Solicitation USAID India Sr. Adv for Innovation Partnership.pdf

U.S. Agency for International Development American Embassy Chanakyapuri New Delhi 110 021

Tel: 91-11-24198000 Fax: 91-11-24198612 / 8454 www.usaid.gov/in

SOLICITATION NO. USAID/India-386-11-102 ISSUANCE DATE: July 25, 2011 CLOSING DATE: August 22, 2011 at

5:00 p.m., New Delhi Time

SUBJECT: Solicitation for U.S. Personal Services Contractor (USPSC) – Senior Advisor for

Innovation and Partnership

To All Interested Applicants:

The United States Government, represented by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), is seeking proposals (Optional Form 612) from U.S. citizens interested in providing the USPSC services described in the attached.

Submissions shall be in accordance with the attached information (See Q, “Applying,” of Attachment 1) and delivered to the undersigned in New Delhi, India, at the place and by the time specified. Email submissions shall be sent to: indiaper@usaid.gov. Application packages may be faxed, emailed, or hand-carried to the undersigned. To ensure delivery by the due date, it is recommended that applications be sent as email attachments or by fax, if possible. If an applicant does not have ready access to a Form OF 612, the same information may be initially submitted in résumé form so long as the items stated earlier in this paragraph are provided. The award of a contract hereunder is subject to the availability of funds.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. Any questions regarding this position should be directed to Patrick Robinson, Contracting Officer, or Banita Negi, Personnel Specialist, who may reached at the following email address: indiaper@usaid.gov. Applicants should retain for their record copies of all enclosures which accompany their applications.

Sincerely, /s/

Patrick Robinson Contracting Officer USAID/India

Mailing Address:

USAID/India, Executive Office American Embassy Shantipath, Chanakyapuri New Delhi 110021 India

Fax: 91-11-2419-8612

SOLICITATION NUMBER: USAID/India-386-11-102

ISSUANCE DATE: 07/25/2011

CLOSING DATE/TIME SPECIFIED

FOR RECEIPT OF APPLICATIONS: 08/22/2011 (5:00 p.m. New Delhi Time)

POSITION TITLE: USPSC Senior Advisor for Innovation and Partnership

MARKET VALUE: $99,628 - $129,517 per annum (GS15 equivalent)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: Two years (extensions optional)

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: USAID/India, New Delhi

OPEN TO: U.S. citizens only

JOB DESCRIPTION:

A. Position Title: Senior Advisor for Innovation and Partnership

B. Organizational Location of the Position: New Delhi, India.

C. Position Title of Direct Supervisor: Mission Director, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID/India)

D. Background: The U.S. relationship with India is undergoing an unprecedented transformation, moving from a traditional assistance relationship to a strategic partnership which requires a significant change in how USAID conducts business. Through the U.S.–India Strategic Dialogue, USAID/India, in coordination with interagency partners and the Government of India, is restructuring its approach from one of “assistance” to one of cooperation by defining, implementing, and evaluating interventions that will serve not only India, but other priority countries in the region and globally. The Strategic Dialogue is operationalized through bilateral working groups in each dialogue area including areas where USAID/India has significant programming: agriculture, health, and energy and climate change. An important dimension of the Strategic Dialogue is developing trilateral cooperation with the Government of India to take proven technologies and innovations in agriculture, health, and energy for extension to other countries in other regions, such as Africa. Working with private sector partners, such as research institutions, universities, NGOs, and private sector businesses and groups (e.g., CII, FICCI and USIBC) at the highest level, USAID/India is seeking to expand opportunities to identify, develop, test, and disseminate innovations and technologies from Indian sources. For example, a recent U.S.-India Innovation/Technology delegation visited India to promote and deepen collaboration in three areas: (1) Energy; (2) Education; and (3) Infrastructure (both ‘hard’ as in buildings and water management, and ‘soft’ as in e-governance and mobile technologies). A recently launched “open government initiative” was one of the outcomes that will soon start with joint funding from both the U.S. and Indian governments. Consistent with management and business process reforms known as USAID Forward, the USAID/India Mission seeks to identify, develop, test and deploy innovations and technologies which can be scaled using Indian public and private institutions, expertise and programming systems, including financing systems, as much as possible.

More generally, as the development arm of the U.S. Government in India, USAID/India advances foreign assistance objectives, through bilateral agreements with the Government of India, primarily in health, food security, clean energy and climate change using Development Assistance, Child Survival and Health, and Presidential Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) funding. The Mission also supports the South Asia Regional Initiative for Energy program. The Mission emphasizes the use of partnerships, specifically leveraging USAID/India funds with funds from the Government of India and the private sector, and scaling up of successful models to reach the most vulnerable populations in India.

