1. Background

The USAID Liberia Civil Society Activity (CSA) was launched in 2022 to support Liberian citizens and civil society organization to advocate for policy reforms, policy implementation, and service delivery improvements through multi-stakeholder coalitions that build feedback loops among the GOL, CSOs, and citizens. In Objective 1, the activity will form issue-based coalitions around three thematic sectors. Composed of diverse members, coalitions will analyze the most critical issues that can lead to feasible reforms, co-create advocacy strategies, and translate them into improved policy formation and implementation. In its first year, CSA conducted two applied political economic analyses and selected its first two thematic sectors tackling governance problems in the health and education sectors. Under Objective 2, these coalitions will apply citizen engagement strategies and policy dialogue platforms to integrate citizens’ voices in advocacy agendas. Coalitions will close feedback loops by disseminating results of their advocacy efforts to the broader community to encourage continued dialogue. Activities under Objectives 3 and Objective 4 will ensure that coalition members’ achievements are sustainable by building their financial resilience and adaptive capacities and linking them to a pool of Liberian private sector service providers.

The CSA project aims to build on gains from the “Natural Resource Management Coalition”, an advocacy collaboration between USAID and Liberian CSOs on the management of natural resource rent from concession companies. That effort led to the stand-alone County Social Development Fund (CSDF) Bill which has passed the House of Representatives and is currently before the Senate for concurrence. The bill, when enacted into law, will lead to increased subnational authority over the management of the CSDF, which will represent a major step on the road to fiscal decentralization.

In addition to concessions being primary sources of local government revenue, they also represent the best employment attraction for many Liberians. In a nationwide public preference survey supported by CSA 26% of respondents identified jobs as their first priority, including more than 50% of those between 18 and 35 years. Of the overall number of respondents who chose jobs as the main priority, 84% of urban respondents and 71% of rural inhabitants preferred job opportunities with companies.

However, there are localized, county and district specific challenges to the security and stability of concession companies as the primary sources of the CSDF and job opportunities. While natural resource concessions have been the drivers of economic growth for Liberia for more than half a century, they are also becoming flash points for conflicts, especially since the end of the civil wars. It has been observed that some conflicts are fairly localized such as communities’ concerns about environmental risks and industrial accidents, access to concession services and facilities, and demands for more corporate social responsibilities (CSR) projects, among others. There have also been more serious confrontations leading

temporary shutdowns of concession operations, direct government interventions and insecurity in host communities.

Other sources of tension arise from a lack of adequate information about negotiations and terms of these concession contracts either at the time of initiation or amendments and extensions. The extent to which these issues affect concession companies, their impacts on communities, the resulting tensions and conflict potentials, and how these can be mitigated can be determined through a Political Economy Analysis involving issues-focused research and in-depth consultations among stakeholders, including concession sector experts, policy makers, companies and residents of host communities.

2. Liberia CSA’s Applied Political Economy Analysis

Political Economy Analysis (PEA) is an investigative analytical to explaining why things happen in a given development context, through improving understanding of underlying power dynamics and relationships. USAID’S PEA methodology seeks to support the development of approaches at different stages of the project implementation. The CSA project is preparing to conduct a sector-level, issue-based applied PEA in the third thematic sector, Economic Security in concession areas, in order to deconstruct it into specific issues, understand and identify opportunities for advocacy, and ensure alignment with CSA’s strategic areas of focus, and Government of Liberia’s development priorities. The PEA’s problem-driven analysis will ensure that interventions are centered around high-impact issues that matter to Liberians.

The PEA seeks to examine the incentives and disincentives for action that will foster beneficial coexistence between communities and concession companies, Specifically, it will seek to identify key opportunities and the most effective approaches that community groups, civil society organizations, and coalitions may use to reduce tension and advert conflicts in concession host communities, districts and counties. As part of its analysis, the PEA will ensure to analyze these issues through a lens that looks at the unique challenges of women, youth, persons with disabilities and other marginalized groups. The PEA will consider, among others, the following key issues:

• Are there incentives and disincentives for action that will engender conflict-free relationships and interactions between concessions and communities?
• What are the potential economic and social losses from community – concession conflicts?
• What are the mutual benefits from conflict-free relationships, and how can recognition of such benefits be a catalyst for conflict avoidance and prevention?
• What roles can proactive government actions/policies community-responsive CSR, and sensitive public/community relations play in conflict prevention, mitigation, and de-escalation?
• How and where can civil society best engage to advocate for conflict prevention, mitigation and de escalation on these specific issues?
• What mechanisms exist for citizens or civil society groups to provide feedback that capitalizes on political will?

