SOLICITATION_Democracy and Governance Advisor_GS-14.pdf

57/1 Banulescu Bodoni St., ASITO 5th Fl., 2005 Chisinau, Moldova. Phone: +373 (22) 20-1800; Fax: 23-7277;http://moldova.usaid.gov

SOLICITATION NUMBER: 72011722R00001

ISSUANCE DATE: October 20, 2021 CLOSING DATE/TIME: November 14, 2021 (11:59 p.m. EST)

SUBJECT: Solicitation No.: 72011722R00001 for a U.S. Personal Services Contractor (USPSC), Democracy and Governance Advisor, GS-14, USAID/Moldova

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, Sections I through VIII 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 offers.

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

Sincerely, Nathan Drury Contracting Officer

ATTACHMENT 1 72011722R00001

I GENERAL INFORMATION

1. SOLICITATION NO.: 72011722R00001

2. ISSUANCE DATE: October 20, 2021

3. CLOSING DATE/TIME FOR RECEIPT OF OFFERS: November 14, 2021 (11:59 p.m.

EST)

4. POSITION TITLE: Democracy and Governance Advisor

5. MARKET VALUE: $93,907 - $122,077 equivalent to GS-14 Final compensation will be negotiated within the listed market value.

6. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: one (1) year, with four (4) option years. Options may be exercised based upon satisfactory contractor performance, mutual agreement between the Contractor and USG, continued Mission requirements and the continued availability of funds

7. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: Chisinau, Moldova

8. SECURITY LEVEL REQUIRED: Secret

9. STATEMENT OF DUTIES

BACKGROUND

USAID/Moldova’s goal for the 2020-2025 Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) is to support Moldova in being a competitive and democratic European country that resists malign influences while being powered by an aspiring citizenry and robust private sector partnerships. USAID’s strategic approach centers on strengthening collaborations between the government and private sector as well as between civil society and the people of Moldova, all in support of a mutually embraced development agenda for the country’s further Euro-Atlantic integration.

The key to the realization of this strategy will be the achievement of two development objectives (DOs): (1) strengthened participatory democracy and, (2) sustainable economic growth. These DOs will enable USAID to support Moldova to take charge of its development and increase commitment and capacity in its journey towards self-reliance.

The Democracy and Governance Team is responsible for design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of activities in support of Development Objective 1 (DO1). Under DO1, Strengthened Participatory Democracy, USAID will build off its successful partnership with Local Public Administrations (LPAs) and Local Action Groups as models of multiple stakeholder partnerships to drive participation and development gains that match citizen priorities. With USAID and other donor support – along with strong endorsement from an empowered citizenry – a more competitive, rights-respecting media environment will support independent outlets, electoral reforms will reduce political influence in credible elections and vulnerability to influences antithetical to participatory democracy will be reduced. Empowering constituencies from diverse ethnic, linguistic, and ideological backgrounds will unite Moldovans in a common goal and help reduce polarization in Moldovan society.

BASIC FUNCTIONS OF THE POSITION

Democracy and Governance Advisor (“Advisor”) will work in the DG Office under the supervision of the Office Director or his/her designee. The Office staff of eight consists of two U.S. Direct Hires, five Foreign Service Nationals, and the position that is the subject of this announcement. The team manages a large and dynamic portfolio of projects that focuses on advancing the capacity of citizens to effectively engage and partner with governing entities, leading to more inclusive and democratic institutions that are responsive to citizens’ concerns and resistant to malign influences. The DG Office actively coordinates on cross-cutting goals with the Economic Growth team related to anti-corruption, anti-money laundering and fiscal transparency, and digital transformation.

The Advisor will actively participate in the conceptualization, design, monitoring and evaluation, and overall management of USAID/Moldova’s DG portfolio. The incumbent serves as a technical advisor in support of the full breadth of the Democracy and Governance (DG) portfolio and subject matter expert on select issues. The incumbent will actively coordinate on cross-cutting goals and themes identified in the Country Development Strategy with members of the Embassy Country team and the Assistance Working Group (AWG) to ensure a whole-of-Government approach and maximize the effectiveness of USAID and broader USG initiatives in/around the development sphere. The incumbent will also help to coordinate activities at the regional level and may serve as a Mission Point of Contact for some activities centrally managed in DC.

