SOLICITATION NOTICE
R -- Senior Health Advisor
- Notice Date
- 9/3/2008
- Notice Type
- Combined Synopsis/Solicitation
- NAICS
- 541990
— All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
- Contracting Office
- Agency for International Development, Overseas Missions, Honduras USAID-Tegucigalpa, Unit #2927, APO, 34022
- ZIP Code
- 34022
- Solicitation Number
- 620-08-006
- Archive Date
- 10/3/2008
- Point of Contact
- James C. Athanas,, Phone: 234-09-461-9300, Samuel Nwanokwu,, Phone: 234-09-461-9300
- E-Mail Address
-
jathanas@usaid.gov, snwanokwu@usaid.gov
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- Classification Code: R -- Professional, administrative, and management support services NAICS Code: 541 -- Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services/541990 -- All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services ISSUANCE DATE: September 3, 2008 CLOSING DATE: September 18, 2008, 2:30 PM EST Subject:Solicitation # Nigeria 620-08-006 Solicitation for: U.S. Personal Service Contractor for Senior Health Advisor Ladies and Gentlemen: The United States Government, represented by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Mission to Nigeria, is seeking applications from qualified U.S. citizens interested in providing personal services under a Personal Services Contract (PSC) described in the attached solicitation. Submittals shall be in accordance with the attached information at the place and time specified. Interested applicants must submit all the materials required by the solicitation such as (but not limited to): •Completed and hand-signed federal optional form OF-612 (including OF-612 continuation sheets as needed) The OF-612 can be downloaded from: www.usaid.gov/forms/. •other documentation/information found in “Instructions to Applicants.” (Incomplete or unsigned applications will NOT be considered.) Applicants are required to sign the certification at the end of the OF-612. Applications that are received without a signature will not be considered for the position. To be considered for the position, a candidate must meet all of the eligibility requirements listed under Evaluation Criteria in the solicitation. The complete application must be sent by E-mail or Fax to the submission address specified in the solicitation. Consideration and selection will be based on a panel evaluation of the applications in accordance with the Evaluation Criteria in the solicitation. Applicants should retain for their records copies of all enclosures which accompany their applications. Any questions as well as submission of applications in response to this solicitation must be directed to: James C. Athanas, Contracting Officer Preferred method of delivery: E-mail – jathanas@usaid.gov Fax: 234-09-461-9400 Mailing Address (least preferred) James C. Athanas, Contracting Officer 8320 Abuja Place Dulles, Va. 20189-8320 Telephone: (202) 216-6242 Please note: the address above, in bold letters, is the Diplomatic Pouch address. The pouch generally takes two weeks or longer to reach the Mission. Submission by scanned copy or fax is the preferred method of delivery. Applications sent through the Diplomatic Pouch and received after the closing date and time specified will not be considered. This solicitation does not represent, nor should it be construed to make, a commitment on behalf of the US Government/USAID. The U.S. Government is not obligated to make an award or to pay any costs associated with the preparation and submission of proposals in response to this solicitation. Any submission is at the sole risk of the applicant. USAID reserves the right to award, or not, the contract herein contemplated, subject to the availability of funds. Sincerely, James C. Athanas Contracting Officer Office of Acquisition and Assistance USAID/ Nigeria SOLICITATION INFORMATION 1.SOLICITATION NUMBER:620-08-006 2.ISSUANCE DATE: 09-03-2008 3.CLOSING DATE:09-23-2008 4.POSITION TITLE: Senior Health Advisor 5.MARKET VALUE: GS-14 See IX - Compensation for further information 6.PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: 24 months with possible extension for three additional years. 