USAID and Implementing Partners

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 Officers 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 2014.
• There is no award ceiling.
• Programs awarded under the VEGA LWA can continue for five years beyond the 2014 LWA end-date.
• The VEGA LWA requires an internal competition among the member organizations, a unique asset compared to other LWA mechanisms.

THE PROCEDURE TO SECURE THE SERVICES OF AN EMDAP ADVISER IS THE FOLLOWING:

1. 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 to expressions of interest via email with instructions, a Scope of Work (SOW) template, and sample CVs and SOWs from previous placements.

2. SCOPE OF WORK:

• The Mission Technical Office submits a SOW to the USAID/Volunteers for Economic Growth Alliance (VEGA) AOR, Kathleen Wu (kwu@usaid.gov). The AOR confirms that the work is consistent with the Leader Agreement (LWA) and approves the SOW or sends it back for revisions.
  o Please also copy on the email Michael Deal, VEGA Executive Director at mdeal@vegaalliance.org, and Aaron Mitich.

• Once approved, the Contracting Officer for the Mission issues a RFA to VEGA.  

• VEGA 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 AOR for the activity.

3. MISSION/HOST ORGANIZATION SELECTION OF ADVISERS:

• IIE forwards to the Mission AOR profiles of several recommended EMDAP candidates "short-listed" by our EMDAP Screening Panel in Washington DC.

• The Mission AOR selects the top candidates to interview.

• IIE facilitates telephone interviews between individual candidates, the Mission AOR, and potential host organization.

4. SELECTION OF ADVISERS: 

• Following the telephone interview, the Mission AOR and host organization make an offer to an EMDAP candidate. If the offer is accepted, the assignment is finalized.

5. EMDAP ASSIGNMENT BEGINS:

• Finalists are required to attend a comprehensive Pre-Departure Orientation session in Washington DC before departing for their assignment.

• EMDAP Advisers are then deployed to their assignment within two weeks of completing Orientation.

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SAMPLE AVERAGE COSTS FOR AN EMDAP ADVISER—12 MONTHS