SOLICITATION NOTICE
R -- Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Systems Advisor - Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Systems Advisor
- Notice Date
- 6/5/2014
- Notice Type
- Combined Synopsis/Solicitation
- NAICS
- 541990
— All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
- Contracting Office
- Agency for International Development, Overseas Missions, Liberia USAID-Monrovia, USAID/Monrovia, Department of State, Washington, District of Columbia, 20521
- ZIP Code
- 20521
- Solicitation Number
- SOL-669-14-000007
- Point of Contact
- Sylvester s. Browne, Phone: 23177766402
- E-Mail Address
-
sbrowne@usaid.gov
(sbrowne@usaid.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Systems Advisor 1.SOLICITATION NUMBER: SOL-669-14-000007 2.ISSUANCE DATE: May 30, 2014 3.CLOSING DATE AND TIME: June 27, 2014 4.POSITION TITLE: Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Systems Advisor 5.MARKET VALUE OF POSITION: The position is the equivalent of a GS- 14, ranging from $85,544 to $111,203 per annum. Final compensation will be based on individual's salary and work history, experience and educational background. 6.EVALUATION FACTORS:Evaluation will be based on a 100-point Scale: Education (20 Points) Knowledge/Experience (40 Points) Skills and Abilities (40 Points) 7.PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE:Two years, with the possibility of extension pending need, performance and funding; not to exceed a total of five (5) years 8.PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: Monrovia, Liberia 9.SECURITY ACCESS: Employment Authorization 10.AREA OF CONSIDERATION: United States (US) citizens or U.S. Permanent Residents (non-U.S. citizen lawfully admitted for permanent residency) & Third Country Nationals (TCN) 11.STATEMENT OF WORK/POSITION DESCRIPTION: I. SCOPE OF WORK A. Introduction: USAID/Liberia works closely with the Government of Liberia (GOL) and strives to align program priorities with the country's priorities and goals. In the health sector, USAID's program supports the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MOHSW) to implement Liberia's ten-year National Health and Social Welfare Plan and Policy (NHSWPP), 2011-2021, which aims to improve the health status of all Liberians by increasing access to and utilization of quality services, decentralizing management and decision-making, and ensuring affordability of services. WASH interventions play key roles in environmental and community health programs under the strategy, and are integrated into USAID's community health programming. In addition to the MOHSW, USAID works with a range of other key national institutions and stakeholders to support implementation of Liberia's WASH Sector Strategic Plan for 2012-2017, including the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation (LWSC), Ministry of Public Works (MPW), county-level authorities, and NGOs. USAID's health program includes substantial support for WASH, which constitutes over one quarter of the Mission's annual budget of $46 million. Under USAID's Liberia Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) for 2013-2017, USAID's WASH investments are aligned around two key objectives: increasing access to safe water supply (IR 3.4) through improvements in infrastructure and management of service delivery, and improving WASH-related behaviors and practices (Sub IR 3.1.2) through community health interventions and increased access to sanitation. Liberia's WASH program is among the USAID's largest globally, and Mission investments are closely aligned with the USAID Water & Development Strategy 2013 as well as the USAID Forward reform agenda. Strengthening Liberian systems and institutional capacity to lead, manage, and sustain improvements in WASH is central to the Mission's approach, supporting the country's broader transition from recovery to sustained development. Current investments include major urban water infrastructure investments in three secondary cities, and improving WASH sector governance and management so that Liberian institutions (such as MPW and LWSC) are able to achieve and sustain increases in clean water access. B. Position Objective and Principal Tasks: The objective of this contract is to obtain the services of a WASH Systems Advisor to provide technical support to the USAID/Liberia Health Team for the implementation of the Mission's WASH program, particularly in the areas of water and sanitation sector governance and management, and infrastructure development, operation, and maintenance. The position will serve as one of two principal technical advisors for WASH in the USAID/Liberia Health Team, and work as part of the Mission's broader "WASH" team, which includes technical staff from various offices and units, including the mission Infrastructure Unit. The incumbent will work closely with the Health Team's Community Health Services Advisor, who is responsible for managing WASH interventions related to community-level hygiene and behavior change, and integration of these programs into broader health sector strategies and programs. The WASH Systems Advisor will complement these efforts by guiding the Health Team's water infrastructure development interventions - working closely with the Mission's infrastructure engineer - and managing Mission interventions, strategies, and programs related to institutional