Senior Education Technical Advisor

ATTACHMENT 1 72066018R00006 I. GENERAL INFORMATION 1. SOLICITATION NO.: 72066018R00006 2. ISSUANCE DATE: July 31, 2018 3. CLOSING DATE/TIME FOR RECEIPT OF OFFERS: September 13, 2018 before and/or on 5:00 PM (DRC local time) 4. POSITION TITLE: Senior Education Technical Advisor 5. MARKET VALUE: GS-14 ($89,370 - $116,181 per annum). The final compensation will be negotiated within the listed market value based on the successful candidate's salary history, work experience and educational background. Salaries over and above the top of the GS 14 pay range will not be entertained or negotiated. 6. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: A base of one (1) year with an option of four one-year extensions up to a maximum of 5 years. Exercise of option will depend on continuing need of services, availability of funds and satisfactory or better performance. 7. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: USAID/Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kinshasa. 8. SECURITY LEVEL REQUIRED: The final selected candidates must obtain both the appropriate security and medical clearances within a reasonable period of time. If such clearances are not obtained within a reasonable time or negative suitability issues are involved, any offer made may be rescinded. Facility Access (USPSC); and Background Check (TCNPSC). 9. STATEMENT OF DUTIES 1. General Statement of Purpose of the Contract The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is the second largest country in Africa, and is consistently ranked amongst countries at the very bottom of the Human Development Index. It is estimated that, of 70 plus million inhabitants, 15 million are of primary school age, of which 7 million children and adolescents (aged 5 to 17) are out of school, including 3.5 million children of primary school age. Poverty, rural/urban and gender inequities, and distance remain major obstacles for children to enroll or remain in school. Learning outcomes are compromised by very high rates of malnutrition and poor health: children can come to school malnourished, infected with parasites, and at times suffering from chronic malaria. The education system faces severe challenges to improve equitable access, quality, and governance throughout the sector. Conflict and instability have also placed significant strain on the education system and been identified as a key barrier to access and retention in schools, particularly for girls. In areas of conflict, children and youth can face extreme vulnerabilities; include conscription into armed groups or use as sexual slaves or laborers. Ongoing violent conflict in the East has left 2.2 million people internally displaced and 7.5 in need of humanitarian assistance. Instability also affected the Kasai region of central DRC due to clashes between separatist militia and state forces. Low system efficiency is caused in part by the poor quality of education, and the Government of the DRC (GDRC) has prioritized the improvement of education quality as a key objective of the 2016-2025 Education Sector Strategy. Teachers play a critical role in improving student learning outcomes; however, the current pre-service teacher preparation system is weak and does not equip graduates with requisite skills and competencies. Other challenges include low institutional capacity; limited instructional time; ineffective instructional approaches, especially for the foundational skills of reading and math; lack of classroom management and pedagogical skills; and lack of materials and adequate infrastructure to provide a quality education to every child. In recent years, there have been various initiatives to improve teacher's skills, and the GDRC has adopted a National In-Service Teacher Training policy. To promote student learning, the Ministry of Primary, Secondary and Vocational Education is working to reinvigorate the use of national languages in early grade reading instruction so that children can learn to read in a national language (L1) and then transition to French (L2) by the end of Grade 4. The results of a learning assessment carried out by the Program on the Analysis of Education Systems (PASEC 2010) indicate that at the end of the 5th year of primary education, only 47% of pupils reached the level of "minimal" knowledge in French and 59% in math. In 2015, USAID-funded Early Grade Reading Assessments (EGRA) in four target provinces found that 81% of Grade 3 pupils could not read a single word correctly from a grade-level text, and on average, pupils could only read 2 words correctly per minute. Even by Grade 5, 34% of pupils could not read a single word correctly from a grade-level text, and on average, pupils could read only 18 correct words per minute, a level of reading fluency too low for reading comprehension. Overall, Grade 3 and Grade 5 pupils on average could not answer even one reading comprehension question correctly. Grade 5 boys outperformed girls on all EGRA sub-tasks, and Grade 5 girls had significantly more zero scores than boys. The results of EGRA sub-tasks suggest that pupils in Grades 3 and 5 had not yet achieved fluency in letter-sound recognition, despite the fact that this is a core skill that pupils ideally should master in Grade 1. USAID/DRC Overview: The DRC is a strategic priority country in Africa for U.S. foreign policy and assistance. With 163 U.S., FSN, and third-country personnel, the Mission programs an annual development and humanitarian assistance budget of approximately $500 million across three operating units: the DRC, Central African Republic, and Central Africa Regional. In 2014, USAID published a five-year Country Development and Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) for the DRC. The Mission's goal under the CDCS's is to support a "Long-term transition to more effective and empowering development in the DRC." USAID recognizes that transformational change in the DRC will require long-term investment, that the Congolese people's expectations of their government should be met through the improved provision of social services, including basic education. USAID's 20-year vision is that the Congolese take charge of their future to manage and sustain growth with their own human, natural, and financial resources. In order to achieve this, USAID supports three Objectives under the CDCS: • Development Objective (DO) 1: Selected national level institutions more effectively implement their mandates • Development Objective (DO) 2: Lives improved through coordinated development approaches in select regions • Transition Objective (TO) 3: Foundation for durable peace strengthened in eastern DRC USAID aims to strengthen Congolese institutions, at both the national and sub-national levels, that strengthen the social compact between citizens and the state. Under DO 1, USAID supports national-level public and private institutions in identifying and addressing development challenges. DO 2 conducts similar work with provincial and local institutions, while also emphasizing linkages between citizens and the state. Focused on the supply and demand side of service provision, DO 2 aims to ensure that quality services are available to the Congolese population, while increasing citizens' knowledge and affordability of the services. Lastly, under TO3, USAID works to strengthen the foundation for peace in eastern DRC by identifying root causes of violence and implementing programs to address them. The promotion of gender equality through national and local leadership, civil society, improved governance, and gender-sensitive institutions is integral to the success and sustainability of USAID's efforts in the DRC. In 2014, USAID and the United Kingdom (UK) Department for International Development (DFID) signed an innovative $180 million, five-year partnership agreement entitled "ACCELERE!" (Accès, Lecture, Retention et Redevabilité or Access, Reading, Retention and Accountability) to support primary education in the provinces of Katanga, Kasaï Occidental, Kasaï Oriental, Equateur, South Kivu and North Kivu. This joint program, comprised of four coordinated contracts and grants, supports the Government of the DRC to improve access, equity, and quality of learning in primary education, and to improve governance and accountability in the sector in DRC. This five-year partnership is aligned with the GDRC's policies, in particular the 2016-2025 Education Sector Strategy. It also complements activities to be funded by USAID, the UK, and other donors through the Global Partnership for Education (GPE). By the end of ACCELERE!, USAID and DFID aim to achieve the following objectives: • Improved reading and writing for 1.5 million children in local languages and in French; • Increased access to a primary schooling for 450,000 out-of-school children; • Increased retention of children in target schools by 30%; • Strengthened capacities of parent committees, school management committees and school communities; and • Strengthened capacities of the Ministry of Primary, Secondary and Vocational Education The ACCELERE! partnership is comprised of four coordinated activities: • ACCELERE! Activity 1 (2015-2020), a $134 million contract co-funded by USAID and DFID and focused on improving education access, quality, and governance in the DRC; • ACCELERE! Activity 2 (2015-2020), a £16,952,329 million DFID-funded contract to improve governance and accountability in the education sector; • ACCELERE Activity 3 (2016-2021), a component of a $24.5 million USAID Mission-wide contract focused on monitoring and evaluation of the ACCELERE! partnership; and • ACCELERE Activity 4 Phase I (2015-2018), a $11.2 million USAID and DFID-funded grant to UNICEF to reduce the number of out-of-school children in the DRC. • ACCELERE Activity 4 Education in Emergencies (2018-2021), a $8.5 million USAID and DFID-funded grant to UNICEF to improve children's access to quality education in conflict-affected Kasai Central and Oriental Through ACCELERE Activity 1 (A!1), USAID supports the GDRC's Education Sector Strategy goal to "Create the conditions for a quality education system" by working to improve educational outcomes for boys and girls in select education provinces in the DRC. A! 1 aims to strengthen education service delivery in public and religiously-affiliated primary schools in 26 education sub-divisions across six provinces: Haut Katanga, Lualaba, Kasaï Central, Kasaï Oriental, Equateur and Sud-Ubangi. In addition, A!1 supports non-formal Alternative/Accelerated Learning Programs (ALPs) in these 26 sub-divisions as well as in targeted areas of North and South Kivu provinces, and in vocational training centers in target areas of the Kivus and conflict-affected zones in Haut Katanga and Lualaba. A!1 aims to strengthen partnerships between government at the national and decentralized levels, between communities and schools, and between the public and private sectors. A! ensures that girls and boys benefit equally from project activities, and that all assistance is conflict sensitive and disability inclusive. In line with USAID's Education Strategy, a major focus