R -- Education/Investing in People Program Leader

Education/Investing in People Program LeaderUSAID/Morocco Issuance Date: January 15, 2008 Closing Date: February 05, 2008 Subject: Solicitation for Personal Services Contractor (PSC) RFA No.: 608-08-014 Ladies/Gentlemen: The United States Government, represented by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID/Morocco), is seeking applications (Letter of interest, and OF-612 available at the USAID website http://www.usajobs.opm.gov/forms.asp) from persons interested in providing the PSC services described herein. Submissions shall be in accordance with the time and place specified below. Any questions may be directed to Mr. Joseph Dorsey, Supervisory Executive Officer USAID/Morocco, who may be reached at: fax no. 212 37 632-013, or email at: [email protected]. Applicants should retain for their records copies of all enclosures which accompany their applications. Joseph L. Dorsey Supervisory Executive Officer USAID/Morocco ================================================================== 1. SOLICITATION NUMBER: 608-08-014 2. ISSUANCE DATE: January 15, 2008 3. CLOSING DATE/TIME SPECIFIED FOR RECEIPT OF APPLICATIONS: February 05, 2008, 5:00PM Moroccan Time. 4. POSITION TITLE: Education/Investing in People Program Leader 5. PLACE OF SUBMISSION: All applications shall be submitted to Mr. Joseph Dorsey, Executive Officer, either by fax, (212 37 632-013) or email to ([email protected]) and originals sent by mail. If sent via regular mail: USAID/Morocco, PSC 74 Box 022, APO, AE 09718. If sent via courier: USAID Mission to Morocco, #10 Ave. Mehdi Ben Barka, Souissi; Rabat, Morocco. 6. MARKET VALUE: US $ per annum $81,093 up to $105,420 (GS-14 equivalent) depending on qualifications, experience and salary history. 7. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: Two years from the date of signature of the contract. The contract will allow for contract extension(s), but it is not anticipated that the total period of service will exceed five (5) years. Award of the contract and subsequent extensions will be contingent on the availability of funds and the willingness of the parties. 8. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: Rabat, Morocco. It is anticipated that the incumbent will travel approximately 10% of time to remote areas of Morocco. 9. SECURITY ACCESS: Secret 10. AREA OF CONSIDERATION: U.S. Citizenship 11. JOB DESCRIPTION/STATEMENT OF WORK: See following text. SCOPE OF WORK Education/Investing in People Program Leader I. Background USAID/Morocco??s Education Office (ED) provides technical leadership for the design, management and monitoring of USAID/Morocco??s strategic objective, ??Improved Education and Training for Employment??, or Investing in People area under the new Foreign Assistance framework. This Office provides oversight to institutional contractors, grantees and short-term consultants charged with the implementation and monitoring of education, technical training, youth development, and general human development program areas. It is USAID/Morocco's primary point of contact for education and training related matters with the Government of Morocco (GOM), NGOs, foundations, private sector training providers, other donors, international organizations, and USG offices concerned with education and training in Morocco. The education strategic objective aims to improve the quality and relevance of basic education and of lower level vocational training to enhance job placement opportunities or subsequent level education. This is achieved through a wide range of interventions involving a variety of partners. A new strategy, now being developed as part of USAID??s new five-year strategy for 2009-2013, will focus on life skills and primary education. It aims at increasing the engagement of Moroccan youth in social, economic, and political life through the acquisition of life skills gained by both in-school and out-of-school youth. The ED Program Leader will serve in the ED Office, USAID/Morocco. The incumbent will be expected to work independently, with minimal oversight from the Mission Director, based on a general assignment of responsibilities. The incumbent is considered the Mission??s lead expert in investing in people, education, and youth with all duties and responsibilities of a senior USAID officer. The incumbent will be responsible for activities to be developed under the new strategic plan for 2009-2013. Due to the high level of responsibility in this position, the ED Program Leader will have wide latitude in the exercise of her/his duties for program design, management, and evaluation, and for the identification and resolution of issues affecting program performance both within and outside of the Mission. S/he serves as the USAID liaison for the sector with USAID/Washington, the GOM, the donor community (World Bank, UN Agencies and bi-lateral donors), associations, foundations, private sector entities and other parties involved in developing and supporting education initiatives and policy dialogue in Morocco. II. Duties and Responsibilities The ED Program Leader will provide leadership, guidance, and overall direction on the development and execution of USAID/Morocco??s activities under the ED Strategic Objective, both as currently conceived under the Mission??s 2004-2008 Strategic Plan and as finally agreed-upon for the new 2009-2013 strategy. Specific duties and responsibilities shall include, but are not limited to: 1. Serve as the senior advisor to the Mission Director and senior GOM officials on policy and programs related to education. 