Consulting Service to Host and Maintain the AfCFTA NTB Online Mechanism

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST (REOI) Name of Project: Building Institutions and Systems to Harness and Realize Agenda (BIASHARA) 2063 Contract Title: Consulting Service to Host and Maintain the AfCFTA NTB Online Mechanism Type of Contract: Individual Consultant Selection Project ID: 180117 Grant No.: E2020 RFB Reference No.: ET-AFCFTA-490520-CS-CDS

• The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat has received financing from the World Bank toward the cost of the Building Institutions and Systems to Harness and Realize Agenda (BIASHARA) 2063, and intends to apply part of the proceeds for consulting services.
• The consulting services (“the Services”) is for the expert to Host and Maintain the AfCFTA NTB Online Mechanism. The expert will assist the AfCFTA Secretariat to transfer the hosting of the AfCFTA NTB Online Mechanism from the current external host to the AfCFTA cloud-based infrastructure, to provide system upgrades and to provide backend Information Technology maintenance and support for a period of one year.
• The detailed Terms of Reference (ToR) containing roles and scope for the assignment can be obtained from the following website: https://au-afcfta.org/bids/ (home page).
• The AfCFTA Secretariat now invites eligible Consultants to indicate their interests in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information, as stipulated in the TOR, demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services. The consultant must meet the minimum qualification and selection criteria indicated below:
• Academic Qualifications: A first level University degree, Bachelor preferably in IT or related field.
• Experience of at least 6 years in the following:
• Professional experience in the design and installation of physical computing infrastructure for the delivery of information systems, with sound knowledge of server and communications technologies and related equipment.
• Sound experience of security devices, especially Firewalls and VPN networks, intrusion detection devices is required.
• Experience with data replication services and systems for ensuring information system business continuity is required.
• Hands-on experience of delivering similar assignments for government agencies.
• Experience in Cloud Platforms: AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud Platform (GCP)
• Hands-on experience deploying applications to cloud environments.
• Experience with monitoring, logging, and scaling applications in the cloud (e.g., EC2, Lambda, App Engine, Azure App Services).
• Experience in web application security.
• Experience optimizing performance for both front-end and back-end systems.
• Experience in Relational Database Data Modelling, construction of Entity-Relationship Models and mapping these to a physical database schema.
• Have experience and knowledge of web-based programming languages, web-services, relation database management products, e.g. Java, XML, MySql etc. Open Source products and open standards knowledge is essential.
• At least 6 years’ experience in analysis/design and further 4 years programming on development of systems using relevant W3C standards, JAVA SCRIPT, VB SCRIPT, PHP, SSL, ASP.NET technologies.
• Sound knowledge and experience with PHP, MySQL, Apache, and ASP.NET, XML, HTML, XHTML, DHTML, SQL Server, Oracle and other database systems.
• At least 3 years in developing Non-Tariff Barriers (NTB) reporting and monitoring tools and other related tools in the African Continent.
• At least 3 years’ experience on African Trade Policy, including Non-Tariff Measures, & Non-Tariff Barriers. Knowledge and experience in NTMs/NTBs is a strong asset. Experience in information/database management is an added advantage.
• Proficiency in English and/or French. A working knowledge of other AU languages is an added advantage.
• The Consultant(s) will be selected in accordance with the World Bank’s Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers, dated July 2016 and revised 7th Edition of September 2025 which can be found at the following website: www.worldbank.org/procurement.
• The duration of the consultancy services is One Hundred and Twenty (120) Business Days spread over a period of Twelve (12) Months.
• The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to Section III, paragraphs, 3.14, 3.16, and 3.17 of the World Bank’s “Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers” Fifth Edition of September 2023 (“Procurement Regulations”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest.
• Consultants will be selected in accordance with the Individual Consultant Selection (ICS) method set out in the Procurement Regulations.
• Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours [weekdays Monday to Friday 0800hrs to 1700hrs local time excluding public holidays]. Interested Consultants are required to constantly and continually check the AfCFTA website: https://au-afcfta.org/bids/ for any additional information or clarification that may arise before the submission date.

The Secretary General The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, Africa Trade House, Ambassadorial Enclave, Liberia Road, Ridge, Accra, Ghana Email address: Tender.AfCFTA@au-afcfta.org Website: www.au-afcfta.org

• Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form to the address above (in person, or by e-mail) by 16th December 2025 at 5.00 pm GMT (Ghana Time).

