SOURCES SOUGHT
R -- Senior Advisor on Trade
- Notice Date
- 4/28/2004
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541990
— All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
- Contracting Office
- Agency for International Development, Washington D.C., USAID/Washington, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Room 7.10-006, Washington, DC, 20523
- ZIP Code
- 20523
- Solicitation Number
- M-OP-04-1135
- Response Due
- 5/12/2004
- Point of Contact
- Jonathan Palmer, Procurement Analyst, Phone 202-712-5844, Fax 202-216-3052, - Cherie Hunter, Negotiator, Phone 202-712-5006, Fax 202-216-3052,
- E-Mail Address
-
jpalmer@usaid.gov, chunter@usaid.gov
- Description
- SOLICITATION NUMBER: M/OP-04-1135 ISSUANCE DATE: April 28, 2004 CLOSING DATE: May 12, 2004, 3:00pm SUBJECT: Solicitation for U.S. Personnel Service Contractor (PSC) for Senior Advisor on Trade (GS 15 equivalent) in the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Bureau for Economic Growth, Agriculture and Trade (EGAT) in Washington, D.C. Ladies/Gentlemen: The United States Government, represented by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), is seeking applications (Standard Form 171 or Optional Form 612 only) of qualified individuals from U.S. Citizens interested in providing Personal Services Contract (PSC) services for Office of Economic Growth, Bureau for Economic Growth, Trade and Investment. The position is articulated in the attached solicitation. Submittals shall be in accordance with the attached information at the place and time specified. Application forms, U.S. Government Standard Form (SF) 171 or Optional Form (OP) 612, can be located at: http://www.usaid.gov/procurement_bus_opp/procurement/psc_solicitation/forms.html Send one set of U.S. Government SF 171 or OP 612 only; any additional documentation other than these forms will not be accepted (i.e. resumes, CV's, and lists). Incomplete or unsigned applications shall not be considered. These signed forms must be mailed, delivered, faxed, or emailed (email applications must be signed) to: Mr. Jonathan Palmer U.S. Agency for International Development Office of Procurement, M/OP/HRAM/AFM RRB, Room 7.10-024 1300 Pennsylvania Ave, NW Washington, D.C. 20523-7100 Any questions should be directed to Mr. Palmer who may be reached by fax (202) 216-3052 or email at jpalmer@usaid.gov. Applicants should retain for the record copies of their submitted applications. Sincerely, Sheila Bumpass Contracting Officer Senior Advisor on Trade Trade and Investment Team Office of Economic Growth Bureau for Economic Growth, Trade and Investment I. Introduction The Office of Economic Growth (EG) provides technical leadership and field support to advance the state-of-the-art in economic growth, the benefits of economic openness on growth, and the competitiveness of countries in a globalized economy. The incumbent serves on EG?s Trade and Investment Team as an advisor on issues related to trade and development in the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, particularly the development of trade capacity, WTO accession and compliance, trade policy reform, regulatory reform to encourage private investment and trade, trade facilitation technology and standards, customs, finance, infrastructure, and the environment. The Advisor coordinates closely with officials of U.S. Government agencies on trade and development and the trade capacity building component of U.S. trade policy. The Advisor assists in the acquisition by missions and the Europe and Eurasia Bureau (E&E) of appropriate expertise to design, implement, and evaluate trade capacity-building efforts. The Advisor ensures that USAID's programs on trade are consistent with best practice and activities are well coordinated and coherent. The Advisor provides support to EG/TI on trade-related matters and works under the direction of the Trade and Investment Team Leader. II. Duties and Responsibilities 1. Advises Agency personnel on issues related to trade and development and trade capacity in Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union (E&E countries). In collaboration with the E&E Bureau and its overseas missions, formulates a program of research and field support that improves Agency understanding of how to resolve problems encountered as transition country governments strive to participate in the global trading system and to improve the competitiveness of their economies. Develops clear technical guidelines for designing, implementing, and evaluating programs of trade, capacity building, 2. Assists EG/TI members manage funds, contracts and assistance agreements on trade and trade capacity-building activities. Provides these individuals with such administrative or technical services and support as they may request or require. 3. Regularly tracks the impact of mission and E&E Bureau activity supporting trade. Reports on the utilization and impact of these activities in the Annual Report and other publications of EGAT. Periodically conducts (or causes to be conducted) evaluations of specific trade capacity building programs, with the intent of identifying ?best practices? from the experience. 