R -- Madagascar Agriculture and Trade Team Leader

ISSUANCE DATE: July 14, 2003 CLOSING DATE: Aug 13, 2003 Ladies/Gentlemen: SUBJECT: Solicitation for U.S. Personal Services Contractor for Madagascar Agriculture and Trade Team Leader for USAID/Madagascar The United States Government, represented by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), is seeking applications of qualified individuals from U. S. citizens interested in providing Personal Services Contract (PSC) services as described in the attached solicitation. Submissions shall be in accordance with the attached information at the place and time specified. Further, applicants must be available to begin work September 2003. Applicants must state availability within this time frame in the application or covering letter. Please also note requirement for submission of an example of written work [not more than 500 words] that demonstrates applicants writing skills. All applications may be submitted by UPS, DHL, facsmile, or e-mail. If sent via UPS or DHL, send to: Personnel Office USAID/MADAGASCAR Villa Vonisoa III Rue du Docteur Ravoahangy Anosy 101 Antananarivo Madagascar If sent by facsimile, send to: 261-20-2263012 If sent via e-mail attachment [Please note on “subject line”, number of this solicitation], send to [email protected]. Application forms: Application for Federal Employment (SF-171) or Optional Application for Federal Employment (OF-612) can be located at the USAID website: http://www.usaid.gov/procurement_bus_opp/procurement/psc_solicit/forms.html USAID/MADAGASCAR anticipates awarding one (1) PSC contract as a result of this solicitation, subject to availability of funds. USAID/Madagascar reserves the right not to award any contract as a result of this solicitation. Applicants should retain for their record copies of all enclosures that accompany their application. Please reference the number of this solicitation when sending your application. Submissions made via e-mail must be in Word 2000. Any questions on this solicitation may be directed to: Bakoly Ratsimanohatra Personnel Specialist USAID/MADAGASCAR TELEPHONE NUMBER (261)-20-2225489 FAX NUMBER: 261-20-2263012 E-MAIL ADDRESS: [email protected] SOLICITATION NUMBER: 687-03-S-007 ISSUANCE DATE: July 14, 2003 CLOSING DATE/TIME: Aug 13, 2003 at 04:00PM local time POSITION TITLE: Madagascar Agriculture and Trade Team Leader MARKET VALUE: GS-14 PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: Two years with option to renew up to five years PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: USAID/Madagascar SECURITY ACCESS: Secret AREA OF CONSIDERATION: U.S. Citizens POSITION DESCRIPTION BACKGROUND USAID/Madagascar plans to implement a Strategic Objective (SO) to address agriculture and trade development under its five-year strategy (2003-2008). This SO will address agricultural based market development, and business development. The program is expected to introduce more productive technology, build links between producers, agribusinesses and external markets and improve economic and trade policies which encourage investment and exports. This new SO, entitled Madagascar Agriculture and Trade (MAT) will complement the Environment/Rural Development SO as well as the Mission’s Food Security activities. Under this SO, Critical Private Markets Expanded, selected interventions will be undertaken based on three primary criteria: (i) potential for a significant contribution to economic growth; (ii) contribution to poverty reduction; and (iii) complementarity with biodiversity conservation/natural resource management activities. In Madagascar, food insecurity is primarily caused by poverty. An estimated 80% of rural families are poor. As these families farm for their livelihoods, market led agricultural development will concurrently improve their incomes and food security. Market led agricultural growth will also discourage slash and burn agriculture, the greatest threat to Madagascar’s biodiversity rich forests, and provide employment and livelihood opportunities that draw growing populations away from threatened forest corridors. Madagascar Agriculture and Trade, the Environment and Rural Development SO, and Food Security activities will be mutually reinforcing. Market led agricultural growth can reduce poverty and improve food security while also leading to biodiversity conservation. There are direct and important links between agriculture, rural income, food security, forest conservation, and disaster preparedness. Madagascar is highly susceptible to frequent cyclones. Cyclones cause much greater destruction to landscapes, roads, railroads and irrigation systems where forests have been cleared and hillsides cannot absorb rainfall and stagger runoff. The MAT SO shall increase small farmer access to modern technologies as alternatives to slash and burn agriculture, the principal deforestation cause in Madagascar. Madagascar has impressive economic growth potential. It leads the world in vanilla, clove and litchi markets. Farmers produce an array of attractive commodities. These include: fresh fruits and vegetables; robusta and arabica coffees; tea; cereals (rice, maize, wheat), tubers (cassava, yams, potatoes); dried beans; oilseeds (soybean, sunflower, peanuts); essential oils (aloe, ylang ylang, ravinala); spices (pepper, ginger); fibers (cotton, silk); tree crops (cashews, cocoa, coconut, palm); dairy products; livestock; and poultry. There