USPSC OTI Program Advisor/Senior Program Advisor - Worldwide (GS-13/14)(Tandem, Intermittent)(Multiple)(Deadline Extended)

SOLICITATION NUMBER: 72C0T122R00035 ISSUANCE DATE: May 13, 2022 CLOSING DATE AND TIME: June 14, 2022, 1:00 PM Eastern Standard Time (Deadline Extended) SUBJECT: 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 seeking offers from qualified U.S. citizens to provide personal services as a Program Advisor/Senior Program Advisor (Program Office) - Worldwide (Tandem) (Intermittent)(Multiple) under a personal services contract, as described in the attached solicitation. Submittals must be in accordance with the attached information at the place and time specified. Offerors interested in applying for this position MUST submit the following materials: Complete resume. In order to fully evaluate your offer, your resume must include: (a) Paid and 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 all overseas field 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: Your resume should contain explicit information to make a valid determination that you fully meet the experience requirements as stated in this solicitation for each grade level(s) for which you are applying. Offerors must specify in their offer materials whether they would like to be considered for the GS-13 or GS-14. Offerors who would like to be considered for both the GS-13 and GS-14 positions should submit separate offers specifying which grade level in the submission. Offerors will only be considered for the grade level specified in the submission. The offeror will be considered for the lower grade level if the offeror does not specify the grade level in the submission. Offerors who are unsure of which grade level they meet the minimum qualifications for should submit separate offers for the GS-13 and the GS-14 positions. 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. 2. Supplemental document specifically addressing: Each of the three (3) Evaluation Factors shown in the solicitation. Responses must be limited to 500 words per 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 received that are relevant to each factor. 3. USPSC Offeror Information for Personal Services Contracts form AID 309-2. Offerors are required to complete and sign the form. Due to COVID-19 and limited access to equipment, we are currently accepting electronic and typed signatures on the AID 309-2 form. Additional documents submitted will not be accepted. Incomplete or late offers will not be considered. Your complete resume and the AID 309-2 form must be mailed or emailed to contact@example.gov Offerors can expect to receive a confirmation email when offer materials have been received. Offerors should retain for their records copies of all enclosures which accompany their offers. This solicitation in no way obligates USAID to award a PSC contract, nor does it commit USAID to pay any cost incurred in the preparation and submission of the offer. Offeror resources are available at www.otijobs.net/guidance-for-applying. Any questions on this solicitation may be directed to: OTI Recruitment Team E-Mail Address: contact@example.gov Website: www.OTIjobs.net Sincerely, Martina Wills Contracting Officer M/OAA/CPS 72C0T122R00035 I. GENERAL INFORMATION 1. SOLICITATION NO.: 72C0T122R00035 2. ISSUANCE DATE: May 13, 2022 3. CLOSING DATE AND TIME FOR RECEIPT OF OFFERS: June 14, 2022, 1:00 pm Eastern Time (Deadline Extended) 4. POINT OF CONTACT: OTI Recruitment Team, Email at contact@example.gov. 5. POSITION TITLE: Program Advisor/Senior Program Advisor (Program Office) 6. MARKET VALUE: This position has been designated as a - tandem position that, depending on the qualifications of the offeror, can be filled at either the GS-13 equivalent level, non-locality pay ($81,216 - $105,579 per annum) or GS-14 ($95,973 - $124,764 per annum) equivalent level. Final compensation will be negotiated within the listed market value based upon qualifications, previous relevant experience and work history, salary and educational background. Salaries over and above the pay range will not be entertained or negotiated. As this is a Worldwide, non-locality position, incumbents who do not live in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area will be provided with travel and/or per diem if they are required to work in Washington, D.C. Incumbents will be provided with travel and/or per diem for all other USAID/OTI travel assignments as well. Note: Offerors who submit an offer for the GS-14 grade level, but do not meet the minimum qualifications as outlined in this solicitation and as reviewed by the Technical Evaluation Committee, will not be considered for the GS-13 position if they have not submitted a separate offer for each. Similarly, offerors who apply for the GS-13 position even though they might meet the minimum qualifications for the GS-14 position will not be considered for the higher graded positions if they have not submitted a separate offer for each. Offerors who are unsure of which grade level they meet the minimum qualifications for should submit a separate offer for the GS-13 and GS-14 positions. 7. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: One (1) year, with four (4) one-year option periods. START DATE: Within 45 days of receiving notification that required security clearance has been obtained. The Personal Services Contractor hired under this contract will provide up to a maximum of 250 workdays of services on an annual basis. The specific projects, as well as dates, number of days and locations to be worked, will be determined by mutual agreement between the contractor and their OTI supervisor according to the programmatic needs of OTI. There is no obligation by OTI to provide assignments for a minimum number of days, and the contractor is free to provide - blackout dates during which he or she will not be available to accept assignments. 8. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: Worldwide 9. ELIGIBLE OFFERORS: United States Citizens 10. SECURITY LEVEL REQUIRED: SECRET 11. STATEMENT OF DUTIES 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. Some of these USPSCs serve on intermittent contracts and are referred to in OTI as - bullpenners, providing support in a surge capacity. Those serving in the bullpen must be prepared to work both in Washington and the field, often with little time for preparations. 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. OTI's DEIA Vision Statement: OTI is a collaborative environment that represents the global community at all levels of our organization. Uniting diverse backgrounds and experiences, we value individual expertise to advance peace and democracy around the world. Values and associated behaviors that will enable this vision are: Trust Model open communication, active listening and candor. Believe others when they share their experiences. Respect A respectful attitude should be shown to everyone. Allow for others to express complete opinion/thoughts without interruption, while recognizing that there are other perspectives and lived experiences. Belonging (Accessibility) Serve as an ally to those who feel excluded (professionally, socially, personally, etc.). Promote togetherness and acceptance through equitable behavior. Empathy Listen to understand, create space to be real/feel. Remind yourself to be conscious of how others may feel or receive your words Self-awareness/accountability Supervisors hold their peers to account on their expectations and behaviors. Seek regular, constructive feedback to understand how your words and actions affect and influence others, and how they are being perceived and interpreted. Acknowledge unconscious bias and be willing to learn and change behavior when confronted/corrected. For more information about OTI and its country programs please see: https://www.usaid.gov/stabilization-and-transitions INTRODUCTION The OTI Program Advisor/Senior Program Advisor (Program Office) is a member of the Bureau for Conflict Prevention and Stabilization (CPS)/OTI Program Office, and reports to the OTI Program Office Team Leader or their designee who are based in Washington, D.C. The Program Office, as part of OTI's Program, Learning, and Innovation (PLI) Division, provides the office with strategic guidance on country-level and office-level procurement, policy, budgeting, strategy, and program performance issues, and increases key stakeholder awareness of and support for OTI as a key instrument in carrying out U.S. foreign policy objectives. Key functions of the Program Office are to: manage core procurement mechanisms that support country programs; provide management and oversight for budgeting decisions and allocation of resources; set standards and provide guidance to country programs on strategic planning, decision-making, and implementation; and facilitate the flow of information regarding OTI programs with internal and external audiences. The Program Advisor/Senior Program Advisor (Program Office) will provide ad hoc support and advice and assistance to the Program Office as well as to OTI program managers, technical and financial specialists, co-workers, and/or others on contract procurement policies, problems, or issues. This person will support OTI country program staff through advice, guidance, and assistance on new and ongoing contractual issues to ensure effective implementation of programs that target political crises, prevent and mitigate conflict, and address stabilization needs in countries critical to U.S. foreign policy. CORE FUNCTIONAL AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES The work of the Program Advisor/Senior Program Advisor (Program Office) requires teamwork, the exercise of discretion, judgment, and personal responsibility. As a member of a highly operational office, you are willing and able to perform a wide range of administrative functions to help ensure programmatic success. You have a high level of integrity and attention to detail to ensure the use of OTI systems and procedures to maintain effective and efficient management of funds, programming, and monitoring and evaluation. You are highly flexible and willing to work under conditions of ongoing change, and remain professional and respectful of