E. Major Roles and Responsibilities: The incumbent will serve as the Senior Advisor for Innovation and Partnership to the Mission Director, USAID/India. He/she will report directly to the Mission Director and be attached to that office. In that capacity, the incumbent will serve as the chief advisor to the Mission Director on all aspects of the US-India strategic partnership, particularly as these relate to cooperation on new technologies and innovation. He/she will be responsible for identifying innovations or technologies being developed and tested in India, monitoring and interpreting technology and best practice trends.

Externally, he/she will be expected to reach out aggressively to private sector executives with the goal of boosting partnerships with the Indian private sector, and between Indian and U.S. private sectors as appropriate, to better leverage resources and scale our programs and foster a peer relationship with senior public and private sector leaders. Internally, he/she will serve as a critical resource to office directors, technical staff, and project designers generating and leading forward-looking, actionable, and timely strategies to integrate innovation and technologies with new and ongoing programs. The incumbent will exercise his/her own judgment and ingenuity to interpret and carry out guidance from Mission executive management, exercising a high degree of autonomy and independence. The incumbent will generate strategies for driving innovation across the Mission’s programming.

Specific duties and responsibilities:

To be fully successful in carrying out the responsibilities listed below, the incumbent will maintain open and frequent communications with the USAID/India Mission Director, and provide relevant leadership and management guidance to USAID/India programs/activities and operations in India. To do so, the incumbent will:

1. Lead the USAID/India Mission on all matters pertaining to the integration of innovation partnerships into program direction and strategy. This includes both the bilateral program as well as the trilateral initiative under the U.S.-India Strategic Dialogue;

2. Develop and manage a Mission-based fund for development innovation in an effort to identify and test potential high-risk/high-return innovative technologies; test innovative ideas and lead efforts to take successful technologies and innovations to scale; and strengthen capacity building of local private sector institutions to innovate via, in part, Small Development Grants mechanisms;

3. Lead development of public-private partnerships and alliance platforms that result in development and/or scaling up of innovations and technologies in priority areas of both bilateral and trilateral development cooperation between the U.S. and India, and with third countries as directed;

4. Support the objectives and activities of relevant strategic dialogue working groups with Embassy/New Delhi, Washington, and Government of India colleagues, and represent USAID/India internally and externally at the highest levels on all matters related to innovation and partnerships;

5. Support the Mission’s efforts towards successful strategy implementation and design that incorporates innovation as a core principle;

6. Plan, devise, and carry out strategies for the effective planning and implementation of joint U.S.- India programs (bilateral and trilateral) that leverage innovation to maximize development impacts;

7. Collaborate with interagency colleagues in the U.S. Embassy/New Delhi to strengthen U.S.

diplomatic efforts with both public and private sector actors in India; and

8. Project USAID/India as a dynamic leader in innovation for development through speaking engagements, representational functions, briefings for host country government officials, bilateral and multi-lateral donors, private individuals and others as needed (it is expected that the position will require considerable in-country travel and public speaking).

F. Minimum Qualifications: The successful applicant will have excellent managerial and strategic planning skills complemented by a strong network in the public and private sectors, the latter to include for profit companies, research institutions and academe. He/she should have the ability to make good decisions and draw insightful conclusions through a combination of strong analytical skills, creativity, and experience in the industry and scientific community. He/she must be a decisive quick study with multi-tasking ability and strategic thinking skills, able to handle broadly defined tasks independently, while being a strong team player. Excellent communication skills, verbal and written, are essential, as is the ability to network and develop relationships with new types of partners who can help the USAID/India Mission advance its innovation agenda.

Finally, the successful candidate will demonstrate through past work experience strong project development and management skills that can contribute to integrating new technologies and innovations into USAID/India-supported activities.

1. Education: An advanced degree (PhD., or MA with equivalent experience) in a development, business and/or financial management discipline is required.

2. Professional Experience: The successful candidate will have a minimum 20 years of relevant experience in public and/or private sector organizations working directly on innovations and technologies for practical (and/or profitable) application, particularly related to India’s development challenges in food security, health, or energy.

3. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: Demonstrated coordination, management, and organizational skills within multi-cultural work environments, ideally in an international development assistance setting. Ability to complete multiple tasks simultaneously and to work effectively under pressure.

The successful candidate will have exceptional conceptual, analytical, and reasoning skills, as well as ability to analyze disparate information and compile it into information messages targeting a variety of audiences. The candidate must have experience performing at the highest levels, with minimal supervision and daily direction, and a strong sense of initiative. He/she also must have the ability to address conflict in a constructive, non-threatening manner, including the ability to build consensus among differing groups. The candidate should have demonstrated leadership and teamwork skills, plus solid, proven interpersonal abilities.

4. Communication: The successful candidate will have exceptional communication skills, including the ability to verbalize organizational priorities in interagency settings and the ability to write clearly and succinctly. The incumbent will be expected to have excellent computer skills and the ability to work in Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint applications.

