Deadline has been extended to 11 July 2025, 23:59 Jakarta time (GMT+7).
4. Indirect Rate Cap: Is there an indirect rate cap for this project? (Posted on 25 June 2025)
There is no specified cap on indirect costs for this assignment. However, tenderers are encouraged to ensure that their financial proposals are competitive and demonstrate good value for money.
5. Do you also have any requirements for the Joint Ventures/ Consortium/ Association (JVCA)? (Posted on 25 June 2025)
Yes, as outlined in the TOR, Joint Ventures/Consortiums/Associations (JVCA) are required to submit Form C, along with supporting documents such as a Letter of Intent or a JVCA Agreement that outlines the legal structure and confirms joint and several liability of all members.
In addition, all bidders, including JVCA members, must complete Forms A to H. This includes Form B (Tenderer Information and Registration Form), accompanied by supporting documents for each member such as company profile, business registration, signatory authority, valid business permits or licenses, taxpayer identification number, and latest audited financial statements.
All documents should be current and submitted in accordance with the instructions in the tender dossier.
6. Reason for Extension of Submission Deadline to 11 July 2025: Could you please clarify the reason for the extension of the submission deadline to 11 July 2025? (Posted on 8 July 2025)
The deadline has been extended to accommodate requests from prospective bidders for additional time to prepare competitive, high-quality proposals. This also allows sufficient time for internal coordination among consortium members and finalisation of required documentation.
7. Eligibility of Malaysia-Based Lead Contractors: Can a Malaysia-registered company serve as the lead contractor in a consortium delivering activities in Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Viet Nam, and Timor-Leste, provided we don’t have a local implementation partners in those countries? (Posted on 8 July 2025)
Yes, Malaysia-registered entities are eligible to serve as lead contractors. Proposals will be assessed based on technical quality and value for money, which includes the ability to deliver effectively in CLMV and Timor-Leste. Where no in-country partners are engaged, the bidder must clearly demonstrate how contextualisation and local outreach will be achieved.
8. Local Partnership Requirements: Is it mandatory to have active in-country partners in all five countries, or will a regional partner with multilateral reach across CLMV+Timor-Leste suffice for compliance? (Posted on 8 July 2025)
While it is not mandatory to have active in-country partners in all five countries, having such partnerships is strongly encouraged. Regional partners with established networks and operational reach across CLMV and Timor-Leste may be considered, provided the proposal includes robust mechanisms to ensure locally relevant delivery and stakeholder engagement.
9. Remote Delivery Options in Conflict Zones: Given political and connectivity challenges in Myanmar and Timor-Leste, would hybrid/remote training models (e.g. WhatsApp microlearning or diaspora-based support) be acceptable if access is restricted? (Posted on 8 July 2025)
Yes, hybrid and remote training models are acceptable—particularly in contexts where access or security may be constrained. Bidders may propose alternate delivery approaches such as WhatsApp-based microlearning, virtual coaching, or diaspora-based mentoring, provided these ensure effectiveness, equity, and inclusivity.
10. Eligibility of Joint Ventures/Consortia: Can joint ventures or consortia include academic institutions or social enterprises, or must all parties be legally registered private firms? (Posted on 8 July 2025)
Yes, consortia may include a range of entities such as academic institutions, social enterprises, private sector firms, and individual consultants. While the lead tenderer must be a legally registered entity (as it will be the signatory to the contract), other consortium members or team members (e.g. individual consultants) may participate through subcontracting or partnership arrangements. The consortium as a whole must demonstrate the relevant experience and technical capacity to deliver the project effectively.
11. Joint Ventures from Malaysia: Can these joint ventures be from Malaysia or they should be from other companies as well? (Posted on 8 July 2025)
Yes, joint ventures may include entities registered in Malaysia and/or in other countries. There are no geographic restrictions, though experience in ASEAN and familiarity with local contexts will be considered during evaluation.
