Scope of Work

Technical Assistance for Vikohasan
Production Process Standardizing and Streamlining

Background

Improving Private Sector Competitiveness (IPSC) is a U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) technical assistance project, and the Agency for Enterprise Development (AED) under the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) is the project owner. The project is implemented by Deloitte Consulting LLP (“Deloitte”) and runs from 2020 to 2025.

The purpose of the USAID IPSC Activity is to remove constraints and build the competitiveness of small and growing businesses (SGBs) in Vietnam, including those led by vulnerable populations. With this activity, USAID/Vietnam is supporting Vietnam’s competitiveness: vertically at the policy, market, and firm level; and horizontally by working along the entire spectrum of enterprise growth models, from household businesses transforming into registered firms to small firms on the cusp of scaling up.

IPSC is made up of four interrelated Objectives:

Objective 1. Building business management capacity of SGBs, including those led by vulnerable populations, particularly women and ethnic minorities.

Objective 2.  Improving efficiency and productivity by promoting innovation, technology adoption, and sustainable business models.

Objective 3.  Enhancing business enabling environment for a broad-based inclusive economy.

Objective 4. Strengthening business-to-business (B2B) and cross-sectoral linkages.

Summary of Activities

IPSC collaborates closely with the Government of Vietnam (GVN) counterparts, including the project owner, AED, under MPI. IPSC and AED develop strategies for sector selection, geographic focus, and SGB engagement, and engage a broad range of market actors across the economy that make up the SGB ecosystem, including SGBs, cooperatives, and household businesses (HBs); business chambers, associations, and business development service providers (BDSPs); GVN Ministries and Agencies, provincial and local administrations; and private sector consultants, training institutions, and financial institutions. Using incentives and cost-sharing with SGBs, pioneering enterprises (PEs), and other partners, IPSC builds both greater demand and supply of business development services (BDS), while improving providers’ capacity to understand and offer services desired in the marketplace.

One of IPSC’s main objectives is supporting Vietnamese enterprises to receive customized technical assistance under the overall support package “Pioneering Enterprise (PE) Program” to create products with added value and Vietnamese intellectual property, nurturing them to become sustainable models for other SGBs to emulate and scale up proven examples. A PE is a growing Vietnamese enterprise with Vietnamese-branded products, sufficient competitiveness, the ability to lead and expand in the industry, sector, and locality, strong management capacity, and willingness to innovate and produce products with high added value, with the vision and objective to build a Vietnamese brand in international markets. Positioning the “Made by Vietnam” product brand successfully in regional and international markets is a priority for PEs.

Each support package will be customized for the individual PE, depending on their situation, needs, development capacity, commitment to participate, and willingness to co-invest. The support packages will focus on facilitating BDSPs and technical experts to deliver consulting services and specialized training to help enterprises strengthen their governance, management capability, and strategies (including strategy development, business model refinement, brand positioning, marketing, innovation, communications, and human resource development). IPSC will develop Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for each supporting package so PEs can quantify the results achieved and evaluate the effectiveness of the results.

Vikohasan Joint Stock Company, established in February 2018, is a pioneering enterprise pursuing the "circular economy" model in Vietnam. The company recycles plastic materials from used PET bottles and shells into artificial fiber products. Vikohasan currently leads the production of fiber from plastic recycling in the North and is the second largest fiber exporting companies nationwide. The company achieved international certifications such as: GRS (global recycling standard certification, EKOTEX - standard for textile materials) as well as ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001 standards.

1. Scope Statement

IPSC is seeking two local consultants to form a team. A Team Lead -  Manufacturing Productivity Consultant (Consultant 1), and a Manufacturing Quality & Safety Consultant (Consultant 2) to support Vikohasan in improving productivity and quality through standardization and streamlining the production process, stated in Act No.1, Initiative No. 1 of signed MOU between AED, IPSC and Vikohasan,  according to the tasks and deliverables below:

2. Tasks and Responsibilities/Deliverables and Implementation Plans

The selected consultants will undertake the following tasks in close cooperation with Vikohasan, the IPSC PE team, and IPSC senior management. The selected consultants will be responsible for all the tasks and deliverables listed in the table below. All deliverables must be agreed to and approved by the Vikohasan’s representative.

The number of consultant days listed for each task is an estimate designed to assist consultant in planning and competing activities within a certain period of time. The Consultants are encouraged to discuss the feasibility of allocated days and propose adjustments, if needed.