5. Post-Entry Training: The incumbent will be expected to possess the necessary technical training and skills required to perform the duties/responsibilities required of the position. Post-entry training will be focused primarily on the Agency's established policies, procedures and regulations. In addition, the incumbent will be required to work within the existing USAID team management office structure. Organized/formal training (both internal and external) may be provided from time to time depending on the availability of program funds, if and as the training is determined to be in direct support of USAID/India activities.

6. Physical Condition: The successful candidate will be required to pass a physical certification exam, paid for by the U.S. Government. USAID prohibits discrimination in hiring and employment on the basis of physical or mental impairment. USAID promotes, with reasonable accommodation, the full realization of equal employment opportunities for the disabled in recruitment, promotion, assignment, and training.

7. Language Proficiency: Strong written and oral proficiency in English is required (Level 5).

Knowledge of Hindi desired.

G. Supervision Received: Formal supervision and evaluation will be by the Mission Director, USAID/India. In collaboration with the incumbent, the immediate supervisor will: 1) establish annual work objectives and performance measures; 2) review work outputs and accomplishments to ensure compliance with Agency policies and implementation of best practices; 3) provide regular feedback to incumbent throughout the performance evaluation period; 4) prepare the annual personnel evaluation report as/when required; and 5) obtain input for the evaluation from the appropriate peers, counterparts and team members toward the annual evaluation. The incumbent is expected to establish priorities, adhere to and meet established deadlines, and perform responsibilities and duties with minimal guidance.

The incumbent must be proactive as well as self-motivated and self-directed.

H. Available Guidelines: The incumbent is required to quickly understand Mission and Agency-specific policies and procedures which govern project design and activity management, in addition to USAID/India’s established administrative operating procedures, policies, and formats. When provided, guidance from the supervisor is primarily with regard to policy, priorities, results to be achieved, basic approaches to be followed and, in the case of assembling reports, providing the nature and basic content of the reports. Oral guidance from the immediate supervisor and specific detailed instructions will be given (when necessary) for carrying out unique assignments. The incumbent will be required to be proactive in keeping abreast of evolving guidelines and policies including, but not limited to, the Agency’s Automated Directives System (ADS), General Notices/Mission Orders/Mission Notices, USG Procurement regulations, and USAID Program Strategy and Policy documents.

I. Authority to Make Commitments: The incumbent will have no independent authority to make resource commitments or commit the U.S. Government.

J. Exercise of Judgment: In instances not clearly covered by written guidelines, the incumbent will consult with his/her direct supervisor, or, in his/her absence, USAID/India Deputy Mission Director, USAID/India. Excellent (balanced) judgment must be exercised in setting priorities. The use of initiative, discretion and patience is expected from the incumbent in dealing with personnel from various USG agencies as well as representatives from other donor organizations and the private sector, to resolve technical, administrative, managerial and/or policy problems that arise during the course of work, for which there is often no clear or immediate solution and/or precedence. The incumbent will also be required to follow and adhere to the U.S. Embassy’s Code of Ethics and Conduct.

K. Nature, Level and Purpose of Contacts: To effectively function in this position, the incumbent will be required to establish and maintain solid working relationships with all categories and levels of internal and external staff, including all USG agencies in the U.S. Embassy; external implementing partners;

Government of India officials; other international and donor organizations; representatives of regional organizations; international and local NGOs; private sector representatives; and the general public.

L. Supervision Exercised: The incumbent will not supervise any personnel.

M. Time Required to Satisfactorily Perform Full Range of Duties After Entry into the Position: One month.

N. Selection Criteria: Applicants meeting the required qualifications for the position will be evaluated based on information presented in the application and obtained through reference checks. Following are the evaluation criteria for this position:

1. Technical Knowledge and Relevant Experience (40 points)

The incumbent is required to have a minimum of twenty (20) years of progressively responsible professional-level experience in public and/or private sector organizations working directly on innovations and technologies for practical (and/or profitable) applications, particularly related to India’s development challenges in food security, health, or energy.

2. Academic Qualifications (10 points)

An advanced degree (Ph.D., or MA with equivalent experience) in a development, business and/or financial management discipline is required.

3. Strategic Planning and Program Design and Management Skills (25 points)

The successful candidate will demonstrate through past work experience strong project development and management skills that can contribute to integrating new technologies and innovations into USAID/India-supported activities. Proven, demonstrated ability to work independently within agreed upon parameters, with minimal supervision or guidance and while exercising sound judgment is required. The position requires an entrepreneurial, results-oriented approach to assistance, and the ability to diplomatically and tactfully confront and resolve institutional and interagency bureaucratic challenges while maintaining collaborative relations. S/he must also demonstrate flexibility; effectively manage multiple activities simultaneously; and work calmly and effectively under pressure. Finally, the incumbent must have excellent writing, editing and computer skills and the ability to prepare and present professional quality reports and presentations for both technical and general audiences.

