Policy Dialogue Support Facility – DCI-ASIE- 2012/305-957
Thailand-EU Policy Dialogues Support Facility (PDSF)
Technical Assistance Service Contract
EuropeAid/132360/C/SER/TH
Terms of Reference for Intervention Assignment
Request No:
XX
Title of assignment:
Capacity and awareness building on the
monitoring of GM crops and associated detection technology, with particular reference to GM papaya in Thailand
Number and category of expert
1 senior expert
Specialist required:
Specialist in control of GM crops and associated detection technology
Activity No:
TAI004
Result Area:
1.1- Expertise and knowledge sharing provided in areas supporting trade in goods and
services and rules and regulations governing
EU-Thailand relations
1. Background
1.1. Background about the country and the sectors
The 11th National Economic and Social Development Plan (2012-2016) provides a policy
framework identifying strategic directions with respect to Thailand’s social and economic
development. Key areas stressed in the 11th Plan include the role of advance technology
and innovation in creating a knowledge-based economy and in enhancing Thailand’s competitive edge, moving the country away from an excessive reliance on technology imports
and thus achieving sustainable development.
The proposed development strategies outlined in the 11th NESDP cover three main areas of
the PDSF addressing economic, social and environmental issues.
In the economic field, deepening trade liberalisation and building markets, including Free
Trade Agreements (FTA) are clearly seen as an opportunity to strengthen Thailand’s competitiveness. Preparing for the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) in 2015 and beyond is among
the Government priorities. The development of creative services receives great attention in
the 11th Plan is closely linked to the objective of strengthening competitiveness. To promote
this, the Thai government has developed a roadmap towards a creative economy as one of
the priority areas.
Aspects of social development covered under the 11th NESDP, relate to the rights and the
empowerment of Thai citizen in the field the education and in the participation and the
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benefits from the labour market. Besides the improvement of the income distribution and
the social protection all citizens, which are top priorities under the NESDP, decent work and
employment aspects as well as issues related to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) are
identified as areas for further improvement. In order to allow a broad range of citizen to
participate and benefit from the labour market, the 11th NESDP encourages lifelong learning
with focus on acquisition of knowledge, innovation, and creativity. To reduce the shortages
of skilled workers, reforms to improve tertiary education will be supported.
Linkages with environmental strategies exist both in the economic and in the social area as
environmental aspects become more and more important. The Government’s overarching
policy documents, the 2011 Government Policy statement and the 11th NESDP (2012-2016),
foster the convergence of social and economic change with sustainability and resilience
goals. The 11th NESDP pillar on environment and natural resource management pursues
conserving and restoring the natural resource base and the environment; shifting the development paradigm towards the low carbon society; enhancing adaptive capacity to achieve a
climate-resilient society; building immunity from the use of trade measures to protect the
environment; enhancing Thailand’s role in the global environmental forum and international
cooperation preventing and reducing pollution; improving the efficiency, transparency and
equity of the natural resource and environment management system.
An array of policies has been developed to move the country along the very progressive low
carbon path identified under the 11th NESDP. The climate change related policies set far
reaching goals, not just about sectoral improvements, but calling for profound structural
change.
1.2. Background of the project
The 3.5 years Thailand-EU Policy Dialogues Support Facility project (PDSF), is designed to
facilitate policy dialogues between the EU and Thailand with the overall objective to further
advance cooperation between the two partners towards the achievement of sustainable
economic and social development goals and global integration.
The specific objective of the PDSF is to provide targeted support for Thailand-EU policy dialogues in areas of strategic importance and crucial to advancing Thailand’s national development agenda. Specifically, to enhance dialogues and cooperation in the following strategic
areas: (1) trade and investment; (2) higher education and science and technology - including
health; (3) environment, climate change, energy and natural resources sustainable management, and; (4) good governance and human rights; besides, to enhance public awareness.
The facilitation of policy dialogue and the exchange of best practices and know-how should
ideally lead to concrete policy documents, regulations and legislations, follow-up initiatives
by the beneficiary institutions, putting into practice the results of the policy dialogue and
taking for the socio-economic reform process the recommendations into consideration.
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Policy Dialogue Support Facility – DCI-ASIE- 2012/305-957
Policy dialogue will be facilitated by the Contractor by organising conferences, seminars,
workshops, know-how exchanges, study visits, research, etc. for concrete activities, which
are of mutual interest and which are jointly identified by the Thai and EU dialogue partners
as a priority on a six-monthly basis.
1.3 Context
Since 2012 there have been a relative high number of interceptions of GM papaya exported
from Thailand to the EU as notified through RASFF. Consequently, the Department of Agriculture (DOA) has introduced control measures involving GMO testing of papaya prior to
export to ensure that no GMO contaminated papaya is exported to the EU. A monitoring
programme was also set up at the farm level under the GAP certification scheme to further
ensure the absence of GMO contamination. Despite the implementation of such measures,
GM papaya has occasionally been detected by EU member states.
As noted by the findings of a recent FVO mission 7200/2014, detection limitation is considered a key factor and could play a crucial role in the screening method. The current limit of
GMO detection by DOA laboratory is 0.1%, while the LOD applied in the EU is 0.01%. This
could contribute to the interception discrepancy. Further, a specific method needs to be
developed for identification of GMO contaminated papaya. There is therefore a need to
lower the limit of detection below 0.1% for screening methods to ensure that GMO is detected in fresh papaya, including its seeds, and processed food containing papaya. There is
also a need to strengthen laboratory quality control using identified test/secondary reference material and validated test methods for GM papaya events.
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2. Description of the assignment
2.1. Overall objective
The overall objective of this assignment is to provide technical support to the GM Plant &
Microorganism Detection R & D Group, Biotechnology Research and Development Office,
Department of Agriculture in the development of detection methods and identification
techniques for GM papaya and their derivatives in Thailand.
2.2. Specific objective
With respect to the control, monitoring and detection of GM papaya, the overall objective
will be achieved by:
1. Building awareness of GM control and monitoring with relevant stakeholders.
2. Strengthening the detection limit capacity for GM papaya.
3. Developing GM papaya standard reference material for laboratory control.
4. Strengthening the capacity of laboratory personnel with respect to quality assurance, sample handling and analysis.
5. Developing appropriate sampling strategies and methods for sample preparation.
The activity will primarily target laboratory personnel at the GM Plant & Microorganism Detection R & D Group. Other stakeholders will include GM analysis laboratories, assessors,
exporters, packing houses
2.3. Tasks to be undertaken
This activity will be executed through a work package of 9 actions targeting 2 levels of intervention, namely formal general training and specific skill improvement training for GMOs
analysis laboratory staff.
A. Formal General Training on GMOs
1. Workshop on sampling techniques, GM detection, laboratory manipulation and
practical elements of inspection of exported products and issuance of GM certificates (including any appropriate additional declaration). The workshop will target 15
DOA officials and will be of 5 days duration.
2. Training on EU GMOs legislation; Directive 2000/29/EC, Regulations 1829/2003,
1830/2003 and Regulation EC 1946/2003 for the import of plants, plant products
and GM regulation, requirements for GM inspection and certification, LOD for GM
detection. The training will be 1 day duration and will target DOA related officers,
assessors and all related laboratories.
3. Training on GM regulations and requirement for the export of plants and plant
products from Thailand to the EU, GMOs Rapid alert & plant quarantine system in
EU. The training will be 1 day duration and will target DOA related officers and exporters / packing houses.
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4. Training on GM Inspection and certification of plants for planting, at places of production, for export to the EU. GM control at farm and packing facilities for the export to the EU. The training will be 1 day duration and will target DOA related officers, exporters / packing houses.
B. Specific skill improvement training for GMOs analysis laboratory staff – hands-on practical training
1. Practical training on internal quality assurance system for GMOs detection.
2. Practical training on implementation of GMOs quantitative detection service.
3. Consulting, exchange of information and training in developing & validating specific
analytical method for GM papaya, including (i) Developing event identification
method; (ii) Method validation; and (iii) Determination of laboratory uncertainty.
4. Consulting, exchange information and training in developing & validating Reference
Material for GM papaya.
5. Consulting, exchange information and training in developing a complete manual for
GMOs survey & manipulation.
2.4. Expected results and outputs
A. Formal General Training on GMOs
1. Report on the training and presentation materials for the workshop on sampling
techniques, GM detection, laboratory manipulation and practical elements of inspection of exported products and issuance of GM certificates.
2. Report on the training and presentation materials for the training on EU GMOs legislation.
3. Report on the training and presentation materials for the training on GM regulations
and requirement for the export of plants and plant products from Thailand to the
EU, GMOs Rapid alert & plant quarantine system in EU.
4. Report on the training and presentation materials for the training on GM Inspection
and certification of plants for planting, at places of production, for export to the EU.
B. Specific skill improvement training for GMOs analysis laboratory staff – hands-on practical training
6. Agreements on corrective actions linked to a time bound action plan with respect to
internal quality assurance system for GMOs detection.
7. Outline and protocol for developing & validating specific analytical methods for GM
papaya.
8. Outline and protocol in developing & validating reference material for GM papaya.
9. Outline of complete manual for GMOs survey & manipulation.
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3. Expert’s profile
The preferred candidate will meet the requirements mentioned below:

