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1. SOLICITATION NUMBER: 608-10-008
2. ISSUANCE DATE: July 27, 2010
3. CLOSING DATE/TIME: August 17, 2010 - 17:00 hours, Rabat time
4. POSITION TITLE: Democracy & Governance Program Leader
(USPSC), U.S. Citizens only
5. MARKET VALUE: Ranging from $84,697 - $110,104 per annum (GS - 14 equivalent)
Depending on qualifications, experience, and salary history
6. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: One year with possible extension that will depend on the need for continuation of such services, availability of funds and satisfactory performance.
7. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: USAID/Morocco
8. SUPERVISORY CONTROLS: Minimal. Incumbent is expected to act independently with little direction.
9. SECURITY ACCESS: Secret, U.S. Citizens only
THE PSC CONTRACT THAT WILL RESULT FROM THIS SOLICITATION WILL BE AWARDED UPON AVAILABILITY OF USG FUNDS. THIS SOLICITATION IN NO WAY OBLIGATES THE U.S. GOVERNMENT TO AWARD A CONTRACT NOR DOES IT COMMIT THE U.S. GOVERNMENT TO PAY ANY COSTS INCURRED BY THE APPLICANT IN PREPARING AND SUBMITTING HIS/HER APPLICATION.
POSITION DESCRIPTION:
A. BACKGROUND
USAID/Morocco's Democracy and Governance (D/G) program supports the Government of Morocco (GOM) in its efforts to be more responsive to the needs of its citizens in keeping with best practices of good governance. This work also encourages citizens to engage with government and public administration through representative institutions to better and more effectively express their needs. Within the Arab world, the Kingdom of Morocco is the country where the process of political liberalization has been sustained for the longest period of time. Morocco has received praise over the past year from those who follow closely the evolution of democracy in the Middle East, but it is clear that much remains to be done.
Over the past decade, Morocco has enjoyed a series of credible elections coupled with a series of governance reforms aimed at expanding the democratic opening begun in the late 1990s. These reforms have increased the political space for citizens and institutions to operate by encouraging more engaged political parties and civil society, enhanced decentralization, increased transparency and accountability, and greater respect for the rule of law. Unfortunately, representative institutions and organizations lack the skills, capacity and - often - the political will to take advantage of this new space. The lack of political will to implement governance reforms, however, is not limited to representative institutions and organizations. Citizens also need to strengthen their participation and recognize their role in reform.
USAID/Morocco's new Democracy and Governance (DG) sector strategy 2009 - 2013, AO # 1 Increased Participation of Citizens, Especially Youth, in Governance, will build the capacity of civil society, political parties, and elected local government to provide a venue for increased citizen participation, particularly youth. This strengthened civic participation will increase demand on representational institutions to perform effectively. At the same time, support will be provided that will increase the ability of targeted institutions to engage with citizens and enhance their ability to respond to demands.
Three Intermediate Results (IR) will help achieve this objective:
The first IR focuses on the demand side of the democracy and governance equation, recognizing that active citizen participation is required to ensure a vibrant democracy and that unless youth are part of that active participation, they will be increasingly marginalized. The second focuses more on the supply side, recognizing that if governance bodies, in this case local governance, do not have the skills and tools to allow them to engage with and respond to citizens, efforts to increase citizen participation will yield only limited results. As a result, IR2 will support efforts to provide expanded venues for citizen participation in local governance and ensure improved performance of government institutions to deliver quality services, in order to provide tangible improvements in the lives of all Moroccan citizens, particularly of youth. The third IR focuses on increasing the accountability and transparency of key institutions within the justice sector. This third IR is provisional pending funding for FY 2011.
The Political Party Strengthening Program supports the first IR, by supporting efforts to make political parties more effective vehicles for expressing citizen concerns. A new program may be designed in FY 2010/2011 and will build off a political party program evaluation and assessment completed in June 2010.
The Civil Society Advocacy Project also supports the first IR. The goal is to widen and deepen public dialogue and democratic practice by strengthening the capacity of civil society organizations (CSOs) to mobilize, network and advocate. The project provides technical, organizational and financial support to CSOs, with a target of $1 million in grants over three years. The project has four major focus areas: civic action, marginalized youth, local governance including the National Initiative on Human Development (INDH), and community participation aimed at improving education quality. The project targets primarily urban and peri-urban areas, where youth is at greater risk and urbanization brings challenges to decentralized local governance.
The Local Governance Program will support the second IR, by supporting efforts to work in four broad areas: 1) increasing citizen participation in local governance; 2) enhancing local government's performance, specifically local government's ability to provide better services to citizens; 3) encouraging increased accountability and transparency in local governance; and 4) supporting increased devolution and deconcentration of authority. These objectives complement the current strategy of the General Directorate of Local Communes (DGCL) of the Ministry of Interior, which places the citizen at the center of all initiatives and local communes as key stakeholders in local development.
