Solicitation for U.S. Personal Services Contractor (USPSC) Senior Humanitarian Advisor, GS-13/14

Country: Kenya

Organization: US Agency for International Development

Closing date: 7 Mar 2023

GENERAL INFORMATION

1. 
   SOLICITATION NO.: 72061523R00006


2. 
   ISSUANCE DATE: February 8, 2023


3. 
   CLOSING DATE/TIME FOR RECEIPT OF OFFERS: March 7, 2023, at 04:30 p.m. (Nairobi Time)


4. 
   POINT OF CONTACT: Executive Office/Human Resources, Patrick Bii pbii@usaid.gov and Noel sikasa nsikasa@usaid.gov
   


5. 
   POSITION TITLE: Senior Humanitarian Advisor, GS-13/14


6. 
   MARKET VALUE: This position has been designated as a "tandem/ladder" position that, depending on the qualifications of the candidate, can be filled at either the GS-13 ($84,546 - $109,908 per annum) or GS-14 ($99,908 - $129,878 per annum. The highest level of this position is a GS-14. Final compensation will be negotiated within the listed market value of the GS-13 or GS-14 level depending on qualifications, previous relevant experience and work history, salary and educational background. USPSCs performing overseas are not entitled to Locality Pay.


7. 
   PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: Mogadishu, Somalia with possible travel as stated in the Statement of Duties. Overseas USPSCs may be authorized to telework or remote work only from a location within the country of performance, in accordance with Mission policy. Telework or remote work from outside the country of performance may only be authorized in certain situations in accordance with the terms and conditions of the contract.


8. 
   PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: Two years with three one-year options subject to funding and contractor performance of satisfactory or better.


9. 
   ELIGIBLE OFFERORS: U.S. Citizens and/or U.S Resident Aliens[1]. Citizenship, if dual, must be clearly stated.


10. 
    SECURITY LEVEL REQUIRED: Secret


11. 
    STATEMENT OF DUTIES
    

Background/Introduction

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID)’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) is responsible for facilitating and coordinating U.S. Government (USG) humanitarian assistance overseas in response to all types of international disasters, including slow-onset disasters such as droughts or famine, natural disasters such as earthquakes or floods, or human-made disasters such as conflict or war. BHA is responsible for planning, coordinating, developing, achieving, monitoring, and evaluating international humanitarian assistance falling into two conceptual areas:

• 
  Humanitarian Response activities comprise needs-based humanitarian assistance provided to save lives, alleviate suffering, and protect human dignity during and in the aftermath of emergencies. Humanitarian assistance is grounded in humanitarian principles and is directed toward the most vulnerable populations.


• 
  Early Recovery, Risk Reduction, and Resilience (ER4) activities will set the initial foundations for longer-term recovery as appropriate, and will work in close conjunction with humanitarian assistance. Early recovery is an approach that supports communities impacted by crises to protect and restore basic systems and service delivery. Early recovery builds on humanitarian response efforts and establishes the initial foundations of long-term recovery. Early recovery activities are implemented for a specified, appropriate timeframe that assists populations recovering from an identifiable shock. Risk reduction is the prevention of new and reduction of existing disaster risk and management of residual risk, which contributes to strengthening resilience and to the achievement of sustainable development. Resilience is the ability of people, households, communities, countries, and systems to mitigate, adapt to, and recover from shocks and stresses in a manner that reduces chronic vulnerability and facilitates inclusive growth.

BHA has seven offices, as follows:

The Bureau’s three geographic offices are: (1) Office of Africa; (2) Office of Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean; and (3) the Office of the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe. Each geographic office designs, provides, and assesses humanitarian assistance for their respective regions, including assistance related to responding to, recovering from, and reducing the risk of human-made and natural disasters, while linking with other USAID investments that build resilience.

The Office of Global Policy, Partnerships, Programs, and Communications (G3PC) shapes and influences USAID’s role within the international humanitarian system; leads engagement on a range of policy, programmatic, and operational issues; and positions the Agency to influence collective response to emergency needs across the globe.

