SOW.docx

Statement of Work Analysis of Social and Gender Constraints to Poverty Reduction and Economic Growth in the Solomon Islands & East Asia and the Pacific

A. Introduction The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) recently completed its country selection process for 2019. Solomon Islands was selected as eligible by the MCC board to develop a Threshold program in December 2018, and is currently in the preliminary analysis phase of threshold development. MCC’s threshold program assists promising candidate countries to become compact eligible by offering them the opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to just and democratic governance, economic freedom, and investments in their people. By advancing policy reforms and strengthening institutions to address the most binding constraints to economic growth, threshold programs complement the “MCC Effect” created by the scorecard and allow MCC to assess the opportunity for an impactful and cost-effective partnership before committing to a larger compact.

MCC’s evidence-based approach to its investments begins by developing a mutual understanding of a country’s main growth challenges with our partner governments. During the first phase of the compact or threshold program development process, MCC and the selected partner country, jointly conduct a constraints-to-growth analysis (CA). Our CA approach is based on what is known as the HRV model growth diagnostic methodology: an analytic process that identifies those constraints to private investment and entrepreneurship that appear to hold back economic growth the most. These are known as “binding constraints.” For more on the HRV model and how it has been employed at MCC, see https://www.mcc.gov/our-impact/constraints-analysis.

The CA report provides eligible countries with a clear central focus as they move into subsequent stages of the development process. During the initial phase of development countries undertake a CA to identify a very small number of binding constraints, and then complete a more in-depth assessment of the underlying causes of these constraints. Based on this preliminary analysis, country teams work to design a comprehensive program that typically includes physical investments along with complementary policy and institutional reforms tailored to address selected constraints and their root causes. MCC Constraints Analyses incorporate microeconomic, macroeconomic and sector-specific data to determine binding constraints. The report considers additional information that reflects specific concerns about: (i) social and gender inequalities that may characterize the economy or shape policies and institutions, and (ii) business issues that may influence contributions to private business activity and economic growth. Including these perspectives helps ensure that any conclusions about binding constraints are based on a complete understanding of the country’s economy, its growth, and how the benefits of that growth are shared. The Constraints Analysis report is therefore expected to include an investigation of social and gender dimensions and to note where constraints may affect certain sectors, industries, regions, or populations more severely.

Within MCC, the process of producing a constraints analysis is a collaboration between economists in our Economic Analysis (EA) unit, members of the Gender and Social Inclusion (GSI) team, and others. GSI’s role in this process is enabled by MCC’s recognition that gender and other social inequalities can constrain economic growth, and are implicated in many of the developmental challenges our partner countries face. MCC’s gender policy and operational guidance enable GSI to advance equity considerations at each stage of Compact or Threshold development and implementation, including the CA phase. During the CA, GSI conducts an assessment of how laws, policies and norms shape access to different assets (financial, physical, natural, social, political and human capitals), and how this constrains economic opportunities. This analysis lays the groundwork for designing programs that can overcome these barriers and contributes to the identification of the binding constraints to growth and poverty reduction, with findings integrated into the Constraints Analysis document. Following the CA, a ‘deep dive’ into the selected binding constraints is performed by the entire country team, thus informing problem analysis, sector selection, and project concept notes and papers. This deeper look at the underlying causes of the identified constraints is called the “root cause analysis” (RCA) phase. For more on RCA, see <https://www.mcc.gov/resources/story/story-cdg-chapter-6-guidelines-for-root-cause-analysis>.

The RCA is followed by a key stage in this process through which the core teams within MCC partner countries to MCC submit project concept notes around which more sector and project-specific analytic engagement is organized.

GSI’s success in promoting equity during the CA and other phases of Compact or Threshold development rests on its ability to make an empirically informed and theoretically sound case about one or more of the following:

· That a particular gender or social inequality is itself a binding constraint to economic growth;

· That a particular gender or social inequality is a component of an identified binding constraint to growth;

· That a particular gender or social inequality is a root cause of identified binding constraints to growth;

· That there are economically meaningful gender and social equity implications to the choice of a particular binding constraint, including differential ability to benefit from MCC interventions or opportunities to invest in sectors with high potential for employment generation or with comparatively high labor market opportunities for women and other marginal or vulnerable groups.

· That broader features of the political economy of the country will a) pose a substantial barrier or opportunity to shifting identified constraints or b) generate equity challenges in implementation, e.g. via the exclusion of particular regions or ethnic groups from the benefits of MCC investments.

· That particular identified constraints have stronger equity implications than others, e.g. via employment creation or opportunities for small entrepreneurs, especially for poor women and promotion of women’s economic empowerment (WEE).

In collaboration with its EA colleagues, GSI is currently developing new approaches to build a case for gender equality, WEE, social inclusion within the boundaries of the CA and other analytic processes which will be tested and refined in newly selected countries including the Solomon Islands.

Additionally, MCC has been working to improve its use of geospatial data and analysis to gain quicker and deeper insights during the CA phase and throughout the threshold cycle. This work will be used to assess the environmental sustainability of potential investment in priority sectors, economic growth opportunities as well as poverty and social inclusion issues, in close collaboration between GSI and EA.

B. Scope MCC requires a Consultant to provide due diligence research to better understand the root causes of the identified constraints in the Solomon Islands, which include insecure land tenure and ineffective natural resource management, with a focus on the tourism sector and to provide recommendations for social and gender integration in key sectors to ensure inclusive, pro-poor benefits.

