R -- USPSC - Public Health Specialist - DCHA-OFDA-05-1522

SOLICITATION NUMBER: DCHA/OFDA-05-1522ISSUANCE DATE: June 20, 2005 CLOSING DATE: August 1, 2005, 5:00 PM EDT LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: SUBJECT: Solicitation for Personal Services Contractor (PSC) - Public Health Specialist The United States Government, represented by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), is seeking applications from qualified U.S. CITIZENS ONLY interested in providing PSC services as described in the attached solicitation. Applicants interested in applying for this position MUST submit the following materials: 1) Completed and hand-signed federal form OF-612 or SF-171 2) Supplemental document specifically addressing the Quality Ranking Factors (QRFs) Applications that are received without a handwritten signature and supplemental QRF document will not be considered for the position. Applicants are responsible for submitting materials that are in accordance with the attached information at the place and time specified. There will be no exceptions. Applicants should retain for their records copies of all enclosures which accompany their applications. Any questions on this solicitation may be directed to: Amy Feldman or Stephanie Paul Telephone Number: +1 (555) 000-0000 or +1 (555) 000-0000 E-Mail Address: contact@example.gov Website: www.globalcorps.com Facs'mile: +1 (555) 000-0000 All applications should be submitted to: GlobalCorps 1201 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Suite 200 Washington, DC 20004 Sincerely, M. E. Yearwood Contracting Officer Public Health Specialist 1. SOLICITATION NUMBER: DCHA/OFDA-05-1522 2. ISSUANCE DATE: June 20, 2005 3. CLOSING DATE/TIME: August 1, 2005 - 5:00 PM EDT 4. POSITION TITLE: Public Health Specialist 5. MARKET VALUE: GS-13 ($74,782 - $97,213) 6. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: 2 years, with option to renew for up to 5 years 7. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: Washington, D.C. 8. SECURITY ACCESS: Secret 9. AREA OF CONSIDERATION: Open to all U.S. Citizens POSITION DESCRIPTION Introduction The Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) is the office within USAID that is responsible for providing non-food humanitarian assistance in response to international crises and disasters. OFDA is part of the Bureau for Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance (DCHA). OFDA is organized into three divisions, under the management of the Office of the Director. The Program Support (PS) Division provides programmatic and administrative support including budget/financial services, procurement planning, contracts and grants administration, and communication support for OFDA's Washington and field offices. The Operations (OPS) Division develops and manages logistical, operational, and technical support for disaster responses and administrative support to all offices and operations. OPS maintains readiness to respond to emergencies through several mechanisms, including managing Search and Rescue (SAR) Teams, Disaster Assistance Response Teams (DARTs), and Washington-based Response Management Teams (RMTs). The Disaster Response and Mitigation (DRM) Division is responsible for coordinating with other organizations for the provision of relief supplies and humanitarian assistance. DRM also devises, coordinates, and implements program strategies for a variety of natural and human-caused disaster situations. The Technical Assistance Group (TAG) is within the DRM Division and was created in order to provide OFDA with a skilled cadre of technical experts in a variety of fields relevant to its disaster response mechanism. It is divided into a number of subgroups that include the Food Security, Health, Most Vulnerable Populations, and Natural Hazards groups. The successful candidate will serve as a member of TAG. OBJECTIVE The Public Health Specialist will provide technical assistance to OFDA in the management of health and medical components of the U.S. Government's international disaster relief and preparedness programs. STATEMENT OF WORK The purpose of the position is to provide a Public Health Specialist to: - Coordinate, plan, monitor, and evaluate emergency health program activities to ensure that efforts in assigned program areas are robust, rapid and appropriate, meeting the needs of affected populations and satisfying the goals and objectives of the response program. - Oversee public health issues for program areas including, but not limited to emergency public health, maternal/child health (MCH), public health training, reproductive health including HIV/AIDS and gender-based violence, health services, epidemiology, environmental health and staff preparedness. - Review grant proposals within his/her area of technical expertise to advise OFDA on appropriateness of their public health components. - Serve as OFDA liaison to organizations involved in health-related activities, such as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the World Health Organization (WHO), counterparts within USAID, and various others. - Contribute to formulation and articulation of sound, appropriate health strategies and policies for OFDA. - Monitor disease outbreaks and advise DRM program colleagues of epidemics and intervention strategies in their regions. - Formalize responses to health-related issues. - Compose and release technical reports detailing health conditions and potential hazards in various locales. - When in the field, determine the host nation's capability to provide an effective response to specific health-related issues. - Make projections of available resources for a given health response and identify areas that would require outside support in order to make the response a viable effort. - Perform a technical assistance role on Disaster Assistance Response Teams (DARTs) and/or perform field assessments on public health risk in disasters, recommending appropriate interventions