are also agricultural market linkages with southern Africa, Europe and the US (under African Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA)). Among non-agricultural commodities, textiles led much of the economy’s growth in recent years, with the trade advantages afforded by AGOA playing a significant role. Madagascar has also become one of the world’s major suppliers of rubies, sapphires, emeralds, and other precious and semi-precious stones, though the bulk of this trade remains outside of formal channels. There are also opportunities for growth in artisanal products. Under USAID/Madagascar’s 1997- 2003 strategy, the Landscape Development Intervention (LDI) program, part of the Biodiversity Conservation Strategic Objective, links farmer groups to agribusinesses. LDI implements farmer group and agribusiness credit programs; uses farmer to farmer extension for technology dissemination (organic ginger, agroforestry); supports trade missions (South Africa, USA) and market research; and provides business development services to agribusinesses that buy products from small farmers. PL 480, Title II programs also support agricultural production, while other activities provide information and training on international trade agreements. SCOPE OF WORK The MAT SO Team Leader shall serve as the economic growth and private sector technical resource to USAID/Madagascar. S/he shall design activities and be responsible for implementation of the SO by guiding, coordinating and managing the human and financial resources to achieve planned results in agricultural development, agribusiness and trade promotion. The Team Leader shall play a lead role in technical discussions with the Government of Madagascar (GOM), Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs), Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, Ministry of Commerce and Consumption, Ministry of Industry and Private Sector, the private sector, US Private Voluntary Organization (PVOs), US Cooperating Agencies and other donors. S/he is expected to be entrepreneurial, resourceful and innovative to attract promising initiatives and leverage donor funds to expand the portfolio and achieve people level impacts. Serves as Team/Work Leader 35% Articulates and communicates to the team the assignments, projects, problems to be solved, actionable events, milestones, and/or program issues under review, and deadlines and time frames for completion. Identifies, distributes, and balances workload and tasks among employees in accordance with established workflow, skill level, and/or occupational specialization. Makes adjustments to accomplish the workload in accordance with established priorities to ensure timely accomplishment of assigned team tasks; and ensures each employee has an integral role in developing the final team product. Monitors and reports on the status and progress of work, checking on work in progress and reviewing completed work to see that the supervisor's instructions on work priorities, methods, deadlines, and quality have been met. Prepares reports and maintains records of work accomplishments and administrative information, as required, and coordinates the preparation, presentation, and communication of work-related information to the supervisor. Estimates and reports to the team on progress in meeting established milestones and deadlines for completion of assignments, projects, and tasks. Ensures all team members are aware of and participate in planning for achievement of team goals and objectives. Resolves simple, informal complaints of employees and refers others, such as formal grievances and appeals, to the supervisor or an appropriate management official. Informs the supervisor of performance management issues/problems and recommends/requests related actions, such as: assignments, reassignments, promotions, tour of duty changes, peer reviews, performance appraisals, awards, and recognition. Program/Activities Development and/or Management Work 35% Plans and designs centralized and mission-specific activities under established and/or proposed program objectives. Identifies and implements necessary actions related to implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of business, commercial, industrial, micro-industrial and agricultural development programs and projects. Designs and/or manages the development of Mission-specific Strategic Objectives (SOs), within the business, commercial, industrial, micro-industrial and agricultural development area, identifying actions related to program/project implementation, monitoring, and evaluating activities under established and/or proposed SOs. Promotes production and trade of agricultural and non-agricultural commodities. Serves as liaison with USAID’s Central and Regional agricultural development and trade promotion activities. . Leverages donor funds by identifying opportunities based on private sector needs and program orientations. Provides analytical leadership and contributes to Mission strategy development to enhance the long-term impact of the SO’s investments in development of alternatives to the depletion of natural resources. Exercises independent judgment and applies broad technical knowledge of business conditions and trends in preparing or assuring preparation of implementation documents, concept and decision papers, briefing memoranda, authorizations, and Congressional notifications. Assists the Mission in advancing the state-of-the-art