SENIOR DEMOCRACY ADVISOR (Intermittent)

ISSUANCE DATE: July 21, 2016 CLOSING DATE: August 4, 2016 Local Time (Kosovo) 17:00 PM SUBJECT: SOLICITATION NUMBER SOL-167-16-000024 PERSONAL SERVICE CONTRACTOR SENIOR DEMOCRACY ADVISOR (Intermittent) PRISTINA, KOSOVO Dear Prospective Applicants: The United States Government (USG), represented by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), is seeking applications from qualified U.S. citizens to provide personal services as a Senior Democracy Advisor under a personal services contract, as described in the attached solicitation. Submittals shall be in accordance with the attached information at the place and time specified above. Interested Applicants must submit all the materials required by the solicitation, which includes but is not limited to: 1. A cover letter, inclusive of the candidate's experience in the relevant field, which should address how the candidate meets each of the requirements. The cover letter should not exceed three (3) pages; 2. A current resume/curriculum vitae (CV) and three (3) to five (5) references, who are not family members or relatives, with telephone and email contact information. The CV/resume must contain sufficient relevant information to evaluate the application in accordance with the stated evaluation criteria. Broad general statements that are vague or lacking specificity will not be considered as effectively addressing particular selection criteria. The Applicant's references must be able to provide substantive information about his/her past performance and abilities. USAID/Kosovo reserves the right to obtain relevant information from previous employers concerning the Applicant's past performance and may consider such information in its evaluation; and 3. A completed and hand-signed federal form AID 302-3. Applicants are required to sign the cover letter, the resume/CV, and the certification at the end of the AID 302-3. Applications that are received without signatures will not be considered for the position (forms can be downloaded from: www.usaid.gov/forms/). To be considered for the position, a candidate must meet all of the eligibility requirements listed under the Selection Factors in the solicitation. The complete application must be e-mailed 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. All applications and the required documents must be submitted via internet as an email attachment as follows: Send complete applications to [email protected]. Please cite the solicitation number and position title within the subject line of your email application. Any attachments provided via email shall be formatted in one single PDF document in the following order: (1) cover letter, (2) resume/CV (with references), and (3) signed AID 302-3. Any questions in response to this solicitation must be directed to: Mimoza Këpuska Human Resources Specialist Phone: +381 38 59 59 2106 Fax: +381 38 249 493 Email: [email protected] This solicitation does not represent a commitment on behalf of USAID and it is subject to availability of funds. The U.S. Government is not obligated to make an award or to pay for any costs associated with the preparation and submission of a proposal in response to this solicitation. USAID/Kosovo anticipates awarding one (1) contract as a result of this solicitation, subject to availability of funds. Sincerely, Joseph Sidari Supervisory Executive Officer SOLICITATION NUMBER: SOL-167-16-000024 ISSUANCE DATE: July 21, 2016 CLOSING DATE: August 4, 2016 no later than 17:00 PM Local Time (Kosovo) POSITION TITLE: Senior Democracy Advisor MARKET VALUE: GS-14 equivalent ($ 87,263 - $ 113,444 per annum) PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: This is an intermittent contract with a level of effort of eight (8) months. The specific number of days to be worked will be determined by mutual agreement between the contract employee and the Mission. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: Pristina, Kosovo AREA OF CONSIDERATION: US Citizens I. POSITION DESCRIPTION: A. BACKGROUND The creation of Europe's newest state has proceeded on a forward path despite setbacks. Today, Kosovo functions as a state with an operational government and society after having emerged from a post conflict environment. The 2012 end of "supervised independence" and closure of the International Civilian Office (ICO) represented a success and served to highlight the young state's growing maturity and capacity. Government institutions, particularly at the central level, continue to strengthen their operations, and the decentralization of authority to local municipalities reinforces local governance and democratic development. The country has adopted a democratic Constitution, established a Constitutional Court, and has an adequate body of laws and policies, although implementation and enforcement of laws proves poor. Kosovo has held eight peaceful, albeit flawed, elections. Municipal elections were held in the fall of 2013 and parliamentary elections in June 2014. The former resulted in Government of Kosovo mayors and Municipal Assemblies being established in the Serb-majority northern municipalities for the first time, and the latter turned into a six-month political stalemate, only resolved through the formation of a coalition disliked by most of the population. To date, 98 countries have recognized Kosovo, but it still lacks official recognition by many countries. This has prevented Kosovo's membership in the United Nations and other global organizations and has led the European Union to adopt a "status neutral" policy towards Kosovo that hampers its ability to fully promote its development. The GoK and the Government of Serbia (GoS) signed an Agreement to Normalize Relations in the spring of 2013 (i.e. "Brussels Agreement") and this represents one of Kosovo's most notable