95332419Q0093_Position_Description.docx

Request for Quotes Gender and Social Inclusion (GSI) Director Intermittent PSC 95332419Q0093

1. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

MCC’s mission is to provide grant assistance to support economic growth and poverty reduction in select developing countries with a demonstrated commitment to just and democratic governance, economic freedom, and investments in their citizenry. MCC’s partner countries enter into a five-year agreement (Compact) with MCC that includes a plan for achieving shared development objectives and the responsibilities of each country in achieving those objectives. Our model is defined by core principles, of selectivity, country ownership, transparency, and a focus on results.

Our values identify who we are and what is important to us. Our Values are CLEAR: Embrace Collaboration, Always Learn, Practice Excellence, Be Accountable and Respect individuals and ideas. MCC’s values define how we behave on a daily basis, both as individuals and as an institution, in pursuit of our mission. They guide how we make decisions, set priorities, address challenges, manage tradeoffs, recruit and develop staff, and work together with our country partners and stakeholders.

2. SCOPE OF POSITION

The Department of Compact Operations (DCO), Sector Operations Division (SO) is seeking an Intermittent Personal Services Contractor (PSC) to serve as Director in the Gender and Social Inclusion (GSI) Practice Group. The PSC shall serve as a GSI lead for projects in at least two countries in various stages of development and implementation. The PSC will also support GSI’s technical leadership role to build and share knowledge and best practices on effective integration of social inclusion strategies.

The PSC will report to and be supervised by the Practice Lead and Senior Director (PLSD) for GSI.

This position is not authorized to supervise any Federal employees.

3. PERSONAL SERVICE CONTRACT

MCC is authorized to enter into a contract with an individual as a Personal Services Contractor (PSCs) under the authority of Section 614(a) (8) of the Millennium Challenge Act of 2003.

A personal services contract is different from non-personal services Government contract, which establishes an independent contract relationship. Under a non-personal services contract, the contractor or employees of the contractor are subject to the technical direction but not the supervision of the MCC. As defined by the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 37.104, a personal services contract is characterized by the employer-employee relationship it creates between the Government and the contractor personnel. Thus, the PSCs is subject to the relatively continuous technical direction, supervision, and control of the MCC. PSCs may be assigned inherently governmental duties (see FAR 7.502). By law and by the contract’s terms, the PSCs is subject to most of the laws, rules and regulations applicable to the direct hire employee such as MCC regulations, conflict of interest, under some circumstances MCC authorized employment security clearances and financial disclosure. However, under the MCC personal services contract authority, PSCs are not employees for purposes of laws administered by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). The following elements apply to this contract:

(1) Performance in Washington, DC USA, MCC eligible countries, other US and foreign cities (as required for outreach purposes), and/or at the PSC’s home of record.

(2) Principal tools and equipment may be furnished by the Government.

(3) Services are applied directly to the integral effort of agencies or an organizational subpart in furtherance of assigned function or mission.

(4) Comparable services, meeting comparable needs, are performed in the same or similar agencies using civil service personnel.

(5) The need for the type of service provided can reasonably be expected to last beyond 1 year.

(6) The inherent nature of the service, or the manner in which it is provided, reasonably requires directly or indirectly, Government direction or supervision of contractor employees in order to—

(i) Adequately protect the Government’s interest;

(ii) Retain control of the function involved; or

(iii) Retain full personal responsibility for the function supported in a duly authorized Federal officer or employee.

4. KEY REQUIREMENTS

Awardee must satisfy the following key requirements:

· U.S. citizenship.

· Must be able to obtain and maintain a federal security clearance.

· Performance in Washington, DC USA, MCC eligible countries, other US and foreign cities (as required for outreach purposes), and/or at the PSC’s home of record.

· Domestic and international travel will be required.

· Statement of Employment & Financial Interest (e.g., Office of Government Ethics “OGE Form-450” or similar statement) may be required.

· Active System for Award Management (www.sam.gov) registration (this is a free, Government website) and be listed as sole-proprietor.

· Designated and/or random drug testing required.

5. DUTIES

a) Major Duties and Responsibilities

1. Works with MCC country team and country counterparts in conducting economic and social analysis of the distribution of power, identification of socially excluded or disadvantaged groups, including gender differences, in order to support of Threshold or Compact program development. This would include, but not be limited to, the following:

· Review documents produced by various stakeholders (e.g., government, donors, NGOs, private sector, academia, etc.) on social inclusion and gender equality issues within a country.

· Analyze data and review economic and social analyses to understand the relevance of gender, poverty, and other socio-cultural and socio-economic differences that impact the constraints to and opportunities to benefit from economic growth and poverty reduction.

· Conduct stakeholder interviews and consultations in country to gather relevant information on trends, issues, perceptions in the country.

· Develop terms of reference for and manage consultants to undertake GSI analytic work.

2. Working closely with other MCC colleagues and country counterparts, make recommendations on ways to further the inclusion of disadvantaged groups and women’s economic empowerment in compact/threshold program and project design. This would include, but not be limited to, the following:

· Within identified MCC sectors and sub-sectors, identify and analyze data related to gender and social inequalities constraints and opportunities and implications for project design.

