CONSULTANCY TO GATHER SPS INFORMATION FOR “EAC INFORMATION SHARING PLATFORM (EAC SPS ISP)”.

1. Background

CAB International (CABI), through a contractual arrangement with TradeMark East Africa (TMEA), is working on an initiative to enhance transparency in the application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures in East African Community (EAC), through development of the EAC SPS Information Sharing Platform (EAC SPS ISP). The EAC SPS ISP is expected to:

· Enhance the transparency and visibility of SPS Measures in the EAC,

· Facilitate trade between EAC Partner States and between the EAC region and external trading partners,

· Improve SPS notifications by EAC Partner States through the World Trade Organisation (WTO) system.

The EAC SPS ISP is expected to complement other initiatives in the EAC region by various players, including development cooperation agencies such as USDA/USAID that have come under different projects. **

As part of this initiative, CABI is seeking experts to collect and document all the SPS Measures applied on selected value chains in animal health, plant health and food safety from six EAC Partner States (Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda). The gathered information will be used by TMEA to design the EAC SPS ISP. The experts are expected to submit the collated information to CABI in a standard format (see Appendix

2. Competency of the team of experts

The experts we are seeking should be well experienced in SPS measures as well as the regulatory framework as applied by the six EAC Partner States. Individual bids should provide evidence of expertise in any one of the following; Animal Health, Plant Health or Food Safety. They should also have good knowledge of the envisaged harmonization of SPS measures in the EAC Regional Economic Community. The experts will be expected to work as consultants for the periods to be stated in their individual contracts with CABI.

3. Context of the assignment

The consultants will gather information on all aspects of SPS outlined in Appendix 1 (Please refer to CABI Website for teh detailed TOR). The assignment will involve;

· identifying SPS information needed for the trade in the priority value chains

· identifying appropriate SPS information sources

· gathering the relevant information from these sources

· listing the specific risks associated with each of the value chains that form the basis of regulatory actions specified in import conditions of the countries

· documenting the information in a form that links specified risks for each of the value chains with specified SPS measures

· connecting each of the measures as practiced by countries with specified reference standards

· documenting support services used by business operators and/or competent authorities to support some of the measures e.g. access to laboratory diagnostic and testing services, phytosanitary treatment facilities, quarantine facilities, etc.

4. Approach and methodology

As a preparatory step, the consultant will be introduced to specific activities to be undertaken by CABI and guided on the type of information and information sources to be targeted as well as the level of desired details of SPS risks, SPS measures and reference standards and support services.

The respective consultants for animal health, food safety and plant health will be expected to gather (e.g. through desk review, conduct key informant interviews and/or focus group discussions) and document the information in a standard format (See Appendix 1 from the detailed TOR on CABI Website) for specified value chains in the six EAC Partner States under each of the three SPS components below:

A. Plant health – Commodity/value chains: Maize seed, maize cereal, pulses (beans).

For each of the commodities, seek and document information on the following: Associated risks targeted by official control measures on imports, SPS measures applied, reference standard(s) for each of the measures, source of information on the risks and the measures (provide link (s), responsible competent authority/government agency for execution of the measures, tolerance / acceptable levels of the risks (where applicable), and supporting services e.g. labs, phytosanitary treatment facilities, quarantine facilities, etc for the official controls

B. Food safety – Commodity/value chains: Animal feed and feed ingredients (maize grain), animal feed and feed ingredients (dairy/poultry); maize for human consumption, milk

For each of the commodities, seek and document information on the following: Associated risks targeted by official control measures on imports, SPS measures applied, reference standard(s) for each of the measures, source of information on the risks and the measures (provide link(s), responsible competent authority/government agency for execution of the measures, tolerance / acceptable levels of the risks (where applicable), and supporting services e.g. labs, phytosanitary treatment facilities, quarantine facilities, etc for the official controls

C. Animal health – Commodity/value chains: Day old chicks, live bovine, fish fingerlings

For each of the commodities, seek and document information on the following: Associated risks targeted by official control measures on imports, SPS measures applied, reference standard(s) for each of the measures, source of information on the risks and the measures (provide link(s), responsible competent authority/government agency for execution of the measures, tolerance / acceptable levels of the risks (where applicable), and supporting services e.g. labs, phytosanitary treatment facilities, quarantine facilities, etc for the official controls.

5.Work plan

In submitting a bid for this assignment, each consultant is required to present an outline of his/her proposed approach to executing the assignment as well as an indicative workplan for 20 days from the date of contracting. This duration includes the time for preparation and presentation of the report to CABI as well as the time for an inception meeting.

6. Deliverables

1) A tabulation of the gathered information and referenced sources presented in the format of a Table. (Information on risks, regulatory measures, reference standards, responsible competent authorities, risk tolerance levels and support services to official controls on imports of selected commodities to individual EAC partner states).

2) A folder with downloadable files in Word, PDF, Excel, CSVs, tabulated links to regulatory requirements (refer to Column on source of information in Appendix 1), procedures for applicable official controls e.g. inspections, certifications, reference standards for each measure, risks and associated critical limits, etc., for each of the priority value chains.

3) A report including a brief description on the adequacy of the information gathered. The report should contain the recommendation on possible follow up actions where information gathered inadequate.

7. Terms of payment

Terms of payment for each contracted consultant for each of the three SPS components (animal health, plant health and food safety) will be stipulated in individual contracts.