strengthening and systems development in the WASH sector (especially MPW and LWSC). The WASH Systems Advisor will provide technical direction and guidance to USAID-financed activities within the health portfolio around WASH and WASH water systems strengthening. S/he will have broad responsibilities for planning and managing USAID-financed programs including collaborating on strategic planning, activity design (including developing scopes of work and program descriptions for technical services), oversight of work plan development and activity implementation, periodic review of financial performance, and monitoring and evaluation of programs and activities that contribute to USAID's health and WASH portfolios. The incumbent will be responsible for working closely with the MOHSW, MPW, the Liberia Water and Sewer Cooperation (LWSC), and other national counterparts on WASH activities, serving as a technical advisor to local counterparts as well as USAID management. The WASH Systems Advisor will be the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) for the Liberia Municipal Water Project, and serve as technical advisor/activity manager to the Mission Engineer for WASH infrastructure construction projects to ensure they are part of a sustainable systems approach. S/he shall support the Mission in coordinating with other bilateral and multilateral donors working in the health and water sector in Liberia, as well as other U.S. Government (USG) entities working in the country. Additionally, the Advisor shall liaise with technical and administrative backstops in USAID/Washington as necessary. As a technical member of USAID/Liberia's Health Office, the WASH Systems Advisor is expected to work closely with various sub-sectoral teams in the Mission to plan and implement a broad range of programs. The incumbent will have broad latitude in exercising judgment and is responsible for carrying out the function of this position according to USG policies, professional knowledge, and operational best practices. The incumbent will serve as a member of the Health Systems Strengthening (HSS) Sub-Team, and report to the HSS Sub-Team Leader. The WASH Systems Advisor is expected to respond flexibly and capably to a wide-range of work-related requirements including Washington policy and operational requests, and ad hoc assignments as dictated by unforeseen operational requirements at the discretion of the HSS Sub-Team Leader. C. Duties and Responsibilities: The incumbent will fulfill a range of supervisory and oversight responsibilities, including program management and implementation, analytical, evaluative and a broad scope of administrative duties. Program management duties include technical leadership, as well as effective and efficient oversight and monitoring to ensure program performance, objectives and results are achieved in accordance to work plans and formal agreements. This includes stewardship over financial and other resources. The program management responsibility requires continued/regular contact with implementing partners (both contractors and grantees), GOL institutions and officials, civil society organizations, private and corporate sector partners, and donors. The responsibilities of the WASH Systems Advisor are prioritized as follows: 1.Technical and strategic support for strengthening WASH systems and WASH-sector governance (40%) •Advise the development and implementation of USAID's ongoing strategies and programs to establish and strengthen sustainable water and sanitation infrastructure and systems in Liberia. This will include a significant focus on institutional strengthening of the LWSC and other GOL counterpart institutions to successfully establish and sustainably manage major water infrastructure development activities contracted by USAID, often in areas where such institutional presence and/or capacity is currently lacking. •Devise and implement approaches to identify and address policy and institutional constraints that affect access and use of water in Liberia, and to strengthen national systems / policies related to as utility reform, institutional strengthening and governance, benchmarking, cost recovery and subsidy policies, accountability and transparency, and regulatory reform. •Promote collaboration and integration of USAID programs to support a "systems approach" to WASH that enhances Liberian ownership over WASH infrastructure and other interventions •Identify and coordinate among the various USG and internal USAID water and sanitation-related activities and players, such as the Food For Peace / Title II program. •Provide technical expertise and advice to MPW, LWSC, MOHSW and county level authorities as necessary to strengthen systems for implementing USAID-funded activities. Compile, analyze, and disseminate reports to USAID mission staff and USAID/Washington on WASH issues and accomplishments. 