SOL_MLT_Unit_Lead_(multiple_positions)_(GS-14)_720FDA19B00095_-_Final_8.29.2019.pdf

U.S. Agency for International Development 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20523 www.usaid.gov

SOLICITATION NUMBER: 720FDA19B00095

ISSUANCE DATE: August 29, 2019 CLOSING DATE AND TIME: July 21, 2021

12:00 P.M. Eastern Time

SUBJECT: Solicitation for U.S. Personal Service Contractor (USPSC)

Dear Prospective Offerors:

The United States Government (USG), represented by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA), is seeking offers from qualified U.S. citizens to provide personal services as a Military Liaison Team (MLT) Unit Lead under a United States Personal Services Contract (USPSC), as described in the solicitation.

Submittals must be in accordance with the attached information at the place and time specified.

Offerors interested in applying for this position MUST submit the following materials:

1. Complete resume. In order to fully evaluate your offer, your resume must include:

(a) Paid and non-paid experience, job title, location(s), dates held (month/year), and hours worked per week for each position. Any experience that does not include dates (month/year), locations, and hours per week will not be counted towards meeting the solicitation requirements.

(b) Specific duties performed that fully detail the level and complexity of the work.

(c) Education and any other qualifications including job-related training courses, job-related skills, or job-related honors, awards or accomplishments.

(d) U.S. Citizenship

(e) Optional: How did you hear about this opportunity? (FedBizOpps, OFDA Jobs, Career Fair, etc.).

Your resume should contain sufficient information to make a valid determination that you fully meet the experience requirements as stated in this solicitation. This information should be clearly identified in your resume. Failure to provide information sufficient to determine your qualifications for the position will result in loss of full consideration.

2. USPSC Offeror form AID 309-2. Offerors are required to complete sections A through I.

This form must be physically signed. Electronic signatures will not be accepted. AID 309-2 is available at http://www.usaid.gov/forms.

720FDA19B00095

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NOTE REGARDING DATA UNIVERSAL NUMBERING SYSTEM (DUNS) NUMBERS

AND THE SYSTEM FOR AWARD MANAGEMENT

All USPSCs with a place of performance in the United States are required to have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) database prior to receiving an award. You will be disqualified if you either fail to comply with this requirement or if your name appears on the excluded parties list. The selectee will be provided with guidance regarding this registration.

NOTE: As of March 28, 2018, all new SAM.gov entity registrations will now require a signed notarized letter identifying the authorized Entity administrator for the entity associated with the DUNS number. Additional information on the format of the notarized letter and where to submit can be found via the below Federal Service Desk link:

https://www.fsd.gov/fsd-gov/answer.do?sysparm_kbid=d2e67885db0d5f00b3257d321f96194b& sysparm_search=kb0013183

Offerors can expect to receive a confirmation email when offer materials have been received.

Offerors should retain for their records copies of all enclosures which accompany their offers.

Your complete resume and the supplemental document addressing the QRFs must be emailed to:

OFDA Recruitment Team E-Mail Address: recruiter@ofda.gov Website: www.OFDAjobs.net

Any questions on this solicitation may be directed to OFDA Recruitment Team via the information provided above.

Sincerely, Renee Newton Contracting Officer http://sam.gov/ https://www.fsd.gov/fsd-gov/answer.do?sysparm_kbid=d2e67885db0d5f00b3257d321f96194b& mailto:recruiter@ofda.gov mailto:recruiter@ofda.gov http://www.ofdajobs.net/ http://www.ofdajobs.net/

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I. GENERAL INFORMATION

1. SOLICITATION NO.: 720FDA19B00095

2. ISSUANCE DATE: August 29, 2019

3. CLOSING DATE AND TIME FOR RECEIPT OF OFFERS: This solicitation is open and continuous until July 21, 2021. The following are the closing dates for each review period:

September 19, 2019 at 12:00 P.M. Eastern Time January 8, 2020 at 12:00 P.M. Eastern Time April 29, 2020 at 12:00 P.M. Eastern Time August 19, 2020 at 12:00 P.M. Eastern Time December 9, 2020 at 12:00 P.M. Eastern Time March 31, 2021 at 12:00 P.M. Eastern Time July 21, 2021 at 12:00 P.M. Eastern Time

Offerors not selected during a previous review period must reapply in order to be considered for positions available in subsequent review periods. A review period may be cancelled at OFDA’s discretion.

4. POINT OF CONTACT: OFDA Recruitment Team, recruiter@ofda.gov

5. POSITION TITLE: Military Liaison Team Unit Lead (Multiple Positions)

6. MARKET VALUE: $117,191 - $152,352 equivalent to GS-14 (includes locality pay)

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

If the position is for a Washington based PSC, offerors who live outside the Washington, D.C.

area will be considered for employment, but no relocation expenses will be reimbursed.

7. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: One (1) year, with four (4) one-year options

8. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: Washington, D.C.

9. ELIGIBLE OFFERORS: U.S. Citizens

10. SECURITY LEVEL REQUIRED: Ability to obtain and maintain a Secret up to Top

Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information level clearance as provided by USAID.

mailto:recruiter@ofda.gov

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11. STATEMENT OF DUTIES

POSITION DESCRIPTION

BACKGROUND

The Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) is the office within USAID that is responsible for providing emergency non-food humanitarian assistance in response to international crises and disasters. OFDA is part of the Bureau for Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance (DCHA) and is organized into six divisions.

The Africa (AFD) Response Division and the Asia, Latin America, Europe, and Middle East (ALE) Response Division are responsible for the provision of emergency humanitarian assistance through a grants mechanism to non-governmental organizations (NGOs), international organizations including United Nations (UN) agencies and to other partners to ensure the implementation and delivery of this assistance. These divisions also oversee OFDA’s non-response efforts in disaster risk reduction and resilience. AFD and ALE Response Divisions also coordinate with other organizations for the provision of relief supplies and assistance. They devise, coordinate and implement program strategies for a variety of natural and complex disaster situations. Both Divisions encompass groups of operations specialists who provide technical expert capability in assessing the quality and strategic function of disaster response and risk reduction activities. The AFD Response Division is divided into two teams: East and Central Africa (ECA), and Southern, West, and North Africa (SWAN). The ALE Response Division is divided into four teams: East Asia and the Pacific (EAP), Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia (EMCA), Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), and South Asia (SA).

The Operations (OPS) Division develops and manages operations for OFDA’s disaster responses by readying people and systems; projecting U.S. Government (USG) humanitarian capacity quickly into the field; and delivering material and technical assistance. The OPS Division maintains readiness to respond to emergencies through several mechanisms, including managing Urban Search and Rescue Teams, coordinating, staffing, training, and equipping Disaster Assistance Response Teams (DARTs), and Washington-based Response Management Teams (RMTs), and stockpiling emergency relief commodities in key locations around the globe to ensure OFDA’s capacity to execute and coordinate USG humanitarian assistance and response to natural disasters and complex emergencies. The OPS Division provides technical guidance and expertise in Disaster Logistics, Urban Search and Rescue, Operations Center management, activation/readiness, Civil-Military Liaison, and Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosive Consequence Management. It also provides overseas support to OFDA offices and personnel and to other sectors necessary to ensure OFDA’s capacity to execute and coordinate USG humanitarian assistance and response to natural disasters and complex emergencies. The OPS Division is divided into four teams: the Disaster Assistance Support Program (DASP), Military Liaison Team (MLT), Operations Support Team (OST), and Overseas Administration Team (OAT).

The Program Support (PS) Division provides operational management support, including general administration, budget and financial services, procurement planning, information technology, 5 | Page human resources management including staff care, and contract and grant administration support to OFDA. The PS Division supports OFDA's mandate by providing innovative solutions in the areas of Information Technology, staffing, funds control, budgeting, human resource management, and procurement to facilitate timely disaster responses. The PS Division is divided into four teams: the Award, Audit, and Risk Management (AARM) Team, Human Resources Management (HRM) Team, Budget, Finance, and Information Technology (BFIT) Team, and the Acquisition and Management (ACQ) Team.

The Preparation, Strategic Planning and Mitigation (PSPM) Division is responsible for the technical oversight of all OFDA response and mitigation programs, as well as preparation for response, mitigation, and disaster risk reduction activities. The PSPM Division houses technical experts in all sectors potentially affected by disasters, and leads the Agency in developing and promoting best practices for programming in these specific sectors. In addition, PSPM will be the focal point for technological innovations for humanitarian assistance in areas such as monitoring and evaluation, assessment, and information management. The PSPM Division is divided into four teams: Cross-Cutting Sectors Team, Natural Hazards Team, Health Team, and the Food Security and Livelihoods Team.

The Humanitarian Policy and Global Engagement (HPGE) Division assists the DCHA front office, the OFDA Director and OFDA Deputy Director with tracking trends and policy developments in the humanitarian assistance field. It engages in policy dialogue with other parts of USAID, the USG interagency, other donors, multilateral agencies, and NGO partners;

recommends strategies for action to DCHA; initiates development of policy and internal guidance for OFDA; maintains global relationships with implementing partners, other donors, and the broader humanitarian architecture; and engages with the UN to advance USG humanitarian policy objectives and promote humanitarian principles within the USG and internationally. The HPGE Division leads OFDA's communications and social media outreach to effectively communicate OFDA’s story to a variety of strategic audiences. It serves as the office’s primary interlocutor on strategic issues with other federal partners to provide guidance to OFDA on policy issues pertaining to the interagency, and to improve USG humanitarian coordination and response during large-scale crises. The HPGE Division staff manages global programs, policy and outreach, strategic communications, and interagency training and engagement. HPGE is divided into seven teams: Policy Team, Global Programs Team, Strategic Interagency Team, Strategic Communications Team, Global Capacity and Leadership Development (globalCLD) Team, Public-Private Engagement Team (PPET), and the United States Mission to the UN (USUN) in New York, Geneva, and Rome.

OPERATIONS DIVISION VALUES

OPS team members ensure that the following division values are incorporated into all aspects of work:

1. Spiritus Operandi/Espirit De Ops

● Demonstrating trust and openness among staff by assuming the best regarding our colleagues’ intentions and efforts.

● Acting with eagerness and willingness to support one another and work together on tasks.

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● Maintaining top-down and bottom-up transparency while promoting a strong work ethic as paramount.

● Demonstrating that optimism, humor, and perspective are powerful components of success, even in crisis-driven work.

2. Positive Interactions

● Owning how the OPS Division is perceived by others to ensure people maintain a positive impression of the division by treating everyone, regardless of seniority or organizational affiliation, in a professional, courteous, and respectful manner.

● Building a reputation that when OPS is on an issue, it’s going to get addressed.

● Doing our jobs consistently, competently, and effectively, with a focus on results.

● Paying attention and listening mindfully to others, with the intent to really understand how they view a situation and what issue they are trying to address.

● Exhibiting partnership and enthusiasm in helping others solve problems; including delivering hard messages with a smile.

3. Competency

● Adopting flexible and creative solutions to provide partners and beneficiaries with quality, effective, consistent, and timely results.

● Maintaining proficiency and leadership in our areas of expertise, through engagement, training, field deployments, and exposure to other communities of thought.

● Holding a long-term strategic perspective in the face of current crises.

● Maintaining a global and functional focus for the office.

4. Resourcefulness

● Using innovating contracting, engagement, administrative, and programmatic approaches to meeting emerging requirements, while being flexible to changing needs.

● Reaching out within the office, agency, interagency, and community beyond to seek innovative and creative solutions.

● Proactively seeking and embracing positive change in order to provide and better service to our customers and stakeholders.

● Viewing challenges as opportunities and focusing on finding a solution rather than just highlighting complications or issues.

5. Staff Depth and Sustainability

● Cultivating a breadth of experience and expertise by hiring individuals from diverse professional, cultural, and experiential backgrounds.

● Proactively developing relationships with other industries and communities in order to learn and innovate.

● Encouraging staff to service in a variety of roles, through staff rotations, shadowing, mentoring, and OPS liaison positions.

● Continuing to support and staff responses through a variety of hiring mechanisms and resources.

● Achieving response readiness while prioritizing personal life for both self and team members.

● Bolstering staff wellness by incorporating flexible work schedules, leading to increased staff dedication, high-quality work, and flexibility.

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6. Commitment to Safety and Security

● Recognizing that staff safety and security is everyone’s responsibility and enables OFDA access in the field.

● Holding as a hallmark an underlying orientation towards managing risk for staff.

● Preparing staff through training, mentoring, standard operating procedures, and provision of contextual knowledge.

● Displaying professional conduct and integrity during crisis response operations.

● Advocating for professional assessments of security risks prior to deployment of staff.

INTRODUCTION

USAID civil-military coordination program areas of common interest between USAID and Department of Defense (DoD) include, but are not limited to, humanitarian assistance (disaster response), countering violent extremism, strategic communications, conflict prevention and mitigation, counter-insurgency, post-conflict reconstruction and stabilization, resiliency, and transformational development. To ensure cohesion among policy goals and operational execution, USAID assigns Senior and Deputy Development Advisors (S/DDAs) and OFDA Humanitarian Assistance Advisors/Military (HAA/Ms) to DoD Geographic Combatant Commands (CCMDs), U.S. Special Operations Command, and the Pentagon. At all points, policy and operational guidance is coordinated with broader technical guidance from the relevant USAID bureau, office, and/or team.

In Washington, D.C., the MLT manages the following key civil-military issues: enhancing internal USG and external civil-military engagement; managing humanitarian notification processes; increasing the effectiveness of U.S. military support to OFDA’s humanitarian response operations worldwide; providing guidance to field staff on strategic engagements and exercises; coordinating and scheduling joint humanitarian operations courses; reviewing DoD operational doctrine and policy to ensure coherence with relevant humanitarian operations;

refining best practices for military exercises focusing on humanitarian issues; identifying, developing, coordinating, and sharing technical subject matter capacity in responding to chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear disasters; ensuring adequate staffing for all MLT engagements and workstreams; and managing the training and deployment of Civil-Military Affairs Officers and Coordinators to support OFDA foreign disaster response operations.

The MLT Unit Lead will be located within the OPS Division’s MLT and function as the team’s principal point of contact for all functions of the particular workstream assigned to the Unit Lead.

OBJECTIVE

OFDA requires a MLT Unit Lead to oversee specific workstream activities, supervise staff assigned directly to the MLT unit and HAA/Ms assigned to CCMDs. The Unit Lead will oversee the critical liaison function between USAID and the DoD in order to represent the humanitarian perspective and expertise in situations where coordination between the parties is required. The position will maintain operational readiness to provide qualified civil-military affairs coordinators and officers to the full spectrum of MLT functions; provide expert level exercise

8 | Page and training support, including thought leadership and best practices, across the Department of Defense’s expeditionary units focusing on humanitarian and disaster response operations;

oversee the assignment, deployment, and evaluation of HAA/Ms to CCMDs; and lead OFDA’s process and preparedness to respond to chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and high yield explosives disasters.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Military Liaison Team Unit Lead will work across the full spectrum of MLT activities to support the Operations Division and OFDA in the following:

Organization Management:

● Build coalitions internally within USAID and with other federal agencies and humanitarian organizations related to civil-military coordination in foreign disaster responses to achieve common goals;

● Anticipate the needs of the organization regarding developments in the area of civil-military affairs;

● Exercise good judgment to make necessary, difficult decisions under pressure to ensure the success of OFDA’s mission;

● Prepare analyses, briefings, and documents and attend meetings as required;

● Propose efficiencies to ensure a high level of customer service, including troubleshooting issues and proposing new processes such as standard operating procedures and other critical resources and proactively problem-solve and mitigate risks before they arise;

● Independently perform periodic reviews on effectiveness and assess the needs of civil-military engagements to ensure OFDA resources are being properly utilized to support civil-military engagement in disaster relief;

● Develop budget estimates for costs and recommend funding levels of civil-military engagements and outreach activities throughout the fiscal year, including analysis of pipeline balances;

● Design innovative management approaches maximizing OFDA resources to participate in military training exercises, engagements and outreach to U.S. military colleagues;

● Assist OFDA management in defining a strategy for military coordination to include guidelines for determining OFDA participation in DoD operations and providing innovative solutions to resolve operational issues as necessary;

● Create and manage staffing tools and systematize staffing decisions across the MLT;

● Facilitate prioritization of MLT’s commitments to steady-state as well as rapid-onset events to maintain effective staffing levels; and

● Track and communicate with the Support Relief Group and full-time staff on upcoming events and issues.

Representation:

● Earn trust of USAID and DoD executives by exhibiting subject-matter expertise, authoritatively communicating response information in a digestible and policy-relevant manner, understanding interests of key stakeholders, and adapting influencing strategies to reach win-win solutions that achieve desired outcomes while preserving relationships.

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● Ensure complex and critical information is communicated accurately to all the necessary civil-military stakeholders within the USG and external to the USG;

● Serve as liaison for OFDA with the Office of Civilian-Military Cooperation and other parts of USAID, as necessary;

● Represent USAID at civil-military meetings, up to the Deputy Assistant Secretary /Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense level, covering a broad range of humanitarian and civil-military issues and provide DCHA Bureau with analysis and guidance on civil-military relations during foreign disaster responses;

● Represent OFDA on specific humanitarian civil-military issues of concern with other parts of the USG, international organizations, and non-governmental organizations;

● Travel to OFDA’s field offices and select U.S. military installations to ensure that civil-military issues are appropriately represented in accordance with USAID regulations and policies. Overseas travel is required for this position; and

● Provide coverage in the absence of the respective team leader and participate in division-wide leadership and priority setting.

Management

● Supervise and manage MLT permanent and surge staff, including recommending and approving staff for assignment to trainings, exercise, response operations, briefings, or other representational roles;

● Recognize personal strengths and limitations and use strengths of direct subordinates to ensure the team’s success through effective mix of direct engagement and delegation;

● Provide leadership for the identification, research, analysis, and development of recommendations on all issues and matters relating to civil-military affairs;

● Oversee staff coverage and reassign tasks as necessary. Manage the team calendar to ensure adequate office coverage;

● Advise, guide, and train all new team personnel on team processes, templates, and standard operating procedures;

● Monitor and oversee team personnel performance and provide feedback as necessary on performance evaluations, work plans, and individual learning plans on ad hoc and annual basis;

● In conjunction with the Team Leader, coordinate and guide the work of other team members. Serves as the primary point of contact for review of actions for the Team Leader’s clearance and/or approval;

● Conduct quality assurance on final work products. Ensure accurate and error free work products of the team. This includes information associated with data calls with short turnaround times and complex reports created and used to track the flow of work related to the team’s portfolio; and

● Undertakes difficult conversations on staff performance in a timely manner.

Other Duties as Assigned

● Sign-up for and serve as needed, on Washington-based RMTs in a management-level position, which provides services and support to DARTs deployed in response to disasters. The duties on RMTs will vary;

● As needed, serve on DARTs which may require immediate (within 24 hours) deployment overseas for an extended period of time;

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● Serve as the OFDA after-hours duty officer on a rotational basis, for approximately one week every six months; and

● As needed, may serve on temporary details within the office to meet operational needs during staff shortages, not to exceed six months. Duties performed while on detail will be aligned with the Team’s existing duties and responsibilities as well as directly related to the scope of work provided.

SUPERVISORY RELATIONSHIP:

The USPSC will take direction from and report to the Military Liaison Team Leader or designee.

While on assignment, he/she may report directly to the senior OFDA field representative in the region of assignment.

SUPERVISORY CONTROLS:

Supervisor provides administrative directions in terms of broadly defined missions or functions.

The USPSC independently plans, designs, and carries out programs, projects, studies, or other work. Results are considered authoritative and are normally accepted without significant change.

12. PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The work is generally sedentary and does not pose undue physical demands. 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.

II. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION

(Determines basic eligibility for the position. Offerors who do not meet all of the education and experience factors are considered NOT qualified for the position.)

Bachelor’s degree plus nine (9) years relevant work experience (including but not limited to the U.S. Government, an international organization, or a non-governmental or non-profit organization in the field of international relations, human rights, economics, food policy, public health, gender studies, civilian-led international disaster response or disaster management or a related field) of which at least three (3) years will have been in a management or leadership capacity in a stressful environment.

OR

Master’s degree plus seven (7) years of relevant work experience (including but not limited to the U.S. Government, an international organization, or a non-governmental or non-profit organization in the field of international relations, human rights, economics, food policy, public health, gender studies, civilian-led international disaster response or disaster management or a

11 | Page related field) of which at least three (3) years will have been in a management or leadership capacity in a stressful environment.

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.

SELECTION FACTORS

(Determines basic eligibility for the position. Offerors who do not meet all of the selection factors are considered NOT qualified for the position.)

• Offeror is a U.S. Citizen.

• Complete resume submitted. See cover page for resume requirements. Experience that cannot be quantified will not be counted towards meeting the solicitation requirements.

• USPSC Offeror form AID 309-2. Offerors are required to complete sections A through I.

This form must be physically signed. Electronic signatures will not be accepted.

• 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.

• Must not appear as an excluded party in the System for Award Management (SAM.gov).

• Satisfactory verification of academic credentials.

OFFEROR RATING SYSTEM

The offeror rating system factors are used to determine the competitive ranking of qualified offerors in comparison to other offerors. Offerors must demonstrate the rating factors outlined below within their resume, as they are evaluated strictly by the information provided. The rating factors are as follows:

Leadership / Management (20 points)

• Experience in supervising and managing permanent and or surge staff, including recommending and approving staff for assignment to trainings, exercise, response operations, briefings, or other representational roles.

• Demonstrated experience related to staff development, through coaching, teaching and mentoring, related to both personal and professional development, focused on strengthening and professionalizing the workforce.

• Experience in building coalitions internally and within other federal agencies and humanitarian organizations related to civil-military coordination in foreign disaster responses to achieve common goals.

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

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• Experience in proposing efficiencies to ensure a high level of customer service, including troubleshooting issues and proposing new processes such as standard operating procedures and other critical resources and proactively problem-solve and mitigate risks before they arise.

• Experience in contributing to a strategy for civil-military coordination during humanitarian response operations and providing innovative solutions to resolve operational issues as necessary.

• Demonstrated leadership for the identification, research, analysis, and development of recommendations on issues and matters relating to civil-military affairs.

• Experience in advising, guiding, and training all new team personnel on team processes, templates, and standard operating procedures.

• Demonstrated ability to monitor and oversee team personnel performance and provide feedback as necessary on performance evaluations, work plans, and individual learning plans on ad hoc and annual basis.

Knowledge of Humanitarian Assistance (8 points)

• Knowledge of complex emergencies or natural disasters at the D.C., Combatant Command, and Field levels.

• Knowledge of or experience with CBRNE incidents.

• Experience in strategy development including risk assessment, gap analysis, and needs assessment.

Communication/Liaison Experience (8 points)

• Experience communicating humanitarian concepts to Department of Defense (DoD) officials and other stakeholders.

• Demonstrated ability to prepare written reports and conduct oral presentations.

Planning & Budgeting Skills (4 points)

• Experience conducting strategic planning, operational planning, and using the military planning process.

• Experience in developing budget estimates for costs and recommend funding levels of civil-military engagements and outreach activities throughout the fiscal year, including analysis of pipeline balances.

Interview Performance: 20 Points Offerors who remain competitive after being evaluated in the Offeror Rating System will be invited to interview. Interviews will be conducted by telephone and will consist of the Technical Evaluation Committee asking a standard set of interview questions. Those offerors that are determined to be competitively ranked after the interview phase will be invited to give an oral presentation to the Technical Evaluation Committee.

Presentation: 20 Points All competitively ranked offerors will be provided with the same content to use during their presentation. Oral presentations will be conducted in-person, at our offices in Washington, D.C.

Offerors who are eligible for the oral presentation, but are unable to travel to Washington will be given an Adobe audio/visual link in order to deliver their presentation virtually.

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Satisfactory Professional Reference Checks (20 points)

Total Possible Points: 100

BASIS OF RATING: Offerors who meet the Education/Experience requirements and Selection Factors will be further evaluated in accordance with the Offeror Rating System. Those offerors determined to be competitively ranked may also be evaluated on interview performance and satisfactory professional reference checks.

Offerors are required to address each factor of the Offeror Rating System in their resume, describing specifically and accurately what experience, training, education and/or awards they have received as it pertains to each factor. Be sure to include your name and the announcement number at the top of each additional page. Failure to address the selection factors and/or Offeror Rating System factors may result in not receiving credit for all pertinent experience, education, training and/or awards.

The most qualified offerors may be interviewed and required to provide a writing sample. OFDA will not pay for any expenses associated with the interviews. Professional references and academic credentials will be evaluated for offerors being considered for selection. Note: Please be advised that references may be obtained independently from other sources in addition to the ones provided by an offeror. OFDA reserves the right to select additional offerors if vacancies become available during future phase of the selection process.

IV. SUBMITTING AN OFFER

Offers must be received by the closing date and time at the address specified in the cover letter.

Qualified individuals are required to submit:

1. Complete resume. In order to fully evaluate your offer, your resume must include:

(a) Paid and non-paid experience, job title, location(s), dates held (month/year), and hours worked per week for each position. Any experience that does not include dates (month/year), locations, and hours per week will not be counted towards meeting the solicitation requirements.

(b) Specific duties performed that fully detail the level and complexity of the work.

(c) Education and any other qualifications including job-related training courses, job-related skills, or job-related honors, awards or accomplishments.

(d) U.S. Citizenship

(e) Optional: How did you hear about this opportunity? (FedBizOpps, OFDA Jobs, Career Fair, etc.).

Your resume should contain sufficient information to make a valid determination that you fully meet the experience requirements as stated in this solicitation. This information should be clearly identified in your resume. Failure to provide information sufficient to determine your qualifications for the position will result in loss of full consideration.

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2. USPSC Offeror form AID 309-2. Offerors are required to complete sections A through I.

This form must be physically signed. Electronic signatures will not be accepted. AID 309-2 is available at http://www.usaid.gov/forms.

Additional documents submitted will not be accepted.

By submitting your offer materials, you certify that all of the information on and attached to the offer is true, correct, complete, and made in good faith. You agree to allow all information on and attached to the offer to be investigated. False or fraudulent information on or attached to your offer may result in you being eliminated from consideration for this position, or being terminated after award, and may be punishable by fine or imprisonment.

To ensure consideration of offers for the intended position, please reference the solicitation number on your offer, and as the subject line in any email.

DOCUMENT SUBMITTALS

Via email: recruiter@ofda.gov

NOTE: If the full security application package is not submitted within 30 days after the Office of Security determines eligibility, the offer may be rescinded. If a Secret security clearance is not obtained within nine months after offer acceptance, the offer may be rescinded. If Top Secret is required, and clearance is not obtained within nine months after award, USAID may terminate the contract at the convenience of the government. If Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) access is not obtained within nine months after Top Secret clearance is granted, USAID may terminate the contract at the convenience of the government.

NOTE: If the full medical clearance package is not submitted within two months after offer acceptance, the offer may be rescinded. If a Department of State medical clearance is not obtained within six months after offer acceptance, the offer may be rescinded.

NOTE REGARDING GOVERNMENT OBLIGATIONS FOR THIS SOLICITATION

This solicitation in no way obligates USAID to award a PSC contract, nor does it commit USAID to pay any cost incurred in the preparation and submission of the offer.

NOTE REGARDING DATA UNIVERSAL NUMBERING SYSTEM (DUNS) NUMBERS

AND THE SYSTEM FOR AWARD MANAGEMENT

All USPSCs with a place of performance in the United States are required to have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) database prior to receiving an offer. You will be disqualified if you either fail to comply with this requirement or if your name appears on the excluded parties list. The selectee will be provided with guidance regarding this registration.

For general information about DUNS Numbers, please refer to Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Clause 52.204-6, Data Universal Numbering System Number at https://www.acquisition.gov/far/current/html/52_200_206.html and FAR 52.204-7, System https://www.acquisition.gov/far/current/html/52_200_206.html

15 | Page for Award Management at https://www.acquisition.gov/far/current/html/52_200_206.html or www.sam.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/ or at http://www.forms.gov/bgfPortal/main.do

1. Resume.

2. USPSC Offeror Form (AID 309-2)

3. Medical History and Examination Form (DS-6561). **

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

5. Questionnaire for Non-Sensitive Positions (SF-85). **

6. Finger Print Card (FD-258). **

7. Employment Eligibility Verification (I-9 Form). **

** Forms 3 through 7 shall be completed ONLY upon the advice of the Contracting Officer that an offeror is the successful candidate for the job.

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 & 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

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) Living Quarters Allowance (Section 130).

(c) Post Allowance (Section 220).

(d) Supplemental Post Allowance (Section 230).

(e) Separate Maintenance Allowance (Section 260).

(f) Education Allowance (Section 270).

https://www.acquisition.gov/far/current/html/52_200_206.html http://www.sam.gov/ http://www.usaid.gov/forms/ http://www.forms.gov/bgfPortal/main.do http://www.forms.gov/bgfPortal/main.do https://aoprals.state.gov/content.asp?content_id=282&menu_id=101

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(g) Education Travel (Section 280).

(h) Post Differential (Chapter 500).

(i) Payments during Evacuation/Authorized Departure (Section 600), and

(j) Danger Pay (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. 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 .

ADS 309 – Personal Services Contracts can be found at:

https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1868/309.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) for Personal Services Contracts with Individuals available at http://www.usaid.gov/work-usaid/aapds-cibs .

AAPD 06-10 – PSC MEDICAL PAYMENT RESPONSIBILITY

AAPD No. 06-10 is hereby incorporated as Attachment 1 to the solicitation.

AAPD 15-02 – Authorization of Family and Medical Leave for U.S. Personal Services Contractors (USPSCs) AAPD No. 15-02 is hereby incorporated as Attachment 2 to the solicitation.

AAPD 18-02 - Medical Evacuation (MEDEVAC) Services AAPD No. 18-02 is hereby incorporated as Attachment 3 to the solicitation.

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 .

ALL QUALIFIED OFFERORS WILL BE CONSIDERED REGARDLESS OF AGE, RACE,

COLOR, SEX, CREED, NATIONAL ORIGIN, LAWFUL POLITICAL AFFILIATION, NON-

https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1868/309.pdf

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DISQUALIFYING DISABILITY, MARITAL STATUS, SEXUAL ORIENTATION,

AFFILIATION WITH AN EMPLOYEE ORGANIZATION, OR OTHER NON-MERIT

FACTOR.

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ATTACHMENT 1

USPSC PROVISION “MEDICAL EXPENSE PAYMENT RESPONSIBILITY

(OCTOBER 2006)

MEDICAL EXPENSE PAYMENT RESPONSIBILITY (OCTOBER 2006)

(a) Definitions. Terms used in this General Provision are defined in 16 FAM 116 (available at http://www.foia.state.gov/REGS/fams.asp?level=2&id=59&fam=0). Note: personal services contractors are not eligible to participate in the Federal Employees Health Programs.

(b) The regulations in the Foreign Affairs Manual, Volume 16, Chapter 520 (16 FAM 520), Responsibility for Payment of Medical Expenses, apply to this contract, except as stated below.

The contractor and each eligible family member are strongly encouraged to obtain health insurance that covers this assignment. Nothing in this provision supersedes or contradicts any other term or provision in this contract that pertains to insurance or medical costs, except that section (e) supplements General Provision 25. “MEDICAL EVACUATION (MEDEVAC)

SERVICES.”

(c) When the contractor or eligible family member is covered by health insurance, that insurance is the primary payer for medical services provided to that contractor or eligible family member(s) both in the United States and abroad. The primary insurer’s liability is determined by the terms, conditions, limitations, and exclusions of the insurance policy. When the contractor or eligible family member is not covered by health insurance, the contractor is the primary payer for the total amount of medical costs incurred and the U.S. Government has no payment obligation (see paragraph (f) of this provision).

(d) USAID serves as a secondary payer for medical expenses of the contractor and eligible family members who are covered by health insurance, where the following conditions are met:

(1) The illness, injury, or medical condition giving rise to the expense is incurred, caused, or materially aggravated while the eligible individual is stationed or assigned abroad;

(2) The illness, injury, or medical condition giving rise to the expense required or requires hospitalization and the expense is directly related to the treatment of such illness, injury, or medical condition, including obstetrical care; and

(3) The Office of Medical Services (M/MED) or a Foreign Service medical provider (FSMP) determines that the treatment is appropriate for, and directly related to, the illness, injury, or medical condition.

(e) The Mission Director may, on the advice of M/MED or an FSMP at post, authorize medical travel for the contractor or an eligible family member in accordance with the General Provision 10, Travel and Transportation AAPD 06-10 PSC Medical Expense Payment Responsibility 6 Expenses (July 1993), section (i) entitled “Emergency and Irregular Travel and Transportation.”

In the event of a medical emergency, when time does not permit consultation, the Mission http://www.foia.state.gov/REGS/fams.asp?level=2&id=59&fam=0

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Director may issue a Travel Authorization Form or Medical Services Authorization Form DS- 3067, provided that the FSMP or Post Medical Advisor (PMA) is notified as soon as possible following such an issuance. The contractor must promptly file a claim with his or her medevac insurance provider and repay to USAID any amount the medevac insurer pays for medical travel, up to the amount USAID paid under this section. The contractor must repay USAID for medical costs paid by the medevac insurer in accordance with sections (f) and (g) below. In order for medical travel to be an allowable cost under General Provision 10, the contractor must provide USAID written evidence that medevac insurance does not cover these medical travel costs.

(f) If the contractor or eligible family member is not covered by primary health insurance, the contractor is the primary payer for the total amount of medical costs incurred. In the event of a medical emergency, the Medical and Health Program may authorize issuance of Form DS-3067, Authorization for Medical Services for Employees and/or Dependents, to secure admission to a hospital located abroad for the uninsured contractor or eligible family member.

In that case, the contractor will be required to reimburse USAID in full for funds advanced by USAID pursuant to the issuance of the authorization. The contractor may reimburse USAID directly or USAID may offset the cost from the contractor’s invoice payments under this contract, any other contract the individual has with the U.S. Government, or through any other available debt collection mechanism.

(g) When USAID pays medical expenses (e.g., pursuant to Form DS-3067, Authorization for Medical Services for Employees and/or Dependents), repayment must be made to USAID either by insurance payment or directly by the contractor, except for the amount of such expenses USAID is obligated to pay under this provision. The Contracting Officer will determine the repayment amount in accordance with the terms of this provision and the policies and procedures for employees contained in 16 FAM 521. When USAID pays the medical expenses, including medical travel costs (see section (e) above), of an individual (either the contractor or an eligible family member) who is covered by insurance, that individual promptly must claim his or her benefits under any applicable insurance policy or policies. As soon as the individual receives the insurance payment, the contractor must reimburse USAID for the full amount that USAID paid on the individual’s behalf or the repayment amount determined by the Contracting Officer in accordance with this paragraph, whichever is less. If an individual is not covered by insurance, the contractor must reimburse USAID for the entire amount of all medical expenses and any travel costs the contractor receives from his/her medevac provider.

(h) In the event that the contractor or eligible family member fails to recover insurance payments or transfer the amount of such payments to USAID within 90 days, USAID will take appropriate action to collect the payments due, unless such failure is for reasons beyond the control of the USPSC/dependent. (i) Before departing post or terminating the contract, the contractor must settle all medical expense and medical travel costs. If the contractor is insured, he or she must provide proof to the Contracting AAPD 06-10 PSC Medical Expense Payment Responsibility 7 Officer that those insurance claims have been submitted to the insurance carrier(s) and sign a repayment agreement to repay to USAID any amounts paid by the insurance carrier(s).

End of Provision

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ATTACHMENT 2

GP 5. LEAVE AND HOLIDAYS (DEC 2017)

(Pursuant to class deviation #M/OAA-DEV-AIDAR-18-1c)

(a) Annual Leave

(1) The contractor is not entitled to annual leave if the period of performance of this contract is 90 days or less. If the contract period of performance is more than 90 days, the contractor shall earn annual leave as of the start date of the contract period of performance as specified in paragraph (a)(2) below.

(2) The contractor shall accrue annual leave based on the contractor’s time in service according to the following table:

Time in Service Annual Leave (AL) Accrual Calculation 0 to 3 years Four hours of leave for each two week period over 3, and up to 15 years Six hours of AL for each two week period

(including 10 hours AL for the final pay period of a calendar year) over 15 years Eight hours of AL for each two week period

USAID will calculate the contractor’s time in service based on all the previous service performed by the contractor as a: 1) USAID PSC (i.e., the contractor has served under any USAID personal services contracts of any duration covered by Sec. 636(a)(3) of the FAA or other statutory provision applicable to USAID); and/or 2) former U.S. Government (USG) direct-hire, under either civilian and/or military service.

(3)

(i) AL is provided under this contract for the purposes of affording necessary rest and recreation during the period of performance. The contractor, in consultation with the USAID Mission or USAID/Washington, as appropriate, shall develop an AL schedule early in the contractor's period of performance,…