I. BackgroundAgriculture remains a key pillar of Colombia’s economic and social development. However; the country’s Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) system faces structural weaknesses that limit its ability to effectively protect agricultural health from plant pests and animal diseases and facilitate market access and international trade. In response to this situation; the World Bank; in collaboration with the Colombian Agricultural Institute (ICA); has been supporting the Government of Colombia (GoC) in strengthening institutional capacities through analytical studies and technical assistance.In particular; the Agriculture and Food Global Practice (AGF GP) of the World Bank conducted an analytical and advisory study titled “Identifying Technical Gaps to Improve Technological Solutions for the Integrated Management of Transboundary Diseases.” This study; part of the Programmatic Advisory Services and Analytics (PASA) under the Sustainable and Inclusive Transformation of the Colombian Agri-Food System (SIAT; P509672); identified key areas for improvement in border control; especially with respect to phytosanitary management.Findings from this initial phase highlighted the need to advance to a second phase; funded by the Korea–World Bank Partnership Facility (KWPF); focused specifically on designing integrated solutions to strengthen phytosanitary control mechanisms at the country’s points of entry. The objective is to support the GoC’s strategic commitment to building a more coherent; inclusive; and evidence-based agri-food system; while facilitating safe trade.In particular; the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) requires the country to adopt and maintain a border risk management system. Border controls should focus on high-risk consignments and expedite the release of low-risk consignments. Risk management shall be based on an assessment of risk through appropriate selectivity criteria. The TFA stipulates that these may include; inter alia; the Harmonized System (HS) code; nature and description of the goods; country of origin; country from which the goods were shipped; value of the goods; compliance record of traders; and type of means of transport. Against this backdrop; the World Bank proposes hiring a specialized consulting firm (or a team of consultants) to carry out an in-depth technical study and develop a roadmap for the conceptual design of an integrated information system that will help in establishing a safe; secure and more efficient agricultural trade environment for Colombia. This system will aim to enhance phytosanitary management at border control points through digital solutions that improve institutional interoperability and the real-time collection; analysis; and use of data; while aligning with international standards and responding to the challenges of an increasingly dynamic global environment.The system will proactively manage risks associated with plant products traded at the border and ensure that inspections are only carried out when necessary and based on risk. It will help the NPPO to better prioritize its limited resources by identifying and segmenting those commodities/traders who pose a higher risk. It will also enhance the efficiency of phytosanitary management processes by automating manual tasks; reducing paperwork; and streamlining workflows. The system will reduce unnecessary barriers to trade; such as reducing time to release plant products at the border; while improving Colombia’s plant health situation by targeting higher risk plant products and better tracking of pests and diseases. II. Objective of the ConsultancyThe objective of this consultancy is to support the World Bank team in advancing policy dialogue with ICA to strengthen its capacity in risk-based border control; through the conceptual design of an integrated information system. The consultancy will carry out an in-depth technical study and develop a comprehensive strategy to improve Colombia’s border control system for plant-based food. This strategy will seek to enhance efficiency; effectiveness; and alignment with international standards; identifying technological and operational solutions for each component and delivering a clear roadmap for implementation. III. ActivitiesAs part of the conceptual design of a digital solution aimed at strengthened and more efficient phytosanitary border control; the consultancy will carry out the following key technical activities:1.Assess ICA’s current data management capabilities within the SPS system at border points* Conduct institutional analysis of phytosanitary data processes (collection; analysis; use) at ports; airports; and land crossings. This includes how data is collected; processed; stored; shared; and used for decision-making.* Identify technical; operational; and organizational limitations.* Highlight opportunities for improvement based on international standards; especially for plant product inspe