Annex one. Terms of Reference (ToR)

Transcription

1 Annex one Terms of Reference (ToR) Developing a Business Plan for Alternative Funding tor The Trade Policy Training Centre In Africa (trapca) July 2012 P O Box 3030, Arusha Tanzania

2 1.0 Background The Trade Policy Training Centre in Africa (trapca) seeks the services of a Consultant to undertake a write up of a detailed document outlining the business plan of trapca. The Business Plan will highlight approaches for alternative future source of financing of female participants and participants from Least Developed Countries (LDCs). trapca was inaugurated in December 2006 with the mandate of providing training and technical expertise on trade issues to professionals in Least Developed Countries (LDCs). trapca embarked on creating a critical mass of trade experts that would foster more efficient integration arrangements for LDC and low income countries at both the multilateral, regional and bilateral levels. Since 2006, officials from the public sector, private sector, civil society and members of parliament have been trained on trade law covering the WTO law, dispute settlement and resolution, trade negotiations, trade analysis and trade policy. Within the first five years trapca experienced a growth trajectory in terms of programming and outreach, the growth was also more dramatic in terms of the quality, depth, diversity and focus of courses. The WTO/OECD report 1 on Aid for trade success story of trapca concluded that the original aim for trapca was to be self-sustained after the initial phase, with resources coming mainly from participants fees, staff consultancy service and contributions from ESAMI member states. However, this has proved unrealistic. Without grant funding from Sida, trapca may well be in a position to survive as a sub-unit of ESAMI, but it would have to focus on attracting paying participants. Since such participants are likely to come from countries with higher income levels, course contents may have to change to reflect issues that are relevant to these countries. It would be difficult for Trapca to continue targeting professionals from LDCs and low income SSA countries, with priority given to women, since they are not expected to be able to afford paying the tuition fees. As a consequence, Sida considered extending its support to trapca to allow more time for developing a sustainable business model, which includes alternative sources of funding. Such 1 WTO/OECD AID-FOR-TRADE CASE STORY, SWEDEN, JANUARY

3 alternatives may include pan-african or regional bodies or other donors/multilateral organisations. Preserving the neutrality of trapca is a key concern. The evolution of the training activities is reflected in the growing number of participants captured by participant weeks and the number of applicants for the courses. The implications of the growing number of participants acquiring critical skills from the training programmes at trapca is reflected in the tracer and impact study findings. The analysis of the data collected on a study done by Mr. Olowoye2 in 2008 and the tracer survey done in 2010, indicate that there was a 20% increase on the number of graduates who were able to apply knowledge and skills acquired at trapca, out of a response count of 195 graduates. Specifically, 59%(71) affirmed the application of skills related to policy analysis, 43% (52) were involved in drafting policies and 34% (41) were active in trade negotiations at different levels. In terms of policy dialogues, trapca has successfully organised four categories of trade policy dialogues: the Annual Trade Conference, the Trade Policy Research Forum, the Public-Private Sector Forum and the Tripartite FTA Forum. The participation numbers rose from 64 in 2006 to about 1300 as of This growth in participation signals an important recognition and visibility that trapca plays in trade policy capacity building in LDCs and Low Income sub- Saharan African countries. However, this positive trend is meeting a challenge that threatens the growing numbers of those trained. The new Agreement between ESAMI and Sweden requires ESAMI/ trapca to charge on participants to raise revenue up to 9% in 2011 and 15% to 25% by end of This will even become more critical post 2015 when participants will be required to pay 100% of their training costs. The requirement enshrined in the agreement to generate financial sustainability is gradually denying potential trainees who may not afford the opportunity to acquire the needed skills in international trade policy. 2 In November 2008 Mr. Olugbenga Adeola Olowoye prepared a dissertation for his ESAMI MBA Thesis entitled Lessons and Best Practices in Capacity Building of Training Institutions The Case of Trade Policy Training Centre in Africa (TRAPCA) this study was instrumental in setting baseline data on trapca programmes. 3

4 The data in trapca possession (from the Training Needs Assessment (TNA) reports, students and faculty evaluation reports, the study by Mr. Olowoye in 2008, the 2009 Mid Term Review (MTR) report and Tracer Survey report in 2010), reveal that there is a strong demand for trapca courses. However, it is not clear as to whether that demand will be as strong if the courses were offered at commercial rates. The experience since onset of tuition fees for courses has affirmed this fear as the numbers significantly dropped when participants were charged fees to attend courses. The experience from charging fees signals that beyond 2015, there is need for strategic and concrete approaches that ensure sustainability of this desired capacity building initiative. Therefore, to mitigate negative impacts of this challenge management plans to develop a funding strategy beyond phase two of Swedish Government funding. 2.0 Scope of Work The assignment will involve development of a comprehensive business plan and funding strategy for a five-year period, The plan should propose the best business model for trapca that will take care of the interests of the core constituency- LDC and women participants. 3.0 Objective The objective for developing the business plan for the Trade Policy Training Centre in Africa is to provide guidance on how to make trapca sustainable beyond The business plan is envisaged to address the following specific objectives: 1. Quantify demand for trade policy and trade law courses and estimate market share against competitors in the market 2. Propose funding strategies for females participants and participants from least developed countries 3. Identify different approaches and viable strategies for engaging both the private and public sector and other donor organizations in financing trapca s training activities while still keeping trapca s independence. 4. Develop an implementation funding/resource mobilisation and utilisation strategy 5. Propose potential actors who can fund the operations and training activities of trapca 6. Present a structure of how trapca shall fit into the ESAMI structure beyond Propose different approaches and viable strategies for funding of trapca beyond 2015 by generating different business scenarios. 8. Update the trapca strategic plan from 2012 to