Consultant 1: Team Lead - Manufacturing Productivity Consultant

The Team Lead, in collaboration with Consultant 2, the Manufacturing Quality & Safety Consultant, will be responsible for all the finaltasks and deliverablesof this SOW, and sole responsible for the specifix tasks and deliverables listed in the table below:

No.	Activities	Deliverables	TentativeDue date	Estimated level of efforts
1	Workplan preparation In collaboration with Consultant 2, laise with Vikohasan to finalize the workplan. Conduct a kick-off meeting to develop the workplan and timeline with Vikohasan.	Work plan shall include: main phases and milestones with detailed tasks and the timeline. The workplan will be both in Vietnamese and English.	30July 2024	5 days
2	Assessment of Vikohasan’s current production, production process, production management, focusing production planning, execution, reporting, process compliance Co-Develop with Consultant 2 a set of assessment criteria tailored to Vikohasan for production management. With Consultant 2, finalize and complete the assessment document package, that includes: current state analysis, findings and observations, gap analysis, recommendations for standardization and improvement, implementation plan to include: Review of existing production management processes including planning, execution, quality control, and reporting Inspection of production facility and production flows Conduct in-depth interviews with the leaders, production managers, facilty managers, supply chain staff, production staff, sales and others teams. Identify and clarify short-terms and long-term improvement goals and develop training programs, an improvement roadmap, and an action plan. In collaboration with Consultant 2 integrate and finalize the improvement goals, develop training programs, improvement roadmap, and the action plan Discuss and clarify with the Board of Directors on the potential improvement points, the gap between the current state and ability to improvement targets, recommendations, measurement indicators, etc. Review and revise the improvement goals, strategies, develop training programs, improvement roadmap, and the action plan if needed. Notes: The recommendations shall not include any recommendations on staff size.	Assessment report shall include: Business information, strengths, opportunities for improvement, and problems/challenges Current state, identified bottlenecks, improvement targets, clearly defining the desired state of manufacturing productivity, gap analysis with the root causes of these gaps based on the data and observations from the current state assessment. Action plan and proposed training programs, solutions, improvement points, and result measurement indicators for Vikohasan The report shall be in Vietnamese with the executive summary in English. Word format following IPSC’s Report template.	30 Sept 2024	20 days
3	Recommendation Report for improving productivity and quality Recommended standardization of work processes with effective work instructions and standard operation procedures, quality checks, safety protocols. Recommendations for streamlining production flow through effective inventory management, production schedules, improving equipment layout and standardizing setups and changeovers to minimize downtime between production runs. Recommendations for quality management standardization by implementing a robust quality control system with clear inspection points throughout the production process. Recommendations for developing a culture of continuous improvement by empowering employees to identify and report non-productive and quality issues. Recommendations for measuring the progress against a set of targets and adjust implementation practice and schedule to meet the final goals if neccessary.	The Recommendation Report shall include: Description of steps taken to implement the improvement plan. Changes to production layouts or workflows. Data and metrics to demonstrate the impact of the implemented changes on productivity. Analysis of positive or negative deviations from expectations and potential reasons behind them. Any challenges encountered during implementation. Key takeaways from the implementation process. Identify areas where the plan could be further improved for future implementation. The report shall be in Vietnamese with the executive summary in English. Word format following IPSC’s Report template.	31 Dec2024	30 days
4	Training and coaching for production staff and middle managers for improving productivity and quality - Develop the training and coaching programs and materials In collaboration with Consultant 2, intergrate and finalize the training and coaching material package. Conduct trainings of productivity and quality through standardization and streamlining the production management and process to company leadership and relevant staff. Conduct group coaching sessions for middle managers related to production management on the standards, tools, and practices to improve productivity and quality. Provide continous support via instant online Q&A during the coaching period. Carry out periodic evaluations and feedback. Reserve plans to face challenges and adjust strategies quickly when needed.	A Training, Coaching and Mentoring report shall include: Training and coaching material package (training background, agenda, images/videos, trainee list, test results, post-training results and suggestions…) List of participants to be coached (with signature) Important case studies Results of improving staff capacity (before and after coaching) Result of  business indicators (before and after coaching). This training material package is suitable for direct training, suitable for Vikohasan's manufacturing model; need to be discussed, and approved by Vikohasan. The report shall be in Vietnamese with the executive summary in English. Word format following IPSC’s Report	30 March 2025	25 days
5	Project Completion Report Prepare and submit the completion report. Hand over all final training and coaching documents.	Final report The report shall be in Vietnamese with the executive summary in English. Word format following IPSC’s Report template.	31 May 2025	10 days

