Trade Commissioner Services in Phnom Penh, Cambodia

1. The Purpose and Explanation of an ACAN
An Advance Contract Award Notice (ACAN) allows the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada to post a notice for no less than fifteen (15) calendar days, indicating to the supplier community that a goods, services or construction contract will be awarded to a pre-identified contractor. If no other supplier submits, on or before the closing date, a Statement of Capabilities that meets the minimum requirements identified in the ACAN, the Contracting Authority may then proceed to award a contract to the pre-identified contractor.

2. Rights of Suppliers
Suppliers who consider themselves fully qualified and available to provide the services or goods described in
this ACAN may submit a Statement of Capabilities demonstrating how they meet the advertised requirement.
This Statement of Capabilities must be provided via e-mail only to the contact person identified in Section 12
of the Notice on or before the closing date and time of the Notice. If the Bidder can clearly demonstrate
they possess the required capabilities, the requirement will be opened to electronic or traditional bidding
processes.

3. Proposed Contractor

Bunleng Men
9A Street 308, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
E-mail: bunleng_men@online.com 

4. Definition of Requirements or Expected Results

The Canadian Trade Commissioner Service is a world-wide network of professionals in international business development (IBD), with preferred access to business knowledge and contacts, who are committed to advancing Canadian interests abroad. These positions contribute to the delivery of the IBD program and Government of Canada policies for international trade, investment, and science and technology, with the objective of helping Canadian clients make better business decisions abroad.

DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES

The Contractor is to provide the following services in Cambodia:

1. Advise qualified Canadian firms on the general environment (e.g. economic and political aspects), general regulatory requirement, local buying and import patterns to help them make a go or no go decision about Cambodia.

2. Respond to requests for information, provide value-added background information to help Canadian firms improve awareness and knowledge of the foreign business environment and trade opportunities in Cambodia.

3. Collaborate with other Trade Commissioners at the Embassy of Canada to Thailand to develop general and specific sector reports.

4. Build and maintain the local contact base to promote Canada and its products in the assigned sectors, as well as opportunities for investment in Canada.

5. Advise on the business operations, appropriateness and reliability of local contacts in Cambodia to help clients.  (Local contacts include buyers, partners, agents and manufacturers; representatives, distributors and importers, consultants and accountants, government officials, chambers of commerce, freight forwarders, lawyers, potential investors and strategic partners, professional and business associations, etc., as appropriate).

6. Provide analysis on how to resolve potential and actual urgent business or market access problems encountered by clients.

7. Collaborate with other Trade Commissioners in Thailand to develop strategic and operational plans, goals and objectives for the Commercial Section.

8. Plan and provide supports to the organization and implementation of visits by Canadian companies and other delegations to Cambodia as directed by the Senior Trade Commissioner at the Embassy of Canada to Thailand.

9. Maintain and keep track of the number and types of services provided.


PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT

A bi-annual meeting will be held to review the performance of the Contractor in the preceding six months.

ADDITIONAL SERVICES

The Contractor may be engaged by the Trade Commissioner Service of the Embassy of Canada to Thailand to provide additional services that are not covered in the statement of work stated above.


5. Minimum Requirements
Any interested supplier must demonstrate by way of a Statement of Capabilities that it meets the following
minimum requirements:

•	The proposed resource must possess a minimum of five (5) years of experience in providing professional advice and office administration to international, regional and local companies and organizations
•	The Bidder must be located in Phnom Penh, Cambodia and is able to meet with potential clients in a centrally-located and professional setting. 
•	The proposed resource must be able to speak English, French and Khmer fluently -All proposed resources will be contacted by telephone to certify the language requirements.  
•	The Proposed resource must be a Canadian Citizen.
•	The Proposed resource must possess knowledge of key contacts in the market.

6. Reason for Non-Competitive Award

Since April 1st, 2013, our consultant in Phnom Penh has provided a wide variety of services that directly and indirectly contribute to advancing the Embassy of Canada to Thailand’s trade program in Cambodia. The establishment of a Canadian Trade Commissioner Service consultancy in Phnom Penh was approved on January 10, 2013 by the then-Chief Trade Commissioner and Assistant Deputy Minister Asia. The consultancy was identified as a 3-year pilot project with the first year approved through a sole-source contract. As required, the mid-year performance assessment of the service provider during year one was judged positive by  the Embassy of Canada to Thailand’s Trade Program Manager. The current contract will end on March 24, 2014.  For year two, GSC is now requesting that this project goes forward with another sole-source contract to the current consultant because of his unique skillsets, strong contact network and his exceptional support to the  Embassy of Canada to Thailand and to Canadian companies. In addition, in the broader ASEAN context, maintaining continuity with a Canadian Trade Commissioner Service Office in Phnom Penh would continue to demonstrate our commitment, not only to Cambodia, but also to our ASEAN partners.
The current service provider has unique skillsets that cannot be easily found in the local market. He is not only fluent in French, English and Khmer, but he also has business and cultural connections to both Cambodia and Canada. As a former locally-engaged CIDA development officer, he has developed an extensive network of business contacts in Cambodia and he has provided valuable assistance to many Canadian companies, some of which are currently exploring opportunities in the market. Furthermore, his knowledge of the players in the local labour and civil rights communities in Cambodia and his ability to gain access to these groups has been crucial in supporting a Corporate Social Responsibility initiative by a major Canadian business client. 
The consultant’s familiarity with various players, both in Canada and Cambodia, is extremely difficult to replicate and has greatly benefitted the Embassy of Canada to Thailand in its business development activities on the ground. His contacts and insights have proved invaluable in supporting the Ambassador and other VIP visits to Cambodia as well as ongoing trade policy-related discussions. In addition, the office that he uses for the purposes of the contract is centrally located and provides a professional environment for meetings with Canadian business clients. With the sole-source contract, there would be no new setup costs as the infrastructure is already part of the consultancy package. Testimonies and comments received from Canadian clients on the consultant have been overwhelmingly positive.
Lastly but perhaps most importantly, the end of the consultancy or a disruption in services could send a negative signal to Cambodia and to other ASEAN members. In the context of Canada’s renewed engagement as a Dialogue Partner with ASEAN and our campaign for memberships in the East Asia Summit (EAS) and ASEAN Defense Ministerial Meeting Plus (ADMM+), maintaining our presence in Cambodia – albeit with only a small trade office reporting to the Bangkok Senior Trade Commissioner – would be critical to our ambitions in the region. 

7. Applicable trade Agreements and Justification for Limited Tendering or the Procurement
Strategy for Aboriginal Business
This procurement is subject to the following:
* Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT)
* World Trade Organization (WTO)
* North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)


8. Period of the Proposed Contract
The initial contract period will be for one (1) year, plus one (1) year optional period.

9. Estimated Value of the Proposed Contract
 The total estimated value of the contract is $ 160,000.00 CDN including all expenses.

10. Closing Date and Time
The Closing Date and Time for accepting Statements of Capabilities is May 16, 2014 at 2:00pm EST.

11. Contact Person

Inquiries and statements of capabilities must be sent to:

Name: Amy Muldoon
E-Mail: amy.muldoon@international.gc.ca