of A!1 is to improve the quality of education for boys and girls in the lower grades of primary school through a focus on improving early grade reading instruction. A!1 is working with the GDRC, GPE, and other donors and development partners to advance national policies and coordination that promote early grade reading in national languages in Grades 1 to 4, French oral language acquisition in Grades 1 and 2, and a transition to French reading acquisition in Grades 3 and 4. A!1 supports the Ministry of Primary, Secondary and Vocational Education and the Ministry of Social Affairs in curriculum development and the design of evidence-based, high quality early grade reading instructional materials. A!1 trains education authorities, school directors and teachers to improve teachers' pedagogy, and in the 2017/2018 school year will roll out a model of teacher coaching and community engagement to support early grade reading. Ultimately, the project is working to support an effective transition from national language reading acquisition in Lingala, Kiswahili and Ciluba to French language reading acquisition by the end of Grade 4. The primary focus of the Senior Education Technical Advisor's work will be to provide advanced technical expertise in the areas of education quality and early grade reading, to lead USAID's engagement with the GDRC, GPE and other donors and development partners in these technical areas, and to ensure that USAID's and A!'s investments in early grade reading are evidence-based and structured to ensure a measurable impact on students' levels of reading fluency and comprehension. In addition to ACCELERE!, USAID manages the "Empowering Adolescent Girls to Lead through Education" or EAGLE project (2013-2018), a $15.9 million contract to support girls' transition from primary to secondary school, and is building and equipping a Teacher Training Resource Center in Mbuji-Mayi (2015-2018). USAID also manages the $22,150,000 Integrated Youth Development Activity (2018-2021) in eastern DRC. USAID's Education Office includes a staff of seven U.S. and FSN professionals, who directly manage an annual Basic Education budget of approximately $30 million. USAID/DRC seeks to fill the position of Senior Education Technical Advisor by XXXXXX2018. 2. Statement of Duties to be Performed Under the supervision of the Education Office Director, the role of the Senior Education Technical Advisor will be to provide advanced technical expertise on education sector reform to USAID/DRC's Mission leadership and Education Office, the GDRC and other development partners, and USAID's implementing partners, with a particular focus on education quality and early grade reading. The Senior Education Technical Advisor will provide expert political, policy and technical analysis of the GDRC's and USAID's strategies and investments to advance the quality of basic education the DRC. S/he will provide technical and management oversight to USAID's investments in education quality and early grade reading. The Senior Education Technical Advisor will serve as a senior USAID representative to the GDRC and other development partners with a focus on education sector reform and the coordination of efforts to improve education quality. The Senior Education Technical Advisor will support the ACCELERE! partnership by leading USAID's technical oversight of activities to improve education quality and early grade reading in the DRC. S/he will review strategic planning, work plans and project deliverables, and conduct monitoring and evaluation of ACCELERE! activities. The Senior Education Technical Advisor will be responsible for assuring that USAID/DRC's investments reflect global evidence and Agency guidance on effective approaches to early grade reading. S/he will promote effective engagement with the GDRC technical offices, spearhead coordination with GPE and other development partners working to advance education quality in the DRC, and collaborate with USAID/Washington to ensure that ACCELERE! advances Agency-level education goals. The Senior Education Technical Advisor's major duties and responsibilities include: Education Sector Policy Reform and Engagement 20% • Support the ACCELERE! partnership through the structures agreed upon by the GDRC, USAID and DFID, including an ACCELERE! Technical Steering Committee; • Engage with counterparts in the Ministries of Primary and Secondary Education (MEPSP), Social Affairs (MAS), and Gender to advance education sector policy and coordination of efforts to improve education quality and early grade reading; • Participate in Ministry-led coordination structures and working groups, including Joint Education Sector reviews and other opportunities to review sector performance; • Support effective coordination with GPE and other donor and development partner initiatives to support improved education quality and early grade reading; • Promote activities to disseminate information and evidence on student learning to GDRC and other education stakeholders, including civil society; and • Support GDRC and ACCELERE! efforts to develop and advance a national reading policy. Technical Analysis, Application, and Evidence-Building 15% • Serve as a senior technical advisor on education sector reform, including global and GDRC-specific policy objectives to improve education quality and student learning; • Review and summarize relevant research, experience, and evidence on effective approaches to improving teaching and learning in Sub-Saharan Africa and the DRC; • Serve as a technical advisor on different