7.PLACE OF PERFORMANCE:Abuja, Federal Republic of Nigeria 8.SUPERVISION:USAID/Nigeria Health, Population and Nutrition Team Leader 9. AREA OF CONSIDERATIONApplicants must be U.S. Citizens (Offshore or Resident) POSITION DESCRIPTION: Title: Senior Health Advisor I. COUNTRY CONTEXT With an estimated population of 140 million people, Nigeria is the world’s ninth most populous country. Nigeria is a federation of 36 States and a Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and has 774 local government areas (LGAs). The decentralized government structure thus has three tiers, i.e. Federal, State and LGA, with each tier enjoying considerable autonomy over their respective domains. Despite being the sixth largest exporter of oil globally, Nigeria is one of the poorest countries in the world with per capita income of less than US$500. Approximately 55 percent of the population is estimated to be poor (World Bank Nigeria Poverty Assessment). However, with oil prices currently at historical levels, Nigeria’s oil revenues are projected to grow from an annual average of about US$15 billion between 2000 and 2003 to about US$36 billion annually between 2005 and 2008. On the macroeconomic front, real GDP is projected to grow at about 7 percent on the basis of higher crude oil and gas production and non-oil GDP growth of about 5 percent. Despite the positive macroeconomic outlook, use of health care in Nigeria is constrained by major financial and geographical barriers to access. Cumbersome and inefficient institutional structures at the Federal level, and the perceived strict division of responsibility for tertiary, secondary and primary health care among the three tiers of government, hamper coordination and militate against an effective health referral system. By the same token, despite the rhetoric, the development partners have had limited success in harmonizing their procedures and processes, and working collaboratively and on a more programmatic basis to support the government efforts at Federal and State level. Furthermore, the quality of health care services in the public and private sectors is patchy at best. The lack of responsiveness of the providers and managers of health services is accentuated by the very limited participation of the communities in the management of PHC services and the virtual absence of consumer empowerment to demand more and better services. As a result, and not surprisingly, the health status indicators in Nigeria are extremely poor compared to its neighboring countries and particularly those countries with similar per capita incomes. Every year, around 53,000 Nigerian women die in childbirth and over one million children die before reaching their fifth birthday, making Nigeria the second largest contributor to under-five mortality rate (U5MR) and maternal mortality ratio (MMR) in the world. Communicable diseases, particularly malaria, pneumonia and diarrhea, often in association with malnutrition, are the major causes of mortality and morbidity, especially among children USAID has a long history of activities in the health sector, including MCH, family planning and reproductive health, malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS. In MCH/FP/RH, these activities have included support for development of policies, planning, norms, and standards at the federal, state, and local levels; building of key capacities; and targeted strengthening of key system elements (such as logistics at the distal end of the delivery system). USAID has especially been engaged in developing approaches to improve delivery of key MCH/FP/RH services at the operational (primary and first referral) levels of the public health system; in demonstrating how community mobilization can make major contributions to increasing healthy behaviors and demand for health services as well as to improving those services themselves; and in applying social marketing and other private sector approaches. While these activities have generally been at limited scale, they have provided important opportunities to learn concretely what can be done at the community and delivery levels of the health system to improve health outcomes. II. BASIC FUNCTIONS OF THE POSITION The objective of the contract is to obtain the services of a Senior Health Advisor who will provide leadership and advisory services on the full range of family planning/reproductive health, and maternal and child health activities, with a focus on malaria. The contractor will work at a senior level in a high-priority USG foreign assistance program that requires knowledge, experience, maturity, and an ability to function independently under a complex, highly demanding, and frequently changing environment. The position is located with the Health, Population and Nutrition (HPN) Team, Office of Investing in People (IIP), USAID/Nigeria, in Abuja, Nigeria. The Senior Health Advisor will be a member of the HPN Team and will serve a senior technical advisor for the team. S/he will be expected to work independently, take initiative, provide mentorship, and participate as part of a multicultural team. S/he will advise USAID/Nigeria on all aspects of maternal and child health, with a focus on malaria. The contractor will represent USAID at the highest government and donor levels. The HPN team aims to increase use of integrated family planning, reproductive health, and maternal and child survival. The SHA will provide oversight and technical advice to support the implementation of these programs through a combination of bilateral agreements