SOLICITATION - RH DOC Specialist 2021-.docx.pdf

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Attached to: Resident-Hire US Personal Services Contractor-Development Outreach & Communication Specialist (DOC) for USAID Guinea and Sierra Leone
Solicitation number: 72067522R100001
Issued by: US Agency for International Development Bureau for Global Health

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SOLICITATION NUMBER: 72067522R100001

ISSUANCE DATE: November 08, 2021

CLOSING DATE/TIME: December 08, 2021- Midnight

SUBJECT: Solicitation for a Resident-Hire US Personal Services Contractor-Development Outreach & Communication Specialist (DOC) for USAID Guinea and Sierra Leone

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 offers.

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

Sincerely, (Signed)

Ifeoma Ezeh Contracting Office

ATTACHMENT 1 [72067522R100001]

I. GENERAL INFORMATION

1. SOLICITATION NO.: 72067522R100001

2. ISSUANCE DATE: November 08, 2021

3. CLOSING DATE/TIME FOR

RECEIPT OF OFFERS: December 08, 2021 - at midnight local Time (GMT – Guinea)

4. POINT OF CONTACT: HR TEAM at conakrypscjobs@usaid.gov.

5. POSITION TITLE: Development Outreach and Communication Specialist (DOC)

6. MARKET VALUE: GS-13 ($79,468 to $103,309) is the equivalent market value for this position. Final compensation will be negotiated within the listed market value. Salaries over and above the top of the pay range will not be entertained or negotiated.

7. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: The contract will be for an initial one (1) year period, with four (4), one-year option years. Option years may be exercised based upon satisfactory contractor performance, mutual agreement between the Contractor and USG, continued Mission requirements, and the continued availability of funds.

The base period will start on or about June 05, 2022 and end on or about June 04, 2023. Based on Agency need, the Contracting Officer (CO) may exercise additional option periods for the dates estimated as follows:

Base Period: June 05, 2022 To June 04, 2023 Option Period 1: June 05, 2023 To June 04, 2024 Option Period 2 June 05, 2024 To June 04, 2025 Option Period 3 June 05, 2025 To June 04, 2026 Option Period 4 June 05, 2026 To June 04, 2027

8. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: Conakry, Guinea.

With frequent travel to Freetown, Sierra Leone as stated in the Statement of Duties.

9. ELIGIBLE OFFERORS: Resident U.S. citizens and/or Resident Aliens (Green card holders)

[72067522R100001]

DEFINITION OF RESIDENT U.S. CITIZEN PER THE AIDAR:

“Resident Hire U.S. Personal Services Contractor” means a U.S. citizen or resident alien who, at the time of contract award, resides in the cooperating country for reasons other than U.S. government or non-U.S.

government employment, or under any contract or other arrangement, that provides repatriation to the U.S.; or is a spouse or dependent of a U.S. citizen or resident alien who resides, or will reside, in the cooperating country for the purpose of U.S. government or non-U.S. government employment, or under any contract or other arrangement that provides repatriation to the U.S.

10. SECURITY LEVEL REQUIRED: Facility Access

11. STATEMENT OF DUTIES

1. General Statement of Purpose of the Contract

This position is located in the USAID Program Office (PO) in Conakry.

The Development Outreach and Communication Specialist (DOC) reports to the Supervisory Program Officer or his/her designee, and maintains close contact with the Mission Director, all USAID/Guinea and Sierra Leone Office Chiefs and key staff, and the USAID/Washington Bureau of Legislative and Public Affairs (LPA) and Africa Bureau, in order to develop, maintain, and implement the Mission’s Communication Strategy. The DOC directly ensures close coordination with the U.S. Embassy Public Affairs Office (PAO) and other USG counterparts to advance development and foreign policy objectives through communications and outreach. The DOC advances the Mission's Communication Strategy in close collaboration with senior leadership and stakeholders, embodying USG priorities, stakeholder interests and multi-cultural differences and sensitivities.

The DOC is responsible for collecting, investigating, managing, and distributing information associated with the Mission’s projects/activities, and serves as the primary organizational point of contact and liaison for information requests.

2. Statement of Duties to be Performed

A. Communications Management and Strategic Planning - (60%)

Communication Strategy: The Development Outreach and Communication Specialist is responsible for developing a Mission Communication Strategy that explains highly complex strategic and programmatic information to internal and external audiences in an organized and comprehensible manner. The DOC leads the Mission to produce timely, high-quality communications, reflective of and consistent with USG priorities, sound development theory, and USAID's foreign assistance goals in Guinea and Sierra Leone. The DOC contributes to policies and procedures for Mission communications and outreach that clarify roles and responsibilities with Embassy counterparts and with implementing partners (IPs), including templates for various communication tools, standards for creating DOC materials, and guidelines for planning and managing events.

