USAID and Implementing Partners

Overview and VEGA
How to Request an Adviser

The Emerging Markets Development Advisers Program (EMDAP) is a cooperative effort between the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Institute of International Education (IIE) and is now also available to USAID Missions and their partners under the Volunteers for Economic Growth Alliance (VEGA).

The Volunteers in Economic Growth Alliance (VEGA) is a 501 (c)(3) non profit organization, founded in 2004 through a Leader with Associate (LWA) cooperative agreement, as a vehicle to allow USAID Economic Growth Officerss to reach out to organizations providing technical experts in private, public and NGO sector development. VEGA is the world's largest consortium of economic growth volunteer organizations that collectively have assisted 140 developing and transitional countries by sending out more than 25,000 experts/advisers to help promote economic growth activities over the last 40 years. VEGA has a credible track record of delivering economic development programs with sustainable solutions throughout the developing world. Since its inception in 2004, USAID funding of $4 million for VEGA has resulted in global program worth more than $140 million.

The VEGA Advantage:

The VEGA LWA has been extended until 2012.
There is no award ceiling.
Programs awarded under the VEGA LWA can continue for five years beyond the 2012 LWA end-date.
The VEGA LWA requires an internal competition among the member organizations, a unique asset compared to other LWA mechanisms.

The procedures for securing the services of EMDAP Advisers are as follows:

EXPRESSION OF INTEREST -

The Mission Officer contacts Aaron Mitich, EMDAP Senior Program Officer at the Institute of International Education (IIE), at amitich@iie.org to express interest in the program.
IIE responds promptly with instructions, a blank Scope of Work (SOW) template, sample CV's and previous SOW's from past assignments.

SCOPE OF WORK -

The Mission Officer submits a completed EMDAP SOW to the USAID AOTR, Ms. Kathleen Wu at kwu@usaid.gov. Ms. Wu will then confirm or deny if the SOW is consistent with Leaders with Associate Award (LWA) administered by the Volunteers for Economic Growth Alliance (VEGA). Please also copy Michael Deal, VEGA Executive Director at mdeal@vegaalliance.org and Aaron Mitich on your message to Ms. Wu. Once approved, the Contracting Officer for the Mission issues a RFP to VEGA. VEGA then submits the technical and cost proposal to the Mission. Mission review and approval leads to an Associate Award, Cooperative Agreement in which a Mission staff person is designated as the AOTR for the Activity.

USAID MISSION/HOST ORGANIZATION SELECTION OF ADVISER(S) -

IIE conducts outreach to recruit qualified Advisers in accordance with the SOW.
IIE forwards profiles of several recommended candidates "short listed" by the EMDAP Screening Panel in Washington, DC.
The Mission Officer and/or Host Organization selects the top candidates to interview over the phone.
SELECTION OF ADVISER(S) -

Following the telephone interviews, the Mission Officer or Host Organization informs IIE of their selection and IIE offers the position to that candidate.

ASSIGNMENT BEGINS -

The selected candidate is required to attend a comprehensive Pre-Departure Orientation session in Washington, DC prior to departing for their assignment.
EMDAP Advisers are deployed to their respective assignment within two weeks of completing the Orientation.

SAMPLE AVERAGE COSTS FOR AN EMDAP ADVISER - 12 MONTHS

IIE Labor, Other Direct Costs, & Indirect Costs

$39,688

IIE Staff Travel and Site Visit Costs

$4,000

Post-program Evaluation & Debriefing Costs

$3,000

In-country Logistics Consultant Costs

$1,500

Sub-Total Administrative:

$48,188

Settle-in/out Allowance

$1,500

Insurance ($41/mo)

$492

Living Stipend Allowance ($1,000/mo)

$12,000

Housing Allowance ($500/mo)

$6,000

Local Transportation in Country ($300/mo)

$3,600

Flights: TBD round trip

$2,500

Visa/work permit Costs

$1,000

Language Training Costs (over duration of assignment, if applicable)

$1,500

Laptop Compter & Sevice Costs

$500

Inoculations Costs

$500

Pre-Departure Orientation & Per Diem Costs (Washington, DC)

$2,100

Sub-Total Program:

$31,692

Estimated VEGA NIVRA Costs

$3,469

Total

$83,349