The incumbent is expected to provide mentorship and coaching to USAID/Moldova staff in his/her areas of expertise.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Technical Advice: Provides technical advice and insights to management, USAID, and Embassy staff on portfolio progress; tracks key political and reform developments to ensure USAID programs are designed and targeted to respond to needs, opportunities, and challenges; conducts research and analysis to support current and future programming; cultivates personal contacts among Moldovan citizens, civil society, international organizations, private sector, and relevant GOM counterparts; briefs USG stakeholders, including Embassy and Mission management.

Serves as Mission Point of Contact (POC) for select subject matter areas.

Project Cycle Support: Participates and/or leads in the assessment, design, award, and monitoring of activities, projects and strategies. This may include responsibility for drafting concept papers, program descriptions, statements of work, modifications, and other analytical and planning documents; drafting and circulating for approval pre-obligation documents;

initiating GLAAS requisitions; coordinating with the Regional Contracting Office and Program Office on new procurements and modifications; serving on and chairing Technical Evaluation Committees and preparing selection documentation for recommendation and approvals.

Coordination, Representation, and Reporting: Meets regularly with Embassy stakeholders, other donors, government counterparts, civil society organizations, implementing partners, and others to share information and coordinate on programming. May be required to represent USAID in external meetings related to assigned portfolio areas. Serves as a primary point of contact and/or activity manager for regional and centrally managed mechanisms. Contributes to reporting for weekly bullets; program briefs; program directory updates; portfolio reviews;

operational plans, annual performance plan and reports; scene setters; briefers for USAID and other USG officials report outs from meetings and events; and other reporting as required.

Activity Management/COR/AOR Duties: The Advisor will assist in the management of technical assistance activities. Serves as the contracting/agreement officer’s representative (COR/AOR), alternate, or activity manager for activities under the DG portfolio. Duties include:

conducting site visits to monitor activities and holding regular meetings and correspondence with partners and program stakeholders and tracking partner performance against activity objectives and results.

Surge Team Management Support: In the absence of the Office Director and/or Deputy Office Director, the incumbent will serve as Acting Office Director. During these periods, he/she will be responsible for coordinating and directing the work of the DG Office’s professional staff, managing the ongoing work of the team towards its objectives, reporting directly to the Mission Director. He/she will prepare for and attend USAID Senior Staff meetings and work closely and collaboratively with Section Chiefs in the Public Affairs, INL, and Political-Economic Sections to accomplish the DG Team objectives.

SUPERVISORY RELATIONSHIP:

The incumbent will work under the direct supervision of the Director of the Office of Democracy and Governance in the USAID Mission for Moldova, or the Deputy Office Director in his/her absence. If both Director and Deputy are away, s/he will report to the Mission Director, and serve as the Acting Director for the DG Team.

10. AREA OF CONSIDERATION: U.S. Citizens only

11. PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The work requested does not involve undue physical demands.

12. POINT OF CONTACT: All questions and offers must be submitted by email to ChisinauHR@usaid.gov mailto:ChisinauHR@usaid.gov

II MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION

Education: Master’s degree in development studies, law, political or other social science, public administration, business administration, public policy, or other relevant field is required.

Prior Work Experience: A minimum of seven years of experience in providing technical assistance, implementing, managing, analyzing and/or evaluating democracy and governance programs in developing countries is required.

Only offerors clearly meeting the above minimum qualifications will be considered for further evaluation.

Security and Medical clearances: The ability to obtain the required security and medical clearances in a reasonable timeframe is considered a minimum qualification. See Section V.

III EVALUATION AND SELECTION FACTORS

Selection Process and Basis of Evaluation: Offerors who clearly meet the aforementioned minimum education and work experience qualification requirements may be further evaluated through review of the offeror’s submitted required documents (see section IV below) and ranked based on the below evaluation and selection factors. A competitive range may be established of the highest-ranked offerors, who may be further evaluated through technical tests, interviews, and reference checks to determine the most qualified/highest-ranked offerors. Reference checks may be conducted with the highest-ranked offerors. Reference checks may be conducted with individuals not provided by the offeror. Any offeror not receiving satisfactory reference checks will no longer be considered for the position. Negotiations may be conducted with the most qualified/ highest-ranked offerors at the conclusion of evaluations.

