Solicitation - 72067421R00016.rtf

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SOLICITATION NUMBER: 72067421R00016

ISSUANCE DATE: February 01, 2021

CLOSING DATE AND TIME: February 28, 2021 – 17:00 – Local Time, Pretoria, South Africa

SUBJECT: Solicitation for US/TCN Personal Service Contractor (US/TCNPSC)

Dear Prospective Offerors:

The United States Government, represented by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), is seeking offers from qualified persons to provide personal services under contract as described in this solicitation.

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

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

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

Sincerely, Shelby Hunt Contracting Officer

ATTACHMENT 1 72067421R00016

GENERAL INFORMATION

SOLICITATION NO.: 72067421R00016

ISSUANCE DATE: February 01, 2021

CLOSING DATE AND TIME FOR RECEIPT OF OFFERS: February 28, 2021

POINT OF CONTACT: Thabang Mothupi, e-mail at tmothupi@usaid.gov

POSITION TITLE: Senior Quality Improvement Advisor

MARKET VALUE: $ 110,460- $ 143,598 equivalent to GS- 15 Final compensation will be negotiated within the listed market value.

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: Five years estimated to start on April 2021

“The base period will be two years, estimated to start on April 2021. Based on Agency need, the Contracting Officer may exercise (an) additional option period(s) for three years for the date(s) estimated as follows:”

Base Period:

April 2021 to April 2023 Option Period 1:

April 2023 to April 2025 Option Period 2:

April 2025 to April 2026

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: Pretoria, South Africa with possible travel as stated in the Statement of Duties.

ELIGIBLE OFFERORS: United States (U.S.) Citizens and Third Country Nationals (TCN)

SECURITY LEVEL REQUIRED: Employment Authorization - Facility Access

STATEMENT OF DUTIES

A. Introduction:

The USAID/Southern Africa (SA) Health Office (HO) manages one of the largest President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) programs in the world. The Health and HIV/AIDS portfolio covers a broad range of health topics, including HIV Treatment, Care, Voluntary Counseling and Testing, Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT), Tuberculosis/HIV, HIV Prevention, and Orphans and Vulnerable Children programs. An estimated 80% of the USAID/Southern Africa portfolio is implemented through local organizations. These partners are tasked with reaching ambitious targets so that South Africa can reach HIV epidemic control by 2020. This requires USAID and its implementing partners to advocate for strong national health policies, quickly adapt to changing data trends, and adopt reflexive technical and organizational reforms.

B. Position Overview:

The Senior Quality Improvement Advisor (Senior Advisor) will provide technical leadership to drive USAID/Southern Africa’s Quality Improvement Agenda. This will require significant stakeholder engagement and project management, including an emphasis on delivering technical assistance to build the capacity of individuals, local organizations and the Government of South Africa. The Senior Advisor, working with the Senior HIV Treatment Advisor, will provide leadership and serve as the subject matter expert for USAID/Southern Africa’s HIV clinical care and treatment portfolio’s Quality Assurance/Quality Improvement agenda. The individual will support the Care and Treatment Team with setting strategic technical and programmatic direction for the HIV care and treatment portfolio, including Antiretroviral Therapy (ART), Prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission (PMTCT), pediatric ART, TB/HIV care and treatment, and clinical lab services. The Senior Advisor interacts with the USAID team as well as technical representatives of other USG agencies, Government of South Africa (GoSA) counterparts, Office of the Global AIDS Coordinator (OGAC), international donors, and other key development partners.

C. Duties and Responsibilities:

A. Strengthen project management and oversight of the implementation of HIV/AIDS programs:

Provide technical leadership to HIV care and treatment activities.

Provide technical leadership in the utilization of routine (weekly, monthly, and quarterly) monitoring data for quality improvement activities.

Provide technical guidance to care and treatment partners through regular service and data quality assessments, site visits, review of program reports, and frequent interaction with partners and stakeholders.

Regularly review and disseminate research, evidence, and best practices that directly contribute to improved quality of the HIV response in South Africa.

Improve quality of USAID/Southern Africa’s HIV/AIDS care and treatment programs:

Provide technical expertise to USAID on the implementation of high-quality clinical care services and programs for PMTCT, pediatric and adult ART, TB/HIV, and laboratory services within health facilities.

Advise care and treatment partners in the development of QI plans that utilize routine program data for implementation decisions that yield improved results.

Lead to the development of recommendations for implementing partners and Ministry of Health counterparts to improve quality within HIV care and treatment at home, community, and facility levels.

Provide technical advice to the host country government and USAID implementing partners on issues within the continuum of clinical and support services, particularly those addressing quality of HIV treatment.

Conduct data and trend analysis to provide technical recommendations that improve the performance of HIV care and treatment programs at the national, district, and site levels.

Contribute to timely and accurate documents for Mission reporting, administration and planning needs, including the Country Operational Plan (COP), Congressional Budget Justifications, Technical Notifications, and Semi-Annual and Annual Progress Reports and Portfolio Implementation Reviews.

