USPSC - OTI Senior Transition Advisor - Worldwide (Intermittent)

SOLICITATION NUMBER: 72C0T123R00025 

SYNOPSIS ISSUANCE DATE: October 3, 2023  

SUBJECT: Synopsis/Pre-Solicitation for U.S. Personal Service Contractor (USPSC)

Dear Prospective Offerors:

The United States Government (USG), represented by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), is planning to seek offers from qualified U.S. citizens to provide personal services as a Senior Transition Advisor under a personal services contract, as described in the forthcoming solicitation.

Submittals must be in accordance with the forthcoming information at the place and time specified. 

For further information, please see the forthcoming solicitation, or contact the OTI Recruitment Team. 

OTI Recruitment Team

E-Mail Address: OTIjobs@usaid.gov

Website: www.OTIjobs.net

Sincerely,

Jaclyn Humphrey 

Supervisory Contracting Officer

500 D St. SW  

Washington, D.C.  20547

I. GENERAL INFORMATION

1. ACTION CODE: P (pre-solicitation)

2. SOLICITATION NO.: 72C0T123R00025 

3. SYNOPSIS ISSUANCE DATE: October 3, 2023

4. CLOSING DATE AND TIME FOR RECEIPT OF OFFERS: October 18, 2023, 1:00 pm Eastern Time

5. POINT OF CONTACT: OTI Recruitment Team, e-mail at OTIjobs@usaid.gov.

6. POSITION TITLE: Senior Transition Advisor

7. MARKET VALUE: This position will be filled at the GS-15 ($117,518 - $152,771) equivalent level, non-locality pay. Salaries over and above the pay range will not be entertained or negotiated.

Final compensation will be negotiated within the GS-15 equivalent level based upon the selected offeror’s salary history, qualifications, previous relevant experience and work history, and educational background as reported on the AID 309-2. For selected offerors whose salary has been established on a Federal pay scale (i.e. General Schedule) or its equivalent, the base salary (not including locality pay) of their grade/step will be the basis of the salary negotiation. 

The final salary will be negotiated at a step on the General Schedule (Base) Salary Table articulated as an annual rate amount; however, as an intermittent position, the PSC hired under this contract will provide a maximum of 250 workdays of services on an annual basis (see Section I, item 6, Period of Performance). The selected offeror will be eligible for applicable allowances as described in Section VI on the same basis as U.S. government employees while on temporary duty in foreign areas. As this is a worldwide, non-locality position, incumbents who do not live in the DC metropolitan area will be provided with travel and/or per diem if they are required to work in Washington, DC. 

8. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: One (1) year, with four (4) one-year option periods

9. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: Worldwide

10. ELIGIBLE OFFERORS: United States Citizens

11. SECURITY LEVEL REQUIRED: Secret

POSITION DESCRIPTION

BACKGROUND

USAID’s Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI) is seeking highly motivated, highly qualified individuals who want the opportunity to help support rapid international transition programs for priority conflict-prone countries. Created in 1994 as a distinct operating unit within USAID, OTI helps local partners advance peace and democracy in politically-transitioning countries. In support of U.S. foreign policy, OTI seizes emerging windows of opportunity in the political landscape to promote stability, peace, and democracy by catalyzing local initiatives through adaptive and agile programming.

Countries experiencing a significant political transition in the midst of a disaster or emerging from civil conflict have unique needs that cannot be fully addressed by traditional disaster relief.  Timely and effective assistance to promote and consolidate peaceful, democratic advances can make the difference between a successful or a failed transition.  OTI assists in securing peace by aiding indigenous, mostly non-governmental, civil society and media organizations.  OTI uses such mechanisms as support for re-integration of ex-combatants into civilian society; development of initiatives to promote national reconciliation; identification of quick-impact community self-help projects to meet urgent economic needs; and aid to independent media outlets and community-based organizations to help promote informed debate and broaden public participation.

To respond quickly and effectively and meet its program objectives and mandate OTI retains a group of high level professionals and experts under U.S. Personal Services Contracts (USPSCs). These knowledgeable and skilled professionals make up the vast majority of the OTI work force and are at its forefront implementing and achieving the office’s programmatic goals and objectives. There are several benefits that USPSCs may participate in, such as partial reimbursement for health and life insurance costs, as well as full coverage of workers’ compensation, among other benefits. For more complete information on USPSC benefits, please see Section VI in the forthcoming solicitation.

INTRODUCTION

The Senior Transition Advisor is a member of USAID’s Bureau for Conflict Prevention and Stabilization (CPS)/OTI Field Programs Division (FPD), and is considered an expert in the field of political transition programming overseas with strong program management, budgetary and operational skills. The Senior Transition Advisor is an intermittent and senior-level position in support of OTI’s numerous field programs, including ad hoc support for assessments, country start-ups, program implementation and close-outs. You are involved in the strategic design of OTI country programs, the development of management products based on lessons learned, and will support the training and mentoring of field and DC-based staff. The complex demands of this position requires overseas travel with short notice, and the ability to respond to immediate and challenging managerial, operational, and security issues. You must be prepared to work and collaborate with senior officials from other international organizations, bilateral donors, and non-governmental organizations important to OTI’s programs and objectives, with an in-depth knowledge of international relations.

BASIS OF RATING: 

Offerors who clearly meet the Education/Experience Requirements and Selection Factors set forth in the coming solicitation will be further evaluated based on scoring of the Evaluation Factor responses. Offerors who meet these minimum qualifications will be reviewed against set Evaluation Factors, describing specifically and accurately what experience, training, education and/or awards they have received that are relevant to each factor. Failure to specifically address the Selection and/or Evaluation Factors may result in your not receiving credit for all of your pertinent experience, education, training and/or awards. 

The most qualified offerors may be interviewed, required to provide a writing sample, and demonstrate an ability to operate commonly used office applications. OTI will not pay for any expenses associated with the interviews. In addition, offers (written materials and interviews) will be evaluated based on content as well as on the offerors writing, presentation, and communication skills. In the event that an offeror has fully demonstrated their qualifications and there are no other competitive offerors, OTI reserves the right to forgo the interview process. Professional references and academic credentials will be evaluated for offerors being considered for selection. Offerors must submit at least three (3) professional references, one (1) of which must be a current or former supervisor. OTI reserves the right to contact previous employers to verify employment history.  If the offeror had a previous position with USAID, the TEC and/or CO are encouraged to obtain reference checks from the previous supervisor(s) or CO(s). See ADS 309.3.1.11.a.4

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.

Offeror Rating System - 70 Points

Interview Performance – 30 points 

Satisfactory Professional Reference Checks – Pass/Fail (no points assigned)

Total Possible Points: 100