colleagues and authority in a diverse workforce. You place a premium on the building of positive relationships with their respective team both in the field and in Washington, D.C., and with key stakeholders both in and outside of USAID. You are able to prioritize and complete tasks without follow-up by the supervisor, while also filling in gaps as needed to ensure the responsiveness of the team. You are a strategic thinker, articulate innovative ideas, present solutions, and are a positive role model for colleagues both in and outside of OTI. This position will provide critical support to USAID/OTI's program design and implementation by ensuring that OTI staff, implementing partner staff, and other key players have the procurement-related information and training that they need to start up, manage, and close out field-based activities and programs effectively and efficiently. You are also committed to upholding USAID/OTI's Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) Vision and Values as outlined in the background. Under the direct supervision of the Washington, D.C.-based CPS/OTI Program Office Team Leader or their designee, you will perform the following duties: At the GS-13 level Program Advisor level: Support the Procurement Team and Office in resolving procurement-related and post-award management issues to avoid the impairment of U.S. foreign assistance and U.S. Government's (USG's) foreign policy objectives; Review, analyze, and/or interpret acquisition and assistance statues, regulations, policies, concepts, guidance, or procedures for use in the solution of procurement or contracting problems or the accomplishment of projects or programs and provide regular reporting on any changes or updates to current acquisition and assistance policies and procedures as they affect OTI field programs; Develop and review acquisition and assistance documents, including indefinite quantity contracts (IQCs), for all components necessary for solicitations, scopes of work, estimated budgets, draft contracts and agreements, and purchase orders to ensure policies and procedures are being followed; Provide backstop support and guidance to country program staff for new and ongoing programs through resolution of regular and special procurement needs associated with waiver requests, budget modifications, local procurement issues, design and development of large or complex grant activities or subcontracts to be implemented in the field, and other issues related to program startup, implementation, and closeout; When required, provide support to OTI country program teams as an auxiliary team member in the field and in Washington, D.C.; Serve on technical evaluation committees as necessary for OTI procurements; Provide training and mentoring on OTI program implementation for OTI staff and implementing partners both in Washington, D.C. and the field, and assist in the development and updating of training materials as required for acquisition and assistance issues; Liaise with the Office of Acquisition and Assistance (OAA) and others as necessary (e.g. mission contracting officers, implementing partner procurement officers) to ensure that current procurement policies and procedures are being appropriately applied throughout the startup, implementation, and closeout phases of OTI country programs; Analyze office-level procurement systems and internal systems to provide advice and guidance and determine overall needs and priorities related to acquisition and assistance issues; and, Serve on temporary details within OTI, other USAID bureaus/offices, or other USG agencies under this scope of work for a period not to exceed six (6) months. Duties performed while on detail must be directly related to the scope of work. Contracting Officer (CO) approval is required for the temporary detail. Any extension past the six (6) months requires CO approval. At the GS-14 level Senior Program Advisor level: Advise the Procurement Team and Office in resolving procurement-related and post-award management issues to avoid the impairment of U.S. foreign assistance and USG's foreign policy objectives; Review, analyze, and/or interpret acquisition and assistance statues, regulations, policies, concepts, guidance, or procedures for use in the solution of procurement or contracting problems or the accomplishment of projects or programs and provide regular reporting on any changes or updates to current acquisition and assistance policies and procedures as they affect OTI field programs; Supervise staff as delegated by the supervisor (e.g. Program Office Team Lead, Program Office Deputy Team Lead.). Evaluate staff performance; recognize good performance; communicate where performance needs to be improved; resolve complaints; and approve leave requests and timesheets as well as training, travel and program and operations requests; Provide orientation, training, and mentoring for staff supervised; assign work, explain how duties are to be performed to meet expectations and communicate how the successful performance of those duties will be measured; Develop and review acquisition and assistance