Improve leadership and contributions to the strategic direction in the interagency PEPFAR space:

Provide technical leadership on care and treatment quality-related issues, including participating in the PEPFAR care and treatment Technical Working Group (TWG) to improve data use for decision making in HIV programming.

Develop collaborative relationships with a wide range of partners and stakeholders (the Ministry of Health, the National AIDS Commission, UN Agencies, other donors, USG interagency team, Office of the Global AIDS Coordinator (OGAC), NGOs and FBOs) dealing with HIV care and treatment and quality improvement. A particular emphasis will be to develop relationships with provincial and district health officials.

Frequently engage with various stakeholders, delivering technical assistance to build the capacity of individuals, local organizations, and the Government of South Africa to use real-time program monitoring data for improved management of HIV programs.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION

Education:

The job holder should have a master's degree in public health, international development, clinical medicine, social science or a closely related

Prior Work Experience:

The job holder should have a minimum of 15 years of relevant technical experience in oversight, development, implementation, and evaluation of HIV/AIDS programs that involve coordination between international agencies, donors, and implementing partners.

Job Knowledge:

The incumbent should have knowledge of HIV/AIDS clinical care and treatment program design, implementation, and evaluation, particularly in resource-limited environments, as well as knowledge of HIV/AIDS epidemiology, especially of the South African HIV/AIDS context, and current strategies for care and treatment. The incumbent requires advanced computer skills in office software applications. The incumbent should be able to work independently, as well as a team member, in carrying out the duties described above. A good knowledge of USG and USAID programming policies, regulations and procedures is required.

Skills and Abilities:

This position requires strong operational and analytical skills as well as strong management, facilitation, coordination, and interpersonal skills. The incumbent must be experienced working and briefing high-level officials in host country government, development institutions, and USG. The incumbent must have strong verbal skills and ability to communicate and present technical information clearly to both technical and non-technical colleagues through precise reports and briefings. The incumbent should be able to work effectively with superiors, subordinates, colleagues, and partners alike. S/he must have excellent writing and oral communication skills and be able to present technical information clearly to both technical and non-technical colleagues through precise reports and briefings. S/he must have the ability to obtain, analyze, synthesize, and disseminate data, and present findings in both oral and written form.

Language Ability:

Incumbent must have Level IV knowledge of English.

Post Entry Training: N/A

The advisor should have management skills to develop, implement, and oversee HIV programs, including internal financial and administrative management and interaction with partners, and the ability to work effectively in a team environment, and proactively work to achieve consensus on policy, project, and administrative matters and meet deadlines.

A thorough knowledge of U.S. Government legislation related to development assistance and USAID programming policies, regulations procedures and documentation., as well as a general knowledge of South African public sector health system and its affiliated agencies, donors, and related private sector programs is preferred. In addition to the above, experience working with PEPFAR and U.S. Government operations, rules, regulations, procedures, policies, and programs is preferred.

Factor 2, Supervisory Controls:

The Advisor works under the general supervision of the Care and Treatment Team Lead in the Health Office at USAID/Southern Africa. The supervisor sets the overall assignment objectives, program emphasis, and resources available. The Advisor and the supervisor, in consultation, develop the deadlines, projects, and work to be done. The Advisor will have a substantial amount of independence and accountability in determining the day-to-day requirements of the position.

The Advisor, having developed expertise in the program area, has continuing responsibility for independently planning and carrying out important programs or projects; determining the approach to be taken and the methods to be used; resolving most of the conflicts that arise; coordinating the work with others as necessary; and, interpreting policy in terms of established objectives. The Advisor keeps the supervisor informed of progress, potentially controversial matters, and problems with far-reaching implications.

Completed work is reviewed for conformance to overall requirements, compatibility with other work, and effectiveness in meeting objectives.

Factor 3, Guidelines:

Guidelines consist of Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR); AID Acquisitions Regulations (AIDAR; AID Automated Directives System (ADS Series);

Contract Information Bulletins (CIBs); Office of Procurement Acquisition Memorandum (OPAMS); U.S. Department of State Standardized Regulations;

Federal Travel Regulations; Office of Management and Budget (OMB);

Circulars and Controller General Decisions, USAID Mission Orders, Project Papers, Mission Strategy, and other documents available, USAID policies and procedures, Technical Documents and Policy Papers, that are usually applicable but are stated in general terms and require adaptation and/or interpretation for application to the issues at hand.

The Advisor uses initiative and resourcefulness in deviating from, refining, or extending traditional methods and practices, or in developing and recommending new or substantially changed methods, criteria, or policies.

Factor 4, Complexity:

The individual will support the Care and Treatment Team with setting strategic technical and programmatic direction for the HIV care and treatment portfolio, including Antiretroviral Therapy (ART), Prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission (PMTCT), pediatric ART, TB/HIV care and treatment, and clinical lab services.

The purpose of the work is to plan and carry out assignments that lead to the development and implementation of a variety of important programs/projects/activities. The work involves establishing criteria (e.g., developing guidance or procedures for major activities); formulating programs and projects; assessing program effectiveness; investigating or analyzing unusual conditions or questions; or, providing advisory or services to host-country counterparts, implementing partners, USAID Mission personnel, other host-country representatives.

