Senior Law Enforcement 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 Law Enforcement Advisor Location: Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) Salary Level: FS-02 - $91,475 - $134,334 (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: July 1, 2022 Closing date: July 18, 2022 Closing Time: 3:00 PM ET Solicitation Number: PSC-22-045-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: Deborah Strom U.S. Department of State INL/EX/GAPP StromDG@state.gov Sincerely, Jamie Goewey 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/Deborah Strom E-mail: StromDG@state.gov Direct questions regarding this solicitation to: INL/Deborah Strom E-mail: StromDG@state.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 (DOS): DOS is the lead institution for the conduct of American diplomacy and the Secretary of state is the President's principal foreign policy advisor. DOS'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 rule of law, law enforcement, and corrections systems. These efforts reduce the amount of crime and illegal drugs reaching U.S. shores. The principal goal of the INL program in BiH is to combat the corruption and organized crime that is corroding the functioning of the state and undermining citizens trust in government, including in the justice sector. INL assistance focuses on fighting corruption and promoting rule of law to improve the effectiveness and accountability of institutions of governance and supporting the BiH criminal justice system to meet international standards for eventual integration into the European Union. INL helps BiH justice sector officials better address complex crimes associated with corruption and organized crime, including money laundering and fraud; combat trafficking in persons, narcotics, and other contraband; reduce the backlog of war crimes cases; provide better victim witness services to support the equal administration of justice across the country; strengthen border security; promote effective coordination among BiH security institutions; and increase law enforcement capacity to protect and serve the public. INL also targets opportunities to improve public trust in the criminal justice system and to strengthen the capacity of civil society on counter-corruption practices. The purpose of this PSC is to fill the new position of Senior Law Enforcement Advisor located within the INL section of the U.S. Embassy in Sarajevo, BiH. The Advisor will be embedded in a government office in Sarajevo Canton, either the Sarajevo Canton Police Commission or the Anti-Corruption and Quality Control Office of Sarajevo Canton. The Advisor shall: (1) work to improve the capacity of BiH law enforcement institutions with a focus on cantonal and municipal-level police agencies with subunits that fight organized crime and corruption; (2) develop, implement, and monitor assistance activities that improve the technical abilities of cantonal and municipal-level police subunits to conduct complex, specialized organized crime, corruption, and financial investigations; (3) mentor law enforcement entities on the development of policy and procedures, recruitment and staffing, organizational reform, and other management issues, including developing internal affairs units; and (4) liaise broadly with rule of law and law enforcement partners, to facilitate cooperation between the agencies, police and prosecutors to advance prosecution of complex crimes; and (5) assist and advise BiH government officials in developing, implementing, and promoting systemic, organizational, legal, and regulatory reform in the law enforcement sector to improve internal corruption control measures. The Advisor will provide advice and support to the Embassy Sarajevo INL section. The Advisor will also work closely with officials at counterpart agencies in BiH, including but not limited to cantonal prosecutors offices, the cantonal police, and the State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA). The Advisor will serve as an in-country law enforcement assistance consultant and will provide advice pertaining to development and implementation of the INL law enforcement assistance program. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Under the direct supervision of the Sarajevo-based INL Director, the Advisor will perform the following duties: 1. Establish and maintain relationships with a broad array of law enforcement entities and relevant prosecutors and investigators. Provide mentoring, training, and other technical assistance to law enforcement stakeholders on a range of issues, including corruption, organized crime, and financial investigations and case management, and identify outside experts, when appropriate, to serve as trainers. 2. Assess the media strategy of select law enforcement agencies, identify weaknesses, and assist in creating a modern public relations and outreach strategy to explain the agencies role and draw attention to issues of corruption, organized crime, and financial crime. 3. Coordinate with other components of the host country's criminal justice system, civil society, and Government officials to ensure system-wide integration and functionality of reform efforts. 4. Provide strategic planning and program development in all phases of INL's law enforcement programming. This includes project execution from the study and assessment period to development through acquisition and implementation; planning, scheduling, budgeting, monitoring, and coordinating among vendors, contractors, and GOU officials; and conflict resolution. 5. Communicate and coordinate with other donors to avoid waste and duplication of effort. 6. Draft reports and assessments, provide input to strategy and other briefing papers, and provide oral and written briefs to the INL Director, the INL/EA Program Officer in DC, and leadership at the Embassy and in Washington. 7. Liaise with U.S. Embassy agency representatives involved in law enforcement, rule of law and anticorruption efforts, including the Department of Justice (DOJ), the US Agency for International Development (USAID), Office of Public Affairs (OPA), and the Department of Defense (DOD). 8. Advise and assist in preparing documentation for procurement of systems and equipment, including drafting of electronic Purchase Request (PRs), SOWs) requests for source-origin waivers, sole-source justifications, and delivery and acceptance of systems, supplies and equipment procured. 9. Draft and provide advice and assistance in the preparation of required reports, including to the U.S. Congress, INL, and Principals at the State Department and other U.S. federal agencies. 10. Attend and report on general law enforcement meetings, national and international conferences and seminars, and meetings with BiH government officials. 11. Provide advice and assistance in end-use monitoring of U.S. government-supplied commodities and draft annual end-use monitoring reports. 