SOW.docx

STATEMENT OF WORK

Technical and Vocational Education and Training Specialist – Education Consulting Services

A. Introduction

The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) is a Federal Corporation created under Title VI of the Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2004. MCC’s mission is to reduce poverty around the world through the promotion of sustainable economic growth based on the principle that aid is most effective when it strengthens good governance, economic freedom and investments in people.

The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Human and Community Development (HCD) practice group is seeking a consultant with expertise in technical and vocational education and training to provide technical support and advice to the MCC HCD and the Morocco country team as they oversee and assess the education sector and due diligence activity design for the Skills and Employability Project. The consultant may also provide technical support for other MCC countries including El Salvador and Guatemala as relevant.

The Compact Development Process. To put the planned scope of services into context, a summary of the main activities conducted by both MCC and country counterparts during the compact development process is provided below[footnoteRef:1]. [1: For a complete set of MCC Compact Development Guidelines, updated January 2013, refer to http://www.mcc.gov/pages/countrytools/tools/compact-development.]

Startup and Preliminary Analysis

· Names Compact Development Coordinator

· Establishes Core Team responsible for developing the Compact

· Conducts analyses of:

· Constraints to economic growth

· Social and gender inequality

· Investment Opportunity

· Commences initial public consultations

· Assists with and provides feedback on preliminary analyses

· Provides guidance on public consultations and results-focused project design principles and tools

Project Definition

· Consults stakeholders on potential projects

· Provides a Project Concept Note for each potential project

· On the basis of MCC technical guidance, develops more detailed Concept Papers

· Reviews Concept Notes, provides initial technical assessment

· Conducts peer review of Concept Papers

· Provides formal approval of Project Concept Papers, identifying suitable projects and needed studies

· Supports project development

Project Development and Appraisal

· Prepares detailed project proposals

· Consults stakeholders on project design and sustainability

· Assists with feasibility studies, environmental impact assessments, resettlement plans, preliminary designs, etc.

· Conducts appraisal of developed projects

· Provides recommendations to MCC senior management for projects for approval

· Once agreed, MCC notifies Congress of its intent to enter into Compact negotiations

Compact Negotiations and Signing

· Conduct negotiations on technical and legal content of Compact

· MCC Board considers Compact for approval

· If approved, MCC and country sign the Compact

Pre-Entry Into Force

· Establishes the Millennium Challenge Account Accountable Entity

· Completes Implementing Entity Agreements

· Completes annual budgets and implementation plans

· Completes Terms of Reference and work plans for implementation and procurement

· Pre-qualifies consultants and contractors for early procurements

· Assists with and provides feedback on the process

· Provides guidance on formation of accountable entity, staffing, budgets, and work plans

· Reviews and approves Terms of Reference and pre-qualification documents

B. Scope

The consultant shall support MCC’s Senior Director of the Human and Community Development (HCD) Practice Group and members of MCC country teams in their efforts to assess aspects of pending Compact or Threshold proposals for workforce development and/or with oversight of Compact or Threshold implementation once the agreement is signed.

For program development, the consultant shall be expected to provide technical support to ensure proposed components, activities and tasks of the Education Quality Sub-Activity are well-aligned, reflect best practice in TVET programming, are implementable within a five-year period, and reflect a strong sustainability plan. For oversight of program implementation, the consultant will then provide support to ensure the successful launch of the program.

C. Country

Cote d’Ivoire, El Salvador, Guatemala, and/or any MCC eligible country.

D. Tasks/Deliverables:

Tasks:

The Consultant shall assist MCC in reviewing the design and implementation planning and oversight in MCC eligible countries. The Consultant shall provide services to MCC on an as needed basis, as required. To support MCC in the flexible and timely manner needed to meet the evolving needs of Compact development and negotiation, technical directives under this statement of work will be issued and the Consultant deployed each time the Consultant’s services are needed over the course of this contract. No additional tasks shall imply any additional costs to the Government beyond the amount allowed for in the initial call order; however, this call order may be amended to reflect additional costs associated with implementation planning and oversight requirements in additional countries. The consultant’s specific assignments may include the following:

Project Assessment and Development

· Conduct a literature review of best practices in workforce development and youth employability programming, focusing on trends in the assigned country and similar resource contexts.

· Conduct a feasibility assessment of proposed MCC-Eligible country TVET projects and/or special studies such as skill gap analysis, analysis of quality and quantity of education and training systems, of labor market information systems, quality assurance systems, certification and qualification programs, school-to-work and active labor market programs.

· Assess barriers to effective workforce development which might present a risk to the proposed program, including policy and regulatory environment, and resource allocation.

· Assess project alternatives which might yield a stronger economic return, enhance poverty reduction efforts, and improve project sustainability.

· Ensure a strong program logic underlies the proposed project.

· Identify opportunities to leverage activities of foreign donors and other sponsors in related areas.

· Draft project or project activity descriptions, and financial plans, for inclusion in the Investment Memorandum, Board or Compact documents.