approaches to early grade reading, and ensure that USAID's education programs reflect global evidence on teachers' pedagogy and professional development, instructional materials design, and student assessment; • Coordinate USAID-funded student assessments, including Early Grade Reading Assessments, with other GDRC efforts to monitor and report on student learning; • Support the development of strong research, data collection and analysis, evidence building and integration/application within the ACCELERE! partnership; and • Facilitate the design and implementation of performance and impact evaluations. Education Program Management 50% • Provide technical and management oversight to USAID's education programs, with focus on USAID's investments in education quality and early grade reading; • In collaboration with ACCELERE! partners, USAID's Contracting Officer (CO) and Contracting Officer's Representative (COR), provide technical direction and oversight of USAID efforts to improve the quality of education and early grade reading in the DRC; • Review ACCELERE! strategic approaches, work plans, and project deliverables; conduct monitoring, evaluation and reporting; and liaise with COR and CO to monitor project outcomes and deliverables, and address challenges as they arise; • Maintain alignment of USAID's programming with the GDRC Education Sector Strategy and policy goals and objectives, including "Axe 2" to promote education quality; • Maintain alignment of USAID/DRC's programming with Agency strategy and guidance; • Ensure that USAID/DRC supports high-quality, evidence-based policy reform, early grade reading curriculum and teaching/learning materials (TLM) development, reading and writing instruction, teacher training and coaching, and student assessment; • Promote well-coordinated, experience-based continuous professional development and coaching/support for teachers, as well as related capacity development for Ministry counterparts and staff at national, sub-national, and school levels; • Lead USAID's review and quality assurance processes for the development of instructional materials in national languages (L1 and L2) for Grades 1-4 for teachers; • Participate in ACCELERE! activities to promote improved quality of education; • Conduct field visits to monitor ACCELERE! approaches and activities, for data quality assurance quality and verification of project deliverables; write trip reports; and • Contribute to Education Office and USAID/DRC reporting of education results. Education Office and Portfolio Management 15% • Contribute to the overall workload of USAID/DRC's Education Office: strategic planning, portfolio/program/project design, management, M&E and reporting; • Promote staff development with a focus on building education technical knowledge and skills, including but not limited to education quality and early grade reading; • Advance USAID/DRC's CDCS cross-cutting Development/Transition Objectives by engaging in structures and opportunities to promote coordination across sectors; • Respond to tasks and queries from USAID/Washington and/or at the Mission level; • Provide periodic presentations and/or written reports on education issues; and • Periodically serve as Acting Education Office Director or Deputy as necessary. 3. Supervisor Relationship The Senior Education Technical Advisor will work under the supervision and policy guidance of the Education Office Director, who will review and approve the Senior Education Technical Advisor's work plan and performance measures. 4. Supervisory Control: The Senior Education Technical Advisor is expected to work independently with limited guidance, to represent USAID to senior levels of the USG and GDRC, and to oversee technical components of the $180 million USAID-DFID ACCELERE! program. In the absence of the Education Office Director, the Senior Education Technical Advisor may serve as Acting Office Director or Deputy, overseeing a staff of up to six education professionals. 5. Other important information: If a third country national (TCN) PSC is selected for award, during the period of this contract, the TCN contractor must provide at least one hour per day of training to a Cooperating Country National (CCN) designated by USAID. The TCNPSC's Supervisor will establish a training plan with benchmarks to measure the contractor's progress toward achieving this training deliverable. 10. AREA OF CONSIDERATION: U.S. Citizens, Resident Aliens and Third Country Nationals (TCN). Per ADS 309.3.1.11(c), if the CO issued a combined solicitation that was open to multiple eligible sources (i.e. USNs and TCNs or CCNs and TCNs), the TEC must not evaluate USN and TCN offers or CCN and TCN offers together. In order to comply with the order of preference in section 309.3.1.4, the CO must provide the TEC only those offers received from the preferred type first. After the evaluation of USN or CCN offers, if the CO, as the Source Selection Authority, determines that there are no qualified USNs or CCNs for the position, the CO may then provide the TCN offers to the TEC for evaluation. For USPSC: • Be a U.S. citizen or U.S. Permanent Resident ("green card holder"); • U.S. resident alien means a non-U.S. citizen lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States; • Submit a complete application as outlined in the solicitation section titled APPLYING; • Be able to obtain facility access authorization; • Be able to obtain a Department of State medical clearance; • Be willing to travel to work sites and other offices as/when requested; • Employment is subject to funds availability and all the required approvals obtained. For TCNPSC: • Be a Third Country National. Third Country National means an individual: (1) Who is neither a citizen nor a permanent legal resident of the United States nor of the country to which assigned for duty (DRC), and (2) Who is eligible for return to his/her home country or country of recruitment at U.S. Government expenses; • Submit a complete application as outlined in the section titled APPLYING; • Be able to obtain facility access authorization; • Be able to obtain a Department of State medical clearance; • Be willing to travel to work sites and other offices as/when requested; • Employment is subject to funds availability and all the required approvals obtained. 