5 4.0 Project Deliverables The main deliverable for this assignment will be a write up of a detailed document outlining the business plan of trapca. The business plan will highlight the approaches for alternative future source of financing of trapca participants and operations. The deliverables defined below are the minimum requirements for the execution of the assignment. However the external Consultant is free to produce additional information but these should be described explicitly in the proposal. Work Plan Inception Report Progress reports Workshop of Presentations of findings Draft Report Final Report 4.1 Work Plan The Consultant shall prepare a detailed Work Plan upon notification of award of contract. The plan shall take the form of a detailed description of the steps to be followed in the development of the business plan process. This plan will indicate the sequencing and staging of tasks, key decision points, the expected completion date for each task and the interrelationship between the completion of the tasks and the preparation of the deliverables. The Work Plan shall be delivered to the Executive Director for review and approval prior to commencing work. 4.2 The Inception Report The Inception report will take into account the views of stakeholders in highlighting the approaches for seeking alternative future source of financing for trapca. The following should be included but not limited to: a) Description of funding challenges for female participants and participants from Least Developed Countries, recent training funding challenges in the public sector, including institutional and government policy on training scholarships in the area of trade policy Discussion and analysis of the challenges that trapca participants encounter in accessing 5

6 funding; and how it limits current potential participants from attending trapca activities and training. b) Defining and addressing trapca s sustainability. c) Propose a viable business model that takes cognizance of the modes of sustainability defined in (c), the target clientele, the dynamics of the capacity-building climate, the dynamics of the economic environment of the target groups of countries, the changing interests of potential funders. d) Propose how new funding partners will collaborate with trapca. 4.3 Progress Reports Written progress reports, highlighting activities undertaken, results achieved and outlining any unexpected delays, problems or difficulty that arise, as the assignment progresses shall be submitted regularly as agreed upon with trapca. 4.4 Workshop on Presentations of Findings The Consultant will facilitate a workshop to present the findings of the assignment. The audience will be agreed upon with trapca. The workshop discussions and recommendations will provide input into the draft report. 4.5 Draft Report The Consultant shall prepare a Draft Report for general circulation and review by trapca. After review of the Draft Report, a complete Final Report shall be prepared. The Draft Report shall be considered as a dry run for the Final Report. All issues to be covered by the final report shall be addressed, and the Draft Report shall not be prepared until the assignment has sufficiently far advanced that no significant new information will be introduced between the Draft Report preparation and preparation of the Final Report. The Consultant should include a draft business plan in the draft report that should include but not limited to: A brief description of the trapca, Analysis of trapca current business Description and analysis of trapca s market Analysis of the potential for business growth 6

7 Funding requirements Propose ways in which a scholarship fund can work to cater for women participants and LDCs Prospects for strategic partnerships that: o Identify the institutions and responsible officers o Outline the capability and experience, and analysis of how this relate to trapca o Document how the partnerships would be organized and coordinated o Comment on the compatibility between each proposed partner with trapca o Document how each partner would contribute financial, human or material resources related to the implementation trapca activities Updated strategic plan up to 2020 Annexure of the trapca funding implementation plan 4.6 Final Report The Consultant shall prepare the Final Report for acceptance by trapca following a thorough review of the Draft Reports and satisfactory resolution of all issues raised during the review period. The Final Report shall include, but not be limited to the following information: Description of work undertaken as per ToR A detailed analysis of the funding strategies for female participants and participants from least developed countries Develop an implementation funding/resource mobilisation and utilisation strategy A structure of how trapca shall fit into the ESAMI structure A ranking of priority issues for implementation 5.0 Required skills and experience The Consultant will be required to have the following qualifications, expertise and experience: 5.1 Education: The consulting Team should have educational background in the following: 7

8 Postgraduate qualification in business and management, marketing strategy or development or trade economics, trade law, international relations or any business related filed. 5.2 Knowledge and experience: The consulting Team should have knowledge and experience as following: Significant post qualification experience Strategy and Business Analysis Financial Analysis Research and Analyses techniques Knowledge of/and or experience of the Not For Profit, and/or development sectors Demonstrated experience and understanding of the education sector in the region and in other continents Knowledge of trade policy and legal issues Monitoring and Evaluation Preparation of similar assignment in the past 6.0 Resources 6.1 Duration and Timing The Consultant is to commence work on or before 01 December The duration of the input of the Consultant will be 60 man-days. 6.2 Budget To be determined by trapca. 8

9 7.0 Project Organisation 7.1 Key Roles and Stakeholders The following table below list the key roles and stakeholders for the assignment. The list below is not exhaustive. Role Who Responsibilities Project Director Mr. Peter Kiuluku Project Leadership Academic Director Dr Hans Falck Project Academic and Quality issues Task Manager Mr. David Kalaba Internal Process Consultant Project Sponsor Sweden Mr Peter Cederblad Funding Project Monitor ESAMI Quality assurance Project Stakeholders Dr Caiphas Chekwoti Mr James Ngwira Ms Beatrice Wangari Project methodology and academic issues Academic issues Marketing issues Other stakeholders involve trapca Board, partners, global faculty, and ESAMI s Finance and Marketing and Business Development departments. 8.0 Reporting arrangement The Consultant will report to the Executive Director of trapca and work in close collaboration with the Principal Finance and Administration Officer of trapca, the Internal Process Consultant. 9