Bolstering the Ability of African Governments Draft Scope of Work (SOW).docx

Scope of Work (SOW) (Draft until finalized) Red text indicates content the Applicant must enter or update.

Blue text indicates drafting guidance and instructions.

U.S. Embassy Policy/Program Strategic Goals and Objectives

U.S. Embassy Abidjan announces an Open Competition for organizations interested in submitting applications for projects that support the provision of transaction advisory services and capacity-building to African governments in their dealings with non-traditional official lenders.

Overall, grant-making authority for this project is contained in the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended.

Projects should be designed to achieve the following U.S. Embassy Policy/Program Objectives:

Objective 1: Empower host governments to negotiate effectively with non-traditional official lenders.

Objective 2: Enhance African debtor countries’ understanding of debt contracting with non-traditional official lenders.

Applicant Project Objective 1: XXX

Objectives of the project should be SMART:

· Specific: Detailed and specifies what will be achieved

· Measurable: have associated metrics or measurements of success

· Attainable: appropriately challenging, objectives can be reasonably attained give the available resources

· Relevant: align with the policy/program goal and appropriate within the country or beneficiary audience

· Time-Bound: achievable within the timeframe of the project

Activities To achieve the goals and expected results, projects should include the following:

· A review of the requesting government’s debt to develop a detailed understanding of the composition and potential legal exposure related to such debt.

· The provision of legal analysis and recommendations to requesting governments related to the restructuring of these debts, including an assessment of the risks and benefits of different courses of action and strategies.

insert activities/suggested actions here:

· XXX

· XXX

· XXX

To achieve the goals and expected results, projects could include the following: insert activities/suggested actions here:

· XXX

· XXX

· XXX

Expected Results Specific results could include the following:

· Host governments develop debt management strategies.

· Host governments can engage with creditors and implement new financing arrangements to restructure sovereign debt.

· XXX

· XXX

· XXX

Performance Indicators

· Number of new fair and balanced lending and restructuring agreements with non-traditional creditors initiated and concluded by governments supported by the project.

· XXX

· XXX

· XXX

Inputs (resource and time requirements)

· XXX

· XXX

· XXX

Outputs (actions completed and/or items produced)

· Number of transaction advisory interventions conducted by legal and technical advisors on behalf of African governments.

· XXX

· XXX

· XXX

Data should be disaggregated as follows:

· XXX

· XXX

· XXX

Targets (measurable; quarterly and/or other milestones)

· XXX

· XXX

· XXX

Outcomes (results or changes caused by these activities):

· Host governments can negotiate effectively with non-traditional official lenders, resulting in improved economic governance and decreased external debt.

· XXX

· XXX

Applicant Project Objective 2: XXX

Objectives of the project should be SMART:

· Specific: Detailed and specifies what will be achieved

· Measurable: have associated metrics or measurements of success

· Attainable: appropriately challenging, objectives can be reasonably attained give the available resources

· Relevant: align with the policy/program goal and appropriate within the country or beneficiary audience

· Time-Bound: achievable within the timeframe of the project

Activities To achieve the goals and expected results, projects should include the following:

· In-person or virtual trainings on key issues for African government officials related to contracting with non-traditional lenders.

· Country-specific reviews and evaluations of loan documentation to ensure alignment with the best practices highlighted in the trainings.

insert activities/suggested actions here:

· XXX

· XXX

· XXX

To achieve the goals and expected results, projects could include the following: insert activities/suggested actions here:

· XXX

· XXX

· XXX

Expected Results Specific results could include the following:

· African borrowers have an enhanced understanding of non-traditional official lenders, negotiation strategies to be adopted with such lenders, and the impact of specific contractual provisions found in non-traditional lending documentation.

· XXX

· XXX

· XXX

Performance Indicators

· Number of trained African government officials reporting an increase in knowledge and skills in sovereign debt management as a result of the capacity-building activities.

· XXX

· XXX

· XXX

Inputs (resource and time requirements)

· XXX

· XXX

· XXX

Outputs (actions completed and/or items produced)

· Number of workshops conducted for African government officials.

· XXX

· XXX

· XXX

Data should be disaggregated as follows:

· XXX

· XXX

· XXX

Targets (measurable; quarterly and/or other milestones)

· XXX

· XXX

· XXX

Outcomes (results or changes caused by these activities)

· Host government officials have an enhanced understanding of debt contracting with non-traditional official lenders, resulting in improved economic governance and decreased external debt.

· XXX

Note: To ensure sustainability, all transaction advisory support activities (Objective 1) should include a capacity-building component. In addition, participants in the capacity-building workshops (Objective 2) should be provided with access to online training and reference materials after the immediate intervention has concluded.