11. PHYSICAL DEMANDS The primary location of work will be on the USAID compound in Kinshasa, DRC. 12. POINT OF CONTACT: [email protected]. Note: No in-person appointments or telephone calls will be entertained, unless you are required to have more information about this solicitation. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION To be considered for the position, applicants must meet the minimum qualifications. For those who do, further consideration and selection will be based on panel assessment of the selection criteria, as listed below. Applicants are required to address each of the selection criteria describing specifically and accurately the relevant experience, training, education, and/or awards or recognition. Be sure to include your name and the selection and the solicitation number at the top of each page. EDUCATION: (20 points) Master's degree or foreign equivalent in education, preferably with specialization in education policy or curriculum reform; pedagogy or teacher professional development; reading/literacy, linguistics, or a related field. A Master's degree in a non-education degree may be considered if the individual has at least eight years of relevant professional experience supporting education quality. PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: (65 points) Minimum of 10 years of professional experience in the education sector. Minimum of five years of relevant professional experience with education sector reform programs in Africa and with French-speaking education systems. Minimum of two years with early grade reading reform required. Experience in curriculum reform, teacher training, instructional materials design, and student assessment preferred. Experience in education planning, program design, research, monitoring and evaluation preferred. Experience working with an international donor organization, university, non-governmental organization, and/or foundation with programs fostering education reform preferred. Demonstrated successful collaboration with government and other education stakeholders required. LANGUAGE: (15 points): Must be fluent in English and French. Proof of U.S. Department of State/Foreign Service Institute or equivalent Level Three in both Speaking and Reading French language required. II. EVALUATION AND SELECTION FACTORS The Evaluation Factors listed will be the basis for evaluating and ranking applicants for the position. Applicants will be scored based on the documentation submitted within the application. Applicants must submit a supplemental document outlining their responses to the evaluation factors in order to be considered. Only the highest-ranked applicants will be interviewed. 1. SELECTION PROCESS After the closing date for receipt of applications, a committee will convene to review applications that meet the minimum requirements and evaluate them in accordance with the evaluation criteria. Applications from candidates who do not meet the minimum requirements will not be scored. As part of the selection process, finalist candidates will be interviewed. Reference checks will be made only for applicants considered as finalists. The applicant's references must be able to provide substantive information about his/her past performance and abilities. If an applicant does not wish for USAID to contact a current employer for a reference check, this should be stated in the applicant's cover letter; USAID will delay such reference checks pending the applicant's concurrence. • Advanced technical expertise in education sector policy reform: Education policy; Curriculum reform; Teacher training, coaching/support, and professional development systems; Instructional materials design; Student learning/assessment. • Technical expertise in early grade reading reforms: Knowledge of global evidence base, research and ongoing reading reforms. Understanding of skills-based, meaning-based and balanced reading approaches. Familiarity with L1/L2 transitions. Familiarity with reading diagnostics including Early Grade Reading Assessments (EGRA). • Analytical skills: Expertise in analysis of education sector strategies, policies and reforms. Ability to apply use of current research and data to present and navigate complex internal and external education discussions. Ability to make independent judgments and evidence-based decisions to achieve improvements in student learning. • Program management skills: Ability to develop education strategies and work plans. Familiarity with program design and management from inception to completion. Ability to plan, coordinate, supervise, monitor and report on project outcomes related to education quality. • Communication and representation skills: Ability to diplomatically navigate complex discussions amongst government Ministries, donors, education experts, implementing organizations, and