Sol_72061520R00003.pdf

Postal Address:

U.S. Agency for International Development

USAID Kenya

P.O. Box 629

Village Market 00621

Nairobi, Kenya

Courier Address:

USAID/Kenya c/o American Embassy

United Nations Avenue, Gigiri, Nairobi, Kenya

Pouch Address:

American Embassy

8900 Nairobi Place

Department Of State

Washington D.C. 20521-8900

Tel: 254-20-862 2000

Fax: 254-20-862 2680 / 2682 http://kenya.usaid.gov/

SOLICITATION NUMBER: 72061520R00003

ISSUANCE DATE: January 22, 2020

CLOSING DATE/TIME: February 21, 2020 04:30 p.m. GMT+3

SUBJECT: Solicitation for Offshore Hire U.S. Personal Service Contractor (U.S. PSC) Senior

Learning Advisor, GS-15

Dear Prospective Offerors:

The United States Government, represented by the U.S. Agency for International Development

(USAID), is seeking applications from qualified persons to provide personal services under contract as described in the attached solicitation.

Submissions must be in accordance with the solicitation instructions. Applicants should retain copies of all offer materials, for their records.

Applications must be submitted electronically via email to nairobipscjobs@usaid.gov by the closing date and time indicated above. Late, incomplete, or unsigned applications will not be considered. Scanned copies are accepted by email. Applicants must prominently reference the solicitation number in the application submission.

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 application. Any questions must be directed in writing to the email addresses specified above.

Sincerely, -s-

Natalya Komarova

Executive Officer http://kenya.usaid.gov/ mailto:nairobipscjobs@usaid.gov

Solicitation: 72061520R00003

Attachment 1:

I. GENERAL INFORMATION

1. SOLICITATION NO.: 72061520R00003

2. ISSUANCE DATE: 01/22/2020

3. CLOSING DATE/TIME: 02/21/2020 at 04:30 p.m. (Nairobi Time)

4. POINT OF CONTACT: Executive Office/Human Resources, Patrick Bii, HR Assistant, email at pbii@usaid.gov

5. POSITION TITLE: Offshore Hire U.S. Personal Service Contractor (U.S. PSC) Senior Learning

Advisor

6. MARKET VALUE: $109,366 to $142,180 equivalent to GS-15. Final compensation will be negotiated within the listed market value.

7. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: Two years

8. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: Nairobi, Kenya with possible travel as stated in the Statement of

Duties.

9. ELIGIBLE OFFERORS: U.S Citizens. Citizenship, if dual, must be clearly stated.

10. SECURITY LEVEL REQUIRED: Secret

11. PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The primary location of work will be on the U.S. Embassy/USAID compound in Nairobi, Kenya. No special demands are required to perform the work.

12. STATEMENT OF DUTIES/POSITION DESCRIPTION

BACKGROUND:

The USAID Senior Learning Advisor (SLA) position is established in the USAID/KEA’s Strategic

Planning and Analysis (SPA) Office (or Program Office). In alignment with the Mission’s pivot to the

Journey to Self-Reliance (J2SR), the Advisor will institutionalize collaborating, learning, and adapting

(CLA) across the Mission’s bilateral and regional portfolios. The SLA will serve as an expert organizational learning and knowledge management professional and provide technical direction to the Mission, Implementing Partners (IPs), and other stakeholders and partners on integration of CLA.

The Program Office is responsible for broad program support, coordination, and specific project management functions for the USAID/KEA platform. This includes the East Africa Operating Unit and the

Kenya Operating Unit. The Program Office serves as the principal advisor to the Mission on: (a) social, economic and developmental issues; (b) strategic planning, programming, and budgeting; (c) program and project activity development; (d) monitoring, evaluation, and learning of the platform’s portfolio; (e) CLA;

(f) environmental compliance; (g) outreach and communications; and (h) limited program implementation of crosscutting activities. These activities fall within the Mission’s Development Objectives (DO) under the Kenya Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) and East Africa Regional Cooperation

Development Strategy (RDCS). SPA manages the regional and bilateral relationships, including program coordination and assistance agreements, with the Government of Kenya and regional entities.

mailto:pbii@usaid.gov

As many of the duties of the SLA involve organizational behavior change, the Advisor must effectively identify the need for change, ability to articulate that knowledge to a non-expert audience, and provide persuasive arguments that will motivate Mission staff to accept and enact the changes. S/He will also work closely with design teams and the Office of Acquisition and Assistance to ensure CLA language is included in contracts, activity, and project designs.

