Eradication Advisor

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
BUREAU OF INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AFFAIRS (INL)     

You have received this "Personal Services Contractor” (PSC) solicitation through the Department of State (DOS) Internet site. If you have any questions regarding this PSC, you may contact the DOS Official named in this solicitation.  The Department is not responsible for any data and/or text not received when retrieving this document electronically.  Amendments to solicitation documents generally contain information critical to the submission of an application.

Position Title: Eradication Advisor 
Location: Bogota, Colombia
Salary Level: FS-02 - $102,409 - $150,391 (Equivalent GS-14)
Period of performance: The period of performance for this contract is twelve (12) months from the date of award with four (4) optional one-year extensions.
Issuance Date: February 23, 2026
Closing date: March 9, 2026
Closing Time: 3:00 PM ET
Solicitation Number:  PSC-26-010-INL
Job description:  See below

Dear Prospective Offerors:

The Department of State is seeking offers from qualified U.S. citizens to provide personal services for the subject position under a personal services contract, as described in this solicitation. Submittals must be in accordance with the attached information at the place and time specified. Applicants interested in applying for this position MUST submit the following materials:

1.    Form SF 171 (Completed and signed)
2.    Complete resume. In order to fully evaluate your offer your resume must include:
a.    Paid a non-paid experience, job title, location(s), dates held (month/year), and hours worked per week for each position. Dates (month/year) and locations for any overseas experience must also be detailed. Any experience that does not include dates (month/year), locations, and hours per week will not be counted towards meeting the solicitation requirements. 
b.    Specific duties performed that fully detail the level and complexity of the work.
c.    Names and contact information (phone and email) of your current and/or previous supervisor(s). 
d.    Education and any other qualifications including job-related training courses, job-related skills, or job-related honors, awards or accomplishments. 
e.    U.S. Citizenship
Note: Resume must contain explicit information to make a valid determination that the candidate meets the experience requirements as stated in this solicitation. This information needs to be clearly identified in the resume. Failure to provide explicit information to determine qualifications for the position will result in loss of full consideration. 
3.    Evaluation Factor document specifically addressing:  Each of the Evaluation Factors shown in the solicitation below. Responses must be limited to 500 words per Evaluation Factor. Any additional words above the limit will neither be read nor scored. 
Note: The Evaluation Factors are worth 70 out of 100 points. Offerors are required to address each of the Evaluation Factors in a separate document describing specifically and accurately what experience, training, education and/or awards they have receive that are relevant to each Factor.  
4.    Professional References:  Three (3) names and contact information (phone and email) of current and/or previous supervisors to serve as professional references.  

Additional documents submitted will not be accepted. Incomplete or late offers will not be considered. Complete applications must be emailed to: 

U.S. Department of State, ATT: INL/SAO/IM PSC Team, contact@example.gov 

Sincerely,

Jamillah Timmons
Contracting Officer, U.S. Department of State
SUBJECT
A solicitation for a Personal Services Contractor (PSC), Department of State (DOS), Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL).

The United States Government (USG), represented by the DOS, seeks applications from US citizens interested in providing PSC services as described in this solicitation. 

PRE-AWARD ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF PSC (JUN 2011)
This solicitation may result in the award of one or more personal services contracts as defined in FAR 2.101.  Prior to contract award, all offerors or quotes must advise the cognizant Contracting Officer if they have a personal conflict of interest, such as a financial conflict, that would prevent them from either meeting the requirements of the clause entitled, “Post-Award Ethical Responsibilities of Personal Services Contractors,” or otherwise objectively performing their contractual duties upon contract award.  

HOW TO APPLY
Offerors proposal shall be in accordance with the requirements stated in this solicitation at the place and time specified.  A proposal will be determined non-responsive and ineligible for consideration unless all required documents and information are included in the submission.  Offerors shall ensure their resume demonstrates their possession of the minimum qualifications outlined in this Solicitation, as well as their ability to fulfill all required duties.  The Government is not responsible for any costs incurred by the offeror during the solicitation process.    

