SOLICITATION NOTICE
R -- USPSC-Senior Program Advisor-GS-15, Dominican Republic
- Notice Date
- 12/22/2016
- Notice Type
- Combined Synopsis/Solicitation
- NAICS
- 812990
— All Other Personal Services
- Contracting Office
- Agency for International Development, Overseas Missions, Dominican Republic USAID-Santo Domingo, Unit #5541, APO, 34041-5541
- ZIP Code
- 34041-5541
- Solicitation Number
- SOL-517-17-000002
- Archive Date
- 1/28/2017
- Point of Contact
- Soraya A Morillo, Phone: 809-368-7101
- E-Mail Address
-
smorillo@usaid.gov
(smorillo@usaid.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- ISSUANCE DATE: December 22, 2016 CLOSING DATE: January 13, 2017 SUBJECT: Solicitation No. SOL-517-17-000002 - US Personal Services Contract – USAID/Dominican Republic – Senior Program Advisor – GS-15 Ladies and Gentlemen: The United States Government, represented by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), is seeking applications from qualified U.S. citizens to provide personal services as described in the attached solicitation. The length of the position is estimated to be eleven months. Submittals shall be in accordance with the attached information at the place and time specified. Any questions on this solicitation may be directed to: Soraya Morillo USAID/Dominican Republic Telephone Number: 809-368-7101 E-mail address: smorillo@usaid.gov Applicants should retain for their records copies of all enclosure which accompany their applications. All applications and the required documents should be submitted to the following POC by January 13, 2017, 4:00pm Eastern Time: Soraya Morillo USAID/Dominican Republic Telephone Number: 809-368-7101 E-mail: smorillo@usaid.gov Sincerely, Ken A. Seifert Regional Executive Officer SOLICITATION NUMBER: SOL-517-17-000002 ISSUANCE DATE: December 22, 2016 CLOSING DATE: January 13, 2017 POSITION TITLE: Senior Program Advisor MARKET VALUE: GS-15 ($102,646 -$133,444) PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: Eleven months PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: USAID/Dominican Republic AREA OF CONSIDERATION: US Citizens SCOPE OF WORK 1. Recommended Position Title: US PSC Senior Program Advisor (SPA), GS-15 2. Organizational Location of Position: USAID/Dominican Republic, Program Office U.S. Embassy Compound Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic 3. Position title of direct supervisor: Mission Director (MD) / Deputy Mission Director (DMD) 4. Supervisory Controls: Incumbent is expected to work independently with direction received from the Mission Director and oversight from the Deputy Mission Director. The incumbent will provide guidance to Program Office staff when necessary. The SPA must coordinate his/her work closely with staff in Mission technical offices, the Supervisory Program Officer and the Mission Director. The SPA reports directly to the Mission Director. 5. Introduction: USAID/Dominican Republic is seeking the intermittent services of an off-shore U.S. citizen to provide assistance as a Senior Advisor under a Personal Services Contract (PSC) for a period up to eleven and a half months beginning on or about (o/a) December 15, 2016/January 15, 2017. The SPA will serve as a senior advisor to the Program Office and support the Dominican Republic’s three technical teams and Program Office staff in the development of the Country Development Strategy (CDCS). The Dominican Republic (DR) is the largest economy in the Caribbean and shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti. The 11.5 million inhabitants of the DR include nearly 500,000 Haitians, and the two countries are major trading partners. Despite its classification as a middle-income country, 41 percent of the DR's population lives in poverty. Major development challenges include a high incidence of violent crime and narcotics trafficking, vulnerability to climate change, weak institutions, poor education, and lack of job opportunities for youth. Vulnerable groups, such as women, people with disabilities, people of Haitian descent, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals, are often subject to discrimination. The Dominican Republic ranks 140 out of 148 countries for quality of the educational system and is the 11th most vulnerable country in the world to climate change. Transparency International ranks the Dominican Republic as in the 22nd percentile for corruption and 25th percentile for rule of law, demonstrating a high level of corruption and violence. The goal of the 2014-2018 USAID/DR CDCS is to improve citizen security to promote economic growth. Crime prevention is promoted by increasing opportunities for at-risk youth, improving basic education, and strengthening the criminal justice system. Climate change adaptation and HIV/AIDS prevention are also focus areas, with inclusion of marginalized social groups and transparency as cross-cutting themes. USAID/DR also advances several important U.S. Presidential Initiatives: the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI), the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), and the Global Climate Change Initiative. To support crime prevention, USAID works with at-risk youth by encouraging them to stay in school or helping them go back to school if they have dropped out. Vocational training and job placement services are also provided, as well as assistance in obtaining the identification documents that are required to study and work. USAID also focuses