Senior Program Office Advisor Solicitation 650-SU-10-PR-01.doc

SOLICITATION NUMBER:

USAID/Sudan 650-SU-10-PR-01

ISSUANCE DATE:

July 1, 2010

CLOSING DATE:

July 28, 2010, 4:30pm Sudan Time Ladies and Gentlemen:

SUBJECT: Solicitation for Personal Services Contractor (PSC) for Senior Program Office Advisorr, Juba, Sudan.

The United States Government, represented by U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID/Sudan), is seeking applications from qualified U.S. Citizens interested in providing Personal Services Contract (PSC) as described in this solicitation.

Submissions shall be in accordance with this solicitation at the place and time specified.

Interested applicants MUST submit the following materials:

· Most current Curriculum vitae or resume

· Complete and hand-signed federal form OF-612

· Three references, who are not family members or relatives, with telephones and e-mail contacts

· Covering letter highlighting applicant’s reason for applying and supplemental documents specifically addressing the four (4) Quality Ranking Factors (QRFs) shown in the solicitation

USAID/Sudan reserves the right to obtain from previous employers relevant information concerning the applicant’s past performance and may consider such information in its evaluation.

Late, incomplete or unsigned applications shall not be considered.

Applications must be e-mailed to:

Ms. Sawsan Abdelmouti (sabelmouti@usaid.gov), Human Resources Specialist, USAID/Sudan.

Applicants should retain for their records copies of all enclosures which may accompany their applications.

Sincerely, R. Douglass Arbuckle Deputy Mission Director/Contracting Officer

ATTACHMENT TO POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT

USPSC SENIOR PROGRAM OFFICE ADVISOR, JUBA, SUDAN

1.

SOLICITATION No:

USAID/Sudan 650-SU-10-PR-01 2.

ISSUANCE DATE:

July 1, 2010 3.

CLOSING DATE/TIME SPECIFIED:

July 28, 2010; 4:30 pm Sudan Local Time 4.

POSITION TITLE:

Senior Program Office Advisor 5.

MARKET VALUE:

GS-15 ($98,156-$127,604) or

GS-14 ($84,697-$110,104

6.

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE:

One (1) year, with possibility of extensions up to a maximum of five years.

7.

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE:

Juba, Sudan

8.

AREA OF CONSIDERATION:

U.S. Citizens and Third Country Nationals 9.

SUPERVISOR:

Supervisory Program Officer

10. STATEMENT OF WORK:

A.

PURPOSE

The U.S. Government is the leading international donor to Sudan, providing more than $6 billion in assistance since 2005. It is focused on forging a definitive end to conflict, human rights abuses, and genocide in Darfur, and peaceful implementation of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). Since the CPA was signed, two million displaced people have returned to their communities in southern Sudan and the Three Areas (Southern Kordofan, Blue Nile, and Abyei). But the lack of basic infrastructure and institutional capacity impedes economic and social progress. At the same time, more than 2.7 million people have been driven from their homes in Darfur, where conflict and insecurity persist, reducing humanitarian access. As part of the United States’ commitment to support the peace process, save lives, and safeguard human rights, USAID programs promote stability, recovery, and democratic reform and provide basic health and education services to the Sudanese people.

USAID works to strengthen Sudanese capacity to address the causes and consequences of political conflict, violence, and instability. This includes building the capacity of local authorities to deliver peace dividends and enforce the rule of law. USAID also assists existing mechanisms that support consensus-building through key political processes to mitigate potentially catalytic conflicts. In Darfur, USAID supports civil society and community organizations in early recovery and peace-building activities.

In southern Sudan and the Three Areas, USAID support is strengthening democratic governance and assisting the CPA’s key political processes. Activities are strengthening the core institutions of the Government of Southern Sudan and develop systems to meet citizen needs and government priorities at the regional and state levels. This assistance also targets the fragile Three Areas and Border States of southern Sudan to enhance local governments’ ability to transparently manage resources, deliver tangible peace dividends, and increase incomes. USAID also supports implementation of key CPA milestones--the 2008 census, the 2010 national elections, popular consultations in Blue Nile and Southern Kordofan, and the January 2011 referenda on the future status of southern Sudan and Abyei. In support of these goals, USAID is assisting the administration of these processes, promoting civic participation and consensus building, and supporting international observation.

USAID health and education programs focus on delivering peace dividends to the people of Sudan. USAID programs strengthen maternal and child health services and reduce the burden of HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, and other infectious diseases. Access to health services is increased by training county medical officers and conducting national immunization days and polio eradication campaigns. To improve education, USAID rehabilitates schools, trains teachers, and mobilizes parent-teacher associations to increase Sudan’s capacity to provide quality primary and secondary education, especially for girls.

