Overview
The Government of the Dominican Republic (GODR) has received financing from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) in an amount equivalent to EUR 324,806 towards the cost of “Strengthening the Export Capacity of Agro-producers in the DR to Access the European Union and CARIFORUM Market” Project and intends to apply a portion of the proceeds of this financing to eligible payments under a contract for which this invitation is issued. Payments by CDB will be made only at the request of GODR and upon approval by CDB and will be subject in all respects to the terms and conditions of the Financing Agreement. The Financing Agreement prohibits withdrawal from the financing account for the purpose of any payment to persons or entities, or for any import of goods, if such payment or import, to the knowledge of CDB, is prohibited by a decision of the United Nations Security Council taken under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations. No party other than GODR shall derive any rights from the Financing Agreement or have any claim to the proceeds of the Financing.
Ministry of Industry, Trade and MSMEs, through the Vice Ministry of Foreign Trade (VICOMEX), the Implementing Agency, now wishes to procure consultancy services for the conduct of training to producers, exporters and agricultural officers on market access requirements and the process for commercializing products under the CARIFORUM-European Union Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).
The objective of the consultancy is to enhance the capacity of producers and exporters of agri-food products to access EU markets, through the provision of training to producers, exporters, Ministry of Agriculture staff and other relevant stakeholders. Further details can be found in the attached Terms of Reference. The duration of the assignments is expected to be for a period of ten days over a period of four months.
The Ministry of Industry, Trade and MSMEs, through the Vice Ministry of Foreign Trade (VICOMEX), now invites interested eligible consulting firms to submit Expressions of Interest for the provision of these consultancy services.
Eligibility
Consultants shall be eligible to participate if:
- In the case of a body corporate, it is legally incorporated or otherwise organised in an eligible country, has its principal place of business in an eligible country and is more than 50 per cent beneficially owned by citizen(s) and/or bona fide resident(s) of eligible country(ies) or by a body(ies) corporate meeting these requirements;
- In the case of unincorporated firms, the persons are citizens or bona fide residents of an eligible country;
- In all cases, the consultant has no arrangement and undertakes not to make any arrangements, whereby any substantial part of the net profits or other tangible benefits of the contract will accrue or be paid to a person not a citizen or bona fide resident of an eligible country; and
- Consultants from member countries of CDB, as well as EU Member Countries which are not CDB Member Countries, and other countries which are eligible under EU procurement provisions, will be eligible to participate in these procurement opportunities[1].
Eligible countries are member countries of CDB. Consultants are advised to review the detailed eligibility criteria listed in Section 4 and conflict of interest provisions in Section 5 of the Procurement Procedures for Projects Financed by CDB (January, 2021), as published on CDB’s website.
[1] See eligible countries listed in the European Commission Directorate-General for International Partnerships, Contract procedures for European Union external action Annex A2a1
https://wikis.ec.europa.eu/download/attachments/44168960/a2a1_ecprogrammes_eligibility2021_2027_en.docxhttps
Instructions
In the assessment of submissions, consideration will be given to technical competence, qualifications and experience, local and regional experience on similar assignments and existing commitments. Key Experts will not be evaluated at the shortlisting stage.
All information must be submitted in English and Spanish. Further information may be obtained from the first email address below between 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (Dominican Republic time) Monday to Friday.
An electronic copy of the Expressions of Interest must be sent in PDF format to the email in the first address below no later than 4:30 p.m. (Dominican Republic time) on November 24th, 2022 and one electronic copy must be sent simultaneously to CDB at the second address below. The Expression of Interest will be deemed to have been received at the time that it is received by Ministry of Industry, Trade and MSMEs, through the Vice Ministry of Foreign Trade (VICOMEX), at the first email address below. The burden of proving receipt of the e-mail will be on the applicant and will not be met solely by a read receipt or sent items report generated by the Consultant’s computer. The e-mail containing each submission should include the name and address of the applicant. The subject line shall be clearly marked “Expression of Interest – Consultancy Services for training to producers, exporters and agricultural officers on market access requirements and the process for commercializing products under the CARIFORUM-EUROPEAN UNION Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).”
Contact
1. Address
Ministry of Industry, Commerce and MSMEs, through the Vice Ministry of Foreign Trade (VICOMEX),
Web page: https://www.micm.gob.do/
Ave. 27 de Febrero 306, Santo Domingo,
Dominican Republic
2. Address
Procurement Policy Unit
Caribbean Development Bank
P. O. Box 408
Wildey
St. Michael
Barbados, WI BB11000