The Office of Technical and Program Quality (TPQ) leads the Bureau's efforts to provide high-quality programmatic and technical leadership, oversight, and guidance. In addition, TPQ leads the Bureau’s external engagement with academia and coordinates research to advance the effectiveness, efficiency, and impact of humanitarian and multi-year programming.

The Office of Humanitarian Business and Management Operations (HBMO) is responsible for maintaining 24/7 operability by providing leadership, planning, quality assurance, technical expertise, and process management. HBMO ensures effective stewardship of the Bureau’s support services, including workforce planning, staffing, financial management, internal controls, facilities operations, and infrastructure.

The Office of Field and Response Operations (FARO) leads and manages operational assistance and the purchase and delivery of goods and services in response to declared foreign disasters and international humanitarian needs in key functional areas, including supply-chain management, procurement, logistics, oversight, and operational coordination with the U.S. military.

INTRODUCTION

BHA is committed to fostering an equitable and inclusive workplace with a diverse workforce. BHA encourages qualified candidates of all races/ethnicities, genders, cultural backgrounds, abilities, and socioeconomic statuses to apply.

The Office of Africa designs, provides, and assesses humanitarian assistance, including assistance related to responding to, recovering from, and reducing the risk of human-made and natural disasters, while linking with other USAID investments that build resilience. To achieve these objectives, humanitarian experts based overseas coordinate with local authorities and USAID Missions, while humanitarian experts based in Washington coordinate with USAID Regional and Pillar Bureaus. The Office of Africa consists of five (5) geographic divisions: East Africa; Central Africa; Sudans; West Africa; and Southern Africa. These divisions are responsible for the provision of emergency humanitarian assistance through grants and cooperative agreements to non-governmental organizations (NGOs); international organizations (IOs) including United Nations (UN) agencies; and to other partners to ensure the implementation and delivery of this assistance. These divisions also oversee BHA Office of Africa’s nonresponse efforts in disaster risk reduction (DRR), resilience, and humanitarian transition.

To fulfill its mandate, and to effectively respond to disasters worldwide, BHA has established six regional offices in the following locations: San Jose, Costa Rica; Nairobi, Kenya; Dakar, Senegal; Pretoria, South Africa; Budapest, Hungary and Bangkok, Thailand. BHA also has other, smaller sub-regional and program offices around the world.

OBJECTIVE

USAID/BHA requires the services of Senior Humanitarian Advisor (SHA), based in Mogadishu, Somalia, to ensure that BHA’s objectives for disaster assistance, risk reduction, strategic reporting, interagency coordination, and situational analysis are met in Somalia and surrounding countries in the region.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

With strong coordination and collaboration with the Somalia humanitarian team based in Nairobi, Kenya, the SHA will lead efforts to identify and assess new humanitarian assistance requirements, target beneficiary groups and locations, oversee the general direction of existing relief and transition and resilience-oriented programs, and broadly recommend the types of interventions and budget levels required in Somalia. The SHA will serve as a point of contact in-country for BHA for humanitarian issues and serve as a liaison on program issues among USAID mission staff, the U.S. Embassy and other U.S. Government (USG) agencies, U.S. military representatives, BHA/Washington and the overall humanitarian community.

Under the supervision of the Somalia Team Lead in Nairobi and with reporting responsibilities to the Somalia Mission Director, the individual will be responsible for the following:

At the GS-13 Equivalent Level

Contextual Specialty

• Develop and maintain knowledge of the key humanitarian, resilience, and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) issues within Somalia.


• Maintain an in-depth understanding of political, humanitarian, organizational, and stakeholder interests specific to Somalia.


• Monitor incipient disasters, international disaster response plans and efforts, and major humanitarian issues and challenges in the area of responsibility through a wide range of USG and international sources.


• Identify humanitarian issues, priorities, lessons learned, and opportunities within and relevant to Somalia and apply those to program strategy development and implementation.


