SOLICITATION NUMBER: 111-1204-005 Gentlemen/Ladies: SUBJECT: Solicitation for Personal Services Contractor (PSC) for Social Sector Advisor The United States Government, represented by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), is seeking applications (SF 171 or OF 612) from U.S. Citizens interested in providing the PSC services described in the attached. Please send applications to: Nooneh Haroutunian HR Specialist/EXO 7020 Yerevan Place Washington, DC 20521-7020 Or By e-mail to:
[email protected] Or By FAX to: Attn – Nooneh Haroutunian ( 374-1) 54 38 71 (Armenia) Submissions shall be in accordance with the attached information at the place and time specified and must be received at USAID/Armenia by COB January 10, 2005. Any questions may be directed to Bradford Palmer, Supervisory EXO, USAID/Armenia who may be reached at FAX No. (374-1) 54 38 71 (Yerevan, Armenia), or via e mail to:
[email protected]. Offerors should retain for their records copies of all enclosures which accompany their proposals. Application forms: USG Standard Form 171 or Optional Form 612 can be located at the USAID website: http://www.usaid.gov/procurment bus opp/procurement/forms. APPLICANTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO PROVIDE A COVER LETTER ADDRESSING HOW THEY MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE POSITION. Sincerely, Bradford Palmer Supervisory EXO USAID/Armenia SOCIAL SECTOR ADVISOR USAID/ARMENIA YEREVAN, ARMENIA 1. SOLICITATION NUMBER: 111-1204-005 2. ISSUANCE DATE: December 27, 2004 3. CLOSING DATE/TIME SPECIFIED FOR RECEIPT OF APPLICATIONS: January 10, 2005 4. POSITION TITLE: Social Sector Advisor 5. MARKET VALUE: $74,335 through $96,637 (equivalent to a GS - 14) 6. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: two years 7. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: USAID/Armenia/DSRO 8: POSITION DESCRIPTION: I. Background Due to the immediate and dramatic needs of Armenia following its declaration of independence in 1991, USAID’s interventions in the social and health sectors focused initially on the provision of emergency humanitarian assistance. Throughout the Mission’s 1999-2003 strategy, USAID/Armenia refocused its humanitarian assistance programs towards longer-term development efforts in the social and health areas. Under the new country strategy (FY2004-2008), USAID/Armenia’s Democracy and Social Reform Office (DSRO) oversees work of three Strategic Objectives (SOs): democracy/governance (SO 2.1), health (SO 3.2), and social protection (SO 3.4). The “improved social protection” strategic objective will be achieved through three intermediate results (IRs): improved social assistance services for targeted populations, reduced need for government subsidies, and established operationally viable social insurance systems. The new strategy does not represent an abrupt break with past activities, but rather a forward-looking, results-oriented and longer-term development focus that is based on solid evidence of past results, lessons learned, evolving needs and new technologies. For health and social protection activities, there has been a smooth transition as the Mission’s new strategy went into effect in October 2003. Many of the previously-established activities are being continued, others have been refined and modified, and those which have reached their goals were closed out. The Ministry of Labor and Social Issues, the primary host government ministry with which the Advisor is expected to interact, is like most Government of Armenia (GOAM) entities, weak institutionally, resource poor, and suffers from severely inadequate budget levels. This grim reality underscores the need for social sector reforms leading to the development of sustainable systems for social insurance, welfare and pensions for the most vulnerable populations within this country, where an estimated 55 percent of the population lives below the poverty line. II. Duties and Responsibilities The Social Sector Advisor will serve as the Team Leader for the SO 3.4 team. The incumbent will advise on general responsibilities to meet USAID’s strategic goals, provide policy guidance, and review work in terms of overall accomplishment of desired results. The Advisor is expected to function as a senior professional, and carry out his/her work with minimal supervision, providing technical guidance to FSN staff, other contractors, partners and customers in the development, implementation and monitoring/evaluation of program activities. The Social Sector Advisor will be expected to draw upon experiences from a wide range of disciplines in performing his/her duties. New activities in the social sector area are expected to be fully integrated with other strategic priorities in the Mission’s portfolio, including economic development, short-term employment generation, civil service reform, alternative service provision, and local government/non-governmental organization development. The Advisor will be required to provide accurate and informed advice to the Mission Management and key counterparts on the full range of social sector issues with particular emphasis on policy reform. She/He will provide leadership in the technical and policy reform area to Mission Management, Foreign Service National (FSN) staff, partners, counterparts and customers. The counterparts and customers will look to the Advisor to present viable and pertinent options to social sector issues. The incumbent has the following duties and responsibilities: • The Advisor will provide substantive technical and advocacy leadership for USAID/Armenia’s social transition program. This will include, but not be limited to: 1) identifying achievable development results in collaboration with USAID customers; 2) establishing dialogue with and obtaining/maintaining support from partners, customers and stakeholders; 3) obtaining Washington agreement on development results and related financing; and 4) obtaining