12. Preferred Platforms or Delivery Tools: Are there any preferred platforms or delivery tools (e.g., LMS, video conferencing tools) that ASEAN encourages or prohibits? (Posted on 8 July 2025)
There are no mandated or prohibited platforms. Bidders are encouraged to propose delivery tools that are most suited to the digital readiness, literacy levels, and accessibility needs of the target audience in each country.
13. Combined Bootcamps Across Countries: Can we conduct combined bootcamps for Cambodia–Laos or other neighboring countries to reduce cost and logistics? (Posted on 8 July 2025)
Yes, combined bootcamps or trainings across neighbouring countries (e.g. Cambodia–Lao PDR) may be proposed for efficiency, provided the design ensures adequate localisation, translation, and meaningful engagement from each represented country.
14. Translation Standards or Language Requirements: Is there a required language translation standard or policy for training materials? Must materials be available in Khmer, Lao, Vietnamese, Burmese, and Tetum? (Posted on 8 July 2025)
Yes, materials and delivery must be available in Khmer, Lao, Vietnamese, Burmese, and Tetum, in addition to English. This is to ensure accessibility and effectiveness across all target countries.
15. Use of AI or GPT-Powered Tools: Can training include AI-based or GPT-powered tools for digital agriculture or MSME scaling — or is there a preference for simpler tools (e.g., WhatsApp, Canva, mobile apps)? (Posted on 8 July 2025)
There is no restriction on using advanced tools such as AI or GPT-powered technologies. Bidders are encouraged to propose tools appropriate to the context, noting that in some areas, simpler platforms (e.g. WhatsApp, Canva, mobile apps) may be more practical and widely adopted.
16. Inclusion of Climate-Smart Agriculture or Agri-Fintech: Should training modules incorporate climate-smart agriculture or agri-fintech topics, or should we stay focused strictly on general digital adoption? (Posted on 8 July 2025)
While the focus is on general digital adoption, the inclusion of complementary topics such as climate-smart agriculture or agri-fintech is welcome, particularly where these help address barriers or accelerate digital transformation in agriculture and agribusiness MSMEs.
17. Budget Ceiling or Indicative Range: Is there a ceiling budget or indicative financial range the committee expects for this project? (Posted on 8 July 2025)
No ceiling amount is specified. Bidders are expected to propose a realistic budget that reflects value for money, aligned with the scope and complexity of the assignment.
18. Inclusion of Per Diem, Translation, and Travel in Financial Proposal: Can per diem, translation, and travel be included in the Financial Proposal even if ASEC manages travel directly? (Posted on 8 July 2025)
These activity costs are considered reimbursable and do not need to be included in the Financial Proposal. Reimbursable costs for workshops and related activities will be discussed and agreed with the selected contractor in line with prevailing ASEC rates.
19. Physical Registration in CLMV and Timor-Leste: Will the selected contractor be required to register or operate physically in any of the 5 countries? (Posted on 8 July 2025)
There is no requirement for the contractor to be physically registered or based in the five countries. However, the ability to engage and operate locally remains important and should be clearly addressed in the proposal.
20. Multiple Pricing Options in Form H: Is Form H(financial template) allowed to include multiple pricing options (e.g., Option A with full on-ground delivery, Option B hybrid)? (Posted on 8 July 2025)
Yes, Form H may present alternative costing scenarios (e.g. Option A: Full on-ground delivery; Option B: Hybrid delivery). These should be well justified, and all pricing should be presented in US dollars and inclusive of applicable taxes.
