Senior Justice 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: Senior Justice Advisor Location: Podgorica, Montenegro Salary Level: FS-01 - $109,366 - $142,180 (Equivalent GS-15) 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: October 14, 2020 Closing date: October 28, 2020 Closing Time: 3:00 PM ET Solicitation Number: PSC-21-005-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: Dominique Chittum U.S. Department of State INL/EX/GAPP contact@example.gov Sincerely, Amy Kara 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. Submit proposal via e-mail to the attention of: INL/Dominique Chittum E-mail: contact@example.gov Direct questions regarding this solicitation to: INL/Dominique Chittum 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): INL is under the Under Secretary for Democracy and Human Rights (J) and works to keep Americans safe at home by countering international crime, illegal drugs, and instability abroad. INL helps countries deliver justice and fairness by strengthening their police, courts, and corrections systems. These efforts reduce the amount of crime and illegal drugs reaching U.S. shores. In Montenegro, and throughout the Balkans, INL supports criminal justice sector reforms and facilitates effective cross-border and regional law enforcement cooperation. In Montenegro, INL provides training, technical, and material support to police, prosecutors, and judges. INL has a wide array of partners in this effort, including other U.S. agencies, non-governmental organizations, international organizations, and commercial providers. Montenegro is an active recipient of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INCLE) funding. INCLE funding assists countries in their fight against transnational crime and illicit threats, including efforts against terrorist networks, the illegal drug trade, and other illicit enterprises. Embassy Podgorica receives approximately $5M in INCLE funding annually for an INL legal advisor program and a policing program, implemented by the Department of Justice's Office of International Criminal Investigative Training and Assistance Program (ICITAP). Montenegro, like every other candidate state for the European Union (EU), must demonstrate its capacity to fight organized crime and corruption and bolster public confidence in its justice sector institutions. INL's capacity-building programs are critical for achieving these goals. Since its independence in 2006, Montenegro has made, and continues to make, fundamental reforms to its criminal justice sector in order to bring it in line with Euro-Atlantic standards. Nevertheless, the establishment of an effective rule of law system in Montenegro remains an unfinished process due to: (a) the continuing presence and strength of transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) operating in Montenegro, which threaten Montenegro, the region, and the U.S. homeland; (b) widespread and endemic corruption, which negatively affects U.S. policy interests in the region by engendering instability; and (c) aggressive malign foreign influence from Russia that seeks to take advantage of institutional weaknesses in Montenegro to sow conflict and prevent democratic consolidation in the country. While Montenegro is moving in the right direction, its ultimate success is not guaranteed. As both the newest NATO member and aspiring EU Member, Montenegro has already accomplished significant rule of law reforms as part of the Euro-Atlantic integration process. However, U.S. assistance and support is vital to ensure Montenegro integrates successfully into Euro-Atlantic institutions and remains an example for the region. Purpose: The purpose of this Personal Services Contract (PSC) is to provide a Senior Justice Advisor to U.S. Embassy Podgorica who will serve a central role in developing and implementing INL programs to support Montenegro's judicial reforms and other rule-of-law initiatives that will help further Montenegro's progress towards EU membership. This program will focus on developing the capacity of Montenegro to fight corruption and organized crime through mentoring and practical training for prosecutors, judges, key regulatory officials, and civil society. The Advisor will also be expected to formulate innovative, targeted, and sustainable approaches for building the rule of law in Montenegro, including improving the efficiency and quality of criminal proceedings, institutional strengthening and development, and countering aggressive malign Russian influence. The Senior Justice Advisor is responsible for in-country management of INL reform programs and ensuring that these programs are meeting expectations. The Advisor coordinates activities with the Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM), the rule-of-law pol/econ officer in country, and the INL Office of Europe and Asia (INL/EA) Program Officer in Washington, DC. The Advisor also works closely with the management section at Post to ensure proper execution of INL programming. INL seeks applicants with the requisite technical expertise and a strong management background who are able to operate independently and work with limited resources. The Advisor program is part of a larger effort aimed at achieving a core U.S. national security objective: peace and stability in the western Balkans grounded in good democratic governance. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Under the direct supervision of the Podgorica-based Deputy Chief of Mission or his/her designee, the INL Senior Justice Advisor will perform the following duties: 1. Serve as the INL Senior Justice Advisor within INL/EA's overall assistance mission in Montenegro by managing, coordinating, and supervising all phases of INL rule of law programs in Montenegro, including sustainment upon completion of projects and supervision of local staff. Work independently and cooperatively with INL/EA to ensure that the program and administrative budgets are monitored routinely and that the projects fall within program guidelines as notified to Congress and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). 2. Assist in the full range of activities required to identify, acquire, and deploy services and commodities necessary for project implementation. Develop/identify project services and commodity requirements, including discussions with host nation counterpart personnel. Conduct market research to determine potential sources of supplies/services. Contact other USG agencies with similar requirements. Plan for acquisitions. Draft statements of work/specifications and evaluation criteria for use in solicitations. Develop independent government estimates of the cost/price of project commodities and services. 3. Coordinate all training and procurement activities associated with the INL Senior Justice Advisor program. Implement the rule of law program through training, advising, and mentoring. Serve as a trainer and advisor for INL-funded and other programs as appropriate. Provide mentoring and technical assistance to prosecutors, government officials, and other judicial actors/entities on a range of issues, including managing activities and assisting with the identification of outside experts, when appropriate, to serve as trainers and advisors. 4. Provide policy analysis and program guidance to INL, Embassy Podgorica, and other USG entities on effective mechanisms for, progress in, and impediments to, achieving reform objectives in Montenegro. 5. Establish and maintain relationships with Montenegrin justice sector and other government officials, including prosecutors, investigators, judges, parliamentarians, and Justice Ministry officials. Provide day-to-day subject matter expertise on legislative reform pertaining to the reform of the justice sector. 6. Develop assistance programs for prosecutors on the investigation and prosecution of cases. Ensure program activities develop sustainable local capacity. Conduct local case-study workshops, conferences, and a guest speaker series that develops the Montenegrin prosecutors' trial preparation skills and assist with the implementation of new criminal procedure code tools such as task forces, prosecutor-led investigations, plea bargaining and cross-examination. 7. Manage rule-of-law programs for Montenegro in partnership and coordination with other implementers in the USG and the international donor community, including the European Commission, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and other countries. Coordinate with local civil society organizations to develop an understanding of their challenges and needs, assess political developments in the country, including by identifying opportunities for INL support. The Senior Justice Advisor will collaborate closely with the International Criminal Training and Assistance Program (ICITAP) on program implementation and training. 8. Ensure adequate follow up with study groups and training (train-the-trainer, alumni conferences). 9. Assist Montenegro in attaining EU accession goals by meeting EU benchmarks related to judicial reform and fair trials by hosting local workshops and practical case studies. Allow time for the participants in the system - including prosecutors, judges and police -- to learn, and prepare for, their new roles under a new Code of Criminal Procedure by sponsoring joint practical trial advocacy and skills development workshops. 10. Provide mentoring on key judicial and anti-corruption concepts and tools to improve the justice system's capacity efficiency and effectiveness to address corruption, including prosecutor-led investigations, plea-bargaining, and expanded use of special investigative techniques, are distributed to line prosecutors. Provide guidance to Embassy Front Office and INL/EA on legislative developments impacting the criminal justice sector and share monthly, and after-action reports for all discrete training and assistance activities conducted in accordance with the work plan with the Embassy Country Team. Assess the impact of political developments on U.S. policy objectives and make recommendations on action to the Country Team, and keep INL/EA updated on these developments. Develop legal memoranda and technical support on legal issues that may arise in connection with policy or program issues. 