4. Coordinates programs with other USG agencies (especially USTR, State, Treasury, and Commerce) and international organization such as the World Bank, WTO, ITC and OECD/DAC. Networks with other development professionals engaged in advising on the design, implementation, or evaluation of trade capacity-building efforts. Ensures that lessons learned by other donors are understood by USAID and applied as "best practices." 5. Develops information on trade capacity-building in E&E countries that enables the U.S. private sector to better understand the opportunities and difficulties that progress or lack of progress in such capacity may create in these countries. Provides information to Congress on request and in support of mission and regional bureau requests for funding for trade capacity-building initiatives. Working with colleagues in EGAT, the Bureau for Program and Policy Coordination, and the E&E Bureau, highlights the trade capacity-building efforts that have been particularly significant. Ensures broad dissemination of this information. 6. Participates in design and review of country program strategies and activities to ensure that private sector and business development programs take into account the experience of the Agency with regard to trade and trade capacity building. Provides support on strategy and program development, as requested, especially where trade-related actions are an important element of Mission objectives. Prepares briefing papers on trade-related matters as requested. III. Factors Used in Evaluation A. Factor 1: Knowledge Required by the Position Incumbent should have knowledge of economic growth processes; an understanding of the role that markets and competitive enterprises play in increasing efficiency and productivity; and a solid understanding of the way that institutions function in developing and transition economies. Special knowledge of the field of trade is required. Such knowledge shall include, inter alia, an understanding of: the theory and practice of different approaches to trade, trade policy, regulation, and markets; regional integration and customs unions; the application of different concepts of comparative and competitive advantage; linking different approaches to the structuring of markets to the design of a trade capacity building program; the operation of financial markets, especially as they facilitate the flow of capital in support of cross-border trade and investment; and the global institutional infrastructure that makes and enforces the rules for the global trading system. Knowledge about and ability to mobilize a wide variety of foreign and domestic resources and expertise in the broad area of economic growth as well as in the specialized area of trade capacity building. Ability to direct research and evaluation efforts that will generate, and lead to the Agency adoption of, best practices in the area of trade capacity-building and to relate these best practices to the overall development of economic growth, private and financial sector development, and business development strategies. Ability to coordinate a variety of priority actions simultaneously, to analyze, plan and define objectives, and to predict possible impact of actions in such as way as to motivate changes in approach or funding, as applicable. Ability to motivate individuals to work together and share information that will lead to problem-solving. B. Factor 2: Skills and Experience The incumbent should possess a graduate degree in a specialty such as economics, business administration, or law, ideally, with a minimum of five to seven years of experience in the design. implementation, monitoring, and/or evaluation of trade-related activities. Experience should demonstrate familiarity with foreign assistance programs in developing or transition economies and the ability to conduct high-level advisory work on trade. C. Factor 3: Supervisory Controls Receives policy direction and oversight from the Trade and Investment Team Leader, but must show the ability to work independently in the planning, design, and execution of activities and programs. Incumbent is expected to show initiative in responding to priorities and meeting deadlines. D. Factor 4: Guidelines Guidelines include foreign assistance legislation, federal statutes, and USAID policies, criteria and directives relating to development programs and specifically to economic growth and trade. Occasionally, documentation and evaluation of prior program activities in the same general field may be consulted. Other guidelines include provisions in the Federal Acquisition Regulation and AIDAR relating to contracts and the guidance of USAID's Office of Procurement relating to monitoring of contractor performance and determining allowable costs. E. Factor 5: Complexity Incumbent must show creativity, extraordinary political sensitivity, and analytical ability in resolving activity issues and in supporting complex economic growth programs. Incumbent must keep abreast of state-of-the-art information on economic growth and trade and be able to communicate such information to others in written and spoken form. A critical part of the job is to support EGAT/EG/TI in managing funds, contracts, and assistance agreements on trade-related matters. F. Factor 6: Scope and Effect The incumbent's work influences the direction of Agency