STTA International E-commerce Expert

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Background

The Indo-Pacific Opportunity Program (IPOP) is a 4-year, regional activity in the Indo-Pacific Region designed to address the Public Financial Management (PFM) objectives under the Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS). It aims to create inclusive and sustainable economic growth, encourage regional cooperation, promote good governance, and improve the management of institutions. IPOP will focus on improving the macroeconomic policy and trade environment in the target countries. It also aims to strengthen democratic institutions to oversee PFM and implement sustainable infrastructure projects. IPOP is designed to contribute to four intermediate results:

• Improve trade and investment policy and capacity
• Strengthen ability to implement sustainable and high-quality infrastructure projects
• Improve macroeconomic and fiscal policy; and
• Strengthen democratic systems to oversee PFM.

Project Background

The VDT is a two-year activity (2023-2025) addressing regulatory gaps and promoting private sector engagement in the rapidly growing digital economy. USAID VDT Activity supports the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s (MOIT)’s implementation of frameworks that facilitate digital trade, with an emphasis on supporting MOIT in holding public-private dialogues to ensure implementation is done in consultation with the private sector. Regulations that are responsive to private sector needs remove bottlenecks in trade faced by enterprises and increase regulatory transparency, helping to shape an e-commerce sector where enterprises of all sizes can benefit. The Activity encourages the participation of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in digital trade by introducing new business models and other best practices, such as traceability of goods, as well as facilitating cross-border connections between enterprises via MOIT’s digital trade promotion platform.

Key Tasks/Responsibilities:

The STTA International Cross-border E-commerce Expert will be responsible for:

• Revise and provide relevant comments to the document on the scope and objectives of the research project prepared by the local National STTA Cross-border E-commerce Methodology Expert.
• Integrate the extensive literature review on cross-border e-commerce prepared by the National STTA Cross-border E-commerce Methodology Expert and focused on Vietnam's context with a literature review focused on the international context.
• Study the assessment of the present situation in Vietnam on the methodology and the tools utilized to measure cross-border e-commerce and identify gaps and solutions based on  international best practices.
• Discuss the outlines of the comprehensive research methodology prepared by the National STTA Cross-border E-commerce Methodology Expert and provide recommendations based on best international practices
• Conduct statistical analyses, in cooperation with the National STTA Cross-border E-commerce Methodology Expert, to derive meaningful insights from the collected data and interpret the results and identify patterns, trends, and correlations.
• Develop, in cooperation with the National STTA Cross-border E-commerce Methodology Expert, a set of measurement and evaluation indicators to assess the performance and impact of cross-border e-commerce in Vietnam.
• Comment and discuss online and present the research findings to the IDEA and eventually other stakeholders identified  by the National STTA Cross-border E-commerce Research Methodologist.

Activity Background

As approved in the work plan between the MOIT and USAID, the VDT will support the MOIT’s Vietnam E-Commerce and Digital Economy Agency (the “IDEA”) to develop a research report on methodology and a set of measurement and evaluation indicators on Vietnam's cross-border e-commerce.

Cross-border e-commerce developed on a traditional international trade platform  is becoming a trend in countries with developed e-commerce platforms such as the US, China, EU, Japan, Korea... and spreading to developing countries in Southeast Asia such as Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam...

Vietnam's economy is increasingly integrating deeply into the global economy with participation in a series of FTAs. E-commerce content is also starting to appear in the new generation FTAs that Vietnam participates in such as CPTPP, EVFTA, and RCEP... This will be a new driving force for the Vietnamese economy, contributing to reconnecting the cross-border supply chain that was broken due to the pandemic, paving the way for high quality products  from Vietnam to continue accessing international markets.

Currently, Vietnam does not have a common set of criteria to measure the scale of cross-border e-commerce; therefore, state management agencies still have difficulty positioning Vietnam's cross-border e-commerce in the general picture of global cross-border e-commerce. The IDEA proposed  the development of a Report on methodological research and a set of measurement and assessment indicators on cross-border e-commerce in Vietnam. Measuring e-commerce trade is a complex task due to the diverse nature of online transactions and the involvement of various entities across the supply chain. No single universal methodology exists for measuring e-commerce trade, with different countries and trade partners employing varying approaches.