11. Cooperate with other sections of the Embassy and other regional INL-funded advisors to facilitate program implementation. Coordinate assistance activities with the INL-funded and authorized ICITAP law enforcement program manager at Podgorica and identify opportunities for cooperation. Participate in twice monthly calls, unless rescheduled, with the INL Program Officer to provide updates on program activities, Embassy priorities, and other relevant Embassy activities. Schedule and facilitate meeting requests from INL during program reviews and assessments. 12. The following deliverables are required: - Annual Work Plan: The INL Senior Justice Advisor, in cooperation with the INL/EA program officer, shall prepare a work plan within 90 days of the beginning of the date of the contract. Work plans must be approved by INL/EA and the DCM. - Three-Year Program Strategy: The INL Senior Justice Advisor, in cooperation with INL/EA program officer, shall prepare a three-year program strategy, outlining the priorities and proposed activities. - Monthly Status Reports: Monthly reports shall be submitted to the INL Program Officer and the DCM. Items that shall be reported upon include: o Major achievements and impediments to reform identified during the reporting period. o Updates on noteworthy policy and political developments impacting the rule of law. o Feasible opportunities to train and equip criminal justice sector actors with a in line with INL Bureau and Embassy goals. Readouts and analysis of meetings with key Montenegrin interlocutors, to include those attended with other Embassy personnel. o Updates on program activities, to include grant monitoring, donor coordination, and demonstrating implementation of the work plan. o Ad hoc tasks completed for the Embassy. o Updates on major criminal and corruption cases, which involves tracking successful prosecutions. o Readouts of trainings conducted by both the PSC and the LES staff. o Description of upcoming activities. Per FAR Part 4, the above referenced documents shall be incorporated and copies stored in the PSC's hard file under Section V.; Tab E - Receiving Reports. The Contractor shall prepare and submit two copies of each technical report required by the schedule of this contract (e.g., progress reports, final reports, etc.), to the Embassy INL Section and to the Program Officer, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), Department of State Washington, DC. The title page of all reports forwarded pursuant to this paragraph shall include a descriptive title, the author's name(s), contract number, project number, and title, contractor's name, name of the State Department project office, and the publication or issuance date of the report. When preparing reports, the Contractor shall refrain from using elaborate artwork, multicolor printing, and expensive paper/binding, unless it is specifically authorized in the Contract Schedule. Wherever possible, pages should be printed on both sides using single spaced type. TRAININGS & 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. Obtains/maintains Basic Federal Acquisitions Certification for Program and Project Managers (FAC P/PM) provided by a combination of INL in-house, distance learning and outside contractor coursework within six (6) months. 5. If applicable - Consultations with the INL Program Office may be required. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE & TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS US Embassy Podgorica, Montenegro. Frequent travel to local locations will be required. Occasional travel to other countries in the region and the U.S. may also be required. RELATIONSHIPS The Advisor will receive guidance from the DCM on program policies and priorities, and the INL/EA Program Officer on program implementation and INL bureau objectives. The Advisor is also expected to coordinate closely with the rule of law political officer in Embassy Podgorica. The Advisor is responsible for in-country management of INL judicial reform programs and ensuring that these programs are meeting expectations. The Advisor will supervise all staff implementing INL's rule of law program in Montenegro. The Advisor coordinates activities with the DCM, the rule-of-law pol/econ officer in country, and the INL/EA Program Officer in Washington, DC. The Advisor also works closely with the management section at Post to ensure proper execution of INL programming. INL seeks applicants with the requisite technical expertise, and a strong management background who are able to operate independently and work with limited resources. The Advisor program is part of a much larger effort aimed at achieving a core U.S. national security objective. One means to this end is the promotion of greater security and rule of law in Montenegro to strengthen the foundations of a democratic state. The D/SRS will provide yearly performance reviews to the Contracting Officer in Washington, DC to contribute to the incumbent's official yearly review. GUIDELINES The Advisor will be guided by the INL Program