Statement of Duties to be Performed

USAID/KEA recognizes that CLA is essential to ensure that the Mission’s development outcomes are as effective as possible, especially during times of change. Strategic collaboration, intentional learning and adaptive management help the Mission to build productive relationships and continuously assess and adjust the causal pathway to desired development outcomes on the country and region’s J2SR.

Building on this, the SLA will help institutionalize CLA across the Mission, including in strategy and program development and implementation, and support the Mission’s internal efforts to build the enabling conditions for CLA to flourish.

More specifically, s/he will facilitate Mission efforts to support facilitation of stakeholder engagement/empowerment activities, develop utilization-focused learning agendas, feed new learning information into strategy, projects, and activities at all points in the program cycle, and develop innovative approaches to supporting program adaptation. The SLA will also build the capacity of Mission staff, guiding leadership and technical offices to strengthen feedback loops with stakeholders and translate new learning, as well as information about changing conditions, into iterative strategic and programmatic adjustments in support of KEA’s J2SR. The quality of the guidance provided by the SLA, and their ability to institutionalize CLA practices in the Mission, will determine the cost-effectiveness of key U.S. Government

(USG) development investments in the country/region.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Build Mission and Partner Capacity (Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes) in CLA (25%)

● Conduct a rapid assessment of current skills, attitudes, and practices related to CLA among key Mission staff. Provide recommendations and proposed implementation plan for delivering examples, tools, guidance, and mentoring to improve the capacity to integrate

CLA for better development outcomes.

● Mentor and conduct capacity building activities, trainings, or workshops with Mission staff to fully grasp the core concepts of CLA and J2SR, and how to directly apply them to

Mission programming.

● Support the Mission’s decision-making on organizational interventions to advance and integrate

CLA best practices and J2SR across the Mission’s portfolio.

● Advise Mission Leadership and provide ongoing feedback on how new processes are working to enable Mission leadership to course correct along the way and improve CLA practices within the Mission, with IPs, and stakeholders, with a goal toward improving program outcomes.

● Support the Mission in fostering and advancing USAID/KEA's organizational culture, orienting new staff on the Mission Leadership Charter and Mission values and behavioral expectations, while encouraging ongoing organizational development.

● Support technical offices with executing their CLA priorities, including linking technical offices to external support or mechanisms and/or developing scopes of work for supplementary support.

● Support SPA backstops/cross-cutting specialists, and working groups to ensure a focus on the principles, fundamentals and best practices of CLA in support of iterative course corrections and ensure ongoing and evolving alignment of portfolios with strategy.

● Actively participate in MEL-related communities of practice in the Mission and across the

Agency, including MEL working group and CLA champions.

● Work with the Mission’s training coordinator to ensure sufficient opportunities for

USAID/KEA staff, IPs, and local partners to receive formal training in CLA as appropriate.

● Advise on CLA language to be included in solicitations, project/activity designs, request for information surveys, and other funding mechanisms.

2. Develop, Manage and Coordinate Mission Organizational and Program Learning Opportunities -

(25%)

● Lead the Mission in the development of a cohesive learning agenda as part of the development of the Mission’s forthcoming CDCS and RDCS.

● Develop innovative and user-friendly approaches that maximize Mission use of data to improve programming.

● Cultivate a body of knowledge that can be disseminated to share with internal and external actors on best practices.

● Guide technical teams’ utilization of research design and methodologies, applied research studies, impact assessments, capturing and sharing new knowledge, engaging stakeholders in CLA, and applying learning to ongoing program and project/activity design and management. Develop interactive learning opportunities that inform subsequent work plans, activity designs, target setting, assessments, studies and potential adjustments in project/activity implementation.

● Seek opportunities to advance USAID’s knowledge management and learning activities, ensuring effective sharing and applied learning in topics of strategic interest to

USAID/KEA. Including membership in the Agency CLA Community of Practice.

● Assist the Mission, IPs, and other partners in the submission of CLA Case Competition entries.

● Document learning and provide feedback on Program Cycle guidance and tools.

3. Lead stakeholder engagement and build partnerships (25%)

● (Internal) Support Mission staff with the development of internal partnerships and play a leading role in thought leadership surrounding collaboration and the organization of cross-functional teams.

● (Internal) Facilitate Mission staff engagement and ongoing feedback about the integration of the bilateral and regional portfolios and how it can be improved.

● (External) Lead the Mission’s exploration and building of partnerships that can support the country and region’s J2SR and maximize the Mission’s programming impact.

