Sol_72062021R00011 - USPSC Conflict Prevention and Stabilization Advisor -GS 13_FINAL.docx

Conflict Prevention & Stabilization Advisor 72062021R00011

SOLICITATION NUMBER: 72062021R00011

ISSUANCE DATE: September 17, 2021

SUBJECT: Solicitation for U.S. Personal Service Contractor (USPSC) Conflict Prevention and Stabilization Advisor - USAID/Nigeria

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 Attachment 1 of this solicitation. Incomplete or unsigned offers will not be considered. Offerors should retain copies of all offer materials for their records.

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.

Any questions must be directed in writing to the Point of Contract specified in the attached information.

Sincerely, Janine Scott Contracting Officer

ATTACHMENT 1

I. GENERAL INFORMATION

1. SOLICITATION NUMBER: 72062021R00011

2. ISSUANCE DATE: September 17, 2021

3. CLOSING DATE AND TIME FOR RECEIPT OF OFFERS: October 16, 2021 (4:30pm Nigeria time)

4. POINT OF CONTACT: Clementina Edereka, e-mail at Abujahr@usaid.gov

5. POSITION TITLE: Conflict Prevention and Stabilization Advisor

7. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: Five (5) years period, estimated to start o/a January 2022.

“The base period will be two (2) years, estimated to start on/about January 2022. Based on Agency need, the Contracting Officer may exercise (an) additional option period(s) for three (3) years for the date(s) estimated as follows.”

8. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: USAID/Nigeria, Abuja, Federal Republic of Nigeria with possible travel as stated in the Statement of duties.

9. ELIGIBLE OFFERORS: Open to U.S. Citizens (including lawful permanent U.S. residents).

10. SECURITY LEVEL REQUIRED: Secret Clearance Level.

11. STATEMENT OF DUTIES:

1. General Statement of Purpose of the Contract:

Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa, with a population of approximately 214 million. It comprises six geopolitical zones (North West, North East, North Central, South West, South South, and South East), 36 states (plus the Federal Capital Territory of Abuja). Each state has an elected governor, an executive council, and a house of assembly with the power to enact state laws. State governments have substantial autonomy and exercise considerable authority over the allocation and utilization of their resources, limiting the influence of the federal government over state and local government affairs. Nigeria also hosts Africa’s largest economy, with extraordinary human capital and natural resources, including oil, and a rich agricultural and commercial tradition.

Despite its enormous potential, Nigeria faces high rates of poverty, struggles to overcome poor education and health outcomes, and is hindered by weak governance and inadequate infrastructure. Nigeria's peace and stability is further threatened by protracted terrorist insurgencies in the Northeast, kidnapping and armed robbery rings in the Northwest and southern regions, militant groups and criminal gangs in the South-South, and conflict between farmers and pastoralists over access to land in the North Central region. Drivers of conflict differ by geographic region and violence is often exacerbated by high levels of poverty, economic inequalities, and hardship. Some observers detect a growing religious and ethnic dimension to these conflicts and find the Government’s responses to be weak. Conflict affects marginalized groups (women, children, religious minorities, and persons with disabilities) differently. Arguably, women and girls are most impacted, as indicated in the distribution of internally displaced persons, particularly in the Northeast, and more marginalized from political and conflict mitigation processes, as well as the weight of deepened levels of gender-based violence. This is further compounded by increasing regional insecurity as a result of porous borders, arms trafficking, and intensifying violent extremism in the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin. Together, terrorist activity and rural violence have claimed over 40,000 lives since 2014 and displaced over two million people. The government has limited capacity to control conflicts or address its drivers. Nevertheless, USAID engages the government, civil society, religious leaders, and traditional rulers to actively counter or resolve the causes of violence at local levels, with many promising and successful community-based initiatives to prevent and mitigate increased violence and promote peaceful coexistence.

To address these challenges, USAID’s 2020-2025 Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) for Nigeria supports a healthier, more educated, prosperous, stable, and resilient Nigeria. The strategy will make progress toward this goal through three Development Objectives and one Special Objective. These objectives are: 1) broadened and inclusive economic growth; 2) a healthier, better educated population; 3) accountable, inclusive, and responsive governance strengthened; and 4) great stability and early recovery advanced in targeted states. With a five-year bilateral portfolio estimated at $2 billion, as well as approximately $300 million in annual humanitarian and food assistance, Nigeria is one of the U.S. Government’s (USG) largest and most complex development and humanitarian assistance programs. U.S. foreign assistance promotes inclusive economic growth by reducing poverty, hunger, and malnutrition; increasing access to energy; enhancing private sector contributions to inclusive growth; and improving water, sanitation, and hygiene. It also advances both health and education outcomes in targeted states by addressing each at systems, access, and quality levels and by strengthening civic voice to hold government institutions accountable to their citizens. It also builds stronger democratic governance by strengthening conflict prevention, mitigation, early warning, and early response efforts; improving civic voice and engagement; enhancing the credibility of elections; and increasing the accountability and effectiveness of public institutions. While USAID remains committed to its global mandate of providing humanitarian assistance to save lives, the new CDCS promotes an increased emphasis on building resilience, which will contribute to Nigeria’s ability to overcome future shocks in an effort to prevent recurrent humanitarian crises.

