MBO_RFQ_-_Attachment_3_SOW.pdf

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Statement of Work

Writer/Editor/Data Visualization

C.1. Introduction

The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) is a U.S. Government corporation whose mission is to provide assistance that will support economic growth and poverty reduction in carefully selected countries that demonstrate a commitment to just and democratic governance, economic freedom, and investments in their citizenry. For more information on the MCC, please visit www.mcc.gov.

MCC works closely with selected countries to identify binding constraints to economic growth and their root causes, to jointly develop strategic investments that promote poverty reduction through economic growth, and to support these investments. MCC also evaluates its investments by hiring independent evaluators to critically assess these investments after project completion, and publicly disseminates these evaluation results and their supporting data.

C.2. Background

The M&E team spends millions of dollars annually to measure the results of MCC’s investments. As such, the team is a wealth of knowledge and learning for both internal and external stakeholders. Since 2010, M&E has published 48 interim evaluation reports and 176 final evaluation reports. The evaluations are long, highly technical documents that are often inaccessible to a lay reader. In an effort to make the findings more digestible to a broader audience, the M&E team drafted a Summary of Findings (SoF) for each interim and final evaluation report. These SoFs aimed to distill the results of the report in a short, manageable way for internal and external stakeholders. While the Summaries of Findings brought stakeholders closer to the key results of the evaluations, there is room for improvement in the content of the summaries, the look and feel of the product, and the process for production.

C.3. Objective

The objective of the Writer/Editor/Data Visualizer is to provide MCC with the expertise needed for transforming our evaluation reports into results-oriented products that can be understood by a wide audience.

C.4. Scope

The Monitoring and Evaluation Division of the MCC Department of Policy and Evaluation is seeking a Consultant to assist in the strategy and creation of outreach products. The overall scope of this requirement is to support MCC’s M&E activities by providing ad hoc, expert guidance. The Consultant shall support the M&E leads and the MCC Director of Results and

Learning on a variety of tasks as they arise. Tasks will vary in length and frequency depending on the need from MCC. The Consultant should have excellent skills in writing, editing and data visualization.

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C.5. Tasks

Given that the Consultant will provide ad hoc surge capacity in the area of results dissemination and outreach, the exact tasks are unknown. However, it is likely that the Consultant will be required to work with M&E leads and other MCC staff on the following illustrative activities:

Converting approximately 90 Summaries of Findings into Evaluation Briefs. The first major task for this consultant will be to take the current backlog of Summaries of Findings and convert them into a suite of 4-5 page Evaluation Briefs. This will entail reviewing the evaluation report, drafting language on the results of the report that are accessible to a lay audience, and developing graphics and visualizations for each Evaluation Brief.

Other duties as assigned. The M&E Division and the DPE Director of Results and Learning will assign other key tasks around outreach and dissemination of evaluation results and learning.

C.6. MCC Technical Direction

Performance of the work under this contract is subject to the written technical direction of the

Contracting Officer Representative (COR), and any Government Project Monitors, (PM), who shall be specifically appointed, and responsibilities identified, by the Contracting Officer in writing in accordance with MCC policy. "Technical direction" means a directive to the

Contractor that approves approaches, solutions, designs, or refinements; fills in details or otherwise completes the general description of work or documentation items; shifts emphasis among work areas or tasks; or furnishes similar instruction to the Contractor. Technical direction includes requiring studies and pursuit of certain lines of inquiry regarding matters within the general tasks and requirements in Section C of this contract.

The COR/Government PM does not have the authority to, and shall not, issue any instruction purporting to be technical direction that—

(1) Constitutes an assignment of additional work outside the statement of work;

(2) Constitutes a change as defined in the changes clause;

(3) Constitutes a basis for any increase or decrease in the total estimated contract/Contract cost, the fixed fee (if any), or the time required for contract/Contract performance;

(4) Changes any of the expressed terms, conditions, or specifications of the contract/Contract; or

(5) Interferes with the contractor's rights to perform the terms and conditions of the contract/Contract.

Technical direction may be oral or in writing; however, the COR or government PM shall confirm oral direction in writing within five workdays.

