Call for Proposals for the “Project to Promote Social Implementation of Trade Transaction Digitization Systems” Using AMEICC’s FY2022 Supplementary Budget

Export volumes of ASEAN countries have increased rapidly since the 1990s, growing more than ninefold over the past two decades. However, most trade transactions among ASEAN countries are still paper-based, and there is a need to improve the efficiency of trade transactions. One of the means to achieve this is digitization, and Japan, a major trading partner of ASEAN, and the ASEAN Business Association Council (ABAC), ASEAN's economic organization, have been cooperating in various ways on trade digitization to date. First, the benefits (time-saving effects) of trade e-transactions were estimated in FY2020, indicating the usefulness of conducting a PoC (Proof of Concept). Subsequently, in October 2022, a PoC for transactions among electronic trading systems in Japan, Thailand, and Singapore was implemented, and the results were demonstrated at APEC and other forums held in Thailand.

This project will (i) elaborate the net benefits of digitization of trade transactions, (ii) raise public awareness of such benefits, (iii) identify customers and trade transactions that should be initially focused on, and (iv) implement cost-effective policies. While drawing on past achievements and lessons learned, the project aims to accelerate the social implementation of trade transaction digitization systems in ASEAN at large by analyzing the current situation in the 10 ASEAN countries and assessing the impact of various policies on social implementation, while developing a roadmap for social implementation and making policy recommendations.

The contractor selected through this call for proposals shall be commissioned by the Association for Overseas Technical Cooperation and Sustainable Partnerships (AOTS) to implement the services (1) through (3). Detailed contents and methods of implementation shall be based on proposals, and the project shall be implemented after careful consultation with the AMEICC Secretariat and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Japan (METI). The implementation should be flexible enough to accommodate the infection status of COVID-19.

(1)    Analysis of the current situation and estimation of the potential of the 10 ASEAN countries, etc.
(2)    Sensitivity analysis through policy measures, etc.
(3)    Development of a roadmap and policy recommendations for the social implementation of trade transaction digitization systems in ASEAN

1)    Declaration of willingness to participate in the competition

If you wish to participate in this project competition, you must express your intention to participate by sending an application form by e-mail attachment by 3:00 p.m. in Japan time, Tuesday, April 11 [must arrive by this date and time]. The Application Letter must be submitted separately with the application documents.

2)    Q&A

(1)    Question deadline: 3:00 p.m. in Japan time, Tuesday, April 11, 2023
(2)    How to Receive Questions: By e-mail only
(3)    How to Answer Questions: All questions received will be answered by e-mail to those who have expressed their willingness to participate in the proposal competition by 4:00 p.m. in Japan time, Thursday, April 13, 2023.

6. Contact information for submission of application documents and inquiries