Invitation for Expressions of Interest: Country Economic Transformation Outlook (CETO) for Ethiopia

The African Center for Economic Transformation (ACET) has received from the Transformation for Africa Partnership (TAP) Trust Fund administered by the (International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) /International Development Association (IDA) and intends to apply part of the proceeds of this funding to payments under the contract for services for the above referenced assignment.

About ACET

The African Center for Economic Transformation (ACET) is one of the pre-eminent organizations in the world focused on advancing African solutions to African transformation challenges.  Driven by a commitment to support governments address the policy and institutional barriers that hamper sustained economic growth on the continent, ACET was founded in 2008 with the support of national governments alongside major multilateral, bilateral donors and foundations.  ACET is an economic policy institute that provides research, policy advice, and institutional strengthening for African countries to develop their economies, reduce poverty, and improve livelihoods. To learn more about ACET visit https://acetforafrica.org.

Background of Assignment

 Ethiopia’s economy has seen consistent and rapid expansion since 2004, achieving remarkable annual growth rates exceeding 8%, making it one of the world’s fastest-growing economies. This growth has been propelled by significant public investments in infrastructure, light manufacturing, services trade, and agriculture, primarily funded through foreign aid and external borrowing.

The African Transformation Index (ATI) highlights significant structural challenges in Ethiopia’s economy whilst showing its potential for economic transformation. In terms of transformation, the government of Ethiopia (GoE) has shifted its focus over the past two decades towards welcoming the private sector as a driver of economic transformation. However, the country’s overall ATI score for 2020 (averaged from 2019 to 2021) stands at 20 on a scale of 0-100, placing it below the continental average across all depth dimensions and indicating a low level of transformation. Key explanations include sluggish growth in productivity, insufficient export competitiveness, and substantial declines in diversification between 2011 and 2016.

As part of ACET’s efforts to support Ethiopia towards enhanced economic growth and development, ACET seeks a local research partner institution in Ethiopia to undertake the Country Economic Transformation Outlook (CETO) project. The CETO will be undertaken in collaboration with the GoE and in consultation with key non-public sector actors and stakeholders. 

The Services

The CETO identifies and approaches themes in economic transformation in a way that offers additional value beyond what is already available from other regional and international development organizations such as the World Bank and the African Development Bank. It will be an analytical and policy brief developed using ACET’s Growth with DEPTH framework  and intended to influence policy debate in Ethiopia and shape the country’s development agenda.

A key objective is to employ a robust gender lens to account for the different economic realities that exist for men and women. In applying a gender-responsive approach, the CETO also serves as a useful tool to support the government and other policymakers to transition from gender-neutral to gender-responsive policymaking in macro and micro economic policy development.

Details of the assignment can be found in the terms of reference upon request to [email protected]

 ACET now invites eligible research firms/institutions (“Consultants”) to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide details/ information regarding the following;

• Letter of Intent/ letter of Expression of Interest
• Company Profile
  • Legal status
  • Relevant industry certifications as may be applicable
• Organizational capability/resources
• General experience of organization/firm,
• Relevant experience – List of projects/contracts (both completed and on-going, both domestic and international) which are related or similar in nature to the requirements of this engagement,
• Evidence experiences in World Bank or other Donor Funded projects

 The shortlisting criteria are:

• Must be legally registered and located in the country.
• Must have at least 5 years strong background in economic research and analysis, with expertise in economic transformation and development.
• Proven track record of experience in conducting high-quality research and analysis related to economic transformation and development, including policy analysis and program evaluation.
• Experience in working with international development finance institutions and public sector in Africa is highly desirable.
• Proven capacity and experience to work intensively virtually, cooperate within a team, and deliver under tight delivery schedules.
• Demonstrate the ability to mobilize a competent research team, led by a senior researcher with more than a decade of experience in leading and delivering high-quality research projects. The team should have a mix of skills, including quantitative and qualitative analysis.

The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to Section III, Paragraphs 3.14, 3.16 and 3.17 1.9 of the World Bank’s Procurement Regulation for IPF Borrowers July 2016 revised November 2017, August 2018 and November 2020 (“Procurement Regulations”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest.  In addition, please refer to the following specific information on conflict of interest related to this assignment as per paragraph 3.17 of the Procurement Regulations.