21. Access to Mid-Term or End-Term Evaluation Reports of Referenced Strategies: The TOR suggests that the proposal and the project activities align with and be guided by key ASEAN instruments and unifying strategies, namely the: AEC Blueprint 2025, ASEAN Digital Masterplan 2025, IAI Work Plan IV (2021-2025), Strategic Plan for ASEAN Cooperation in Food, Agriculture and Forestry 2016-2025. These are nearing their implementation period. Could the consultants have access to documented directions for the next phase of these instruments, or any mid-term or final evaluation report in preparation for the bid? (Posted on 8 July 2025)
The project aligns with ASEAN strategic instruments such as the AEC Blueprint 2025, ASEAN Digital Masterplan 2025, IAI Work Plan IV, and the Strategic Plan for ASEAN Cooperation in Food, Agriculture and Forestry 2016–2025. While mid-term or successor documents may not be available during the tender period, bidders may refer to publicly available documents including the ASEAN Vision 2045 as a reference for forward-looking alignment. The links for the ASEAN Vision 2045 are as follows:
22. Consultants’ Roles in Workshops: We understand that the financial proposal only covers professional fees and that reimbursable costs do not need to be included in the proposal/bid. For the several workshops to be organised, what will be the role of the consultants? We believe the following are some of the roles. Kindly confirm if there is anything else: Workshop concept note, Target stakeholders, Key questions, Workshop materials, Workshop M&E tools. (Posted on 8 July 2025)
Confirmed responsibilities include: workshop concept notes, stakeholder targeting, development of key questions and materials, design of M&E tools.
Clarifications:
a. ASEC Roles: Kindly confirm that ASEC will determine the location (which country), the venue, communicate with venue management about the event needs, manage the reimbursables with participants, etc.
ASEC will determine the location and venue, coordinate with venue providers, and manage reimbursements for participants and related costs. In addition to the confirmed responsibilities of the consultants mentioned above, the consultants are expected to facilitate the discussion at the workshops and prepare the workshop reports.
b. Consultant Reimbursables: Do the reimbursables include consultant team members? And if yes, could you kindly let us know the maximum number of consultant team members to be covered?
Consultant team expenses may be reimbursed. Guidelines for Implementing Agencies, including eligible cost items, will be shared with the selected bidder. The number of consultant team members supported will depend on delivery needs and role distribution.
c. Translation Providers: The materials need to cater for country situations and norms, which also calls for the translation of materials to Khmer, Lao, Burmese, Vietnamese, and Tetum. Will these service providers be reimbursed directly by ASEC? And will the cost not be included in the budget?
Translation, interpretation, and localisation services will be reimbursed or arranged by ASEC. These costs should not be included in the financial proposal.
d. Workshop Duration: Does ASEC have a target duration for the workshops, regional and national, and the training programmes (1-day workshops, or 3-day training programmes, etc.)?
Workshop duration is not fixed. Bidders should propose formats suited to the content, target audience, and local context.
e. Other Reimbursables: Do reimbursables include printing, translation, interpreter, installations and setup for interpretation, and will these too be managed by ASEC?
Reimbursable costs may also include printing, translation, interpretation services, and installation/setup for simultaneous interpretation. These costs will be managed directly by ASEC.
23. Definition of ‘Impact’ in Sub-Sector and Geographic Targeting: One of the main deliverables of the project is to identify sub-sectors and geographic areas where digital adoption has the greatest impact. Is the impact already defined? For example, for poverty reduction and improved livelihoods? This helps with M&E. (Posted on 8 July 2025)
Bidders are encouraged to define ‘impact’ in their proposal, drawing on factors such as potential for poverty reduction, livelihood improvement, gender and social inclusion, and scalability of digital solutions. These criteria will help inform the identification of priority sub-sectors and geographic areas for intervention.
24. Access to report “Assessment on the Adoption of Digital Technology by MSMEs in CLMV Countries and Integration of CLMV MSMEs into Global Value Chain”: Could you kindly provide a link, or inform us where we may access a published version of the report titled “Assessment on the Adoption of Digital Technology by MSMEs in CLMV Countries and Integration of CLMV MSMEs into Global Value Chain” (2021), supported by AADCP II? (Posted on 8 July 2025)
Please find below the link to the summary of the report “Assessment on the Adoption of Digital Technology by MSMEs in CLMV Countries and Integration of CLMV MSMEs into Global Value Chain”.
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