72061224R00003 -BHA REGIONAL MEAL SPECIALIST.pdf

SOLICITATION NUMBER: 72061224R00003.

ISSUANCE DATE: January 31, 2024.

QUESTIONS DEADLINE: February 08, 2024, at 15:00 hours Malawi Time.

CLOSING DATE AND TIME: February 17, 2024, at 17:00 hours Malawi Time.

SUBJECT: Solicitation for Offshore Hire U.S.TCN Personal Service Contractor- Regional Monitoring and Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Specialist, BHA/Malawi

Dear Prospective Offerors:

The United States Government, represented by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), is seeking offers from qualified persons to provide personal services under contract as described in this solicitation.

Offers must be in accordance with the instructions in Attachments 1 and 2 of this solicitation. Incomplete or unsigned offers will not be considered. Offerors should retain copies of all offer materials for their own records.

Any questions must be directed in writing to the lilongwehr@usaid.gov address with the subject line: “Questions Solicitation No. 72061224R00003 Offshore US/TCNPSCRegional Monitoring and Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Specialist not later than February 8, 2024, at 15:00 hours, Malawi time. We will post responses as soon as possible afterward.

Offers must be sent to lilongwehr@usaid.gov with the subject line: “Solicitation No. 72061224R00003 Offshore US/TCNPSC Regional Monitoring and Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Specialist.” To ensure delivery by the due date, it is recommended that offers be sent as email attachments.

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.

Sincerely, Warren Gray Supervisory Executive Officer mailto:lilongwehr@usaid.gov

ATTACHMENT 1

I. GENERAL INFORMATION

1. SOLICITATION NUMBER: 72061224R00003

2. ISSUANCE DATE: January 31, 2023

3. CLOSING DATE AND TIME FOR RECEIPT OF OFFERS: February 17, 2024 – 17:00 hrs. Malawi Time

4. POINT OF CONTACT: Martha Nanthoka, Supervisory Human Resources Specialist at mnanthoka@usaid.gov

5. POSITION TITLE: Regional Monitoring and Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Specialist

6. MARKET VALUE OF POSITION (Base Pay): $88,520.00 to $115,079.00 per annum (GS-13 equivalent).

Final compensation will be negotiated within the listed market value based on the successful candidate’s qualifications and salary history. Salaries over and above the top of the pay range will not be entertained or negotiated.

7. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: Two (2) year base with a three one-year options to extend. The extensions will be contingent on satisfactory performance, continued need for the services and availability of funds.

Base Period: o/a May 1, 2024 – April 30, 2026

Option Period 1: o/a May 1, 2026– April 30, 2027

Option Period 2: o/a May 1, 2027 – April 30, 2028

Option Period 3: o/a May 1, 2028 – April 31, 2029

8. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: Lilongwe, Malawi (Southern Africa) with possible travel as stated in the

Statement of Duties.

9. SECURITY CLEARANCE LEVEL REQUIRED: USPSCs - Secret; TCNPSCs - Employment Authorization. The selected candidate must be able to obtain a Security Clearance. If such clearance is not obtained within a reasonable time or negative suitability issues are involved, any offer may be rescinded.

10. AREA OF CONSIDERATION: Hiring preference - Reference: ADS 309.3.1.4.d.

U.S. Citizens, Resident Aliens and Third country Nationals (TCN). Per ADS 309.3.1.11(c), if the CO issues a combined solicitation that was open to multiple eligible sources (USNs and TCNs or CCNs and TCNs), the TEC must not evaluate USN and TCN offers or CCN and TCN offers together. To comply with the order of preference in section 309.3.1.4, the CO must provide the TEC only those offers received from the preferred type first. After the evaluation of USN or CCN offers, if CO, as the Source Selection Authority, determines that there are no qualified USNs and CCNs for the position, the CO may then provide the TCN offer to the TEC for evaluation.

Offeror must:

● submit a complete and hand-signed copy of an offer as outlined in the solicitation section titled “submitting an offer.”

● submit a supplemental document specifically addressing the evaluation factors.

● be able to obtain secret level security clearance.

● be able to obtain a department of state medical clearance.

● be willing to travel to work at sites and other locations as/when required.

● not appear as an excluded party in the system for award management.

mailto:mnanthoka@usaid.gov

11. MEDICAL AND SECURITY CLEARANCES: The final selected candidate must obtain both the security and medical clearances required for the position. If such clearances are not obtained within a reasonable time or negative suitability issues are involved, any offer made may be rescinded.

12. TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS: Travel to project sites and field offices in Malawi and within Southern

Africa may be required.

