Regional Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM) Liaison for Central Asia

ISSUANCE DATE: 07/09/2010 CLOSING DATE: 07/23/2010 Gentlemen/Ladies: SUBJECT: Solicitation for Personal Services Contractor (PSC) No. 38-2010 USPSC Regional Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM) Liaison for Central Asia, USAID/Central Asian Republics, Almaty, Kazakhstan The United States Government, represented by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), is seeking proposals (Optional Form 612) from persons interested in the PSC services described in the attached. Submissions shall be in accordance with the attached information at the place and time specified. Any questions may be directed to Geoffry Lohsl, Contracting Officer, and Tatiana Rossova, Personnel Specialist, who may be reached at FAX No. 7-727-250-76-34/35/36, or e-mail per.almaty@usaid.gov Offerors should retain for their records copies of all enclosures which accompany their proposals. Sincerely, Geoffry Lohsl Contracting Officer ATTACHMENT TO SOLICITATION NO. 38-2010 1. SOLICITATION NUMBER: 38/2010 2. ISSUANCE DATE: 07/09/2010 3. CLOSING DATE/TIME SPECIFIED FOR RECEIPT OF APPLICATIONS: 07/23/2010 (6 p.m. Almaty Time) 4. POSITION TITLE: USPSC Regional GFATM Liaison for Central Asia 5. MARKET VALUE: $71,674-$93,175 per annum (GS-13 equivalent) with 25% Post Differential (currently) (Final compensation will be based on consideration of individual - s qualifications, salary history, work experience and educational background) 6. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: Two years (extension optional) 7. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: USAID/CENTRAL ASIAN REPUBLICS, Almaty, Kazakhstan 8. JOB DESCRIPTION: A) BACKGROUND The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis (TB) and Malaria (GFATM) is a global public private partnership which was created in 2002 to dramatically increase resources to fight HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria, and to direct those resources to areas of greatest need. Governments, civil society, the private sector and affected communities partner to implement programs and work in close collaboration with other bilateral and multilateral organizations to supplement existing efforts dealing with the three diseases. The USG contributes to the GFATM through PEPFAR, and has provided about 27% of all GFATM contributions. The USG therefore has a great interest in the success of GFATM grants. It is important to state that, though the GFATM Liaison position will be funded through PEPFAR, s/he will be actively engaged in improving the performance and management of GFATM grants in all three diseases (HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria). GFATM in Central Asia The five Central Asian Republics have current approved funding for 24 grants totaling $287 million. In some countries, problems with program management, conflicts of interest and accountability have resulted in program audits and rejection of several Round 10 grant proposals. Recent failures of key countries to meet the GFATM's six CCM minimum requirements highlight the need for the CCM to reassess their structures and modes of operation. Frequent issues noted by the GFATM Secretariat include basic CCM structure, representation and governance. Recent GFATM audits in Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan have highlighted shortfalls in decision-making and leadership which affect program performance. Many CAR governments view the CCM as a government project management unit (PMU), rather than a broadly representative oversight body, and the majority of CCM members are Ministers and senior government officials. The Chair of several of the CCMs is the Deputy Prime Minister. In many countries, CCM members do not have sufficient technical understanding of the diseases their programs are meant to address, nor do they have time to conduct real program oversight and informed decision-making. GFATM requirements for CCM composition are well-known and have been presented to all CCMs, though in many cases they are not met. Historical leniency in country grant oversight by the GFATM Secretariat is now becoming more stringent and several countries are finding it very difficult to make the needed adjustments to their grant management behavior. Other challenges to grant implementation include ongoing issues of management deficiencies in grant implementation, limited civil society involvement, and restrictive government policies. Most problems faced by the CCMs (including those rendering them ineligible for funding) are resolvable or could be assisted with minimal outside technical assistance. One challenge is that once grants are awarded, CCMs and Principal Recipients (PRs) rarely request or want involvement of international partners to assist with grant implementation or monitoring. In recent months, more countries are now making use of available technical assistance. B) BASIC FUNCTION Most of the Chiefs of Mission (COM) in the five countries have limited engagement or knowledge of the GFATM, its goals, and implementation challenges in each country. While each USG