international achievements to date. Implementation of the Agreement has been uneven, and only recently has an announcement been made that one of the most integral pieces-the Association of Serb Municipalities-will soon be launched. Serious challenges have arisen in integrating the Kosovo Serb courts in the North into the Kosovo Judiciary despite the February 2015 Justice Sector Agreement, and corruption ranks as one of the biggest problems facing the country. The GoK remains committed to addressing minority issues but faces internal pressures and societal demands that that emphasize the ethnic Albanian character of the state at the expense of minorities and some ultra-nationalists Kosovo Serbs continue to resist integration. Lack of awareness about the Brussels Agreement among the population and inability to have direct dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade further slow progress on ethnic integration. Kosovo has the poorest economy in the region and struggles with high levels of poverty, massive unemployment (estimated at 45%), and over-dependence on imports combined with a very small export sector and energy shortages. The country's Gross National Income (GNI) per capita is estimated at $3,520, ranked 93rd worldwide and behind Macedonia, Albania, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. USAID and other donors have expended considerable investments in assisting the GoK to stand up the institutions of government. To address the challenges discussed above, USAID/Kosovo drafted a Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS), FY 2014-FY 2018 to guide USAID assistance efforts in making these institutions more effective. B. USAID/Democracy and Governance (DG) Portfolio Overview: Despite the existence of the institutions of governance, Kosovars voice frustration and impatience with the progress in implementing good governance and the rule of law. The court system remains inefficient and has yet to demonstrate its full independence. The Assembly has proven slow in enacting legislation and exercising oversight of the executive branch. Progress has stalled on the decentralization of power to municipal governments as mandated in the Constitution. USAID believes it critical to start making government work in an accountable and effective manner for the people of Kosovo. Effective and accountable governance will attract foreign investment, increase the country's respect in the international community, and inspire confidence in citizens that they can and should take an active role in their country's development. USAID/Kosovo's CDCS calls for shifting the focus from establishing the foundations for democracy to making democratic governance function. This requires having an impact on the supply and demand sides of democratic governance by helping to make government more effective and open to accountability as well as strengthening the mechanisms through which citizens can represent their interests in government and hold state institutions accountable. This necessitates a substantial investment in assisting the justice system to start delivering justice more efficiently and independently of government influence or corruption. Finally, this strategy requires USAID/Kosovo to have a particular focus on the implementation and accountability of governance at the local level where most of the work of government should occur. The DG portfolio has a multi-sector focus with eighteen programs (contracts, cooperative agreements, grants and government-to-government) and needs a senior level expert who has a broad understanding and experience with the plethora of activities in a DG portfolio. An additional design is planned in FY2017 for local governance, while support is needed on Technical Evaluation Committees, and in office workload management. The position requires an individual who can work independently with minimal supervision, exercise excellent verbal and written skills, apply exemplary planning techniques, support FSN team members, multi-task and prioritize deadlines, and exercise quality control over all documents being sent for approval. In light of the Brussels Agreement, representational responsibilities for this position will take a portion of the Advisor's time and this individual will engage with high level USG, donor and counterpart officials. These officials include the Chair of the Kosovo Judicial Council (KJC), the General Secretary for the Ministry of Local Government Administration, the Minister of Justice, various mayors and municipal officials. The portfolio has a number of cross-sector activities with the DG Office teams, Economic Growth teams and participates actively in multiple donor and different USG Mission working groups, including representing USAID on the US Embassy's ROL/Anti-corruption working group and a significant role in the Embassy's Minority Engagement Working Group. Achieving peace and stability in the Balkans through integration of minority groups is the top USG foreign policy priority for this region and will require a senior-level USAID expert with both managerial and technical skills and diplomatic acumen. The USAID Mission in Kosovo is the largest in the Balkan region and is the second largest donor in Kosovo after the European Union (EU). With an active portfolio valued at over $220 million, USAID Kosovo is staffed with 97 positions (13 U. S. Direct Hires [USDHs], 10 U.S. Personal Services Contractors [USPSCs], and 74 Foreign Service Nationals [FSNs]). The Mission also provides legal, contracting, and executive office support services to other USAID missions throughout the Balkan region. USAID's DG Office currently has eleven staff: US Direct Hire (USDH) Office Director; USDH Deputy Director ; two FSN Advisors for Rule of Law; FSN Local Government And Public Administration Specialist; FSN Civil Society and