SENIOR GOVERNANCE ADVISOR

ISSUANCE DATE: May 11, 2016 CLOSING DATE: May 25, 2016 (17:00 PM Local Time (Kosovo)) SUBJECT: SOLICITATION NUMBER SOL-167-16-000014 PERSONAL SERVICE CONTRACTOR SENIOR GOVERNANCE ADVISOR 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 Governance 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-167-16-000014 ISSUANCE DATE: May 11, 2016 CLOSING DATE: May 25, 2016 (NLT 17:00 PM Local Time (Kosovo)) POSITION TITLE: Senior Governance Advisor MARKET VALUE: GS-15 equivalent ($ 102,646 - $ 133,444 per annum) Final compensation will be based on individual's salary and work history, experience, and educational background PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: This is a one-year position from o/a July 2016 - o/a July 2017 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. 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 objective of this US PSC is to provide overall strategic and management support to the Democracy and Governance Office (DG) of USAID/Kosovo. The Governance Advisor will serve as the Acting DG Office Director managing the entire USAID/Kosovo DG portfolio. 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. The USPSC reports to the Mission Director or Deputy Mission Director or his/her designee. Major Duties and Responsibilities The incumbent will be responsible for management, monitoring, evaluation and development of a broad range of democracy and governance challenging DG related programs undertaken by USAID. This position will cover a gap before a career USAID officer is assigned as the Democracy and Governance Officer. Position duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to: • Manage the USAID DG office in her/his capacity as Acting DG Office Director during the established performance period. Work with staff to realign management and ensure coverage in light of changes in staff. Manage overall budget for the DG portfolio. Set up and/or keep up processes of staff meetings, basic project tracking and documentation, and a revised system of performance measurement, and providing recommendations for programming adjustments in light of developing USAID Forward processes; • Supervise DG staff: (1) USPSC Intermittent Senior Advisor; (2) FSN Advisors for Rule of Law; (1) FSN Local Government And Anti-Corruption Specialist; (1) FSN Civil Society and Political Competition Program Manager; (1) FSN Democracy and Governance Program Manager; (1) FSN Program Management Specialist/Engineer; (1) FSN Program Management/Development Assistance Specialist -Team Leader; (1) FSN Project Specialist for Minority Engagement; (1) FSN Project/Administrative Assistant and TDY personnel assigned to the DG team; • Manage DG's complex design and procurement schedule including: 1) Start-up of new Elections support program; 2) Assist in design and start-up of new governance programs; 3) Assist in developing any new political processes activities. • Maintain liaison with government officials and private sector counterparts to encourage open communication and to help ensure proper project/program design and implementation; • Review and/or prepare contracting related documentation, including statements of work, budgets, waivers, etc., for new contracts and grants as well as for modifications of existing contracts and grants and participate in contractor and grantee selection panels; • Conduct necessary research and prepare analysis and documentation in responses to requests for information from USAID/Washington, the U.S. Office Pristina and our Kosovar Counterparts; • Make policy recommendations and/or provide briefings to Mission management and high-level U.S. and Kosovar decision makers on USAID/Kosovo Democracy and Governance activities; • Serve as the DG liaison with the US Embassy/Political section, Public Affairs Office and Law Enforcement Agencies at Post and other agencies as needed; • Undertake monitoring visits to activity sites and prepares corollary monitoring reports; • Provide policy guidance to counterpart organizations in Kosovo, most specifically the Ministry of Justice and/or the Ministry of Local Government Administration. May include periodic secondment to such institutions; • Provide bi-weekly bulleted reports on on-going activities, key events, and management issues to the Front Office; • Conduct briefings for U.S. and GoK decision makers on governance activities; • Provide written policy recommendations as needed; • Hand-over memorandum summarizing accomplishments and status of pending tasks prior to departure from post including completing evaluations as appropriate for all staff; • Other duties as required per the Front Office. Position Elements 1. Degree of responsibility for decision-making: The incumbent will report to the Mission Director or the Deputy Mission Director or his/her designee, and will be expected to operate with great independence in dealing with complex programs and high-level government and donor counterparts in guiding the management of a comprehensive set of technical assistance programs. Due to the high level of responsibility in this position, the Advisor will have considerable latitude in the exercise of her/his duties for program design, management, and evaluation, and for the identification and resolution of issues affecting program performance both within and outside of the Mission. The incumbent will be responsible for decisions made by the DG Office during the period of this position. S/he will make policy recommendations and/or provide briefings to Mission management and high level U.S. and Kosovar decision makers on USAID/Kosovo's DG activities. The Senior Governance Advisor will routinely be called upon to utilize independent judgment to develop and present strategy, activity and programmatic recommendation for the Mission decision making process. Experience working with minimal oversight to accomplish complex and demanding tasks that require both technical and managerial expertise. This includes complex project design; negotiation of new approaches to development with high-level government officials and representatives from the private sector; ability to independently conduct research, analysis and reports that both inform and guide not only USAID