US/TCNPSC, DOC Advisor, GS-14 - Madagascar (Re-advertisement)

Dear Prospective Offerors:

The United States Government, represented by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), is seeking offers from qualified persons to provide personal services under contract in Madagascar as described in this solicitation.

Offers must be in accordance with the Attachment of this solicitation. Incomplete or unsigned offers will not be considered. Offerors should retain copies of all offer materials for their records.

Any questions must be directed in writing to the Point of Contact specified in the Attachment.

The United States Agency for International Development mission to Madagascar, USAID/Madagascar, with an annual program budget of approximately $100 million, manages programs in health, food security, environment, and democracy and governance. The Mission also frequently receives additional funds for disaster and emergency response. The Development Outreach and Communications (DOC) Advisor reports directly to the USAID/Madagascar Program Officer Director and works with Mission and Embassy leadership and staff to implement development, outreach, and communications efforts to increase awareness of USAID assistance programs in Madagascar. The DOC Advisor leads the Mission’s communications efforts and is responsible for overseeing and managing all outreach and communication endeavors for the entire USAID assistance portfolio in Madagascar. S/he leads the two-person DOC unit in Antananarivo and collaborates and liaises with communications specialists and points-of-contact across USAID/Madagascar, the Antananarivo Embassy, USAID implementing partners, government of Madagascar government officials, and USAID/Washington. The DOC Advisor is a member of the USAID Senior Staff team in Madagascar. S/he interacts with senior managers throughout the Embassy, with local and international press contacts, and with senior Government of Madagascar and visiting U.S. Government (USG) officials.  

The DOC Advisor is the principal liaison and collaborates closely with USAID/Madagascar offices, implementing partners, and the Embassy Public Affairs Section, providing oversight, advice, and guidance in developing, implementing, and updating the Mission's Development Outreach and Communications Strategy, including the formulation of mission-wide messages. S/he is responsible for developing strategic messaging that is politically sensitive, nuanced, shapes opinions, and aligned with USAID’s country development strategy and the Agency’s policy priorities, communication strategy and initiatives. The DOC Advisor manages and oversees a wide range of public-information and outreach activities, across all communication mediums, to support USAID/Madagascar's programs and development objectives, targeting information to specific audiences in both the United States and Madagascar, in accordance with the Mission's communication strategy and evolving circumstances. S/he leads the production, creation, and strategic use of innovative outreach tools, such as social media, factsheets, video documentaries, radio shows, public relations, and press events to disseminate information to both American and Malagasy audiences. Use of social media and electronic formats is increasingly important for messaging, and the incumbent is expected to produce products in house. The DOC Advisor also oversees and implements capacity building activities within the Mission and with implementing partners to develop more effective communication plans and materials. 

The DOC Advisor leads the Mission to plan, establish, and implement a schedule of public outreach and local media events, which are numerous due to limited mass media and internet access around the country. S/he also assists the Mission in complying with communications standards and recommended best practices established by the USAID Bureau for Legislative and Public Affairs and by the U.S. Department of State. This includes regularly leading communications and events about program milestones and successes that conform to guidelines for timeliness, style, format, branding and marking, content and deadline guidelines. S/he explains in easy and understandable terms complex USAID processes and topics (e.g., technical information, project design and procurement processes, U.S. government, Agency, and Mission strategic and policy priorities, sector policies, and branding and marking requirements, etc.) to a broad audience to ensure the intricacies of processes and policy priorities are conveyed to the final recipient whether it is a journalist, the Ambassador, or a visiting Congressional Delegation. The DOC Advisor collaborates closely with, and follows media policy set by, the U.S. Embassy Public Affairs Officer on all media outreach, interagency events, and VIP visits. S/he also serves as the primary liaison with USAID's Bureau for Legislative and Public Affairs, and with the relevant communications teams based in the Agency's headquarters in Washington, DC, USA.