of the business discipline, and in improving approaches in activity management. Designs and participates in broad business, commercial, industrial, micro-industrial and agricultural development assessments, and participates in results framework development and review. Presents and defends positions, as required, before annual strategy/Annual Report and closeout plan reviews. Provides guidance to Program Objective Teams, SO Teams, and/or other groups. Coordinates information and builds consensus from various organizations involved in the preparation and approval of various documents. Market Analysis 10% Evaluates broad marketing programs of major economic significance and/or a variety of marketing activities or commodities within highly specialized markets that have countrywide impact. Designs and evaluates trade capacity building programs for an assigned country. Analyzes the effects of various factors on the assigned country, such as WTO accession and compliance; trade policy and reform; legal and regulatory reforms to encourage private investment and trade; trade facilitation; and current technology and standards. Responsible for keeping the Mission abreast on policy areas that could hinder, reinforce or multiply the SO’s development investments and impacts that would require USAID attention and assistance. Formulates and manages a program of research and field support that continually improves agency understanding of trade development problems in the assigned country. Develops clear technical guidelines for developing, implementing, and evaluating programs of trade capacity building. Monitors Contractor's Performance 10% Independently reviews contractor performance through site visits, correspondence, and telephone conversations for completion of applicable contract clauses, e.g., small business, patent rights, labor laws, and progress reports. Recommends issuing cure or show cause notices when the contractor is not in compliance. Conducts contract reviews to evaluate performance. Monitors contractor activity through personal contact or review to assure compliance with technical, financial, delivery, and other terms of the contract. Reviews official contract files to ensure no pending administrative action; contract is complete in every aspect and ready to close, and to obtain approval of all closeout documentation. Performs Pre-award Grant/ Agreements Work 5% As a project/cognizant technical officer, analyzes the requirements and the appropriate alternatives prior to the acquisition of resources via grant or agreement processes. Establishes a long-range plan that identifies the mission, goals and objectives; the major activities within the organization; and the needs, problems, costs and benefits of each project. Initiates specific project plan that documents scope, project schedule, end users, market research and proposed funding. Based on the requirements of the pre-award analysis, develops the Statement of Work (SOW) which must address the following factors: (1) specific, extensive and complete description of organization's needs; (2) Description of requirements in terms of functions to be performed, performance to be achieved, quantitative and qualitative requirements that must be met; (3) projected workload requirements; (4) security privacy requirements; and (5) space and environmental requirements. Performs Post-Award Grant/ Agreement Work 5% Serves as a project/cognizant technical officer for a significant on-site services contract which has an allotted time of fiscal obligation. As a program/project officer, participates in continual planning to integrate the actions involving the contractual obligations and responsibilities of both the government and the contractor. Plans, designs, and conducts studies and analyses of procedures, internal controls, efficiency, and timeliness of response to grant related work. Designates and collects relevant data, analyzes data, draws conclusions, and formulates comprehensive reports which clearly set forth findings and appropriate recommendations. Following contract award is responsible for monitoring all the phases of award and closing. This includes: (1) monitoring the contractor's technical progress, including the surveillance and assessment of performance and recommending to the contracting officer changes in requirements; (2) interpreting the statement of work and any other technical performance requirements; (3) performing technical evaluation as required; (4) performing technical inspections and acceptances required by the contracts; and (5) assisting in the resolution of technical problems encountered during performance. QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE: In order to accomplish this objective, the Contractor must have the following minimum qualifications and experience: • A minimum of a Master Degree in agriculture or agribusiness, economics, business administration or related relevant field. • A minimum of ten (10) years international work experience in agriculture or agribusiness development, private sector and trade development, farmer group development, or farming systems development linked to natural resource conservation. • Experience working with farmer associations, private sectors, other donors and national governments to improve policies and investments in rural livelihoods linked to sustainable resource use. • Five to ten years experience in administering/monitoring international