Qualification of selected expert

• Vietnamese National
• Master’s degree in engineering, industrial management, or related fields
• Have at least 15 years of experiences in mass manufacturing sector or high-volume supply chain management.
• Have at least 15 years of experiences in change management and project management.
• Have consulting, training and coaching experiences in production management, quality management such as Lean manufacturing, 5S, and ISO 9001.
• Have practical experiences approach in helping company to improve application effectiveness, applied in practical production and business.
• Strong expertise in quality management, process improvement, and excellent analytical skills, diverse knowledge about production models and business processes in factories in Vietnam and can gather and analyze data to identify areas for improvement and develop practical solutions.
• Strong coaching, communication and interpersonal skills, and experience working collaboratively with customers and stakeholders at all levels of the organization.
• Have high professional qualifications and demonstrate capacity from previous jobs to ensure on schedule.
• Good report writing skills in both English and Vietnamese.
• The Offeror should have a proven track record of success in delivering similar projects in the past three years. References and examples of past work are required.
• The Offeror must submit both technical and financial proposals. Financial proposal must be submitted in USD with PIT inclusive in a separate email to technical proposal and no PRICE information mentioned in technical proposal.

Proposals are requested to submitted to email: [email protected] before deadline June 30, 2024 with specific title:

Name of applicant - Application to Technical Assistance support package to VIKOHASAN

Consultant 2: Manufacturing Quality and Safety Consultant

Manufacturing Quality and Safety Consultant, in collaboration with Consultant 1 the Team Lead, will be responsible for all the tasks and deliverables listed in the table below:

No.	Activities	Deliverables	Tentative due date	Estimated level of efforts
1	Conduct an assessment  and evaluate the current status of Vikohasan’s quality and safety management practices Develop an elaborated set of assessment criteria tailored to Vikohasan for quality management and safety practices. In collaboration with Consultant 1, finalize and complete the assessment document package, that includes: Current state analysis, findings and observations, gap analysis, recommendations for quality and safety improvements, implementation plan to include: Review existing quality control documentation (e.g., procedures, inspection reports, corrective action records). Analyze safety records (e.g., accident reports, near misses, training logs). Examine production data (e.g., production schedules, inventory levels, scrap rates). Conduct a physical walkthrough of the factory floor, observing production processes, equipment condition, and overall workplace layout. Interview key personnel, i.e., production managers, supervisors, line workers, and safety officers. Gather information about their experiences, concerns, and suggestions regarding quality and safety. Identify and clarify short-terms and long-term improvement goals and developtraining programs, an improvement roadmap, and an action plan. In collaboration with Consultant 1, integrate and finalize the improvement goals, developtraining programs, improvement roadmap, and the action plan Discuss and clarify with the Board of Directors on the potential improvement points,the gap between the current state and ability to improvement targets,recommendations,measurement indicators, etc. Review and revise the improvement goals, strategies, developtraining programs, improvement roadmap, and the action plan regarding quality and safety if needed. Notes: The recommendations will not include any recommendations regarding staff size.	Assessessment report on Quality & Safety of shall include: Describe the existing quality control procedures and methodologies. Describe the process for identifying potential hazards within the factory environment. Summarize the key findings from both quality and safety assessments. Propose training programs, solutions, improvement points, and result measurement indicators for quality and safety Recommendations and action plan: propose specific and actionable recommendations to enhance both quality and safety in collaboration with Consultant 1. The report shall be in Vietnamese with the executive summary in English. Word format following IPSC’s Report template.	31 Sept2024	20 days
2	Consulting on standardizing and improving quality and safety according to ISO 9001 and ISO 45001. Develop clear and documented procedures for each production step, outlining work instructions, quality standards, and safety protocols based on ISO 9001 and ISO 45001, to implement combined quality and safety initiatives Provide recommendations to develop quality and safety culture to empower employees to identify and report quality issues and to encourage open communication in defect reduction. Provide recommendations to implement a system for tracking and analyzing quality data. Support utilization of data to identify recurring problems and implement corrective action and to setup regular safety audits to identify potential hazards in the workplace. Provider recommendations to maintain a clean and organized work environment to minimize hazards and improve overall safety and to  estabish regular audits, data analysis, and employee feedback.	The comprehensive consultancy report shall include: Description of steps taken to implement the improvement plan, changes recommendation to improve quality and safety procedures and practices. Present data and metrics to demonstrate the impact of the implemented changes on quality and safety. Analysis of positive or negative deviations from expectations and potential reasons behind them. Report any challenges encountered during implementation. Capture key takeaways from the implementation process. Identify areas where the plan could be further improved for future implementation. The report shall be in Vietnamese with the executive summary in English. Word format following IPSC’s Report template.	31 Dec2024	30 days
3	Training andCoaching for Quality and Safety Improvements according to ISO 9001 and ISO 45001 Develop the training and coaching programs and materials In collaboration with Consultant 1, intergrate and finalize the training and coaching material package. Conduct trainings of quality and safety through standardization and streamlining production processes and environment to company leadership and relevant staff. Conduct group coaching sessions for middle managers related to production management on the standards, tools, and practices to improve quality and safety. Continous support via instant online Q&A during the coaching period. Carry out periodic evaluations and feedback.	A Training, Coaching and Mentoring report shouldinclude: Training and coaching material package (training background, agenda, images/videos, trainee list, test results, post-training results and suggestions) List of participants to be coached (with signature) Important case studies Results of improving staff capacity (before and after coaching) Result of  business indicators (before and after coaching). The report shall be in Vietnamese with the executive summary in English. Word format following IPSC’s Report	31 March 2025	30 days