The DOC prepares annual updates to the Mission communications strategy, identifying objectives, messages, audiences, products, and budgets, and developing plans in coordination with technical teams consistent with the Mission strategy and Embassy communications strategy. The DOC employs a range of products and

UNITED STATES ADDRESS : INTERNATIONAL ADDRESS: Tel: (224) 655 10 40 00 USAID/GUINEA, Department of State USAID/GUINEA, B.P. 603, c/o American Embassy Fax : (224) 65 10 40 51 2110 Conakry Place, Washington DC 20521–2110 Transversale no. 2, Centre Administratif de Koloma guinea@usaid.gov contemporary methods, including digital and print media, social media, events and workshops, local community engagement, and training sessions to publicize strategic messages and tailor these towards specific audiences. The DOC provides quality control on all print and electronic public information materials, such as the external website, organizational brochures, information packets, and briefing books.

Media Relations: The DOC is responsible for all USAID/Guinea and Sierra Leone media activities and liaising with the Embassy PAO to generate press coverage of Mission activities and events. This includes arranging and preparing for press interviews, press conferences, briefings, tours of projects/activities, and interaction with host-country, American, and other journalists. The DOC tracks Mission project/activity milestones and events to ensure that appropriate press coverage is provided; advises on press outreach priorities, and whether coverage is culturally and politically appropriate; oversees and produces media materials including news releases, backgrounders, and fact sheets to inform media of USAID projects/activities and their achievements; coordinates with technical offices and with PAO to produce and release timely, accurate, and useful written materials for the host-country and American media; and works with the PAO to expand opportunities for coverage of USG and USAID efforts. The DOC helps technical offices to define activities for coverage, participates in field visits to assess newsworthiness, and accompanies the press to interviews and site locations for filming.

Public Events and Visitors: The DOC plans and executes activities to present Mission programs to the public and to visitors, including a range of communications tools and distribution to a variety of audiences. For project site visits or events that involve the Mission Director, the Ambassador, or the Deputy Chief of Mission, the DOC ensures that all event information such as scene setters, talking points, and speeches are prepared on time and meet quality standards. The DOC consults with technical offices on project/activity signing ceremonies or other milestone events, including finalizing press releases and ensuring logistics are properly handled. The DOC leads the Mission's efforts to communicate USG development impacts, investments, policy interests, and USAID program results in Guinea and Sierra Leone to a wide range of stakeholders including the Governments of Guinea and Sierra Leone, civil society, multilateral and bilateral partners; private sector partners, Congress, and beneficiaries.

B. Publicity Materials - (40%)

The DOC employs a range of products and contemporary methods, including digital and print media, social media, events and workshops, local community engagement, and training sessions to publicize and translate complex messages and technical information into understandable, meaningful messages that resonate with a variety of audiences, both within the host countries and in the United States.

The DOC provides quality control on all print and electronic public information materials, such as the external website, organizational brochures, and information packets produced by Mission staff. The DOC develops information materials for Washington audiences in coordination with the Africa Bureau and LPA; travels to USAID project/activity sites in the host countries to interview beneficiaries and photograph projects/activities for the Mission website and for news releases; serves as a point of contact for Agency Branding Graphic Standards within USAID and among partners; prepares and keeps current a packet of informational materials communicating priorities and focus areas; acts as an editor for key reports and documents; ensures that public outreach products include politically and culturally appropriate success stories for external and internal audiences, and manages the external web site in coordination with USAID’s webmaster, ensuring that information is fresh, current, and inviting.

3. Supervisory Relationship: The Development Outreach Communication Specialist reports to the Supervisory Program Officer or his/her designee. The supervisor sets the overall assignment objectives, program emphasis, and resources available. The DOC, in consultation with the supervisor, develops the nature of the communication plans, deadlines for implementation, and the various phases to be achieved. The DOC, having developed expertise in carrying out the communications program, has continuing responsibility for independently planning and executing the various phases of the plans, coordinating efforts with program specialists and the Embassy PAO, and making contact with media and specialized group representatives. The DOC resolves most problems or conflicts that arise, consulting with the supervisor where policy has not been established.

4. Supervisory Controls: The DOC supervises one DOC Assistant.

12. PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The work requested does not involve undue physical demands.

II. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION

a. Education: Minimum Bachelor of Arts or Science degree in strategic communications, journalism, public relations, marketing, advertising, English, or a related field is required.

b. Prior Work Experience: A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in communications, public relations, or journalism in an English-language work environment is required. This experience should provide assurance that the DOC is skilled in disseminating information to a variety of target audiences.

III.EVALUATION AND SELECTION FACTORS

The Government may award a contract without discussions with offerors in accordance with FAR 52.215-1. The CO reserves the right at any point in the evaluation process to establish a competitive range of offerors with whom negotiations will be conducted pursuant to FAR 15.306(c). In accordance with FAR 52.215-1, if the CO determines that the number of offers that would otherwise be in the competitive range exceeds the number at which an efficient competition can be conducted, the CO may limit the number of offerors in the competitive range to the greatest number that will permit an efficient competition among the most highly rated offers. The FAR provisions referenced above are available at https://www.acquisition.gov/browse/index/far.

a) 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. Applicants who meet the minimum requirements will be scored on Factors 1-3, as described below.

