About RT4D

The Regional Trade for Development (RT4D) initiative is funded by both the Governments of Australia and New Zealand. It assists ASEAN Member States (AMS) in meeting their commitments and realising the advantages offered by the Agreement establishing the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area, or AANZFTA, and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, or RCEP.

Through the AANZFTA Implementation Support Program (AISP) and the RCEP Implementation Support Program (RISP), RT4D provides tailored support to enhance the capabilities of ASEAN Member States by strengthening skills, building networks, facilitating policy options and ensuring that trade benefits everyone, including Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), women and people with disabilities.

The Governments of Australia and New Zealand have committed up to AUD 53.3 million to fund RT4D from 2020-21 to 2027-28. 

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Project Summary

The RCEP Implementation Support Program (RISP), implemented RT4D Facility, aims to support AMS to realise the full benefits of RCEP through the provision of capacity-building support and access to technical expertise. The following project is approved under RISP.

  • Project Name: Promoting RCEP Utilisation, especially in Digital Trade, through Private Sector and Inclusive Engagement.
  • Project Objective: Firstly, the project aims to increase the practical use of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) by micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Viet Nam, with a particular focus on women-led and vulnerable enterprises. Many MSMEs, especially household businesses transitioning to formal operations, lack awareness of RCEP or face challenges understanding how to apply its provisions in day-to-day trade operations. This project seeks to bridge this gap by providing simple, practical guidance and hands-on training on how to use RCEP’s rules of origin, tariff schedules, and related trade facilitation measures. It also emphasises the growing importance of digital trade by helping businesses understand how RCEP provisions can be leveraged for e-commerce and online market access. By building capacity within key enterprises and business networks, the project will enable more inclusive participation in regional supply chains, helping businesses, particularly those led by women or employing people with disabilities, to benefit from new opportunities created under RCEP. Secondly, through the project activities to serve MSMEs, Government officials will have enhanced capacity as they will be equipped with a better understanding of RCEP utilisation landscape, challenges and priorities of businesses, to provide suitable interventions.

The Opportunity

RT4D is seeking a consultancy firm/ consortium partner (hereafter referred to as "the Consultant") to manage and deliver both technical and event organisation services for the abovementioned project. The delivery will follow standard RT4D templates and be subject to comments, amendments, and approval from the RT4D Facility Team the Project Proponent and Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). .

 

Terms of Reference

Financial Proposal Template

General competencies and qualifications the Consultant should demonstrate, include (but are not limited to):

  • Skilled and experienced expert/team of Experts with the technical expertise, bandwidth, and capabilities to support RT4D to deliver all outputs in alignment with the remit and timelines set within this Scope of Services.
  • Demonstrable technical and subject matter expertise in the field of international trade, particularly RCEP implementation and digital trade, with a strong understanding of private sector development and inclusive engagement.
  • Demonstrable technical and subject-matter expertise in event organisation, with a proven track record in managing large-scale national or regional events.
  • Demonstrated experience in engaging with key stakeholders, including the Multilateral Trade Policy Department of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, VCCI, VWEC, VAWE, VINASME, WISE, as well as Vietnamese MSMEs.
  • Demonstrable experience developing program and project plans and designs that consider and incorporate the needs, priorities and concerns of diverse government stakeholders (i.e. stakeholders representing countries with different priorities and capacity constraints and agencies with different mandates and priorities).
  • Demonstrable experience designing, facilitating and delivering online and on-site consultations and workshops that effectively engage a diverse government audience.
  • Experience working and engaging with ASEAN Member States, ASEC and/or AMS is a distinct advantage.
  • Proven excellent report drafting experience, with ability to incorporate comprehensive feedback at multiple stages.
  • Experience working with Australian and New Zealand officials is a distinct advantage. The organisation must be comfortable with ASEAN stakeholders and following ways of working (or comparable governance arrangements).
  • Strong understanding of and ability to operationalise the Monitoring & Evaluation, GEDSI, Communications and Program Management considerations outlined in the above sections of the ToR.

Interested candidates may apply for more than one consultancy position. Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Apply before 11:59 PM (AEST) Tuesday, 21 October 2025

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