Qualification of selected expert

• Vietnamese National
• Master’s degree in technical, production management, or related fields
• Have at least 7 years of consulting, training and coaching experiences in quality and safety for manufacturing and of experiences in implementing ISO 9001 and ISO 45001
• Have practical experiences approach in helping company to improve application effectiveness, applied in practical production
• Strong expertise in quality management, process improvement, and excellent analytical skills, diverse knowledge about production models and business processes in factories in Vietnam and can gather and analyze data to identify areas for improvement and develop practical solutions.
• Strong coaching, communication and interpersonal skills, and experience working collaboratively with customers and stakeholders at all levels of the organization.
• Have high professional qualifications and demonstrate capacity from previous jobs to ensure on schedule
• The Offeror should have a proven track record of success in delivering similar projects in the past three years. References and examples of past work are required.
• Good report writing skills in both English and Vietnamese
• The Offeror must submit both technical and financial proposals. Financial proposal must be submitted in USD with PIT inclusive in a separate email to technical proposal and no PRICE information mentioned in technical proposal.

Proposals are requested to submitted to email: [email protected] before deadline June 30, 2024 with specific title:

Name of applicant - Application to Technical Assistance support package to VIKOHASAN

3. Period of Performance, Mode, and Level of Effort

Tentative period of performance:   15 July 2024 - 30 June 2025

Estimated Level of Effort:                 

Consultant 1: Team Lead             (90 days)

Consultant 2: Quality & Safety     (80 days)

Mode:              Online/ Onsite/ Hybrid based on the determination from IPSC. 

Location:         Hanoi and Ha Nam Province, Vietnam

USAID Improving Private Sector Competitiveness Key Concepts and Definitions

• Small and Growing Business (SGB): An organization/economic unit of Vietnam, including enterprises, under the provisions of the Law on Enterprises, cooperatives operating under the provisions of the Law on Cooperatives, and business households registered in accordance with Vietnamese law, which employs no more than 500 full-time employees, has growth potential but lacks the resources of knowledge, finance, human resources, and technology to realize its goals and growth potential.
• Pioneering SGBs or Pioneering Enterprises (PEs): A growing Vietnamese enterprise with Vietnamese-branded products, good competitiveness, the ability to lead and expand in the industry, sector, and locality, good management capacity and willingness to innovate and produce products with high added value, the vision/objective to build a Vietnamese brand in the international market.
• Business Development Service Provider (BDSP): Agencies, organizations and enterprises in both the public and private sectors with functions, duties/business lines providing non-financial services to support enterprises to improve operational efficiency and business development.
• Business Support Organization (BSO): An organization with the function and mission to connect and support business development, often including business associations/clubs, industries, etc.
• Department of Planning and Investment (DPI): A specialized agency of the Provincial People’s Committee, which functions as a consultancy and assists the Provincial People’s Committee in managing planning and investment, including the management of domestic and foreign investment in the province; management of official development assistance (ODA) sources, concessional loans from donors, foreign non-governmental aids; Business registration within the province; providing public services within the scope of state management of the Department in accordance with the law.

Organization: IPSC
Location: Hanoi or Hanam
Application deadline: 2024-06-30
Send application to: [email protected]