• Provide substantive assistance in the preparation of regular strategic and analytical reports on current or anticipated emergencies, as well as comprehensive preparedness documentation on Somalia, under the direction of the BHA Somalia Team Lead in Nairobi.

Portfolio Management

• Primary focus is to provide full time in-country coordination and management of USAID humanitarian emergency and resilience programming. This will be achieved through regular coordination and consultation with several BHA Somalia teams in Nairobi and the Sudans, East and Central Africa Regional Office (SECARO).


• Serve as the primary point of contact for BHA programming in Somalia.


• With strong coordination and collaboration with the Somalia humanitarian team based in Nairobi, the incumbent will support efforts to identify and assess new humanitarian assistance requirements, target beneficiary groups and locations, oversee the general direction of existing relief and transition and resilience oriented programs, and broadly recommend the types of interventions and budget levels required in Somalia.


• Closely collaborate with Mission colleagues on program coordination to share information, avoid overlap, and explore opportunities for synergies and resilience efforts, ensuring the BHA Somalia Team in Kenya is consulted throughout. Maintain ongoing dialogue with BHA SECARO and Washington Team Leads for Somalia on these efforts.


• Monitor ongoing humanitarian assistance efforts in Somalia. Liaise with partners and other donors, coordinate closely with SECARO, and provide coordinated field feedback to the partners.


• In consultation and collaboration with the BHA Somalia Team in Kenya, coordinate collection of information and provide updates and recommendations through written reports on issues related to the humanitarian situation, including the following:
  
  • Capacity and ability of UN, IOs, NGOs, and local institutions to carry out programs;
  
  
  • Capacity of the logistics infrastructure to support programs;
  
  
  • Security situation of beneficiaries, personnel, convoys, and relief operations in general; o Role of in-country UN leadership and the UN Mission in Somalia in facilitating humanitarian assistance;
  
  
  • Contributions by other donors, problems arising from implementation of relief and reintegration programs, and any other issues that require the attention of BHA and USAID/Somalia; and
  
  
  • Humanitarian coordination issues and any recommendations for change.
  
  


• In consultation and collaboration with the Nairobi-based humanitarian team, provide guidance to organizations that are developing proposals for BHA, based on “BHA’s Emergency Application Guidelines, as appropriate.


• In collaboration with the Nairobi-based humanitarian team, review concept papers and proposals and provide timely recommendations/comments to BHA/Washington and the SECARO.


• In collaboration with the Nairobi-based humanitarian team, ensure reporting on a timely basis to BHA Washington and SECARO on the quality of grantees’ work, noting deficiencies, attributes, and evolving operational conditions.


• Along with the Nairobi-based humanitarian team, maintain regular, close coordination and communication with the SECARO and BHA headquarters in Washington, D.C.


• Participate in discussions on the current and future directions of BHA’s Somalia portfolio to include programmatic, budgetary, and human resource requirements.

Representation

• Work closely with the SECARO on developing BHA Somalia’s policy and program positions, seeking BHA Somalia Team Lead guidance, input, and clearance wherever possible.


• Provide regular situation updates to the USAID Mission Front Office, and ensure the Front Office remains abreast of any major changes, shocks, or challenges with the humanitarian programming in Somalia.


• Consult with the SECARO prior to senior level meetings with USG and other humanitarian stakeholders. Based on these consultations, represent USAID’s humanitarian portfolio in-country at senior level meetings within the USG and with humanitarian stakeholders, and convey humanitarian concerns and priorities from the BHA perspective through oral and written briefings.


• Participate in policy development meetings such as:
  
  • Meetings with individual and groups of implementing partners discussing programmatic priorities, objectives, progress, results, and challenges;
  
  
  • Discussions, meetings, and papers informing USG foreign policy in areas with humanitarian concerns or impacts; and implementing partner coordination forums.
  
  


• Serve as a point of contact in-country for BHA for humanitarian issues, and serve as a liaison on program issues among USAID mission staff, the U.S. Embassy and other USG agencies, military representatives, BHA/Washington and the overall humanitarian community.