Political Competition Program Manager; FSN Democracy and Governance Program Manager; FSN Program Management Specialist/Engineer; FSN Program Management/Development Assistance Specialist -Team Leader; FSN Project Specialist for Minority Engagement; and FSN Project/Administrative Assistant. The DG portfolio includes activities in the following areas: rule of law; commercial law; property law; alternative dispute resolution; minority integration; conflict resolution; local governance; elections; parliament/assemblies; civil society; and vulnerable populations. C. Major Duties and Responsibilities The USPSC reports to the USDH Office Director. S/he has specific responsibility for reviewing activity designs, managing programs and providing oversight for activity management for all DG programs. S/he has major program responsibility for support to governance and rule of law programs. The Senior Democracy Advisor will participate actively in CDCS implementation, program design and management and representational duties. S/he may be called upon to serve as Acting DG Director. The Senior Democracy Advisor will actively participate in a number of donor coordinating groups and USG inter-agency working groups on as needed basis, including: Minority Engagement Working Group, ROL/Anti-corruption Working Group, and EU Member States Plus coordination meetings. She represents the US Mission, reports on development with policy recommendations to the Office Director, USAID Front Office and the US Embassy, and presents and coordinates USAID programs, priorities and strategic priorities. 1. Activity Planning, Design, Management & Evaluation (50%) The incumbent shall take on responsibility for activity planning, design, management and evaluation of the majority of programs within at least two sub-IRs (i.e. Rule of Law and Effective Governance). Routine responsibilities include:  Leading the design of new programming in local governance, rule of law, and/or minority integration;  Leading Technical Evaluation Committees for new programs;  Evaluating current and past programs for performance and applying lessons learned from evaluations/assessments;  Analyzing sector-wide trends for reform, identifying key counterparts, and synthesizing other interventions in order to design value-added, "niche" programs for the US Mission;  Describing and budgeting for the activity in the Operational Plan;  Preparing activity approval documentation in accordance with USAID/Kosovo's Mission Order on Pre-obligation requirements and helping to amend Project Approval Document (PAD) when necessary;  Leading the evaluation and critiquing of proposals and applications (including unsolicited proposals);  Preparing activity checklists;  Liaising with the Regional Contracting Officer/ Regional Legal Advisor on procurement;  Work closely with CORs/AORs and provide forward planning support for programs;  Reviewing work plans;  Preparing budget and work plan realignments when needed;  Troubleshooting programs to respond to emergent opportunities or obstacles for implementation;  Reporting on achieved results within the Mission, to counterparts, and Washington personnel;  Communicating closely with the Regional Acquisition & Assistance Office about COR/AOR duties. 2. DGO Team Support and Office Management (20%) Incumbent will handle routine office management tasks such as the following:  Handling taskers and requests for information;  Routine employee support for document review/revision;  Financial management for the portfolio, e.g. preparation and tracking of funding histories and accruals;  Attending inter-agency meetings on Rule of Law, Legislation and Minority Engagement. 3. Knowledge Management and Reporting (20%) The incumbent will be an integral member of the USAID/DG Team. S/he will assist in the preparation of key strategy and planning documents including, but not limited to, the following:  Annual Operational Plans and Performance Report;  Country Assistance Strategy, Strawman exercise;  Performance Monitoring Plan (PMP) and PMP database;  Ad-hoc reports requested by Mission management, USAID/Washington, the US Embassy;  Congressional Budget Justifications, Congressional Notifications;  Public outreach, including any briefing materials;  Prepare and edit briefers, scene setters, talking points, speeches, taskers, power points, one-pagers, etc. 4. Representing USAID/DGO (10%) The incumbent shall, on an as needed basis, represent USAID at meetings, conferences, seminars and other events. Representing USAID shall entail:  Preparation and obtaining approval of position statements (as required)  Communicating USAID's position orally and verbally to Government, other donor or UN organizations and other stakeholders  Delivering speeches  Giving interviews to local media  Organizing delegations and other high-level visits, including developing of a schedule, coordination with implementers and other counterparts to plan events, preparation of briefing materials, and serving as site officer for events. D. Conduct, Travel, Reporting and Liaison The Senior Democracy Advisor will handle all assigned work independently or, as required as part of a team identified by the DGO Director, in accordance with all applicable USAID regulations and guidance as provided in the USAID Automated Directives System (ADS) and regulations. As a highly qualified professional, substantial reliance in placed on the employee to independently plan and carry out the specific activities entailed in fulfilling major duties and responsibilities. The employee will resolve problems that arise by determining the approaches to be taken and methods to be used, developing, coordinating and clearing proposed solutions with all necessary parties, and then taking appropriate actions to resolve the problems. The incumbent will maintain contact and interact technically