documents, including indefinite quantity contracts (IQCs), for all components necessary for solicitations, scopes of work, estimated budgets, draft contracts and agreements, and purchase orders to ensure policies and procedures are being followed; Provide backstop support and guidance to country program staff for new and ongoing programs through resolution of regular and special procurement needs associated with waiver requests, budget modifications, local procurement issues, design and development of large or complex grant activities or subcontracts to be implemented in the field, and other issues related to program startup, implementation, and closeout; When required, provide support to OTI country program teams as an auxiliary team member in the field and in Washington, D.C.; Lead technical evaluation committees as necessary for OTI procurements; Provide training and mentoring on OTI program implementation for OTI staff and implementing partners both in Washington and the field, and assist in the development and updating of training materials as required for acquisition and assistance issues; Liaise with the Office of Acquisition and Assistance (OAA) and others as necessary (e.g. mission contracting officers, implementing partner procurement officers) to ensure that current procurement policies and procedures are being appropriately applied throughout the startup, implementation, and closeout phases of OTI country programs; Analyze office-level procurement systems and internal systems to provide advice and guidance and determine overall needs and priorities related to acquisition and assistance issues; and, Serve on temporary details within OTI, other USAID bureaus/offices, or other USG agencies under this scope of work for a period not to exceed six (6) months. Duties performed while on detail must be directly related to the scope of work. Contracting Officer (CO) approval is required for the temporary detail. Any extension past the six (6) months requires CO approval. SUPERVISORY RELATIONSHIP: The Program Advisor/Senior Program Advisor (Program Office) will be supervised by the OTI Program Office Team Leader or their designee, within the OTI Program Learning and Innovation (PLI) division. SUPERVISORY CONTROLS: At the GS-13 level, the supervisor will set overall objectives and resources available, and work with the incumbent to develop deadlines, projects, and work to be accomplished. The incumbent will be responsible for planning and carrying out assignments, resolving most conflicts, coordinating with others, and interpreting policy in terms of established objectives. Keeping the supervisor informed of progress, the incumbent may determine the approach to be taken and the methodology to be used. The supervisor will review completed work from an overall standpoint of feasibility, compatibility with other work, or effectiveness in meeting requirements. At the GS-14 level, the supervisor will provide administrative directions in terms of broadly defined missions or functions. The incumbent will independently plan, design and carry out programs, projects, studies or other work assignments. The incumbent's work will be considered technically authoritative and normally accepted without significant change, and will be reviewed in terms of fulfillment of program objectives, influence on the overall program, or contribution to the advancement of the objective. 12. PHYSICAL DEMANDS The work is generally sedentary and does not pose undue physical demands. If traveling overseas, the incumbent may be subject to some additional physical exertion including long periods of standing, walking over rough terrain, or carrying of moderately heavy items (less than 50 pounds). 13. WORK ENVIRONMENT: Work is performed in an office setting. Overseas deployments are not required for this position. II. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION (Determines basic eligibility for the position. Offerors who do not meet all of the education and experience factors are considered NOT qualified for the position. See detailed instructions for demonstrating Education/Experience under - Submitting an Offer) At a minimum, the applicant must have: At the GS-13 Program Advisor (Program Office) level: 1. A Master's Degree with five (5) years of work experience; OR A Bachelor's Degree with seven (7) years of work experience; OR An Associate's Degree with nine (9) years of work experience; OR A High School Diploma with eleven (11) years of work experience; AND 2. Four (4) years of experience designing procurements or managing contracts, grants, or cooperative agreements. At the GS-14 Senior Program Advisor (Program Office) level: 1. A Master's Degree with seven (7) years of work experience; OR A Bachelor's Degree with nine (9) years of work experience; OR An Associate's Degree with eleven (11) years of work experience; OR A High School Diploma with thirteen (13) years of work experience; AND 2. Six (6) years of experience designing procurements or managing contracts, grants, or cooperative agreements. III. EVALUATION AND SELECTION FACTORS (Determines basic eligibility for the position. Offerors who do not meet all of the education and experience factors are considered NOT qualified for the position. 