• Present USAID’s humanitarian perspectives to NGOs, IOs, and UN agencies relating to humanitarian assistance strategies and priorities, including USAID’s approach to sustainable, resilience-oriented humanitarian programs. Work closely with the Somalia Team Lead and BHA’s technical advisors to consult on and understand sectoral priorities.


• Coordinate the representation of USG humanitarian interests at national and international meetings and conferences with the SECARO.


• Facilitate travel and briefings for official USG visitors to Somalia interested in humanitarian issues.

General Duties

• Serve in planning or program positions on response teams and assessment teams within and outside the region.


• Sign up for and serve as needed on Washington-based Response Management Teams (RMTs), which provide services and support to Disaster Assistance Response Teams (DARTs) deployed in response to disasters. The duties on RMTs will vary.


• Serve as the BHA after-hours duty officer on a rotational basis for approximately one week every six months.


• As needed, serve on DARTs which may require immediate (within 24 hours) deployment overseas for an extended period of time.


• As needed, may serve on temporary detail within the office to meet operational needs during staff shortages, not to exceed six months. Duties performed while on detail will be aligned with the Team’s existing duties and responsibilities and will be directly related to the scope of work provided.


• Become certified and serve as an Agreement Officer’s Representative/Contracting Officer’s Representative (AOR/COR), as assigned. The AOR/COR provides financial and programmatic oversight of all aspects of managing the agreement or contract; this includes but is not limited to reviewing invoices, requests for approvals, program/project deliverables (i.e. work plans, annual reports, month status reports), travel requests, key personnel requests, and financial/budget reports. They are responsible for drafting and submitting the annual contractor performance evaluation in Contract/Assistance Performance Assessment Review System (CPARS/APARS). They prepare and review contract/assistance modifications documentation and assist the Contracting/Agreement Officer to ensure performance is compliant with the terms and conditions of the contract/agreement, the FAR, and USAID policy. AOR/CORs are responsible for all related requirements set forth in the COR designation letter and the AOR designation letter.

At the GS-14 Equivalent Level

Offeror’s selected at the HA (GS-13) may have an opportunity for advancement to the SHA (GS-14) equivalent after at least two years at the GS-13 level if the individual receives a recommendation from the supervisor for advancement along with an Exceeds Fully Successful performance evaluation. Advancement to the GS-14 level is not guaranteed.

Contextual Specialty

• Develop and maintain knowledge of the key humanitarian, resilience, and DRR issues within Somalia.


• Maintain an in-depth understanding of political, humanitarian, organizational, and stakeholder interests specific to Somalia.


• Monitor incipient disasters, international disaster response plans and efforts, and major humanitarian issues and challenges in the area of responsibility through a wide range of USG and international sources.


• Identify humanitarian issues, priorities, lessons learned, and opportunities within and relevant to Somalia and apply those to program strategy development and implementation.


• Prepare and/or provide substantive assistance in the preparation of regular strategic and analytical reports on current or anticipated emergencies, as well as comprehensive preparedness documentation on Somalia.

Portfolio Management

• With strong coordination and collaboration with the Somalia humanitarian team based in Nairobi, the incumbent will lead efforts to identify and assess new humanitarian assistance requirements, target beneficiary groups and locations, oversee the general direction of existing relief and transition and resilience-oriented programs, and broadly recommend the types of interventions and budget levels required in Somalia.


• Closely collaborate with Mission colleagues on program coordination to share information, avoid overlap, and explore opportunities for synergies and resilience efforts. Maintain ongoing dialogue with BHA SECARO and Washington Team Leads for Somalia on these efforts.


• Monitor ongoing humanitarian assistance efforts in Somalia. Liaise with partners and other donors, coordinate closely with SECARO, and provide coordinated field feedback to the partners.