13. SUPPORT ITEMS: The Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) Malawi Office will provide the US/TCNPSC with adequate support services, equipment, and supplies necessary to perform the work.

II. STATEMENT OF DUTIES

I. BACKGROUND:

USAID/BHA requires the services of a Regional Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL)

Specialist based in Lilongwe, Malawi to ensure that BHA’s standards for immediate life-saving needs, risk reduction, resilience, climate-adaptation, nutrition, and gender-sensitivity and inclusiveness in Malawi and the Southern Africa region are met.

The BHA Southern Africa Regional team ensures effective planning, oversight, implementation, and evaluation of emergency and resilience resources valued between approximately USD 300 - 400 million annually and is active throughout the region in multiple countries at any given time. The Regional MEAL Specialist will support dynamic activity implementation in emergency and recovery settings. The overall goal will be to successfully implement interventions that span the humanitarian spectrum, from meeting immediate humanitarian needs to recovery and resilience activities.

II. BASIC FUNCTIONS OF POSITION:

As a member of the USAID/BHA Southern Africa Regional team, and based in Lilongwe, Malawi, the Regional MEAL

Specialist supports the effective management of BHA resources in the Southern Africa region through applying their

MEAL expertise. The position is based in the Lilongwe, Malawi Mission and reports to the BHA Regional Director in

Pretoria, South Africa, or his/her designee. This position will also be a member of the BHA global M&E team and expected to coordinate closely with the team to contribute to develop a workplan, and guidance documents based on BHA's mandate and priorities. To ensure monitoring and evaluation technical coherence the incumbent will use the M&E guidance developed by the BHA M&E team for technical assistance and guidance. S/he will coordinate with the technical colleagues based in the BHA regional office, in the USAID/Malawi mission and in BHA/Washington. The position is expected to spend her/his time supporting BHA staff and implementing partners responsible for the monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning of humanitarian assistance activities across various technical sectors. The Regional MEAL Specialist is expected to travel to the field as needed for limited periods of time visiting activity sites and meeting with collaborating organizations, including visiting areas with higher levels of insecurity.

A successful Regional MEAL Specialist will collaborate and coordinate closely with technical colleagues based in

BHA’s Technical Program Quality (TPQ) Office and the Design, Monitoring & Evaluation and Applied Learning

(DMEAL) Division, in Washington, D.C, and program colleagues in BHA/Malawi and other BHA offices in the Southern

Africa region. To ensure sound M&E operations for BHA activities, they must maintain high level contacts and communication with internal and external stakeholders including USAID, US Department of State, and other USG officials, host country government officials at all levels, leads of UN country programs, leads of NGO activities and organizations, senior government officials including heads of ministries and country governments. They will also represent USAID positions related to MEAL technical subjects in working group meetings, and meetings with mid- to high-level UN staff, engage with NGOs at a senior level including Chief of Parties and key NGO implementing personnel to discuss issues related to the effective targeting, direction of programming and distribution of humanitarian resources.

The individual will perform the following duties:

● Provide technical and training support to implementing partners to develop and implement systems for monitoring and evaluating the performance of BHA-funded humanitarian assistance including disaster risk reduction, and resilience and food security activities.

● Review concept notes and applications to ensure the M&E plan and approaches proposed are rigorous, effective, and meets BHA's standards.

● Support USAID Contracting/Agreement Officer Representatives and activity managers to monitor USAID-funded activities at the site level, ensuring activities are implemented in accordance with USAID regulations and in adherence to the approved award. Regular reporting directly to the AOR will be required.

● As a member of the BHA global M&E team, assist USAID to standardize BHA’s reporting processes with implementing partners and Mission staff, including collection, tabulation, and reporting of outputs, outcomes, and results of humanitarian assistance programs with other Mission programming, to the extent possible.

● Support program teams to implement BHA MEAL policies and practices and analyze data to answer key questions of interest as identified by the region.

● Analyze implementing partner results and performance data, including qualitative and quantitative data and reports (e.g., annually reported performance data, post-distribution monitoring reports, annual reports, evaluation reports, studies, etc.), compare the results to program targets, and provide decision support to the managers and technical staff.

● In coordination with technical colleagues in BHA/Washington, provide technical support in developing and reviewing evaluation statements of work (SOWs), and manage external evaluations or lead internal evaluations in the region. Provide technical support and/or activity managing support to evaluation when appropriate.

● Disseminate results to applicable BHA stakeholders and generate systems by which BHA staff can communicate and utilize program successes, lessons learned, evaluation recommendations, useful examples, etc.

for improved performance and long-term impact.

