DRG USPSC Sol_7200AA24R00071_Information Integrity and Resilience (IIR) Advisor_6.3.24.pdf

SOLICITATION NUMBER: 7200AA24R00071

ISSUANCE DATE: June 4, 2024

CLOSING DATE AND TIME: July 5, 2024 at 9:30AM EDT

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

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.

At USAID, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) is a priority, and we are greater than the sum of our parts. When we integrate DEIA in our programs, policies, partnerships, and people (workforce), we are better able to understand and meet the needs of those we serve worldwide. USAID will evaluate all offerors based on the stated evaluation criteria. USAID encourages all individuals, including those from disadvantaged and under-represented groups, to respond to the 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.

Any questions must be directed in writing to the Point of Contact specified in Attachment 1.

Sincerely, Mir Ershadullah Contracting Officer

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

Solicitation No. 7200AA24R00071 USPSC – Information Integrity and Resilience (IIR) Advisor

Attachment 1

I. GENERAL INFORMATION

1. SOLICITATION NO.: 7200AA24R00071

2. ISSUANCE DATE: June 4, 2024

3. CLOSING DATE AND TIME FOR RECEIPT OF OFFERS: July 5, 2024 at 9:30AM EDT

4. POINT OF CONTACT: Casey Miskowski, email at cmiskowski@usaid.gov.

5. POSITION TITLE: Information Integrity and Resilience (IIR) Advisor

6. MARKET VALUE: $139,395-$181,216 per year, equivalent to GS-14, assuming Washington, D.C.

Locality Pay

Final compensation will be negotiated within the listed market value and will include Locality Pay for domestic USPSCs based on the location of the Official USAID Worksite, or the approved alternative worksite if approved for remote work. USPSCs performing overseas are not entitled to Locality Pay. As this is a remote-eligible position, if the approved remote worksite is located outside of the DC Locality, compensation will be adjusted to the corresponding value as found in the GS Locality Pay Tables.

7. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: USAID/Washington with possible travel as stated in the Statement of Duties. Relocation expenses will not be reimbursed for U.S.-based positions.

This position has been designated as suitable for remote work. The contractor will be authorized to perform the services under this contract from an alternative worksite. For PSCs authorized to remote work, the alternative worksite determines the locality pay for compensation purposes. The alternative worksite is subject to approval. It must be based in the United States and allow the offeror to conform to the working hours of the local time zone of USAID/Washington.

8. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: Two years, estimated to start on or about 09/30/24. Start date will be dependent on issuance of security clearance. The applicant must be available to start within 30 days of receiving notification that required security clearance has been obtained. Based on Agency need, the Contracting Officer may exercise (an) additional option period(s) for up to three additional years for the date(s) estimated as follows:

Base Period: 09/30/2024-09/29/2026 Option Period 1: 09/30/2026-09/29/2027 Option Period 2: 09/30/2027-09/29/2028 Option Period 3: 09/30/2028-09/29/2029

9. ELIGIBLE OFFERORS: U.S. Citizens

10. SECURITY LEVEL REQUIRED: Secret

11. STATEMENT OF DUTIES

BACKGROUND

The Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance (DRG) Bureau is the lead for the Agency in supporting overall efforts to advance democracy and human rights goals. These efforts are critical to improve government effectiveness, reduce corruption, promote human rights, and ensure citizens are empowered to play a role in public affairs. The DRG Bureau’s annual budget is over mailto:cmiskowski@usaid.gov https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/2024/general-schedule

$257 million, with a staff of over 180, managing over $1.7 billion a year on a broad range of democracy programs. The Bureau’s mission is to lead USAID’s efforts to invigorate democracy, enhance human rights and justice, and bolster governance that advances the public interest and delivers inclusive development. DRG shapes policy and development agendas, generates knowledge and evidence that drives innovation, catalyzes partnerships and coalitions, and mobilizes cutting-edge programs and technical assistance to enable USAID’s Missions and partners to accelerate democratic development globally. The Bureau achieves this through high quality support to USAID missions, generating and disseminating knowledge on best practices, and providing technical leadership to the wider USG and the international development community.

USAID helps to strengthen the global US strategic partnerships by advancing USG objectives that are aligned with critical democracy, human rights, and governance issues and emerging priorities as identified through the National Security Strategy, Joint Strategic Plan, and other USAID agency initiatives and regional policy directives. USAID/DRG has made combating democratic decline and countering authoritarian tactics a priority, including a particular emerging focus on the threats posed by information disorder, digital repression, and democratic erosion.

GTT’s main mission is to identify emerging threats to democracy and support new approaches to address them. To do this, the GTT serves as an internal think tank and service to the DRG sector.

The GTT develops and incubates pilot approaches in support of democratic protection, resilience and development, especially in the digital democracy and information resilience space.

Specifically, GTT facilitates effective and cohesive agency-wide support to the field on emerging threats to democracy and ensures that USAID is prepared to meet new challenges that arise in the rapidly changing digital democracy, information integrity and resilience, and development environment.

GTT’s focus includes responding to emerging trends and threats to democracy, including digital repression, polarization, information manipulation, economic capture that undermines self-determination and related authoritarian tactics that corrode democratic governance. It also includes understanding the tactics used to undermine democratic governance such as reducing institutional checks and balances, restricting civil society and media, corrupting electoral and political systems, utilizing information manipulation and information disorder, abusing digital technologies for repressive purposes, and engaging in economic capture and coercive practices, among other approaches. GTT applies cutting-edge thinking, research, and practice to promote resilience in development policies and programs which address global challenges and develop new ways to advance the development and dissemination of democracy-enhancing technology norms, policies and practices.

As part of GTT, the Information Integrity and Resilience Advisor would serve as a subject matter expert and exercise technical leadership to bring innovative and evidence-based approaches to strengthen information integrity and resilience. This position provides critical, cutting-edge technical leadership in the field of information integrity and resilience. This includes in-depth knowledge of media programs with an understanding how technology, including Artificial Intelligence, can both facilitate and mitigate information disorder, what drives that diffusion (i.e.

group identity, cognitive bias) and how that diffusion exacerbates social polarization which corrodes the foundation of democratic consensus building and collective solution finding. The Advisor is expected to work to advance research and learning, evidence-based approaches and promising and novel experimentation in this space to advise USAID Mission teams and Washington on state-of-the-art research and programming bolstering information resilience and integrity. At the core of this position is the ability to support USAID Missions to implement programs that address information disorder by pulling from cutting edge lessons learned cross-sectoral from health to countering violent extremism with democracy, human rights, and governance considerations being the core driver.

The incumbent’s responsibilities will be geographically world-wide, varied, and dynamic to reflect changing circumstances facing USAID and the DRG Bureau. The position will be based in Washington, D.C. and will include temporary duty assignments overseas as needed.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Information Integrity and Resilience Advisor will support the work of USAID Missions and Washington Operating Units, other USG entities, and the broader DRG community by exercising the following duties:

a. Serve as a Senior Agency-Wide Technical Resource on Information Integrity and Resilience:

1. Serve as a technical expert on the nexus between democracy, human rights and governance and information integrity and resilience in areas such as media, social cohesion, social identity, cognitive sciences, sociology, technology, marginalized and vulnerable populations, youth and civic engagement, strategic communications and narratives, regional approaches, monitoring and evaluation of information integrity and resilience programming, and/or use of artificial intelligence.

2. Provide expert technical advice, guidance and analysis to inform research and programming to USAID Missions and Washington Operating Units on how to strengthen information integrity and resilience.

3. Support the design of tools such as course design for USAID staff, creating and updating core technical documents and websites for cross-Agency programming to support information integrity and resilience.

4. Contribute to research and learning agendas as a recognized subject matter expert on information integrity and resilience.

5. Train USAID staff on how to effectively integrate information integrity and resilience into programming.

6. Collaborate with the Bureau for Conflict Prevention and Stabilization; Bureau of Legislative and Public Affairs; USAID regional bureaus; USAID Missions; the State Department; the Department of Commerce; other USG agencies; Congress;

other donors; and partners on issues related to information integrity and resilience.

7. Assess key strategic interests, incentives and approaches to support information integrity and resilience across sectors.

8. Understand and disseminate the latest research and applications of Artificial Intelligence, to include generative AI and Large Language Models, and state-of-the-art application for supporting information integrity and resilience.

9. Analyze the interstices of the effects of information disorder on economics and private sector development and what is happening in legal and regulatory spaces.

b. Provide technical assistance throughout the Program Cycle:

1. Support USAID programming and approaches throughout the program cycle in building information integrity and resilience to advance democracy, human rights, or governance activities in countries where USAID works.

2. Translate research into practical tools and training for USAID operating units.

3. Ensure that program designs reflect local solutions, local knowledge and are rooted in local context that further support healthy and vibrant information ecosystems.

4. Develop and support research and evidence-based activity designs and provide technical assistance and capacity building for Mission staff.

5. Serve as Agreement Officer’s Representative (AOR), Alternate AOR, Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR), Alternate COR, and/or activity manager for cutting edge, integrative and cross-sectoral information and resilience programs with a core focus on democracy, human rights, and governance activities that provide discrete, short-term support efficiently and cost-effectively, enable locally driven solutions, and incentivize teams to take on critical challenges.

6. Review and provide feedback and guidance on annual work plans, implementing partner reports, and budgets, in accordance with USAID policies and procedures.

c. Communication and Teamwork

1. Produce high quality and professional written products and oral presentations that convey complex issues in a clear, targeted and audience-aware manner.

2. Work productively and independently with interdisciplinary teams to deliver guidance, advice, tools, and resources to help teams succeed.

3. Assess the unique cultural, political, and technological contexts to assist in the development and adaptation of policy and programming in complex circumstances.

4. Take initiative and show innovativeness and resourcefulness in recommending new or improved approaches.

5. Expand USAID's engagement with external stakeholders across the civil society, media and the private sector on information integrity and resilience issues by building and strengthening networks with local, regional, and global technology companies, innovation centers, and relevant university programs and vocational schools, and engaging additional external stakeholders across the U.S.

Government and in multilateral fora to advocate for respect and protection of human rights across information ecosystems.

d. Degree of responsibility for decision-making assigned to the position: The Information Integrity and Resilience (IIR) Advisor will serve as a senior Agency thought leader for USAID globally and will be expected to demonstrate leadership pertaining to how both current and emergent approaches-- such as the application of artificial intelligence-- can foster information integrity and resilience or enable information manipulation. The incumbent will exercise independent judgment while performing work with wide latitude and of significant difficulty and responsibility. The PSC will receive minimal day-to-day technical or policy guidance. This role will be responsible for leading the integration of IIR best practices and issues into current and prospective programming across the DRG Bureau and missions globally, including relevant levels of decision-making that technical leadership will require.

e. Knowledge level required by the position: The IIR Advisor must demonstrate advanced mastery of IIR and practical knowledge and addressing information manipulation, including how the IIR field interacts with and is impacted by interdisciplinary fields. The Advisor will apply advanced mastery of IIR to all DRG subsectors as well as working on an intra-agency basis across all sectors of USAID on IIR issues to inform research, policies and programs.

They will be the primary thought-leader responsible for tackling developments that are complex, varied, and not susceptible to existing solutions or frameworks, requiring experimentation and the utilization of a significant, expert-level understanding of how information integrity and resilience impacts various DRG sub-sectors and potential Agency-wide sectors through intra-agency engagement. The Advisor will lead agenda-setting and intra-agency working groups and convenings. Please see minimum qualifications listed in the position description, which include an advanced degree and years of experience necessary at minimum to possess the required expertise at the center of this position’s success.

f. Supervisory Controls: The IIR Advisor will report to the Director of the Office of Global Trends and Technology or their designee, who will provide broad administrative direction.

The incumbent will independently develop plans and work products. The incumbent will independently plan, design, and carry out complex technical activities. As a recognized expert, the incumbent will design and contribute to research on IIR across the DRG Bureau, missions and on an intra-agency basis as appropriate. The incumbent will provide extensive technical leadership and guidance on IIR issues, where the results of their work and leadership are considered technically authoritative. The Advisor will do this work with minimal oversight, reporting progress to the Supervisor as needed.

g. Performance Guidelines: The IIR Advisor will work with guidelines from the Bureau and Agency that are broadly stated and non-specific, requiring extensive interpretation. The incumbent will demonstrate sound judgment, technical expertise, ingenuity and innovation in the design, implementation and analysis of highly complex research activities related to information integrity and resilience. The IIR Advisor will use initiative and resourcefulness in deviating from traditional methods or in researching patterns and trends to develop new methods, criteria or proposed policies. The incumbent must have specialized expertise on IIR issues as they apply to DRG objectives and/or international development more generally.

Assignments are generally received in terms of priority actions involving IIR programming or agency tasks related to labor programming or policy issues. The incumbent exercises considerable independent judgment in determining the application of approaches to programming and inputs to strategy and policy development. Administrative policies and precedents are applicable but are stated in general terms (i.e Agency policy).

h. Level of complexity for work assignments: The Information Integrity and Resilience Advisor’s duties will be significantly varied and will require a high degree of knowledge of information resilience, technology, democracy, and human rights and related technical approaches. The incumbent supports USAID regional bureaus and Missions in identifying approaches to address the conditions in order to bolster information integrity and resilience, which will involve areas of uncertainty and forging new processes. The Advisor will be required to conduct analysis of underlying drivers of information disorder and support USAID regional bureaus and missions in identifying approaches to address the conditions in order to improve the enabling environment for democratic development. The Advisor will be expected to resolve issues related to research that the Advisor oversees and cope with any issues that might arise in reconciling approaches. This will require extensive, complex systems analyses and research, innovative incorporation of findings into the design of new programs, and flexibility to respond to new and emerging trends and challenges. The incumbent will be expected to contribute new technologies and approaches or develop new information to address continuing changes in the related programmatic, technological, and political environments.

They will develop and coordinate country-specific learning strategies with defined goals, guidelines, and benchmarks, as appropriate.

i. Scope and effect of the work performed: The incumbent’s work will cross other GTT work streams which include but are not limited to countering digital repression and foreign malign influence and supporting separation of powers as well as influencing the programming and approaches across both the DRG Bureau and others across the Agency working on information integrity and resilience. The Advisor will exert technical leadership and be a recognized expert in the field of IIR whose work affects the work of other experts. The Advisor will provide technical leadership specifically on programming related to Presidential Initiative for Democratic Renewal deliverable ProInfo and all related components, relevant DRG programming, and support implementation of the DRG Policy in relation to IIR. The Advisor will also lead the creation of and execution of IIR convenings related to ProInfo for each region--in partnership regional bureaus--and also be the technical lead for OECD related regional convenings globally. In their work as AOR/COR/PM, the Advisor will directly lead the partnership between USAID and recipient organizations and provide technical leadership on the scoping and developing of IIR research with a view for how the research can advance DRG Bureau and Agency-wide development goals.

j. Level and purpose of contacts: The incumbent will serve as an Agency technical advisor in information integrity and resilience and will advise USAID and interagency counterparts on matters relating to this, in both formal and informal settings. The incumbent will engage and maintain professional contacts with senior level officials of academic institutions and independent organizations. Additionally, they will maintain professional contacts and may be required to respond to inquiries, orally or in writing, from Congressional staff, the National Security Council, the Department of State, and other USG counterparts as appropriate. The incumbent may join conferences, workshops, panels, and more, as related to their work as a representative of USAID and the GTT Office.

The Information Integrity and Resilience Advisor will apply thought leadership and technical acumen to engaging stakeholders on related issues. The Advisor will work collaboratively and creatively with all USAID internal stakeholders on other DRG teams, in other technical bureaus, and regional bureaus that work on technology and digital development. The incumbent is expected to present credible, accessible technical expertise through creative and collaborative inputs and influence intra-agency and interagency policies. This includes persuading partners such as OECD colleagues who may be skeptical or uncooperative to include Global Majority countries in global and regional convenings, which the Advisor will provide technical expertise to convene, where IIR best practices are being discussed and explored.

k. Supervision or oversight the position has over others: None, except perhaps occasional short-term interns or fellows.

l. Travel requirements, if any, including an estimate of the number or frequency of trips and locations: The USPSC should expect to spend up to 30% of their time on temporary duty travel (TDY) assignments, including to restricted environments and/or limited/non-presence USAID countries.

m. Support Items: The USPSC will be provided with the support services, equipment, and supplies necessary to perform the work.

12. PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The work requested does not involve undue physical demands.

II. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION

● Graduate level degree or higher from an accredited U.S. or foreign educational institution in international development, political science, social science or a related field plus a minimum of eight (8) years of relevant work experience in areas such as media, digital technology, social cohesion/polarization, international development, sociology, cognitive science, political science, or a relevant subject.

● Of the minimum required years of experience, at least four (4) years of relevant overseas experience or extensive short term TDY experiences working with U.S. government, international organizations, donor development agencies, non-governmental organizations, private sector, academic organizations, or other agencies and processes involved in DRG or information integrity and resilience.

OR

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited U.S. or foreign education institution in international development, political science, social science or a relevant subject and at least ten (10) years of directly-related work experience in areas such as media, digital technology, social cohesion/polarization, international development, sociology, cognitive science, political science or a relevant subject.

• Of the minimum required years of experience, at least four (4) years of relevant overseas experience or extensive short term TDY experiences working with U.S. government, international organizations, donor development agencies, non-governmental organizations, private sector, academic organizations, or other agencies and processes involved in DRG or information integrity and resilience.

III. EVALUATION AND SELECTION FACTORS

Selection Factors

Selection factors determine 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;

● USPSC Application Form AID 309-2. Offerors are required to complete sections A through I.

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

● Satisfactory verification of academic credentials;

● Professional references;

● Supplemental document specifically addressing the Quality Ranking Factors;

● Ability to obtain and maintain a SECRET level security clearance as required by USAID. If a full security investigation package is not submitted by the selected offeror within 30 days after it is requested, the offer may be rescinded; and

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

Evaluation 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. The FAR provisions referenced above are available at https://www.acquisition.gov/browse/index/far.

The technical evaluation committee may conduct reference checks, including references from individuals who have not been specifically identified by the offeror, and may do so before or after a candidate is interviewed.

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

The following Quality Ranking Factors are used to determine the competitive ranking of qualified offerors in comparison to other offerors:

1. Technical Expertise (40 points):

● Demonstrated extensive technical expertise in information integrity and resilience (IIR) such as media, digital technology particularly related to AI, social cohesion/polarization, international development, strategic communications and narratives, regional approaches, or monitoring and evaluation, as evidenced by experience working with, analyzing, and utilizing cutting-edge research.

● Demonstrated knowledge of the intersection of information integrity and resilience to support democracy, human rights and governance in an integrated and holistic way and experience applying that knowledge to inform the direction of work.

2. Program Design and Management (30 points):

● Proven track record of using expertise in information integrity and resilience (IIR) research and data to identify practical solutions in development programming. Preferred experience in international contexts in Global Majority countries.

● Demonstrated experience creating, managing and implementing policies and programs engaging multiple stakeholders such as government, private sector, and/or civil society stakeholders to advance democracy, human rights, and governance issues.

3. Teamwork and Communications (30 points):

● Demonstrated strong written communication skills, including the ability to concisely and accurately convey complex research and its practical application for ease of utilization by practitioners.

● Demonstrated strong oral communication skills, including the ability to present and respond to questions related to complex research and learning in clear, concise communication for ease of utilization by practitioners.

● Demonstrated strong interpersonal skills as evidenced by a track record of working effectively and collaboratively on diverse teams with the ability to exhibit tact, diplomacy, and resourcefulness while working in a variety of settings with high-level government officials, members of non-governmental organizations, and practitioners across cultures.

BASIS OF RATING: Eligible offerors who meet the Minimum Qualifications, application submission requirements, and possess U.S. Citizenship will be further evaluated based on scoring of the Quality Ranking Factors (QRFs). In a separate document, offerors are required to address each of the QRFs and demonstrate how they meet each factor, describing specifically and accurately what experience, training, education, and/or awards they have received that are relevant to each factor. Be sure to include your name and the solicitation number at the top of each page. Failure to specifically address the QRFs may result in not receiving credit for all pertinent experience, education, training, and/or awards. Responses must be limited to 500 words per factor. Any additional words above the limit will neither be read nor scored.

The evaluation of the QRFs will be based on the offeror’s responses in the supplemental QRF document as well as information provided in other written offer materials (e.g., form AID 309-2, resume) to determine the competitive ranking of qualified offerors. The technical evaluation committee (TEC) will select candidates to interview based on this preliminary review of applications. The most qualified offeror(s) will be interviewed. Professional reference checks will only be conducted for offeror(s) who are interviewed and will be evaluated on a Pass/Fail metric. Please be advised that references may be obtained independently from other sources in addition to the ones provided by the offeror. In the event that USAID is unable to obtain any information from references, the lack of reference information will not be evaluated favorably or unfavorably in the scoring of the QRFs. The interview and professional reference checks will be considered in the final scoring of the QRFs and may result in a revision of scores.

USAID will not pay for any expenses associated with the interviews. Interviews conducted in person will be held at USAID offices in the Washington, D.C. region. Interviews may be conducted in person, by telephone, or by video.

Total rating system is as follows:

1. Technical Expertise: 40 points

2. Program Design and Management: 30 points

3. Teamwork and Communications: 30 points

Total Possible Points: 100 points

Satisfactory verification of academic credentials is required prior to award. The selected offeror will be required to submit transcripts for the academic degree for which the offeror qualified for the position. If the selected offeror fails to submit the required academic credential documentation within the time period specified by the Contracting Officer, the offeror may be disqualified from further consideration for award.

Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the education requirements.

Transcripts from foreign educational institutions must be accompanied by an official Evaluation of Educational Credentials. It is the offeror’s responsibility to provide evidence that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. USAID will not pay for expenses related to obtaining transcripts or proof of creditability of foreign education. Click on the following link for a list of accredited organizations (https://www.naces.org/members) recognized as specializing in interpretation of foreign education credentials. More information may be found at https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

The selected offeror will be required to obtain a Secret Level Security Clearance provided by USAID prior to contract award. Dual citizens may be asked to renounce second-country citizenship. If a full security investigation package is not submitted by the selected offeror within 30 days after it is requested, the offer may be rescinded. If the required level security clearance is not obtained within nine months after offeror acceptance, the offer may be rescinded.

NOTE REGARDING UNIQUE ENTITY IDENTIFIER (UEI) AND THE SYSTEM FOR AWARD

MANAGEMENT: All USPSCs with a place of performance in the United States are required to be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) database prior to receiving an award. This will assign you a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). You will be disqualified if you either fail to comply with this requirement or if your name appears on the excluded parties list in www.sam.gov or on the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) list of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons. Registration information is available at www.sam.gov.

NOTE: Registration in SAM and assignment of a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) is FREE. Interested offerors are highly encouraged to initiate the registration process early to avoid any delays during contract award.

USAID reserves the right to select additional offerors to fill possible future vacant positions if vacancies become available during the selection process.

IV. SUBMITTING AN OFFER

Offers must be received by the closing date and time specified in Section I, item 3, and submitted electronically via e-mail to the Point of Contact specified in Section I, item 4. Late offers will not be considered.

https://www.naces.org/members https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/ https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/ http://www.sam.gov/ http://www.sam.gov/

To ensure consideration of offers for the intended position, please clearly reference the solicitation number in the offer and in the email subject line of the submission. Offeror submissions must clearly reference the Solicitation number on all offeror submitted documents.

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

1. Complete Form AID 309-2, “Offeror Information for Personal Services Contracts with Individuals,” available at http://www.usaid.gov/forms. This form must be physically signed.

Unsigned forms will not be accepted. Typed electronic signatures, including typed in a script font, will not be accepted.

2. Complete resume in either Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF format. Your resume should contain sufficient information to make a valid determination that you fully meet the education and experience requirements as stated in the 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.

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 if not full-time. Any experience that does not include dates (month/year), locations, and hours per week may 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. Upon request, transcripts and/or certifications must be submitted.

3. List of References. Offerors must submit the names and current contact information for three (3) professional references, who are not family members or relatives, who have knowledge of the offeror’s ability to perform the duties set forth in this solicitation. Submitted references MUST include the following information:

(a) Name of reference;

(b) Offeror’s relationship to the reference;

(c) Title of reference at current job;

(d) Reference current telephone number; and

(e) Reference current email address.

4. Supplemental document specifically addressing the Quality Ranking Factors in either

Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF format. The supplemental document must:

(a) Address each of the Quality Ranking Factors.

(b) Cite specifically and accurately what experience, training, education, and/or awards the Offeror has received that are relevant to each factor.

(c) Describe specific, illustrative examples for each factor to add additional context to information presented in the resume.

(d) Contain no more than 500 words per factor. Any additional words above the limit will neither be read nor scored.

Submitted materials must be in English. Additional documents submitted will not be accepted.

Incomplete offers will not be considered. Late offers will not be considered and will be handled in accordance with FAR 52.215-1.

http://www.usaid.gov/forms

By submitting your offer materials, you certify that all 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.

V. LIST OF REQUIRED FORMS PRIOR TO AWARD

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

1. Questionnaire for Sensitive Positions (for National Security) (SF-86), or Questionnaire for Non-Sensitive Positions (SF-85)

2. Finger Print Card (FD-258)

3. Employment Eligibility Verification (I-9 Form)

4. Emergency Locator (AID 450-1)

5. Fair Credit Reporting Act (AID 500-4)

6. Federal Tax Form(s) (W-4)

7. State Tax Form(s)

8. Direct Deposit Information

9. USAID Acquisitions & Assistance Vendor Request Form

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) Leave and Holidays

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

(b) 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. 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/ads/policy/300/aidar https://aoprals.state.gov/content.asp?content_id=282&menu_id=101 https://www.usaid.gov/ads/policy/300/aidar

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

LINE ITEMS

ITEM

NO

(A)

SUPPLIES/SERVICES (DESCRIPTION)

(B)

QUANTITY

(C)

UNIT

(D)

UNIT

PRICE

(E)

AMOUNT

(F)

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

- Award Type: Cost

- Product Service Code: [e.g. R497]

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

1 LOT $ _TBD $_TBD at Award after negotiations with Contractor

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

- Award Type: Cost

- Product Service Code: [e.g. R497]

- Accounting Info: [insert from

Phoenix/GLAAS]

1 LOT $ _TBD $_TBD at Award after negotiations with Contractor

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

- Award Type: Cost

- Product Service Code: [e.g. R497]

- Accounting Info: [insert from

Phoenix/GLAAS]

1 LOT $ _TBD $_TBD at Award after negotiations with Contractor

3001 Option Period 3 – Compensation, Fringe Benefits and Other Direct Costs (ODCs)

- Award Type: Cost

- Product Service Code: [e.g. R497]

- Accounting Info: [insert from

Phoenix/GLAAS]

1 LOT $ _TBD $_TBD at Award after negotiations with Contractor

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 22-02 Telework and Remote Work Policy for U.S. Personal Services Contracts with Individuals

Revised AIDAR Clause GP4 based on Class Deviation No. M-OAA-DEV-AIDAR-22-11c

10. Work Schedule and Compensation (Pay Comparability and Locality Pay Adjustments) (JUL 2007) [Deviation (JUL 2022)]

a) Work Schedule. The contractor's work schedule shall not be less than 80 hours per pay period, unless otherwise provided in the Contract Schedule, and shall coincide with the work schedule for https://www.usaid.gov/forms http://www.usaid.gov/work-usaid/aapds-cibs those employees of the USAID Mission, Bureau, or Independent Office, or the Cooperating Country agency most closely associated with the work of this contract. If the contract is for less than full time (80 hours per pay period), the annual and sick leave earned shall be prorated (see the General Provision of this contract entitled Leave and Holidays).

b) USAID promotes telework and remote work as workplace flexibilities for contractors.

However, telework and remote work are arrangements to facilitate the accomplishment of work.

The ability to telework or remote work is not a right or an entitlement and not all PSC positions will be conducive to telework or remote work. Telework and remote work are discretionary tools and may be terminated for business reasons, performance, operational needs, or a contractor’s failure to comply with policy directives and required procedures and protocols. For a position that is authorized for remote work, an approved alternative worksite for the contractor will be approved in the Schedule of the contract. For positions that are not authorized for remote work, the contractor may be authorized to telework at the Agency’s discretion based on Agency policy as from time to time amended. If the position is suitable for telework, as telework is not a right or entitlement and is discretionary, the contractor must receive approval from their supervisor by submitting a Telework Agreement in accordance with Agency policy.

c) Locality Pay. A contractor based in the United States who is not authorized to remote work will be entitled to locality pay based on the location of the Official USAID Worksite.

A contractor based in the United States who is authorized to remote work will be entitled to locality pay based on the rate for the approved alternative worksite as specified in the Schedule of the contract. Any change to the approved alternative worksite will require a contract modification and may result in a change to the compensation as the locality pay will be adjusted accordingly.

A contractor serving abroad is not authorized to receive locality pay.

d) Compensation (Pay Comparability) Adjustments. The contractor's compensation shall be adjusted to reflect the pay comparability adjustments, which are granted from time to time to U.S.

direct-hire employees by Executive Order for the statutory pay systems (usually in January). Any adjustments authorized are subject to the availability of funds and shall not exceed that percentage stated in the Executive Order granting the adjustment. Further, the adjusted compensation may not exceed the annual “USAID Contractor Salary Threshold (USAID CST)”, which is equivalent to the maximum rate for agencies without a certified SES performance appraisal system (or the equivalent hourly rate).

[END DEVIATED TEXT]

AAPD 21-05: Revised and Expanded Fringe Benefits for U.S. Personal Services Contractors

GP 5. LEAVE AND HOLIDAYS (NOV 2023)

(Pursuant to class deviation #M/OAA-DEV-AIDAR-22-1c)

(a) Annual Leave. (1) The contractor may accrue annual leave at the rate specified in paragraph

(a)(2) of this clause as follows:

(i) If the contract period of performance is ninety (90) calendar days or more, and the contractor’s performance is continuous for the contract period of performance, the contractor is entitled to accrue annual leave as of the start date of the contract.

(ii) If the contract period of performance is ninety (90) calendar days or more, and the contractor's performance is not continuous during the contract period of performance, the contractor is entitled to accrue annual leave only for each instance of continuous performance of ninety (90) calendar days or more.

(iii) If the contract period of performance is less than ninety (90) calendar days, the contractor is not entitled to accrue annual leave.

(2) The rate at which the contractor will accrue annual leave is based on the contractor’s time in service according to the table of this paragraph (a)(2). The accrual rates are based on a full-time, 80-hour biweekly pay period, which will be prorated if the contract provides for a shorter work schedule:

Time in Service Annual Leave (AL) Accrual Rate 0 to 3 years 4 hours of leave for each 2-week period over 3, and up to 15 years 6 hours of AL for each 2-week period (including 10 hours AL for the final pay period of a calendar year) over 15 years 8 hours of AL for each 2-week period

(i) USAID will calculate the time in service based on all the previous service performed by the contractor as--:

(A) An individual personal services contractor with USAID for any duration covered by Sec. 636(a)(3) of the FAA or other statutory authority applicable to USAID; and/or

(B) A former U.S. Government (USG) direct-hire civilian employee; and/or

(C) An honorable active duty member of the uniformed services based on the definition in 5 U.S.C.

2101(3).

(ii) In addition to the information certified by the contractor in their Offeror Information form, the contracting officer may require the contractor to furnish copies of previously executed contracts, and/or other evidence of previous service (e.g. SF 50, DD Form 214 or 215) to conduct the due diligence necessary to verify creditable previous service.

(3) Annual Leave is provided under this contract primarily for the purposes of providing the contractor necessary rest and recreation during the period of performance. The contractor, in consultation with the Supervisor, must develop an annual leave schedule early in the period of performance, taking into consideration the requirements of the position, the contractor’s preference, and other factors. The maximum amount of annual leave that the contractor can carry over from one leave year to the next is limited to 240 hours. The contractor’s unused annual leave balance in excess of the 240 hour maximum at the end of the last pay period of each leave year will be forfeited, unless the requirements of the position precluded the contractor from taking such leave. The contractor may be authorized to restore annual leave for exceptional circumstances beyond the control of the contractor. The restoration of annual leave may be approved only by the USAID Administrator, cognizant Assistant Administrator or Head of an Independent Office reporting directly to the USAID Administrator, and cannot be delegated further. Annual leave restored must be scheduled and used no later than either the end of the leave year two years after either—

(i) The date fixed by the approving official as the termination date of the exigency of the public business or other reason beyond the contractor’s control, which resulted in the forfeiture; or

(ii) The end of the contract, whichever is earlier.

(4) The contractor must use all accrued annual leave during the period of performance. At the end of the contract, the contractor will forfeit any unused annual leave except where the requirements of the position precluded the contractor from taking annual leave. In this case, the contracting officer may authorize the following:

(i) The contractor to take annual leave during the concluding weeks of the contract, not to exceed the period of performance; or

(ii) Payment of a lump-sum for annual leave not taken based on a signed, written determination and findings (D&F) from the contractor’s supervisor. The D&F must set out the facts and circumstances that prevented the contractor from taking annual leave, and the contracting officer must find that the contractor did not cause, or have the ability to control, such facts and circumstances. This lump-sum payment must not exceed the number of days the contractor could have accrued during a twelve (12)-month period based on the contractor’s accrual rate.

(5) The contractor may be granted advanced annual leave by the contracting officer when circumstances warrant. Advanced leave must be approved by the Mission Director, cognizant Assistant Administrator, or Head of an Independent Office reporting directly to the Administrator, as appropriate. In no case may the contracting officer grant advanced annual leave in excess of the amount the contractor can accrue in a twelve (12)-month period or over the life of the contract, whichever is less. At the end of the period of performance or at termination, the contractor must reimburse USAID for any outstanding balance of advanced annual leave provided to the contractor under the contract.

(b) Sick Leave. The contractor may use sick leave on the same basis and for the same purposes as USAID direct-hire employees.