Characterize the potential and offer for export of calibration, testing, production of reference materials and proficiency testing services of Colombian laboratories.

Description

Characterize the potential and offer for export of calibration, testing, production of reference materials and proficiency testing services of Colombian laboratories.

The Program consists of two components. Component I. "Promotion of exports of Knowledge-Based Services (KBS)", for USD $10.5 million, seeks to boost external sales of the KBS sectors prioritized for this Program. Component II. "Attraction and Facilitation of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)", for USD $10 million, seeks to increase efficiency FDI flows, through the implementation and use of new tools for streamlining procedures, and the promotion and attraction of investments.

Knowledge-Based Services are a strategic bet of the National Government for the diversification of the economy and the economic growth of the country, being one of the sectors prioritized in the trade policy set out in the National Development Plan (NDP) 2018-2022. The SBCs have the potential to contribute to the diversification of the country's exportable supply, to the generation of high value-added jobs and thus to a more sustainable economic growth. To this end, it is essential to have tools that support entrepreneurs to increase SBC exports in markets with purchasing potential, expanding the exporting business network and facilitating their insertion in international markets.

In this sense, calibration, testing, reference materials production and proficiency testing laboratories incorporate technical, scientific and innovative knowledge, which besides having a potential in international markets, mainly in the region, is key to strengthen the Colombian export ecosystem. The latter is due to the fact that many Colombian economic sectors require the services of laboratories to ensure that their products meet the quality standards required by international markets, and many times they have to resort to laboratories abroad to perform these tests, which increases the costs and implementation times of the standards.

These support and technical assistance activities for accredited Colombian laboratories have identified the potential for them to offer their services in the region. Likewise, it has been identified that there is a lack of administrative personnel to structure an internationalization plan, since their profiles tend to be technical and/or scientific, with gaps in the structuring of business models.

An accompanying strategy for the internationalization of laboratories, with incentives for the accreditation process under ISO 17025:2017 would have a positive impact on the increase of services with exportable potential in the country, and would strengthen the national quality infrastructure, allowing the products and services to be marketed to meet the highest international quality standards.

Considering the situation generated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the need to diversify the exportable supply of services of the laboratories, providing them with a route to access new markets will contribute to the sustainability of the businesses, boost business growth, and with it, support the economic recovery process in the country through the export of services required in different sectors, such as those related to calibration and testing in the areas of physics, chemistry or biology, production services of reference materials, proficiency testing services, and other services associated to the conformity assessment processes, which are Knowledge Based Services.

The Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism (MinCIT) through Fiduciaria Colombiana de Comercio Exterior S.A. - FIDUCOLDEX acting as spokesperson and administrator of the ProColombia Trust Fund, through which the resources of the Program to Support the Diversification and Internationalization of the Colombian Economy are executed, invites eligible consulting firms/entities to express their interest in providing services related to the characterization of the potential and offer for the export of calibration, testing, production of reference materials and proficiency testing services of Colombian laboratories. Interested entities should provide information indicating that they are qualified to provide the services in relation to executed contracts that demonstrate experience in works and conditions similar to the required services, availability of personnel with relevant knowledge, among others.

The consulting firms/entities must submit:

1. cover letter of expression of interest.

2. General background of the firm demonstrating its organization. Maximum three (3) pages, single-spaced, size 11 font.

3. Financial statements and notes as of December 31, 2020 signed by the legal representative, accountant and/or statutory auditor with the corresponding opinion.

4. Experience of the firm