Mission level approvals for initiating development activities. • The Advisor will facilitate achievement of social transition program goals to ensure that planned development results are achieved in a highly efficient, timely manner, consistent with USAID regulations and policies. This includes the planning, management, reporting and budgeting responsibilities for SO 3.4 activities. • The Social Sector Advisor will be responsible for ensuring the acceptable performance and completion of contract scopes-of-work (SOWs) for technical assistance and commodity procurement, terms of reference (TORs), work plans, delivery orders, budget tasks, and specifications by the short and long-term technical advisors as well as institutional contractors. He/she will make periodic project site visits and write reports with observations and recommendations. • The Advisor will meet with host country officials and customers to determine needs for assistance in the sector, as well as meet periodically with other donors to report and coordinate programs and activities. The Advisor will be responsible for identifying opportunities for USAID/Armenia to leverage other donor resources in support of USAID/Armenia’s social sector reform agenda. • She/he will assist in the development of a program of training and exchanges for social sector policy makers and professionals in Armenia. • The Advisor will be responsible for the recruitment, training and career development of competent social sector development FSN professionals, as required. • Other job-related duties as assigned. III. Supervisory Controls This position will be supervised by the Director, Office of Democracy and Social Reform or his/her designee. IV. Skills and Qualifications The candidate must demonstrate the following competencies: Education—20 points: • An in-depth knowledge of the concepts, principles, techniques, and practices of a professional field, in or directly related to the social sector, in particular social insurance, social assistance, and education; • A Masters degree or equivalent academic training in a related field, e.g., social, economic, education or health sciences, is required; Prior Work Experience—25 points: • Ten or more years of progressively responsible experience in designing, implementing, and managing social protection programs in an international context, or a similar amount of experience working in closely related activities that would have provided the applicant with an understanding of social sector reform and program implementation. • Experience with the design, management and implementation of donor-financed social development programs in Eastern Europe and/or the Former Soviet Union is preferred. Complexity—25 points: • Demonstrated project development and management skills; • The ability to obtain, evaluate, and interpret factual data and prepare precise accurate, and complete reports as needed to assist in project development and implementation efforts is required; • Skill in operating various computer software programs is needed to compile/analyze data; Interpersonal Skills—20 points: • Demonstrated ability to work within a team framework and positive interpersonal skills are required; • S/he must be able to operate effectively as a supervisor and team leader, with the ability to motivate, guide, and manage; • Human resource management skills to oversee and evaluate the performance of multi-disciplinary teams of technical advisors and institutional contractors; Languages—10 points: • Excellent English communication skills, both oral and written, are required; • A working knowledge of Russian and/or Armenian language is highly desirable. AS A MATTER OF POLICY, AND AS APPROPRIATE, A PSC IS NORMALLY AUTHORIZED THE FOLLOWING BENEFITS: (Under Automated Directives Systems (ADS) http://www.usaid.gov/ads.html 1. BENEFITS Employee's FICA Contribution Contribution toward Health & Life Insurance Pay Comparability Adjustment Annual Increase Eligibility for Worker's Compensation Annual & Sick Leave 2. 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). 3. CONTRACT INFORMATION BULLETINS (CIBs) PERTAINING TO PSCs 01-10 Revision of Medical Clearance Process – Personal Services Contract with U.S. Citizens 00-08 Revision of Competitive Process-PSC with U.S. Citizens 00-05 PSC Annual Health Insurance Costs 00-03 2000 FICA and Medicare Tax Rates for Personal Services Contracts (PSCs) 00-02 Latest ES-06 Maximum Pay Rate 99-22 PSC Policy 99-7 Contractual Coverage for Medical Evacuation (MEDEVAC) Services 98-24 Use of Compensatory (Comp) Time by PSCs 98-23 Guidance Regarding Classified Contract Security and Contractor Personnel Security Requirements 98-16 Annual Salary Increase for USPSCs 98-14 Change in Required Application Form for USPSCs 98-3 Class Deviation to 31.205-6(g)(3), Foreign National Severance Pay Under Professional Services Contracts 97-16 Class Justification for Use of Other Than Full & Open Competition for Personal Services Contracts with U.S. Citizens Contracted with Locally with CCNs and TCNs Subject to the Local Compensation Plan, and for Overseas Contracts of $250,000 or Less 97-3 New USAID Contractor Employee Physical Examination 96-23 Unauthorized Provision in Personal Services Contract 96-19 U.S. Personal Services Contract (USPSC) - Leave 96-8 Determining a Market Value for PSCs Hired Under Appendix D, Handbook 14 94-9 Sunday Pay for U.S. Personal Services Contractors (PSCs) 93-17 Financial Disclosure Requirements Under a Personal Services Contract (PSC) LIST OF REQUIRED FORMS FOR PSCs 1. Standard Form 171 or Optional Form 612. 2. Contractor Physical Examination (AID Form 1420-62)** 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)** * Standardized Regulations (Government Civilians Foreign Areas). ** The forms listed 2 through 5 shall only be completed upon the advice of the Contracting Officer that an applicant is the successful candidate for the job. Subject to Funds Availability