The lack of a clear and universally accepted definition of e-commerce is one of the main difficulties in measuring this activity. The term "e-commerce" encompasses a wide range of activities, including online shopping, digital services, and online transactions. This broad scope makes it challenging to define e-commerce in a way that captures all of its aspects and can be consistently applied across different contexts. The absence of a standardized definition can lead to inconsistencies in how e-commerce is measured, both within and between countries. This can hinder comparisons and make it difficult to assess the true extent and impact of e-commerce on the economy.

In practice, measuring the value of Vietnam's cross-border e-commerce is important for a number of reasons:

• Tracking the growth of the sector and identify key trends. This information can be used to develop policies and regulations that support the growth of cross-border e-commerce;
• Identifying the economic impact of the sector. This information can be used to attract investment and support businesses that are involved in cross-border e-commerce.
• Promoting transparency and accountability. This is important because cross-border e-commerce transactions can involve a number of different parties, and it is important to ensure that all parties are aware of the risks and liabilities involved. In particular, this might also help in protecting consumers and businesses from fraud and abuse.
• Helping policymakers to develop policies and regulations that support the growth of cross-border e-commerce. This can lead to increased investment, job creation, and economic growth.

The report will be a synthesis of cross-border e-commerce measurement methodologies of a number of countries, followed by lessons learned for Vietnam. This research report is the premise for developing and  the publication of Vietnam's Cross-Border E-Commerce Report (in year 2). The report is a useful reference for state management agencies in developing statistical indicators for measuring cross-border e-commerce.

The STTA International E-commerce Expert (“the Expert”) in consultation with the the USAID VDT technical team, and the National STTA Cross-Border E-commerce Methodology Expert, will collaborate and work closely with the IDEA and consult with relevant departments of MOIT to complete  research and a report on the methodology and measurement indicators for Vietnam's cross-border e-commerce. In particular, the expert is expected to provide the National STTA Cross-Border E-commerce Methodology Expert insights, recommendations, and solutions based on  international best practices in measuring  cross-border e-commerce.  The expert may also be required to work in collaboration with other members of the VDT team.

Qualifications

The STTA International Cross-border E-commerce Expert should have the following qualifications:

• A Master's or Ph.D. degree in a relevant field such as Business, Economics, E-commerce, Statistics, or a related discipline.
• At least ten years of experience expertise in research methodology, including designing and implementing research projects, selecting appropriate methods, and ensuring rigor in data collection and analysis.
• Experience in working on cross-border e-commerce dynamics, trends, and challenges, in an international context.
• Proficiency in statistical analysis and data interpretation.
• Knowledge of international trade policies, regulations, and the economic factors influencing cross-border transactions.
• Ability to analyze complex data sets and interpret findings in a meaningful way.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills to convey research findings, methodology, and recommendations clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Strong English written, oral, and presentation skills.

Level of Effort and Period of Performance

The period of performance will be February – July 2024. The total level of effort will be up to 15 days. Vietnamese nationals are welcome to apply.

Deliverables

• Comments on the project plan outlining milestones, tasks, and deadlines prepared by the National STTA Cross-border E-commerce Methodology Expert.
• Support the National STTA Cross-border E-commerce Methodology Expert in the following areas:
  • Add a section on the international focus to the comprehensive literature review document summarizing existing knowledge, key concepts, and identifying research gaps.
  • Prepare a chapter focused on the gaps and solutions to address the challenges of the present methodology and tools utilized in Vietnam for measuring cross-border e-commerce trade.
  • Comments and propose recommendations on the research methodology detailing the chosen methods, tools, and instruments for data collection and analysis.
  • Draft, in cooperation with the National STTA Cross-border E-commerce Methodology Expert the Outline, and the developed measurement and evaluation indicators, aligned with the research objectives.

NOTE: This job posting should not be construed to imply that the requirements are the exclusive standards of the position nor will it be the sole basis for any subsequent employee evaluations. Incumbents will follow any other instructions and perform any other related duties as may be required by their supervisor. 
 
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), age (40 and older), physical and mental disability, genetic information (including family medical history) or characteristics, military status, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, citizenship or alienage, or any other protected status as established by applicable federal, state, or local law.