported by the Governments of Australia and New Zealand, is highly desirable.
Project-Specific Expertise Requirements
Project 1:
- Demonstrated expertise in Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) systems, food safety, agricultural health regulation, and implementation of SPS-related commitments under RCEP, WTO, ASEAN, or similar regional frameworks.
- Experience analysing and designing institutional coordination mechanisms, inspection systems, certification processes, digital regulatory tools, and inter-agency governance arrangements relevant to SPS implementation and trade
Project 2:
- Demonstrated experience in regulatory capacity development, competency assessment, and the design of training frameworks, guidance materials, and institutional learning systems for government officials and regulatory stakeholders.
- Strong understanding of SPS regulatory implementation, inspection procedures, border control processes, and compliance requirements affecting agricultural and food value chains, with the ability to translate technical requirements into practical capacity-building and knowledge-transfer approaches.
Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
Timeline:
Invitation Issue Date: Wednesday 10 June 2026
Last Queries Date: Saturday 20 June 2026
Closing Date and Time: 11:59 PM (AEST) Sunday, 5 July 2026.
Please check RT4D’s website for complete ToR.
RFP - Project Designs - Lao PDR Projects on SPS Systems and Digital Transformation
