Legal consultant-Short Term

 A. Project Background:

The USAID Iraq Together/Ma’an (معاً) activity (Ma’an hereafter), supports select Iraqi government entities at the national, regional, provincial, and district levels to improve service delivery performance through the use of technology and process standardization while increasing the availability of and access to information, particularly related to -public services. Ma’an also fosters improved and inclusive relationships and engagement between the Government and the communities they serve. Ma’an’s goal is more equitable, efficient, and sustainable public services.

Ma’an’s objectives are:

 1- Targeted Iraqi government entities improve and are more inclusive in–service delivery. The government improves service delivery through responsiveness to citizen needs, consultation with citizens, improved transparency, and the use of green practices technology.

2- Strengthened democratic and participatory governance of targeted Iraqi service delivery institutions. Citizen perception of government changes through increased participation in governance, improved access to government information, and stronger role of Iraqi NGOs in advocating for communities as well as increased public education regarding citizen roles and responsibilities.

3- Response to windows of opportunity for change. Gaps in expertise and information required to improve government service delivery and increase citizen participation are addressed.

Ma’an utilizes an Accountability ecosystem approach grounded in inclusion and localization to improve service delivery and build trust. The approach mobilizes Iraqi government entities, civil society organizations, emerging civic movements, issue-based groups, media, and the private sector to co-create interventions. This approach allows diverse local partners to exercise their rights and responsibilities, learn by doing, analyze performance data, and scale what works.

B. Purpose:

The Provincial Council (PC) is currently divided into sectoral committees to exercise its legislative and monitoring role as mandated by Law 21 as amended. However, PC members have limited to no capacity when it comes to monitoring and reporting issues to the executive branch of government, as the majority of PC members are new to the position. Prior to being dissolved by the Iraqi Council of Representatives, PC committees interfered with executive oversight authorities, which caused a great deal of overlap and tension.

Under this SOW, Ma’an will support the PC services committee and Planning committee in targeted provinces in familiarizing and understanding the provincial government’s main functions as described in 21 amended. Ma’an will build the capacity of the two PC committees to start exercising monitoring authorities over the executive branch of government in the targeted districts. The intervention will focus on the three selected services (water, SWM, and sewage) in the two selected districts in each province where the two committees would exercise their monitoring authorities and issue guidance and feedback for the executive to consider. To sustain the intervention and scale it up to other PC committees, Ma’an activity will provide technical support to develop monitoring roles and responsibilities manual which includes the mechanisms and tools for PC committees to exercise the monitoring authority as stated in Law 21. Once approved, the manual can be used by other PC committees that are not targeted by Ma’an activity. The monitoring manual will provide clear guidance on how the PC committees will practice the monitoring authority based on Law 21 as amended. Improving the PC monitoring role over the executive branch of government will ensure the executive branch’s compliance with PC instructions and guidance which will lead to improved service delivery. This will also regain the citizens’ trust in their government in addition, this intervention will assist the targeted committees to establish outreach with citizens through conducting consultation sessions at the district level with citizen groups, community leaders, CSOs, and Muktars to obtain citizens’ inputs on the provision and quality of services, and responsiveness of the government to citizens’ complaints. This will allow the PC to open channels of coordination with the executive branch of government to solve the challenges that impede providing quality services to the citizens.

C. Objectives:

1. Enable the provincial council services and planning committees to exercise monitoring authorities over the executive branch of government and provide the appropriate tools to carry out monitoring authorities.
2. Assist PC targeted committees in developing, approving, and publicizing monitoring manual to be used by other PC committees,
3. Inform citizens of the PC’s monitoring role and ensure citizens’ feedback on the quality and provision of service is communicated to the executive branch of government through their provincial representatives.

D. Responsibilities and Key Tasks of the Consultant:

Under this Scope of Work legal consultant shall perform the following tasks:

– Task 1: Hold Introductory Meetings with the PC Chair, Deputy, and Committee Heads

In coordination with the Ma’an field team, the STTA will conduct introductory meetings with the PC chair, deputy chair, and committee heads to introduce Ma’an activity, the interventions, and the results that will be achieved upon the completion of the intervention and obtain buy-in.

Task expected deliverables are:

1. Meeting reports with pictures.
2. M&E required documents.

– Task 2: Meet with Committee Heads and Members to Identify Existing Monitoring Mechanisms and Tools and Agree on the Action Plan 

The STTA will hold meetings with the targeted PC committees to identify existing monitoring tools and develop and agree on the action plan. The action plan will include tasks, timelines, frequency of reports, and means of following up with the executive branch on findings of monitoring reports.  

Task expected deliverables are:

• A list of existing monitoring mechanisms and tools.
• Developed action plan including (tasks, timelines, frequency of reports, and means of following up with the executive branch.
• Meeting minutes with targeted PC services and planning committees.

– Task 3: Review the PC Monitoring role and Develop Appropriate Tools to Enable the PC to Exercise its Monitoring Role.

The STTA will develop a study outlining the monitoring role of the PC as stated in law 21 and propose monitoring tools that enable targeted PC committees to exercise and communicate to citizens their monitoring role over the executive branch of government and obtain citizens’ feedback on the provision and quality of services.