USAID economic growth activities link isolated communities and facilitate an enabling environment for market development, through improvement of roads, assistance in electrification, agricultural support, bolstering of private sector competitiveness, support for improved land policies, and promotion of better environmental management of the Boma-Jonglei landscape and its rich biodiversity.

The Sudan CPA signed on January 9, 2005, ended Africa's longest running civil war and was a major achievement for the President and the U.S. Government, which played the key role in brokering the peace. USAID has a large and rapidly expanding program in Sudan to support the peace process. USAID's FY 2010 development funding for Sudan is almost $300 million.

B. STATEMENT OF WORK

Using the Agency's assistance objectives and the Foreign Assistance Framework, the PSC Program Office Advisor shall exercise significant independent professional judgment to anticipate both systemic and ad hoc program design and operational problems and issues requiring policy decisions, innovative solutions, and/or Sudan’s special legal authorities to enable practical resolution. Based on the PSC's analysis of the Sudan country program and the related socio-economic and political conditions, alternative assistance mechanisms, and USAID institutional capabilities, the incumbent identifies and defines issues, implications, and options, and recommends actions.

11. MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Strategic Development: Assist with strategic planning and analysis, including analysis of cross-sectoral issues, and the impact of U.S. assistance. Help Mission management respond to emerging development opportunities, significant changes in Sudan and southern Sudan’s political, economic and security landscape which could significantly affect program goals or program implementation approaches. Shared responsibility for ensuring that the development of a new, five-year, USAID Strategic Plan is inclusive in its approach; comprehensive in its content; and, presents a clear case for the effective use of resources leading to optimal economic and social development. S/he will be responsible for ensuring that the new USAID Strategy conforms to overall USG priorities and strategic analysis, planning and implementation procedures in ADS 200 series.

2. Budget Cycle Management: Help manage the budget cycle processes to align in an optimal manner budget resources with program strategy and policy objectives. Includes coordinating and guiding the completion of several annual reports and analyses related to the budget cycle, including the Mission Strategic Plan (MSP), the Congressional Budget Justification (CBJ), the Performance Plan and Report (PPR), the Operational Year Budget (OYB), the Operational Plan (OP); the OMB pass-back reductions, and AFR/DP budget allowances. In all of these, the Senior Program Advisor will interface with groups inside and outside of USAID to finalize these processes (Embassy staff, technical teams, OMB and USAID/Washington – principally AFR/SP and AFR/DP). The Senior Program Advisor will also help technical teams and cross-cutting program managers in Juba to comply with ADS forward funding guidelines and understand core USAID budgeting concepts, such as mortgages, pipelines, burn rates, out-year budget planning, and overall budget management.

3. Program Operations and Reporting: Assist with Mission performance reporting efforts, including preparation and coordination of Mission input to reports requiring a broad understanding of USG programs, congressional mandates and topics of special interest to the Administration such as Global Hunger and Food Security, Global Climate Change, Global Health and Global Engagement. Responsibilities also include, in coordination with the Development Outreach and Coordination Specialists (DOCS), responding to information inquiries from USAID/W and external audiences.

4. Monitoring and Evaluation: Assist and possibly manage all aspects of monitoring and evaluation. Take the lead in providing advice, support and management for monitoring and evaluation activities required of the USAID/Sudan Mission, and particularly the Juba-based programs. This includes strategic and accurate input in developing periodic Performance Management Plans (PMPs); data quality assessments; Portfolio Reviews; updating Mission Orders; and, assisting technical teams with the development of program and activity assessments, monitoring modalities and final evaluation scopes-of-work and studies.

5. Activity Development and Design: The Senior Program Advisor may be called upon to act as an ancillary member of all Technical Teams, helping to oversee the design and development of new activities, as well as the design of modifications to existing activities. Working with Teams, assure consistency with ADS 200 and relevant Mission Orders relating to activity design and assuring application of what is learned from ongoing project implementation to new project/activity design.

6. Mentoring Staff: Mentoring all staff is of utmost importance. USAID/Sudan is a new and developing Mission, with two major offices (Juba and Khartoum) that may split into two separate and large USAID Missions as early as 2011. The Senior Program Advisor should be someone who is attentive to, and well practiced with, mentoring, coaching and guiding all staff. Staff members in Juba include FSNs, TCNs, USDH tenured officers, USPSCs, TDY staff, FSLs, GS to FS Officer Conversions, PASAs, newly-hired Development Leadership Initiative staff and locally-hired American PSCs. This position will mentor all staff, focusing especially on Program Office staff.

7. Special Activities and Donor Coordination: Complete special activities, as assigned by the Mission Director or Deputy Mission Director, which might include (but not be limited to) strengthening formal and informal lines of communications within the Mission; between the Mission and other USG agencies represented at Embassy/Khartoum or Consulate/Juba; between the U.S. Government and the Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS); and among other development partners and donors, particularly those with major offices or bases in Juba. The Senior Program Advisor will enhance effective ways of sharing information; managing knowledge; and, identifying ways to streamline and expedite decision-making.

