Recruitment of an Individual Consultant for the Review and alignment of ERCA competition regulations and other legal instruments with other ECOWAS languages.

Published On - May 2, 2025

Ibrima Tambajang Procurement

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST

(Consultant selection)

From                  : 2nd /05/2025   to     31st /05/2025

Client                 : ECOWAS Regional Competition Authority (ERCA)

Type                   : Expression of Interest (EOI)

TITLE   : Recruitment of an Individual Consultant for the Review and alignment of ERCA competition regulations and other legal instruments with other ECOWAS languages.

Reference No. N° ECW/ERCA-/ADM/ 001 /10/01/25) ti

Within the framework of the execution of the 2025 Budget, the ECOWAS Regional Competition Authority (ERCA) intends to apply a portion of its budgeted funds for the Recruitment of an individual Consultant for the Review and alignment of ERCA Competition Regulations and other legal texts with other ECOWAs languages.

  • Background:

Competition is a key driver of economic growth and development. It is a powerful tool for encouraging innovation and efficiency, and for promoting the interests of consumers. It helps to create a level playing field for businesses of all sizes and encourages investment and entrepreneurship. A robust competition and consumer protection policy is essential for promoting and maintaining a competitive environment that benefits all stakeholders.

Pursuant to Article 3 of the ECOWAS Revised Treaty which prescribes the harmonization and coordination of national trade policies in the ECOWAS Region and the Supplementary Acts on the Community Competition Rules as well as the ECOWAS Directive on Consumer Protection, the ECOWAS regional Competition Authority (ERCA) shall cooperate with Member States to promote competition and trade in the Community Market. Particularly, ERCA is committed:

  • to build an efficient and competitive ECOWAS market economy in order to promote and facilitate the conditions necessary for inclusive economic growth;
  • to encourage Member States to take ownership and implement the Principles and Rules of Competition and Consumer Protection for the benefit of the region;
  • to support Member State to adopt competition laws consistent with community provisions, particularly the establishment of independent national competition authorities.

In view of this requirement, ERCA has in the past years developed several regulatory and legislative instruments to support the implementation of the Community competition rules in the region. However, it was realised that despite the initial review and translation efforts to ensure harmonization, gaps still do exist especially in the Portuguese version of the documents.  It is therefore necessary to have a comprehensive review and alignment process of all the ERCA legal texts including Supplementary Acts, Regulations, Manuals of Procedure, Directives Guidelines and Policies to ensure consistency, harmonization and avoidance of ambiguity.

Objectives:

The consultant will be responsible for carrying out a comprehensive review and alignment of all ERCA legal texts to ensure that the Portuguese versions are fully aligned with the English and French versions in terms of text, interpretation and structure. The objectives are as follows

  1. To undertake a review and analysis of existing legal and regulatory documents governing consumer protection and competition and to ensure alignment of texts.
  2. To analyse the legal and regulatory texts relating to competition and consumer protection.
  3. Carry out an analysis to identify any gaps that may exist in terms of the structure, meaning and interpretation of the texts.
  4. To recommend specific terms and expressions in the Portuguese language in accordance with competition legislation and regulations that comply with international standards.
  5. To prepare a glossary of terms applicable to competition law and regulation, in accordance with international best practice.
  • Tasks:

Working under the overall supervision and guidance of the Executive Director ERCA, the consultant is expected to undertake the following tasks:

  1. Conduct analysis to identify the gaps that may exists in the Portuguese version of the ERCA legal and regulatory texts.
  2. Review all ERCA legal and regulatory instruments with a view to align with English and French versions of the documents.
  3. Correct the shortfalls in translation.
  4. Recommend specific terms and expressions in Portuguese language in line with competition law and regulations that conforms to international standards.
  5. Prepare a glossary of terms in the Portuguese language that are applicable to competition law and regulation.
  • Deliverables:

The consultant will be required to deliver the following:

  1. An inception report outlining the consultant’s interpretation of the objectives, an overview of the approach and methodology to be followed, a detailed work plan, and any other relevant materials.
  2. A comprehensive list of the specific areas of the ERCA Portuguese legal and regulatory texts that are not reflective of international best practices.
  3. A corrected version of the reviewed texts that aligns with English and French version of the same documents.
  4. A glossary of terms recommended for use in the translation of ERCA legal and regulatory texts in the Portuguese language.

Interim and final reports outlining progress and deliverables against the agreed Terms of reference and work plan.

  • Qualifications and Experience:

The consultant should possess the following qualifications and experience:

  1. A post-graduate degree in economics, law, public policy or a related field.
  2. A minimum of ten (10) years’ experience in competition policy, consumer protection, and regulatory reform.
  3. Knowledge of international best practices and the ECOWAS provisions in competition and consumer protection, including experience in working with the relevant regulatory authorities.
  4. knowledge of two ECOWAS languages, including proficiency in Portuguese language is a prerequisite.
  5. Excellent analytical and report writing skills, as well as strong communication skills.
  • Duration:

The project will be completed over a period of Six (6) months, starting from the date of signing the contract.

  • Financing

The assignment will be financed under the budget of ERCA. This will cover all expenses related to the assignment, including the consultant’s fees, travel, accommodation, and other administrative expenses.

  • Submission of Proposals:

Interested consultants should submit a proposal that includes:

  1. A detailed CV and relevant qualifications.
  2. A cover letter outlining the consultant’s understanding of the project, the approach taken to complete the project, and the expected outcomes.
  3. A detailed work plan that outlines the methodology, timelines and deliverables.
  4. A budget for the entire project, including all expenses.
  5. Two references from previous clients or employers.
  • Deadline for submission

The deadline for submission of proposals is 31 May, 2025

  • Contact

All proposals should be submitted electronically to the following address: ysamateh@ecowas.int /itambajang@ecowas.int/dtorrella@ecowas.int

ECOWAS Regional Competition Authority

Bertil Harding Bijilo, The Gambia

Expressions of Interest (1 original and 3 copies) can be delivered in sealed envelopes and clearly marked “RECRUITMENT OF A CONSULTANT FOR THE REVIEW AND ALIGNMENT OF ERCA COMPETITION REGULATIONS AND OTHER LEGAL INSTRUMENTS WITH OTHER ECOWAS LANGUAGES.”, Do not open except in the presence of the Evaluation Committee” to the address below latest by 31 May 2025, at 11.00 am (GMT).     

The Ecowas Regional Competitive Authority (ERCA) whose address is at Bertil Harding, KSMD, Bijilo, The Gambia P.O Box 4470 Tel :+220 2330006 / 3486966.

Please note that electronic submissions are also accepted and shall be addressed to: ysamateh@ecowas.int/itambajang@ecowas.int/ dtorrella@ecowas.int

This EOI is also published on the ERCA and the ECOWAS websites info@erca-arcc.org and http://www.ecowas.int/doing-business-in-ecowas/ecowasprocurement

 

Executive Director ECOWAS Regional Competition Authority (ERCA)