12. Provide advice and assistance in the formulation of the Mission Performance Plan and other strategy and planning exercises undertaken by Embassy Sarajevo, EUR, and INL. 13. Participate in visits by senior officials and serve as an escort or control officer. Arrange itineraries and logistical support for official visitors. 14. Brief DOS, Congressional, Embassy staff, and other visiting officials on the INL's role and the status of U.S.-BiH law enforcement projects and related initiatives. 15. When required, perform the role of Duty Officer. 16. Perform other duties as requested and assigned that are directly related to this SOW. 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) DL course through FSI within the first six (6) months of arriving at post. 3. Completes the mandatory Foreign Affairs Counter-Threat (FACT) Course (OT650) prior to deployment to post. 4. If applicable - Consultations with the INL Program Office may be required. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE & TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS U.S. Embassy and the Sarajevo Canton Police Commissioner or the Anti-Corruption Team headquarters in Sarajevo, BiH. The Advisor's work occurs primarily in one of these two locations in Sarajevo, though will also take place in other locations around BiH and include occasional workdays at the U.S. Embassy, Sarajevo. The Advisor must be able to work independently in remote areas for short periods when conducting field visits or program oversight. The Advisor's work is both physical and sedentary in nature and involves activity at the U.S. Embassy, Sarajevo and in field locations. Travel to the United States and throughout BiH will be required. RELATIONSHIPS The Advisor will work under the direct supervision of the INL Director at Embassy Sarajevo who is an FS-02. The Advisor will initiate anticorruption, rule of law, and law enforcement projects and execute approved programs under general supervision. The INL Director will review the timeliness and effectiveness of the Advisor's work. The Advisor will routinely work with the rule of law and other law enforcement elements of the INL program in BiH, who develop and implement programs and projects to advance rule of law and law enforcement reforms in BiH. The Advisor will also be expected to coordinate and collaborate with other INL-funded efforts, including the DOJ Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance, and Training (OPDAT) Program. The Contract Administrator is INL in Washington and shall be the INL Contracting Officer. In no instance shall the INL Director 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 INL Director will provide yearly performance reviews to the INL/EX/GAPP Contracting Officer in Washington, D.C. to contribute to the incumbent's official yearly review. COMPLEXITY The Advisor must be able to review host country anticorruption, rule of law, and law enforcement needs; develop and manage related programs in coordination with INL; draw upon experience to suggest, design, advise, and implement projects; ensure sustainability of projects through provision of appropriate training and maintenance; and have the ability to integrate the competing needs of U.S. rule of law and law enforcement, development, and security agencies, and BiH entities involved in rule of law and law enforcement. SCOPE AND EFFECTIVENESS The PSC performs broad and extensive assignments related to a complex administrative/financial program spanning the full-range of anticorruption, rule of law, and law enforcement programs in BiH, 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 DOS Secret level security and medical clearances. DOS Ethics clearance (if applicable) (Security clearance upgrade to TS level may be required). 2. A Bachelor's degree from an accredited U.S. institution. 3. A minimum of ten (10) year of demonstrated experience in law enforcement; or, a. A minimum of five (5) years of demonstrated experience investigating corruption, organized crime, and financial crime; internal affairs investigations 4. Demonstrated previous experience working as an anticorruption, organized crime, or financial crime investigator, prosecutor, or in a preventative agency or non-governmental organization. 5. Demonstrated ability to manage programs, including budget preparation, the procurement of goods and services, and implementation and oversight of projects involving rule of law, law enforcement, and training initiatives. 6. Demonstrated experience working overseas for at least one (1) year and maintaining positive working relationships in a cross-cultural setting, especially with foreign officials. EVALUATION CRITERIA (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 Investigatory and Training Experience (25 points) Demonstrated experience and expertise investigating corruption in the rule of law, law enforcement, and/or related fields. Demonstrated experience in anticorruption, rule of law, law enforcement and/or related mentoring and training programs. Individual should demonstrate ability to understand and convey complex criminal justice sector and/or training issues. These issues include, but are not limited to modalities of corruption, complex financial crimes, anticorruption enforcement, asset recovery, procurement of commodities and equipment, training development and implementation, and logistics support. Factor 2 Liaison and Communication (20 points) Demonstrated experience building and maintaining relationships with host nation officials, U.S. government agencies, international organizations, and non-governmental organizations. Demonstrated ability to communicate complex issues in a timely and concise manner, both verbally and in writing. Factor 3 Program Management and Administration (15 points) Demonstrated knowledge and experience in the application of sound management and program management practices, especially in international programs involving multiple agencies that include foreign government entities. Experience in program management should include familiarity with procurement guidelines, budget development, and program planning, execution, and monitoring and evaluation. Demonstrated ability to follow guidance and instructions on law enforcement program implementation; analyze and determine true requirements; and propose feasible solutions for problems in program implementation. Factor 4 International Experience (10 points) Demonstrated experience of working/operating in foreign environments; to include ability to live, work, and travel in difficult conditions with limited support, manage programs in a complex and fluid environment, and show good judgment in challenging security situations. 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. The Offeror Rating System is as Follows: Evaluation Factors have been assigned the following points: Factor #1 - 25 Factor #2 - 20 Factor #3 - 15 Factor #4 - 10 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 ($91,475 - $134,334 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