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. SELECTION FACTORS: (Determines basic eligibility for the position. Offerors who do not meet all of the selection factors are considered NOT qualified for the position.) Offeror is a U.S. Citizen; Complete resume submitted. See cover page for resume requirements. Experience that cannot be quantified will not be counted towards meeting the solicitation requirements; Supplemental document specifically addressing how the candidate meets each of the Evaluation Factors submitted; Ability to obtain a SECRET level security clearance (NOTE: Dual citizens may be asked to renounce second-country citizenship); Satisfactory verification of academic credentials. A USAID Secret level security clearance is required prior to issuance of the contract for this position. NOTE: If a full security investigation package is not submitted by the selected within 30 days after it is requested, the offer may be rescinded. If a security clearance is not able to be obtained within four months after the selected submits the initial security clearance documentation, the offer may be rescinded. EVALUATION FACTORS: (Used to determine the competitive ranking of qualified offerors in comparison to other offerors. The factors are listed in priority order from highest to least.) Offerors should cite specific, illustrative examples for each factor. Responses will be rated using the point system described below. Failure to fully respond to each element of each Evaluation Factor will result in a reduction of points awarded. Responses must be limited to 500 words per factor. Any additional words above the limit will neither be read nor scored. Factor #1 Please explain your experience designing procurements and managing procurement processes of contracts, grants, or cooperative agreements. Factor #2 Please explain your experience collaborating with a diverse group of stakeholders to achieve organizational or team goals. Factor #3 Please explain your experience quickly analyzing and problem-solving when applying complicated policies to rapid response environments. BASIS OF RATING: Offerors who clearly meet the Education/Experience Requirements and Selection Factors 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. Be sure to include your name and the announcement number at the top of each additional page. 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 Offeror Rating System is as Follows: 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) Total Possible Points: 100 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 IV. SUBMITTING AN OFFER Offers must be received by the closing date and time at the address specified in Section I, item 3, and submitted to the Point of Contact in Section I, item 4. Qualified offerors are required to submit: Complete resume. In order to fully evaluate your offer, your resume must include: (a) Paid and 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 all overseas field 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. Your resume should contain explicit information to make a valid determination that you fully meet the minimum qualification requirements as stated in this solicitation for each grade level(s) for which you are applying. If you do not specify which grade level(s), your offer will be considered at the lower grade level. 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. 2. Supplemental document specifically addressing: Each of the three (3) Evaluation Factors shown in the solicitation. Responses must be limited to 500 words per 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 received that are relevant to each factor. 3. Offeror Information for Personal Services Contracts form AID 309-2. Offerors are required to complete and sign the form. Due to COVID-19 and limited access to equipment, we are currently accepting electronic and typed signatures on the AID 309-2 form. 4. Ensuring Adequate COVID-19 Safety Protocols for Federal Contractors - The Offeror will be required to show proof that the Offeror is fully vaccinated against COVID-19 on or before the first day of onboarding or submit an approved reasonable accommodation to the CO. If the contractor does not meet this requirement the contract may be terminated.* *See Notice Regarding Any Court Order Affecting the Implementation of E.O. 14042 in Section VIII below. Additional documents submitted will not be accepted. To ensure consideration of offers for the intended position, offers must prominently reference the solicitation number in the offer submission. Offeror resources are available at www.otijobs.net/guidance-for-applying. DOCUMENT SUBMITTALS Via email: contact@example.gov Please note in your document submittal where you heard about this position. NOTE REGARDING GOVERNMENT OBLIGATIONS FOR THIS SOLICITATION This solicitation in no way obligates USAID to award a PSC contract, nor does it commit USAID to pay any cost incurred in the preparation and submission of the offer. NOTE REGARDING THE ...