Contracts Assistant -Chemonics International Retour vers les opportunités

Title: Contracts Assistant 

Length of Assignment: Long-Term 

Reports to: Grants & Contracts Manager  

1. BACKGROUND 

The purpose of the USAID-funded Jobs, Opportunities & Business Success project (JOBS) is to create  jobs in Tunisia on a sustainable basis by

(1) providing targeted assistance to Tunisian businesses,  especially SMEs, to expand their sales and/or exports enabling them to expand and hire additional  workers;

(2) enhance work force development by reducing the education/training gap between what the  university and vocational training systems provide and the actual needs of Tunisian businesses;

(3)  promote a more effective business enabling environment by working with the public and private sectors  to promote policy and regulatory reforms; and,

(4) communicate to Tunisians, especially youth, a sense of  the importance of market-led economic growth and entrepreneurship, as well as vocational education as  an apt career choice. 

2. POSITION DESCRIPTION:  

The Contracts Assistant will be responsible for the implementation and monitoring of the procurement of  goods and services in adherence with USAID regulations and Chemonics policies. He or she will work  with the Grants and Contracts Manager, and Technical Team to identify the JOBS project procurement  needs. He or she will develop and release solicitations, conduct price/cost/reasonability analyses, issue  contracts (mainly fixed price subcontracts and purchase orders) and process payments, and perform other  related duties as assigned. She/he will ensure that subcontracts and negotiation memos are drafted in  accordance with Chemonics’ policies, procedures, and best practices. As required, the Contracts Assistant will also assist in contracting technical assistance and in the implementation of grant activities. 

3. DETAILED RESPONSIBILITIES:  

Subcontracts and Technical Procurements 

• Ensures compliance with corporate policies, contractual requirements, US Federal Acquisition  Regulations (FAR), and any other applicable policies and regulations 
• Financial and administrative tracking in procurement and subcontract management  
• Working directly with local, regional or international vendors and service providers to  

obtain quotations and/or initiate procurements of requested commodities and services under  procurement and subcontracts 

• Monitors purchase orders issued to vendors and follow up as necessary to ensure compliance to  terms and conditions 
• Ensures that procurement and subcontract requests are conducted in a timely manner
• Ensures that procurement and subcontracts related files are maintained in a current and complete  manner and are always audit-ready 
• Collaborates with key persons to ensure clarity of the specifications and expectations of the  project 
• Responsible for drafting RFQs/RFPs related to technical procurement and subcontracting needs • Create RFPs/ RFQs leveraging evaluation criteria to gather requirements, determine evaluation  criteria weighting, and develop technical questions 
• Monitor, participate in, and/or witness evaluation panels for significant procurement actions • Draft neg memos and subcontracts to be reviewed by the Grants & Contracts Manager • Ensure invoices are received from vendors in a timely manner and that disbursement for  procurement actions are made promptly 
• Works closely with the technical component staff, including in close coordination with the  Component 4 Strategic Communications and Outreach team regarding the organization of and  procurement related to technical events, including conferences, workshops, seminars, etc. This  may include securing the venue, printing technical materials, and procuring other needs for the  event. 
• May also support with procurement of in-kind goods and services under grants. 

While the primary function of the Contracts Assistant will be to conduct pocurement of goods and  services, he/she may be required to assist with contracting technical assistance through the modalities  described below, including but not limited to assisting with: 