Factor 5, Scope and Effect:

The purpose of the work is to investigate, analyze, review, plan, and advise on various unusual, controversial, or technically difficult development problems or conditions. Work results are critical to the successful completion of diverse PEPFAR projects or programs.

Factor 6, Personal Contacts:

The persons contacted include persons from outside USAID on a daily basis, some at the highest level of engagement. Typical of contacts at this level are those with persons in their capacities as technical representatives of other USG agencies, Government of South Africa (GoSA) counterparts, Office of the Global AIDS Coordinator (OGAC), international donors, UN Agencies and other key development partners.

Factor 7, Purpose of Contacts:

The purpose of contacts is to influence, motivate, or persuade persons or groups who are typically skeptical, resistant, or uncooperative, and who must be approached skillfully to obtain the desired effect (e.g., negotiating milestones or timetables; influencing or persuading USAID stakeholders to agree to use new or improved techniques); representing USAID, as a member of a committee, on controversial topics; justifying the feasibility and desirability of plans or proposals that significantly affect current practices; etc.

Factor 8, Physical Demands:

The work is primarily sedentary, although some physical effort may be required, e.g., walking, standing, carrying light items such as manuals or briefcases, or driving or traveling by motor vehicle or aircraft on a routine basis.

Factor 9, Work Environment:

The work environment involves everyday risks or discomforts that require normal safety precautions typical of such places as offices, training rooms, and libraries. The work area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. There may be occasional exposure to moderate risks or during program/project and field visits.

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

The following factors are listed in descending order of importance and will be the basis for the evaluation of applications meeting the required minimum qualifications. All applications will be evaluated based on the documentation submitted with the application. USAID reserves the right to contact your previous employers for relevant information concerning your performance and may consider such information in its evaluation. The highest-ranking applicants may be selected for an interview, but an interview is not always necessary.

Evaluation Factors:

Work experience: 30 Points Technical knowledge: 40 Points Abilities and Skills: 30 Points

USAID policy specifies that U.S. citizens or resident aliens (USNs) are preferred over third country nationals (TCNs). Therefore, USN and TCN offers will not be evaluated together. USAID will evaluate USN offers first and if the CO determines that there are no qualified USNs, only then will USAID evaluate TCN offers.

SUBMITTING AN OFFER

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

Methods of application submissions:

For applicants to be considered for this position the following guidelines will be adhered to and forms completed, signed and submitted to jobapplications@usaid.gov, to allow the evaluation committee to thoroughly and objectively review your application vis-a-vis the requirements of the position.

If sent via email:

Thabang Mothupi Human Resource Contracts Assistant Telephone: +27 12 452 2198 E-mail address: jobapplications@usaid.gov

LIST OF REQUIRED FORMS PRIOR TO AWARD

The CO will provide instructions about how to complete and submit the forms after an offeror is selected for the contract award. Forms outlined below can be found at http://www.usaid.gov/forms:

AID 309-2

Contractor Physical Examination (AID Form 1420-62). ** Questionnaire for Non-Sensitive Positions (SF-85). ** Finger Print Card (FD-258). **

** Forms 2 through 4 shall be completed only upon the advice of the Contracting Officer that an applicant is the successful candidate for the job.

BENEFITS AND ALLOWANCES

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

BENEFITS:

Employer's FICA Contribution

Contribution toward Health & Life Insurance Pay Comparability Adjustment Annual Increase (pending a satisfactory performance evaluation) Eligibility for Worker's Compensation Annual and Sick Leave

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 Temporary Quarter Subsistence Allowance (Section 120) Cost-of-Living Allowance (Chapter 210) Post Allowance (Section 220) Separate Maintenance Allowance (Section 260) Education Allowance (Section 270) Education Travel (Section 280) Post Differential (Chapter 500) Payments during Evacuation/Authorized Departure (Section 600), If a TCN is selected for this position the benefits will be adjusted as per Mission policy.

TAXES

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

USAID REGULATIONS, POLICIES AND CONTRACT CLAUSES PERTAINING TO PSCs

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

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.

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)

QUANTIT Y

(C)

UNIT (D)

UNIT PRICE (E)

AMOUNT (F)

Base Period - Compensation, Fringe Benefits and Other Direct Costs (ODCs) Award Type: Cost

LOT

$ _TBD

$_TBD at Award after negotiations with Contractor_ Option Period 1 – Compensation, Fringe Benefits and Other Direct Costs (ODCs) Award Type: Cost

LOT

$ _TBD

$_TBD at Award after negotiations with Contractor_ Option Period 2 – Compensation, Fringe Benefits and Other Direct Costs (ODCs) Award Type: Cost Product Service Code: R497 Accounting Info:

LOT

$ _TBD

$_TBD at Award after negotiations with Contractor_

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.

Ethical Conduct. By the acceptance of a USAID personal services contract as an individual, the contractor will be acknowledging receipt of the “Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch,” available from the U.S. Office of Government Ethics, in accordance with General Provision 2 and 5 CFR 2635. See https://www.oge.gov/web/oge.nsf/OGE%20Regulations .

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