R -- Technical Assistance Sub-Saharan Africa Project Analysts

Contract Award Number: TDA-CO200811003-4

Title: “Advisory and Assistance Services by Non-Governmental Sources for the Sub-Saharan Africa Region”

The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) has a need for contractor support for its sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) Region. The SSA Region requires the assistance of a project analyst (to be based at USTDA headquarters in Arlington, Virginia) to support program development and the management and administration of ongoing program activities in the region. French language proficiency is preferred. The deliverable for this contract includes a series of interim reports/documentation and a final report that summarizes the research, activities and recommendations mentioned below. A key component of the reports will be recommendations that enable USTDA's regional staff to effectively manage projects and make determinations for follow-up activities, as appropriate, for existing projects in the portfolio. The objective is to provide support needed by the SSA Region to successfully perform its ongoing program operations. The Project Analyst would primarily:

• Perform research on trade, technical and economic trends in a specific region, including research associated with the development of orientation visits, business briefings, definitional missions and desk studies;

• Conduct country and industry research on potential new projects within a specific region;

• Assist SSA Regional staff with research and preparation of project documentation, including, but not limited to, initial drafts of Action Memoranda, Grant Agreements and their annexes, scopes of work for desk studies, definitional missions or orientation visits, Request for Proposal (RFP) packages for feasibility studies/technical assistance, and Federal Business Opportunities (FedBizOpps) announcements;

• Assist Country Managers with the evaluation, for completeness in conformity with contract terms, of reports submitted to USTDA, including desk studies, definitional missions, and orientation visit/conference reports;

• Track progress of ongoing Technical Assistance (TA) or Feasibility Study (FS) activities for the purpose of recommending changes in strategy or approach that can improve the effectiveness of an FS or TA prior to completion of the activity;

• Monitor responsiveness of USTDA-funded activity to the Grantee’s changing needs during the pendency of a specific project;

• Maintain project status data and prepare project status reports, as needed; 4Contract Number: Solicitation Number: RFQ-CO2008110003/4

• Assist with the development and implementation of FS/TA contractor debriefings with the host country, USTDA staff, other U.S. Government staff, trade association or other representatives, as appropriate;

• Travel within the United States and abroad, if requested by USTDA, to fulfill any permitted function; and

• Provide deliverables, including a series of interim reports/documentation and a final report that summarizes the above research, activities and recommendations. The deliverables may also take the form of information, advice, opinions, alternatives, analysis, evaluations, recommendations and other oral or written work products.

Contractor Awardee: Two contract awards were made to Mr. Nathan Gazzetta of Washington D.C. and Ms. Jennifer Teel of Arlington VA.