Counternarcotics Public Information Program Manager Based in Kabul, Afghanistan Six Month Renewable Contract GENERAL STATEMENT OF THE PURPOSE OF THIS CONTRACT AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CONTRACTOR A. BACKGROUND. The Drug Advisory Program (DAP) is part of the Colombo Plan for Cooperative, Economic and Social Development in Asia and the Pacific, an international organization established in 1951 to promote the socio-economic development of its member states. DAP is responsible for the development and implementation of programs to increase public awareness about the harms of the illicit drug trade in Afghanistan; facilitate a proactive response to illicit drugs by the government and civil society; and empower Afghan society to discuss, envision, and pursue a future free of drugs, organized crime, and corruption. DAP is the Colombo Plan’s designated lead for developing a Counternarcotics Public Information (CNPI) program in support of the Afghan National Drug Control Strategy and other policies of the Ministry of Counter Narcotics (MCN) of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GIRoA). Colombo Plan programs in Afghanistan are contingent upon the availability of funding, guidance, and oversight from donors, as well as the support of and close coordination with GIROA. B. PURPOSE. The CNPI Program Manager has lead responsibility for the Colombo Plan's successful implementation of a public awareness and outreach campaign during the agricultural pre-planting season (August to December) and year-round for opium poppy in Afghanistan, aimed at reducing the cultivation of opium poppy and promoting the growth of alternative legal crops. The incumbent will supervise and manage a team of international and Afghan national staff in Kabul and provincial capitals to work closely with the MCN, other GIROA ministries, and the international community to develop, budget, execute, evaluate, and report on television and radio awareness campaigns; face-to-face programs (including shuras and jirgas) to promote cooperation between district, provincial, and national authorities; regional and national conferences; civil society engagement programs; and large-scale public awareness events. The incumbent will have primary responsibility for ensuring financial transparency, accountability, and adherence to approved budgets, and will work with relevant Colombo Plan and MCN staff to establish protocols for proper financial oversight, program execution, and reporting. Additionally, the incumbent will have primary responsibility for coordination with key funding partners, including the U.S. Embassy in Kabul's International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL) Section and the U.S. Department of State's INL Bureau in Washington. This position involves participation in regular coordination meetings with the MCN, international partners, and DAP funding partners; conducting monitoring and evaluation at sites around the country; and ensuring timely, high-quality reporting to INL on programmatic, policy, and financial issues related to CNPI. The CNPI Program Manager is based in Kabul, reports directly to the Director of the Colombo Plan’s Drug Advisory Program in Sri Lanka, and responds to tasking from INL program managers in Washington and Kabul. I. STATEMENT OF WORK Serve as lead in-country program manager for all Colombo Plan DAP counternarcotics public information programs in Afghanistan, responsible for the successful execution of all elements of the project. Maintain regular communication with counterparts at the Afghan Ministry of Counter Narcotics (MCN), the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), the INL Section at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, and the Colombo Plan DAP headquarters in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Maintain relationships with other key development and counternarcotics actors in Afghanistan, including USAID, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, and the UK Embassy in Kabul. Provide overall management, vision, and direction of a nationwide pre-planting awareness and outreach campaign to reduce illicit cultivation of opium poppy, including budget management, technical oversight, and quality assurance. Supervise and manage CNPI staff, composed of at least five individuals, in accordance with the Colombo Plan's policies. Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; and addressing complaints and resolving problems. Develop internal guidelines and standard operating procedures to ensure proper financial accountability, program and budget reporting, and oversight of CNPI programs. Monitor and evaluate the performance of all CNPI grants and contracts, including the procurement of television, radio, and other media programs, to ensure that partners are meeting agreed-upon objectives. Troubleshoot programmatic and implementation issues that arise. Provide subject matter expertise and guidance on Afghan drug control policy, with particular attention to promoting the long-term sustainability of CNPI activities and the ability of Colombo Plan and INL to transition such program responsibilities to the Afghan government. Ensure proactive coordination between the MCN and Colombo Plan, ensuring prior approval by MCN for all CNPI mass media campaigns. Where possible, establish that MCN has proper controls for financial and program management and empower MCN officials on a case-by-case basis to plan, budget, and execute CNPI activities and participate in program monitoring, evaluation, and reporting. Consult with the Colombo Plan DAP Director (or his designee) in Sri Lanka and the INL Section in Kabul with regard to all press inquiries for the CNPI program. Ensure the timely collection of program and financial reporting by CNPI provincial coordinators, and use donor-provided templates to submit bi-weekly, monthly, and quarterly reports to INL detailing CNPI project performance. Reporting should include, but is not limited to: recent and planned activities, accomplishments, challenges, proposed solutions, administrative issues, photographs, and upcoming personnel schedules (to include official travel and personal leave). Work effectively under pressure, within short time constraints, and during times of rapidly developing events. Work professionally with both the Afghan government and international partners. Inform INL and Colombo Plan headquarters of current developments in advance of important briefings, meetings, or presentation of new initiatives. Other duties as assigned by the Colombo Plan DAP Director, as well as special taskings or projects as requested by INL. Guidelines Guidelines consist of various funding letters between the U.S. Government and the Colombo Plan, as well as existing U.S. federal regulations, Department of State policies, the Foreign Assistance Act, and other federal legislation. Incumbent is responsible for the CNPI program's conformity with all internal policies of the Colombo Plan and all relevant Afghan law. Complexity Key to the success of the CNPI Program Manager will be the ability to create and disseminate a comprehensive, robust, and effective campaign to increase public awareness