8. Gender: Serve as Mission Gender Officer. This entails, but is not limited to, requiring that appropriate gender analysis be applied to a range of technical issues in the development of strategic planning and activities. In addition, s/he will be responsible to ensure that projects and activities address gender issues and conclusions of any gender analyses must be documented in the Activity Approval Documents. Finally, the PSC Senior Program Advisor will make sure that gender-related findings are integrated into the Statement of Work or the Program Description in solicitations.

9. Management: Serve as Acting Program Office Director in the absence of USDH staff.

Performs other duties as assigned or required.

9. POSITION ELEMENTS

Supervision Received: - Incumbent works under the general guidance of and reports directly to the Supervisory Program Officer, USAID/Sudan. . Supervision is of a general nature, with the expectation that the incumbent would seek advice and consultation from his/her supervisor for discussions concerning policies, priorities, or goals. Operates with a high degree of independence.

Available Guidelines: Automated Directives Systems (ADS) , Office of Management and Budget Circulars, policy issuances governing administration of activity, Mission Orders, USAID policies and strategies, and other appropriate available information.

Exercise of Judgment: S/he must possess excellent judgment and be resourceful in fulfilling his/her responsibilities. The Senior Program Advisor will routinely be called upon to utilize independent judgment to develop and present strategy, activity and programmatic recommendations for the Mission.

Authority to Make Commitments: Incumbent has the authority to make commitments of a non-financial nature. Commitments must be in adherence to pre-established project goals and USAID policies.

Nature, Level and Purpose of Contacts: Incumbent will interact routinely with officials in USAID/Sudan, the Departments of State (particularly the Special Envoy’s Office within the Department of State), Centers for Disease Control, as well as other USG officials, Ministerial-level officials within the Government of Sudan (GoS) and the regional Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS), and counterparts among Sudan donors. Many of the incumbent’s contacts with senior officials outside of USAID will be for the purpose of assisting USDH staff to advance U.S. policy positions. Interactions with senior officials of other donor organizations and counterpart institutions, including ministers, may also be required, particularly during international donor coordination exercises. The incumbent is expected to mentor/coach core USAID/Sudan personnel to defend the Agency’s strategy and views with officials in private conversations and public meetings. The incumbent is also expected to possess strong negotiating skills and powers of persuasion, as well as the ability to facilitate agreement among parties and promote the resolution of issues prohibiting achievement of USAID’s objectives for Sudan.

Supervision Exercised: May supervise professional-level foreign service national (FSN) staff and other US or TCN PSCs in the Program Office, Juba Interpersonal Skills: The Contractor must exercise discretion and tact in a variety of stressful situations and when dealing with personnel to resolve challenges that arise during the course of the work, for which there often is not a clear solution.

Time required to Perform a Full Range of Duties: Immediately. The incumbent is expected to be skilled in program/project management and coordination so that s/he can be able to carry out the duties and responsibilities from day one.

Period of Performance: The personal service contract will be for one (1) year, with possibility of extension. Extensions will be contingent on the need for continued services, satisfactory performance, and availability of funds.

Reports: Upon request or as scheduled, the Contractor will submit periodic status and/or other reports related to major activities or projects that fall under the incumbent’s responsibility.

10. QUALIFICATIONS / SELECTION CRITERIA

Applicants are encouraged to provide a cover letter addressing how they meet the requirements of each of the criteria below. Applicants should provide this information in the same sequence as indicated below. Candidates will be evaluated and ranked based on the following selection criteria:

Education (15 points)

Possession of a Master’s degree or equivalent from national or international university in International Relations, public policy, international development or related field is required. Directly related professional experience of at least ten years (in addition to other experience requirements) may be substituted for the degree.

Prior Relevant and Overseas Work Experience (30 points)

Minimum of ten years of relevant development and program-office type experience, including design, implementation and management of related programs. At least five years, should have been in a developing country, preferably in a U.S. Government agency. Experience working in countries in conflict or post-conflict situations is desired.

Knowledge (25 points) Knowledge of development assistance principles and USAID activities, policies, regulations, procedures, and documentation. Good knowledge of USAID Automated Directive Systems (ADS), as well as Mission strategy.

