Capture Consultant Services for Kosovo Youth Activity Proposal

Terms of Reference

Job Title:                    Capture Consultant

Post:                            Pristina, Kosovo with travel throughout Kosovo

Project name:            USAID/Kosovo Youth Activity

Start Date:                  July 1st 2024

Term:                           20 days over the 3-month period from the signing of the ICA

Project description

Since 1963, ACDI/VOCA has worked in 145 developing and transitioning nations to empower people to succeed in the global economy. Located in Washington D.C., ACDI/VOCA is a non-profit organization focused on international development that provides technical design and implementation in agriculture, economic growth, and resilience to achieve better lives for people and communities by increasing economic prosperity and social inclusion.

ACDI/VOCA intends to respond to an upcoming USAID-funded solicitation that will support the broad-based growth of Kosovo’s economy through interventions aimed at its youth. Specifically, we anticipate two project objectives:

Objective 1: Improved alignment of youth work skills with the market needs of Kosovo’s economy

Objective 2: Increased active and meaningful participation of youth in in democratic processes and increased contribution to social cohesion.

The solicitation is not yet forecasted, but an RFI has been released and we are planning for a solicitation release in late summer or early fall. In advance of that release, we are planning a trip to Kosovo in late July/early August.

In order to better inform proposal design, map pertinent stakeholders and beneficiaries, and identify potential personnel and partners, ACDI/VOCA is engaging a consultant to support logistics for in-country travel, help identify potential local implementing partners, stakeholders, personnel, and to inform strategy and overall technical design.

Objective:

The purpose of this assignment is to provide support to the ACDI/VOCA proposal team in the capture phase, including support in advance of and during a trip to Kosovo.

Coordination of Work:

The consultant will coordinate the provision of technical and reconnaissance support for the opportunity through the assigned Proposal Leader, Caroline Bailey, based in Washington, D.C. The consultant will receive tasks directly from Ms. Bailey and she will authorize payment contingent on satisfactory completion of all tasks assigned.

Additional proposal team members may accompany Ms. Bailey on the reconnaissance trip to Kosovo and some tasks may be assigned through them at Ms. Bailey’s discretion. For pricing tasks and deliverables, tasks may be assigned by the Pricer, Rachel Check.

Anticipated Tasks and Activities:

Trip:

Work closely with the Proposal Leader, Technical Writer, Proposal Manager, and other relevant team members to prepare and conduct a reconnaissance trip in Kosovo. Tasks/activities may include but are not limited to:

• Pre-travel, keep team aware of any local travel requirements or protocols.
• Support in-country travel logistics for members of the proposal team traveling to Kosovo
• Arrange introductory meetings with potential local consortium partners or resource partners. This may include arranging remote meetings before the trip, if relevant.
• Arrange meetings with relevant government/public sector ministries and organizations, key private sector actors, and relevant NGOs, non-profits, youth organisations, or other relevant stakeholders.
• If required, organize key informant interview meetings or in-country strategy workshop with relevant stakeholders.
• Assist in arranging in-person interviews with potential key personnel, if necessary.
• Attend all scheduled meetings. Serve as a Translator for the proposal team to ensure clear communication and comprehension and take notes on each meeting. Provide suggestions of translation services as needed if consultant is not fluent in all local languages.
• Provide local context and information from the consultant’s own knowledge and by conducting local research as necessary.
• Develop a meeting schedule and assign meeting POCs.
• Additional tasks in-country as identified by the Proposal Leader

General capture:

Provide general and technical support for the development of a sound technical and implementation approach to achieve project objectives. Tasks/activities may include but are not limited to:

• Provide available literature related to existing recent economic growth activities (especially youth-focused ones) in Kosovo and the region funded by USAID and other key international donors (e.g. Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, FCDO, EU, etc.). Identify lessons learned and implementation challenges encountered for these projects.
• Assess market opportunities based on stakeholder interviews and discussion with ACDI/VOCA staff.
• Synthesize qualitative data and research to anticipate donor expectations and inform project design, key areas of intervention, and areas where USAID will be open to innovation.
• Work with the proposal team to anticipate structure, focus, and develop key themes of the proposal based on capture efforts, assessment of USAID priorities, and market challenges and opportunities.
• Recommend local or internal partners who may be needed or advantageous for the implementation of the project (i.e. NGOs, consulting companies, professional associations, import/export companies, and technical/extension organizations etc.).
• Identify additional key personnel candidates, if necessary.

Pricing:

Contribute to Pricer understanding of local context, cost drivers, appropriate cost strategy for the anticipated project. Tasks/activities may include but are not limited to:

• Obtain vendor quotes for office/co-working space, supplies, equipment, and local services
• Obtain pricing data from potential local partners, implementers, or proposed staff
• If necessary, meet with a law firm to obtain information on registration, audit requirements, taxes, and payroll (requirements/best practices).

Other tasks may include:

• Acting as a continued in-country liaison with identified partners as necessary, including assisting with signature of Pre-Teaming Agreement, Letter of Support, or other deliverables for each partner
• Providing deliverables/inputs for trip debrief/proposal color reviews, as requested
• Additional technical research / literature review, as requested
• Participate (via Teams) in any regular check-in meetings or reviews, as necessary

Deliverables:

• List of key contacts, grouped by: local implementing partner organizations, international development community, government/public sector, private sector.
• Meeting schedule
• Detailed and organized meeting notes for each meeting held, in electronic form.
• Summary document of relevant existing projects and lessons learned from each
• Vendor quotes
• Cost questionnaire for targeted regions
• Summary trip report
• If requested, input for ACDI/VOCA’s internal proposal reviews (e.g. win themes, technical solution elements, teaming strategy, competitive analysis).

Travel/Expenditures:

The Consultant will be paid an allowance to cover meals and incidental expenses (M&IE) when traveling outside home of record/post and based on ACDI/VOCA perdiem rates established for Kosovo. M&IE allowance on the first and last day of travel is 75% of the full allowance.

Additional expenditures will be reimbursed on the basis of expense reports backed by receipts. Allowable expenditures consist of lodging (within ACDI/VOCA per diem rates established for Kosovo), transportation to meetings and such other travel based on approved itineraries.

Logistical Support/Needs:

The Consultant will provide his/her own laptop computer and is expected to be able to work in documents in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PDF formats. The Consultant is expected to be available via personal phone, email, and/or instant messaging (Teams) on a regular/as needed basis.

Qualifications:

• Demonstrated connections with relevant stakeholders in Kosovo, both in Pristina as well as in other regions of the country (required).
• Previous experience with USAID or other donor funded programs related to youth and/or economic development and/or civic engagement (desired).
• Experience working in Kosovo and demonstrated understanding of the youth and social dynamics of the context, particularly related to economic growth and civic engagement (desired).
• Excellent communication skills and ability to manage and meet deadlines (required).
• High proficiency in Microsoft Windows and Office Applications: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, and Teams (required).
• Ability to travel throughout Kosovo (required).
• Fluency in English (required).

If interested, please submit a CV and cover letter to [email protected] by June 28, 2024.