The Contractor shall proceed promptly with the performance of technical direction duly issued by the COTR or PM in the manner prescribed by this clause and within the COR's/PM’s authority. If, in the Contractor's opinion, any instruction or direction by the COR/PM falls

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(either orally or in writing, whichever comes first) and shall request the Contracting Officer to take action as described in this clause. Upon receiving this notification, the Contracting Officer shall either issue an appropriate contract/Contract modification within a reasonable time or advise the Contractor in writing within 30 days that the instruction or direction is—

(1) Rescinded in its entirety; or

(2) Within the requirements of the contract/Contract and does not constitute a change under the changes clause of the contract/Contract, and that the Contractor should proceed promptly with its performance.

A failure of the contractor and Contracting Officer to agree that the instruction or direction is both within the requirements of the contract/Contract and does not constitute a change under the changes clause, or a failure to agree upon the contract action to be taken with respect to the instruction or direction, shall be subject to the Disputes clause of this contract.

Any action(s) taken by the contractor in response to any direction given by any person other than the Contracting Officer or the COR/PM shall be at the Contractor's risk.

C.7. Deliverables

The Consultant will carry out his/her assignments and tasks in close collaboration with the MCC team. The Consultant will be supervised technically and programmatically by the MCC M&E

Lead and the DPE Director of Results and Learning in Washington, D.C. Deliverables will be determined by the MCC Project Monitor assigning the task.

Acceptance Criteria

The deliverables will be evaluated according to the following criteria:

Thoroughness and timeliness in complying with all of the elements in the tasks specified.

High quality finished products in a timely manner, and clarity of analyses and work produced.

Timeliness and efficacy of communications with relevant counterparts at MCC and other relevant organizations.

All reports are to be submitted in English in hard and electronic copy (in MS Word and/or

Publisher), with tables, data and visualizations in an easily accessible format.

C.8. Period and Place of Performance

MCC intends to fill this consultancy as a long term consultancy with a base period of three (3) years, or 36 months. The estimated level of effort is 550 hours for each year to complete the tasks included in the scope of work. MCC does not guarantee that this level of effort will not decrease.

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The estimated level of effort is indicated in the following table and represents an average overall expected commitment of 25% time. MCC anticipates this level of effort but does not guarantee this level of effort as it may increase or decrease.

1st Year 2nd Year 3rd Year

Estimated Hours (up to) 550 550 550

Consultant will perform the tasks under this contract at his/her own facilities, with possible meetings at MCC in Washington, DC and possible field visits to MCC partner countries.

C.9. Conflict of Interest

The consultant will be precluded from bidding on work and services (design, assessment, construction and supervision) to be procured by the local MCA accountable entity or using funds advanced under a Compact in the relevant country, unless the consultant submits a mitigation plan sufficient to ameliorate any conflict of interest pursuant to the rules applicable to the procurement process.

C.10. Subcontracting

Occasional sub-contracting of tasks may be considered, but only when the COR agrees in advance that there are clear benefits to the government. The overall costs for subcontracting shall not exceed

25% of the consultant’s total negotiated unloaded direct labor cost.

C.11. Timing and Reporting

All formal communication with MCC, including reports, will be submitted to the Contracting

Officer’s Representative (COR)/Project Monitor (PM). The COR/PM for this requirement will be identified via separate correspondence.

The COR/PM will have technical responsibility for monitoring the contractor’s performance. The

COR/PM will review and evaluate the contractor’s performance, and also will coordinate any communications with relevant counterparts and other donor agencies and organizations.

Any changes in the terms of the Call Order will be made in writing and approved by the

Contracting Officer. No representation of the COR/PM shall serve as a basis for an alteration in the general scope of this Call Order or of the terms and conditions of the Call Order unless confirmed in writing by the Contracting Officer. The contractor must communicate with the

Contracting Officer on all matters that pertain to the Contract terms. Proceeding with the work without proper contractual coverage could result in nonpayment for that work.

The designated Consultant would be expected to coordinate with local authorities responsible for

MCC Compact implementation as well as other donors, where relevant. However, designated

Consultant would report directly to the designated COR/PM.

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