SOW.docx

Statement of Work

Higher Education Consultant in Georgia and Côte d’Ivoire

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 higher education consultant to provide technical support and advice to the MCC Georgia and MCC Cote d’Ivoire Country Teams as they oversee and assess higher education sector projects during the implementation and development phases of the Compacts, respectively.

Republic of Georgia: In July 2014, MCC and the Government of Georgia entered a Compact to improve the quality of education in the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields and increase the earning potential of Georgians through strategic investments from the start of a student’s general education to graduation from technical training and advanced degree programs. The compact includes a focus on increasing women’s participation in STEM professions. The STEM Higher Education Project supports a partnership with San Diego State University (SDSU) to help Georgia modernize STEM education by offering high-quality U.S. bachelor’s degree programs in consortium with three Georgian Universities based in Tbilisi, Tbilisi State University (TSU), Ilia State University (ISU) and Georgia Technical University (GTU).

Within the framework of the STEM Higher Education Project, SDSU is responsible for the design, development and delivery of academic programs and required physical infrastructure. SDSU – Georgia was created as an implementing body for this Project, and this SDSU satellite in Tbilisi performs the following main activities: 1) administers and offers academic programs that are professionally (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology Inc., ABET, American Chemical Society, ACS) and regionally (the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, or WASC) accredited and internationally recognized; 2) assists partner universities to achieve internationally-recognized accreditation for target degrees, 3) develops curricula and train Georgian faculty and 4) develops facilities that facilitates the SDSU-Georgia programs and 5) develops partnerships with industry.

Three years into the five-year Compact term, SDSU has enrolled more than 200 students in degree programs in the following areas: chemistry, computer science, computer engineering, and electrical engineering. Starting in fall 2017, SDSU in Georgia will begin enrolling students in civil and construction engineering degree programs. Enrollment of future cohorts in contingent on availability of student scholarship funds.

Cote d’Ivoire: MCC is in the process of approving a Compact with Government of Côte d’Ivoire. There are two components of the Compact relevant involved in higher education. The first is a component of the Skills for Employability and Productivity Project which will support the reform of the secondary education teacher training curriculum and the creation of two satellite campuses to the Ecole Normale Superieure (teacher training academy.) MCA-Côte d’Ivoire will seek international technical assistance or a twinning partner to support the development of new curriculum, training of professors on the new curriculum, improved management, and overall change management. The second component is linked to the Abidjan Transport Project. It is the development of a “in service” graduate program in engineering, environment, and economics that leads to a masters degree. During the Compact, this program would be targeted towards professionals currently working for key government agencies responsible for road infrastructure management. After the Compact, the program may expand its target students to include early career students.

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

MCC seeks a consultant to provide on-going, intermittent advisory technical support to the MCC Cote d’Ivoire and Georgia Country Teams in conducting sector analysis; reviewing project proposals, as well as relevant background information, data, and reports in higher education; and supporting implementation oversight.

C. Country

Georgia, Cote d’Ivoire, and any MCC eligible country.

D. Tasks and 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 tertiary education programming, focusing on trends in the assigned country and similar resource contexts.

· Conduct feasibility assessments such as skills gap analysis, analysis of quality and quantity of university offerings, of labor market information systems, quality assurance systems, and certification and qualification programs

· Assess barriers to high quality tertiary education 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.

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

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

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

Project Oversight

· Become intimately familiar with the Project, Project Activities, and Sub-Activities including budgets, schedules, and roles and responsibilities of relevant stakeholders (e.g. implementing partners, beneficiaries)..

· Coordinate with the relevant governmental, civil society, private sector, donor, and project management unit staff to facilitate Project, Activity and Sub-Activity oversight operations.

· Review MCA contractor deliverables and provide feedback as appropriate.

· Identify and assess risks to achieving specific Project, Activity or Sub-Activity outcomes.

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

· Provide detailed and comprehensive written monitoring 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.

Provide recommendations on how to increase efficiencies across the Project, Activity and/or Sub-Activity and strengthen post-Compact term sustainability of Project outcomes.

· Contribute to joint sustainability planning efforts.

Specific Tasks Envisioned for Georgia Include:

· Assess progress of Georgian partner universities against project outcomes and targets, identify emerging needs, opportunities for improvement, and synergies with other Georgian stakeholders, including the private sector.

· Conduct retrospective analysis of the Higher Education Project to glean key lessons learned.

· Analyze ongoing sustainability planning efforts and provide technical advice on a final sustainability plan for post-Compact end date sustainability that includes analysis and recommendations on governance structure, budget requirements and revenue streams, fundraising strategies, proposed U.S., ABET accredited and/or ACS authorized STEM higher education programs to be continued post-Compact as well as institutional and financial capacity to continue STEM higher education programs in Georgia beyond the end of the Compact.

· Carry out in-country assignments with MCC/HCD, MCC/RCM, MCA-Georgia and the Georgia Compact Higher Education partner (San Diego State University), the Ministry of Education and Science, the three partner Georgian Universities and other stakeholders as identified by MCC and MCA.

Specific Tasks Envisioned for Cote d’Ivoire Include:

· Assess partner institution capacity to deliver proposed projects.

· Assess detailed project proposals for both the teacher training and masters components as they are developed. Provide suggestions to MCC for the improvement of those designs.

· Assess project early startup and implementation, provide advice to MCC on improving operations, project management, and potential design adaptations to achieve results.

The consultant shall carry out his/her tasks and activities in collaboration with the MCC Education Team, other MCC staff, MCAs or Core Teams, Project Directors and Project Implementation Units (PIUs), and staff of relevant partner country government agencies and others as necessary. The consultant is expected to work effectively with MCC staff, the Core Team, and other consultants.

Deliverables

Specific deliverable shall 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, Sustainability 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 for a three year period of performance.

The estimated level of effort is estimated at up to 700 hours per year (350 hours for Georgia and 350 hours for Cote d’Ivoire) with an estimated 5 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. Evaluation Criteria

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

· Minimum 10 years of professional experience in tertiary education related issues in developing countries; specifically in the design and implementation of tertiary education projects

· In-depth familiarity with universities and academic communities

· Ability to collaborate effectively in a team environment

· Experience organizing and facilitating consultations with universities and other education stakeholders.

· Ability and experience interacting with high-level government officials

· Previous work in Georgia or the region, and/or Cote d’Ivoire or West Africa preferred

· French proficiency preferred.

H. Other Requirements

International travel will 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.