on improving the quality of education, by strengthening the ability of students in the early grades to read and develop other basic skills. USAID assists entities like the police, prosecutors, judges, and civil society organizations, to improve law enforcement’s effectiveness in fighting crime. To further climate change resilience, USAID is integrating climate change-related information into municipal land use planning to undertake adaptation measures with a particular focus on water source protection and disaster risk reduction in four key municipalities. These planning efforts will be complemented by strengthening the capacity of local governments to gather, manage, and use climate information and the implementation of on-the ground adaptation measures. In addition, USAID is promoting an index-based insurance system for dairy livestock producers and implementing a regional marine biodiversity conservation program. To achieve an AIDS-free generation, USAID, in coordination with PEPFAR, is collaborating with the Dominican Government to achieve HIV epidemic control. USAID’s efforts are focused on the development of community and facility-based service delivery models that provide quality health services for key populations with the highest HIV prevalence. These include female sex workers, men who have sex with men, transgendered individuals and undocumented Dominicans of Haitian descent. Through improved case finding, quality clinical services, community-based support combined with focused efforts to improve supply chain management and human resources for health, USAID expects to establish models in the public sector that can be transferred for national scale-up. The Mission is comprised of 84 staff of with a mix of local staff, personal services contractors, and U.S. Direct Hire staff. The Program Office, along with the other support offices, provides regional support services to the USAID Missions in Jamaica and Eastern and Southern Caribbean. The current CDCS expires September 30, 2018. The Mission therefore currently needs to start preparing for Phase One: Initial Consultations and Parameters Setting of the CDCS process. 6. Duties and responsibilities of the position: The SPA is assigned to serve as a senior advisor in the USAID/DR Program Office. S/he will assist the Mission in the development of the next CDCS, provide guidance, mentoring where needed, management support to the Program office and expert advice and services to the Development Objective (DO) teams. The main objective is to assist the Mission in the preparation and development of USAID/DR’s next CDCS. Under the supervision of the Mission Director and oversight from the Deputy Mission Director, the SPA will play a leadership role in initiating actions for Phase One (initial consultations and parameters setting) of the CDCS process. The SPA will lead the preparation of the concept note and Phase One DVC presentation by guiding the Mission through a robust analytical and consultative process to ensure Mission resources are planned for maximum development impact. The SPA will also support the Program Office and DO teams in the implementation, management, monitoring, and evaluation of activities that comprise the Mission’s current portfolio. This will include identifying opportunities for developing and, in some cases, streamlining Mission procedures related to the Program Cycle with a special focus on incorporating the 2016 ADS 200 Series revisions. The SPA will provide actionable recommendations on optimizing Mission and Program office organization, coach Mission staff in working in teams, and mentor Program Office staff on an as need basis. Overall, the SPA is expected to: · Apply a broad knowledge of U.S. Government and USAID regulations and procedures to the development and management of USAID/Dominican Republic’s goal of designing a new CDCS. · Lead the CDCS planning process · Analyze and evaluate the planning, design, implementation, results, and accomplishments of current project activities for their effectiveness, efficiency, and significance. · Provide guidance on best practices in addressing gender equality, female empowerment, and social inclusion through mainstreaming into the CDCS. · Mentor Program and technical team staff where needed in USAID planning, strategy development, budgeting, program development, project design and monitoring and evaluation. · Provide proposed recommendations for the MD and DMD to consider concerning any adjustments needed to increase program efficiencies. Major Duties and Responsibilities Leads the initial concept design for the development of the Mission’s next CDCS This will include, but is not limited to: · Developing the timeline for the CDCS development · Supporting the Mission in completing the required steps, in accordance with the revised ADS 201, to develop the CDCS · Facilitating internal and external discussions to inform the approach, priorities and sectoral focus of the CDCS · Consolidating lessons learned from the previous CDCS, available analyses and evaluations, findings from past portfolio reviews, and monitoring of existing projects and activities · Assisting the Mission with the logistical preparations, design and implementation of the required and optional analysis and assessments (including the establishment of mechanisms for contractor support if needed) · Highlighting any perceived weaknesses or inefficiencies to the MD and DMD concerning the Mission’s staffing