economic growth activities and components of U.S. trade policy. The results of this work and the directions set by incumbent affect the actions of USAID cooperating agencies, USAID missions, host country institutions, and complementary efforts of other international organizations. G. Factor 7: Personal Contacts Personal contacts are both within and outside of the agency. USAID contacts include senior officials in Washington bureaus and overseas missions. External contacts include representatives of international assistance organizations, business associations, officials of other U.S. Government agencies, foreign government and private sector officials, and consultants and contract professionals. H. Factor 8: Physical Demands Office work is primarily sedentary and no special physical demands are required. TDYs require physical stamina to cope with demanding travel schedules and jet lag, long work hours, and variable accommodations. I. Factor 9: Work Environment Work is performed in a typical office setting, or in conference or meeting rooms. Office pressures include meeting deadlines and adjusting to changing priorities. Incumbent may be required to undertake TDYs, possibly to areas of physical hardship and danger. IV. SKILLS, QUALIFICATIONS, AND SELECTION CRITERIA A. Skills and Qualifications An ability to negotiate at the highest levels and provide assistance under sensitive political, economic and social demands of E&E countries with special attention to cultural awareness is imperative. 1. Applicants for this position are expected to hold a graduate degree in business administration, finance, economics, or related fields. 2. Because this position is a senior advisory position in a highly technical area, a specialized background is required. The qualified person must have at least seven years of hands-on business and business consulting experience at a senior level and must have significant experience in emerging or developing economies, preferably in the Europe and Eurasia region. 3. Applicants are expected to have a solid familiarity 1) with the impact of the severing of trade relations among the countries after the break up of the USSR and of the Warsaw Pact; with the efforts and the challenges to reestablishing these relationship countries; with the efforts of the countries involved , of the EU and of others including the USG to contribute to this effort and to build trade capacity in the region, as well as 2) with the challenges involved in creating the conditions for domestic and foreign direct and indirect investment in the region, and with efforts of the stakeholders to create the conditions for investment; and the experience of other countries and regions in this work. This experience will have been gained as a practioner and/or academic. 4. Command of Trade and Investment concepts, principles, products and modalities is required, as well as an understanding of the risks and opportunities of different developmental approaches to this work is required. 5. Knowledge of Russian, one of the core country languages in E&E, and practical, job related experience in the region is desirable, but not necessary. B. Selection Criteria The Senior Trade and Investment Advisor GS 15 PSC selection criterion will be scored as follows: 1. 55 points: Relevant trade and investment development experience, 2. 10 points: E&E regional (CEE and/or NIS) and/or emerging/developing economies experience and education, 3. 10 points: International technical assistance experience including knowledge of effective donor trade and investment programs and competitiveness programs and 4. 25 points: Interpersonal, negotiation, and organizational and managerial skills. C. Basis of Evaluation - Two tier process Tier 1: applicants will be evaluated on the extent and quality of their experience, education, and accomplishments as they relate to this position as determined by selection criteria 1, 2 and 3 above based on your OF 612/SF 171 and resume for a maximum total score of 70 points. These factors are considered essential for successful job performance and will be used as the basis for determining the strongest technical candidates who will be short-listed for interviews. Those applicants deemed to be in the competitive range would be short-listed for interviews. Tier 2: those who meet these minimum qualification requirements will be further evaluated in an interview. Up to 30 points may be awarded for interpersonal, negotiation, organizational and managerial skills centered on: 1. Ability to deal with associates and representatives of foreign governments, congressional staff members, private sector and other government agencies. 2. Ability to effectively communicate analytical information in writing. 3. Ability to effectively communicate information orally. 4. Ability to plan, evaluates, and directs program activities as a team leader or member. 5. Ability to effectively manage stress of others and yourself.
- Place of Performance
- Address: Washington, D.C. and limited international travel
- Zip Code: 20523
- Country: USA
- Zip Code: 20523
- Record
- SN00575113-W 20040430/040428221350 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps.gov Link to This Notice
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