point of contact has provided Global Fund briefings to the COM, more could be done to increase COM engagement in order to strengthen host country commitment and involvement. The Regional Global Fund Liaison will help to elevate the importance of the success of the Global Fund through more routine communication with COMs and technical support to USG points of contact to strengthen COM awareness of the Global Fund in each country. The USG (represented by USAID) is a member of the CCM in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan. The USG has provided technical assistance to writing proposals in all countries and provided feedback in the USG's parallel review of the proposals. The USG is a member of the GFATM Board and is involved in important policy decisions. The USG in CAR recently completed its first PEPFAR Regional Operational Plan (ROP) which will guide future USG HIV/AIDS activities in the region. The PEPFAR team has established ambitious targets which can only be achieved with well-functioning GFATM and national HIV programs in all countries. The plan therefore includes providing intensive assistance to governments and GFATM PRs to improve grant performance and efficiency. The role of the Regional Global Fund Liaison will be to find ways of leveraging and improving the performance of these much larger Global Fund grants. The USG is in the process of launching several new projects, which are intended to work closely with and provide technical assistance to improve GFATM grant implementation. The Regional Global Fund Liaison will help identify areas and activities to which these projects can provide targeted technical assistance and support. The Central Asia Regional GFATM Liaison will work under the leadership of the U.S. Ambassadors to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, and under the day-to-day oversight of the PEPFAR Regional Coordinator in Kazakhstan, as part of the USG PEPFAR Team in Central Asia. This position will be administratively hired and managed by the USAID Regional Office in Almaty. In accordance with USAID rules and regulations governing its programs and operations, USAID shall administer most administrative and human resource requirements of the Regional Global Fund Liaison, including but not limited to, payroll, personnel files, managing the USAID contractor evaluation process, and any required formal approval of travel. The Regional PEPFAR Coordinator will provide day-to-day oversight of the selected individual. C) DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES The Regional Global Fund Liaison's position duties include but are not limited to: 1) Coordination, Communication and Collaboration among all Stakeholders (35%) - Supports USG representatives on CCMs in each of the five CARs by providing expert advice, technical updates and information on best practices. - Participates in CCM meetings and provide technical assistance, as needed. - Conducts joint technical assistance visits to CCMs with GFATM Secretariat staff or other expert consultants. - Provides support and technical assistance to USG country points of contact to identify strategies to strengthen host country ownership in Global Fund activities and performance as well as improve coordination among key partners and stakeholders in each country. - Communicates regularly with COMs, USG points of contact in each country, USG CAR team (including USG HIV and TB Regional advisors), GFATM Secretariat, OGAC, and other donors. - Tracks and communicates status of CAR GFATM grant implementation and progress in the five CAR countries to USG team. - Provides or assists with training of USG staff regarding GFATM processes and policies, and communicates GFATM policy changes to USG staff. - Coordinates closely with PEPFAR Regional Coordinator and other CAR PEPFAR team members to ensure USG activities and strategies are harmonized with GFATM grant implementation. 2) Identifying and addressing management and implementation issues (35%) - Identifies and provides or secures technical assistance for CCMs and their Secretariats in each of the five countries to improve CCM structure, management, and governance as needed. - Supports proposal development and related processes in coordination with USG points of contact including: PR and sub-recipient (SR) selection, promoting and facilitating PR planning, and building appropriate technical assistance budgets into future grants. - Evaluates GFATM grant implementation and management systems. If needed, provides technical and programmatic support to grants, PRs/SRs or CCMs both directly and through coordination with other USG expertise, USG mechanisms and other donors in the region. - Advocates for and supports CCM members to increase access of persons affected by HIV/AIDS and TB and community representatives to decision making processes (e.g., through the CCM), as well as to GFATM resources. - Remains up-to-date on GFATM policies, management directives and systems applicable to CCMs and grants in the region as well as remains current on USG policy as it relates to the GFATM. 