C. Country Solomon Islands and other countries in East Asia and the Pacific and other eligible MCC countries.

D. Tasks and Deliverables The consultant’s tasks shall include the following:

· Provide due diligence research to better understand the root causes of the identified constraints in the Solomon Islands which include insecure land tenure and ineffective natural resource management with a focus on the tourism sector. Specifically, the consultant will carry out a deep dive assessment of the key social and gender inequalities in the sectors associated with the binding constraints for the Solomon Islands, to inform MCC’s Root Cause Analysis (RCA) and country-proposed concept notes.

A key outcome of this work is a report that should include recommendations for social and gender integration in key sectors to ensure inclusive, pro-poor benefits. The consultant is expected to:

· Gather, review and analyze relevant documents and data to identify key social and gender inequalities in the sectors chosen as binding constraints. This includes reviewing the legal and regulatory framework, and identifying opportunities for improving pro-poor benefits in the sector.

· Identify new sources of data to advance our understanding of gender and social inequality and the political dynamics that underlie that inequality in the Solomon Islands, and how these constrain the participation of women, the poor and other vulnerable groups from participation and economic benefits in the land, natural resource extraction and tourism sectors.

· Collect data for and propose analyses that will inform MCC’s understanding of the role of social and gender inequalities within the context of the identified binding constraints.

· Plan and carry out stakeholder interviews and consultations (including NGOs, women’s associations, government entities, relevant associations, private sector stakeholders such as women’s chamber of commerce, and others).

· Identify critical areas in the identified sectors where interventions would have the greatest impact on growing incomes among the poor, and support gender equitable outcomes

· Participate in MCC country team meetings and phone calls.

· Help with writing or reviewing sections of the MCC RCA analysis, concept notes and other threshold development documents

· Identify deep dives sectoral studies needed to identify gender and social barriers that can be addressed in the Threshold program and projects.

· The consultant may be asked to support social and gender integration into other aspects of the Solomon Islands Threshold development process. This may include, for example, reviewing and making recommendations on the consultation plan or providing advice on how best to address social and gender inequality within the project logical frameworks.

· The consultant will be expected to work closely with MCC, other MCC due diligence consultants and to also liaise with government counterparts in the Solomon Islands working on threshold development.

· Support for other country work in countries located in East Asia and the Pacific might be requested by MCC’s social and gender assessment team, and might include tasks such as reviewing deliverables, carrying out research and analysis on key social and gender issues, helping to inform project development, and writing SOWs for further studies and assessments.

Key Deliverables / Outputs

· Trip reports to the MCC contracting officer and project monitor, which will include at a minimum the summary of any consultations and meetings held, key findings and recommendations and any next steps.

· Written input and integration of social and gender inclusion analysis into root cause analysis reports, concept notes and other documents.

· A brief (5-10 single spaced pages) Issues Paper that includes a well-documented review of recent social and gender data and analytical reports and data, as well as a review of relevant national policies, that identifies social and gender issues with the greatest relevance for reducing poverty and inequality. Topics to be covered include:

· An overview of poverty and inequality in the country

· Policies and institutional environment that may affect the ability of particular social groups and/or women to exercise agency, access and control assets, and participate fully in economic and social life

· Access to and control over land and other productive assets

· Labor markets

· Entrepreneurship and access to finance and infrastructure

· Human capital endowments Where possible, the data collection and analysis for women should be guided by the diagnostic trees shown in Appendix A. In doing this work, the consultant will be expected to integrate and build upon information already gathered, and consultations carried out to date.

· “Deep dive” social and gender assessment of sectors chosen for project development (about 20-40 pages, excluding annexes).

· Other advisory support and outputs, as requested and mutually agreed upon.

E. Period and Place of Performance

All work shall be completed between the dates of the award through a two year period of performance.

The estimated level of effort is up to 1500 hours per year. MCC anticipates this level of effort but does not guarantee this level of effort as it may increase or decrease.

Consultant will perform the tasks under this contract in MCC-eligible countries and at Consultant’s own facilities, as necessary.

F. Timing and Reporting

All formal communication with MCC, including reports, will be submitted to the Contracting Officer Technical Representative (COR), Program Monitor (PM), and other designated MCC personnel. 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 SoW 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 SoW or of the terms and conditions of the SoW 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.

G. Subcontracting Consultants are authorized to subcontract data collection, data preparation, economic analysis, and related services as needed. The overall costs for subcontracting shall not exceed 25% of the consultant’s total negotiated unloaded direct labor cost.

H. 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 MCAs accountable entity or using funds advanced under a Compact in the relevant country.

I. Evaluation Criteria

Required

· MA in a social science field with a strong methodological training component, e.g. political science, anthropology, human geography, sociology, economics, or public administration.

· Minimum 8 years of experience conducting social science research to inform policy and programmatic decisions, with a solid track record of preparing and producing analytical work on social and gender inequalities to inform policy and project planning or program design.

· Demonstrated experience making a case for “pro-poor” and/or gender-sensitive investments.

· Prior work experience in the region required, with preference for prior work experience in the Solomon Islands.

· Prior work conducting stakeholder consultation and qualitative interviews in international settings, and comfort and experience conducting outreach and building relationships with a wide variety of stakeholders including technical and construction experts, government officials, NGOs, and community organizations.

· Demonstrated excellence in writing reports in English.

· Exhibit responsible and flexible attitude and capable of managing a variety of tasks with minimal supervision.

Preferred

· Ph.D. in a social science field with a strong methodological training component is a plus.

· Experience with quantitative data analysis is a plus.

· Experience /expertise in political economy analysis, institutional analysis, or economic analysis is a plus, as is other evidence of a structural perspective on social and gender inequality.

· Fluency in Pijin.

J. Other requirements

Travel to country may be required up to three weeks for each visit. 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.

GSI MBO consultant SOW – MCC Threshold Program Solomon Islands

Annex A Diagnostic Trees to assess women’s unequal access to opportunities for employment and entrepreneurship image1.png image2.png