and buy-ins to USAID/GH cooperative agreements, contracts and grants. Activities range from integrated reproductive health and MCH service delivery, to national level technical assistance. The total budget is for the HPN office is approximately $40 million per year. S/he will join a team of approximately six FSN professional staff and will report directly to the HPN Team Leader. S/he will also work especially closely with other IIP teams, including HIV/AIDS and Basic Education. There may be coordination with technical teams from the Economic Growth and Governing Justly and Democratically offices. Because of the integrated nature of the program, the SHA shall help ensure complementarity between programs with an emphasis on malaria integration. III. MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES A. Overall Duties: The Senior Health Advisor shall: •Serve as a high-level health advisor to USAID/Nigeria’s mission health team. S/he will be aware of current and new health issues and interpret and advise the mission on implications and implementation options; •Represent USAID/Nigeria at meetings with implementing partners, donors, government, USG agencies, international and local partners, and potential private sector alliances; •Establish and maintain productive collaborative relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, such as the GON – including but not limited to the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH), selected state and local governments, World Bank, Global Fund, WHO, UNICEF, other international donors and NGOs, particularly those working in malaria; •Carry out a full range of consultative, advisory, strategic, and planning responsibilities; •Provide technical and career guidance and support to junior and mid-career staff members, including junior officers, and direct hire professionals; and •Provide advice to the HPN team on developments in the health sector and offer recommendations on options for shaping USAID health programs. B. Activity Development and Design: As a Senior Health Advisor to the HPN Team, the contractor will have specific technical oversight responsibilities. •Maintain a proficient working knowledge of MCH and malaria epidemiology, and model/forecasting of MCH needs and trends; •In collaboration with the HPN Team, develop strategies and detailed implementation plans for health activities under USAID/Nigeria’s Operational Plan. Plan for possible expansion of malaria resources; •Plan malaria prevention and control activities and ensure that all activities are consistent with internationally accepted best practices and relevant to the specific malaria epidemiology of Nigeria; •Provide programmatic direction and technical support as needed during the design and implementation of malaria projects to ensure quality of interventions supported and that program targets are met; •Ensure that malaria activities are integrated into overall USAID-supported health activities and coordinate these activities with the NMCP, other government donors and partners to avoid duplication of effort and programming gaps; and, •Coordinate with other partners and support efforts to address malaria control delivery gaps and help build technical and managerial capacity within the NMCP and at the state and community levels. C. Activity Implementation/Management: The SHA shall: •Report on MCH and malaria-related reporting requirements, including periodic updates of the health and population situation in Nigeria, and prepare other briefing documents as required; •Complete, and ensure implementation, of the malaria sections of the Operational Plan, in collaboration with the HPN Team, USAID/Washington, and other relevant partners; •Identify national policy issues concerning HPN and MCH/malaria, and act as a liaison to the GON on issues related to HPN. Participate in policy development meetings. Facilitate the use of information on the impact to shape policy and influence resource allocation decisions; •Ensure that MCH activities, specifically malaria activities, are implemented in a timely and quality manner; ensuring the development of evaluation plans and utilitization of evaluation findings; leading periodic evaluations and semi-annual project reviews; and, prepare the malaria sections of the Mission’s annual Performance Report and Operational Plan. D. Other Duties as Assigned: Assist HPN Team with other tasks related to the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of USAID support to the health/population sector in Nigeria. The SHA may also represent USAID/Nigeria at regional and international conferences, and act as a regional resource in various health sector areas. S/he will work closely with USAID/W staff in the Global Health and Africa Bureaus as needed. POSITION ELEMENTS A.Supervisory Controls: Work will be performed under the supervision of the