Evaluation of Impact of U.S. Government Assistance on Job Creation and Employment Environments in Selected Countries in Europe and Eurasia

Date Issued: June 7, 2006
Closing Date: July 10, 2006

HED anticipates making one (1) award of up to $275,000 for all phases, contingent on USAID funding.

1. Background

Since the end of the Cold War, assistance implemented through the Support for East European Democracy (SEED) and FREEDOM Support Act (FSA) has worked to advance democratic and economic reforms in the formerly communist countries of Europe and Eurasia.

In recent years, economic growth in Europe and Eurasia has been seen by the U.S. Government (USG) as a key to promoting stability and prosperity. The sustainability of democratic reforms in the Region requires the development of a middle class which empowers citizens and provides them with a stake in their country’s future. As a result, SEED- and FSA-funded assistance works to create and enhance jobs, improve the business and investment environment, support financial and regulatory packages that strengthen the private sector, and support the development of Micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) and an emerging class of entrepreneurs.

In conjunction with interagency deliberations, the Office of the Coordinator of U.S. Assistance to Europe and Eurasia (EUR/ACE) has set target dates for the phasing out of USG assistance to countries in the region, based on when states are expected to reach benchmark standards of reform and performance. In the economic sector, these standards include: privatization, trade and foreign exchange, price liberalization, infrastructure development, banking and non-bank financial reform, competition policy, enterprise reform, external debt as a percentage of GDP, private sector share, share of employment in SMEs, three-year inflation average, current GDP as a percentage of the country’s GDP in 1989, export share of GDP, and cumulative per capita foreign direct investment. USG assistance is largely targeted to support recipient countries’ progress in these key areas.

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For further information on USAID, click here.

2. Purpose of the Evaluation

The purpose of the evaluation is to gauge the impact that economic development programs of the USG have had on job creation and employment environments over the last 15 years in the countries where SEED and FSA assistance is implemented. Job creation includes: SME and micro-enterprise development and finance, job retention activities and public works since the early 1990s.

The evaluation will:

• analyze specific programs;

• identify which programs and interventions most effectively create jobs and support the development of an environment conducive to employment environments; and

• make recommendations regarding the utilization of these programs to support the transition of countries in the region to a free market economy.

The findings, conclusions and recommendations of the evaluation will inform future foreign assistance programming decisions.

The focus of the study will be principally on the transition countries of Southeast Europe and Eurasia where the USG is continuing to offer technical assistance. However, the transition countries of Central Europe and the Baltics, which entered into the European Union in 2004, offer considerable background for the project.

There are 28 SEED and FSA transition countries/territories. The SEED countries are divided geographically into Northern and Southern Tiers. The Northern Tier SEED countries are the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia. The Northern Tier countries joined the European Union in 2004. The Southern Tier are Albania, Bosnia and Herzogovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, FYR Macedonia, Kosovo, Serbia, and Romania. The Eurasia countries are Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.

3. Expected Outcomes

Two reports (one each for Phases I and II); promote informed dialogues and support for counterpart programs in the region to strengthen capacity to help change the employment and income creation environment.

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4. Schedule of Activities

Phase I. July 2006 – January 31, 2007.

• desk study of critical literature on job creation and background materials provided by USAID available in Washington, DC and on the internet (click here for a more information on available background materials);

• interviews with relevant USG officials and stakeholders in the United States;

• summary of issues and preliminary findings;

• recommendation of 2-4 countries for field study, based on the findings;

• field study (2-4 countries);

• presentation of findings in Washington, DC to ensure feedback from and consultation with the USG; and

• Phase I evaluation report on impact of USG assistance directly targeting job creation and presentation of findings (preliminary report to be submitted to USAID at the presentation, with revisions submitted to USAID by January 31, 2007).

Click here for more detailed information on Phase I.

Phase II. January 2007 – June 30, 2007. Expanded evaluation related to employment environments and final draft Phase II report. The expanded evaluation to include:

• impact of U.S. government assistance indirectly targeting employment;

• an analysis of the share of the market SMEs hold in the region;

• a recommendation for the level of resources needed for a significant impact on SME development and the improvement of the business environment;

• an analysis of the degree to which host-country governments have taken ownership of assistance programs following implementation;

• presentation of Phase II findings and links to Phase I conclusions and recommendations in Washington, DC and submission of a preliminary report; and

• Phase II final report evaluating the effectiveness of the programs cited in the expanded evaluation submitted by June 30, 2007.

Click here for more detailed information on Phase II.

Follow-on Activities. Through December 15, 2007. Follow-on activities should be planned after completing Phase II, to include:

• development and implementation of a plan for encouraging long-term dialogue on policy reform agendas with counterparts active in employment generation activities; and

• utilization of results, data, and partnerships of Phase I and II to strengthen capacity to help change the employment and income creation environment.

Click here form more detailed information on follow-on activities.