and Policy Guide. Supplementary guidance will be provided by the Foreign Affairs Manuals for Financial Management (4 FAM), General Services (6 FAM) and Logistics Management (14 FAM), and associated Foreign Affairs Handbooks (FAH). COMPLEXITY The Advisor must be able to assess host country criminal justice reform needs and anti-corruption programs and policies, and develop and manage organized crime and corruption projects in coordination with host-country officials. The Advisor must also ensure sustainability of projects through provision of appropriate training and maintenance. The Advisor must have the ability to integrate competing needs of U.S. criminal justice, development, and security agencies, and host government entities involved in the criminal justice sector. The work involves planning, organizing, and managing day-to-day administration and oversight of a large number of organizational initiatives and training details. The ability to effectively manage large quantities of ever evolving data is essential. SCOPE AND EFFECTIVENESS The Advisor performs a broad range of tasks related to a complex foreign assistance program in the Republic of Montenegro. INL programs have a significant impact on embassy operations, including those of other USG agencies. 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 and Medical clearances. Department of State Ethics clearance (if applicable). (Security clearance upgrade to TS level may be required). 2. J.D. degree from an accredited institution. 3. Demonstrated eight (8) years of professional experience as a U.S. prosecutor, defense attorney, or judge, including time working on corruption and/or organized crime cases or demonstrated ten (10) years of rule of law development experience, including in the area of corruption and criminal justice reform, and three (3) years of professional experience as a U.S. prosecutor, defense attorney, or judge. 4. Demonstrated knowledge of best practices in investigating criminal and/or corruption cases either as a prosecutor, defense attorney, or a judge. 5. Demonstrated experience developing and implementing rule of law or criminal justice sector reform projects, including analyzing and determining comprehensive program requirements, effectively monitoring and evaluating projects, and proposing feasible solutions for problems in implementation of projects. 6. Demonstrated experience in administration and management of international criminal justice sector or anti-corruption projects in foreign countries. 7. A minimum of three (3) years of successful supervisory and leadership experience, preferably in a multicultural environment. 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 Knowledge and Experience (30 points) Demonstrated knowledge of all phases of U.S. criminal justice operations, particularly related to corruption cases and/or financial crimes, based on professional experience. Demonstrated direct experience prosecuting, adjudicating, or defending cases of corruption and/or organized crime; money laundering and/or other financial crimes; narcotics trafficking; and/or cyber enabled crimes. Demonstrated experience in training and/or case-based mentoring related to corruption, financial crimes, organized crime, money laundering, narcotics trafficking, and/or cyber-enabled crimes. Demonstrated experience managing rule of law foreign assistance programming, particularly as relates to criminal justice and anticorruption reform. Expertise should include an ability to work effectively with foreign government counterparts to further program goals and objectives and a demonstrated familiarity with international organizations involved in justice program components in missions around the world. Factor 2 Leadership and Management (20 points) Demonstrated ability to make sound decisions in a timely manner and bear responsibility for several simultaneous projects while keeping the overall program goals in perspective. Demonstrated experience managing staff from diverse backgrounds (preferably international); making decisions about resource allocations; and familiarity with project design, development, implementation and evaluation. Demonstrated experience working or coordinating with other relevant U.S. agencies (e.g., INL, Department of Justice, and USAID) and/or international donors (OSCE, European Commission, etc.). Demonstrated ability to provide expert justice subject matter, legal, and policy recommendations to senior level policy makers. Factor 3 - Communication and Interpersonal Skills (20 points) Demonstrated the ability to communicate complex issues in a clear and concise manner, both orally and in writing, and provide a proven record of working in a team environment, with a diverse group of stakeholders. Applicant identifies a challenge that they overcame through communication and interpersonal skills. 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 of your pertinent experience, education, training and/or awards. 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-01 equivalent level ($109,366 - $142,180 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