structure or work flow/organization that is impeding progress to achieving the proposed CDCS timeline deliverables in anyway. · Assisting the Mission in producing Agency consensus around the Mission’s CDCS strategy · Developing the initial Concept Note and DVC presentation for the CDCS. The SPA will also assist the Mission to set up and coordinate a working group comprised of USAID/Haiti staff and USAID/DR staff to explore areas of mutual interest and identify sectors and specific activities for possible joint programming. The SPA will also provide guidance to the MD, DMD, and Supervisory PO on program budget formulation, project implementation, tracking, and reporting. S/he will conduct a review of Program Office organization and structure with actionable recommendations to optimally align roles and responsibilities when necessary. The SPA will support the Program Office, DO teams, individual technical officers, and other staff regarding issues affecting programming, planning, budgeting, procurement, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, accelerating USAID Forward implementation and procurement reform across the Mission’s areas of responsibility. The SPA will provide strategic recommendations and leadership for the design and development of the Mission’s performance monitoring system. Under the direction of the MD/DMD and collaboration with the Supervisory Program Officer, the SPA will collaborate with the Mission’s monitoring and evaluation (M&E) contractor and DO teams to develop and implement practical information tracking systems. The SPA will assist in the verification of baseline data and help to analyze data collected. S/he will also advise on the design of planned evaluations. The SPA will support the Mission through a variety of other tasks as assigned and will respond to urgent information requests and action items as needed. 7. Minimum Qualification Requirements: Candidates will be evaluated and ranked based on the following selection criteria: Prior Work Experience : A minimum of 20 years of professional experience in project design and implementation, and monitoring and evaluation, preferably for U.S. Government agencies is required. Detailed experience in developing USAID Country Development Cooperation Strategies is mandatory. Education : Bachelor’s degree in economics, public or business administration, political science, international relations or related field is required. Language Proficiency (10 points): Level IV (fluent) in English and Level III (advanced) Spanish Knowledge : Knowledge of U.S. Government laws, policies, regulations and procedures related to international development assistance. Working knowledge of development project design as well as the principles of sound program oversight, budgeting and reporting, monitoring and evaluation, and assistance and acquisition is required. Experience working on gender equality, female empowerment, and social inclusion in the international development context, including integration of the same in the design and implementation of assistance programs is preferred. A working knowledge of the Latin America and Caribbean region, its institutions, and peculiar development challenges is preferred. Demonstrated ability to work across multiple technical sectors is required. Skills, and Abilities : Excellent written and oral communications; analytical; management; and interpersonal/teamwork skills required. Computer skills, including the development and management of spreadsheets, tracking systems, etc., and the ability to interpret, organize and present data to a variety of audiences preferred. Proven ability to mentor USAID staff in program development and management skills required. Ability to work in teams is necessary. 8. Selective/Evaluation Factors The successful candidate will be selected based on his/her qualifications, results of reference checks and an interview. Education (5 points) : Bachelor’s Degree in economics, public or business administration, political science, international relations or related field is required. Prior Work Experience (40 points) : A minimum of 20 years of professional experience in project design and implementation, and monitoring and evaluation, preferably for U.S. Government agencies is required. Detailed experience in developing Country Development Cooperation Strategies (CDCS) is mandatory. Language Proficiency (5 points): Level IV (fluent) in English and Level III (advanced) Spanish Knowledge (35 points): Knowledge of U.S. Government laws, policies, regulations and procedures related to international development assistance. Knowledge of USAID mission, strategies, and initiatives. Working knowledge of the USAID Program Cycle and project design guidance as well as the principles of sound program oversight, budgeting and reporting, monitoring and evaluation, and assistance and acquisition is required. Experience working on gender equality, female empowerment, and social inclusion in the international development context, including integration of the same in the design and implementation of USAID programs is preferred. A working knowledge of the Latin America and Caribbean region, its institutions, and peculiar development challenges is required. Demonstrated ability to work across multiple technical sectors is required. Skills, and Abilities (15 points): Excellent written and oral communications; analytical; management; and interpersonal/teamwork skills required. Computer skills, including the development and management of spreadsheets, tracking systems, etc., and the ability to interpret, organize and present data to a variety of audiences preferred. Proven ability to lead teams and to mentor USAID staff in program development and management skills is required. Ability to work in teams is necessary. 