● Ensure the quality of reporting data reported to BHA/Washington through coordination and implementation of annual Data Quality Assessments or other means.

● Play liaison role among BHA, Bureau for Resilience and Food Security, Missions, and other implementing partners in carrying out activities designed to strengthen MEAL systems, including the development of MEAL plans for new programs and activities.

● Keep abreast of trends in MEAL as they relate to humanitarian assistance including resilience. Apply knowledge learned to improve BHA’s program results and monitoring.

● Propose and coordinate innovative ways to promote/facilitate evidence-based decision making, manage knowledge, and use information gathered to more strategically inform decision making and program planning.

● Serve as a key interlocutor with the Program Office on MEAL policy at the Mission and serve as BHA’s representative on MEAL issues within the Mission. Collaborate with the USAID/Malawi Mission MEL Team on MEL tasks that have cross-cutting implications.

● Participate in and contribute to BHA’s M&E team-building events and technical discussions (e.g., during

Global M&E Team meetings, and relevant workshops, retreats, and other events) with BHA staff on the BHA/W M&E

Team and other regional and Mission based M&E staff. Contribute to the development and/or refinement of new and existing BHA M&E policies and technical guidelines documents, in collaboration with BHA/W M&E colleagues.

● Consistently model behaviors that demonstrate a commitment to fostering a non-hostile work environment free of discrimination, bias, unfairness, exclusion, offensive behaviors and harassment of any kind.

Responsibilities and Duties:

● Become certified and serve as an Agreement Officer’s Representative/Contracting Officer’s Representative

(AOR/COR), as assigned. The AOR/COR provides financial and programmatic oversight of all aspects of managing the agreement or contract; this includes but is not limited to reviewing invoices, requests for approvals, program/project deliverables (i.e. work plans, annual reports, month status reports), travel requests, key personnel requests, and financial/budget reports. They are responsible for drafting and submitting the annual contractor performance evaluation in the Contract/Assistance Performance Assessment Review System (CPARS/APARS). They prepare and review contract/assistance modifications documentation and assist the Contracting/Agreement Officer to ensure performance is compliant with the terms and conditions of the contract/agreement, the FAR, and USAID policy. AOR/CORs are responsible for all related requirements in the COR designation letter and the AOR designation letter.

● May serve on DARTs which may require immediate (within 24 hours) deployment overseas for an extended period of time. During deployment on DARTs (if required), and during site visits, there may be some additional physical exertion including long periods of standing, walking over rough terrain, or carrying of moderately heavy items (less than 50 pounds). Work is primarily performed in an office setting. During deployment on DARTs (if required), and during site visits, the work may additionally involve special safety and/or security precautions, wearing of protective equipment, and exposure to severe weather conditions.

● As needed, may serve on temporary detail within the bureau to meet operational needs during staff shortages. Duties performed while on detail will be aligned with the Team’s existing duties and responsibilities and will be directly related to the scope of work provided.

● Work effectively in a challenging and restrictive work environment and strictly adhere to U.S. Embassy security guidelines.

● The Regional MEAL Specialist does not have supervisory responsibilities; however, the PSC may serve in an acting leadership role within the bureau in order to meet short-term staffing needs, not to exceed 120 days in a 12-month contract year.

III. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION

To be considered, the applicant MUST have:

Bachelor’s degree in any discipline. Must have a minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in MEAL related to humanitarian assistance or development programs. Experience must include one (1) year of professional experience implementing MEAL for humanitarian assistance or development programs, either through international or domestic assignments.

OR

Master’s degree in any discipline. Must have a minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in monitoring, evaluation, accountability or learning (MEAL) related to humanitarian assistance or development programs. Experience must include one (1) year of professional experience implementing MEAL for humanitarian assistance or development programs, either through international or domestic assignments.

AND

● Offeror is a U.S. Citizen or Third Country National (TCN).

● Ability to obtain and maintain a Secret up to Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented

Information level clearance as provided by USAID.

● Ability to obtain a Department of State medical clearance.

Communication and Interpersonal Skills

A. Professional-level English speaking, presentation, reading and writing proficiency.

B. Demonstrated ability to work collegially and effectively communicate with team members, internal clients, Mission personnel and external partners to successfully lead and/or work with a multi-cultural team. Able to create positive working relations with stakeholders of all levels.

IV. EVALUATION AND SELECTION FACTORS

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 https://www.usaid.gov/ads/policy/300/302mar https://www.usaid.gov/ads/policy/300/303mai https://www.usaid.gov/ads/policy/300/303mai 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. The FAR provisions referenced above are available at https://www.acquisition.gov/browse/index/far.

