USAID anticipates the award of up to two (2) purchase orders for the three month period July - September 2003. The Contractor(s) will serve as Contract Specialists in the Global Health Division of the Office of Procurement. Both of the positions will be based in Washington D.C. and may require the ability to obtain a secret security clearance. The NAIC code for this procurement is 561110. Numbered/non-numbered notes are not applicable. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; proposals are being requested and a paper solicitation will not be issued. SOLICITATION NUMBER: M/OP-12604-CS2 ISSUANCE DATE: June 3, 2003 CLOSING DATE/TIME: June 18, 2003 at 2:30 p.m. POSITION TITLE: Contract Specialist PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: Three months, from July 1, 2003 to September 30, 2003 PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: USAID/Washington Open to all U.S. Citizens and others eligible to work in the United States: Candidates outside the D.C. Metropolitan area will be considered but relocation expenses will not be paid. SCOPE OF SERVICES The U.S. Agency for International Development in Washington D.C. (USAID) is an independent Federal Government agency that provides foreign assistance and humanitarian aid to underdeveloped and developing countries. The agency awards approximately $4 billion dollars in federal contracts and grants each fiscal year. About one half of the contract and grant awards made by USAID are negotiated, issued and administered by the Office of Procurement in Washington D.C. The other half are negotiated, issued and administered by Contracting and Grant staff located at USAID Missions worldwide. Contracts are awarded primarily for technical assistance. Grants and Cooperative Agreements are awarded for a variety of programs. The primary program which the contractor(s) will support will be HIV/AIDS. HIV/AIDS transcends almost every instrument in the Global Health portfolio. HIV/AIDS funding has been placed in awards in the following areas: Child Survival; Family Planning and Reproductive Health; Population Policy; Health Sector Reform; Communication, Management and Training; Research; Contraceptive Logistics Management; and Maternal Health. The full extent of procurement needs includes not only HIV/AIDS and Infectious Disease (ID), but other specific areas identified in the authorizing legislation, such as, Mother to child Transmissions, Faith based Organization and Orphans. The Contractor(s) will be expected to successfully perform a full range of preaward and post-award duties. The Contractor must be familiar with a wide range of contractual vehicles including fixed price and cost type contracts, purchase orders, task orders, grants, cooperative agreements, Participating Agency Service Agreements (PASAs) and Resource Support Service Agreements (RSSAs). Actions will be highly complex and represent critical Agency objectives with short lead times. The Contractor will be expected to provide guidance to client offices on program objectives, budgetary issues, and procurement policy interpretation. Specific duties to be performed by the contractor(s) include but are not limited to the following: A. Analyzing requests and assisting the client office in the proper preparation of support documentation, when necessary; identify significant components of the program to be acquired; develop program objectives; terms-of-competition; price range; pricing arrangements and subcontract and set-aside policy B. Preparing solicitation documents; C. Analyzing proposals, developing negotiation positions and conduct negotiations; D. Preparing award documentation including the preparation of the contract, file documentation and the Memorandum of Negotiation and any other pertinent file documentation; E. Ensuring that all necessary certifications for given actions are requested and obtained; F. Ensuring proper distribution of executed award documents; G. Performing procurement administration functions such as modifications, investigation and resolution of a contractor delay, preparing contract performance reports, researching and developing information to resolve audit findings, responding to contractor correspondence and request for administrative award approvals and clarifying award terms and provisions to awardees and CTOs; H. The Contractor shall be knowledgeable and competent in the use of USAID reference sources, making determinations concerning the appropriateness of subcontracting, and assisting in the resolution of outstanding issues under acquisition and assistance instruments; and I. Meet regularly with client offices to remain current on pending actions and issues. Work closely with client offices in developing responses to contract/grant implementation and administrative issues. SUPERVISORY RELATIONSHIP: The successful candidate(s) will report to the Branch Chief in the branch to which he/she is assigned. QUALIFICATIONS The successful candidate will have the following qualifications: 1. A four year degree in the field of Business Administration or a related field. Experience may be substituted for the educational requirement if the candidate has substantial direct experience. The candidate should also have attained the majority of the training required to meet the USAID Procurement Management Certification Program (PMCP). The coursework required for this certification includes: a. A FAR Course b. Assistance (or Grant) Management c. Personal Services Contracts d. Competition in Contracting Act e. Advanced Contract Administration f. Cost and Price Analysis g. Simplified Acquisition h. Contract Law 2. At least five years of continuous, progressively complex experience in Federal Acquisition and Assistance. 3. A demonstrated, comprehensive knowledge of Acquisition and Assistance, the Federal Acquisition Regulation and related procurement regulations. 4. The demonstrated ability to communicate both orally and in writing. 5. Prior experience with USAID is preferred but not required. APPLYING Qualified individuals are requested to submit a U.S. Government Standard Form 171 or Optional Form 612 (available at the USAID website, http://www.usaid.gov/procurement_bus_opp/procurement/forms or http://fillform.gsa.gov, or at Federal offices). Applicants shall submit a daily rate. USAID will not pay employee taxes or make any other contributions normally attributed to Federal employees. Applications must be received by the closing date and time either electronically at vrolfson@usaid.gov or by mail to: Vann D. Rolfson Office of Procurement, M/OP/GH/HSR, 7.09-060 Ronald Reagan Building 1300 Pennsylvania Ave., NW Washington, DC 20523-7803 To ensure consideration of applications for the intended position, please reference the solicitation number on your application, and as the subject line in any cover letter. The highest ranking applicants may be selected for an interview.