3) Monitoring and Evaluation, Data analysis and Reporting (20%) - Gathers and analyzes performance and results data on GFATM grant activities, and provides substantive inputs to reports and other documents to illustrate the direct and indirect performance of grant activities. - Participates in site visits and grant monitoring activities to strengthen implementation and reporting, and to identify technical assistance needs of the PRs. - Advises and assists implementing partners in strengthening tracking and reporting systems to provide information in an efficient and timely manner. - Contributes to the preparation and writing of PEPFAR planning and budgeting documents that relate to GFATM activities, such as the ROP, Annual Report, cables and parallel review process. - Documents technical and program assistance provided by USG to the GFATM. - Assists the CCM, Technical Working Groups (TWGs), and PRs with integrating usage of the CCM grant dashboard as a performance monitoring tool to inform regular performance reports. 4) Program Management (10%) - Serves as the Activity Manager for PEPAR-funded TA to GFATM grantees in the region. Under the PEPFAR regional operational plan, USAID will engage project implementers to provide technical assistance to CCMs, PRs and SRs in one or more of the CAR countries. - Communicates closely with OGAC, USAID/Washington and the GFATM Secretariat to ensure that scopes of work (SOWs) are harmonized and TA missions are well coordinated and followed up. D) POSITION ELEMENTS 1) Supervision Received: The Central Asia Regional GFATM Liaison will work under the leadership of the U.S. Ambassadors to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. However, first-line supervision of this position is assigned to the DCM or Ambassador in Kazakhstan or his or her designate. The Regional PEPFAR Coordinator will provide day-to-day oversight of the individual selected. 2) Exercise of Judgment: In instances not clearly covered by written guidelines, the incumbent will use her/his own personal, well informed judgment in devising innovative approaches to resolving technical, administrative, managerial and/or policy problems. Excellent (balanced) judgment must be exercised in setting priorities. The use of initiative, discretion and patience is expected from the incumbent in dealing with USG and representatives from donor organizations to resolve problems that arise during the course of work for which there is often no clear or immediate solution. 3) Authority to Make Commitments: The incumbent has no independent authority to commit U.S. Government (USG) funds on its behalf. 4) Evaluation of Performance: In addition to the personnel evaluation procedures of USAID/CAR, the employing agency, the Ambassador or DCM in Kazakhstan will obtain a "360 degree" evaluation seeking the perspectives of: the other four U.S. Ambassadors in the region; at least one representative of each USG implementing agency; staff involved in coordinating the Emergency Plan in the host country; and key host government interlocutors, at least annually. The results of the "360 degree" evaluation will be shared with the Regional Global Fund Liaison, and will serve as the basis for determining whether the Liaison's terms of employment are renewed. E) REQUIRED SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS 1) General: Must be a U.S. citizen, must be able to obtain a U.S. Government "SECRET" security clearance. Must be able to secure a medical clearance to serve in Central Asia. Must be willing to travel throughout the five Central Asian Republics regularly and routinely (approximately 40% of the time). 2) Prior Work Experience: Seven (7) years of progressively more senior experience managing health or other development programs, minimum three (3) years in a resource poor or international setting. Minimum three (3) years of proven program and financial management experience working with large, complex international or domestic programs. 3) Knowledge: Demonstrated, comprehensive understanding of public health prevention and community-based health care initiatives, including program design, implementation and evaluation. Knowledge of HIV/AIDS or TB is preferred. Ability to apply policy directives to activity design, implementation and monitoring and evaluation. Knowledge of the GFATM required and of PEPFAR preferred. Familiarity with USG systems and implementation mechanisms. 4) Skills and Abilities: Ability to develop and maintain collaborative relationships with senior government officials, international organizations, multilateral and bilateral agencies, implementing partner chiefs of mission, and the local partner community. Ability to conduct high-level, sensitive discussions with Ambassadors, Ministers and Deputy Prime Minister-level counterparts. Demonstrated experience navigating situations requiring diplomacy and transparency. Demonstrated excellent interpersonal, facilitation and teambuilding skills/experience. Ability to analyze problems/situations and plan, design and carry out project studies and to conceptualize, develop and implement new strategies/initiatives. Strong ability to multi-task; including managing, prioritizing, and fulfilling competing demands in real time. Adept at effectively conveying technical and complex information to the COM, agencies, local and international partners, and OGAC. Demonstrated ability to manage program planning and monitoring, track budgets and expenditures, and ensure performance of TA contractors. Demonstrated public speaking skills to make presentations at conferences and meetings, resolve controversial issues, and influence decision makers. Ability to provide leadership and make decisions along public policy and professional, technical, administrative and fiscal lines. Computer Skills: Strong working competency in standard computer applications to carry out management and statistical analysis (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, etc). 