● Play a lead role in the coordination and implementation of events related to engaging IPs.

For example, the Mission’s monthly Chiefs of Party meetings, Technical Offices’ IP meetings and Sector meetings. The SLA will play a lead role in coordinating the planning of this event, incorporating CLA as a backdrop to meeting agendas and ensuring regular follow up and continuous refinement to these events.

4. Knowledge Management - (25%)

● The SLA will make recommendations on best-fit MEL and knowledge sharing practices and on generating data needs in relation to the Mission’s bilateral and regional portfolios.

● The SLA will oversee the development of a highly user-friendly KM system and will coordinate closely with PMT and other relevant Mission staff to establish methods to continuously generate useful data as inputs and establish either new systems and/or consolidate or reduce separate yet duplicative tools that are already in existence.

● Engage a wide range of internal and external stakeholders to facilitate the transfer and exchange of knowledge among peers. The SLA must work to “download” information from people and activities so that the Mission can maintain this knowledge, as opposed to losing it when a colleague departs or an activity concludes.

● Use expert knowledge to build capacity among Mission staff on key knowledge management principles and learning.

POSITION ELEMENTS:

Supervisory Relationship: The Senior Learning Advisor works under the supervision of the Supervisory

Program Officer (FS-01), or designate, but also provides direct advice and guidance to the Mission Director, Deputy Mission Directors, Program Office and other offices, as well as the Mission Leadership Council.

S/he is considered an expert in this field. As such, they will be delegated responsibility and authority to plan, schedule, and carry out major CLA-oriented activities concerned with the analysis and evaluation of programs and organizational learning. The SLA will work with minimal guidelines and supervision, but will also coordinate with team members and ensure work products are integrated with other major office deliverables. S/he is also required to determine assignments that must be coordinated with the supervisor and/or senior management and will seek advice and assistance, as requested.

Supervisory Controls: The SLA will be expected to co-lead USAID’s MEL working group and regular engagement with Mission’s CLA Champions. Will also provide professional coaching to Mission staff in practices and techniques for cultivating organizational learning about USAID’s development hypotheses, results, and capacities to conduct special studies, learning reviews and/or evaluations. The SLA will be an integral member of the Mission Leadership Council and will have frequent and direct contact with

Mission leadership. The SLA may provide oversight and/or supervision of staff on temporary assignments or TDYs to Kenya related to CLA.

Key to this position will be fostering an environment that advances learning among USAID staff, IPs, and other stakeholders and partners. In conjunction with the SPA Performance Management

Team (PMT), technical office monitoring and evaluation (M&E) focal points, the Mission

Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Working Group, CLA Champions, and the Mission’s current and forthcoming support contracts (i.e. communications; evaluations, assessments and analyses; Mission support; organizational capacity building), the SLA identifies ways to reduce knowledge sharing barriers and move staff from their current ‘activity-focused’ orientation to more holistic project and program management approaches, including peer and cross-office learning interactions.

Exercise of Judgment: The SLA works with a high level of independence in advancing USAID’s CLA agenda. S/he uses considerable judgment in developing ideas and proposals as well as determining who to involve in a particular activity, and leads teams to accomplish the agreed upon objectives.

Degree of responsibility for decision-making: The incumbent will serve as highest-level in advancing

USAID’s CLA agenda. S/he uses considerable judgement in developing ideas and proposals as well as determining who to involve in a particular activity, and leads teams to accomplish the objectives and analyses agreed to- though not a policy-maker.

Level of complexity for work assignments: These responsibilities involve areas of uncertainty in approach, methodology, interpretation, and evaluating processes due to the dynamic work environment in

Kenya and the East Africa region. Additionally, there are continuing changes in program, technological developments, unknown phenomena, or continuing requirements, and the work requires implementing new techniques, establishing criteria, or developing new information. Complexity in managing and integrating processes and programs that span across counties and countries, requires the incumbent to be constantly in tune to, flexible, and responsive to changing programmatic and organizational demands

Knowledge level required: The Senior Learning Advisor must have knowledge and skills regarding a wide range of technical areas, resources, platforms and practices used by USAID and our partners-particularly the CLA framework; adaptive, organizational learning, and monitoring and evaluation. S/he must also have demonstrated experience in the implementation of this knowledge and these skills.

Guidelines for the required work, including reporting requirements: Guidelines include agency regulations, the USAID Automated Directives System (specifically ADS 201 on Program Cycle

Operational Policy) the USAID Evaluation Policy, M&E Mission Orders, CDCS, performance plan and report, and performance management plan narratives, besides Africa Bureau procedures. All of these are general, presenting options and approaches rather than blueprints. Therefore, the incumbent must be able to assess alternatives and interpret the guidelines accordingly.

Scope and effect of the work performed: Nationally known expert in broad field; resolves disputes that arise when leading experts disagree; work is of national significance or deals with problems that are rapidly evolving and have impact on a major department (ex., Department of State) or legislation. Key responsibility of work is leading/directing (directly/indirectly) a substantial number of other professional/technical staff.

The incumbent’s scope is all-encompassing throughout the entire Mission and its effects are far-reaching, not only within the Mission but to the beneficiaries in Kenya and the East Africa Region. There are several stakeholders to deal with, many of whom are difficult to deal with. The incumbent will be required to function as a team leader in some cases, and guide/coordinate the work of other staff.

Level and purpose of contacts: As a function of the job, the incumbent must maintain high-level contacts and communication with internal and external stakeholders including USAID and other USG officials, as well as senior partner country officials in Kenya and the EA region, in institutionalizing CLA across the Mission’s bilateral and regional portfolios.

Supervision or oversight the SLA has over others: N/A

Travel requirements: The work may require travel in Kenya and within the East Africa region. These travels will involve liaising with U.S. Government officials, as well as officials from East African countries.

Support Items: The incumbent will be provided access to a desktop computer in an office setting, shared office equipment (such as printer, scanner and shredder), office supplies and support services.

Sunday Pay: Is not authorized.

II. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS

Applications will be initially screened by the Human Resources Office to determine whether applicants have met the advertised minimum qualifications. A list of qualified applicants will be referred to the hiring office for further consideration and screening.

EDUCATION: A Master’s Degree in the field of organizational learning, public, business or development administration, knowledge management, political science/international affairs, economics, development studies, psychology, social work, or a related field.

WORK EXPERIENCE: A minimum of ten years of progressively responsible, job-related, professional-level experience in development, organizational or action learning, CLA, and/or consulting or knowledge management. A minimum of two years of work experience in Africa.

A strong background in monitoring and evaluation of development programs, experience in the application of various assessments, learning and evaluative methods and field research experience.

Demonstrated experience in designing, facilitating, and evaluating tailored learning activities, across a variety of themes, forums, and stakeholders.

Prior experience creating and institutionalizing a learning culture in an organization; this includes experience creating opportunities and leading dialogues, both internally and with stakeholders, to inform organizational strategy and guide course correction for work plans, program design, and target setting is beneficial.

LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY: Fluent English (reading, writing, and speaking) at the full professional level. Candidate must have the ability to present analysis and recommendations in clear written and oral format. The SLA must have superior writing skills and be able to prepare clear, substantive reports and briefing papers in English, in a timely manner. Ability to speak Kiswahili a plus.

KNOWLEDGE: The candidate is expected to have in-depth professional-level knowledge in CLA, USAID policies (including J2SR), the USAID program cycle, M&E, data analysis and reporting, and knowledge management. The candidate must have a demonstrated understanding of Kenyan and East

African economic, social, cultural and political characteristics of development and developing country contexts as well as understanding and experience in developing and leading stakeholder engagement activities, knowledge management programs, coaching, communities of practice and social networking.

Knowledge of the objectives and operations of the USG or the program activities of other partners, including international donor organizations in Kenya and/or East Africa highly desirable.

Experience working with Mission communication experts and M&E/Geographic Information Systems

(GIS) specialists to explain the value of analytical products to internal and external audiences is beneficial. Experience working with GIS specialists to further analytical learning is desirable.

Prior experience with a USG Agency, implementing partner, or international donor designing and implementing CLA and MEL Plans as well as fostering a learning environment is desirable.

ABILITIES AND SKILLS: This position requires a demonstrated passion and mastery of the specialized area of facilitating and creating organizational learning and advancing foreign aid effectiveness opportunities. Experience working in a cross-cultural environment and/or in Africa will be an added advantage.

The candidate should be detail-oriented with a demonstrated ability to create and foster a focus on CLA among program and activity managers, implementers, and stakeholders.

The candidate should demonstrate strong coaching, interpersonal, and presentation skills and the ability to influence decision makers, foster organizational change strategies and implement plans within a complex organizational setting.

Must have demonstrated abilities and track record in strategic, systems, and holistic thinking, managing resistance to change and/or understanding organizational culture, learning and change management.

