Solicitation-USPSC Senior Regional Project Management Specialist GS-12 signed.pdf

SOLICITATION NUMBER: 72052722R00002

ISSUANCE DATE: 01/14/2022

CLOSING DATE AND TIME: 01/28/2022 at 17:00 (Lima time)

SUBJECT: Solicitation for U.S. Personal Service Contractor (USPSC) Senior Regional Project Management Specialist, GS-12 equivalent

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 V 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.

Direct any questions in writing to the Point of Contact specified in Attachment I.

Sincerely, Marty D. George Contracting Officer USAID/Peru

I. GENERAL INFORMATION

1. SOLICITATION NO.: 72052722R00002

2. ISSUANCE DATE: 01/14/2022

3. CLOSING DATE/TIME FOR RECEIPT OF OFFERS: 01/28/2022 at 17:00 (Lima time)

4. POINT OF CONTACT: Human Resources Office, email at limausaidhr@usaid.gov

5. POSITION TITLE: Senior Regional Project Management Specialist

6. MARKET VALUE: $68,299-$88,792 equivalent to GS-12. Final compensation will be negotiated within the listed market value.

7. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: The contract duration will be for one year beginning on or about (o/a) March 2022.

8. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: USAID/Peru Regional Environment and Sustainable Growth Office

9. ELIGIBLE OFFERORS: Open to all U.S. citizens

10. SECURITY LEVEL REQUIRED: Ability to obtain a Secret security clearance is required.

11. STATEMENT OF DUTIES:

A. BASIC FUNCTION OF THE POSITION:

The Senior Regional Project Management Specialist serves as an advisor to the RESG Office, mission leadership, and bilateral USAID missions throughout the region on Amazon regional conservation crimes, biodiversity and climate change topics. To this end, the incumbent holds the AOR/COR management responsibility for SAR’s $30 million regional conservation crimes regional portfolio.

Over the last 12 months, the ESG Office hired and onboarded two new AREP Coordinators and is in the process of hiring a follow-on AAAS Fellow. While the staffing direction is positive, there is a gap until these staff members are trained as AOR/CORs.

Therefore, the incumbent contributes significantly to these transition needs, including the management capacity training and mentorship of new staff members. This recruitment request is to fill the gap until the new AREP Coordinators and AAAS Fellow are trained and can take on project management duties. Filling this gap is essential in meeting mission critical objectives.

The incumbent plays a key role in leading AREP and in ensuring close coordination with USAID’s bilateral missions and USAID/Washington counterparts on conservation crimes. As such, the incumbent also represents the program externally to government ministries, multilateral and bilateral donors, non-governmental organizations, and other key stakeholders. The incumbent's counterparts include technical officers and office chiefs in bilateral missions, governmental policy makers, natural resource managers, and other technical experts and decision-makers.

B. MAJOR ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

A. Technical Leadership (35%)

The incumbent is responsible for supporting the ESG Office in the day-to-day oversight and program leadership of the South America Regional Amazon Regional Environment Program. S/he understands the entire regional portfolio and coordinates with other ESG and Mission staff managing activities that complement this portfolio to ensure strategic alignment to USAID’s Amazon Vision and other relevant USAID strategies, such as the Policy on Promoting the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the Agency Climate Strategy.

Technical leadership responsibilities also include new employee mentoring to develop the technical and administrative skills to be excellent USAID officers. The incumbent guides and mentors team members through USAID procedures, oversees performance monitoring, and reports on metrics from the regional program. In close coordination with the Regional Deputy Office Director, s/he communicates program goals and deadlines to the team, Mission, and wider Embassy community; identifies gaps in skills among team members and advises on any challenges that may require corrective action.

The incumbent serves as an advisor to Mission leadership on Amazon regional climate change and biodiversity topics, especially on issues related to conservation crimes. By nature, addressing conservation crimes require complex and strategic coordination and communications across the USG interagency in multiple countries. Stakeholders include

Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement, and Department of State offices, to which the incumbent will represent AREP and coordinate efforts. This responsibility extends beyond the USG to national and regional authorities in Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Brazil, Suriname, and Guyana. S/he advises the Mission on policies, laws and regulations, institutional design, capacity building, science and technology, professional education and training, and sector management relevant to climate change and biodiversity science; large-scale infrastructure and extractives;

and conservation of biodiversity and ecosystems. S/he uses technical knowledge to lead the regional program in conceptualizing and evaluating assistance programs, and shares lessons learned within the Amazon regional conservation and development community. The incumbent may serve as a liaison with other USG agencies, international environmental authorities, and experts from regional governments, industry, academia, and civil society. S/he leads and manages regional activity designs, securing high-level support for these efforts. The incumbent also responds to Congressional inquiries and coordinates senior mission and/or U.S. Embassy staff on official visits.