Top scoring candidates on factors 1-3 will be evaluated per Factors 4 &5. Reference checks will be conducted 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

UNITED STATES ADDRESS : INTERNATIONAL ADDRESS: Tel: (224) 655 10 40 00 USAID/GUINEA, Department of State USAID/GUINEA, B.P. 603, c/o American Embassy Fax : (224) 65 10 40 51 2110 Conakry Place, Washington DC 20521–2110 Transversale no. 2, Centre Administratif de Koloma guinea@usaid.gov United States Commune de Ratoma, Conakry, GUINEE www.usaid.gov https://www.acquisition.gov/browse/index/far https://www.acquisition.gov/browse/index/far https://www.acquisition.gov/browse/index/far https://www.acquisition.gov/browse/index/far https://www.acquisition.gov/browse/index/far https://www.acquisition.gov/browse/index/far to contact a current employer for a reference check, this should be stated in the applicant’s cover letter;

USAID will delay such reference checks pending the applicant’s concurrence.

b) Evaluation factors and basis of rating: Applicants who clearly meet the Education/Experience requirements will be further evaluated based on scoring of the following Evaluation Factors:

FACTOR #1: (20 Points) Depth and breadth of experience in communications, public relations, or journalism in an English-language work environment.

FACTOR #2: (15 points) Narrative: In 500 words, outline how you have demonstrated an ability to work independently in strategic communications, journalism, public relations, or another communications-related work environment.

FACTOR #3: (15 points) Narrative: In 500 words, outline your ability to manage media engagements, i.e. social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram), as well as traditional media (radio, television, newspapers, magazines).

Total possible points for Factors 1 - 3: 50 points

FACTOR #4: (25 points) Interview performance

FACTOR #5: (25 points) Written test during interview

Total possible points Factors 4 - 5: 50 points

Satisfactory professional reference checks will be conducted but yield no points.

IV. SUBMITTING AN OFFER

All applications must be submitted electronically by email with the subject line – SOL - 72067522R100001 – Development Outreach and Communication Specialist (DOC) addressed to the conakrypscjobs@usaid.gov

Complete application packages should include the following documents:

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

(Note: Please include complete dates (months/years) and hours per week for all positions listed on the Form AID 309-2 to allow for adequate evaluation of your experience.)

2. Cover letter

3. Responses to Factors #2 and #3:

a. FACTOR #2: Narrative: In 500 words, outline how you have demonstrated an ability to work independently in strategic communications, journalism, public relations, or another communications-related work environment.

b. FACTOR #3: Narrative: In 500 words, outline your ability to manage media engagements, i.e. social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram), as well as traditional media (radio, television, newspapers, magazines).

4. Resume/CV

5. Names of three to five references with current contact information, with both an email address and a telephone number.

Offeror submissions must clearly reference the Solicitation number on all offeror-submitted documents. Offers must be received by the closing date and time specified in Section I, item 3, and submitted to the Point of Contact in Section I, item 4.

Application letters and Form AID 309-2 must be signed. Incomplete and unsigned applications/forms will not be considered. ALL DOCUMENTS MUST BE PREPARED AND SUBMITTED IN ENGLISH.

The final selected candidate must obtain security and medical clearances prior to contract being signed.

USAID will provide details regarding these clearances to the selected candidate. Failure to obtain clearances will result in any offers made being rescinded.

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 PRIOR TO AWARD

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

Forms outlined below can be found at: http://www.usaid.gov/forms/

1) Application for Federal Employment (AID 309-2).

2) Medical History and Examination Forms (DS-6561 and AID Form 1420-62). *

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

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

5) Fingerprint Card (FD-258). *

* Forms 2 through 5 shall be completed only upon the advice of the Contracting Officer that an applicant is the successful candidate for the job.

VI. BENEFITS AND ALLOWANCES

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

1. BENEFITS:

(a) Employer's FICA Contribution

(b) Contribution toward Health & Life Insurance

(d) Annual Increase (pending a satisfactory performance evaluation)

(e) Eligibility for Worker’s Compensation

(f) Annual and Sick Leave

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.

Pricing by line item is to be determined upon contract award as described below:

LINE ITEMS

ITEM

NO.

(A)

SUPPLIES/SERVICES

(DESCRIPTION)

(B)

QUA

NTIT

(C)

UNIT

(D)

UNIT

PRICE

AMOUNT

(F)

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

- Award Type: Cost

- Product Service Code:

R497)

- Accounting Info:

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

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

- Award Type: Cost

- Product Service Code:

(R497)

- Accounting Info:

1 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:

1 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:

1 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:

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.

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 7

The PSC Ombudsman may be contacted via: PSCOmbudsman@usaid.gov

Equal Employment Opportunity Policy

The United States Government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, physical handicap, genetic information, age or membership or non-membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military services, or other non-merit factor.

END OF SOLICITATION

File details come from the government source that posted it. Updated Nov 5, 2021.