about the harms of the illicit drug trade in Afghanistan and to facilitate a proactive response by the Afghan government and civil society. The incumbent is expected to be innovative in creating campaigns in order to address the complexities of Afghanistan. Campaigns will need to be tailored to tackle the specific problems of each province. Additionally, the incumbent will need to liaise and coordinate with senior personnel from the Afghan Ministry of Counter Narcotics, the NATO International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, the U.S. Department of State 's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs in Washington, and Afghan government ministries with significant interaction with MCN including Finance; Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock; Interior; and Public Health. The incumbent develops detailed plans, goals, and objectives for the long-range implementation and administration of the program, and develops criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of the program. Coordinating plans with stakeholders can be complicated. Accomplishing public information projects requires dynamic leadership and expertise to resolve critical problems and achieve difficult goals. Physical Demands The work of the CNPI Program Manager is principally sedentary and based in Kabul, but travel in and around Afghanistan is required. These trips require an above-average resistance to fatigue and physical hardships, and those who use wheelchairs, have respiratory difficulties, or require assistance walking will find it difficult to travel inside Afghanistan. Additionally, those undergoing medical treatment or taking certain medicines that limit their physical or mental abilities may find it difficult to adhere to the limitations recommended by their physician(s). Travel on helicopters and/or cargo-oriented fixed wing aircraft may also be required. Those with ear or other problems who do not easily adapt to pressurized environments or higher but non-pressurized environments, will find the travel requirements of these positions difficult. II. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS a. Excellent and demonstrated English-language writing and speaking skills. b. Superior negotiation, interpersonal, and management skills. c. Experience in planning, strategizing, implementing, and reporting on international development and/or public awareness projects. d. Proven ability to work well with others. e. Proven ability to develop, manage, and/or execute programs and budgets for successful project implementation. f. Proficient at basic office computer programs, including Microsoft Word and Excel. g. Education. The incumbent should possess a university degree in a field related to the primary duties of this position. Examples include: 1. Public Administration 2. Political Science 3. Communications and/or Public Relations 4. International Relations 5. Business Administration, Finance, and/or Management 6. International Development h. Experience. The incumbant should have a minimum of five years of professional experience, including a minimum of two years of work experience in the developing world, directly related to one or more of the fields related to the primary duties of this position, including Development, Program Management, Public Administration, Media and Communications, and/or Management Consulting. III. PREFERRED KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS a. Knowledge Areas 1. Organizational skills. The incumbent must quickly acquire a detailed knowledge of CNPI programs and applications to Afghan and U.S. counternarcotics policies and goals. The incumbent is expected to give detailed advice and/or be involved in decision on how these areas operate. 2. Specialist Knowledge. The incumbent should possess, at the time of assignment, detailed knowledge of at least one of the following fields: ·Counternarcotics Policy/Programs ·Strategic Communications ·Media Development ·Program and Contract Management b. Other Preferred Skills Intellectual Skills/Information Environment. The incumbent must absorb and understand a large volume of detailed information on policies and procedures for multiple disciplines. Problem Solving. The problems encountered in this position are often unique, highly incumbent must apply the highest analytical skill and judgment to determine the best solution from the range of possible alternatives. Adaptability to Changing Work Patterns. The work pattern will be typified by many different overlapping tasks with heavy disruption due to changes in priorities, external events, and other interruptions. Planning. The work horizon of this position is six months; that is, the incumbent must actively plan activities six months into the future. Active planning involves anticipating future events and requirements, deciding or recommending what needs to be done, the people and other resources required, and the timing of the activities. Innovation. Operating within the context of Afghan, Colombo Plan, and U.S. policies and goals, the incumbent will have ongoing opportunities to develop new ideas and approaches to improve existing procedures and methods c. Experience working in conflict, post-conflict nations or other high-threat environment. d. Experience working on program development and/or management, particularly working on international development, institutional capacity building, agriculture, counternarcotics, public health, communications, or law enforcement assistance programs in Afghanistan. e. Experience organizing public information components of field missions, including television and radio production and programming, photo and video production, and media relations. Experience in designing and carrying out strategic communications campaigns with successful coverage by a wide range of media, including international media. f. Experience executing projects in cooperation with international organizations, military, law enforcement, drug control policy authorities, or Afghan government officials. g. Written and/or oral proficiency in Dari, Pashto, or Tajik languages. IV. EVALUATION CRITERIA Proven experience and ability to develop, manage, and oversee a multi-faceted counternarcotics public awareness and outreach campaign, including staff management, procurement of contracts and grants, project performance management, budget formulation and execution, and reporting (40%) Ability to provide subject-matter guidance to senior policymakers within Colombo Plan, INL, and the Afghan government (15%) Ability to communicate complex issues in a professional, timely, and concise manner, both orally and in written form to a variety of audiences, including host-government, U.S. government, and other international partners. (15%) Ability to effectively promote teamwork. (10%) Relevant experience working in the developing world, with preference given to work in conflict, post-conflict, or other high-threat environments. (10%) Past Performance: Offeror’s previous experience and quality of past performance (Evaluator may use all available information available at time of application, whether provided by the applicant or obtained from references). (10%) Keywords: Manage