SOLICITATION NOTICE
R -- USPSC - Senior Internal Displacement and Protection Advisor
- Notice Date
- 10/11/2006
- Notice Type
- Solicitation Notice
- NAICS
- 921190
— Other General Government Support
- 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-OAA-DCHA-DOFDA-07-031
- Response Due
- 11/13/2006
- Archive Date
- 11/14/2006
- Description
- SOLICITATION NUMBER: M/OAA/DCHA/DOFDA-07-031 ISSUANCE DATE: October 11, 2006 CLOSING DATE: November 13, 2006 5:00PM DST LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: SUBJECT: Solicitation for Personal Services Contractor (PSC) - Senior Internal Displacement and Protection Advisor The United States Government, represented by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), is seeking applications from qualified U.S. CITIZENS ONLY interested in providing PSC services as described in the attached solicitation. Applicants interested in applying for this position MUST submit the following materials: 1) Complete and hand-signed federal form OF-612. 2) Supplemental document specifically addressing the five (5) Quality Ranking Factors (QRFs) shown in the solicitation. No exceptions to the minimum document submission requirements will be allowed. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. Applications that are incomplete or received without a handwritten signature and supplemental QRF document will not be considered for the position. Applicants are responsible for submitting materials that are in accordance with the attached information at the place and time specified. There will be no exceptions. Applicants should retain for their records copies of all enclosures which accompany their applications. Any questions on this solicitation may be directed to: Amy Feldman or Mike Jones Telephone Number: (202) 661-9377 or (202) 661-9366 E-Mail Address: sridp@globalcorps.com Website: www.globalcorps.com Facsimile: (202) 315-3803 or (240) 465-0244 All applications should be submitted to: GlobalCorps 1201 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Suite 200 Washington, DC 20004 E-Mail Address: sridp@globalcorps.com Facsimile: (202) 315-3803 or (240) 465-0244 Sincerely, Yvonne Wilson Contracting Officer 1. SOLICITATION NUMBER: M/OAA/DCHA/DOFDA-07-031 2. ISSUANCE DATE: October 11, 2006 3. CLOSING DATE/TIME: November 13, 2006 5:00PM DST 4. POSITION TITLE: Senior Internal Displacement and Protection Advisor 5. MARKET VALUE: GS-14 ($91,407 - $118,828 per year) 6. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: 2 years, renewable up to 5 years 7. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: Washington, DC 8. SECURITY ACCESS: Secret 9. AREA OF CONSIDERATION: Open to all U.S. Citizens POSITION DESCRIPTION BACKGROUND The Senior Internal Displacement and Protection Advisor will play a central role in the development of policy and strategies for humanitarian assistance to internally displaced persons (IDPs) and other designated vulnerable groups for the Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA). The Senior Internal Displacement and Protection Advisor will be a member of the Technical Assistance Group. Located within the Disaster Response and Mitigation Division (DRM), the Technical Assistance Group (TAG), was created in order to provide OFDA with a skilled cadre of technical experts in a variety of fields relevant to its disaster relief mandate. TAG is sub-divided into various groups that address Food Security, Shelter and Settlements, Health, Most Vulnerable Populations, and Natural Hazards groups. The incumbent will also play a central role in the implementation of the USAID's IDP and protection policies and coordination within USAID, and in conjunction with other U.S. Government (USG) agencies, donors, and non-governmental partners. The Senior Internal Displacement and Protection Advisor will have substantial knowledge of current development and disaster theory and research regarding IDPs and protection, and practical experience in the field, working with private voluntary organizations (PVOs), non-governmental organizations (NGOs), or international organizations (IOs) at resettlement or disaster response locations. INTRODUCTION OFDA is the office within the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) that is responsible for providing non-food humanitarian assistance in response to international crises and disasters. OFDA is part of the Bureau for Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance (DCHA). OFDA is organized into three divisions, under the management of the Office of the Director. The DRM Division is responsible for coordinating with other organizations for the provision of relief supplies and humanitarian assistance. OFDA/DRM also devises, coordinates, and implements program strategies for a variety of natural and human-caused disaster contexts. OFDA/DRM employs sector specialists to provide technical expertise in assessing the quality of disaster response. The Program Support Division (OFDA/PS) provides programmatic and administrative support including budget/financial services, procurement planning, contracts and grants administration, and communication support for OFDA's Washington and field offices. The Operations Division (OFDA/OPS) develops and