Request for Proposal – AANZFTA Implementation Support Program (AISP) - Promoting AANZFTA through Communications and Business Engagement
The Regional Trade for Development (RT4D) Facility supports ASEAN Member States to maximise benefits from the upgraded ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (AANZFTA) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Agreement. 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.
Also operating under RT4D is the Trade and Gender Equality Incubator (TGEI), an initiative funded by the Australian Government. The incubator tests ideas and methods, drawing on promising examples, that integrate gender in trade policy, technical cooperation, and development programming. The Governments of Australia and New Zealand have committed up to AUD 48.7 million to fund RT4D from 2020-21 to 2027-28
This project will support a series of connected communications activities to promote AANZFTA throughout the Financial Year 2024-25 (until June 2025) under the AANZFTA Implementation Support Program (AISP) to strengthen public and private sector stakeholders' awareness of its economic benefits.
Objectives:
(i) Increase understanding of AANZFTA, the AANZFTA Upgrade, and AISP activities.
(ii) Build on 2023 AISP-ECWP communications and business engagement initiatives, including:
(iii) Develop business engagement resources to strengthen partnerships with diverse and potentially marginalised communities.
Key Outputs:
Request for Proposal – Regional Trade for Development
Implementation Consultant and Event Organiser for Building Institutional Capacity for Sanitary and Phytosanitary Standards (SPS) Implementation under RCEP
The Regional Trade for Development (RT4D) Facility supports ASEAN Member States to maximise benefits from the upgraded ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (AANZFTA) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Agreement. 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.
Also operating under RT4D is the Trade and Gender Equality Incubator (TGEI), an initiative funded by the Australian Government. The incubator tests ideas and methods, drawing on promising examples, that integrate gender in trade policy, technical cooperation, and development programming. The Governments of Australia and New Zealand have committed up to AUD 48.7 million to fund RT4D from 2020-21 to 2027-28.
This project was created to implement activities that align with RCEP Chapter 5 on SPS. The objective is to enhance the practical application of SPS measures by promoting transparency and understanding of the development processes and applications among relevant stakeholders. The project seeks to strengthen coordination, communication, and consultation among the domestic parties involved in SPS measures, adhering to international standards, guidelines, and recommendations. With support from RCEP and the RT4D program, the fundamental goal of this project is to build the institutional capabilities of key stakeholders at the central and provincial levels under the leadership of FDD. This will set up a foundation to establish a modern, comprehensive, high-quality, and mutually beneficial economic partnership, facilitating regional trade and investment expansion and contributing to global economic growth.
Improving inter-departmental coordination is another crucial component of the project; it will establish a collaborative, dynamic platform for stakeholders such as the FDD, Department of Agriculture (DOA), Department of Livestock and Fisheries (DOLF), and Department of Planning (DOP) to monitor and evaluate the implementation of SPS chapters. This initiative aims to promote transparency, ensuring senior decision-makers and policy formulators have a unified understanding of the SPS chapter and the ASEAN Sectoral Mutual Recognition Arrangement for Inspection and Certification Systems on Food Hygiene for Prepared Foodstuff Products (MRA) guidelines, alongside developing implementation regulations that clarify procedural and operational parameters. This framework seeks to mitigate arbitrary decision-making while reinforcing compliance with national legal standards through stringent oversight and formalised inspection processes.
The specific objectives of this project are to:
KEY INFORMATION
Job Title: Supermarket Linkages Research Consultant
Sector: Customs, Trade and Investment Climate
Position Type: Part-time
Duration/Level of Effort: Short-term
Position Location: Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Contractual arrangement: Eligible for Cambodian residents/citizens only
SUMMARY OF THE PROJECT
The CAPRED Facility is Australia’s flagship bilateral economic development program in Cambodia, focusing on economic recovery and resilience over the next four years, with a possible three-year extension.
The Facility supports Cambodia in implementing a range of necessary economic interventions and reforms to maintain the country’s economic transition. These interventions and reforms are primarily aimed at encouraging more productive and inclusive public and private investment, which promotes a resilient, inclusive and sustainable economy (RISE).
CAPRED interventions fall under three technical components including: Agriculture and Agro-processing; Trade, Investment and Enterprise Development and Infrastructure Development; and one Cross-Cutting component comprising: Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI); Climate Resilient initiatives, and policy support. GEDSI is at the heart of all that CAPRED does.
Request for Proposal – Regional Trade for Development Program
Technical Consultant on AISP Project “Developing National Policies and Laws Related to GRTKTCE; and Empowering Ethnic Communities through strengthening capacity for GRTKTCE protection for Interested ASEAN Member States (AMSs)”
About RT4D
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.
Also operating under RT4D is the Trade and Gender Equality Incubator (TGEI), an initiative funded by the Australian Government. The incubator tests ideas and methods, drawing on promising examples, that integrate gender in trade policy, technical cooperation, and development programming.
The Governments of Australia and New Zealand have committed up to AUD 48.7 million to fund RT4D from 2020-21 to 2027-28.
Project Summary
The AISP Implementation Support Program (AISP), implemented RT4D Facility, aims to support AMS to realise the full benefits of AISP through the provision of capacity-building support and access to technical expertise.
The following project is approved under AISP.
KEY INFORMATION
Job Title: Investment Facilitation Specialist
Sector: Customs, Trade and Investment Climate
Position Type: Part-time
Duration/Level of Effort: Full-term
Position Location: Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Contractual arrangement: “Eligible for individual (local or international) expert”
SUMMARY OF THE PROJECT
The CAPRED Facility is Australia’s flagship bilateral economic development program in Cambodia, focusing on economic recovery and resilience over the next four years, with a possible three-year extension.