5. Evaluation Timeframe

Applicants must propose a timeline to complete all of the above activities based on the following deadlines:

• The presentation of Phase I findings must be held in Washington, DC no later than December 15, 2006;

• The final report of Phase I findings must be submitted no later one month after receiving written comments from EUR/ACE-USAID;

• The presentation of Phase II findings must be held in Washington, DC no later than June 29, 2007, with Phase II final report submitted no later one month after receiving written comments from EUR/ACE-USAID;

• Follow-on activities will continue through December 2007 with six-month progress reports due in June and December.

6. Team Composition

The team will be composed of individuals from the U.S. institution(s) of higher education, as well as local partners and faculty in the region of study. The team must exemplify and demonstrate experience, expertise and understanding of the following:

• assessment of performance indicators relating to enterprise development and enhancing job opportunities in the region;

• how the investment climate fosters job creation;

• how labor policy reform affects job creation in transition economies;

• comprehensive knowledge of risk analysis, data collection, evaluations, and assessment;

• economic research methodology;

• cultural and political identities in the region; and

• trade regulations in the European Union and the region.

The proposed team leader should hold a Ph.D in economics or an appropriate related field. The leader must exhibit a professional background in international economic development research and evaluation work, and demonstrated experience in the design, implementation, and evaluation of economic development foreign assistance programs in transitional settings, preferably in economic re-structuring and job creation reform.

7. Application Format, Submission and Review

Eligibility
What to submit
How to submit/deadline
Application review and criteria
Cost share requirement

Eligibility

HED welcomes applications from the member institutions of ACE, AACC, AASCU, AAU, NAICU, and NASULGC, and from other regionally accredited, degree granting, U.S. higher education institutions. U.S. colleges and universities may apply individually, or in partnership with other institutions. HED encourages applications from or with the participation of minority-serving institutions.

Higher Education institutions with experience organizing assessment teams, managing data collection and evaluations, and providing logistical support to evaluation teams in the field are encouraged to respond to this request.

What to submit

A complete submission includes:

• Application Title Page (use HED form);

• An approximately 5-page narrative demonstrating an innovative and feasible technical approach for carrying out the activities described above that demonstrates a firm grasp of transition economies in the region and assistance related to economic growth and job creation institutional experience in conducting economic and enterprise development evaluations in the region;

• A timeframe for tasks that meets the January and December 2007 deadlines;

• Budget (use the HED form);

• Budget Detail with explanation of costs (use HED form)

• Résumés or curriculum vitae of proposed primary team members; and

• Signed letter from an appropriate official at the applicant institution that endorses the application and verifying that all costs cited conform to established institutional policies and practices.
  

How to submit/Deadline

Applications must be received at HED by 5:00PM, Eastern Daylight Time (EDT), July 10, 2006.

Applications should be sent electronically to evaluations@HEDprogram.org. Only Microsoft Word and Excel and PDF documents will be accepted. Applicants are encouraged to combine documents in order to submit as few files as possible.

One application with original signatures must be delivered by July 14, 2006 to:

HED: Evaluations
1331 H Street NW, Suite 200
Washington, DC 20005

Application Review and Criteria

Applications will be peer reviewed by a panel comprised of evaluation and/or regional experts from the higher education community. The peer reviewers will rank the following aspects of each application:

Technical approach

• Demonstrates an innovative and feasible technical approach for carrying out the desktop study, country selection, and country field analysis;

• Demonstrates a firm grasp of transition economies in the region and assistance related to economic growth and job creation; and

• Demonstrates a record of working with established institutions in the region.

Team composition

• Evidence that team members have the professional knowledge and skills needed to carry out the proposed work; and

• Evidence of breadth and depth of knowledge for teams to implement and complete technical assignments in the appropriate professional manner under tight deadlines.

Feasibility of proposed timeframe

• Proposed timeframe meets the prescribed deadlines; and

• Proposed timeframe offers an efficient use of available resources.

Institutional management capacity

• Extent of institutional capacity to manage teams, data collection, evaluations, and provide logistical support to overseas activities;

• Extent of institutional experience in the region; and

• Evidence of ability to communicate effectively with USAID/Washington and USAID Missions overseas.

The selected applicant will be notified on or around July 27, 2006, and work is expected to begin immediately.

Cost Share Requirement

The minimum expected total cost share from all partners is 10 percent of the requested award amount.* Reported cost share must be auditable. Non-auditable contributions may not be used to meet the minimum, but can be indicated separately and attached to the budget detail form. Both the quality and the quantity of cost sharing and other contributions proposed in the application will be taken into account by the peer reviewers.

Applicants should itemize all cost sharing, including faculty release time, stipends, travel, supplies, equipment, other direct costs, indirect costs, etc.

Cash and in-kind contributions will be accepted as part of the applicant’s cost sharing when such contributions are: (a) verifiable from the applicant’s records; (b) not included as contributions for any other federally-assisted program; (c) reasonable for the accomplishment of partnership objectives; and (d) not paid by the federal government under another grant.

*NOTE: The minimum expected total cost share was modified in this RFA on June 28, 2006.

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