B. Project Management (40%)

As a USAID certified Agreement Officer’s Representative (AOR)/Contract Officer’s Representative (COR), s/he ensures compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, guidance and policies. Responsibilities include independently designing activities, preparing statements of work, recommending selection of implementing mechanisms, chairing Technical Evaluation Panels to select contractors/awardees, among other tasks.

The incumbent develops, leads and participates in teams across the mission and region, working with representatives from the Regional Office of Assistance and Acquisition, the Regional Legal Officer, the Financial Management Office, the Regional Program Office, and the Executive Office, among others, to ensure effective implementation of all requirements, guidance, and policies. S/he provides technical leadership during planning phases and throughout award administration. Award administration responsibilities include monitoring implementers’ technical execution, reporting, and field work, and monitoring expenditures against approved work plans.

The incumbent is responsible for managing approximately three activities (contracts, grants, agreements, etc.) related to regional conservation crimes, with a life-of-project budget of over $30 million.

The incumbent will be expected to collaborate across the mission portfolio and in coordination with other bilateral missions in the region as well as responsible technical officers in Washington. S/he will also be responsible for program alignment and adherence to agency-wide strategies and guidance, including but not limited to the 2020 Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment Policy, the 2021 Pro-Indigenous Peoples Policy, the draft Agency Climate Strategy, and guidance on Private Sector Engagement.

The incumbent’s role will include not just understanding and inclusion of these themes (e.g., gender, indigenous peoples, and climate) in their portfolio, but also implementation across the portfolio.

C. Project Monitoring and Evaluation (25%)

The Senior Regional Biodiversity Specialist uses metrics and tools to monitor implementation of USAID’s Amazon Vision. S/he prepares statements of work for evaluations, assessments, and reviews, and tracks and advises on progress towards the regional program's purpose to “reduce the negative impacts on Amazon forest and water resources from large-scale infrastructure projects, extractive activities, and climate change.” In coordination with the regional team, s/he coordinates knowledge management for biodiversity and climate change, preserving and organizing relevant information and reports, arranging for consultancies on specific topics as needed, and identifying training opportunities that support regional program goals. The incumbent works with communications staff and COR/AORs to ensure drafts of public information materials on activities and achievements are of high quality, and contributes to overall ESG, Mission, and Amazon-wide reporting. S/he collaborates with staff from ESG and other USAID missions in South America to synergistically achieve Amazon-wide goals.

S/he takes a proactive and client-focused approach to ensure a deep and close working relationship with other Bilateral and Country-specific stakeholders.

C. SUPERVISION AND RELATIONSHIPS:

While the incumbent will serve under the direction of the ESG Regional Deputy Office Director, in the exercise of their duties on a day-to-day basis, they must be able to perform their duties with little to no direct supervision.

12. PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The work requested does not involve undue physical demands.

II. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION

Education: A Master’s Degree is required in a field related to biological science, natural resource management, climate science, or a related field. Degrees must be from institutions accredited in the U.S. or internationally.

Work Experience: A minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible experience in analysis or program management relating to climate change, ecology, biodiversity, ecosystems, conservation, or other environmental issues is required. Must have supervisory experience. Must have working knowledge of Federal Government project development, management policy, and documentation, finance, and business practices as well as valid AOR/COR certification.

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

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. FAR provisions of this solicitation are available at https://www.acquisition.gov/browse/index/far

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 and ranked based on the below evaluation and selection factors. A competitive range will be established of the highest-ranked offerors, who may be further evaluated through technical tests and interviews to determine the most qualified/highest-ranked offerors.

Reference checks will 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 who have successfully passed the responsibility determination process.

Education (15 Points): A minimum of a Master’s Degree in a relevant field (biological science, natural resource management, climate science, or a related field) is required.

Degrees must be from institutions accredited in the U.S. or internationally.

Work Experience (30 Points): A minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible experience in analysis or program management relating to conservation crimes, climate change, ecology, biodiversity, ecosystems, conservation, or other environmental issues is required.

Knowledge (30 Points):

● Must demonstrate technical knowledge in several of the following: conservation crimes, climate change, environment and natural resource management, forestry, ecology/biology, environmental economics, local and rural development approaches, agriculture and/or natural resource management, and technology transfer and extension.

● Must hold a thorough understanding of the environment and natural resource management challenges and realities in South American countries with specific expertise in the Amazon Basin.

● Must have extensive field experience in Latin American countries as well as experience in conducting site visits, evaluations, and analyses to successfully monitor and assess project activities.

Skills and Abilities (25 Points): Must possess a high level of managerial, analytical and decision-making skills to lead a regional conversation crimes portfolio and manage through office transition. Carries out assigned duties effectively and independently and must have the ability to provide formal and informal training. Strong leadership and management skills are required. Must be able to create and conceptualize innovative solutions to increase efficiency, improve customer service and meet changing work demands.