Throughout the new DG strategy, significant efforts will be placed on increasing youth and women's participation in good governance. These efforts include: enhancing political parties' ability to reach out and attract youth and women, building the capacity of civil society organizations that are advocating on issues important to youth and women, increasing youth and women participation in local governance, and supporting efforts to reform the legal sector that would serve the interests of youth and women. This will be challenging as historically women make up less than one percent of elected officials in local government and have generally poor representation in Parliament. The minimum age requirement for standing for elected office was recently changed from 23 to 21, but very small numbers of youth hold elected office. In political parties, women and youth alike see limited possibilities for participation.
The D/G Program Leader will serve as the head of the D/G Team, USAID/Morocco, one of the three teams that make up our new Human Development and Youth Office. The incumbent will be expected to work independently, with minimal oversight from the Mission Director and/or the Human Development and Youth Office Director, based on a general assignment of responsibilities and will be expected to coordinate closely with the Education and Peace and Security Program Leaders. The incumbent will produce an annual work plan for accomplishing complex duties and responsibilities, and will be responsible for daily management of D/G activities. Due to the high level of responsibility in this position, the D/G 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. The incumbent is considered the Mission's lead democracy expert with all of the duties and responsibilities of a senior USAID officer.
B. MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The D/G Program Leader will provide leadership, guidance, and overall direction on the development and execution of USAID/Morocco's activities under the D/G Assistance Objective: AO # 1 - Increased Participation of Citizens, Especially Youth, in Governance, 2009-2013:
Specific duties and responsibilities shall include, but are not limited to:
Supervises, evaluates, and provides guidance to USAID/Morocco D/G team, which is composed of three Foreign Service National team members.
C. SUPERVISION AND RELATIONSHIPS
The D/G Program Leader will serve as the key manager for ensuring the smooth implementation of a complex and highly visible democracy program and will contribute to the Mission's overall Peace and Security objectives and activities. S/he will work under the direction of the Human Development and Youth Office Director and/or USAID/Morocco Mission Director, or his 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 Democracy and Governance 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 shall ensure effective coordination and information sharing with the USAID/Morocco staff and personnel of implementing and other donor agencies. In this capacity, s/he shall also work closely with offices of the U.S. Embassy, the Department of State, democracy-related institutions and other key individuals useful and necessary to the full accomplishment of the objectives of USAID/Morocco's D/G program.
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.
D. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS & SELECTION CRITERIA:
In order to be considered, those qualifications marked "required" must be met. Candidates will be evaluated and ranked based on the following selection criteria:
a. Education: A master's degree in political science, international relations, law, development management, government history or related field is required (relevant experience will be substituted for required educational level.). (10 points)
b. Experience:
c. Communication Skills:
d. Interpersonal Skills: Proven ability to work as head of a team, in support of staff, and in coordinating efforts and activities across teams and with various agencies and international communities. Ability to negotiate host country cultural norms is required. (10 points)
Maximum Points Available: 100.
•E. 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 able to obtain a USAID security clearance and a Department of State Class I Medical Clearance.
As a matter of policy, and as appropriate, a USPSC is normally authorized the benefits and allowances listed in this section. (NOTE: An individual defined as a Resident Hire employee may only be eligible for those benefits listed under item A below.)
BENEFITS:
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 per post policy
ALLOWANCES:
Temporary Lodging Allowance
Living Quarters Allowance
Post Allowance
Separate Maintenance Allowance
Education Allowance
Education Travel
Post Differential
Payments During Evacuation
G. LIST OF REQUIRED FORMS FOR USPSCs
•a. Optional Form 612. The form is available at the USAID web site, http://www.usaid.gov/procurement_bus_opp/procurement/forms or internet http://fillform.gsa.gov
Forms (b) through (e) shall be completed only upon the advice of the Contracting Officer that an applicant is the successful candidate for the position.
b. Medical History and Examination (DS-1843).
c. Questionnaire for Sensitive Positions (for National Security) (SF-86), or
d. Questionnaire for Non-Sensitive Positions (SF-85).
e. Finger Print Card (FD-258). (NOTE: Form is available from the requirements office.)
•H. 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/business/business_opportunities/psc_solicitations.html to determine which CIBS apply to this contract.
•a. Interested individuals are requested to submit U.S. Government Optional Form 612 (available at the USAID website, http://www.usaid.gov/forms/ or internet http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/formslibrary.do, or at Federal offices);
•b. Applicants are required to provide three references with complete contact information and a current resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV) as an attachment.
•c. All applications should be submitted to Ms. Amal Mahmaz by e-mail at [email protected], or by international mail or express courier to the following address:
USAID/Morocco
10, Avenue Mehdi Ben Barka,
Souissi, Rabat, Morocco
Attention: A/EXO Amal Mahmaz
•d. To ensure consideration of applications for the intended position, please reference the solicitation number on your application and as the subject line of cover letter. The highest ranking applications may be selected for an interview. Please note that only short listed candidates will be notified.
•e. Applicants should retain copies of all documentation which accompanies their applications for their records.
Point of Contact
Amal Mahmaz, A/Executive Officer
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (212)-537-632-001
Place of Performance
USAID/Morocco
10 Avenue Mehdi Ben Barka
Souissi, Rabat, Morocco