A university degree or equivalent qualification in food science, biochemistry, chemistry,
biology, microbiology or related subject;

A minimum of ten years of professional experience on food safety control;

Proven record in laboratory Quality Assurance and Quality Control according to ISO
24276 and ISO17025;

Documented experience in the conduct of training and mentoring services;

At least 10 years experience on validation of analytical methods;

At least 10 years of experience in analysis of GM products in an agricultural analytical
background;

At least 10 years of experience in control and monitoring of GM products in an agricultural background

A skilled motivator with the ability to apply creative solutions to complex challenges;

Other skills highly regarded are writing, creativity, presentation skills and the ability to
translate and communicate vision;

Experience in South East Asia, and more specifically Thailand is considered an advantage; and

Proven excellent report writing and communication skills in English, knowledge of Thai
language is an asset.
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4. Location, duration and schedule
4.1. Location and duration of assignment
All briefings/debriefings will take place at the PDSF project office in Bangkok. The consultant
shall be based at the GM Plant & Microorganism Detection R & D Group, Biotechnology Research and Development Office, Department of Agriculture, Bangkok.
The consultant shall work for an overall period of 48 working days over a period from June
to September.
4.2. Proposed mission schedule for assignment
A detailed work schedule will be developed jointly with the team leader at the commencement of the mission.
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5. Reporting
5.1. Content
The consultant will attend a briefing in Bangkok at the commencement of the assignment
and a debriefing at the conclusion of the assignment.
The short-term expert reports to the team leader and shall provide the following deliverables:


Outputs detailed in section 2.4 “Expected results and outputs” of this TOR
Mission report, according to the reporting template provided by the TL, giving: a summary of the assignment describing the main tasks undertaken, a bibliography of documents collected and studied, a list of people and/or organisations met and providing an
overview of the main findings, conclusions and recommendations.
5.2. Submission timing
Latest, on XX
6. Administrative information
A budget of x,000 EUR is earmarked for this assignment in order to support the organisation
of the workshop and training activities.
The expert(s) has (have) the mandate of discussing about topics related to the tasks of this
assignment with relevant stakeholders. S/he is not authorized to represent the EU and/or
the RTG, and to make any commitment on their behalf.
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