2. Coach and direct the team to achieve successful implementation of work plans and provide technical oversight to ensure sustainability of USAID accomplishments. Apply qualitative and quantitative methods to assess and improve the effectiveness of the program and the management processes. Take initiative for development of new program ideas and defend them for inclusion in the Country Assistance Strategy and to obtain funding. Ensure liaison with other USAID/Morocco Team Leaders for program synergies and broader understanding of mutual opportunities. Work with USAID/Washington backstops to keep them abreast of progress of the Morocco program. 3. Maintain regular contacts with key GOM counterparts regarding USAID role and partnership in support of education/training reform in Morocco. Seek active GOM participation in the validation process of USAID-developed education/training products and processes for use of materials at a wider scale. Negotiate new program ideas; report on implementation progress and brief appropriate and relevant GOM counterparts on the USAID education/Investing in People strategy, implementation progress, issues, or special events. Negotiate program strategy adjustments and draft SOAG Amendments, Implementation letters and other relevant documents for mutual approval. 4. Provide technical guidance and management oversight to institutional contractors/grantees implementing education strategic objective activities. Manage the review and approval process of the contractor/grantee??s work plans within USAID and negotiate changes with Chiefs-of-Party. Ensure that monitoring systems accurately measure progress towards achievement of results. Make site visits to activity sites, for progress monitoring and partner/beneficiary feedback. Represent USAID at contractor-organized events to raise visibility of USAID-funded initiatives and to ensure that the audience understands the overall context of the USAID education program and how it assists the GOM in carrying out its reform agenda. 5. Chair SO meetings to ensure adequate and timely communication flow between contractor/grantee teams and the USAID education SO core team and to convey any USAID general mandates, issues, or concerns. Ensure that contractors adhere to the general SO policy for communication with the GOM. 6. Prepare education SO sections of required USAID internal reports (e.g. resource requests, mid-term reviews) and SO-specific reports. Provide technical response to inquiries from Washington, the Embassy, U.S. education representatives and other individuals desiring information on the USAID education program. Represent USAID at national, regional or international education conferences or events. 7. Serve on teams other than the education team, for program synergy and to provide input as relevant to the education sector and other areas that cut across the USAID portfolio. 8. Provide expert advice, mentoring and oversight to ED staff members (one resident-hire USPSC and two Foreign Service Nationals) whose responsibilities include coordination of the reporting on in-country and other participant training funded under the various USAID SOs using TraiNet, to ensure uniformity in reporting and to capture the human capacity development magnitude and value across the Mission??s overall program. III. Supervision and Relationships The ED Program Leader will serve as the key manager for ensuring the smooth implementation of a complex investing in people, youth development, and education program. S/he will work under the direction of the USAID/Morocco Mission Director, or her designee. Performance of the incumbent shall be in relation to the above statement of work and the general technical and administrative objectives of USAID/Morocco??s Education Program. Standards of evaluation will include timely performance of tasks, quality and acceptability of written products, effectiveness of interpersonal communication, management and leadership skills, working as a team player with the broader mission and effectiveness in accomplishing the scope of work. These shall be manifested in the preparation of annual work objectives and requirements. A review/update of these objectives will be carried out at least annually. The incumbent has no authority to make commitments on behalf of the USG; however, recommendations are given substantial weight by USAID officials who exercise that authority. The incumbent is authorized to initiate correspondence and discussions with senior government officials and private sector organizations and to articulate USAID strategy and implementation issues specific to the sector. The incumbent establishes and maintains excellent working contacts within the Mission. Based on technical knowledge, personal and communication skills, s/he should have full professional trust and confidence to be able to carry out the high level contacts and interactions as the education spokesperson for USAID/Morocco. S/he establishes and maintains contacts with high level officials in relevant GOM Ministries, including ministers, Secretaries of State, Secretaries General, central and regional Academy Directors, and provincial delegates for the planning, development, negotiation, implementation and evaluation of the overall education program. S/he