SOLICITATION NOTICE
99 -- Senior Technical Advisor (Health Office Director) - Solicitation
- Notice Date
- 4/25/2018
- Notice Type
- Combined Synopsis/Solicitation
- NAICS
- 541990
— All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
- Contracting Office
- Agency for International Development, Overseas Missions, South Africa USAID-Pretoria, USAID - Southern Africa, Pretoria, Non-U.S., South Africa
- ZIP Code
- 00000
- Solicitation Number
- 72067318R00002
- Archive Date
- 5/26/2018
- Point of Contact
- Caroline Sello, Phone: 0027124522059
- E-Mail Address
-
ssello@usaid.gov
(ssello@usaid.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- Competitive 8(a)
- Description
- Senior Technical Advisor (Health Office Director) I. GENERAL INFORMATION 1. SOLICITATION NO: 72067318R00002 2. ISSUANCE DATE: April 26, 2018 3. CLOSING DATE/TIME FOR RECEIPT OF OFFERS: May 25, 2018 4. POSITION TITLE: Senior Technical Advisor (Health Office Director) 5. MARKET VALUE: $105,123.00 - $136,659.00 equivalent to GS-15 Final compensation will be negotiated within the listed market value. 6. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: One year, with the possibility of extensions pending need, performance and funding, not to exceed a total of five (5) years. 7. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: Windhoek, Namibia 8. SECURITY LEVEL REQUIRED: Secret Level 9. STATEMENT OF DUTIES I. Introduction Despite the status and the strength of the formal economy, 29% of Namibians live in poverty and HIV/AIDS remains a significant source of morbidity and mortality, draining national and international resources for health. A weak education system, historically rooted social inequalities, and the devastating impacts of HIV/AIDS and TB epidemics have resulted in a youthful country with one of the highest income disparities in the world and an official unemployment rate of nearly 30 percent. Urbanization is increasing as mostly young, unskilled Namibians abandon the difficulties of rural life to seek employment in the capital or coastal towns. The President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) is the primary component of the United States Government’s (USG) support to the Government of the Republic of Namibia’s (GRN) health sector, launched in 2003. The USG has supported the GRN and Namibian civil society with over USD 1 billion towards the strengthening of health systems to provide quality HIV treatment, care and prevention services. Due to the changing resource environment, USG development assistance has focused solely on the HIV epidemic after 2010. In 2013, the U.S. Secretary of State and the President of the Republic of Namibia announced a joint intention to strengthen efforts to achieve epidemic control and an AIDS-free generation through a Country Health Partnership (CHP). The CHP reaffirms shared responsibility, mutual accountability and budget transparency of PEPFAR-funded programs in Namibia. The PEPFAR Program’s goal is to position the GRN to assume full responsibility for the funding, planning and management of its HIV program. Although the GRN, in close partnership with USAID, PEPFAR partners, and other donors, has made substantial gains in the battle against HIV and AIDS, significant work is needed. National adult prevalence stands at 15%, the 6th highest rate in the world. The GRN has limited capacity to address the healthcare worker shortage that persists, particularly in rural areas. GRN financing for HIV has increased since 2009-10 when GRN resources constituted slightly less than 50% of HIV resources, but currently, the GRN finances the majority of the HIV and AIDS response, contributing almost two-thirds of total funding. However, global financial trends and specific financial challenges in Southern Africa may put some of this commitment at risk going forward. GRN funds most inputs for HIV including ARVs, diagnostics (including CD4, Rapid Test Kits and viral load testing), and physicians and nurses providing services. Donor funding is in decline. This resource gap must be met by an increase in domestic funding or by improved efficiencies. In 2015, the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator Ambassador Deborah Birx announced a “Treatment Acceleration Plan” (TAP) for the PEPFAR program in Namibia, which committed US$34 million of funding (in addition to Country Operation Plan [COP] funds) to accelerate efforts over the next two years to contain the growing HIV crisis in the north and protect USG investments of almost US$1 billion. Additionally, this acceleration plan sought to ensure that planned reductions in PEPFAR funding were managed responsibly and without disruption to critical services. PEPFAR/Namibia’s goal is to position Namibia to assume full responsibility for the management of its HIV/AIDS program and redefine our partnership, with the GRN and USG jointly planning and monitoring PEPFAR programs under a Country Health Partnership, leading to epidemic control by 2021. However, in late 2015, announcement of a 50% budget cut to the MOHSS was made, greatly affecting the GRN’s capacity to maintain quality services and implement key activities including the TAP. USAID/Namibia is heavily engaged in planning and implementing a full range of HIV/AIDS programs, including prevention, TB/HIV prevention, treatment and care programs, orphan and vulnerable children (OVC) services, and health systems strengthening. In FY 2017, the value of the USAID HIV/AIDS and Health Office’s portfolio was approximately $35 million. The HIV/AIDS program is complex and integrated, requiring a delicate balance between the urgent need to redress the inequities of the past, the budgetary and implementation constraints of the present, and the magnitude and severity of the HIV/AIDS epidemic with 14.0% prevalence and approximate TB co-infection rate of 60%. The Health Office has grown rapidly from 10 staff in 2015 to 19 staff in 2017; the Office collaborates closely with other United States Government (USG) agencies to implement the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), especially the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Health Office staff are active participants in PEPFAR policy and program design, and often chair interagency technical working groups on a range of health-related issues. PEPFAR Namibia is oriented toward strategic partnership with all levels of the Government of the Republic of Namibia (GRN), with an emphasis on epidemic control, health systems strengthening, and cost efficiencies for a sustainable HIV response. The Government of Namibia is the custodian of the national HIV response and PEPFAR is the key partner in the goal of an AIDS-free generation. The PEPFAR program is managed by a small, dynamic interagency office comprised of USAID, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Peace Corps, and the U.S. Departments of State and Defense. USAID implements approximately 50% of the PEPFAR portfolio in Namibia; in particular, USAID brings expertise in: commodities and logistics; community based services; building the community health extension worker force; orphans and vulnerable children and youth services; key populations; TB/HIV integration; private sector engagement; and health systems strengthening. USAID’s expertise and long-term vision of development is needed to ensure full country ownership and sustainability.
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