ISSUANCE DATE: March 26, 2012 CLOSING DATE: April 13, 2012 SUBJECT: Solicitation No. SOL-538-12-000002 Personal Services Contract - USAID/Barbados - US-TCNPSC Program Officer GS-14 Salary range US$84,697 - US$110,104 Ladies and Gentlemen: The United States Government, represented by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), is seeking applications from qualified U.S. citizens and Third Country Nationals (TCNs) to provide personal services as described in the attached solicitation. The length of this position is estimated to be from on/about May 2012 through o/a September 2013. Submittals shall be in accordance with the attached information at the place and time specified. Any questions on this solicitation may be directed to: Soraya Morillo USAID/Dominican Republic Telephone Number: 809-731-7042 Fax Number: 809-221-0023 E-mail address:
[email protected] Applicants should retain for their records copies of all enclosure which accompany their applications. All applications and the required documents should be submitted to the following persons by April 13, 2012, 4:00pm Easter Time: Penelope A. Thomas-Attar/Soraya Morillo USAID/Dominican Republic Telephone Number: 809-731-7042 Fax Number: 809-221-0023 E-mail:
[email protected] E-mail:
[email protected] Sincerely, Penelope A. Thomas-Attar Regional Supervisory Executive Officer USAID BARBADOS AND EASTERN CARIBBEAN Program Officer Position Description A. Background The nations of the Eastern Caribbean remain economically vulnerable to external market conditions and increasing internal economic and social stress. These states are particularly challenged by the persistent HIV/AIDS epidemic; trade liberalization creating the need to operate in highly competitive open markets; adverse effects of a changing global climate; increased international drug trafficking and an alarming rise in youth violent crime. Added to this menu of mounting issues, the sub-region has been on the receiving end of the global recession, which has caused painful economic contraction reducing government revenues and spending, business profits, employment and personal incomes. The region's vulnerability to multiple forms of natural disasters places further stress on these fragile economies and exposes their populations to grave physical risk. USAID/Barbados and Eastern Caribbean's development assistance activities over the strategy period 2011-2015 serve to strengthen the capacity of host country institutions to "build and sustain" their economic and social fabric, making them more resilient to the sorts of threats enumerated above. This development assistance strategy comprises four pillars - combating HIV/AIDS, pursuing economic growth through creating economic opportunities for youth, addressing deficiencies in rule of law and juvenile justice, and assisting the region to adapt to the negative impacts of climate change. This assistance is focused on the six independent states of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and Barbados, with additional Caribbean Regional Partnership Framework HIV/AIDS and Caribbean Basin Security Initiative activities carried out in Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, and in Guyana as that USAID Mission closes during 2012. USAID/Barbados and Eastern Caribbean is based in Bridgetown (located in the U.S. Embassy) and is comprised of fourteen staff, with daily operations and program implementation supervised by the USAID Mission Director. The remaining Barbados staff includes a two-person Economic Assistance Objective team and a four-person HIV/AIDS Assistance Objective team. Technical staff is supported by a Program Office comprised of three staff, and an Administrative Office comprised of four staff. With the 2012 close-out of the USAID/Guyana mission, it is anticipated that a small residue technical staff resident in Guyana will be incorporated into the USAID/Barbados and Eastern Caribbean mission staff. Additional support (administrative backstopping, contracting, legal and financial management) is provided by USAID/Dominican Republic and USAID/Washington. B. Basic Function of the Position The Program Officer (PO) is assigned to lead the three-person Program Office for USAID/Barbados and Eastern Caribbean and provide expert advice and services to support both Assistance Objective teams of the Mission in the development, planning, implementation, management, and monitoring of activities that comprise the Mission's portfolio. The PO also assists with overall strategy design and reporting as well as mentoring Program Office staff. The PO plays the leadership role in initiating actions related to the strategizing, design, budgeting, implementation, monitoring, analyses, assessment, evaluation and close-out of programs, activities (projects), and/or strategic objectives that comprise the Mission's portfolio. The Program Officer is expected to: •· Apply a broad knowledge of U.S. Government and USAID regulations and procedures to the development and management of the USAID/Barbados and Eastern Caribbean program; and program and sector planning and design based on a comprehensive understanding of U.S., national, and regional development needs and objectives. •· Participate in program planning carried out by the Mission including the design, development, negotiation, documentation, and implementation of USAID funded projects. •· Direct the development and preparation of Mission or regional program reports, including annual reports, Project