Must demonstrate program management skills including previous experience in Federal Government grants management and hold working knowledge of Federal Government project development, management policy, and documentation, finance, business practices as well as valid AOR/COR certification.

Must possess the ability to work under high pressure with tight deadlines and have excellent interpersonal and communication (oral and written) skills with ability to communicate clearly and effectively with external and internal key officials. Relatedly, the incumbent must possess strong English written and oral communication skills (native speaker level), including public speaking skills. Proficiency in Spanish is required. Proficiency in Portuguese is desired, though not required.

IV. SUBMITTING AN OFFER

1. 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

2. A cover letter of no more than 1 page that demonstrates how the Offeror’s qualifications meet the evaluation and selection factors in section III of this solicitation;

3. A resume or curriculum vitae (CV) which, at a minimum, describes education, experience and career achievements relevant to the evaluation and selection factors in section III of this solicitation;

4. Names of three professional references that have knowledge of the offeror’s ability to perform the duties set forth in the solicitation, including current and accurate contact information. This information may be included in in cover letter, resume/CV, or in a separate document.

5. Proof of U.S. Citizenship

6. Offers must be received by the closing date and time and submitted to the Point of Contact specified in Section I.

7. Offeror submissions must clearly reference the number of this Solicitation to ensure the offer is for the position of this Solicitation.

8. Ensuring Adequate COVID-19 Safety Protocols for Federal Contractors - The Offeror will be required to show proof that the Offeror is fully vaccinated against COVID- 19 on or before the first date of onboarding, or submit an approved reasonable accommodation to the CO. If the contractor does not meet this requirement the contract may be terminated.*

* See Notice Regarding Any Court Order Affecting the Implementation of E.O.

14042 in Section VIII below.

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. Contractor Employee Biographical Data Sheet (AID 1420-17);

2. Form AID 309-2, “Offeror Information for Personal Services Contracts with Individuals,”

3. Medical History and Examination Form (DS-1843) **

4. Questionnaire for Sensitive Positions (SF-86) ** or

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

6. Finger Print Card (FD-258) **

** Forms 3 through 6 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:

[If the solicitation is also open to TCNs, the CO must insert the benefits and allowances specifically approved by the Mission Director for a TCN offeror in accordance with AIDAR Appendix J, sec. 4(c)(2)(ii)(B).]

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) Annual and Sick Leave

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

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. ENSURING ADEQUATE COVID-19 SAFETY PROTOCOLS FOR FEDERAL

CONTRACTORS (OCT 2021)-Alternate 70 (OCT 2021) (M/OAA-DEV-FAR-22-01c)

(a) Definition. As used in this clause - United States or its outlying areas means—

(1) The fifty States;

(2) The District of Columbia;

(3) The commonwealths of Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands;

(4) The territories of American Samoa, Guam, and the United States Virgin Islands; and

(5) The minor outlying islands of Baker Island, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island, Palmyra Atoll, and Wake Atoll.

(b) Authority. This clause implements Executive Order 14042, Ensuring Adequate COVID Safety Protocols for Federal Contractors, dated September 9, 2021 (published in the Federal Register on September 14, 2021, 86 FR 50985).

(c) Personal Services Contracts with individuals. As a matter of policy, the contractor must comply with the USAID’s guidance applicable to direct-hire federal employees.

(End of clause)

Notice Regarding Any Court Order Affecting the Implementation of E.O. 14042 USAID will take no action to enforce the clause (FAR 52.223-99) implementing the requirements of Executive Order 14042, absent further written notice from USAID, where the place of performance identified in the contract is in a U.S. state or outlying area subject to a court order prohibiting the application of requirements pursuant to the

Executive Order (hereinafter, “Excluded State or Outlying Area”). In all other circumstances, USAID will enforce the clause, except for contractor employees who perform substantial work on or in connection with a covered contract in an Excluded State or Outlying Area, or in a covered contractor workplace located in an Excluded State or Outlying Area. A current list of such Excluded States and Outlying Areas is maintained at https://www.saferfederalworkforce.gov/contractors/.

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

4. 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

AAPDs/CIBs specifically applicable to this position include:

AAPD 16-03: Expanded Incentive Awards for Personal Services Contracts with Individuals

AAPD 15-02 REVISED - Continuation of Deviation from the ‘Leave and Holidays’ clause, including Family and Medical Leave, for U.S. Personal Services Contractors

AAPD 10-03 Amendment 1: AIDAR, Appendix D: Implementing Benefits For Same-Sex Domestic Partners of USPSCs

AAPD 10-01: Personal Services Contracts -- Changes in USG Reimbursement Amounts for Health Insurance and Physical Examination Costs

AAPD 06-10: PSC Medical Expense Payment Responsibility

5. 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

6. 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/work-usaid/personal-service-contracts-ombudsman

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

[End of Solicitation]