Note: Consultants are advised to obtain a copy of the detailed TOR and make EOI submissions reflecting the requirements for evaluation and qualification criteria in paragraph 9.2. Only consultants from the African Union member states are eligible to apply for this consultancy. Agency: AFCFTA Secretariat Procurement method: Individual Consultant Selection Notice type: Request for Expression of Interest Status: Published Value: 96000.0 USD

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST (REOI) Name of Project: Building Institutions and Systems to Harness and Realize Agenda (BIASHARA) 2063 Contract Title: Consulting Service to Host and Maintain the AfCFTA NTB Online Mechanism Type of Contract: Individual Consultant Selection Project ID: 180117 Grant No.: E2020 RFB Reference No.: ET-AFCFTA-490520-CS-CDS The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat has received financing from the World Bank toward the cost of the Building Institutions and Systems to Harness and Realize Agenda (BIASHARA) 2063 , and intends to apply part of the proceeds for consulting services. The consulting services (“the Services”) is for the expert to Host and Maintain the AfCFTA NTB Online Mechanism. The expert will assist the AfCFTA Secretariat to transfer the hosting of the AfCFTA NTB Online Mechanism from the current external host to the AfCFTA cloud-based infrastructure, to provide system upgrades and to provide backend Information Technology maintenance and support for a period of one year. The detailed Terms of Reference (ToR) containing roles and scope for the assignment can be obtained from the following website: https://au-afcfta.org/bids/ (home page). The AfCFTA Secretariat now invites eligible Consultants to indicate their interests in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information, as stipulated in the TOR, demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services. The consultant must meet the minimum qualification and selection criteria indicated below: Academic Qualifications: A first level University degree, Bachelor preferably in IT or related field. Experience of at least 6 years in the following: Professional experience in the design and installation of physical computing infrastructure for the delivery of information systems, with sound knowledge of server and communications technologies and related equipment. Sound experience of security devices, especially Firewalls and VPN networks, intrusion detection devices is required. Experience with data replication services and systems for ensuring information system business continuity is required. Hands-on experience of delivering similar assignments for government agencies. Experience in Cloud Platforms: AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud Platform (GCP) Hands-on experience deploying applications to cloud environments. Experience with monitoring, logging, and scaling applications in the cloud (e.g., EC2, Lambda, App Engine, Azure App Services). Experience in web application security. Experience optimizing performance for both front-end and back-end systems. Experience in Relational Database Data Modelling, construction of Entity-Relationship Models and mapping these to a physical database schema. Have experience and knowledge of web-based programming languages, web-services, relation database management products, e.g. Java, XML, MySql etc. Open Source products and open standards knowledge is essential. At least 6 years’ experience in analysis/design and further 4 years programming on development of systems using relevant W3C standards, JAVA SCRIPT, VB SCRIPT, PHP, SSL, ASP.NET technologies. Sound knowledge and experience with PHP, MySQL, Apache, and ASP.NET, XML, HTML, XHTML, DHTML, SQL Server, Oracle and other database systems. At least 3 years in developing Non-Tariff Barriers (NTB) reporting and monitoring tools and other related tools in the African Continent. At least 3 years’ experience on African Trade Policy, including Non-Tariff Measures, & Non-Tariff Barriers. Knowledge and experience in NTMs/NTBs is a strong asset. Experience in information/database management is an added advantage. Proficiency in English and/or French. A working knowledge of other AU languages is an added advantage. The Consultant(s) will be selected in accordance with the World Bank’s Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers, dated July 2016 and revised 7th Edition of September 2025 which can be found at the following website: www.worldbank.org/procurement. The duration of the consultancy services is One Hundred and Twenty (120) Business Days spread over a period of Twelve (12) Months. The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to Section III, paragraphs, 3.14, 3.16, and 3.17 of the World Bank’s “Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers” Fifth Edition of September 2023 (“Procurement Regulations”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest. Consultants will be selected in accordance with the Individual Consultant Selection (ICS) method set out in the Procurement Regulations. Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours [ weekdays Monday to Friday 0800hrs to 1700hrs local time excluding public holidays ]. Interested Consultants are required to constantly and continually check the AfCFTA website: https://au-afcfta.org/bids/ for any additional information or clarification that may arise before the submission date. The Secretary General The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, Africa Trade House, Ambassadorial Enclave, Liberia Road, Ridge, Accra, Ghana Email address: Tender.AfCFTA@au-afcfta.org Website: www.au-afcfta.org Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form to the address above (in person, or by e-mail) by 16th December 2025 at 5.00 pm GMT (Ghana Time). Note: Consultants are advised to obtain a copy of the detailed TOR and make EOI submissions reflecting the requirements for evaluation and qualification criteria in paragraph 9.2. Only consultants from the African Union member states are eligible to apply for this consultancy. Agency: AFCFTA Secretariat Procurement method: Individual Consultant Selection Notice type: Request for Expression of Interest Status: Published Value: 96000.0 USD