USDH Health, Population and Nutrition Team Leader of USAID/Nigeria. Performance is evaluated annually based on accomplishments. B.Exercise of Judgment: A high degree of judgment will be required to provide guidance and assistance to a wide variety of high-level professionals in the Nigeria Mission. As a recognized expert and highly qualified professional, substantial reliance will be placed on the contractor to independently plan, prioritize, and carry out the specific activities entailed in fulfilling major duties and responsibilities. The contractor will be expected to resolve problems that arise by determining the approaches to be taken and methodologies to be used; making independent judgments that can be defended as necessary. C.Nature, Level, and Purpose of Contacts: The contractor will maintain contacts and work with USAID staff in USAID/Nigeria, with considerable interaction with USAID/Washington Global Health and AFR Bureau staff, to provide policy and procedural guidance and to obtain information relative to programs and activities. Official contacts will be the USAID Mission Director, USAID/Washington staff, CDC/Nigeria, CDC/Atlanta, U.S. Embassy/Nigeria, and other high-ranking USG representatives. IV. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS •An advanced degree (Masters or PhD) in a relevant discipline such as public health, nutrition, reproductive health, MCH, social science or other field related to international development and/or public health •Minimum of ten years of progressively responsible experience working for a U.S. Government agency and/or a development organization, at least eight of which were spent in a developing country context supporting development programs. •Experience with successfully leading large international health programs and working closely with high-level officials. •Level V English ability (fluent) is required. The contractor must possess a high degree of proficiency in both written and spoken English. •U.S. Citizen V. EVALUATION CRITERIA A.Education: (1) Must possess an advance degree (Masters of Ph.D.) related to public health, nutrition, reproductive health, MCH, social science or other field related to international development and/or public health. (10 points) B. Technical Experience: (1)Ten years professional experience managing and implementing public health programs in developing countries, with an emphasis on reproductive health/family planning, MCH, child survival and/or malaria, is desired. Technical knowledge of family planning, MCH, malaria and public health service delivery programs and systems in developing countries (Africa-specific preferred, but not required). (20 points) (2)Direct work experience with an international organization, donor agency or comparable international assignment/posting. (10 points) (3)Demonstrated experience working with developing country program mangers, policy-makers and a broad array of health service providers and community leaders. (10 points) (4)Demonstrated experience working with international donors and other programs in developing countries which support MCH, HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other related programs. Extensive familiarity with USG policies would be preferred, but not required. (10 points) C. Communications/Interpersonal Skills (1)Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work in a multicultural setting required. Experience supervising or leading teams of professionals (team leader) required. Able to work effectively on her/his own, as an office team member, and as a mentor to junior staff. (20 points) (2) Incumbent must have strong team work skills, understanding how to participate in large teams, work to motivate team members, and work towards positive performance overall. (10 points) (3) Strong computer, verbal and writing skills required. Must be fluent in English (FSI S 4/R-4) and have proven ability to communicate quickly, clearly, and concisely in both speech and writing. Able to facilitate meetings and make oral presentations logically and persuasively to senior officials and partners in a multi-cultural context. Able to produce concise, clear reports, and utilize word processing, spreadsheet, and database programs. (10 points) Maximum Points: 100 VI. BASIS OF RATING Applicants who meet the basic qualifications will be evaluated based on the criteria listed above. Applicants are strongly encouraged to address each of the criteria on a separate sheet describing specifically and accurately what experience, training, educations, and/or awards you have received that are relevant to each. Be sure to include your name, social security number, and the announcement number at the top of each additional page. Failure to address the minimum selective and/or quality ranking factors may result in your not receiving credit for all of your pertinent experience, education, training, and awards. VII. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE A base of two years with the possibility/option of three one-year extensions, up to a maximum of five years. Exercising options to extend will depend on continuing need of services, availability of funds, and satisfactory or better performance. VIII. SECURITY ACCESS: Secret IX. MEDICAL AND SECURITY CLEARANCE REQUIREMENTS 1. The successful applicant must receive medical clearance for serving in Nigeria. Details of how to obtain a U.S. Department of State Medical Unit medical clearance will be provided once a job offer is made and accepted. 2. The successful applicant must be able to receive a USAID security clearance that involves applicant’s comprehensive background investigation performed by a US Government Agency. 3. The successful applicant must be able to report to post in Abuja, Nigeria to assume duties promptly upon medical and security clearances being granted. X. COMPENSATION AND REIMBURSEMENT IN U.S. DOLLARS 1.Except to the extent reimbursement is payable in the currency of the Cooperating Country, USAID shall pay the contractor compensation after it has accrued and reimburse him/her in U.S. dollars for necessary and reasonable costs actually incurred by him/her in the performance of this contract. 2.The amount budgeted and available as personal compensation to the contractor is calculated to cover a calendar period of approximately 1 year which is to include: Vacation, sick, and home leave and R&R which may be earned during the contractor’s tour of duty. XI. BENEFITS AND ALLOWANCES As a matter of policy, and as appropriate, an off-shore PSC is normally authorized the following benefits as allowances (NOTE: an individual defined as a Resident Hire Employee may only be eligible for certain benefits listed under item 1). 1. BENEFITS Employee’s FICA & Medical Contributions Contribution toward Health and Life Insurance Shipment and Storage of Household effects Shipment of POV (Private Own Vehicle) Pay Comparability Adjustment Annual Salary Eligibility for Worker’s Compensation Annual & Sick Leave 2. ALLOWANCES (if applicable)* (a) Temporary Lodging Allowance (Section 120) (b) Living Quarters Allowance (Section 130) (c) Post Allowance (Section 220) (d) Supplemental Post Allowance (Section 230) (e) Separate Maintenance Allowance (Section 260) (f) Education Allowance (Section 270) (g) Education Travel (Section 280) (h) Post Differential (Chapter 500) (i) Payment during Evacuation/Authorized Departure (Section 600), and (j) Danger Pay (Section 650) *Standardized Regulations (Government Civilians Foreign Areas) 3. FEDERAL TAXES: USPSCs are not exempt from payment of Federal Income taxes under the foreign earned income exclusion. 4. APPLYING: Applicants are encouraged to write a brief appendix to a resume, OF-612 or SF-171 to demonstrate how their previous experience and skills are suited for this position. Qualified applicants are required to submit a U.S. Government Optional form 612 (available at http://www.usaid.gov/forms/of-612.doc) or Standard Form 171 (http://www.jobs.bpa.gov/How_To_Apply/forms/sf171.pdf) Applicants should retain for their record copies of all enclosures that accompany their proposals. Please reference the number of this solicitation when sending your application. N.B.: Mark submissions "Nigeria 620-08-006". Late applications will not be accepted. Applicants are requested to provide their full mailing address and contact information (including fax, telephone and/or e-mail where available). XII. CONTRACT INFORMATION BULLETINS (CIBs) OR ACQUISITION AND ASSISTANCE POLICY DIRECTIVES (AAPDs) PERTAINING TO PSCs AAPDs/CIBs contain changes to USAID policy and General Provisions in USAID regulations and contracts. http://www.usaid.gov/business/business_opportunities/cib/subject.html#psc XIII. LIST OF REQUIRED FORMS FOR PSCs: 1.Standard Form 171 or Optional Form 612 2.Contractor Physical Examination for children 11 years and under (DS-1622)** 3.Contractor Physical Examination for children 12 years and over (DS-1843)** 4.Questionnaire for National Security Positions (SF-86)** 5.Authority for Release of Information (AID 610-14)** 6.Foreign Residence Data (AID 6-85)** 7.Fair Credit Reporting Act of 1970, as Amended** 8.Notice Required by The Privacy Act of 1974** 9.Fingerprint Cards (FD-258)** **The forms listed 2 through 9 shall only be completed upon the advice of the Contracting Officer that an applicant is the successful candidate for the job.
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- Place of Performance
- Address: USAID Nigeria, 7 - 9 Mambilla Street, off Aso Drive, Maitama, Abuja, Abuja, Non-U.S., Nigeria
- Record
- SN01659048-W 20080905/080903224900-0d9141e851d2ea0eaf05229916890c81 (fbodaily.com)
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