NOTE REGARDING GOVERNMENT OBLIGATIONS FOR THIS SOLICITATION 

This solicitation in no way obligates the Department of State to award a PSC contract, nor does it commit the Department of State to pay any cost incurred in the preparation and submission of the application.

Proposals must include the following and not exceed twenty (20) pages (additional pages will not be accepted or reviewed): 
1.    Form SF 171 (Completed and signed)
2.    Resume  
3.    Evaluation Factor Responses
4.    Three (3) names and contact information (phone and email) of current and/or previous supervisors to serve as professional references.  

Note: Your resume should contain explicit information to make a valid determination that you fully meet the experience requirements as stated in this solicitation. This information should be clearly identified in your resume. Failure to provide explicit information to determine your qualifications for the position will result in loss of full consideration. Additional documents submitted beyond the requirements will not be accepted or reviewed. 

*** ONE PDF ATTACHMENT IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

VETERAN’S PREFERENCE
Veteran’s preference is not applicable to this position therefore do not submit DD-214.

ALL QUALIFIED APPLICANTS WILL BE CONSIDERED REGARDLESS OF AGE, RACE, COLOR, SEX, CREED, NATIONAL ORIGIN, LAWFUL POLITICAL AFFILIATION, NONDISQUALIFYING DISABILITY, MARITAL STATUS, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, AFFILIATION WITH AN EMPLOYEE ORGANIZATION, OR OTHER NON-MERIT FACTOR.

Equal employment opportunity policy - The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor.

Submit proposal via e-mail to the attention of:
INL/SAO/IM PSC Team
E-mail: contact@example.gov 

Direct questions regarding this solicitation to:
INL/SAO/IM PSC Team
E-mail: contact@example.gov 

INL will not accept proposals beyond the closing time/date; unless it can be determined DOS mishandled the proposal.  

GENERAL STATEMENT OF THE PURPOSE OF THIS CONTRACT 
Mission of the U.S. Department of State: The U.S. Department of State is the lead institution for the conduct of American diplomacy and the Secretary of State is the President’s principal foreign policy advisor. The Department of State’s mission is to advance U.S. national security interests, fight terrorism, protect U.S. interests abroad, and implement foreign policy initiatives that build a freer, prosperous, and secure world. 

Mission of the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL): The Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) is part of the Under Secretariat for Arms Control and International Security (T) within the Department of State (DOS).  INL’s mission is to minimize the impact of international crime and illegal drugs on the United States and its citizens by providing effective foreign assistance and fostering global cooperation.  

The INL section at U.S. Embassy Bogota, established in 1985, is among the largest and most complex INL offices in the world. INL Bogota is charged with developing strategies and programs to achieve international narcotics control, law enforcement, and criminal justice foreign policy objectives.  

INL Bogota’s Eradication program, part of the Organized Crime and Counternarcotics (OCCN) Division, supports bilateral U.S. government and Government of Colombia (GOC) counternarcotics efforts by improving the effectiveness and efficiency of illicit crop eradication. These illicit crops include coca and poppy.

The purpose of this Eradication Advisor Personal Services Contract (PSC) is to provide specialized expertise to advise, oversee, and assist in the development, coordination, and implementation of manual eradication methods, operational tactics, and strategies. The Eradication Advisor reviews, develops, implements and/or contributes to a wide variety of plans, policies, and procedures for advancing US interests.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
Under the direct supervision of the Bogota-based INL OCCN Deputy Division Chief or his/her designee, the Eradication Advisor will perform the following duties:

1.    Under the direction of the INL OCCN Deputy Division Chief and Division Chief, and in coordination with other INL Bogota Programs working with the Colombian government, advise and assist INL Bogota sponsored/directed activities in support of illicit crop eradication operations.  
2.    Assist the Ministry of Defense, Colombian Armed Forces, and the Colombian National Police (CNP) to bolster eradication effectiveness and improve coordination of eradication campaigns.   
3.    Advise and assist the GOC on all eradication methods, operational planning, logistics planning, and design of nationwide strategy and priority setting, through engagement and coordination with the Ministries of Defense, Justice, and Interior, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, relevant public agencies, and other U.S. Embassy Bogota stakeholders. This primarily includes INL support for all forms of forced eradication, and when relevant Colombian government- assisted eradication and crop substitution programs.
4.    Advise the GOC on training and equipping security forces’ eradication programs, including oversight of the civilian eradication program, the ground-spray program, the drone-spray program, and other new methods, and their implementation; coordinate procurement and delivery of equipment; and determine training requirements and execution. 
5.    Coordinate with the CNP, particularly with the Sistema Integrado de Información de Monitoreo Antinarcoticos (SIIMA), and the Colombian military on communications and intelligence systems, to include the monitoring of coca cultivation, to provide enhanced operational effectiveness and warning of hostile actions.
6.    Serve as the primary operational advisor to OCCN, ensuring INL Bogota programs that support eradication, such as aviation, ISR, and logistics, are optimized to support all aspects of the bilateral counternarcotics strategy.
7.    Serve as the primary advisor for Project HONOR (Heroes Of antiNarcotics: Operational Rehabilitation), ensuring the re-employment of Colombian veterans wounded in counternarcotics operations. Support the growth of the program and coordination with the private sector and non-governmental organizations.  Includes budget planning, execution of budgets, purchasing process, execution of projects in the field, consolidation of projects, and managing grants. 
8.    Assist in the preparation of required reporting, such as the annual budget request for International Narcotics, Crime and Law Enforcement (INCLE) funds and the Mission Resource Request. Help administer and monitor the expenditure of funds provided to Colombian military forces and the CNP.  Prepare program documentation and procurement requirements for eradication projects. Help prepare regular reporting, including monthly status reports, or spot reporting as needed. Apply program management skills and COR certification to support and advise on related Colombian public force counternarcotics programs to include project design and implementation.
9.    Establish and maintain appropriate internal management control systems.  Ensure that INL Bogota programs are not subject to waste, fraud, or mismanagement. Help manage and monitor the use of all U.S.-provided commodities intended for eradication purposes.
10.    Participate, as directed, in INL Bogota’s End-Use Monitoring program for assets and supplies the USG provides to GOC counternarcotics forces.  
11.    Assist in briefing Department, Congressional, and other international dignitaries orally and in writing on the INL-funded OCCN programs in Colombia as directed by the Chief and Deputy Chief; develop appropriate itinerary and accommodate official travelers, as necessary.  
12.    Maintain security awareness and properly handle classified and controlled items and information.  
13.    When required, perform the role of Duty Officer.
14.    Perform other duties as requested and assigned that are directly related to this Statement of Work. 

TRAINING & DISTANCE LEARNING COURSES
1.    Completes the Contracting Officer Representative (PA296) distance-learning (DL) course through the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) within 120 days of arriving at Post.  
2.    Completes the Introduction to Working in an Embassy (PN113) distance-learning (DL) course through the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) within the first six (6) months of arriving at Post.
3.    Completes the mandatory Foreign Affairs Counter-Threat (FACT) Course (CT650) prior to deployment to Post.  
4.    Completes INL-relevant courses within the first six (6) months of arriving at Post:
•    PP420 INL Program and Project Management I
•    PP421 INL Financial Management
•    PP422 INL Contract Administration, Procurement Policies and Procedures
•    PP223 Managing Foreign Assistance Awards Overseas
•    PA222 Monitoring Grants and Cooperative Agreements
•    PP425 Foreign Assistance Performance Monitoring and Evaluation
•    PA392 ILMS Overseas Ariba Procurement
5.    Works with the INL Program Office/Post to determine a timeline for completing the INL Staff Orientation and Readiness Training (SOAR).
6.    Consultations with the INL Program Office may be required.

