RFQ: Consultant -Commonwealth Principles and Model Law on the Enforcement of Suppression Orders

Background to the assignment

At the Commonwealth Law Ministers Meeting in Balaclava, Mauritius in November 2022, Law Ministers received the report of the Expert Working Group on Suppression Orders. Law Ministers accepted the recommendations of the Expert Working Group that the Secretariat develop a model law on the enforcement of suppression orders.’ [Outcome Statement, Commonwealth Law Ministers Meeting 2022 [para 44 – 46]. 

 Expected Output:

The Consultant is expected to:

• Prepare a questionnaire to facilitate mapping of legislation on suppression orders in all Commonwealth countries.
• Drawing from the mapping of legislation:
• identify common domestic principles for the enforcement of suppression orders in legislative frameworks of Commonwealth countries;
• use the common domestic principles to guide the development of Commonwealth principles for enforcement of suppression orders. (The Consultant may also recommend principles which are not common among Commonwealth member countries, but inclusion should just be justifiable and beneficial to the Model Law)
• Develop Commonwealth draft model law, and accompanying guidance notes for legislators, on suppression orders encompassing:
• the bases used in Commonwealth countries to issue and enforce suppression orders;
• provisions obliging Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and Internet Content Hosts) ICPs to prevent breaches of suppression orders; and
• Present Model Law to the Expert Working Group and key stakeholders, for feedback, make necessary revisions and validate and finalize the Model Law on the Enforcement of Suppression Orders. 
• It is expected that these outputs will aid progressive unified development of law and practice on the enforcement of suppression orders across the Commonwealth.

Required Skills and Experience:

• Minimum of master’s degree in law, public policy or another relevant field; 
• Minimum of 10 years of professional expertise in legislative drafting with proven practical professional experience in drafting of legislation;
• Proven ability to work well under pressure and meet strict deadlines;  
• Fluency in English required. 
• This consultancy assignment is expected to require a Consultant at Band C of the
• Secretariat’s Technical Assistance Consultants: Corporate Fee Band Table (see Annex 1 Below). 

Please apply for this contract by submitting a Technical and Commercial proposals to [email protected] by 15 March 2024. Applicants must also complete the Quote Submission Documents attached to the Request for Quotation (RFQ) document.

Prices quoted should include VAT but must indicate clearly where VAT is applicable and where items might be zero-rated.

Evaluation will be based on both competency and cost.