Background:

Improving Private Sector Competitiveness (IPSC) is a technical assistance project of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) 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 lasts from 2020 to 2025.

The objective of USAID's IPSC Activity is to eliminate constraints and build the competitiveness of small and growing businesses (SGBs) in Vietnam, including those led by vulnerable groups. Through this activity, USAID/Vietnam is supporting Vietnam's competitiveness: vertically at the policy, market, and enterprise levels; and horizontally by applying the full range of business growth models, from household businesses transitioning into registered enterprises to small businesses on the path to scaling up.

IPSC consists of four interrelated Objectives:

• Objective 1. Build the business management capacity of SGBs, including those led by vulnerable groups, especially women and ethnic minorities.
• Objective 2. Enhance efficiency and productivity by promoting innovation, adopting technology, and sustainable business models.
• Objective 3. Strengthen the enabling environment for business for a broadly inclusive economy.
• Objective 4. Enhance business-to-business (B2B) and cross-industry linkages.

Summary of Activities:

IPSC works closely with partners from the Government of Vietnam (GVN), including the project owner, AED, under MPI. IPSC and AED develop strategies for sector selection, geographic focus, and SGB engagement, while involving numerous market actors across the economy that form the SGB ecosystem, including SGBs, cooperatives, and household businesses (HB); business chambers, associations, and business development service providers (BDSPs); Ministries, government agencies, provincial and local authorities; and private sector consultants, training institutions, and financial organizations. By using incentives and cost-sharing with SGBs, pioneering enterprises (PEs), and other partners, IPSC builds both demand and supply of greater business development services (BDS) while enhancing the capacity of providers to understand and deliver the desired services in the market.

One of the main goals of IPSC is to support Pioneering Enterprises (PEs) in receiving customized technical assistance packages under the overall support framework "Vietnam Value - Reaching the World" to create value-added and intellectual property products of Vietnam, nurturing them to become sustainable role models for other SGBs to emulate and replicate proven examples. A PE is a growing Vietnamese enterprise with a Vietnamese-branded product, competitive enough, capable of leading and expanding the sector, field, locality, strong management capacity, willingness to innovate, producing high value-added products, with a vision and goal to build the Vietnamese brand in the international market. Successfully positioning the "Made by Vietnam" brand on regional and international markets is a top priority for PEs.

Each support package will be customized for each PE based on their situation, needs, development capacity, commitment to participation, and readiness to cooperate and invest. The support packages will focus on enabling BDSPs and technical experts to provide specialized consultancy and training services to help businesses enhance their management, administration, and strategic capabilities (including strategy development, business model screening, brand positioning, marketing, innovation, communication, and human resource development). IPSC will develop Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for each support package so that PEs can quantify their achievements and assess the effectiveness of the results.

Established in 2013, Autotech Machinery JSC is a provider of complete solutions from design to manufacturing and maintenance in the field of automation. Autotech has affirmed its strong development and solid foothold in the market by being the only Vietnamese enterprise qualified to provide auxiliary solutions for Samsung Group continuously from 2019 to present.

Typical products provided by Autotech include tape attach machine, CO2 cleaning machines, inspection machines, robotic welding system, air leakage prevention system, milk palletizing system, automatic bottle capping, and more for domestic and international customers such as Samsung, Dreamtech, Siflex (electronic manufacturing), Vinfast, Yamaha, Mitsuba (car and motorbike manufacturing), Vinamilk, Vinasoy, and Cozy (consumer products).

Based on an approved MoU, IPSC is providing 02 technical assistance packages for AUTOTECH. This is the first form of assistance which provides consultancy to develop a management and production process system to standardize and optimize the company’s business management and production processes. As a result, the newly developed processes will replace existing ones; this is the foundation for the second initiative.

This SOW is aimed at supporting AUTOTECH in implementing the activity within the framework of technical assistance provided by IPSC - consulting on the standardization & optimization of business management & production processes.

Detailed SOW: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZtA2mDKX9S1A9GHmHvQV-AYqnSQhvfXT/view?usp=sharing

1. Scope Statement

IPSC is seeking a group of two local consultants to form a team, comprising a Team Lead - Manufacturing Competitiveness Consultant (Consultant 1), and a Manufacturing & Supply Chain Management Consultant (Consultant 2) to Consult for AUTOTECH to standardize & optimize business management & production operations processes, stated in the signed MOU between AED, IPSC, and Autotech,  according to the tasks and deliverables below:

2. Tasks and Responsibilities/Deliverables and Implementation Plan

The selected consultants will undertake the following tasks in close cooperation with AUTOTECH, 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 AUTOTECH’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.

3. Period of Performance, Mode, and estimated level of effort (LOE)

• Tentative implementation time:  Sep 2024 to 31 May 2025.
• Location:  Bac Ninh, Vietnam
• Consultant 1: Team Lead (100 days)
• Consultant 2: Manufacturing & Supply Chain Management Consultant (90 days)
• Mode: Online/ Onsite/ Hybrid based on the determination from IPSC.

The Offeror must submit both technical and financial proposals. The financial proposal must be submitted in USD with PIT inclusive in a separate email to the technical proposal and no PRICE information is mentioned in the technical proposal.

Proposals are requested to be submitted to email: [email protected] before the deadline of Sep 22, 2024, with a specific title:

Name of applicant - Application to Technical Assistance support package to AUTOTECH- Team lead

USAID Enhancing Private Sector Competitiveness Key Concepts and Definitions

• Small and Growing Business (SGB): An economic organization/entity of Vietnam, including enterprises as defined by the Enterprise Law, cooperatives operating under the Cooperative Law, and business households registered according to Vietnamese law. These use no more than 500 full-time employees and have growth potential but lack the resources in terms of knowledge, finance, human resources, and technology to realize their growth goals and potential.
• Pioneer Enterprise (PE): A developing Vietnamese enterprise with Vietnamese-branded products, good competitiveness, leadership and expansion capabilities in sectors, fields, and localities, good management ability, and readiness for innovation. They produce high-value-added products with the vision/goal of building a Vietnamese brand in the international market.
• Business Development Service Provider (BDSP): Agencies, organizations, and enterprises in both the public and private sectors with the function, duty, or business sector of providing non-financial services to support businesses in improving operational efficiency and developing their business.
• Business Support Organization (BSO): An organization with the function and mission of connecting and supporting business development, usually including business associations/clubs and industry sectors.
• Department of Planning and Investment (DPI): A specialized agency of the provincial People's Committee with the function of advising and assisting the provincial People's Committee in managing planning and investment, including managing domestic and foreign investment in the province; managing official development assistance (ODA), preferential loans from donors, and foreign non-governmental aid; business registration in the province; and providing public services within the scope of state management of the Department as prescribed by law.

Proposals are requested to be submitted to email: [email protected] before the deadline of Sep 22, 2024

Organization: IPSC
Location:
Application deadline: 2024-09-22
Send application to: [email protected]