Agreements, Implementation Orders, budget submissions and Congressional presentation material for submission to and approval by USAID/Washington including the Mission Strategic Resource Plan (MSRP), Operational Plan, Performance Plan and Report (PPR) and Congressional Notifications (CN). •· Analyze and evaluate the planning, design, implementation, results, and accomplishments of program and project activities for their need, effectiveness, efficiency, and significance. •· Perform a variety of duties related to special projects involving program issues that contain complicating elements. Manage special crosscutting initiatives and task force groups to accomplish programmatic goals. These groups may review specific programs at the organization or develop new initiatives in various program areas. C. Major Duties and Responsibilities •1. Advises the Mission Director, AO teams, individual technical officers, and other staff regarding issues affecting programming, planning, development, budgeting, procurement, implementation, monitoring, managing for results, accelerating USAID Forward implementation and procurement reform of USAID development assistance activities across the Mission's regional area of responsibility. Ensure expanded opportunities for both formal and informal training for staff in these areas of importance. •2. Provides leadership for the design and development of the Mission's performance monitoring system. Collaborates with AO teams to develop practical information tracking systems. Assists in the verification of baseline data and helps to analyze data collected. Provides formal and informal training to staff on performance management systems. •3. Advises and monitors technical sector portfolios consisting of bilateral and regional projects/activities and programs, multiple strategic objectives/intermediate results and sub-programs through the development, implementation and close-out stages. While advising others on specific strategic objectives, intermediate results, and projects/activities, the PO: •i) contributes to the conceptual design of activities (projects), amendments, and related statements of work; •ii) reviews or arrange for the review of proposals for new activities as well as for commitments, obligation, and de-obligation actions; •iii) identifies results framework issues and makes significant contributions to USAID's Annual Report preparation; •iv) reviews program, activity (project), strategic objective, and intermediate results proposals, and amendments to ensure adherence to approved Bureau and Mission strategy and policies. Make recommendations for further actions if indicated; •v) serves as an advisor for the design and development of proposals for programs, activities (projects), feasibility studies, evaluations, analyses, and the like. •vi) collaborates with AO teams and other Mission staff to identify and arrange for the services of experts to assist with these efforts; •vii) convenes and lead meetings as needed to address activity (project), program, strategic objective, and intermediate results issues; prepares agenda and minutes as required; and •viii) participates in the preparation of close-out assessments and actions as needed for activity phase-outs. •4. Leads the Mission in implementation of relevant USAID Forward initiatives, in particular Implementation and Procurement Reform which includes a special emphasis on accelerated shifting to country-based programming, Strengthening Monitoring and Evaluation, and Innovation. Supports technical offices in developing and sustaining public-private partnerships and alliances. •5. Prepares and maintains Mission Orders pertaining to program design and approval, unsolicited proposals, and evaluation. •6. Provides guidance to the Mission Director and technical teams on policies and practices related to program budget formulation, tracking, and reporting. •7. Provides strategic guidance on a variety of performance management actions such as Performance Management Plan (PMP) reviews; monitoring and evaluation (M&E) reporting systems; preparation; lead effort to raise the profile of M&E in the Mission; and other related performance management tasks. •8. Manages the Mission's development outreach and communications (DOC) efforts through mentoring and supervising the Development Assistant DOC officer. This includes providing strategic guidance on communications efforts such as the development and implementation of a rigorous communications strategy; press and media guidance for all USAID staff and implementing partners; press and media events and other related communications tasks. Coordinates public diplomacy activities with the Public Affairs Office in Embassy Bridgetown and other relevant U.S. Embassies in the Caribbean. •9. Co-supervises (with Regional Contracting Officer based in USAID/Dominican Republic) Assistance and Acquisition Specialist and assists all staff in assistance and acquisition planning so that results are achieved in an efficient and timely manner. •10. Makes site visits across the ten-country program area as necessary to observe program results and to interface with project implementation partners. •11. Supports the Mission through a variety of other assigned tasks. May respond to urgent, complex information requests and action items as needed. The nature and content of these action items could vary widely from the drafting of a USAID/Barbados and Eastern Caribbean information memoranda for any of the U.S. Ambassadors