The Conflict Prevention and Stabilization Advisor reports to the U.S. Direct Hire (USDH) Supervisory Program Officer or designee and is based in Abuja. The Conflict Prevention and Stabilization Advisor’s principal responsibility is the coordination, oversight, and management of multi-sectoral programming in support of USAID/Nigeria’s Special Objective, which advances stability and early recovery in targeted, conflict-affected states. The Advisor’s role is essential to USAID’s core functions of coordinating integrated and innovative activities that advance greater stability and early recovery in targeted, conflict-affected states. This position supports key policy objectives and engages in important U.S. interagency and international donor coordination efforts related to stability and recovery.

2. Statement of Duties to be Performed:

The Conflict Prevention and Stabilization Advisor will undertake the following duties and responsibilities:

a. Strategic Leadership and Technical Expertise: 35%

Working under the direction of USAID/Nigeria’s Program (PRO) Office Director (or her/his delegate), the Conflict Prevention and Stabilization Advisor will lead USAID’s strategic planning initiatives and drive the direction of the Mission’s development efforts in support of increased stabilization and recovery. As the Mission’s professional expert in protracted conflicts, fragile and crisis contexts, stabilization, and recovery, the Advisor will advise Mission management on the development and implementation of a strategy for transitioning from humanitarian to development assistance. The incumbent will develop a strategic vision and operational approach that reflects an earlier stage of the humanitarian-transition-development spectrum, requiring close coordination across USAID technical sectors and with U.S. government interagency counterparts.

S/he will provide technical guidance on the planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of USAID/Nigeria’s Special Objective programming, which must adapt to constantly evolving social, economic, political, security and environmental factors that define the landscape of risk and opportunity. The Advisor will lead cross-sectoral coordination with all mission technical teams, as well as the in-country Humanitarian Assistance Response Technical Office, to ensure implementation of effective approaches that provide greater program efficiencies and result in increased stability and support early recovery in targeted states. S/he will collaborate with technical offices and implementing partners and share thought leadership on emerging trends in stabilization, recovery, and resilience; deploy cutting-edge tactics; and recommend programmatic adaptations to achieve more effective results and create conditions for the restoration of normal social, economic, and political life. S/he will provide technical recommendations to ensure programming under the Special Objective supports the CDCS’s cross-cutting priorities of conflict sensitivity, gender equality and social inclusion, resilience, and good governance.

b. Stakeholder Coordination and Partnerships: 35%

To effectively manage USAID’s Special Objective, the Conflict Prevention and Stabilization Advisor will coordinate across offices in the USAID Mission in Nigeria, and as appropriate, Washington-based colleagues from USAID’s Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA), Food for Peace (FFP), and the Office of Transition Initiatives. To ensure cohesion among policy goals and operational execution, the Conflict Prevention and Stabilization Advisor will collaborate with USAID Senior Development Advisors and OFDA Humanitarian Assistance Advisors at the Department of Defense Africa Command, as needed.

S/he will also collaborate and coordinate with other U.S. government interagency counterparts at post and in Washington to ensure that USAID’s development planning complements and/or aligns with U.S. foreign policy, diplomacy, and defense objectives. Program areas of common interest between USAID and the U.S. Department of Defense include, but are not limited to, humanitarian assistance (disaster response), counter terrorism, strategic communications, conflict prevention and mitigation, counter insurgency, post-conflict reconstruction and stabilization, resiliency, and transformational development.

