E-commerce and international marketplace onboarding for Moldovan SMEs

Project: P177895 - MSME Competitiveness Project Reference: MD-CEP-542539-CS-CQS Procurement method: Consultant Qualification Selection Financing: World Bank REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST CONSULTING SERVICES: E-commerce and international marketplace onboarding for Moldovan SMEs REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA MICRO, SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES COMPETITIVENESS PROJECT Sector: General industry and trade sector IDA Credit No. 71740 IBRD Loan No. 94230 Project ID No. P177895 Reference No. MD-CEP- 542539-CS-CQS The Republic of Moldova has received financing from the World Bank toward the cost of the Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise Competitiveness Project (MSME) and intends to apply part of the proceeds for consulting services. The consulting services (“the Services”) and the overall objective of the assignment is to enhance the capacity of Moldovan enterprises to utilize international e-commerce channels and to ensure the effective operational launch of the local companies on global or regional marketplaces through e-commerce channels. The assignment will be implemented in the period April-December 2026 and will require an estimated level of effort of approximately 150 man-days The Terms of Reference (TOR) for the assignment is attached to this request for expressions of interest . The Project Implementation Unit of the MSME Competitiveness Project now invites eligible consulting firms (“Consultants”) to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services (required qualifications and experience of the firm, but not individual experts’ bio data). This assignment requires a consultant, which may be a consulting firm or a consortium of consulting firms, with proven experience in the field of the assignment, that meets the following minimum criteria: Institutional Experience: • Demonstrated capacities with at least five (5) years of proven experience in international e-commerce operations and cross-border online trade. • Provide a portfolio or case studies demonstrating at least 5 successful onboarding cases where complex verification or restriction issues for vendors from non-standard (non-EU) jurisdictions have been resolved. • Relevant experience with minimum three (3) years of experience in implementation of SME training or mentoring programs. • Demonstrated operational knowledge of international marketplaces such as Amazon, Alibaba, Zalando, Etsy, Emag or equivalent. • Demonstrated established direct communication channels or strategic partnerships with international marketplace administration teams, with a proven capacity to leverage these networks to facilitate pilot onboarding or secure operational exceptions for vendors from jurisdictions with restricted or limited platform access. • Experience in projects financed by development partners or public institutions will be considered an advantage. Team Composition and Key Experts. The proposed team shall include at least the following profiles: a. Team Leader / Project Manager At least five (5) years of relevant professional experience in e-commerce or export development; Experience in coordination of multi-beneficiary assignments. b. Marketplace Operations Expert Minimum three (3) years of hands-on experience in seller onboarding and account administration. c. Digital Marketing and SEO Specialist Minimum three (3) years of experience in product visibility, optimization, and marketplace promotion tools. d. Logistics and Cross-Border Trade Specialist Minimum three (3) years of relevant professional experience in international logistics, freight forwarding, or e-commerce supply chain management. Demonstrated knowledge of customs procedures, export documentation, and cross-border fulfillment solutions (including returns/reverse logistics). The Consultant may propose additional experts or adjust the team composition, as deemed necessary, in order to ensure proper achievement of the assignment objectives and delivery of the expected results . The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to Section III, paragraphs, 3.14, 3.16, and 3.17 of the World Bank’s “Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers” November 2020 (“Procurement Regulations”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest. A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the „Consultant’s Qualification-based Selection” method set out in the Procurement Regulations. Consultants may associate with other firms to enhance their qualifications; but should indicate clearly whether the association is in the form of a joint venture and/or a sub-consultancy. In the case of a joint venture, all the partners in the joint venture shall be jointly and severally liable for the entire contract, if selected. The Expression of Interest shall clearly state the name of the Consultant (individual Firm, Joint Venture or sub-consultancy). The Co