Skills and Abilities (20 points)

Excellent written and spoken communication skills in English as well as excellent interpersonal skills are required. Ability to establish and maintain contacts at all levels with host government officials, other donors, counterparts, grantees, contractors, partners, and customers. Has the ability to provide advice clearly and objectively and be able to interpret regulatory directives. Must demonstrate initiative and good judgment in dealing with special or unusual circumstances. Knowledge of Microsoft Office applications is required. Demonstrates exceptional skills and abilities to oversee the execution of program office functions in coordination with all Mission Strategic Objectives. Demonstrated ability to execute consultative and advisory services with each Mission Objective Team as well as the ability to recognize significant developments and trends, make recommendations and solve problems related to the USAID/Sudan program. .

Language (10 Points) Proficiency in spoken and written English is required. Proficiency in Arabic is highly desirable.

12. ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS AND LOGISTICAL SUPPORT:

As a matter of policy, and as appropriate, a PSC recruited off-shore is normally authorized the following benefits and allowances:

BENEFITS

Employer's FICA and Medicare Contribution* Contribution toward Health & Life Insurance Pay Comparability Adjustment Annual Salary increase Eligibility for Worker's Compensation Annual & Sick Leave Shipment and storage of household effects [limited shipment authorized at present]

Access to Embassy medical facilities, and pouch mail service ALLOWANCES [if applicable, as found in the Standardized Regulations (Government Civilian Foreign Areas) Sections cited below]

(1) Temporary Lodging Allowance (Section 120)

(2) Living Quarters Allowance (Section 130)

(3) Post Allowance (Section 220)

(4) Supplemental Post Allowance (Section 230)

(5) Separate Maintenance Allowance (Section 260)

(6) Educational Allowance (Section 270)

(7) Educational Travel (Section 280)

(8) Post Differential (Chapter 500)

(9) Payments during Evacuation/Authorized Departure (Section 600)

(10) Danger Pay (Section 650)

(11) Sunday Pay

SECURITY AND MEDICAL CLEARANCE

Regardless of nationality, the Contractor will be required to obtain a class one (1) medical clearance from State M/MED prior to departure to post. For US Citizens, at least a temporary “Secret” security clearance must be obtained prior to travel to post of duty. Until a final adjudication of a secret clearance is received, the contractor shall:

· have no access to classified or administratively controlled materials,

· travel to post by himself/herself only, and

· be authorized no entitlements other than those normally authorized for short-term (less than a year) employees at post.

If the US Citizen contractor fails to receive a secret clearance, the contract will be immediately terminated.

Third country National candidates will be required to obtain appropriate employment authorization

FEDERAL TAXES USPSCs are required to pay Federal income, FICA, and Medicare taxes.

LIST OF REQUIRED FORMS FOR PSCs Forms outlined below can be found at:

http://www.usaid.gov/forms/ or at http://www.forms.gov/bgfPortal/main.do

1. Optional Form 612

2. Contractor Physical Examination (DS-1843 and DS-1622)

3. Questionnaire for Sensitive Positions (for National Security)SF-86), or

Questionnaire for Non-Sensitive Positions (SF-85)

4. Finger Print Card (FD-258) (available from the requirement office)

11. INSTRUCTIONS TO APPLICANTS:

Qualified applicants are requested to submit an Application for Federal Employment (SF-171) or Optional Application for Federal Employment (OF612) and a Resume containing the following information:

1) Personal Information: Full name, mailing address (with zip code), email address, day and evening phone numbers, social security number, country of citizenship, highest federal civilian grade held (also give job series and dates held);

2) Education: high school, name, city and state, date of diploma or GED; colleges and universities, name, city and state, majors, type and year of any degrees received (if no degree, show total credits earned and indicate whether semester or quarter hours);

3) Work Experience: provide the following information for your paid and non paid work experience related to the job for which you are applying (do not send job descriptions); job title (include series and grade if federal job), duties, and accomplishments, employer’s name and address, supervisor’s name and phone number, starting and ending dates (month and year), hours per week, salary. Indicate if we may contact your current supervisor;

4) Other Qualifications: Other pertinent information related to the qualifications required for the position, as noted above including job-related training courses (title & year), job-related skills; for example, other languages, computer software/hardware, tools, machinery, typing speed, job-related certificates and licenses (current only), job-related honors, awards, and special accomplishments, for example, publications, memberships in professional or honor societies, leadership, activities, public speaking and performance awards (give dates but do not send documents unless requested).

5) Applicants are required to provide three references with complete contact information including email address and telephone numbers.

Interested candidates should send above via the internet to the attention of Sudan Contracting Officer, at one of the addresses indicated below. To ensure that the application is considered for the intended position, please reference the solicitation number and title of position on your application and as the subject line in any cover letter. Applications must be received by the closing date and time specified in the cover letter. Applications received after the closing date and time will not be considered.

Any questions regarding this solicitation should be submitted no later than January 14, 2010 via e-mail to the Contracting Officer (darbuckle@usaid.gov) with a copy to Ms. Sawsan Abdelmouti (sabdelmouti@usaid.gov).

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