Individual Consultants 

• Coordinate closely with JOBS’ technical team staff in the selection and onboarding of technical  consultants. This includes the entire lifecycle of salary verification and rate negotiation, reference  checks, obtaining USAID approval, signing a consultant agreement, and managing timesheets. 
• Develop an understanding of Tunisia market rates for technical consultants in numerous sectors  and professional categories 
• Understand technical requirements of consultant requests to align proposed salaries with technical  responsibilities 
• Review and verify salary history and degree information and other appropriate biodata  information for accuracy prior to making an offer 
• Review and ensure biodata information is filled out correctly and ready for approval and  signature 
• Assess English language skills in an interview, ask for writing samples as needed • Conduct reference checks 
• Collect, review for accuracy, and revise resumes based on JOBS resume format • Manage all onboarding processes including employment agreement and personnel and ethical  acknowledgement forms that discusses ethical expectations 
• Confirm all recruitment documentation is submitted and personnel files are complete and  compliant with Chemonics policy, local labor laws, and USAID regulations 
• Confirm scopes of work are detailed and in accordance with Chemonics practices • Coordinate with technical components and confirm consultant agreement start date • Maintain accurate timesheet records and ensure all timesheets are submitted on time with the  correct approvals 
• Maintain a detailed tracker of onboarding requirements with all consultants 
• Confirm deliverables are submitted and technically approved prior to issuing the final payment • Ensure consultants are paid within the terms of their employment agreement • Develop tracker of hired consultants to include start and end date, deliverables submitted, LOE,  and performance evaluations of their assignment
• Update and create new templates and processes as they relate to the onboarding function • Ensure consultant files are maintained according to the requirement, ensure confidentiality and  safety of the data. 
• Administer salary scale once this is approved and in place 

BDSP Mechanism 

• Release Technical Services Requests to eligible BDSP subcontractors (based on their expertise in  the relevant technical service category) 
• With Business Advisor, evaluate proposed CVs from BDSP subcontractors based on the  requirements set forth in the Technical Services Request and inform participating subcontractors  of the pre-qualification results 
• With Business Advisor, review budget and other information submitted by pre-qualified BDSP.  Ensure that budgets contain the pre-negotiated fixed daily rates as per the umbrella subcontract.  Negotiate with pre-qualified BDSP as necessary. 
• Following the finalization of a partnership agreement with a JOBS’ client firm, issue the sub task  order contract to the pre-qualified BDSP for the implementation of the action plan in the  partnership agreement. Write accompanying memorandum of negotiation and create purchase  order in D365 system. 
• Following technical approval of the BDSP deliverables, complete payment within the terms of the  sub task order 
• Maintain a comprehensive BDSP tracker including details on budget, expenditures, LOE, and  overall BDSP performance 
• In coordination with Business Advisor and with COP approval, modify sub task orders if  necessary  

Non-BDSP Consulting Firms 

• Under select circumstances, there may be a need to procure technical assistance that cannot be  offered through the BDSP subcontractors. In this case, the Contracts Assistant will work with the  Business Advisor to procure the necessary technical assistance from other qualified consulting  firms 
• Following receipt of the Technical Services Request form and D365 purchase request, the  Contracts Assistant will work with the Business Advisor to develop specifications/minimum  requirements/scope of work and issue a request for quotations (RFQ) or request for proposals  (RFP). The Contracts Assistant will coordinate the evaluation and selection of bids and issue a  purchase order or subcontract in line with guidance from the Chemonics Subcontracts Manual.  
• In instances where absence of competition is justified, the Contracts Assistant will work with the  Business Advisor to complete the required information.  

General 

• Communicate changes on new initiatives or processes to staff 
• Other duties as assigned by direct supervisor and Senior Management 

4. QUALIFICATIONS: 

• BA and minimum three years of equivalent experience working in procurement or administration,  • Fluency in written and spoken Arabic and French is required with a strong command of written  and spoken and English 
• High level of integrity and confidentiality
• Attention to details, high degree of accuracy and thoroughness and monitor own or others work to  ensure quality 
• Strong problem solving and conciliatory skills 
• Ability to lead and manage projects independently from start to finish 
• Strong commitment to Chemonics values including integrity 
• Strong interpersonal skills 

5. LEVEL OF EFFORT AND PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE 

This position is long-term, on a full-time basis. 

6. LOCATION OF THE ASSIGNMENT 

The assignment will be in Tunis.