Task expected deliverables are:

1. A study of the PC monitoring authorities including suggested monitoring tools and modalities.

– Task 4: Present Developed Study and Monitoring Tools to the PC Committees for Feedback. 

The STTA will conduct a one-day meeting with both committees to present the study and the proposed monitoring tools and modalities for PC committees’ feedback. The STTA will incorporate PC feedback and finalize the study and tools. Based on the study, the STTA will develop the appropriate material for the workshop session that meets the MEL requirements.

Task expected deliverables are:

1. PC committees’ feedback on the study and proposed monitoring tools.
2. Workshop requirement on PC monitoring authority and tools.
3. Preliminary draft monitoring manual.
4. Conclude next steps including developing an action plan including site monitoring role and consultation session with citizens at the district level.

– Task 5: Provide a Two-day Training Session for PC Committee Members on Exercising Monitoring Role.

The STTA will conduct a two-day training session to build the capacity of the PC services and planning committees on exercising monitoring authorities and using the designed tools to carry out the monitoring authorities.

Task expected deliverables are:

1. Training requirements including materials, agenda, sign-in sheet, report, and pictures.

– Task 6: Provide On-site Technical Support to PC Committees on Exercising Monitoring Authorities in the Two targeted Districts Using the Proposed Tools and Techniques.

The STTA will provide on-site technical support to the targeted PC committees to exercise its monitoring role using the appropriate monitoring tools, communicate the PC monitoring role to the communities, and incorporate citizens’ feedback on the provision, quality of service, and government responsiveness.

Task expected deliverables are:

1. Number of citizen cases reported by citizens through monitoring tools.
2. MEL requirements, including reports, pictures, and attendance sheets.

– Task 7: Provide Technical Support to the PC Committees in Preparing and Submitting Monitoring Reports and Provide the Necessary Follow-up.

The STTA will provide technical support to the PC services and planning committees to prepare the monitoring reports which will include all the issues identified during the monitoring visits, recommended solutions, and timelines to implement the proposed solutions. In coordination with the digital innovation adviser, the STTA will provide the PC committees’ staff with skill sets and forms to electronically track the status of monitoring reports with the executive branch.

Task Expected Deliverables are:

1. Designed digital form (open source) that allows the PC to track the status and action taken by the executive as a result of the monitoring reports.
2. Number of monitoring reports issued by PC committees and shared with the executive branch as a result of exercising monitoring role.

– Task 8: Develop, Approve, and Publicize Monitoring Manual

The STTA will work with the two targeted PC committees to develop a manual that outlines monitoring authorities, the mechanism to be followed by PC committees to exercise the monitoring role, and the tools used during the monitoring visits. The STTA will work with the two committees and PC leadership to approve the manual to be used by all PC committees. The STTA will work with the PC to share the approved manual with the executive branch of government, and the communities so the executive and the community are aware of the PC monitoring authorities.

Deliverables

1. PC Monitoring authorities manual.
2. Official approval of the PC monitoring manual and published through the PC channels and CSOs.
3. MEL requirements including activity reports, pictures, and attendance sheets.

– Task 9: Prepare the Final Report. Develop a final report including all supporting documents developed during the implementation of the intervention. The report will include details of each implemented task implemented under this scope of work. The report will highlight achievements and results, recommendations and next steps, challenges, lessons learned, and proposed future interventions (if any), the report should be submitted in Arabic and or preferably in English and contains at least 15 pages.

E. Deliverables:

1. Meeting minutes with PC Chair, Deputy and Committee Heads, and PC service and planning committees.
2. Action plan including (task, timeline, targeted district name, targeted executive branch).
3. Training materials in Ma án PPT format.
4. Proposed monitoring tools.
5. A study of the PC monitoring authorities including suggested monitoring tools and modalities
6. Workshop requirements including materials, agenda, sign-in sheet, and any other requirements PC service and planning committee approval and Workshop Recommendations and suggested monitoring tools.
7. Approved monitoring manual including official letter issued from PC.
8. Number of citizens cases reported by citizens through monitoring tools.
9. Number of monitoring reports issued by PC committees and shared with the executive branch as a result of exercising monitoring role.
10. Final Report should highlight the achievements accomplished for each task and recommendations. The final report should in Arabic and or preferably in English and contain at least 15 pages including what has been accomplished, challenges, lessons learned and whether any future follow-up is required. All deliverables are to be prepared in English and Arabic as requested.

Required Qualifications:

1. Bachelor’s degree preferable in Law or equivalent experience
2. Proven experience and knowledge with provincial government and district-level authorities.
3. Minimum of five (5) years of experience working in international development with experience in advancing monitoring of government service delivery systems required.
4. Experience working for USAID or other donor-funded projects is strongly preferred.
5. Understand the dynamic political map at the provincial and district level for the Iraqi context.
6. Has experience supporting and dealing with provincial councils on issues related to practicing monitoring roles, decentralization, and community participation and engagement.
7. Demonstrate to stakeholder mapping disaggregation including gender equality for women, youth, minorities, and religious and ethnic groups.

Duty Station:

The Local Legal consultant STTA will be based in Baghdad with frequent travel to, Anbar, and Najaf

Application Instructions:

To apply please fill out this form: Iraq Together Job Application Form (smartsheet.com)

Chemonics is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in its selection and employment practices on the basis of race, colour, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, or other non-merit factors.