Education (10 Points) This position requires a Master’s level degree or higher in development studies, law, political or other social science, public administration, business administration, public policy or other relevant field. Additional education in the aforementioned areas is desirable.

Work Experience (30 Points) A minimum of seven years of experience in the development arena, providing technical assistance, implementing, managing, analyzing and/or evaluating democracy and governance programs in developing countries is required. Experience working with the USG, other international donors, and/or the United Nations system is preferred. Practical experience in Central and Eastern Europe, and/or the Former Soviet Union (FSU) is preferred. Additional experience in the aforementioned areas is desirable.

Job Knowledge (30 Points)

● In-depth knowledge and understanding of development theory and programmatic best practice in one or a combination of the following fields: democracy and governance, anti-corruption, elections, civil society, local development, justice and rule of law, local governance, and public administration.

● The successful candidate must demonstrate advanced knowledge in understanding the economic, social, cultural, and political characteristics of development and democracy, governance.

● Expert knowledge in activity design, program management, monitoring and evaluation related to democracy and governance.

● Demonstrated knowledge in managerial and administrative areas, related to project teams and development activity management.

● Advanced knowledge in the aforementioned areas is desirable.

Skills and Abilities: (30 points)

● Technical, analytical, and managerial abilities (project and staff) combined with excellent interpersonal, diplomatic, and leadership skills. This includes learning agility and the ability to effectively adapt to new or changing situations; problem-solving abilities; the ability to establish and maintain effective relations with international and host-country counterparts; sensitivity to others; and balanced judgment.

● Advanced capacity to work successfully in a fast-paced environment and capable of handling tasks with varying deadlines. Expert ability to conceptualize, both strategically and programmatically

● Excellent English writing and editing skills, as well as ability to provide cohesive oral presentations (formal and ad hoc) around complex issues in an understandable manner;

ability to draft quality and clear documents including briefing papers, project design documents, and reports.

● Demonstrated skills in coordinating and collaborating between teams, offices, and or units within a larger organization.

● Proficiency in the use of MS Office suite, Gmail, and Google suite is essential.

● Proficiency in Romanian or Russian is preferred but not required.

● Advanced skills/abilities in the aforementioned areas is desirable.

Total Points: 100pts

IV APPLYING

1. Eligible Offerors are required to complete and submit all the following documents and information in order to be considered for the position:

a. Completed and signed form AID 309-2 “Offeror Information for Personal Services Contracts” available at https://www.usaid.gov/forms. Only include base salary information in box 4 of sections B and C. Do not include bonuses, differentials, cost of living allowances, or other types of compensation. During negotiations, salary history may be verified through pay slips, earnings and leave statements, or other appropriate documentation.

https://www.usaid.gov/forms/aid-309-2

b. A cover letter of no more than 2 pages that demonstrates how the Offeror’s qualifications meet the evaluation and selection factors in section III of this solicitation.

c. A resume or curriculum vitae (CV) of not more than 3 pages which, at a minimum, describes education, experience and career achievements relevant to the evaluation and selection factors in section III of this solicitation.

d. Names of three professional references, including at least one current/former supervisor, that have knowledge of the offeror’s ability to perform the duties set forth in the solicitation. This information may be included in the cover letter or resume/CV.

Late, incomplete, and/or un-signed offers will not be considered

2. Offers containing all required documents must be received by the closing date and time specified in Section I, item 3, and submitted electronically to the email Point of Contact in Section I, item 12.

3. To ensure consideration of offers for the intended position, Offerors should prominently reference the Solicitation number in the offer submission.

V PRE-AWARD DOCUMENTATION / LIST OF REQUIRED FORMS FOR PSC HIRES

Once the Contracting Officer (CO) informs the successful Offeror about being selected for a contract award, the CO will provide the successful Offeror instructions about how to complete and submit the following forms, needed to obtain medical and security clearances.

