Expert in Circular Economy Models Tailored to MSME

Apply by Date: April 12, 2024
 
Background:
Funded by Global Affairs Canada, the Expert Deployment Mechanism for Trade and Development (EDM) provides technical assistance to Official Development Assistance (ODA)-eligible countries to maximize the development impacts of trade and investment. Over seven years (2018-2025), EDM will invest CAD 16.5 million to support Canada's developing country trading partners to negotiate, implement, benefit from, and adapt to trade and investment agreements with Canada.
 
EDM is a demand-driven project that will benefit potential partners – including governments, local private sector groups and local civil society organizations – through capacity building and technical advisory support on policy reform issues that have a high potential to reduce poverty and gender inequalities and support progress in trade and investment agreement negotiations.
 
The focus of EDM technical assistance to Colombia has been to increase the utilization of the Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement (CCoFTA). This technical assistance is aligned with Colombia's National Development Plan 2022-2026 (NDP), which focuses on increasing SMEs export performance and helping them take advantage of existing opportunities in international markets.  Recent EDM technical assistance has been provided to raise awareness of the market access provisions of the CCoFTA for government procurement, electronic commerce, and agricultural and agri-food products.  Support has also been provided to strengthen national and regional trade support organizations. 
 
Supporting export development must include efforts to enhance environmental sustainability, both to optimize domestic resource utilization and to ensure competitiveness by meeting the ever-increasing demands of global markets to satisfy sustainability standards.  A study conducted by the National Planning Department of Colombia underscores the unsustainability of current economic growth and the urgency of internalizing the negative externalities of development.
Colombia has made strides in formulating public policies to promote the shift toward a circular and sustainable economy. Various policy documents, such as the National Policy for Sustainable Production and Consumption (2011), the National Policy for the Integrated Management of Solid Waste (2016 - CONPES 3874), the National Policy on Climate Change (2017), the Strategy for the Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals in Colombia (2018 - CONPES 3918), the Green Growth Policy (2018 - CONPES 3934), and the National Strategy for Circular Economy (2019), have laid the groundwork.  While these policies have led to the introduction of regulations to ensure results, specific actions targeting eco-design and cycle closure within the productive sector have not reached the necessary coverage across the country's business landscape, particularly among micro and small enterprises (MSME), which comprise 98% of Colombia’s 1,734,636 companies.
 
Recent studies have demonstrated very low levels of sustainable economic practices among Colombian MSMEs – in their use of natural resources, production methods, adoption of more sustainable technologies, and waste management.  This failure to embrace circular economy practices among MSMEs results in elevated operating costs associated with resource extraction, manufacturing, and disposal.  Additionally, these enterprises may incur penalties and fines and encounter market restrictions due to non-compliance with evolving environmental regulations addressing the adverse impacts of business operations on the environment. 
 
For these reasons, CONFECAMARAS (the Colombian Confederation of Chambers of Commerce) has requested technical assistance to raise awareness of circular economy concepts, models, and practices among MSMEs in Colombia.  At the same time, they seek training for their staff and their member Chambers of Commerce in conducting analyses of client companies’ business models and developing individualized strategies, or roadmaps, to adopt circular economy practices.
 
Linkage to EDM Performance Measurement Framework
This assistance is consistent with the EDM Performance Management Framework, Immediate Outcome 1310: Increased abilities among targeted private sector organizations (PSOs) to adapt to and benefit from trade and investment agreements with Canada.
 
The assistance also aligns with the EDM Country Needs Assessment Plan for Colombia, Mandate 3: benefiting from trade and investment agreements with Canada.
 
Description of Technical Assistance Request/Key Responsibilities
The technical expert(s) will design and deliver (a) a training workshop to raise MSME awareness of circular economy practices and (b) a methodology for constructing individualized company roadmaps to the adoption of circular economy practices.  The central objective of the assistance will be to build capacity within participating Chambers of Commerce and CONFECAMARAS to deliver the workshops and roadmap development support to MSMEs on a continuing basis.
 
Workshop:

• Design gender-sensitive and inclusive awareness-raising workshops tailored to the agriculture and manufacturing sectors to promote a greater understanding of circular economy concepts, models, best practices and strategies to overcome potential challenges among MSMEs;
• Deliver two pilot workshops - one each for MSME in the agricultural and manufacturing sectors;
• Design and deliver a “train the trainer” component to the workshops, including gender equality and social inclusion considerations, to prepare Chambers of Commerce and CONFECAMARAS staff to deliver the workshops in the future.

Roadmap:

• Design an information-gathering instrument and diagnostic methodology to use to develop company roadmaps (strategies) to strengthen circular economy practices;
• Test the instrument and methodology on a limited number of companies (up to 25, ensuring appropriate representation of companies led by women, Afro-Colombians, Indigenous Colombians, and other underrepresented groups) with the direct participation of staff from Chambers of Commerce and CONFECAMARAS (learn by observing);
• Mentor Chamber of Commerce and CONFECAMARAS staff in the use of the instrument and methodology on a limited number of companies (learn by doing);
• Develop individualized company roadmaps to the adoption of circular economy practices in each of the participating companies – directly and through the mentorship of Chamber of Commerce and CONFECAMARAS staff;
• Develop performance indicators and a monitoring and evaluation framework for Chambers of Commerce and CONFECAMARAS to measure the results of the initiative.