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE & TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS
The place of performance for this position is the U.S. Embassy Bogota, Colombia. Regular travel to rural areas, small towns, and occasionally large cities throughout Colombia is a requirement of this position.  Many of these areas in Colombia are conflict zones where insurgent groups are based, criminal organizations operate, and crime is generally high.  In addition, many of these areas in Colombia are tropical, with high temperatures, high humidity, tropical insects and diseases, and minimal infrastructure.  

RELATIONSHIPS
The Eradication Advisor will report directly to the OCCN Deputy Division Chief, and through the Deputy to the OCCN Division Chief, and will liaise and coordinate with INL/WHP staff in Washington, DC.  The Eradication Advisor will provide general administrative and policy advice concerning overall program priorities and objectives, as well as work with INL/WHP to develop and manage programs and related issues.  The Eradication Advisor will liaise with other USG agencies/governments active in the fields of policing, law enforcement, security assistance, public affairs, and cooperation, and with host government contacts.  The Eradication Advisor will monitor eradication projects in Colombia, analyzing their effectiveness and suggesting improvements.

The Contract Administrator shall be the INL Contracting Officer in Washington.  In no instance shall the OCCN Deputy Division Chief or any other individual be authorized to alter or modify the terms and conditions of the contract or waive the Government's requirements, price, delivery, or other terms and conditions. The Contracting Officer must authorize such changes in writing.

The OCCN Deputy Division Chief will provide yearly performance reviews to the INL/SAO/IM Contracting Officer in Washington, D.C. to contribute to the incumbent’s official yearly review.

COMPLEXITY
This position involves national-level planning, organizing, and completing budgeting and organizational analysis of enormous complexity.  Due to the high visibility and political sensitivity of the issues in which INL Bogota is involved, planning, organizing, and determining the scope and depth of studies/audits to be undertaken will vary with little predictability.  The PSC is expected to address difficult scenarios by separating the substantive nature of the programs or issues into their components and determining the nature and magnitude of programs or issues, as well as ensuring compliance with legislative and policy intent and translating same into program actions.

SCOPE & EFFECTIVENESS 
The PSC performs broad and extensive assignments related to a complex administrative/operational program spanning the full range of citizen safety, law enforcement, rule of law, and counternarcotics programs in Colombia, which is of significant interest to the public and to Congress.

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE
The period of performance for this contract is twelve (12) months from the date of award with four (4) optional one-year extensions.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
1.    U.S. citizenship with the ability to obtain and maintain Department of State Secret level security clearance, medical clearance, and ethics clearance (if applicable). (Security clearance upgrade to a Top-Secret level may be required).
2.    Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution AND a minimum of ten (10) years of related experience in the fields of policing, law enforcement, security, and counter-narcotics; or,
a.    Master’s degree from an accredited institution AND a minimum of eight (8) years of related experience in the fields of policing, law enforcement, security, and counter-narcotics.
3.    A minimum of five (5) years of experience working in Colombia or other Latin American country managing bilateral or multilateral policing, counternarcotics, and/or security assistance programs.
4.    Demonstrated project management experience in Latin America in the following areas:
a.    Developing and managing long-term security and law enforcement programs, including assessment, monitoring and evaluation;
b.    Drafting related reports/documents, annual budgets, and strategic plan submissions;
c.    Planning, strategizing, implementing and reporting on projects;  
d.    Drafting analytical briefing papers, memoranda, letters, and reports for review and/or signature by senior-level officials; and
e.    Coordinating and working closely with the Department of State, the Department of Defense, United Nations and/or international community on security sector development programs.
5.    Demonstrated ability to read and speak Spanish at the professionally proficient level. 
6.    Demonstrated knowledge of illicit crop eradication programs, methods, and operations.  
7.    Demonstrated knowledge of military or police training activities.
8.    Demonstrated knowledge of command communications, government intelligence procedures, and logistics management procedures.

EVALUATION FACTORS
(Used to determine the competitive ranking of qualified offerors in comparison to other offerors.) Offerors should cite specific, illustrative examples for each factor. Responses must be limited to 500 words per factor. Any additional words above the limit will neither be read nor scored.