development programs. The incumbent must be able to demonstrate • Strong conceptualization, design, negotiation and programming skills. • Strong program management and organizational skills. • Strong interpersonal skills and experience in working in a team oriented organization. • Fluency in French, FSI level S3/R3. REPORTING RELATIONSHIP The Contractor is supervised by and reports directly to the USAID/Madagascar Supervisory General Development Officer and/or the Mission Director. S/he works closely with counterparts and partners of the MAT SO and other complementary SOs, such as the Environmental/Rural Development SO. WORKPLANS AND PERFORMANCE REPORTS The Contractor shall develop with the Supervisory General Development Officer and/or the Mission Director an Annual Work Plan that shall lay out specific work objectives. The Annual Work Objectives and any substantive revisions shall be reviewed and approved by the Supervisory General Development Officer and/or the Mission Director. The Contractor shall prepare and submit annual performance reports (Managing for Excellence Report/Annual Report) to the Supervisory General Development Officer and/or the Mission Director, and senior Mission management. The reports shall be a key input for monitoring and evaluating progress measured by outputs and impact in achieving the SO’s results. The reports shall describe in detail achievements during the reporting period, particularly as related to the SO, Results Framework and monitoring plan. LOGISTICS Administrative support to include the provision of office space and equipment will be provided by USAID/Madagascar. Logistical support for housing accommodations of the contractor and in-country travel will be provided by the Executive Office of USAID/Madagascar. EVALUATION CRITERIA The criteria set forth below will serve as the basis for the technical evaluation of the proposals to fulfill the tasks identified below: EDUCATION (15 points) - A Master Degree in agriculture or agribusiness, economics, business administration or related relevant field. EXPERIENCE (60 points) - Minimum ten (10) years international work experience in agriculture or agribusiness development, private sector and trade development, farmer group development, or farming systems development linked to natural resource conservation. (25 points) - Experience working with farmer associations, private sectors, other donors and national governments to improve policies and investments in rural livelihoods linked to sustainable resource use. (20 points) - Five (5) to ten (10) years experience in administering/monitoring international development programs. (15 points) ABILITY AND SKILLS (25 points) - Strong conceptualization, design, negotiation and programming skills. - Strong project management and organizational skills. - Strong interpersonal skills and experience in working in a team oriented organization. PREREQUISITE - Fluency in French, FSI level S3/R3. APPLYING: Qualified individuals are requested to submit: For USPSCs a U.S. Government Standard Form 171 or Optional Form 612 (available at the USAID website, http://www.usaid.gov/procurement_bus_opp/procurement/forms or internet http://fillform.gsa.gov, or at Federal offices); Applications must be received by the closing date and time at the address specified in the cover letter. To ensure consideration of applications for the intended position, please reference the solicitation number on your application, and as the subject line in any cover letter. The highest ranking applicants may be selected for an interview. LIST OF REQUIRED FORMS FOR PSCS Forms outlined below can be found at http://www.usaid.gov/procurement_bus_opp/procurement/psc_solicit/ 1. Standard Form 171 or Optional Form 612. 2. Contractor Physical Examination (AID Form 1420-62). ** 3. Questionnaire for Sensitive Positions (for National Security) (SF-86), or ** 4. Questionnaire for Non-Sensitive Positions (SF-85). ** 5. Finger Print Card (FD-258). ** * Standardized Regulations (Government Civilians Foreign Areas). ** Forms 2 through 5 shall be completed only upon the advice of the Contracting Officer that an applicant is the successful candidate for the job. CONTRACT INFORMATION BULLETINS (CIBS) PERTAINING TO PSCS CIBs contain changes to USAID policy and General Provisions in USAID regulations and contracts. Please refer to this website http://www.usaid.gov/procurement_bus_opp/procurement/psc_solicit/ to determine which CIBS apply to this contract. BENEFITS/ALLOWANCES: As a matter of policy, and as appropriate, a PSC is normally authorized the following benefits and allowances: BENEFITS: Employee's FICA Contribution Contribution toward Health & Life Insurance Pay Comparability Adjustment Eligibility for Worker's Compensation Annual & Sick Leave Access to Embassy medical facilities, commissary and pouch mail service ALLOWANCES (If Applicable): (1) Temporary Lodging Allowance (Section 120) (2) Living Quarters Allowance (Section 130) (3) Post Allowance (Section 220) (4) Supplemental Post Allowance (Section 230) (5) Post Differential (Chapter 500) (6) Payments during Evacuation/Authorized Departure (Section 600) and (7) Danger Pay (Section 650) (8) Educational Allowance (Section 270) (9) Separate Maintenance Allowance (Section 260) (10) Educational Travel (Section 280) * Standardized Regulations (Government Civilians Foreign Areas). FEDERAL TAXES: USPSCs are not exempt from payment of Federal Income taxes.