1. Medical History and Examination Forms/Medical Clearance Update (DS-1843; DS-1622/

DS-3057)

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

3. Questionnaire for Non-Sensitive Positions (SF-85)

4. Finger Print Card (SF-87)

Timely completion and submission of the required documents are needed to obtain the necessary Security and Medical Clearances. Failure of the selected offeror to accurately complete and submit required documents in a timely manner may be grounds for the CO to rescind any conditional pre-contract offer letter and begin negotiations with the next most qualified/highest ranked offeror.

Selected offerors who are unable to obtain required Security and Medical Clearances in a reasonable timeframe are considered un-qualified for this position.

Within 2 weeks after written notice from the CO that all required clearances have been received, or unless another date is specified by the CO in writing, the selected offeror shall proceed to Chisinau, Moldova to perform the services specified in section I, item 9.

VI BENEFITS/ALLOWANCES

As a matter of policy, and as appropriate, an Off-shore hire USPSC is normally authorized the following benefits and allowances:

1. 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

2. ALLOWANCES (If Applicable)*:

Temporary Quarters Subsistence Allowance (Section 120) Living Quarters Allowance (Section 130) Post Allowance (Section 220) Separate Maintenance Allowance (Section 260) Education Allowance (Section 270) Educational Travel (Section 280) Post Differential (Section 500) Payments During Evacuation/Authorized Departure (Section 600)

*Department of State Standardized Regulations (DSSR) (Government Civilians Foreign Areas)

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

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

In accordance with AIDAR, Appendix D, 1 (Class Deviation M/OAA-DEV-AIDAR-21-02c):

(b) Definitions:

(5) Resident Hire U.S. Personal Services Contractor (PSC) means a U.S. citizen or resident alien who, at the time of contract award, --

(i) resides in the cooperating country for reasons other than U.S. government or non-U.S.

government employment, under any contract or employment arrangement that provides repatriation to the U.S.; or

(ii) is a spouse or dependent of a U.S. citizen or resident alien with U.S. government or non-U.S. government employment, under any contract or employment arrangement that provides repatriation to the U.S.

VII TAXES

USPSCs are required to pay Federal income taxes, FICA, Medicare and applicable State Income taxes.

VIII. USAID REGULATIONS, POLICIES AND CONTRACT CLAUSES

PERTAINING TO PSCs

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

1. USAID Acquisition Regulation (AIDAR), Appendix D , “Direct USAID Contracts with a U.S. Citizen or a U.S. Resident Alien for Personal Services Abroad, ” including contract clause “General Provisions,” available at https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1868/aidar_0.pdf .

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

Line Item Table

ITEM NO

(A)

SUPPLIES/SERVICES (DESCRIPTION)

(B)

QUANTITY

(C)

UNIT

(D)

UNIT PRICE

(E) AMOUNT

(F)

0001 Compensation and Fringe Benefits/Other Direct Costs (ODCs) Award Type: Cost Product Service Code: R497 Accounting Info:

1 year LOT

1001 Option Period (OP) 1 – Compensation and ODCs Award Type: Cost Product Service Code: R497 Accounting Info:

1 year LOT

2001 OP 2 – Compensation and ODCs Award Type: Cost Product Service Code: R497 Accounting Info:

1 year LOT

3001 OP 3 – Compensation and ODCs Award Type: Cost Product Service Code: R497 Accounting Info:

1 year LOT

4001 OP 4 – Compensation and ODCs Award Type: Cost Product Service Code: R497 Accounting Info:

1 year LOT https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1868/aidar_0.pdf https://www.usaid.gov/forms

3. Acquisition & Assistance Policy Directives/Contract Information Bulletins (AAPDs/CIBs) for Personal Services Contracts with Individuals available are 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 .

5. PSC Ombudsman. The PSC Ombudsman serves as a resource for any Personal Services Contractor who has entered into a contract with the United States Agency for International Development and is available to provide clarity on their specific contract with the agency.

Please visit our page for additional information:

https://www.usaid.gov/workusaid/personal-service-contracts-ombudsman The PSC Ombudsman may be contacted via: pscombudsman@usaid.gov.

http://www.usaid.gov/work-usaid/aapds-cibs https://www.oge.gov/web/oge.nsf/OGE%20Regulations https://www.usaid.gov/workusaid/personal-service-contracts-ombudsman mailto:pscombudsman@usaid.gov