Factor #1: Prior Work Experience, (30 points)

(i) Demonstrated experience in drafting and reviewing scopes of work for evaluations that are commonly practiced in evaluating humanitarian assistance and non-emergency multi-year food security and resilience building programs (15 points);

(ii) Demonstrated experience in strengthening M&E capacity of BHA and implementing partner staff on a variety of topics and indicators commonly used in humanitarian assistance, disaster risk reduction, and non-emergency multi-year food security programs; M&E methods, data management, and data quality assurance (15 points);

Factor #2: Job Knowledge (40 points)

(i) Knowledge of standard food security, nutrition, water, sanitation, hygiene, shelter development, and resilience indicators that are commonly used to monitor and evaluate humanitarian response and non-emergency food security programs (10 points);

(ii) Demonstrated expertise in developing and implementing monitoring systems that use both in-person data collection and remote monitoring as practiced in the field of humanitarian assistance, food security, and resilience building programs (10 points);

(iii) Demonstrated expertise in designing, and leading/participating in evaluations either using mixed-methods, quantitative only methods, or qualitative methods only (10 points);

(iv) Demonstrated expertise in developing or using innovative approaches to facilitate utilization of monitoring, an d evaluation data for adaptive management (10 points).

Factor #3: Communication skills (30 points)

(i) Ability to facilitate learning through mentoring of individuals and training of groups (10 points);

(ii) Experience in representational functions for U.S. government or other international organizations or humanitarian agencies (10 points);

(iii) Demonstrated professional-level English speaking, reading, and writing proficiency (10 points)

BASIS OF RATING: Offerors who meet the Minimum Qualifications will be further evaluated according to the Evaluation and Selection Factors.

Offerors should address these factors in the offer package, describing specifically and accurately what experience, education, training, knowledge of the job, skills, and/or awards they have received as it pertains to the factors. Failure to address the Evaluation and Selection Factors may result in not receiving credit for all pertinent experience, education, training, knowledge of the job, skills, and/or awards.

The highest-ranking offerors may be invited for an interview and writing test. Interviews may be conducted either in person or by telephone/video call at USAID’s discretion. Final rating and ranking for the candidates will be based on the initial evaluation of the applications, interview performance, and writing test. USAID/Malawi will not pay for any expenses associated with interviews. Reference checks will be conducted for the highest-ranking offerors.

Note: Satisfactory Professional Reference Checks – Pass/Fail (no points assigned) Please be advised that references may be obtained independently from other sources in in addition to the ones provided by an offeror. If a candidate does not wish USAID to contact a current employer for a reference check, this should be stated in the candidate’s cover letter, and USAID will not contact those references without contacting the candidate.

V. SUBMITTING AN OFFER

https://www.acquisition.gov/browse/index/far

For your offer to be considered, the following documents must be submitted:

1. Fully completed and signed copy of an “Offeror Information for Personal Services Contracts with Individuals Form (AID 309-2), available at https://www.usaid.gov/documents/offeror-information-personal-services-contractsindividuals-aid-309-2. Offerors should note that the salary history for the purposes of the AID 309-2 is the base salary paid, excluding benefits and allowances such as housing, travel, vehicle use, etc.

2. Letter of Application

3. Current Resume or Curriculum Vitae

4. Written statement that responds to the requirements of the position (Evaluation and Selection Factors)

5. A minimum of three (3) and a maximum of five (5) references, including two references which must be from direct supervisors who can provide information regarding the offeror’s job knowledge.

Further Guidance:

Submission of Resume/Curriculum Vitae alone is not a complete offer. This offer must be complete of all forms and supplemental materials as described in this section, V. Submitting an Offer. Failure to provide the required information and/or materials may result in the offer not being considered.

Offers must be sent to lilongwehr@usaid.gov with subject line “Solicitation No.

72061224R00003 US/TCNPSC Regional Monitoring and Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Specialist”. To ensure delivery by the due date, it is recommended that offers be sent as email attachments.

Please do not submit more than one offer.

Late and incomplete applications may not be considered. Note all offers must be signed (hand or digitally signed).

Unsigned offers may not be considered.

[END OF ATTACHMENT 1]

ATTACHMENT 2

1. BENEFITS/ALLOWANCES

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

(NOTE: An individual defined as a Resident Hire employee may only be eligible for those benefits listed under item A below.)