3. Purpose and Objective of the Position

With the support of CSA Core Partners CENTAL, and under the oversight of the CSA Technical Team, the PEA Consultant will work alongside other national and international experts to conduct the Political Economy Analysis of the selected concessions in the natural resource sector. He/she will identify underlying legal, policy, regulatory, social, economic and political factors that could become potential drivers and conflict triggers and those that could be opportunities for conflict prevention between communities and concession companies. He/ She will also examine the incentives and disincentives for

various interest groups work for beneficial coexistence between communities and concession companies. The consultant will identify key opportunities and the most effective approaches that community groups, civil society organizations, and coalitions may adopt to advocate enhance peace and security in host communities, districts and counties.

4. Key Roles and Responsibilities

• Review the legal, regulatory, policy and operational framework for the selected concession companies and their direct and indirect CSR obligations to communities
• Analyze the different dimensions of the social, economic and political linkages and relationships and interests that influence concession activities in Liberia generally and the selected communities in particular an analysis that focuses on marginalized communities including women, youth, persons with disabilities and other marginalized communities..
• Analyze the legal and administrative framework for social development funds from the selected concession companies and their impacts on communities, districts and counties
• Participate in all PEA field research activities including key informant interviews and focus group discussions
• Support, and coordinate with, the CSA to complete the PEA for Economic Security in Concession areas including drafting and presenting a module (as directed by the Senior Policy Advisor) of the PEA Findings and Recommendations before USAID and other stakeholders.
• Along with the CSA PEA Local Expert prepare and present the PEA findings and recommendations at the PEA Stakeholders public consultation.

5. Deliverables

• Inception report, including workplan and methodology
• A 5-10 page research document, drafted in collaboration with the PEA Legal consultant, to support the CSA’s PEA process:

o How the controlling laws, regulations and policies are implemented and the impacts on local communities and livelihoods, including impact on women, youth, persons with disabilities and other marginalized communities

o State of governance and accountability system for concession management national and subnational levels

o Stakeholder mobilization and participation in concession governance and accountability for conflict management and dispute resolution

o Recommendations for advocacy pathways for citizens and CSO coalitions

o Bibliography of laws, regulations, policies, research work, professional papers and other references utilized

• Field Report following completion of field research through key informant interviews and focus group discussions, including individual meeting notes (template to be provided by CSA)
• PowerPoint presentation (PPT) developed and presented to form part of CSA’s Economic Security Sector in Concession Areas PEA presentation before USAID.
• Presentation (PPT) developed and presented to form part of CENTAL’s Economic Security Sector in Concession Areas PEA, Public Policy event before key stakeholders.

6. Level of Effort

The PEA Consultant will work for a period of 30 days, excluding weekends and holidays. The CSA Technical Team will determine the scheduling of the Consultant’s level of efforts to ensure effectiveness and efficiency.

7. Coordination

The PEA’s activities will be coordinated with other partners and stakeholders in the CSA PEA process:

CSA Senior Technical Advisor: Supervisor, general oversight, quality control and reporting requirements

• CENTAL: Coordination on research, literature review and concession sector information and PEA Findings and Recommendations Public Consultation Event
• Other PEA Specialists: Collaboration on research, problem identification, PEA presentations and reports

8. Qualification and Skills

• Master’s degree in Social Science, Political Science, Economics, International Development or Natural Resource Management. A background in conflict management and experience with political economy analysis will be an advantage.
• Demonstrated technical research competency, leadership, and administrative skills and experience conducting research. Research experience in political economy analysis will be an advantage.
• Minimum five years of research, survey and assessment experience in public sector service delivery, political economy, or related fields
• Significant work experience coordinating with diverse stakeholders in one or more of the following areas: concession companies; public administration; local government officials, government ministries, agencies and commission; NGOs; INGOs; donor community; academic institutions
• Proven experience in report writing (a written test may be part of candidate’s assessment)
• Inter-personal skills and attention to details
• Demonstrated ability to work as part of a team
• Demonstrated ability to respond on short notice, multitask, meet deadlines consistently.
• Knowledge and experience of working in an USAID assessment or USAID project environment is preferred but not required.
• Willingness to travel in-country.
• Excellent communication skills and command of written and spoken English
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint applications.

9. HOW TO APPLY: If you are interested, please send the following to CSA no later than March 03, 2023, to email address: LiberiaCSA@dai.com with the title (“PEA CONSULTANT – NRM”) in the subject line

• Detailed CV – outlining all previous professional experience.
• A cover letter that explains 1) why you are interested in the CSA program and the role of Political Economy Analysis in NRM Consultant, and 2) why you are best suited for this role.
• Name of three professional and academic references.

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USAID CSA values diversity and inclusion and strongly encourages women and persons from marginalized groups to apply