5) Language: Excellent written and oral English communication skill (minimum level IV) required. Proficiency in Russian (minimum level III) required. 6) Education: A Master's degree or higher in a relevant professional discipline such as Public Policy, Public Heath, Administration or similar field. F) Selection Criteria: Applicants will be evaluated against the following criteria: Experience and Knowledge: 40 points Skills and Abilities: 40 points Language: 10 points Academic Qualifications: 10 points TOTAL: 100 POINTS Notice to Applicants: The USAID reserves the right to obtain from previous employers relevant information concerning the applicant's past performance and may consider such information in its evaluation. 9. APPLYING Qualified individuals are requested to submit a Optional Application for Federal Employment OF-612 including experience, salary history, list of references, and recent sample of his/her written work (maximum 1-3 pages, i.e. policy memo) no later than COB (6 p.m. Almaty time) July 23, 2010. The form is available at the USAID website, http://www.usaid.gov/forms/ or Internet http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/formslibrary.do?formType=OP, or at Federal offices. Applications, recent supervisor reference and three (3) personal references, and writing sample may be submitted by e-mail, fax, DHL or FedEx air courier by the closing date, above, to: Tatiana Rossova Personnel Specialist Personnel Office USAID/CAR Almaty 41 Kazibek Bi Street Almaty, Kazakhstan Email: per.almaty@usaid.gov Fax: 7 727 2507634/35/36 Email or faxed documentation is preferred as mail delivery may be untimely. 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. USAID/CAR expects to award a personal services contract for an off-shore US Citizen for a two-year period commencing as early as practically possible subject to security and medical clearances and funds availability. The duty post for this contract is Almaty, Kazakhstan. 10. Benefits include post differential, housing, and other benefits per USAID regulations. Basic household furnishings will be available in quarters to be provided by USAID. 11. Almaty is a beautiful city nestled against mountains, bursting with parks and fountains, with tree lined streets and flower gardens. The city has the excitement of Kazakh culture with its nomadic and warrior heritage as well as the benefits of the Russian culture ballet, museums, opera, choirs, and circus. It has the charm and challenges of colorful native markets, as well as the convenience of modern supermarkets. Located at an altitude of 650 meters, where steppe meets mountain, Almaty is backed by the snow capped Tien Shan to the South and faced by a vast plain which stretches to Siberia in the North. There are many places for skiing, skating, hiking, rafting, helicopter trips, camping, and other outdoor activities outside the city. The Almaty International School provides American curriculum for children in grades K 12. 12. For more information about USAID/Central Asian Republics see Mission's website http://centralasia.usaid.gov/ Attachment 3 AS A MATTER OF POLICY, AND AS APPROPRIATE, A PSC IS NORMALLY AUTHORIZED THE FOLLOWING BENEFITS: 1. 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) 2. 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). LIST OF REQUIRED FORMS FOR PSCs 1. Optional Form 612. **2. Medical History and Examination (DS-1843) or 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). NOTE: Form 5 is available from the requirements office. * Standardized Regulations (Government Civilians Foreign Areas). ** The forms listed 2 through 5 shall only be completed upon the advice of the Contracting Officer that an applicant is the successful candidate for the job. 3. POLICY GUIDANCE PERTAINING TO PSCs a) ACQUISITION AND ASSISTANCE POLICY DIRECTIVES (AAPDs) and CONTRACT INFORMATION BULLETINS (CIBs) contain changes to USAID policy and General Provisions in USAID regulations and contracts. Please refer to this website http://www.usaid.gov/business/business_opportunities/cib/subject.html#psc to determine which AAPDs and CIBs apply to this contract. b) AIDAR: The Agency for International Development Acquisition Regulation (AIDAR) Appendix D - Direct USAID Contracts With U.S. Citizens or U.S. Residents for Personal Services Abroad found at: http://www.usaid.gov/policy/ads/300/aidar.pdf is the primary regulation governing USPSCs for USAID.