civil society organizations. Strong presentation skills. Ability to write high-quality reports, analysis, and other papers of university or peer-reviewed quality. Provide specific examples of your oral communication skills and style; and describe your experience facilitating meetings, and group decision-making processes. Please provide a writing sample in English where you are the primary author. Sample not to exceed 5 pages. • Cross-cultural knowledge and skills: Cross-cultural knowledge and experience, including aligning programs to host country environments. Ability to navigate cultural differences in order to work collaboratively and achieve goals. Experience working in a diverse work environment. III. APPLYING Applicants must provide at least three references with current contact information, preferably both an e-mail address and a telephone number. References will be asked to complete a questionnaire that assesses the applicant's technical knowledge, work performance, communication skills, and group dynamics, using the above specific criteria. The references will be asked to provide a general assessment of the applicant's suitability for the position. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure submitted references are available to provide a written or verbal reference in a timely manner. All applicants must complete the attached Application for Employment (AID 302-3) and submit a cover letter outlining their relevant qualification and experience for the position. For your application to be considered, the following documents must be submitted:- 1. Eligible offerors are required to complete and submit the offer form AID 309-2, "Offeror Information for Personal Services Contracts with Individuals," available at http://www.usaid.gov/forms; 2. Offers must be received by the closing date and time specified in Section I, item 3, and submitted to the Point of Contact in Section I, item 12; 3. Letter of Application and current resume; 4. To ensure consideration of offers for the intended position, Offerors must prominently reference the Solicitation number in the offer submission; 5. Please submit the application only once; and 6. Late and incomplete applications will not be considered; the application must be submitted before or on the closing date at local DRC time 5 p.m. (Local DRC Time). IV. LIST OF REQUIRED FORMS FOR PSC HIRES Once the CO informs the successful Offeror about being selected for a contract award, the CO will provide the successful Offeror instructions about how to complete and submit the following forms. 1. Medical History and Examination Form (Department of State Forms) 2. Questionnaire for Sensitive Positions for National Security (SF-86), or 3. Questionnaire for Non-Sensitive Positions (SF-85) 4. Finger Print Card (FD-258) V. BENEFITS/ALLOWANCES As a matter of policy, and as appropriate, a PSC is normally authorized the following benefits and allowances: 1. BENEFITS: (a) Employer's FICA Contribution (b) Contribution toward Health & Life Insurance (c) Pay Comparability Adjustment (d) Annual Increase (pending a satisfactory performance evaluation) (e) Eligibility for Worker's Compensation (f) Annual and Sick Leave 2. ALLOWANCES (if applicable): Section numbers refer to rules from the Department of State Standardized Regulations (Government Civilians Foreign Areas) (a) Temporary Quarter Subsistence Allowance (Section 120) (b) Living Quarters Allowance (Section 130) (c) Cost-of-Living Allowance (Chapter 210) (d) Post Allowance (Section 220) (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 Allowance (Section 650) VI. TAXES USPSCs are required to pay federal income taxes, FICA, medicare and applicable State Income taxes. VII. USAID REGULATIONS, POLICIES AND CONTRACT CLAUSES PERTAINING TO PSCs USAID regulations and policies governing USPSC awards are available at these sources: 1. USAID Acquisition Regulation (AIDAR), Appendix D, "Direct USAID Contracts with a U.S. Citizen or a U.S. Resident Alien for Personal Services Abroad," including contract clause "General Provisions," available at: https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1868/aidar_0.pdf 2. Contract Cover Page form AID 309-1 available at https://www.usaid.gov/forms 3. Acquisition and Assistance Policy Directives/Contract Information Bulletins (AAPDs/CIBs) for Personal Services Contracts with Individuals available at: http://www.usaid.gov/work-usaid/aapds-cibs . 4. Ethical Conduct. By the acceptance of a USAID personal services contract as an individual, the contractor will be acknowledging receipt of the "Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch," available from the U.S. Office of Government Ethics, in accordance with General Provision 2 and 5 CFR 2635. See: https://www.oge.gov/web/oge.nsf/OGE%20Regulations . END OF SOLICITATION EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY: The U.S. Mission in DRC provides equal opportunity and fair and equitable treatment in employment to all people without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, political affiliation, marital status, or sexual orientation. USAID/DRC also strives to achieve equal employment opportunity in all personnel operations through continuing diversity enhancement programs. The EEO complaint procedure is not available to individuals who believe they have been denied equal opportunity based upon marital status or political affiliation. Individuals with such complaints should avail themselves of the appropriate grievance procedures, remedies for prohibited personnel practices, and/or courts for relief.