manages logistical, operational, and technical support for disaster responses and administrative support to all offices and operations. OFDA/OPS maintains readiness to respond to emergencies through several mechanisms, including managing Search and Rescue (SAR) Teams, the Disaster Assistance Support Program (DASP), Disaster Assistance Response Teams (DARTs), and Washington-based Response Management Teams (RMTs). OFDA is mandated to respond rapidly to emergencies, providing assistance to those populations that have been uprooted from their homes, known as internally displaced persons. There are an estimated 25 million people displaced throughout the world. Internally displaced persons often are among the neediest and most vulnerable populations in a disaster situation. They are separated from their houses and property, their lands, and sometimes their families, torn from their livelihoods. OBJECTIVE The Senior Internal Displacement and Protection Advisor will be assigned to the TAG and will work closely with the staff of the Office of the Director. The incumbent will be a senior advisor to OFDA on policy and program issues regarding protection, IDPs and other vulnerable populations. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES The position involves providing expert analytical and advisory support for the planning, development and execution of USAID policy and programs within a broad and complex geographic and functional specialty area. This requires applying a rigorous analytical approach to data that is often vague, unsubstantiated or contradictory. The work is complicated by the need to provide expert advice and guidance to the decisions and actions of senior policy officials, and to quickly, accurately and decisively determine the significance of information to the policy interests of the USG. As part of this effort, the advisor must be able to rapidly identify and anticipate problem issues, help formulate strategic and programming priorities, and write under tight deadlines to produce widely disseminated analytical products that represent official assessments of complex issues as well as keep the policy-making and foreign affairs communities continuously informed of new issues and developments. The work requires extremely strong writing and verbal skills. Collaboration with other offices, bureaus and agencies within and outside of the USG is also critical to this position. Contacts will be with the Department of State and USAID employees at all levels, personnel at U.S. posts worldwide, senior analysts and officials in other agencies, congressional staff, experts, United Nations (UN) staff, representatives of other donor governments, consultants, researchers and educators, and officials of non-governmental organizations. Contacts occur in a wide variety of planned and unplanned, formal and informal settings in Washington, foreign capitals, and in the field. The Senior Internal Displacement and Protection Advisor will participate in open meetings and conferences where s/he may be called upon to explain and defend USAID activities/approaches with regard to internal displacement and protection. Specific duties and responsibilities are as follows: * Serve as an authoritative source of information on and analysis of internal displacement and protection issues for OFDA. Provide leadership for the identification, research, analysis and development of recommendations on all issues and matters relating to protection, IDPs and other vulnerable populations; * Help coordinate development of clear and articulate policy on internally displaced persons and protection issues for OFDA and USAID in general. Make decisions and provide guidance that significantly affect OFDA and Agency IDP and protection policies; * Serve as a key member of and provide guidance and direction to the DCHA Protection Working Group; * Prepare OFDA senior management and DCHA senior leadership, where necessary, to speak on IDP and Protection issues before UN bodies, NGOs, Congress and other parts of the USG; * Develop and maintain cooperative working relationships with UN agencies and relevant USG offices and serve as an expert point of contact for these groups in the area of protection and IDPs; * Coordinate and provide front line communication with the State Department's Bureau for Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM) regarding the development of strategies addressing displaced populations; * Respond to relevant congressional and public inquiries and speak to various visiting groups about protection and displaced persons; * Improve awareness and expertise of OFDA staff on IDP and protection issues. Assist OFDA with better integration of IDP needs and protection issues into normal humanitarian relief, transition, and developmental programs; * Coordinate with the OFDA Technical Assistance Group's IDP/Protection Specialist and with the Humanitarian Coordination Specialist within the Office of the Director in the development of IDP and protection policies, strategies, and program standards; * Based on analysis and research, clarify and define USAID's leadership role within the USG in relation to IDP issues, including providing country-specific recommendations on how to address IDP