About RT4D The Regional Trade for Development (RT4D) initiative is funded by the Governments of Australia and New Zealand. It assists ASEAN Member States (AMS) in meeting their commitments and realising the advantages offered by the Agreement establishing the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area, or AANZFTA, and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, or RCEP. The Governments of Australia and New Zealand have committed up to AUD 53.3 million to fund RT4D from 2020–21 to 2027–28. Project Summary The RCEP Implementation Support Program (RISP), implemented through the Regional Trade for Development (RT4D) Facility, supports ASEAN Member States to realise the benefits of RCEP through capacity-building support and access to technical expertise. The project ‘ RCEP Insights: Preparing Malaysian SMEs for Trade’ is approved under the RISP. The project aims to strengthen Malaysian SMEs ’ understanding and utilisation of RCEP by improving their practical knowledge and capacity to apply the Agreement in their business operations. It will: increase awareness and understanding of RCEP provisions among SMEs through the development and dissemination of a practical, user-friendly RCEP Toolkit; strengthen SMEs’ practical capacity to apply key RCEP provisions, including rules of origin, customs procedures and digital trade requirements, through targeted training and practical guidance; improve SME readiness to utilise RCEP by helping participating enterprises understand relevant provisions, identify how they apply to their business operations and determine practical next steps for accessing regional markets and value chains; conduct research, stakeholder consultations and validation processes with government agencies, customs authorities, trade agencies, business associations, SMEs and other relevant stakeholders; develop a Full Compilation Report consolidating the project methodology, detailed findings and stakeholder-engagement outcomes; develop and finalise an approximately 50-page RCEP Utilisation Toolkit for SMEs in Malaysia, featuring step-by-step guidance, infographics, summary charts, comparison tables and other practical visual resources; publish the approved Toolkit through SME Corporation Malaysia’s communication channels to support wider access, ongoing use and future updating; and deliver a one-day capacity-building workshop in Kuala Lumpur for approximately 40–50 SMEs and trade-support stakeholders. The Opportunity RT4D is seeking a consulting firm/organisation or consortium (hereinafter referred to as “the Consultant”) to manage and deliver both technical and event organisation services for the project, in close collaboration with the RT4D Facility and SME Corporation Malaysia. The project will be implemented in Malaysia from February 2027 to November 2027. The final Project outputs will be subject to comments, amendments, and approval from the RT4D Facility Team, SME Corporation Malaysia and Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). The services will be delivered in accordance with the requirements set out in the Request for Proposal (RFP) and Terms of Reference (ToR). Closing Date for Queries: 30 November 2026 Queries Request for Proposal (RFP) Terms of Reference Financial Proposal Template Services Agreement Template To ensure the above can be effectively managed and completed in alignment with the ToR, it is recommended that interested organisations have: Qualified and experienced team : A suitably qualified and experienced expert or team of experts with sufficient technical expertise, organisational capacity and availability to deliver all technical and event-related outputs within the scope, quality standards and timelines set out in the ToR. International trade, RCEP utilisation and SME advisory expertise: Demonstrable expertise in international trade, free trade agreements and regional economic integration, particularly RCEP and its practical application by SMEs. A strong understanding of rules of origin, tariff classifications, customs procedures, trade facilitation, digital trade and other relevant provisions is required. Proven experience providing trade-related advisory services and capacity building to SMEs, including addressing FTA-utilisation barriers, trade-compliance challenges and market opportunities, is highly desirable. Research, stakeholder consultation and toolkit development: Demonstrated experience conducting research, stakeholder mapping and consultations with government agencies, customs authorities, trade agencies, business associations, SMEs and other stakeholders. Experience developing practical, user-friendly toolkits, guides, learning materials and other knowledge products for business audiences will be highly regarded. Plain-language and visual communications: Demonstrated ability to translate technical trade requirements into clear, practical and business-oriented guidance. Experience producing visually engaging publications, including infographics, summary charts, comparison tables, step-by-step guides and publication-ready materials, is highly desirable. Malaysia and SME ecosystem experience : Experience working with Malaysian SMEs, government agencies, customs authorities, trade-promotion agencies, business associations, chambers of commerce and SME support organisations. Experience working with SME Corporation Malaysia or comparable SME-development institutions will be considered an advantage. Workshop and event delivery : Demonstrable capacity and experience in professional event organisation, including end-to-end planning and delivery of capacity-building workshops involving SMEs, government agencies, business associations and trade-support organisations. Training, facilitation and practical learning : Demonstrated experience designing and facilitating practical capacity-building activities, including development of agendas and training materials, expert presentations, case studies, facilitated discussions and question
