REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FOR CONSULTANCY FOR THE PREPARATION OF THE DRAFT PROTOCOL ESTABLISHING THE IGAD FREE TRADE AREA (FTA)

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FOR CONSULTANCY FOR THE PREPARATION OF THE DRAFT PROTOCOL ESTABLISHING THE IGAD FREE TRADE AREA (FTA)

Country: Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD)
Name of Project: IGAD Integration Support Programme (IISuP)
Consulting Services: Preparation of Draft Protocol Establishing The Intergovernmental Authority on Development, IGAD,  Free Trade Area (FTA).
Grant No.: __310____
Expression of Interest: RFEOI/IGAD/IISuP/01/15

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has placed issues of integration on trade at the core of its operations. This is in line with the objectives of the other RECs in the African continent. The integration approach geared toward the establishment of the African Economic Community (AEC), set forth by the Abuja Treaty, was regional in design, and was anchored on the RECs which constitute the pillars and building blocks of the AEC. Cognizant of the various levels of economic advancement existing within the continental Member States and by extension, their respective RECs, the process of integration within the continent is at different stages as defined by the Abuja Treaty within each of the eight RECs of the continent.

In this context, IGAD, the Inter Ministerial Council in its 45th Ordinary session made a decision for establishment of a Free Trade Area (FTA) by December 2014. A road map for the other stages of integration was defined with the formation of a Customs Union by the first half of 2017.

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has received a grant from the African Capacity Building Foundation (the ACBF.) in an amount equivalent to USD 1,000,000.00 (One Million USD) towards the cost of IGAD Integration Support Programme (IISuP) and intends to apply a portion of the proceeds of this grant to eligible payments under the contract for Consultancy Services to prepare the Draft Protocol Establishing The  Intergovernmental Authority on  Development, IGAD,  Free Trade Area (FTA).

The overall objective of this assignment is to develop a comprehensive draft Protocol on an IGAD Free Trade Area that would be viewed positively by the various organs of the institutions and be ready for adoption by the Heads of States Summit.  The draft protocol would address the very dynamic economic situations of all the member countries including their membership to other RECs and other negotiations that they may have initiated with other economic and trade institutions.

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development, IGAD, now invites eligible and qualified Individual Consultants to indicate their interest in providing the services. Interested Individual Consultants must provide information indicating that they are qualified to perform the services giving a description of similar assignments undertaken.

An Individual Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Procedures set out in the African capacity Building Foundation’s Procurement Guidelines for Grant Recipients (July 2011) which can be downloaded from the ACBF website: www.acbf-pact.org. Expression of Interest clearly marked “Expression of Interest” together with updated CVs, for Consultancy services to prepare  the Draft Protocol Establishing the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, IGAD, Free Trade Area (FTA)  and can be submitted through email using the following address below on or before 2:00pm local time on 01 February 2016.

Procurement Unit
Administration and Finance, IGAD Secretariat
Avenue Georges Clemenceau
P.O.  Box 2653
Tel: +253-21354050 /21312737
E-mail:  procurement@igad.int
Copy to: Email: elsadig.abdalla@igad.int
https://w.w.w.igad.int
Djibouti, Rep. of Djibouti