Solicitation - Senior Advisor for Innovaiton and Partnership.docx

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

ATTACHMENT 1 TO SOLICITATION NO. USAID/India-386-11-103

CLOSING DATE/TIME SPECIFIED FOR

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 from the landmark civil nuclear agreement in 2008 to the Indo-U.S. Strategic Dialogue launched in July 2009. This broadened relationship fosters bilateral, regional and global engagement in such areas as security, women’s empowerment, health, education, agriculture, energy, and climate change. 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.

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 successful models to reach the most vulnerable populations in India.

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 Indian research institutions, universities, NGOs, and private sector businesses and groups (e.g., Confederation of Indian Industry, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry and United States-India Business Council) at the highest level, USAID/India is seeking to expand opportunities to identify, develop, test, and disseminate innovations[footnoteRef:1] and technologies from Indian sources. These, in turn, can be leveraged, financed, and scaled through Indian public and private institutions, expertise and programming systems in India, other priority countries in the region, and globally. [1: At USAID, we use “innovation” to refer to novel business or organizational models, operational or production processes, or products or services that lead to substantial improvements (not incremental ones) in executing against development challenges. USAID seeks innovations – whether in USAID’s own business processes, identifying and supporting effective development solutions, or in applying technology to development challenges – that produce development outcomes more effectively, cost efficiently, and that reach more beneficiaries.]

Finally, with private resource flows for development, whether remittances, diaspora, corporate social engagement or private foundations, outpacing traditional foreign assistance levels, USAID/India seeks to creatively and strategically engage in and foster alliances with the private sector to maximize impact and ensure sustainability of the desired outcomes.

This new paradigm and India’s own desire to leapfrog development requires USAID to transform its business model from a traditional donor-recipient relationship to a peer-to-peer partnership capitalizing on the comparative advantages of the U.S. and India in addressing global development challenges. This approach is consistent with the management and business process reforms known as USAID Forward. Hence, through the Indo-U.S. Strategic Dialogue, USAID/India will partner with other U.S. government agencies and the public and private sector in India to develop, test, and deploy innovations that alleviate global poverty and improve the quality of lives of citizens. Together this development innovation laboratory will build on and catalyze innovative products, approaches, and service delivery models to create breakthrough and scalable solutions for global challenges in food security, energy/climate change, and health.

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 Indo-US strategic partnership as it relates to innovations and technologies in health, food security, energy/climate change, and related development areas. He/she will be responsible for identifying innovations (technology-based and otherwise) that can help to promote effective, efficient, socially and financial viable, accountable, sustainable development intervention to help reduce poverty and improve the quality of lives of citizens. These interventions may be green field pilots in nature or proven interventions that require replication or can be taken to scale. Further, innovations that help monitor, evaluate, build evidence and disseminate lessons learned become critical tools to advance development efforts. This will require careful tracking of existing and emerging innovations considered international and/or Indian best practice.

To do so, he/she will become conversant in the range of USG and other partnerships and modalities currently employed to jumpstart the U.S.-India innovation partnership. Externally, he/she will be expected to reach out aggressively to the U.S. and Indian private sector with the goal of increasing alliances with the Indian private sector, and between Indian and U.S. private sectors as appropriate, to identify convergence of interests, better leverage resources, 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 guiding the Mission’s development objective teams with actionable, and timely approaches, strategies, and partnerships 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 USAID/India’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 be responsible for:

1. Identifying and tracking international and Indian innovations (technological and otherwise) which will address global development challenges, especially in food security, health, and energy/climate change;

2. Identifying key private sector leaders, financiers, and associations interested in partnering in financing innovation in India;

3. Guiding USAID/India’s overall strategic thinking in terms of integrating innovation and public-private alliances into USAID/India’s strategy, program direction, as well as USAID/India’s individual development objective teams and activities.

4. In collaboration with individual Mission development objective teams and activities, developing alliances and alliance platforms that result in the 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;

5. Projecting USAID/India as a dynamic leader in innovation and partnerships 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.

6. Developing and managing a Mission-based fund for development innovation in an effort to identify and test potential high-risk/high-return innovations and technologies; leading efforts to take successful innovations and technologies to scale; and strengthening the capacity of local institutions to innovate.

F. Minimum Qualifications: The successful applicant will have proven experience in catalyzing innovation and technologies in the development context, whether as a technical leader, financier, entrepreneur, or development professional. Experience in catalyzing innovations and technologies in or with India is strongly preferred. He/she should have excellent strategic planning skills complemented by a strong network in the public and private sectors, the latter to include for- profit companies, research institutions and academia. 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 private sector 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, develop relationships, and operating effectively in the U.S.G. interagency as well as with non-traditional partners who can help the USAID/India Mission advance its innovation agenda. Finally, the successful candidate will demonstrate through past work experience a strong ability to forge private partnerships or alliance building skills aimed at integrating new technologies and innovations into development-related activities.

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

2. Professional Experience: The successful candidate will have ten (10) – fifteen (15) years minimum of progressively responsible professional-level 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 setting in a developing country or emerging economy. 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 with 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 is desirable.

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 Agencyspecific 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) judg-ment 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 ten (10) to fifteen (15) 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 (MA with equivalent experience) in a technical, development, business and/or financial management discipline is required.

3. Alliance Building Skills (25 points) The successful candidate will demonstrate through past work experience strong ability to forge alliances with private partners while integrating new technologies and innovations into development-related 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.

4. Communications and Interpersonal Skills (25 points)

The incumbent will also require excellent communication, 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. 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.

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. 386-11-103

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.

U.S. Agency for International Development American Embassy Chanakyapuri New Delhi 110 021 Tel: 91-11-24198000 Fax: 91-11-24198612 www.usaid.gov/in image1.png