and professionally in a highly collaborative manner with a wide range of interlocutors. The incumbent is expected to demonstrate appropriate levels of skill in the following areas: 1) teamwork and professionalism, 2) resource management, 3) leadership, and 4) technical and analytical skills Travel in Kosovo may be required. Travel in the restricted area of northern Kosovo may be also required. Some regional travel in the Balkans may also be necessary. All duties will be carried out under the general or specific guidance of the DG Office Director as direct supervisor. The incumbent will be expected to prepare and deliver written and oral reports on all aspects of his/her responsibilities or work, including site visits, as requested by the DG Office Director and/or the Mission Director. The incumbent shall maintain contact with high-level Kosovo officials, civil society representatives, US and Kosovar contractor representatives, and representatives of other donors and international organizations. The incumbent will coordinate closely with other elements of the US presence in country and with other Mission offices, as required. II. POSITION ELEMENTS: a. Supervision Received /Exercised: The Senior Democracy Advisor will work under the general and specific supervision and policy guidance of the DG Office Director, USAID/DG. The Team Leader will review and approve his/her work plan and performance measures. In carrying out specific assignments, the incumbent will consult and work closely with the Program Office, the other teams within USAID, the Government, other international donors Department of State and other stakeholders. The incumbent is expected to work independently with limited guidance, take initiative, and support FSN staff as required. b. Available Guidelines and Systems: The incumbent is required to understand and analyze Mission and Agency specific policies and procedures which govern implementation of democracy and governance development activities, in addition to the USAID/DG established administrative operating procedures, policies and formats. The incumbent will be required to be proactive in keeping abreast of evolving guidelines and policies of the DG Mission, including but not limited to the Automated Directives System (ADS), Mission Orders, Mission Notices, USG Procurement regulations, and USAID and State Program Strategy and Policy Documents. S/He will also be able to easily use USG and USAID information management systems, such as the new GLAAS system for posting procurement actions and the Phoenix financial management system. S/He will be a certified COR/AOR in order to manage programs. c. Decision Making / Exercise of Judgment: At the full performance level, it is expected that the incumbent will exercise considerable independence and decision making authority in carrying out duties, subject to final review by the Team Leader d. Authority to Make Commitments: The incumbent will have no independent authority to commit U.S. Government (USG) Mission funds. e. Nature, Level and Purpose of Contacts: Contacts are with senior management-type persons within and outside USAID, which may include Congressional staff, other U.S. government officials, and government officials from other countries as appropriate, consultants, contractors, grantees, or business executives. f. Complexity: Analyzes inter-related issues of effectiveness, efficiency, and productivity of individual contracts, grants and cooperative agreements. Develops detailed plans, goals, and objectives for the long-range implementation and administration of the DG program, and/or develops criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of the program. Decisions concerning design, planning, organizing, implementing and evaluating individual activities are complicated by the difficulty of operating in a politically sensitive country. The Governance portfolio is the most sensitive portfolio managed by the USAID/Kosovo and the Rule of Law is the Mission's largest sectoral program. III. QUALIFICATIONS AND SELECTION CRITERIA: a. Education: University graduate degree in International Relations, Public Administration, Political Science, Law, business or international development is required. (10 points) b. Prior Work Experience: Minimum of fifteen years of experience in international democracy and governance programming, at least five years of which in the developing world, is required. Prior work experience with USAID is preferred. (20 points) c. Language Proficiency: Strong English language skills (written and oral) are required. d. Knowledge: Extensive knowledge of international development concepts, principles and activity implementation is required. Knowledge and experience in democracy and governance, particularly justice-system development and local governance, is required. Extensive knowledge of USAID procedures and regulations, especially previous award management and COR/AOR experience, is preferred, but is not required. (35 points) e. Skills and Abilities: The Senior Democracy Advisor must have proven capacity to analyze complex situations and provide technical guidance and recommendations up and down the hierarchy. S/he will have strong interpersonal and teamwork skills, technical and analytic skills and leadership abilities. (35 points) Maximum Points Available: 100 IV. REQUIREMENTS: Security and Medical Clearance The final selected candidate must be able to obtain Security clearance for work within a reasonable period of time (USAID will provide details regarding the clearance to the selected candidate after selection). If such clearance is not obtained within a reasonable time or negative suitability issues are involved, any offer made may be rescinded. Details of how to obtain such clearance will be provided after selection and acceptance of the job offer. The candidate must