needs; * Coordinate with the various DCHA offices, including the Office of Transitions Initiatives (OTI), Office of Food for Peace (FFP), Office of Democracy and Governance (DG), Office of Conflict Management and Mitigation (CMM) and Office of Program, Policy, and Management (PPM) on IDP and Protection issues; * Work with counterparts in other donor organizations to exchange information, establish meetings, solicit publications, and collect information on training opportunities regarding IDPs; and coordinate these activities with relevant DCHA offices; * Articulate IDP and protection policies to personnel within OFDA, the DCHA Bureau, USAID Missions and other USAID Bureaus, and to other U.S. Government agencies, other donors, and implementing partners, through participation in conferences, speaking engagements, and field visits; * Participate in OFDA grant review process as needed, including reviewing partner proposals and providing technical recommendations; * Assist OFDA staff to translate policies and strategies into effective programming, as needed; * Represent USAID on multi-donor missions to emergency situations in the field; * Travel to the field as needed, sometimes on short notice, for possible durations of several weeks; * Serve as OFDA Duty Officer on a rotational basis; * Serve as a member of the Washington-based Response Management Team (RMT), which provides services and support to Disaster Assistance Response Teams (DARTs) deployed in response to disasters. The duties on the Response Management Team will be varied. SUPERVISORY RELATIONSHIP: The Senior Internal Displacement and Protection Advisor will report to the Technical Assistance Group Team Leader, within the Disaster Response and Mitigation Division, and will coordinate on a regular basis with the staff of the Office of the Director. SUPERVISORY CONTROLS: Overall assignments are made in terms of broadly defined functions. The Senior Internal Displacement and Protection Advisor will independently plan the scope and objective of projects under the general guidance of those listed above subject to general agency policies and operating requirements. The Senior Internal Displacement and Protection Advisor will assume responsibility for planning, coordinating and carrying out projects and keeping all relevant stakeholders informed. BASIC REQUIREMENTS AND SELECTIVE FACTORS: (Determines basic eligibility for the position. Candidates who do not meet all of the basic qualifications and selective factors are considered NOT qualified for the position.) Bachelor's degree with significant study in or pertinent to the specialized field including, but not limited to, international relations, international law, economics, anthropology or a related field, and nine (9) years of professional experience working within a USG foreign affairs agency, PVO/NGO and/or international organization in humanitarian assistance and/or immediate post-conflict environments with a focus on displaced persons, which must include five (5) years of on-the-ground field experience. OR Advanced degree with significant study in or pertinent to the specialized field including, but not limited to, international relations, international law, economics, anthropology or a related field, and seven (7) years of professional experience working within a USG foreign affairs agency, PVO/NGO and/or international organization in humanitarian assistance and/or immediate post-conflict environments with a focus on displaced persons, which must include four (4) years of on-the-ground field experience. AND * US Citizenship; * Complete and hand-signed federal form OF-612; * Supplemental document specifically addressing the Quality Ranking Factors (QRFs); * Ability to obtain a Secret level security clearance; * Ability to obtain a Department of State medical clearance; and * Satisfactory verification of academic credentials. QUALITY RANKING FACTORS: (Used with interview performance and reference check results to determine the ranking of qualified candidates in comparison to other applicants. The factors are listed in order of importance from highest to least.) QRF #1 Describe your work experience serving as an expert point of contact and source of information on internal displacement and protection issues; such experience should include direct examples of instances in which you provided leadership for the identification, research, analysis and development of recommendations and policies on all issues and matters relating to IDP and humanitarian protection (i.e., forced displacement, forced return, reintegration, shelter, health, and food). QRF #2 Describe your professional experience providing analytical and advisory support for the planning, development, and execution of policy and strategies in the area of humanitarian protection and internally displaced persons (IDPs). QRF #3 Describe your direct experience working in conjunction with U.S. Government (USG) agencies (i.e., USAID, Department of State), donors (i.e., UN, donor governments), and non-governmental partners to exchange information, and develop and implement IDP and protection policies and programs. QRF #4 Describe your oral and written communication skills articulating IDP and protection policies