Factor 1:    Work Experience                            (30 points)
    Demonstrated experience and knowledge in developing, coordinating, organizing, and implementing support programs to foreign country security forces. Previous substantive security or law enforcement experience overseas working directly for the Department of State is preferred.

Factor 2:    Program Experience                        (20 points)
    Demonstrated experience in preparing budgets, spend plans, statements of work (SOWs), procurement orders, purchase requests, and sole-source justification waiver requests. Demonstrated experience initiating, overseeing, and evaluating security training and logistics programs, particularly in eradication and/or crowd control methods and equipment. Experience cultivating networks of government officials and NGOs in context of program implementation is preferred.

Factor 3:    Management and Communication Experience        (20 points)
    Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, in both English and Spanish, in a timely and concise manner; to interact effectively with others at all levels to prepare, analyze, explain, and defend determinations and requirements with respect to conformance to applicable laws, policies and other regulatory guidelines; and advise program officials. 

BASIS OF RATING: Offerors who clearly meet the Education/Experience Requirements will be further evaluated based on scoring of the Evaluation Factor responses. Offerors are required to address each of the Evaluation Factors in a separate document describing specifically and accurately what experience, training, education and/or awards they have received that are relevant to each factor. Failure to specifically address the Evaluation Factors may result in your not receiving credit for all pertinent experience, education, training and/or awards.

The Offeror Rating System is as Follows: 

Evaluation Factors have been assigned the following points: 
Factor #1 – 30
Factor #2 – 20 
Factor #3 – 20 
Total Possible – 70 Points 

Interview Performance – 30 points 

Satisfactory Professional Reference Checks – Pass/Fail (no points assigned)
Past performance evaluation of applicant’s ability to perform under the contract.  In conducting the evaluation, the U.S. government reserves the right to utilize all evaluation information available at the time of evaluation, whether provided by the applicant or obtained from other sources. 

Total Possible Points: 100

The most qualified candidates may be interviewed, required to provide a writing sample, and demonstrate an ability to operate commonly used office applications. INL will not pay for any expenses associated with the interviews. In addition, applications (written materials and interviews) will be evaluated based on content as well as on the applicant's writing, presentation, and communication skills. In the event that an applicant has fully demonstrated his/her qualifications and there are no other competitive applicants, INL reserves the right to forego the interview process. Professional references will be evaluated for applicants being considered for selection.

COMPENSATION (BASE PAY)
This position has been designated at the FS-02 equivalent level ($102,409 - $150,391 per annum). Final compensation will be negotiated within the listed market value based upon qualifications, previous relevant experience and work history, salary and educational background. Salaries, including any recruitment supplemental pay that exceeds the listed pay range, will not be entertained or negotiated.

For award, INL will negotiate for this contract based on the market value as outlined above and overall experience relevant to the solicitation requirements.  

BENEFITS & ALLOWANCES
AS A MATTER OF POLICY, INL NORMALLY AUTHORIZES THE FOLLOWING BENEFITS AND ALLOWANCES 

BENEFITS - IF APPLICABLE
•    Employee's FICA/Medicare Contribution
•    Contribution toward Health and Life Insurance 
•    Pay Comparability Adjustment 
•    Annual Increase 
•    Eligibility for Worker's Compensation 
•    Annual, Sick and Home Leave 
•    401K Plan 
•    MEDVAC (provided by DOS Med)

ALLOWANCES IN ACCORDANCE WITH DEPARTMENT OF STATE STANDARDIZED REGULATIONS (DSSR) - IF APPLICABLE 
•    Temporary Quarters Subsistence Allowance (TQSA) or Per Diem upon arrival at Post
•    Housing Allowance
•    Post Allowance
•    Supplemental Post Allowance 
•    Maintenance Allowance (SMA)
•    Education Allowance
•    Educational Travel (full-time United States based secondary) 
•    Post Hardship Differential
•    Danger Pay
•    Shipment of HHE, UAB, POV and Consumables