obtain required medical clearance. V. INSTRUCTIONS TO APPLICANTS: Interested Applicants must submit all the materials required by the solicitation. These documents include a cover letter [not to exceed three (3) pages]; a current resume/CV containing the information contained in Section V which clearly demonstrates the Applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills, abilities, and accomplishments as they relate to the selection criteria outlined and the Duties and Responsibilities of the position. The hand-signed federal form AID 302-3 (forms can be downloaded from: www.usaid.gov/forms/). A. Personal Information: Full name, mailing address (with zip code), email address, day and evening phone numbers, social security number, country of citizenship, highest federal civilian grade held (also give job series and dates held); B. Education: School names, city and state, majors, type and year of any degrees received; C. Work Experience: Provide the following information for your paid and non-paid work experience related to the job for which you are applying (do not send job descriptions); job title (includes series and grade if federal job), duties and accomplishments, employer's name and address, supervisor's name and phone number, starting and ending dates (month and year), hours per week, basic salary. Indicate if we may contact your current supervisor; Applicants should note that the salary history for the purposes of form AID 302-3 is the base salary paid, excluding benefits and allowances such as housing, travel, educational support, vehicle use, etc.; D. Other Qualifications: Other pertinent information related to the qualifications required for the position, as noted above including job-related training courses (title & year), job-related skills; for example, other languages, computer software/hardware, job related certificates and licenses (current only), job related honors, awards, and special accomplishments, for example, publications, memberships in professional or honor societies, leadership, activities, public speaking and performance awards (give dates but do not send documents unless requested); E. References: Applicants must provide a minimum of three (3) and a maximum of five (5) recent professional references (within the last 5 years), who are not family members or relatives, with telephone and email contact information. The Applicant's references must be able to provide substantive information about his/her past performance, skills, abilities and interpersonal skills. USAID/Kosovo reserves the right to obtain relevant information from previous employers concerning the Applicant's past performance and may consider such information in its evaluation; and F. Date of availability: It is expected that the selected candidate will begin work within 15 days of receipt of security clearance. Candidate must provide its date of availability to begin assignment in USAID Pristina, Kosovo. Applicants should retain for their records copies of all enclosures which accompany their applications. All applications and the required documents must be submitted via internet as an email attachment as follows: Send complete applications to [email protected]. Please cite the solicitation number and position title within the subject line of your email application. Any attachments provided via email shall be formatted in one single PDF document in the following order: (1) signed cover letter, (2) signed resume/CV (with recent references), and (3) signed AID 302-3 Interested candidates must send the documents outlined above via the internet, to the attention of the address indicated above. E-mail must be received by the closing date and time specified in the cover letter. The final compensation will be negotiated within the listed market value based on the successful candidate's salary history, work experience, and educational background. NOTE: This position requires the submission of complete forms and/or supplemental materials as described herein above. Failure to provide the required information and/or materials will result in your not being considered for employment. The Applicant must sign the cover letter, resume/CV, and the AID 302-3. Please note that incomplete and/or unsigned applications will NOT be considered. To ensure that the application is considered for the intended position, please reference the solicitation number and title of position on your application and as the subject line in any cover letter. VI. LIST OF REQUIRED FORMS FOR PSCs : Forms outlined below can found at: http://www.usa.gov/Topics/Reference-Shelf/forms.shtml http://www.usaid.gov/forms/ or at 1. Federal Employment Application (OF-612). 2. Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306). 3. Medical History and Examination Form (DS-6561). 4. Questionnaire for Sensitive Positions (for National Security) (SF-86), or Questionnaire for Non-Sensitive Positions (SF-85). 5. Finger Print Card (FD-258). Forms 1 through 5 shall be completed ONLY upon the advice of the Contracting Officer that an applicant is the successful candidate for the job. CONTRACT INFORMATION BULLETINS (CIBs) and ACQUISITION & ASSISTANCE POLICY DIRECTIVES (AAPDs) PERTAINING TO PSCs CIBs and AAPDs contain changes to USAID policy and General Provisions in USAID regulations and contracts. Please refer to http://www.usaid.gov/work-usaid/aapds-cibs#psc to determine which CIBs and AAPDs apply to this contract. VII. 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 & Life Insurance Pay Comparability Adjustment Annual Increase (pending a satisfactory performance evaluation) Eligibility for Worker's Compensation Annual & 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 DISABILITY, MARITAL STATUS, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, AFFILIATION WITH AN EMPLOYEE ORGANIZATION, OR OTHER NON-MERIT FACTOR.