through activities such as participation in conferences, speaking engagements and field visits; and production of widely disseminated analytical products assessing complex issues. QRF #5 Describe two instances that best reflect your ability to educate and support fellow team members and others on humanitarian protection and IDP issues and policies. BASIS OF RATING: Applicants who meet the Basic Requirements and Selective Factors will be further evaluated based on scoring of the Quality Ranking Factor (QRF) responses. Those applicants determined to be competitively ranked may also be evaluated on interview performance, satisfactory professional reference checks, and a writing sample. Applicants are required to address each of the QRFs on a separate sheet describing specifically and accurately what experience, training, education and/or awards they have received that are relevant to each factor. Be sure to include your name, social security number and the announcement number at the top of each additional page. Failure to address the selective and/or quality ranking factors may result in your not receiving credit for all of your pertinent experience, education, training and/or awards. The Applicant Rating System is as Follows: QRFs have been assigned the following points: QRF #1 - 15 points QRF #2 - 12 points QRF #3 - 10 points QRF #4 - 8 points QRF #5 - 5 points Interview Performance - 20 points Writing Sample - 15 points Satisfactory Professional Reference Checks - 15 points Total Possible Points: 100 WHERE AND HOW TO APPLY: Qualified individuals are required to submit: 1. A complete U.S. Government Optional Form 612 with hand-written signature (downloadable forms are available on the USAID website, http://www.usaid.gov/procurement_bus_opp/procurement/forms or internet http://fillform.gsa.gov or at Federal offices) or www.globalcorps.com. 2. Supplemental document specifically addressing the five (5) Quality Ranking Factors (QRFs) shown in the solicitation. 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. Via mail: GlobalCorps, 1201 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20004 Via facsimile: (202) 315-3803 or (240) 465-0244 Via email: sridp@globalcorps.com The most qualified candidates may be interviewed. OFDA will not pay for any expenses associated with the interviews. Candidates interviewed will be required to provide a writing sample on a specific topic within a 24 hour period. Professional references and academic credentials will be evaluated for applicants being considered for selection. NOTE: If a temporary secret security clearance and State Department Medical Clearance are not obtained within nine months, the offer may be rescinded. NOTE REGARDING GOVERNMENT OBLIGATIONS FOR THIS SOLICITATION 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 application. NOTE REGARDING DATA UNIVERSAL NUMBERING SYSTEM (DUNS) NUMBERS All individuals contracted as US PSCs are required to have a DUNS Number. USAID will provide a generic DUNS Number and PSCs are not required to register with CCR. For general information about DUNS Numbers, please refer to FAR Clause 52.204-6, Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) Number (10/2003) http://acquisition.gov/comp/far/current/html/52_200_206.html#wp1137568 LIST OF REQUIRED FORMS FOR PSCs Forms outlined below can found at: http://www.usaid.gov/forms/ or at http://www.forms.gov/bgfPortal/citizen.portal 1. Optional Form 612. 2. Medical History and Examination Form (DS-1843). ** 3. Questionnaire for Sensitive Positions (for National Security) (SF-86), or ** 4. Questionnaire for Non-Sensitive Positions (SF-85). ** 5. Finger Print Card (FD-258). ** 6. Employment Eligibility Verification (I-9 Form). ** ** Forms 2 through 6 shall be completed ONLY upon the advice of the Contracting Officer that an applicant is the successful candidate for the job. CONTRACT INFORMATION BULLETINS (CIBs) and ACQUISITION & 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 http://www.usaid.gov/business/business_opportunities/cib/subject.html#psc to determine which CIBs and AAPDs apply to this contract. BENEFITS/ALLOWANCES: As a matter of policy, and as appropriate, a PSC is normally authorized the following benefits and allowances: BENEFITS: Employer's FICA Contribution Contribution toward Health & Life Insurance Pay Comparability Adjustment Annual Increase Eligibility for Worker's Compensation Annual & Sick Leave ALLOWANCES (if Applicable).* (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), and (J) Danger Pay (Section 650). * Standardized Regulations (Government Civilians Foreign Areas). FEDERAL TAXES: USPSCs are not exempt from payment of Federal Income taxes. ALL QUALIFIED APPLICANTS WILL BE CONSIDERED REGARDLESS OF AGE, RACE, COLOR, SEX, CREED, NATIONAL ORIGIN, LAWFUL POLITICAL AFFILIATION, NON-DISQUALIFYING HANDICAP, MARITAL STATUS, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, AFFILIATION WITH AN EMPLOYEE ORGANIZATION, OR OTHER NON-MERIT FACTOR.
- Place of Performance
- Address: Washington, DC
- Zip Code: 20004
- Country: UNITED STATES
- Zip Code: 20004
- Record
- SN01163766-W 20061013/061011220027 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
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