· Collaborate with government counterparts to develop Terms of Reference for in-depth baseline and project design studies, and review subsequent deliverables.

· Conduct institutional capacity assessment, as requested, to contribute to Implementing Partner Agreement development and other government capacity building efforts.

· Evaluate the final project design to ensure it enhances private sector engagement in sector governance and facilitates access to productive opportunities for women and other marginalized groups.

· Review and comment on proposed project evaluation design and M&E plans.

· Work with MCC counterparts and other consultants to prepare the Program Implementation Plan.

· Provide detailed written reports of findings and compilation of documents to MCC.

· Make public presentations on workforce development-related issues as requested.

Project Oversight

· Become intimately familiar with the Project, Project Activities, and Sub-Activities including budgets, schedules, implementers, beneficiaries and related parties.

· Coordinate with the relevant government agency, civil society, private sector, donor, and Project Management Unit staff to facilitate Activity Oversight operations.

· Review MCA contractor deliverables.

· Conduct risk assessments, as requested, on specific Project Activities or Sub-Activities.

· Evaluate progress of a Project, Project Activities, and Sub-Activities.

· Provide detailed and comprehensive written reports on progress of a Project, Project Activities, and Sub-Activities to the Managing Director or Director of a Country Project.

· Make verbal presentations to local MCC office, Embassy and MCC Washington on project progress as requested.

· Assist an eligible country in developing appropriate modifications or alternatives to the proposed program should an assessment determine that is required.

Deliverables:

Specific deliverable will be agreed upon as tasks are assigned. They may include:

· A work plan that includes specific activities, methodologies, site visits, time frame, and estimated duration of each activity, prior to commencing work

· Periodic written and verbal reports on findings and recommendations resulting from meetings, discussions, and field research in the assigned country.

· Presentations on key findings, issues for further examination, and recommendations for Compact activities to MCC and government/MCA counterparts.

· Inputs to Concept Assessment reviews, Investment Memos, Terms of Reference Program Implementation Plans and other formal project documents, as relevant to the assigned country program.

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.

· Quality and clarity of analyses and work produced.

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

· All reports are to be submitted in English in hard and electronic copy (in MS Word), with tables, data and calculations in MS Excel.

E. Technical Directive:

To support MCC in the flexible and timely manner needed to meet the evolving needs of Compact development and negotiation, tasks under this statement of work will be issued and the consultant deployed through a technical directive provided by the Contracting Officer’s Representative/Project Monitor (COR/PM) each time the consultant’s services are needed over the course of this contract. Each technical directive, once approved, will be incorporated by reference into this statement of work. No technical directive shall imply any additional costs to the United States Government (USG) beyond the amount allowed for in the initial statement of work; however, this statement of work may be amended to reflect additional costs associated with appraisal and/or oversight requirements in additional countries. In each technical directive, the COR/PM will define the specific tasks, dates and location of services, and assignment deliverable(s) at least one week prior to date of consultant deployment. The COR/PM will issue a technical directive to the consultant with a copy to the contract officer at MCC. The technical directive will, in one paragraph to two pages, provide clear and concise instructions on tasks and deliverables requested of the consultant. Upon acknowledging acceptance of the technical directive by the consultant to MCC in writing (email or fax to the COR/PM is acceptable), the consultant will be deployed by MCC to conduct the specific tasks described therein. The consultant shall not conduct any specific work under this contract unless such a technical directive is issued and acknowledged in writing. The consultant will notify the contract officer if the tasks appear to fall outside the scope given herein. The consultant is expected to submit electronic copies of all written deliverables in English and to brief MCC staff verbally upon request.

F. Period and Place of Performance

All work will be completed between the dates of the award through a three year period of performance.

The estimated level of effort is estimated at up to 1,500 hours (500 hours for each country: Cote d’Ivoire, Guatemala, and El Salvador) or approximately 188 days per year with an estimated 6 trips per year. MCC anticipates this level of effort but does not guarantee this level of effort as it may increase or decrease.

The consultant shall perform the services and tasks generally identified above at the consultant’s home facilities or in MCC’s DC offices or any eligible MCC countries.

G. Conflict of Interest:

The consultant would 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.

H. Subcontracting

The consultant is authorized to subcontract data collection, environmental and social analysis, translation services, and related services. The overall costs for subcontracting shall not exceed 25% of the consultant’s total negotiated unloaded direct labor cost.

I. Other Requirements

International travel may be required. The Consultant may be requested to mobilize on a short notice and will be expected to deliver high quality finished products in a timely manner based on the instructions of the COR/PM.

J. Timing and Reporting

All formal communication with MCC, including reports, will be submitted to the COR/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.

K. Evaluation Criteria

The Consultant shall possess the following qualifications:

· Advanced degree in international education, international development, or closely related field

· Minimum10 years of professional experience in education related issues in developing countries; especially in technical education and vocational training.

· Experience performing project and sector policy appraisal and analysis

· Ability and experience interacting with high-level government officials

· French and/or Spanish proficiency is preferred

· Knowledge of the education sector and/or experience working in education in developing/francophone countries is desirable.