4. Communications and Interpersonal Skills (25 points)

The incumbent will also require excellent interpersonal and teamwork skills, and the ability to develop and maintain strong working relationships with a broad range of internal and external colleagues and stakeholders. S/he must be able to demonstrate an ability to work effectively, both independently and as a member of a team, with a wide variety of individuals, groups, institutions, and technical organizations and be a proven self-starter who is highly motivated, able to work with minimum supervision, and committed to addressing innovation and partnership issues.

O. Medical and Secuity Clearance: Applicants must obtain a USG Security Clearance (“Secret” level) and a Department of State medical clearance for assignment to India.

P. Selection Process: After the closing date for receipt of applications, a committee will be convened to review applications and evaluate them in accordance with the evaluation criteria. Applications that do not meet the required selection criteria will not be scored. As part of the selection process, finalist candidates may be interviewed either in person or by telephone at USAID’s discretion. Reference checks will be made only for applicants considered as finalists. If an applicant does not wish USAID to contact a current employer for a reference check, this should be stated in the applicant’s cover letter, and USAID will delay such a reference checks pending communication with the applicant. Only finalists will be contacted by USAID with respect to their applications. The final selected candidate(s) must obtain security and medical clearances within a reasonable period of time. USAID will provide details regarding these clearances to the selected candidate(s). A substantial delay in obtaining either required clearance will make the applicant ineligible for selection.

Q. Applying:

Interested applicants MUST submit the following materials:

1. Most current curriculum vitae or resume.

2. Completed and hand-signed federal form OF-612 (including OF-612 continuation sheets as needed). The OF-612 can be downloaded from: www.usaid.gov/forms/.

3. Three references, who are not family members or relatives, with telephones and e-mail contacts.

4. Brief appendix to demonstrate how prior experience and/or training address the minimum qualifications and selection criteria shown in the solicitation.

Applicants are required to sign the certification at the end of the OF-612. Applications that are received without a signature will not be considered for the position.

Late, incomplete, or unsigned applications will NOT be considered.

Applications can be submitted electronically to: indiaper@usaid.gov or by faxed to 91-11-2419-8612.

All applications should be received by the closing date and time previously specified. To ensure consideration of applications for the intended position, please reference the solicitation number on your application and as the subject line in any cover letter. The selection will be based on the panel evaluation of the applicants vis-à-vis selection criteria mentioned previously. Applicants should also note that the salary history for the purpose of the OF-612 is the salary paid, excluding benefits and allowances such as housing, travel, educational support, vehicle use, etc.

ATTACHMENT 2 TO SOLICITATION NO. 386-11-102

PSC Contractor Benefits (as allowable under applicable regulations)

AS A MATTER OF POLICY, AND AS APPROPRIATE, AN INDIVIDUAL MEETING THE

REQUIREMENTS OF AN OFFSHORE HIRE USPSC IS NORMALLY AUTHORIZED THE FOLLOWING

BENEFITS:

Benefits

1. Employee’s F.I.C.A and MEDICARE contributions

2. Contribution toward Health and Life Insurance

3. Shipment and Storage of Household Effects

4. Shipment of POV (Privately Owned Vehicle)

5. Pay Comparability Adjustment

6. Annual Step Increase except if at the top step of the grade

7. Eligibility for Worker's Compensation

8. Annual and Sick Leave

Allowances

A. Temporary Lodging Allowance (Section 120) B. Living Quarters Allowance (Section 130) C. Post Allowance (Section 220) D. Supplemental Post Allowance (Section 230) E. Separate Maintenance Allowance (Section 260) F. Education Allowance (Section 270) G. Education Travel (Section 280) H. Post Differential (Chapter 500) I. Payments during Evacuation/Authorized Departure (Section 600) J. Danger Pay (Section 650)

Federal Taxes: USPSCs are not/not exempt from payment of Federal Income taxes.

List of REQUIRED Forms for USPSCs

a. Optional Form 612 (available at the USAID web site) www.usaid.gov/forms/.

Forms (b) through (e) shall be completed only upon the advice of the Contracting Officer that an applicant is the successful candidate for the position.

b. Medical History and Examination (DS-1843).

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

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

e. Finger Print Card (FD-258).

Contract Information Bulletins (CIBs.) and Acquisition and Assistance Policy Directives (AAPDs) Pertaining to PSCs

CIBs and AAPDs contain changes to USAID policy and General Provisions in USAID regulations and contracts. Please refer to this website to determine which CIBS and AAPDs apply to this contract:

http://www.usaid.gov/business/business_opportunities/psc_solicitations.html