I guess when you say no pay, what you mean is that you've got no development money, but would be willing to defer payment subject to distribution.
I can understand why you're not looking at shorts as there is no real market for them.
As for working with someone local, can I suggest that that isn't always the answer. The trick is finding a writer who understands the process of no budget film making and also understands that the Producer always has creative control of the project. That's difficult when there is no money involved up front.
I've just spent the last two years writing and directing my first feature and I know what a task finding like minded people can be. Especially when there isn't a wage up front.
What I would suggest as a way of attracting good writing talent is to decide to work in a genre that you no you can sell sucessfully on the global market, without having high production values, a know cast or an established production company. If you look at he direct to DVD market, you'll find out what I'm talking about.
A project like that would get a feature under your belt and demosnstrate to future investors that you can make money, This would probably finance your next project.
Anyhow, good luck with the project. I'd offer something of mine, but all the feature scripts I've currently got lying arond, awaiting development, are very English in style and setting.
Good luck mate