• In consultation and collaboration with the Nairobi-based humanitarian team, coordinate collection of information and provide updates and recommendations through written reports on issues related to the humanitarian situation, including the following: o Capacity and ability of UN, IOs, NGOs, and local institutions to carry out programs; o Capacity of the logistics infrastructure to support programs;
  
  • Security situation of beneficiaries, personnel, convoys, and relief operations in general;
  
  
  • Role of in-country UN leadership and the UN Mission in Somalia in facilitating humanitarian assistance; and
  
  
  • Contributions by other donors, problems arising from implementation of relief and reintegration programs, and any other issues that require the attention of BHA and USAID/Somalia.
  
  


• Humanitarian coordination issues and any recommendations for change.


• In consultation and collaboration with the Nairobi-based humanitarian team, provide guidance to organizations that are developing proposals for BHA, based on BHA’s Emergency Application Guidelines.


• In collaboration with the Nairobi-based humanitarian team, review concept papers and proposals and provide timely recommendations/comments to BHA/Washington and the SECARO.


• In collaboration with the Nairobi-based humanitarian team, ensure reporting on a timely basis to BHA Washington and SECARO on the quality of grantees’ work, noting deficiencies, attributes, and evolving operational conditions.


• Along with the Nairobi-based humanitarian team, maintain regular, close coordination and communication with the SECARO and BHA headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Representation

• Represent USAID’s humanitarian portfolio in-country at senior level meetings within the USG and with humanitarian stakeholders, and convey humanitarian concerns and priorities from the BHA perspective through oral and written briefings.


• Coordinate policy development meetings such as:
  
  • Meetings with individual and groups of implementing partners discussing programmatic priorities, objectives, progress, results, and challenges; o Discussions, meetings, and papers informing USG foreign policy in areas with humanitarian concerns or impacts; and
  
  
  • Donor and implementing partner coordination forums.
  
  


• Serve as the principal point of contact in-country for BHA for humanitarian issues, and serve as a liaison on program issues among USAID mission staff, the U.S. Embassy and other USG agencies, military representatives, BHA/Washington and the overall humanitarian community.


• Present USAID’s humanitarian perspectives to NGOs, IOs, and UN agencies relating to humanitarian assistance strategies and priorities, including USAID’s approach to sustainable, resilience-oriented humanitarian programs. Work closely with the Regional Advisor and BHA’s technical advisors to discuss and understand sectoral priorities.


• Represent USG humanitarian interests at national and international meetings and conferences, and facilitate, as requested, travel and briefings for official USG visitors to Somalia interested in humanitarian issues.


• As the humanitarian specialist in Somalia, engage in U.S. Embassy policy conversations, remaining available to provide timely reporting and clearances in response to high-level USG queries originating from the region or from Washington, D.C. Leadership


• Provide recommendations on current and future directions of BHA’s Somalia portfolio to include programmatic, budgetary, and human resource requirements.


• Serve in a leadership role within USAID/Somalia, in coordination with Mission senior leadership, to incorporate humanitarian and resilience concerns into Mission activities and identify opportunities to leverage USAID interventions.

General Duties

• Serve in leadership, planning, or program positions on response teams and assessment teams within and outside the region.


• Sign up for and serve as needed on Washington-based RMTs, which provide services and support to DARTs deployed in response to disasters. The duties on RMTs will vary.


• Serve as the BHA after-hours duty officer on a rotational basis for approximately one week every six months.


• As needed, serve on DARTs which may require immediate (within 24 hours) deployment overseas for an extended period of time.


• As needed, may serve on temporary detail within the office to meet operational needs during staff shortages, not to exceed six months. Duties performed while on detail will be aligned with the Team’s existing duties and responsibilities and will be directly related to the scope of work provided.