meets regularly, at any level, with other donors, Executive Officers of the private sector and heads of local and international NGOs. The incumbent prepares written and oral briefings for the Ambassador, other senior members of the Country Team and USAID/Washington, on education trends, reform topics, policy issues, or in preparation to high level meetings. S/he meets with, or contacts by phone or letter, presidents or officers of the contractors/grantees to provide technical and managerial feedback on field operations and performance. S/he must be able to defend technically sound cases in support of overall Mission standards for contractor performance. S/he also meets with representatives from American and Moroccan Universities, or other U.S. or international groups interested in understanding the USAID/Morocco??s strategy for the education sector and USAID partnership with the GOM. IV. Qualifications and Selection Criteria a. Education: A graduate or higher degree in education, teaching, youth engagement, public administration, or other relevant background is desirable (relevant experience will be substituted for desired educational level.) (10 points) b. Experience: ?X 7 to 10 years of experience in education, investing in people, youth engagement related issues, including curricula trends, education trends, and education reform processes in meeting national goals is required. (25 points) ?X 7 to 10 years of hands-on experience at the senior management level, demonstrating sound and independent judgment with the skills to strategize, develop and effectively implement activities is required. (25 points) ?X Professional experience related to project management monitoring and evaluation and research on problems of education in the developing world is desirable. (10 points) ?X Professional experience living and working in a developing country, preferably in a North African or other middle east country. Knowledge of the Moroccan political, economic, social and cultural context, characteristics and history is a considerable plus. (10 points) c. Language Proficiency: Fluency in French required (FSI 3); Arabic or Moroccan dialect a significant plus. (10 points) d. Excellent writing skills reflecting the ability to analyze and report clearly and concisely on human, social development, youth engagement, and education issues to be demonstrated through sample reports or articles written by the applicant. Computer skills in both word-processing and spreadsheet software is required. (10 points) V. Compensation: Salary will be paid in US dollars and will span the GS-14 equivalent range of US $81,093 up to $105,420 per year depending on qualifications, experience and salary history. In addition, a full off-shore benefit and allowance package is provided consisting of dependent travel, R&R, shipment of household effects, unaccompanied baggage and privately-owned vehicle, housing and utilities, educational allowance/travel and separate maintenance allowance, as permitted for U.S. direct hires. Also covered are employee??s FICA contribution, contributions towards Health and Life Insurance, Pay Comparability Adjustment, Annual Step Increase, Eligibility for Worker??s Compensation, Annual and Sick leave. If the candidate selected is hired locally within Morocco, compensation is limited to salary, FICA, Medicare, pay comparability and leave. VI. Start date: The contract start date is as soon as possible pending contract processing and receipt of applicable clearances. As part of the process, the applicant must be medically cleared and able to obtain a USAID security clearance. VII. LIST OF REQUIRED FORMS FOR PSCS: Forms outlined below can found at: www.usaid.gov/business/business_opportunities/psc_solicitations.html or at http://www.forms.gov/bgfPortal/citizen.portal 1. Optional Form for Federal Employment (OF-612). 2. USAID Contractor Employee Physical Examination Form (AID 1420-62)*. 3. Questionnaire for National Security Positions (SF-86)*. 4. Finger Print Card (FD-258)*. * Forms 2 through 4 shall be completed ONLY upon the advice of the Contracting Officer that an applicant is the successful candidate for the job. VIII. CONTRACT INFORMATION BULLETINS (CIBs) or ACQUISITION AND ASSISTANCE POLICY DIRECTIVES (AAPDs) PERTAINING TO PSCs: AAPDs and CIBs contain changes to USAID policy and General Provisions in USAID regulations and contract. Those documents can be found at this website: http://www.usaid.gov/procurement_bus_opp/procurement/cib/subject.html#psc IX. BENEFITS/ALLOWANCES: As a matter of policy, and as appropriate, a PSC is normally authorized the following benefits and allowances: (NOTE: An individual defined as a Resident Hire employee may only be eligible for those benefits listed under item A below.) A. BENEFITS - Employer's FICA Contribution - Contribution toward Health & Life Insurance - Pay Comparability Adjustment - Eligibility for Worker's Compensation - Annual & Sick Leave B. ALLOWANCES (if Applicable)* - Temporary Lodging Allowance (Section 120) - Living Quarters Allowance (Section 130) - Post Allowance (Section 220) - Supplemental Post Allowance (Section 230) - Separate Maintenance Allowance (Section 260) - Education Allowance (Section 270) - Education Travel (Section 280) - Post Differential (Chapter 500) - Payments during Evacuation/Authorized Departure (Section 600) - Danger Pay (Section 650) * Standardized Regulations (Government Civilians Foreign Areas). FEDERAL TAXES: