Solicitation_-_Program_Analyst_(M&E)_SOL-72030618B00007_USTCNPSC_GS-12.pdf

ATTACHMENT 1 [SOL: 72030618B00007]

*Please see Section 11: Area Of Consideration

I. GENERAL INFORMATION

1. SOLICITATION NUMBER: SOL: 72030618B00007

2. ISSUANCE DATE: November 16, 2017

3. CLOSING DATE/TIME FOR

RECEIPT OF APPLICATIONS:

November 30, 2017 no later than 16:30 Kabul time

4. POSITION TITLE:

Program Analyst (Monitoring and Evaluation

Specialist)

5. MARKET VALUE:

GS-12 ($62,722 - $81,541)

Final compensation will be negotiated within the listed market value.

6. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE:

The period of performance is one year, with the possibility of extensions.

7. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: USAID/Afghanistan

8. WHO MAY APPLY: United States Citizens (including Permanent

Residents) and Third Country (non-US, non-

Afghan) Nationals*

9. SECURITY LEVEL REQUIRED: As an employment pre-condition, the successful applicant is required to obtain a Secret clearance

(if U.S. Citizen), or Moderate Risk Public Trust

(MRPT) access authorization (if U.S. Permanent

Resident or Third Country National)

10. STATEMENT OF DUTIES:

1) General Statement of Purpose of Contract:

The incumbent will serve as the lead monitoring and evaluation (M&E) expert reporting to the Office of Agriculture (OAG) Team Leader for Programs and Policies. The incumbent will be responsible for performance monitoring of OAG’s complex portfolio, which has 15 active and planned awards worth over $627 million. The incumbent will analyze and provide recommendations to the OAG Office Director and management team on all aspects of performance management, program strategy design, strategic field oversight, coordination of field performance monitoring activities, management of information systems, and Mission required performance reports.

The incumbent will coordinate all performance M&E activities with Contracting and

Agreement Officers Representatives (CORs and AORs), on-budget monitors, and Activity

Managers to ensure implementation of the Mission’s Multi-tiered Monitoring Approach and compliance with Afghan Info and other similar management information systems. In performing these tasks, the incumbent will interact with implementing partners’ project managers, M&E representatives, advisors, and host country counterparts. The incumbent will collaborate with other A/CORs on defining, managing, and reporting results from

USAID/Afghanistan investments in agricultural development, natural resources management, alternative development, and food security projects. As required the individual will provide substantial assistance in modifying on-going activities and supporting the preparation of new undertakings within the OAG. In addition, the incumbent serves as the Budget Specialist when the Budget Specialist is absent.

2) Statement of Duties to be Performed:

This is a management position that requires in-depth technical skills, well developed interpersonal skills, sound judgement, and the ability to develop credible relationships within

USAID and with Afghan government counterparts. The incumbent is required to maintain contacts with high-level host government officials, donors and United Nation (UN) agencies and represents USAID in high level working group’s regulated to the agriculture portfolio.

The incumbent will prepare reports and respond to requests for information. The audience for the reports is USAID/Afghanistan Mission management, U.S. Embassy, the Special

Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) and other United States

Government (USG) audiences, including Congress. The incumbent leads the OAG program performance monitoring functions and will be responsible for preparing and developing OAG monitoring, evaluation, and learning plans (MELPs). The incumbent will also communicate the successes of OAG’s complex and dynamic development portfolio to the U.S. Embassy, the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GIRoA), media operations, USAID/Washington, implementing partners, and the general public.

The incumbent will be responsible for defining, drafting, preparing, and processing reports on

OAG programs and projects’ achievements and deliverables; incumbent will update program related documents, briefers, presentations, and other documents as requested by the Mission’s

Development Outreach Communciations (DOC) Office and OAG Management.

The incumbent serves as an AOR and COR of projects, especially those in close-out for

OAG. In this capacity the incumbent will oversee and evaluate contractors and grantees performance, project cost and progress, obtain and provide detailed project information; draft and process action memoranda and scopes of work and make on site-visits (field security and weather permitting) as well as assist other A/CORs in portfolio administration.

The incumbent will be responsible for monitoring contractors/grantees, engaging with implementing partners and will exercise initiative and independent judgment in planning and implementing project activities. This will include monitoring activities and intervening as necessary to ensure tasks are responsive to the terms and conditions relevant to

USAID/Afghanistan’s agreements/contracts, as well as the needs and expectations of implementing partners. The incumbent will ensure that all audits and evaluation requirements are fulfilled.

a) Project Management – Strategic Planning, Implementation, Monitoring, Evalaution, and Learning (MEL):

The incumbent will provide technical assistance in the development and management of a wide range of projects/programs in the OAG including detailed information gathering, project design, supervision and management. The position requires initiative and the exercise of independent judgment in activity planning and the identification of problems and requires follow up actions. The incumbent interacts with implementing partners’ project managers, advisors and host country counterparts and will also coordinate with project implementing offices to translate recommendations into effective action plans. Specific responsibilities include:

Developing MEL guidance on USAID’s portfolio of agricultural and natural resources management activities. This may include monitoring development activities and assuring that activities are carried out in accordance with all applicable Mission and

Agency directives and requirements. The incumbent will report on the effectiveness of program implementation through monitoring via site visits and review of technical reports.

Assisting with project management, including tracking and regular reporting on progress toward achieving the goals of the OAG programs. The incumbent will support team activities related to reporting for the Mission Performance Plan, Portfolio Reviews, Annual Reports, Congressional Notifications, and other strategic planning and reporting documentation for Afghanistan.

Assisting with portfolio administration including overseeing, evaluating, and monitoring contractors/grantees performance, project costs and progress. Including the supervision contractor staff and coordinating assigned activities and projects.

Exercising considerable initiative and independent judgment in planning and implementing MEL for project/program activities. Intervening as necessary to ensure that the program/project activities meet the terms and conditions of relevant USAID agreements.

Managing all assigned work independently according to established Mission policies, practices and programmatic guidance; and in accordance with all applicable USAID regulations and guidance. The incumbent may participate in the gathering of information for baseline and annual statistics on the progress of the programs.

Reviewing contracts/agreements in consultation with the Office of Acquisition &

Assistance (OAA) and provide guidance to and oversight of contractor actions concerning MEL, project procurement and the use of project funded assets.

Reviewing project implementer MEL plans and reports, financial reports, MEL expenditures, processing contractor invoices, preparing pipelines, accruals, and program modification requests. Tracking commitments, obligations and de-obligation actions. Closeout completed activities.

Managing and developing performance indicators and log frame development, the

Mission’s monitoring strategy and policy, statements of work for third party monitoring and evaluations, Afghan Info data calls, Data Quality Assessments

(DQAs), the annual Performance Plan and Report (PPR), and Portfolio Reviews for

Mission and Embassy senior leadership and GIRoA counterparts.

Leading the design, implementation, and MEL of all OAG activities and ensurs that implementing partners meet their performance targets in accordance with agreement or contract requirements and he USAID Mission Performance Monitoring Plan.

Coordinating OAG project activities with other technical offices within

USAID/Afghanistan and the Agency at large.

b) Supervisory Budget Support:

The incumbent works independently in managing the agriculture budget. The incumbent is responsible for the accuracy of OAG’s budget, and monitors the status of funds allocation by

USAID/Washington to the Mission. The incumbent monitors OAG’s budget planning and implementation in accordance with the requirements of congressional notification of funds and approved operational plan.

Supervises and mentors staff, overseeing the maintenance of a large, multi-faceted financial database that records all obligations, commitments, and available funds for the agriculture portfolio. The accuracy of this database is essential to the effective management of that portfolio, including the effective programming of available funds and the planning for future resource obligations. This database must be routinely updated, based on resource allocations and expenditures, programmatic decisions made by OAG’s leadership, and changes in funds availability.

The incumbent supervises the process for allocating funds optimally among competing budgetary priorities, and actively participates in budget allocation discussions with OAG leadership.

The incumbent supervises staff who work closely with Office of Program and Project

Development (OPPD) and Office of Financial Management (OFM) to ensure that, with respect to the agriculture portfolio, the budgetary databases maintained by those

Offices are consistent with the OAG budget and up-to-date and to reconsile any differences.

The incumbent supervises staff who track the execution of the OAG budget, coordinate with and supporting OAG A/CORs) and/or activity managers in making funding allocations in a timely and optimal manner and in accordance with the

Agency’s forward funding regulations. On a routine basis, the incumbent mentors staff to provide regular and comprehensive analysis of the agriculture budget to the

OAG Director, Team Leaders, OPPD, and the Mission’s Front Office. This analysis may include emerging trends and potential problems, as well as the budgetary and program implications of proposed budgetary allocations. Using independent judgment based on his/her analysis, the incumbent draws up conclusions and recommendations with regard to budgetary issues.

3) USAID Consultation or Orientation (if applicable):

The selected applicant shall proceed to the Washington, DC area for two weeks of mandatory training to complete the Foreign Affairs Counter Threat (FACT) and the Afghanistan

Familiarization (FAM) courses (if FAM was not completed within the past five years and if

FACT training did not include the ESCAPE Module) prior to proceeding to

USAID/Afghanistan to commence duties as outlined in the statement of work. FACT and

FAM are mandatory courses for service in Afghanistan.

4) Supervisory Relationship:

The incumbent is expected to provide supervision, mentoring and staff development to one or more Cooperating Country National (CCN) professional staff in OAG. This includes providing daily mentoring and capacity building to the local staff. Incumbent is also required to provide daily technical and administrative guidance to the staff as needed.

5) Supervisory Controls:

This incumbent works under the supervision of the Programs and Policy Team Lead. The incumbent will act independently in managing and prioritizing tasks.

11. AREA OF CONSIDERATION:

According to ADS 309.3.3, a “USAID policy is that the use of CCNPSCs is preferred over the use of TCNPSCs in order to integrate the foreign assistance effort into the community, enhance the skills of the cooperating country's population, and contribute to the local economy. USPSCs are also preferred over TCNPSCs with equivalent qualifications.”

Therefore, Unites States National (USN) offerors will be evaluated in isolation first, and only when/if there is no USN qualified, only then Third Country National (TCN) offerors will be considered.

For USPSC:

Be a U.S. citizen or U.S. Permanent Resident (“green card holder”);

Submit a complete application as outlined in the solicitation section titled

APPLYING;

Be able to obtain a Secret clearance (if U.S. Citizen), or Medium Risk Public Trust

(MRPT) access authorization (if U.S. Permanent Resident);

Be able to obtain a Department of State medical clearance (Class 1);

Be available and willing to work additional hours beyond the established 40-hour workweek, including weekends, as may be required or necessary;

Be willing to travel to work sites and other offices as/when requested;

Employment is subject to funds availability and all the required approvals obtained.

For TCNPSC:

Be a Third Country National. Third Country National means an individual: (1) Who is neither a citizen nor a permanent legal resident of the United States nor of the country to which assigned for duty (Afghanistan), and (2) Who is eligible for return to his/her home country or country of recruitment at U.S. Government expenses;

Submit a complete application as outlined in the section titled APPLYING;

Be able to obtain Medium Risk Public Trust (MRPT) access authorization;

Be able to obtain a Department of State medical clearance (Class 1);

Be available and willing to work additional hours beyond the established 40-hour workweek, including weekends, as may be required or necessary;

Be willing to travel to work sites and other offices as/when requested.

Employment is subject to funds availability and all the required approvals obtained.

12. PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The primary location of work will be on the U.S. Embassy/USAID compound in Kabul, Afghanistan. No special physical demands are required to perform the work.

13. POINT OF CONTACT:

Any questions about this solicitation may be directed to: KblAIDHR@usaid.gov.

Note: No in-person appointments or telephone calls will be entertained, unless you are required to have more information about this solicitation.

II. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION

In order to be considered for the position, a candidate must meet the Minimum

Qualifications. Applications will be pre-screened and only those that meet the Minimum

Qualifications will be considered. These are the minimum qualifications necessary to be considered for the position:

a) Education: A Master’s degree in project management, business administration, or an agriculture science is required. (Education requirements must be met at the time of application for the subject position).

b) Work Experience: At least ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in program/project management in the area of agricultural development, agricultural trade, or agricultural marketing, with the USG or other government or non-governmental organizations is required. Demonstrated experience is required on information analysis, strategic planning, gender integration, monitoring and evaluation, data analysis and report writing. Experience implementing the Multi-

Tiered Monitoring Approach in agricutlure programs is required. Experience working in conflict or post-conflict situations is required. (Work experience requirements must be met at the time of application for the subject position).

III. EVALUATION AND SELECTION FACTORS

The Evaluation Factors listed will be the basis for evaluating and ranking applicants for the position. Applicants will be scored based on the documentation submitted within the application. Applicants must submit a supplemental document outlining their responses to the evaluation factors in order to be considered. Only the highest-ranked applicants will be interviewed.

1. SELECTION PROCESS

After the closing date for receipt of applications, a committee will convene to review applications that meet the minimum requirements and evaluate them in accordance with the evaluation criteria. Applications from candidates who do not meet the minimum requirements will not be scored. As part of the selection process, finalist candidates will be interviewed.

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

2. EVALUATION FACTORS

Those applicants who meet the minimum education and experience qualifications will be evaluated based on the content of their application as well as on the applicant’s writing, presentation, and communication skills. On a supplemental document included with the application package, applicants should cite specific, illustrative examples to address each factor. Responses are limited to 500 words (approx. 1/2 typewritten page) per factor.

Applicants should describe specifically and accurately the experience, training, education and/or awards they have received that are relevant to the factor. Applicants should include their name and the announcement number at the top of each additional page. Failure to specifically address the Evaluation Factors will result in the applicant not receiving full credit for pertinent experience.

FACTOR #1:

Outline the strategic planning, management and analytical skills that you demonstrated in implementing agricultural development projects.

FACTOR #2:

Describe the communication and problem solving skills that you utilized to design, monitor, implement and evaluate agricultural projects.

FACTOR #3:

Outline the analytical skills that you utilized to prepare complex operating and project implementation budgets. Please include examples of how you came to conclusions and recommendations on these complex budgetary issues.

The Evaluation Factors listed will be the basis for evaluating and ranking applicants for the position. Applicants will be scored based on the documentation submitted within the application. Applicants must submit a supplemental document outlining their responses to the evaluation factors in order to be considered. Only the highest-ranked applicants will be interviewed.

3. BASIS OF RATING

Applicants who clearly meet the Education/Experience requirements and basic eligibility requirements will be further evaluated based on scoring of their Evaluation Factor responses.

Those applicants determined to be competitively ranked will also be evaluated on their interview performance and satisfactory professional reference checks. The Applicant Rating

System is as follows:

Evaluation Factors:

Factor #1 10 points

Factor #2 10 points

Factor #3 10 points

Interview Performance: 70 points

Interview questions will revolve around the candidate’s propensity to:

Work as a member of a team, work on agricultural development projects, achieve results, execute performance monitoring plans, develop complex organizational budgets and interact with officials on time-sensitive assignments.

Satisfactory Professional Reference Checks – Pass/Fail (no points assigned)

Total Possible Points: 100

IV. APPLYING

All applications must be submitted electronically by e-mail with the subject line SOL:

72030618B00007- Program Analyst (Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist) to:

kblaidpscjobs@usaid.gov

Attention: Executive Officer

USAID/Afghanistan

Human Resources Office

Applicants may submit an application against this solicitation prior the closing date and time specified in Section I, item 3 mentioned above unless revised. The highest ranking applications may be selected for an interview.

Qualified applicants must submit the following documents or their applications will not be considered for this position:

1. U.S. government AID 302-3 form which is available at the following website:

https://www.usaid.gov/forms/aid-302-3

2. A current curriculum vitae (CV) or resumé.

3. A minimum of three (3) professional references with telephone and e-mail contacts, who are not family members or relatives, with working telephone and email contacts. The applicant's references must be able to provide substantive information about his/her past performance and abilities. At least one reference provided should be a current or former supervisor.

4. A supplemental document with written responses to the Evaluation Factors.

Candidates who are applying for this position must fully meet the education requirement

(graduated and degree and/or diploma already received) as specified. At the time of applications, candidates must also meet in full the work experience requirement. There is no exception for these requirements.

Short-listed candidates will be requested to provide educational documents such as degrees, diplomas, certificates and other pertinent documents as needed. Failure to provide the required documentation will result in the rejection of their application from further consideration.

Please cite the solicitation number and position title within the subject line of your email application. Any attachments provided via email must be compatible with Microsoft Word

2003 or PDF and not zipped. Note that attachments to email must not exceed 3 MB.

mailto:kblaidpscjobs@usaid.gov https://www.usaid.gov/forms/aid-302-3

Application letters and forms must be signed. Incomplete and unsigned applications/forms will not be considered.

Only short listed candidates will be contacted.

The Agency retains the right to cancel or amend the solicitation and associated actions at any stage of the recruitment process.

V. LIST OF REQUIRED FORMS FOR PSC HIRES

The Contracting Officer will notify the selected applicant and provide instructions regarding how to complete and submit the following forms:

1. Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306)

2. Medical History and Examination Form (DS-6561)

3. Pre-Deployment Physical Exam Acknowledgement Form (DS-6570)

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

5. Finger Print Card (FD-258)

VI. BENEFITS/ALLOWANCES

As a matter of policy, and as appropriate, a PSC is normally authorized to the benefits and allowances listed in this section.

1. BENEFITS:

1) Contribution toward Health & life insurance

2) Pay Comparability Adjustment

3) Eligibility for Worker's Compensation

4) Annual & Sick Leave

5) Access to Embassy medical facilities, commissary and pouch mail service as per post policy

2. ALLOWANCES (If Applicable)*:

1) Temporary Lodging Allowance (Section 120)

2) Living Quarters Allowance (Section 130)

3) Post Allowance (Section 220)

4) Supplemental Post Allowance (Section 230)

5) Post Differential (Chapter 500)

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

7) Danger Pay (Section 650)

8) Education Allowance (Section 270)

9) Separate Maintenance Allowance (Section 260)

10) Education Travel (Section 280)

* Standardized Regulations (Government Civilians Foreign Areas).

*Eligibilities for allowances are in accordance with Standardized Regulations (Government

Civilians Foreign Areas) based on the type of appointment and Mission Policy.

VII. TAXES

USPSC’s are required to pay Federal income taxes, FICA, Medicare and applicable State income taxes.

VIII. USAID REGULATIONS, POLICIES AND CONTRAT CLAUSES PERTAINING

TO PSCs

USAID regulations and policies governing USPSC and TCNPSC 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,”

- Appendix J, “Direct USAID Contracts with a Third Country National for Personal

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

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

3. Acquisition and Assistance Policy Directives/Contract Information Bulletins

(AAPDs/CIBs) for Personal Services Contracts with Individuals available at http://www.usaid.gov/work-usaid/aapds-cibs.

4. Ethical Conduct. By the acceptance of a USAID personal services contract as an individual, the contractor will be acknowledging receipt of the “Standards of Ethical

Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch,” available from the U.S. Office of

Government Ethics, in accordance with General Provision 2 and 5 CFR 2635.

See https://www.oge.gov/web/oge.nsf/OGE%20Regulations.

ALL QUALIFIED APPLICATIONS WILL BE CONSIDERED REGARDLESS OF AGE,

RACE, COLOR, SEX, CREED, NATIONAL ORIGIN, LAWFUL POLITICAL

AFFILIATION, NON-DISQUALIFYING DISABILITY, MARITAL STATUS, SEXUAL

ORIENTATION, AFFILIATION WITH AN EMPLOYEE ORGANIZATION, OR OTHER

NON-MERIT FACTOR.

https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1868/aidar_0.pdf https://www.usaid.gov/forms http://www.usaid.gov/work-usaid/aapds-cibs https://www.oge.gov/web/oge.nsf/OGE%20Regulations