The ability to work effectively in a team environment and manage effective consultations on policies and administrative matters is necessary; as well as an ability to resolve multi-dimensional conflicts and conflicts between technical office priorities and Mission strategy.

Must be able to quickly acquire a thorough understanding of USAID/KEA’s CDCS and RDCS programming objectives, results expected, planning and reporting systems and the key lines of sector investigation, and learning agendas.

III. 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 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.

The following evaluation factors for evaluating applications are established. The Technical Evaluation

Committee (TEC) will establish the competitive range/cut-off points per the evaluation factors listed below. Applicants are encouraged to provide a narrative for each selection criteria listed below in this section. This information will be used for evaluating and scoring each criterion. The TEC will conduct interviews with all offerors in the competitive range and provide the final rating and ranking of the offerors based on the interview and satisfactory professional reference checks. Be sure to include your name and the solicitation number at the top of each page.

Selection will be based on the following criteria (Maximum of 100 Points Available):

Education: 0 points (candidates that do not meet minimum educational requirements will not be considered.

Work Experience: 25 points

Language Proficiency: 10 points

Knowledge: 35 points

Abilities and Skills: 30 points

Reference checks: Pass/Fail (no points assigned)

IV. APPLYING/SUBMITTING AN OFFER

1. Interested applicants are required to submit the following:

1) Offer form AID 309-2, “Offeror Information for Personal Services Contracts with individuals,” available at https://www.usaid.gov/forms/aid-309-2

2) An up-to-date curriculum vitae (CV) or resume (no more than five pages), cover letter explaining your qualifications for the position, copies of all relevant certificates and include three (3) references, who are not family members or relatives, with working telephone and e-mail contacts. The references will be asked to provide a general assessment of the applicant's suitability for the position. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure submitted references are available to provide a written or verbal reference in a timely manner.

2. Applications must be submitted electronically via email to nairobipscjobs@usaid.gov by the closing date and time indicated above.

3. To ensure consideration of offers for the intended position, Offerors must prominently reference the Solicitation number in the offer submission/cover letter.

V. LIST OF REQUIRED FORMS PRIOR TO AWARD

The CO will provide instructions about how to complete and submit the following forms after an offeror is selected for the contract award.

• Medical Form (DS Form 6561)

• EQIP Questionnaire for Sensitive Positions (for National Security (SF-86) or

EQIP Questionnaire for Non-Sensitive Positions (SF-85)

• EQIP Signature Forms (3-CER, REL, MEL)

• Fingerprint Card (FD-258) (available from requirements office)

• AID 6-85 (Foreign Residence Data)

VI. BENEFITS AND ALLOWANCES

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

1. BENEFITS:

(a) Employer’s FICA Contribution

(b) Contribution toward Health and Life Insurance

(c) Pay Comparability Adjustment

(d) Annual Increase (pending a satisfactory performance evaluation)

(e) Eligibility for Worker’s Compensation

(f) Annual and Sick Leave https://www.usaid.gov/forms/aid-309-2 mailto:nairobipscjobs@usaid.gov

2. ALLOWANCES:

Section numbers refer to rules from the Department of State Standardized Regulations (Government

Civilians Foreign Areas)

(a) Temporary Quarter Subsistence Allowance (Section 120)

(b) Living Quarters Allowance (Section 130)

(c) Cost-of-Living Allowance (Chapter 210)

(d) Post Allowance (Section 220)

(e) Separate Maintenance Allowance (Section 260)

(f) Education Allowance (Section 270)

(g) Education Travel (Section 280)

(h) Post Differential (Chapter 500)

(i) Payments during Evacuation/Authorized Departure (Section 600), and (j) Danger Pay Allowance

(Section 650)

VII. TAXES

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

VIII. USAID REGULATIONS, POLICIES AND CONTRACT CLAUSES PERTAINING TO

PSCs

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

1. AIDAR: The Agency for International Development Acquisition Regulation (AIDAR) Appendix

D – “Direct USAID Contracts with U.S. Citizens or U.S. Resident Alien for Personal Services

Abroad,” including contract clauses “General Provisions,” found at:

http://www.usaid.gov/policy/ads/300/aidar.pdf

2. Contract Cover page form AID 309-1 available at https://www.usaid.gov/forms

3. Acquisition and Assistance Policy Directives/Contract Information Bulletins (AAPDs/CIBs):

AAPDs/CIBs for Personal Services Contracts with Individuals available at https://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

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