and establishing health-related priorities. - Perform required service periods (two months per year) on Response Management Teams (RMTs) in Washington. - Serve as the OFDA Duty Officer on a rotating basis after normal duty hours, weekends, and holidays. In this capacity, receive telephone calls and notifications of cable traffic received by the State Department Operations Center dealing with emergency situations. Take appropriate action, as necessary. SUPERVISORY RELATIONSHIP: The DCHA/OFDA Public Health Specialist works under the supervision of and reports to the TAG Team Leader. SUPERVISORY CONTROLS: Supervisory controls will be minimal. The incumbent is expected to act independently with little direction and will have wide latitude for the exercise of independent judgement. The supervisor will provide administrative direction in terms of broadly defined goals and objectives. The incumbent is considered an expert in his/her sector, and the results of his/her work are considered technically authoritative. BASIC REQUIREMENTS AND SELECTIVE FACTORS: (Determines basic eligibility for the position.) Candidates not meeting the basic qualifications and selective factors are considered NOT qualified for the position. - Master's degree in public health or related field such as nursing, epidemiology, or nutrition. - Five (5) years of experience working in emergency health, three (3) of which must have involved international emergency health field experience in needs assessment, analysis, emergency relief program operations, or post-emergency rehabilitation aid. - U.S. Citizenship - Ability to obtain a Secret-level security clearance. QUALITY RANKING FACTORS: (Used with interview performance and reference check results to determine the ranking of qualified candidates in comparison to other applicants. The factors are listed in order of importance from highest to least.) QRF 1 Demonstrated experience in the design, implementation, coordination, management, and monitoring and evaluation of emergency health programs in an international setting; QRF 2 Demonstrated experience conducting health needs assessments, evaluating health strategies, and formulating strategic responses for emergency public health interventions including health promotion, and disease prevention; Experience in epidemiology and/or health/nutritional surveys is preferred; QRF 3 Demonstrated experience monitoring health threats and/or disease outbreaks, and recommending appropriate intervention strategies for prevention and control in an emergency or disaster context; QRF 4 Demonstrated ability to write clearly and prepare in-depth technical reports detailing health conditions, potential health risks, and appropriate responses; QRF 5 Demonstrated experience working and/or coordinating with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), and other NGOs and IOs involved in health-related activities, and the ability to communicate effectively with these parties and others within OFDA; BASIS OF RATING: Applicants who meet the basic qualifications and selection factor(s) will be further evaluated based on the Quality Ranking Factors (QRFs), interview performance, and satisfactory academic and professional reference checks. Applicants are required to address each of the QRFs on a separate sheet describing specifically and accurately what experience, training, education and/or awards you have received that are relevant to each factor. Be sure to include your name, social security number and the announcement number at the top of each additional page. Failure to address the selective and/or quality ranking factors may result in your not receiving credit for all of your pertinent experience, education, training and/or awards. The Applicant Rating System is as Follows: QRFs have been assigned the following points: QRF 1 - 16 points QRF 2 - 14 points QRF 3 - 10 points QRF 4 - 6 points QRF 5 - 4 points Interview Performance - 30 points Satisfactory Academic and Professional Reference Checks - 20 points Total Possible Points: 100 WHERE AND HOW TO APPLY: Qualified individuals are required 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 internet http://fillform.gsa.gov or at Federal offices) or www.globalcorps.com. Supplemental document specifically addressing each Quality Ranking Factor (QRF). 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. Via mail: GlobalCorps, 1201 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20004 Via facs'mile: +1 (555) 000-0000 Via email: contact@example.gov The most qualified candidates may be interviewed and required to provide a writing sample. It is also possible that reference checks may be conducted on those candidates selected for an interview. OFDA will not pay for any expenses associated with the interviews. NOTE: If a temporary Top Secret security clearance and State Department Medical Clearance are not obtained within nine months, the offer may be rescinded. LIST OF REQUIRED FORMS FOR PSCs Forms outlined below can found at: http://www.usaid.gov/forms/ or at http://www.forms.gov/bgfPortal/citizen.portal 1. Optional Form 612 or Standard Form 171. 2. Contractor Physical Examination (AID Form 1420-62). -- 3. Questionnaire for Sensitive Positions (for National Security) (SF-86), or -- 4. Questionnaire for Non-Sensitive Positions (SF-85). -- 5. Finger Print Card (FD-258). -- - Standardized Regulations (Government Civilians Foreign Areas). -- 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. CONTRACT INFORMATION BULLETINS (CIBs) and ACQUISITION and 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/business/business_opportunities/cib/subject.html#psc to determine which CIBs and AAPDs apply to this contract. 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 Eligibility for Worker's Compensation Annual & Sick Leave Eligibility for 401(k) 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 not exempt from payment of Federal Income taxes. 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.