in countries with USAID activities to the preparation of a decision memo for the Mission Director on a key, high-priority Mission issue. May also perform a variety of duties related to special projects involving visible programmatic issues and may manage cross-cutting initiatives. D. Direct Supervisor: Mission Director Supervisory controls: Minimal. Incumbent is expected to act independently with little direction. The incumbent will directly supervise two professional Locally Engaged Staff (LES); one Program Management Specialist FSN-10; one Development Program Assistant FSN-9, and co-supervise with the Regional Contracting Officer one Acquisition and Assistance Specialist FSN-10. The PO must coordinate his/her work closely with staff in both Mission technical offices, with the Mission Director, and with USAID/Washington's Latin American and Caribbean Bureau and State Department's Office of Foreign Assistance. 9. REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND EVALUATION CRITERIA Candidates will be evaluated and ranked based on the following selection criteria: 1. Education (15 points): A Master's degree is required. Preference will be given to public or business administration, economics, engineering, political science, international relations or related field. 2. Work Experience (40 points): A minimum of ten years of professional experience in project design and implementation, and monitoring and evaluation, preferably for U.S. Government agencies. 3. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (45 points): Knowledge of USG laws, policies, regulations and procedures related to international development assistance. Knowledge of USAID's strategic program and project development process and the principles of sound program oversight, budgeting and reporting, monitoring and evaluation, assistance and acquisition is required. A working knowledge of the Caribbean region, its institutions, and peculiar development challenges is preferred. Excellent written and oral communications; analytical; management; and interpersonal/teamwork skills required. Computer skills, including the development and management of spreadsheets, tracking systems, etc., and the ability to interpret, organize and present data to a variety of audiences preferred. Proven ability to mentor USAID staff in program development and management skills required. Ability to work in teams necessary. The successful candidate will be selected based on his/her qualifications, results of reference checks and an interview, and presentation of sample program or project design documents. 10. LENGTH OF CONTRACT The length of this Personal Services Contract will be until September 2013. 11. PERIOD OF SERVICE The target start date for this position is May 2012. Within 15 days after written notice from the Contracting Officer that all clearances have been received or, unless another date is specified by the Contracting Officer in writing, the Contractor shall proceed to Barbados to perform the above services. 12. OTHER REQUIREMENTS: This position is open to qualified U.S. citizens and Third Country Nationals. The selected candidate must obtain a security clearance (Secret) and all required medical clearances. 13. APPLYING: Applications must be received by the closing date and time at the address specified in the cover letter. Qualified individuals are required to submit: - A complete U.S. Government Optional Form 612 with hand-written signature (downloadable forms are available on the USAID website, http://www.usaid.gov/procurement_bus_opp/procurement/forms . This solicitation in no way obligates USAID to award a PSC contract, nor does it commit USAID to pay any cost incurred in the preparation and submission of the application. List of Required Forms for PSCs Forms outlined below can be found at: http://www.usaid.gov/forms/ •1. Optional Form 612 •2. Medical History and Examination Form (DS-1843) ** •3. Questionnaire for Sensitive Positions (SF-86) ** or •4. Questionnaire for Non-Sensitive Positions (SF-85)** •5. Finger Print Card (FD-258)** ** Forms 2 through 5 shall be completed ONLY upon the advice of the Contracting Officer that an applicant is the successful candidate for the job. 14. BENEFITS AND ALLOWANCES As a matter of policy, and as appropriate, a PSC is normally authorized the following benefits and allowances: BENEFITS: Employer's FICA Contribution Contribution toward Health and Life Insurance Pay Comparability Adjustment Annual Increase (pending a satisfactory performance evaluation) Eligibility for Worker's Compensation Annual and Sick Leave ALLOWANCES (if Applicable): * •(A) Temporary Lodging Allowance (Section 120) •(B) Living Quarters Allowance (Section 130) •(C) Post Allowance (Section 220) •(D) Supplemental Post Allowance (Section 230) •(E) Separate Maintenance Allowance (Section 260) •(F) Education Allowance (Section 270) •(G) Education Travel (Section 280) •(H) Post Differential (Chapter 500) •(I) Payments during Evacuation/Authorized Departure (Section 600) and •(J) Danger Pay (Section 650) * Standardized Regulations (Government Civilians Foreign Areas) FEDERAL TAXES: USPSCs are required to pay Federal Income Taxes, FICA and Medicare. ALL QUALIFIED APPLICANTS WILL BE CONSIDERED REGARDLESS OF AGE, RACE, COLOR, SEX, CREED, NATIONAL ORIGIN, LAWFUL POLITICAL AFFILIATION, NON-DISQUALIFYING HANDICAP, MARITAL STATUS, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, AFFILIATION WITH AN EMPLOYEE ORGANIZATION OR OTHER NON-MERIT FACTOR.