1. Degree of responsibility for decision-making: A high degree of independent judgment is required to provide guidance to the Mission Director, support office staff and technical teams on policies and practices related to program budget formulation, tracking, and reporting. 2. Level of resources allocated to this assignment: USAID/Dominican Republic Program funds will be used to cover expenses of this position. 3. Complexity of the host government’s organizational structure and its effect on the incumbent’s responsibilities: N/A 4. Level of management expertise in host-country offices: The employee is expected to have broad knowledge of the economic and political environment. Sound expertise and knowledge of development projects in the Dominican Republic is required. 5. Stage of activity (formative or established): Formative 6. Level and purpose of contacts: The employee will work closely with DO Team Leaders, Supervisory Program Officer, Deputy Mission Director and Mission Director for the purposes of providing overall guidance regarding issues affecting programming, planning, development, budgeting, procurement, implementation, monitoring, managing for results, accelerating USAID Forward implementation and procurement reform of USAID development assistance activities across the Mission’s area of responsibility. In addition, the incumbent will meet with NGOs, think tanks, universities and private organizations to get a sound knowledge of local development needs. 7. Level of work of assignments: Mid-level technical and high-level policy and programmatic. The level of analysis for accomplishing work is high and will require original and unique thought to identify sound alternatives to expand U.S. Government programming in-country. 8. Level of supportive work in a professional or administrative field: A high level of supportive programmatic work will be required. This includes programming, planning, development, budgeting, procurement, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and managing for results. 9. Level of knowledge or experience required to perform work assigned: Professional experience in project design and implementation, and monitoring and evaluation, preferably for U.S. Government agencies is required. Specifically, knowledge of U.S. Government laws, policies, ADS regulations and procedures related to international development assistance. Knowledge of USAID’s strategic program and project development process and the principles of sound program oversight, budgeting and reporting, monitoring and evaluation, assistance and acquisition is required. 10. Level of supervision required over the position: Minimal. The employee is expected to work independently and report to the Mission Director. Applying Applications must be received by the closing date and time at the address specified in the cover letter. Qualified individuals are required to submit: - A complete Form AID 302-3 Offeror Information for Personal Services Contracts, with hand-written signature (downloadable forms are available on the USAID website, http://www.usaid.gov/procurement_bus_opp/procurement/forms. - Resume - Cover letter This solicitation in no way obligates USAID to award a PSC contract, nor does it commit USAID to pay any cost incurred in the preparation and submission of the application. List of Required Forms for PSCs Forms outlined below can be found at: http://www.usaid.gov/forms/ 1. AID 302-3 (11/2014) 2. Medical History and Examination Form (DS-1843) ** 3. Questionnaire for Sensitive Positions (SF-86) ** or 4. Questionnaire for Non-Sensitive Positions (SF-85)** 5. Finger Print Card (FD-258)** ** Forms 2 through 5 shall be completed ONLY upon the advice of the Contracting Officer that an applicant is the successful candidate for the job. Benefits/Allowances As a matter of policy, and as appropriate, a PSC is normally authorized the following benefits and allowances: BENEFITS: Employer’s FICA Contribution Contribution toward Health and Life Insurance Pay Comparability Adjustment Annual Increase (pending a satisfactory performance evaluation) Eligibility for Worker’s Compensation Annual and Sick Leave 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) Payments during Evacuation/Authorized Departure (Section 600) and (J) Danger Pay (Section 650) * Standardized Regulations (Government Civilians Foreign Areas) FEDERAL TAXES: USPSCs are required to pay Federal Income Taxes, FICA and Medicare. ALL QUALIFIED APPLICANTS WILL BE CONSIDERED REGARDLESS OF AGE, RACE, COLOR, SEX, CREED, NATIONAL ORIGIN, LAWFUL POLITICAL AFFILIATION, NON-DISQUALIFYING HANDICAP, MARITAL STATUS, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, AND AFFILIATION WITH AN EMPLOYEE ORGANIZATION OR OTHER NON-MERIT FACTOR.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/AID/OM/DOM/SOL-517-17-000002/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: USAID/Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
- Record
- SN04358961-W 20161224/161222234806-ffc477e0ef63f44289cbf695c4c07ef0 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
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