USPSC OTI Learning Specialist - Washington D.C., (Ladder)

SOLICITATION NUMBER: 72D0T122R00040 SYNOPSIS ISSUANCE DATE: May 27, 2022 SUBJECT: Synopsis/Pre-Solicitation for U.S. Personal Service Contractor (USPSC) Dear Prospective Offerors: The United States Government (USG), represented by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), is planning to seek offers from qualified U.S. citizens to provide personal services as a Learning Specialist under a personal services contract, as described in the forthcoming solicitation. Submittals must be in accordance with the forthcoming information at the place and time specified. For further information, please see the forthcoming solicitation, or contact the OTI Recruitment Team. OTI Recruitment Team E-Mail Address: contact@example.gov Website: www.OTIjobs.net Sincerely, Jaclyn Humphrey Supervisory Contracting Officer 500 D St. SW Washington, D.C. 20547 I. GENERAL INFORMATION 1. ACTION CODE: P (pre-solicitation) 2. SOLICITATION NO.: 72D0T122R00040 3. SYNOPSIS ISSUANCE DATE: May 27, 2022 4. CLOSING DATE AND TIME FOR RECEIPT OF OFFERS: June 2022, 1:00 pm Eastern Time 5. POINT OF CONTACT: OTI Recruitment Team, e-mail at contact@example.gov. 6. POSITION TITLE: Learning Specialist 7. MARKET VALUE: This position has been designated as a - ladder position. The highest level of this position is a GS-12 ($89,834-$116,788); however, USAID will hire this position at the GS-11 ($74,950-$97,430) equivalent level, DC-locality pay. Final compensation will be negotiated within the listed market value based upon qualifications, previous relevant work experience and work history, salary and educational background. Salaries over and above the pay range will not be entertained or negotiated. Offerors who live outside the Washington, D.C. area will be considered for selection but no relocation expenses will be reimbursed. Following at least one year at the GS-11 grade, the offeror may have the opportunity for advancement to the GS-12 equivalent grade. In order to be advanced to the higher grade, the incumbent must meet the minimum qualifications of the higher grade and receive an excellent performance rating in their most recent annual performance evaluation. The evaluation must include a statement by the supervisor that the incumbent is performing successfully at the current grade and is considered ready to perform at the higher grade level. Neither advancement nor extension of the contract is guaranteed. 8. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: One (1) year, with four (4) one-year option periods 9. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: Washington D.C. 10. ELIGIBLE OFFERORS: United States Citizens 11. SECURITY LEVEL REQUIRED: Secret POSITION DESCRIPTION BACKGROUND USAID's Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI) is seeking highly motivated, highly qualified individuals who want the opportunity to help support rapid international transition programs for priority conflict-prone countries. Created in 1994 as a distinct operating unit within USAID, OTI helps local partners advance peace and democracy in politically-transitioning countries. In support of U.S. foreign policy, OTI seizes emerging windows of opportunity in the political landscape to promote stability, peace, and democracy by catalyzing local initiatives through adaptive and agile programming. Countries experiencing a significant political transition in the midst of a disaster or emerging from civil conflict have unique needs that cannot be fully addressed by traditional disaster relief. Timely and effective assistance to promote and consolidate peaceful, democratic advances can make the difference between a successful or a failed transition. OTI assists in securing peace by aiding indigenous, mostly non-governmental, civil society and media organizations. OTI uses such mechanisms as support for re-integration of ex-combatants into civilian society; development of initiatives to promote national reconciliation; identification of quick-impact community self-help projects to meet urgent economic needs; and aid to independent media outlets and community-based organizations to help promote informed debate and broaden public participation. To respond quickly and effectively and meet its program objectives and mandate OTI retains a group of high level professionals and experts under U.S. Personal Services Contracts (USPSCs). These knowledgeable and skilled professionals make up the vast majority of the OTI work force and are at its forefront implementing and achieving the office's programmatic goals and objectives. There are several benefits that USPSCs may participate in, such as partial reimbursement for health and life insurance costs, as well as full coverage of workers compensation, among other benefits. For more complete information on USPSC benefits, please see Section VI of this solicitation. INTRODUCTION As a member of the OTI Training and Learning Team, the Learning Specialist position utilizes the experience and skills gained from working with political transition, stabilization, and conflict mitigation programs, to provide support and guidance for country program staff to help ensure the successful implementation of OTI program activities in the field. OTI's success now and in the future depends in large part on its ability to achieve an overarching organizational goal: the effective transfer and ongoing analysis of knowledge and experience - comprised of values, management processes, lessons learned, best practices, standards, and innovations - in real time, with a variety of stakeholders. These stakeholders include: OTI staff in the field and headquarters; OTI's implementing partners around the world; USAID Missions overseas; other USAID offices and bureaus in Washington; other U.S. Government agencies and branches; other donors; other transition, stabilization and reconstruction practitioners; host government and/or other local counterparts; and the U.S. public. All of the above increases OTI's level of transparency and accountability. To this end, the OTI Training and Learning Team supports a model of organizational learning across the office that ensures: Increased transparency and accountability between the headquarters and field teams; Increased opportunities for peer-to-peer dialogue; Easier access to content and learning resources for a variety of stakeholders; More guidance available in online format; Provision of tools to surface and apply OTI's programming lessons to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of OTI programs. The Learning Specialist supports OTI's mission to provide fast, flexible, short-term assistance targeted at key political transition and stabilization needs by building the knowledge, skills and abilities of OTI staff to continually improve country program performance. The Learning Specialist does this by: supporting the design and coordination of innovative solutions that are adapted to OTI's fast-paced global needs; supporting and facilitating learning and training events; and providing support services ranging from procurement to linkages with private sector partners. The Training and Learning Team will ensure the effective integration of lessons and knowledge into OTI's learning and training resources. The team also coordinates closely with other units, teams, and divisions within OTI to achieve these goals. BASIS OF RATING: Offerors who clearly meet the Education/Experience Requirements and Selection Factors set forth in the coming solicitation will be further evaluated based on scoring of the Evaluation Factor responses. Offerors who meet these minimum qualifications will be reviewed against set Evaluation Factors, 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 Selection and/or Evaluation Factors may result in your not receiving credit for all of your pertinent experience, education, training and/or awards. The most qualified offerors may be interviewed, required to provide a writing sample, and demonstrate an ability to operate commonly used office applications. OTI will not pay for any expenses associated with the interviews. In addition, offers (written materials and interviews) will be evaluated based on content as well as on the offerors writing, presentation, and communication skills. In the event that an offeror has fully demonstrated their qualifications and there are no other competitive offerors, OTI reserves the right to forgo the interview process. Professional references and academic credentials will be evaluated for offerors being considered for selection. Offerors must submit at least three (3) professional references, one (1) of which must be a current or former supervisor. OTI reserves the right to contact previous employers to verify employment history. If the offeror had a previous position with USAID, the TEC and/or CO are encouraged to obtain reference checks from the previous supervisor(s) or CO(s). See ADS 309.3.1.11.a.4 The Government may award a contract without discussions with offerors in accordance with FAR 52.215-1. The CO reserves the right at any point in the evaluation process to establish a competitive range of offerors with whom negotiations will be conducted pursuant to FAR 15.306(c). In accordance with FAR 52.215-1, if the CO determines that the number of offers that would otherwise be in the competitive range exceeds the number at which an efficient competition can be conducted, the CO may limit the number of offerors in the competitive range to the greatest number that will permit an efficient competition among the most highly rated offers. FAR provisions of this solicitation are available at https://www.acquisition.gov/browse/index/far.