A. BENEFITS:

1. Employee's FICA Contribution

2. Contribution toward Health & Life Insurance

3. Pay Comparability Adjustment

4. Annual Increase (depending on satisfactory performance evaluation)

5. Eligibility for Worker's Compensation

6. Annual & Sick Leave

7. Access to Embassy medical facilities, commissary and pouch mail service

8. Paid Parental Leave

9. Relocation Expense

B. ALLOWANCES (If Applicable):

Section numbers refer to rules from the Department of State Standardized Regulations (Government Civilians Foreign Areas), available at https://aoprals.state.gov/content.asp?content_id=282&menu_id=101

1. Temporary Lodging Allowance (Section 120)

2. Living Quarters Allowance (Section 130)

3. Cost-of-Living Allowance (Chapter 200)

4. Payments during Ordered/Authorized Departure (Section 600),

5. Post Differential (Chapter 500)

6. Education Allowance (Section 270)

7. Separate Maintenance Allowance (Section 260), and,

8. Education Travel (Section 280)

2. TAXES

USPSCs are required to pay Federal income taxes, FICA, Medicare and applicable State Income taxes.

3. LIST OF REQUIRED FORMS PRIOR TO AWARD

Once the Contracting Officer informs the successful Offeror about being selected for a contract award, the Contracting Officer will provide the successful Offeror with instructions.

about how to complete and submit the following forms.

1. Medical History and Examination Form (Department of State Form DS-1843)

2. Fingerprint Card (FD-258), and either

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

4. Questionnaire for Non-Sensitive Positions (SF-85), whichever is applicable.

4. USAID REGULATIONS, POLICIES AND CONTRACT CLAUSES PERTAINING TO PSCs

USAID regulations and policies governing USPSC awards are available at these sources:

1. USAID Acquisition Regulation (AIDAR), Appendix D, “Direct USAID Contracts with a U.S. Citizen or a U.S.

Resident Alien for Personal Services Abroad,” including contract clause “General Provisions,” available at https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1868/aidar_0.pdf.

https://aoprals.state.gov/content.asp?content_id=282&menu_id=101

2. Contract Cover Page form AID 309-1 available at https://www.usaid.gov/forms. Pricing by line item is to be determined upon contract award as described below:

LINE ITEMS

ITEM NO

(A)

SUPPLIES/SERVICES

(DESCRIPTION)

QUANTITY

(C)

UNIT

(D)

UNIT PRICE

(E)

AMOUNT

(F)

0001 Base Period - Compensation, Fringe Benefits and Other Direct Costs (ODCs)

- Award Type: Cost

- Product Service Code:

[e.g., R497]

- Accounting Info: [insert one or more citation(s) from Phoenix/GLAAS]

1 LOT

$ _TBD__

$_TBD at Award after negotiations with Contractor_

1001 Option Period 1 – Compensation, Fringe Benefits and Other Direct Costs (ODCs)

- Award Type: Cost

- Product Service Code:

[e.g., R497]

- Accounting Info: [insert negotiations

2001 Option Period 2 – Compensation, Fringe Benefits and Other Direct Costs (ODCs)

- Award Type: Cost

- Product Service Code:

[e.g., R497]

- Accounting Info: [insert negotiations

3. Acquisition and Assistance Policy Directives/Contract Information Bulletins (AAPDs/CIBs) for Personal Services Contracts with Individuals available at http://www.usaid.gov/work-usaid/aapds-cibs.

4. Ethical Conduct. By the acceptance of a USAID personal services contract as an individual, the contractor will be acknowledging receipt of the “Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch,” available from the U.S. Office of Government Ethics, in accordance with General Provision 2 and 5 CFR 2635. See https://www.oge.gov/web/oge.nsf/OGE%20Regulations .

5. PSC Ombudsman. The PSC Ombudsman serves as a resource for any Personal Services Contractor who has entered into a contract with the United States Agency for International Development and is available to provide clarity on their specific contract with the agency. Please visit https://www.usaid.gov/work-usaid/personal-service-contractsombudsman for additional information. The PSC Ombudsman may be contacted by email at PSCOmbudsman@usaid.gov.

6. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY: The U.S. Mission in Malawi provides equal opportunity and fair and equitable treatment in employment to all people without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, political affiliation, marital status, or sexual orientation. USAID/Malawi also strives to achieve equal employment opportunities in all personnel operations through continuing diversity enhancement programs.

The EEO complaint procedure is not available to individuals who believe they have been denied equal opportunity based upon marital status or political affiliation. Individuals with such complaints should avail themselves of the appropriate grievance procedures, remedies for prohibited personnel practices, and/or courts for relief.

[END OF ATTACHMENT 2]