· Integrate social inclusion and gender objectives in Economic Analysis and Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) documents, including program and project logics.

· Draft GSI sections/inputs into MCC compact development documents and Terms of References (TORs) and deliverables for feasibility studies, design studies and contracts, and other GSI-specific or inter-sectoral procurements.

3. Advise and support country counterparts and work closely with other MCC colleagues during compact implementation through closeout in assigned MCC partner countries. This would include, but not be limited to:

· Provide technical support and assistance to build capacity of in-country counterpart as appropriate.

· Review and clear documents related to compact implementation and closeout, such as Terms of Reference, bidding documents, RFPs, work plans, budgets, reports, deliverables, closeout plans and reports, and other documents as needed.

· Reviewing and analyzing M&E documents, such as M&E Plans, TORs, surveys, indicators, and reports.

· Work collaboratively with ESP colleagues on resettlement program, Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMPs), including identifying risks for trafficking in persons and community engagement strategies.

· Supporting the MCA staff in the oversight of the GSI-related work. Participate in MCA workshops, meetings with key stakeholders, etc.

4. Supports MCC’s GSI practice group through drafting and review of technical papers, guidelines, leading and participating in meetings and workshops across MCC as requested. This would include, but not be limited to:

· GSI knowledge base of how to effectively integrate gender and social inclusion issues into MCC sectors (e.g., transport, water, energy, land, and education sectors).

· Increase the effectiveness of MCC’s approaches to support women’s economic empowerment.

5. Other duties as assigned.

b) Travel

MCC estimates that the incumbent will be required to undertake 3-4 international trips annually.

c) Supervisory Controls

As a recognized authority in the development and implementation of GSI programs and operations, the employee is subject only to administrative and policy direction concerning overall project priorities and objectives. The employee is typically delegated complete responsibility and authority to plan, schedule, and carry out major projects concerned with the analysis and evaluation of programs or organizational effectiveness. Analyses, evaluations, and recommendations developed by the employee are normally reviewed by management officials only for potential influence on broad agency policy objectives and program goals. Findings and recommendations are normally accepted without significant change.

d) Guidelines

Guidelines consist of general administrative policies, and program, management and organizational theories which require considerable adaptation and/or interpretation for application to issues and problems studied. Policies and precedent studies provide a basic outline of results desired, but do not go into detail as to the methods used to accomplish the project. Within the context of broad regulatory and procedural guidelines, the employee refines or develops more specific guidelines, such as implementing new or revised processes, methods and procedures.

e) Complexity

The employee plans, organizes, and completes analytical studies involving substantial aspects of key agency programs. As study coordinator, the employee assigns segments of the studies to various participants who are subject-matter specialists in fields appropriate to the study, coordinates the efforts of the group, and consolidates findings into a completed project. There is extreme complexity and difficulty in identifying the nature of the issues or problems to be studied and in planning, organizing, and determining the scope and depth of the studies. The nature and scope of the issues are largely undefined. Difficulty is also encountered in separating the substantive nature of the programs or issues into their administrative, technical, political, economic, fiscal, and other components, determining the nature and magnitude of the interactions, discerning the intent of legislation and broad agency policies, and determining how to translate the intent into recommended program actions. The work involves efforts to develop and implement programs based upon new or revised legislation requiring consideration of the immediate sequential, and long-range effects, both direct and indirect, of proposed actins on the public, other government programs, and/or private industry.

f) Scope and Effect

The purpose of the work is to analyze and evaluate major aspects of substantive, MCC mission-oriented programs. The employee develops long-range program plans, goals, objectives, and milestones to evaluate the effectiveness of social and gender impact programs. The employee resolves problems or copes with issues which directly affect the accomplishment of principal MCC program goals and objectives. The employee develops regulations or guidelines for the conduct of program operations, or new criteria for measuring program accomplishments. Study reports contain findings and recommendations of major significance to MCC top management and often serve as the basis for new administrative systems, legislative initiatives, regulations, or programs.

g) Personal Contacts/Purpose of Contacts

Personal contacts are with numerous analysts, specialists, and professional staff from within and outside the agency in a moderately unstructured setting. The purpose of contacts is to influence, motivate, or persuade persons or groups who are typically skeptical, resistant, or uncooperative, and who must be approached skillfully to obtain the desired effect. Requires skill in persuasion, negotiation, motivation, or establishment of rapport.

There may also be personal contacts with high-ranking officials from outside the agency at national or international levels in highly unstructured settings. Examples include other agency heads, top congressional staff officials, or executives of comparable private sector organizations.

Personal contacts include individuals and groups at all levels of the Corporation, representatives from other Federal agencies/organizations, MCAs, contractors, and the general public. The purpose of contacts is to influence, motivate, persuade or negotiate with others who may hold different points of views in order to influence managers or other officials to accept recommendations or to obtain the desired effect.

h) Physical Demands

The work is primarily sedentary, although some walking, bending, or carrying of light items may be involved. Travel may be required.

i) Work Environment

Work is performed in an office setting, although there is an expectation of work in the field.