• Become certified and serve as an Agreement Officer’s Representative/Contracting Officer’s Representative (AOR/COR), as assigned. The AOR/COR provides financial and programmatic oversight of all aspects of managing the agreement or contract; this includes but is not limited to reviewing invoices, requests for approvals, program/project deliverables (i.e. work plans, annual reports, month status reports), travel requests, key personnel requests, and financial/budget reports. They are responsible for drafting and submitting the annual contractor performance evaluation in Contract/Assistance Performance Assessment Review System (CPARS/APARS). They prepare and review contract/assistance modifications documentation and assist the Contracting/Agreement Officer to ensure performance is compliant with the terms and conditions of the contract/agreement, the FAR, and USAID policy. AOR/CORs are responsible for all related requirements set forth in the COR designation letter and the AOR designation letter.

[1] U.S. resident alien means a non-U.S. citizen lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States.

More detailed information can be found onhttps://sam.gov/opp/c52bde3530bf465796bf57a411bdb7f4/view

How to apply

SOLICITATION NO.: 72061523R00006

ISSUANCE DATE: February 8, 2023

CLOSING DATE/TIME: March 7, 2023, 04:30 p.m. (Nairobi Time)

SUBJECT: Solicitation for U.S. Personal Services Contractor (USPSC) Senior Humanitarian Advisor, GS-13/14

Dear Prospective Offerors:

The United States Government, represented by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), is seeking applications from qualified U.S. Citizens and/or U.S Resident Aliens to provide personal services under contract as described in this solicitation.

Offers must be in accordance with Attachment 1, Sections I through V of this solicitation. Incomplete or unsigned offers will not be considered. Offerors should retain copies of all Offer materials for their records.

USAID will evaluate all offerors based on the stated evaluation criteria. USAID encourages all individuals, including those from disadvantaged and under-represented groups, to respond to the solicitation.

Offerors interested in applying for this position MUST submit the following materials:

Complete resume. In order to fully evaluate your offer, your resume must include:

• Paid and non-paid experience, job title, location(s), dates held (month/year), and hours worked per week for each position. Dates (month/year) and locations for all overseas field experience must also be detailed. Any experience that does not include dates (month/year), locations, and hours per week will not be counted towards meeting the solicitation requirements.


• Specific duties performed that fully detail the level and complexity of the work.


• Names and contact information (phone and email) of your current and/or previous supervisor(s).


• Education and any other qualifications including job-related training courses, job-related skills, or job-related honors, awards or accomplishments.


• U.S. Citizenship.

Note: Your resume should contain explicit information to make a valid determination that you fully meet the experience requirements as stated in this solicitation for each grade level(s) for which you are applying. Offerors must specify in their offer materials whether they would like to be considered for the GS-13 or GS-14. Offerors who would like to be considered for both the GS-13 and GS-14 positions should submit separate offers specifying which grade level in the submission. Offerors will only be considered for the grade level specified in the submission. The offeror will be considered for the lower grade level if the offeror does not specify the grade level in the submission. Offerors who are unsure of which grade level they meet the minimum qualifications for should submit separate offers for the GS-13 and the GS-14 positions. This information should be clearly identified in your resume. Failure to provide explicit information to determine your qualifications for the position will result in loss of full consideration.

USPSC Offeror Information for Personal Services Contracts form AID 309-2. Offerors are required to complete and sign the form.

Supplemental document specifically addressing: Each of the three (3) Evaluation Factors shown in the solicitation. Responses must be limited to 500 words per factor. Any additional words above the limit will neither be read nor scored.

Applications must be submitted electronically via email to nairobipscjobs@usaid.gov by the closing date and time indicated above.

Offeror submissions must clearly reference the Solicitation number on all offeror submitted documents.

Ensuring Adequate COVID-19 Safety Protocols for Federal Contractors - The Offeror will be required to show proof that the Offeror is fully vaccinated against COVID-19 on or before the first date of onboarding, or submit an approved reasonable accommodation to the CO. If the contractor does not meet this requirement the contract may be terminated.

* See Notice Regarding Any Court Order Affecting the Implementation of E.O. 14042 in Section VIII below.

Offerors can expect to receive a confirmation email when offer materials have been received. Offerors should retain for their records copies of all enclosures which accompany their offers. 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 offer.