The Facility supports Cambodia in implementing a range of necessary economic interventions and reforms to maintain the country’s economic transition. These interventions and reforms are primarily aimed at encouraging more productive and inclusive public and private investment, which promotes a resilient, inclusive and sustainable economy (RISE).
CAPRED interventions fall under three technical components including: Agriculture and Agro-processing; Trade, Investment and Enterprise Development and Infrastructure Development; and one Cross-Cutting component comprising: Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI), Climate Resilient initiatives, and policy support. and policy support. GEDSI is at the heart of all that CAPRED does.
KEY INFORMATION
Job Title: G-PSF Analyst
Sector: Local Governance and Economic Development
Position Type: Short-time (possibly of extension)
Duration/Level of Effort: Full-term
Position Location: Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Contractual arrangement: Eligible for Cambodian residents/citizens only
SUMMARY OF THE PROJECT
Cambodia Australia Partnership for Resilient Economic Development (CAPRED) is Australia’s flagship bilateral economic development facility in Cambodia. Funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and implemented by Cowater International, CAPRED focuses on supporting inclusive economic recovery and boosting resilience and sustainability over the next five years from 2022 to 2027. CAPRED adopts a mix of a programmatic and facility model. The facility model allows CAPRED to flexibly tackle a range of emerging inter-related public and private sector constraints. CAPRED identifies opportunities to promote resilient, inclusive, and sustainable growth (RISE) across different sectors.
KEY INFORMATION
Job Title: G-PSF Associate
Sector: Local Governance and Economic Development
Position Type: Full-time
Duration/Level of Effort: Full-term
Position Location: Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Contractual Arrangement: Eligible for Cambodian residents/citizens only
SUMMARY OF THE PROJECT
Cambodia Australia Partnership for Resilient Economic Development (CAPRED) is Australia’s flagship bilateral economic development facility in Cambodia. Funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and implemented by Cowater International, CAPRED focuses on supporting inclusive economic recovery and boosting resilience and sustainability from 2022 to 2027. CAPRED adopts a mix of a programmatic and facility model. The facility model allows CAPRED to flexibly tackle a range of emerging inter-related public and private sector constraints and opportunities to promote resilient, inclusive, and sustainable growth (RISE) across different sectors.
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.
Also operating under RT4D is the Trade and Gender Equality Incubator (TGEI), an initiative funded by the Australian Government. The incubator tests ideas and methods, drawing on promising examples, that integrate gender in trade policy, technical cooperation, and development programming.
The Governments of Australia and New Zealand have committed up to AUD 48.7 million to fund RT4D from 2020-21 to 2027-28.
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 project is approved under RISP.
o Provide AANZFTA Parties with the latest discussions and outcomes on ISDS reform in other fora.
o Enhance AANZFTA Parties’ understanding of the safeguards to protect governments’ right to regulate as introduced in newer International Investment Agreements (IIAs), and its usage under arbitration cases.
o Align AANZFTA Parties’ understanding on the potential benefits of introducing safeguards to the current ISDS provisions under the AANZFTA.
o Provide recommendations for AANZFTA Parties on the potential modern ISDS safeguard elements that are suitable to be considered for inclusion under the AANZFTA ISDS review.
The Regional Trade for Development (RT4D) Facility supports ASEAN Member States to maximise benefits from the upgraded ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (AANZFTA) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Agreement. Under the operation of the RT4D, the Trade and Gender Equality Incubator (TGEI), with funding support from Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), tests ideas and methods, drawing on promising practice to advance gender equality within trade-related policies, technical cooperation, and development programming.
The General Department of Customs and Excise in Cambodia (GDCE) of the Royal Government of Cambodia is committed to advancing gender equality throughout the whole organisation, at policy, culture, and practice level. TGEI is supporting the GDCE to implement the project Progressing gender equality for all, leading to greater gender equality and inclusion outcomes in GDCE’s policy, practices, and services. In 2024, the GDCE approved an eight-point Gender and Diversity Action Plan to achieve this objective. This work is being conducted in close cooperation with members of the GDCE’s Gender Equality Working Group. The RT4D Facility now seeks a firm/organisation (the Consultant) to support project implementation in line with the project objectives, beneficiaries, outcomes and activities outlined below.
TGEI is supporting the General Department of Customs and Excise (GDCE) through the project “Progressing Gender Equality for All,” which aims to enhance gender equality and inclusion across GDCE’s policies, practices, and services. The project developed an Organisational Gender Equality and Diversity Action Plan for the period of July 2024 to December 2026 with the following intended outcomes:
1. Improved institutional capacity on gender equality and diversity (GED).
2. A safe workplace policy, practice, and culture for all staff and customers.
3. Gender responsive and inclusive trade facilitation for SMEs.
4. Internal recruitment system is prepared to employ and accommodate persons with disabilities in the workplace.
5. Staff and customers who live with disabilities can access GDCE facilities with a high level of safety and comfort.
6. Increased institutional capacity of GDCE to monitor and report the progress of GED initiatives.
7. Increased job satisfaction, particularly among female staff, staff with health conditions, and those with caregiving responsibilities, as well as the provision of flexible work options for all staff.
8. Improved capacity of GDCE staff to effectively integrate GEDSI principles in their communications.