Consistent with Canada's inclusive trade approach, the EDM promotes gender equality and social inclusion as cross-cutting objectives of all technical assistance.  Proposals should explain how these objectives will be integrated into the assistance activity, both in its conduct and content.
 
Similarly, bidders should consider how the promotion of environmentally sustainable agricultural and manufacturing practices can be addressed in the assistance activity.
 
All activities and deliverables are to be delivered in Spanish. The EDM will bear the cost of translation and simultaneous interpretation in addition to all direct costs (expert travel and accommodation, meeting facilities, etc.). 
 
The immediate beneficiaries of the workshop and roadmap development methodology will be the staff of the participating Chambers of Commerce and CONFECAMARAS, as well as the Colombian MSMEs invited to join the pilot workshops and receive company roadmaps developed in the training phases of the assistance activity.  In the long term, the beneficiaries will be the future MSME clients of the Chamber of Commerce and CONFECAMARAS who receive training and roadmap development support, reduce their environmental footprint, and improve their competitiveness in international markets.
 
Technical Expert Profile/Expertise Required
Bidders for this technical assistance activity must demonstrate expert knowledge and extensive experience in the following:

• circular economy concepts, trends and best practices in agricultural and manufacturing sectors and their application to MSME;
• the design and delivery of training courses for adult learners and related teaching materials;
• the design and delivery of trade technical assistance to developing countries;

Note: The EDM includes a core focus on gender and social inclusion as well as on environmental issues associated with trade activities. Successful applicants must research and integrate specific good and emerging practices in this area, partnering with other expert consultants if necessary. Any prior experience providing TA on gender equality, social inclusion, and the environment will be considered a strong asset.   Before starting activities, the successful consultant(s) will be required to complete the Government of Canada's online Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+) training (approximately 2 hours).
 
Timelines
The recruitment of experts is expected to be completed by April 31, 2024, and the technical assistance activity by November 30, 2024.
 
Deliverables

• A detailed work plan, work schedule and budget for the delivery of activities.
• Draft and final agenda and presentation materials for the training workshops, including the train-the-trainer component.
• Draft and final information gathering instrument to gather the necessary inputs for analyzing the companies’ business models and developing individualized roadmaps to the adoption of circular economy practices.
• Draft and final written methodology and any related training materials for building company roadmaps to the adoption of circular economy practices.
• Draft and final written performance indicators and monitoring and evaluation framework for ongoing roadmap development services provided by Chambers of Commerce and CONFECAMARA.
• Completed EDM Performance Measurement Framework template for the TA, including baseline data and targets against EDM indicators.
• Final Narrative Report on Mandate: Due within 30 calendar days of completing all TA activities. The report shall describe activities delivered, results achieved (versus initial expected results and baseline), lessons learned relevant to future EDM activities, and expenses incurred by the Consultant in carrying out this mandate. This report will be reviewed and approved by EDM before being shared with Global Affairs Canada.

Proposal Submission Process
For your proposal to be considered, please name your document in the following format:
4.10 - Consultant Last Name, First Name (or Organisation’s name)
(Proposals can be submitted by a single consultant or a consortium of consultants). 
Your proposal should be in English and contain the following sections:

• Cover letter Proposal that includes the following: Your approach to implementing this TA (up to 10 pages maximum); Describe your approach to ensure that gender equality and social inclusion are considered in all aspects of the TA, including approach, content, and delivery (up to 2 pages maximum);
• Describe your approach to ensure that environmental impacts are considered in all aspects of the TA, including approach, content, and delivery (up to 1 page maximum);
• Outline your project management and monitoring strategy for the implementation of the activities (up to 2 pages maximum).
• Indicate all proposed personnel to implement this project and their roles and responsibilities. Include all CVs of proposed personnel/experts (up to 20 pages maximum). Estimated level of effort (in days) and provide consulting rates (in CAD) for each proposed personnel and/or expert implementing the project.   Please submit your proposal as one PDF document through the Cowater Career Page. Emailed proposals will not be accepted. If you have any questions, please email info@edm-mde.ca. 

About us:
Founded in 1985, Cowater International is a leading global development consulting company. Headquartered in Ottawa and with corporate hubs in Auckland, Berlin, Brussels, Helsinki, London, Madrid, Manila, Nairobi, Singapore and Stockholm, Cowater International has successfully delivered a portfolio of over 2500 projects and assignments in more than 95 countries. We work with governments, private sector actors, and communities to implement projects that support socio-economic development, institutional strengthening, and environmental improvements, as well as advance equal opportunities for all. We are a diverse and experienced team committed to building a better tomorrow for the people we serve. Our adaptive approach to management has led to our yearly award-winning work and recognition as one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies since 2017.