The Advisor will establish and maintain productive collaborative relationships with a wide range of external partners and stakeholders, including the Government of Nigeria (GON) federal and state governments, multilateral, and bilateral donors, as well as NGOs and faith-based organizations working on stabilization, recovery, and related issues. The incumbent will stay abreast of these stakeholders’ strategies, investments, and priorities as they develop. S/he will maintain relationships with these partners and stakeholders to design, plan, and implement conflict prevention and stabilization activities consistent with USAID’s CDCS and U.S. Mission Nigeria Integrated Country Strategy. S/he will ensure that USAID’s stabilization and recovery activities are complementary to and enhance related activities being implemented by other development partners in Nigeria, including those that contribute to restoration of basic rights and security, as well as the promotion of social cohesion, functioning state governance, non-violent political processes, effective social policy, livelihoods, and service delivery. S/he will develop, and present analyses, reports, and presentations as needed to the GON, USG Agency Heads, development partners, and other high-level visitors and carry out relevant programmatic recommendations. The Advisor will represent USAID/Nigeria to senior officials from international organizations, bilateral and multilateral donors, as well as other development partners in donor coordination meetings, presentations, and discussions about stabilization and recovery programs. The Advisor will represent USAID and the USG on various national and international technical and policy forums related to stabilization, recovery, and resilience. The Advisor may also represent USAID/Nigeria at regional and international conferences, and act as a regional resource in various recovery and stabilization issues.

The Advisor will also seek opportunities to forge new partnerships with private sector stakeholders to support longer-term, sustainable solutions and self-reliance.

c. Activity Management, Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting: 30%

The Advisor, in collaboration with technical teams, will oversee a broad range of activities that support the Special Objective. S/he will also be responsible for drafting and/or providing guidance and feedback on the design and implementation of stabilization and recovery initiatives, ensuring alignment with the CDCS and its cross-cutting priorities of conflict sensitivity, gender equality and social inclusion, resilience, and good governance.

The Advisor will be responsible for developing and managing a monitoring and evaluation plan that will assess the performance of activities under the Special Objective and identify opportunities for adapting programming to be more effective. S/he will also coordinate with the Mission’s learning team to develop a learning plan that will shape adaptive management, implementation, and application of best practices and lessons learned related to resilience, stabilization, and recovery efforts. S/he will carry out monitoring and evaluation visits to implementation sites to verify quantitative and qualitative data and implementation progress. In the event s/he cannot travel to the field, the Advisor will engage with the Mission’s third-party monitoring advisors to ensure that field monitoring occurs. S/he will lead Special Objective portfolio reviews and coordinate input and analyses for results reporting on the Objective. The Advisor will carry out other tasks related to monitoring and evaluating USAID support to stabilization and recovery efforts in Nigeria. As needed, the Advisor will also provide input into budget reports and other special reporting requirements.

3. USAID Consultation or Orientation (if applicable): The selected candidate will be required to complete the one-week mandatory Foreign Affairs Counter Threat (FACT) course prior to proceeding to USAID/Nigeria. FACT is a mandatory course for service in Nigeria.

4. Supervisory Relationship: The Advisor will report to the Supervisory Program Officer (Program Office Director) or his/her designee and is expected to work independently in carrying out responsibilities.

5. Supervision Controls: Supervision of other office staff is not anticipated.

12. PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The work requested does not pose undue physical demands.

II. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION

1. Education: A bachelor’s degree in international relations, development, political science, conflict studies, social sciences, public administration, business, law, agriculture, nutrition, or other specialized area pertinent to the field of work is required.

2. Prior work Experience: Ten (10) years of increasingly responsible professional experience with a U.S. government foreign affairs agency, international, non-governmental, or other organization in community development, crisis response or stabilization programming, economic development, conflict resolution, democracy and governance, international law, human rights, and/or political analysis is required. Two (2) years of this experience should have been in sub-Saharan Africa.

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.

EVALUATION FACTORS

Applicants who clearly meet the minimum Education and Prior work Experience requirements and basic eligibility requirements will be further evaluated based on scoring of the Evaluation Factors listed below. The highest-ranking applicants may be selected for an interview.

FACTOR #1:

Knowledge: Work requires mastery of development, conflict and stabilization principles, concepts, practices, methods, and advanced techniques for the design, implementation, and evaluation of development assistance programs. Such knowledge is required to apply new approaches and theories of the field to contextual problems. Work requires expert knowledge of USG and international regulations, as well as documentation and reporting requirements to make decisions or develop recommendations that will significantly affect important USAID stabilization, recovery, and resilience policies and programs.

FACTOR #2:

Skills and Abilities: Successful candidates must demonstrate an ability to manage complex development activities within a portfolio, across offices, and in coordination with other USG agencies and regional or bilateral development initiatives and activities. Demonstrate good interpersonal and communication skills and leadership qualities, including the ability to collaborate with host country officials in program implementation and interact with governments, partners, contractors, and other stakeholders at the highest levels such as Ministerial, Chief of Party, or equivalent. Ability to represent USAID and promote the Mission’s goals and objectives to outside audiences is required. Strong technical writing, operational, analytical, managerial, and computer skills, including ease and Microsoft Office and Google Suite applications.

FACTOR #3:

Communication and Language Skills: Level IV English (fluent) speaking, reading, and writing proficiency is required and may be tested.

Evaluation Factors:

Factor #1 - 15 points Factor #2 - 10 points Factor #3 - 5 points

Factor #4 - Interview Performance: 70 points

Total Possible Points: 100 points

SELECTION PROCESS

(1) After the closing date for the receipt of applications, applications will initially be screened for conformity with minimum requirements and a short list of applicants developed.

(2) Following this initial review and short listing, a Technical Evaluation Committee (TEC) will convene to review applications that meet the minimum requirements and evaluate them in accordance with the evaluation factors. Applications from candidates which do not meet the minimum requirements will not be scored. As part of the selection process, finalist candidates will be interviewed. Those applications from qualified applicants meeting the required minimum qualifications will be assessed based on the evaluation factors. Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted. No response will be sent to unsuccessful applicants.

(3) USAID reserves the right to interview only the highest ranked applicants in person or by phone OR not to interview any candidate.

(4) Reference checks will be made only for applicants considered as finalists. The applicant’s references must be able to provide substantive information about his/her past performance and abilities. If an applicant does not wish USAID to contact a current employer for a reference check, this should be stated in the applicant’s cover letter, USAID will delay such reference checks pending the applicant’s concurrence.

IV. SUBMITTING AN OFFER

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

1. Eligible offerors are required to complete and submit the offer form AID 309-2, “Offeror Information for Personal Services Contracts with Individuals,” available at https://www.usaid.gov/forms.

2. Offers must be received by the closing date and time specified in Section I, item 3, and submitted to the Point of Contact in Section I.

3. Offeror submissions must clearly reference the Solicitation number on all offeror submitted documents.

4. A type-written and signed cover letter of no more than two (2) pages specifically applying for this position and addressing the minimum requirements and evaluation factors of the position.

5. A current Curriculum Vitae (CV) or Resume’ which, at a minimum, describes education, latest experience, and career achievements.

6. Offers must provide a minimum of three (3) and a maximum of five (5) references within the last five years from the offeror’s professional life, namely individuals who are not family members or relatives. Three (3) references must be from direct supervisors who can provide information regarding the applicant’s work knowledge and professional experience. Applicants must provide e-mail addresses and/or working telephone numbers for all references.

7. Hard copies of diploma, certificates and relevant degrees may be included to corroborate the CV/Resume.

8. Limit all electronic (e-mail) submissions to one entry/email not larger than 5MB. Please submit attachments in PDF and Word formats. Application packages must be submitted electronically to Abujahr@usaid.gov

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:

Forms outlined below can be found at: http:/www.usaid.gov/forms/

*The above listed forms (2 through 5) shall only be completed upon the advice of the Contracting Officer that an applicant is the successful candidate for the job.

VI. BENEFITS AND ALLOWANCES

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

1. BENEFITS: (If applicable):

(a) Employer's FICA contribution

(b) Contribution toward Health & 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

2. 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

(a) Temporary Lodging Allowance (Section 120)

(b) Cost of Living Allowance (Chapter 210)

(c) Post Allowance (Section 220)

(d) Post Differential (Chapter 500)

(e) Separate Maintenance Allowance (Section 260)

(f) Education Allowance (Section 270)

(g) Educational Travel (Section 280)

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

VII. TAXES

USPSCs are required to pay Federal income taxes, FICA, Medicare, and applicable State Income taxes. A TCNPSC will be eligible to pay taxes as specified by their respective country.

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

USAID regulations and policies governing PSC 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, and Appendix J, “Direct USAID Contracts With a Cooperating Country National and with a Third Country National for Personal Services Abroad,” including contract clause “General Provisions,” available at https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1868/aidar_0.pdf

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

- Award Type: PSC

- Product Service Code: R497

- Accounting Info: TBD

- Product Service Code: R497

- Accounting Info: TBD

- Award Type: PSC

- Product Service Code: R497

- Accounting Info: TBD

- Award Type: PSC

- Product Service Code: R497 Accounting Info: TBD

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

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 our page for additional information:

https://www.usaid.gov/work-usaid/personal-service-contracts-ombudsman

The PSC Ombudsman may be contacted via: PSCOmbudsman@usaid.gov.

[END OF SOLICITATION]

U.S. Agency for International Development 1075 Diplomatic Drive Central Business District, P.M.B. 519, Garki, Abuja.

Tel: +234-9-4614000 Fax +234-9-4619400 www.usaid.gov/ng image1.png