program direction but top-level USG policy as well. 2. Knowledge level & skills required: Expert knowledge and in-depth understanding of international relations and political issues affecting less-developed countries, as well as an exceptional ability to utilize, synthesize, and apply this knowledge to Mission programming. Sound judgment on technical and institutional issues, resulting in the ability to develop authoritative program and policy recommendations. Ability to quickly spot new trends or problems concerning multilateral and bilateral foreign assistance, define their parameters, develop innovative conceptual approaches to consider them and coach others to make necessary policy recommendation to deal with them. Excellent analytical and conceptual abilities and capability to define USAID priorities in the complex environments. Outstanding leadership, managerial and organization skills are required which are sufficient to both assist and help manage multifaceted, comprehensive development programs. Excellent communications skills both oral and written; demonstrated ability to communicate and persuade across cultures on complex issues and options. Excellent interpersonal skills required to work across the Mission and with external contacts and with local public and private sector institutions, as required. Historical, political and economic knowledge of the Balkan region preferred. 3. Level of complexity of the work environment: This is a senior-level position in a high profile USG foreign assistance program that requires extensive knowledge, experience, maturity, and the ability to function in a complex, highly demanding, and often uncertain environment. Duties are varied, and assignments often require the participation and support of others. 4. Level and purpose of contacts: Liaise with top level government officials. This includes working to build consensus on topics where there may be disagreements between Kosovar government officials; between the USG and Kosovar government officials, and/or between private sector actors and Kosovar government officials. The Advisor will guide and play a leading role in the development and maintenance and active dialogue on the development of key policy initiatives and institutional reforms. 5. Supervisory Controls: S/he must be able to work with a high degree of independence, initiative, and often within short time constraints. The Adviser will report to the Deputy Mission Director or the Mission Director or his/her designee, and will be expected to operate with great independence in dealing with complex programs and high-level government and donor counterparts in guiding the management of a comprehensive set of technical assistance programs. Due to the high level of responsibility in this position, the Adviser will have considerable latitude in the exercise of her/his duties for program design, management, and evaluation, and for the identification and resolution of issues affecting program performance both within and outside of the Mission. 6. Supervision/oversight of others: (1) USPSC Intermittent Senior Advisor (2) FSN Advisors for Rule of Law; (1) FSN Local Government And Public Administration Specialist; (1) FSN Civil Society and Political Competition Program Manager; (1) FSN Democracy and Governance Program Manager; (1) FSN Program Management Specialist/Engineer; (1) FSN Program Management/Development Assistance Specialist - Team Leader; (1) FSN Project Specialist for Minority Engagement; (1) FSN Project/Administrative Assistant and TDY personnel assigned to the DG team. 7. Available Guidelines: The Senior Governance Advisor will routinely be called upon to utilize independent judgment to develop and present strategy, activity and programmatic recommendation for the Mission. A high degree of discretion and sound judgment is required in the interpretation and application of the USAID Automated Directive System (ADS), USG regulations and procedures, U.S. statures, and USAID and DOS Strategic Frameworks. 8. Complexity of the work environment/effect on the position's responsibilities: The USAID/Kosovo DG Office has a complex portfolio of bilateral and regional programs. The incumbent will need to be able to respond rapidly and with sound judgment to issues as they arise. Incumbent will frequently be called upon to summarize complex issues and situations in a succinct and relevant manner for senior management. 9. Scope and effect of the work performed: The key responsibility of the position is to lead and direct the work of a professional staff in the DG office. The incumbent will be looked to as the expert in all aspects of DG activities. Decisions and actions taken by the incumbent will affect US policy and relationships with host country counterparts, multilateral entities and USG Agencies. II. QUALIFICATIONS AND SELECTION CRITERIA: • Education (10 points): University graduate degree in International Relations, Public Administration, Political Science, Law, business or international development is required. Prior Work Experience (20 points): 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. • Language Proficiency: English fluency is required. • Knowledge (35 points): Expert knowledge of USAID rules, regulations and systems pertaining to strategic analysis, budgeting, planning and implementation, project design, monitoring and evaluation is required. The DG Director will be required to have the academic and work experience to be a master of an extensive range of DG -related issues. He/she must possess expert-level technical knowledge and have demonstrated expertise at project implementation and management, coordination of programs across agencies and donors, staff supervision and team leadership, budget management and oversight, project evaluation and design and political sensitivity that draw from experiences in other countries. • Skills and Abilities (35 points): The Senior Governance 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. Maximum Points Available: 100 III. 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. IV. 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. V. 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. VI. 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.