2.Partner Relationships (30%) •Advise and collaborate with technical staff and cognizant GOL officials at all levels on policy and programmatic issues related to WASH systems, management, and governance. Promote and maintain active USAID Mission engage with government, other donors and organizations involved in the sector within Liberia in order to promote collaborative planning toward long term sustainable solutions. •Establish and maintain productive collaborative relationships with a wide range of partners and stakeholders, the MOHSW, county governments, UN, other donors, and NGOs to maintain current knowledge of other donor programs and advise the Mission on ensuring that USAID's activities are collaborative and complementary. •Coordinate technical assistance to provide a supportive legal and policy environment that enables public health programs to operate at a high level of service. •Participate and contribute to technical and coordination meetings hosted by GOL counterparts and other partners. •Develop and implement strategies for improved networking by partners and sharing of best practices learned in the course of implementing health and WASH activities, in order to accelerate program implementation and impact. 3.Program Management and Oversight (30%) •Monitor financial, logistical and reporting aspects of USAID-supported programs, assuring compliance with USAID legal and reporting requirements. •Lead and participate in the design, management, and monitoring and evaluation of water programs and activities to ensure USAID's planned results and goals are achieved. This includes preparing statements of work or program descriptions, requests for proposals/applications, Acquisition and Assistance requests, decision memos, and other program documents, and guiding the development of workplans and technical documents by USAID and implementing partners •Complete certification requirements and become an AOR (Agreement Officer's Representative) or COR (Contract Officer's Representative) for the Liberia Municipal Water Project and other projects that may be assigned as needed; serve as co-activity manager / technical advisor to Mission engineering staff for ongoing infrastructure construction activities to ensure smooth implementation, and successful completion and transfer to GOL ownership in line with a sustainable systems approach to operations and maintenance •Ensure program implementation achieves planned results, document developmental impacts and resolve any implementation issues in an efficient and professional manner. This includes reviewing quarterly and annual program and financial reports from program partners, paying particular attention to the data pertaining to: oActivity performance indicators as identified within the Performance Management Plan (PMP) and Operational Plan; oProgram objectives achievement, methodology and lessons learned paying particular attention to inputs, output and expected outcomes including economic, social, cultural, and technical factors; oFinancial indicators (e.g., expenditures, burn rate/pipeline analysis and congruity of expenditures against activities; and oIncremental funding needs. •Participate in and/or coordinate and manage evaluations and assessments that are conducted in conjunction with GOL, international organizations, and/or other donors. Work closely with the USAID Liberia Office of Financial Management to review and assess monthly accruals and disbursements, and track funding pipelines to ensure compliance with the ADS guidelines. D. Position Title of Direct Supervisor: Systems Strengthening Sub-Team Leader, Health Team, USAID/Liberia (or designee) E. Supervisory Controls: Though not presently envisioned, the incumbent may supervise FSN health program managers as needed. II. QUALIFICATIONS: In order to be considered for this position, a candidate must meet the Required Minimum Qualifications listed below. Consideration and selection will be based on panel evaluation of the Required Minimum Qualifications and Evaluation Factors. Additionally, interviews and writing samples may be requested. Applicants are encouraged to address each of the criteria on a separate sheet describing specifically and accurately what experience, training, education, or awards that are relevant to each. Failure to address the minimum qualifications and evaluation factors may result in your not receiving credit for all pertinent experience, education, training, and awards. Required Minimum Qualifications: •Minimum of a graduate degree in a relevant discipline - e.g. public health, public administration/governance, management, or engineering, with a concentration of public health, international health, or other area related to WASH / WASH systems •Minimum 5 years progressively responsible experience international development with a focus on WASH preferred, with at least two years gained in a developing country context •Experience with governance and management issues in the WASH sector preferred, and experience with water infrastructure construction a plus •Experience in managing contracts / agreements for technical work or public health, with experience in construction contracts a plus •Written and spoken fluency in English is required •Familiarity with US government initiatives and legislation relating to development assistance and WASH; and with USAID programming policies, regulations, procedures, and documentation requirements for strategy and project design, implementation, management, and evaluation; are preferred
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/AID/OM/LIB/SOL-669-14-000007/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: U. S. Embassy, 502 Benson Street, Monrovia, Non-U.S., Liberia
- Record
- SN03387482-W 20140607/140605235924-26427133c4dee43147f47cea209dd16b (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
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