SOLICITATION NUMBER: 72066321R00006
ISSUANCE DATE: 12/22/2020
CLOSING DATE/TIME: 1/21/2021
SUBJECT: Solicitation for a U.S. Personal Service Contractor (USPSC) – Disaster Risk Management Coordinator
Dear Prospective Offerors:
The United States Government, represented by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), is seeking offers from qualified persons to provide personal services under contract as described in this solicitation.
Offers must be in accordance with Attachment 1 of this solicitation. Incomplete or unsigned offers will not be considered. Offerors should retain copies of all offer materials for their records.
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 offers.
Any questions must be directed in writing to the Point of Contact specified in the Attached 1.
Sincerely,
James Cerwinski
A/Supervisory Executive Officer
ATTACHMENT1 72066321R00006
The base period will be 03/01/2021 – 03/01/2023, estimated to start on 03/01/2021. Based on Agency need, the Contracting Officer may exercise (an) additional option period(s) for a time for three years for the date(s) estimated as follows:
Base Period:
03/01/2021 – 03/01/2023
Option Period 1:
03/01/2023 – 03/01/2024
Option Period 2:
03/01/2024 – 03/01/2025
Option Period 3:
03/01/2025 – 03/01/2026
For USPSC:
As a member of USAID/Ethiopia’s Office of Assets and Livelihoods in Transition (ALT), the incumbent will serve as the Disaster Risk Management (DRM) Coordinator to the Mission. The DRM Coordinator will provide strategic direction to USAID activities in support of U.S. foreign policy objectives, the USAID Country Development and Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) and the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (GOE)’s disaster risk management initiatives. The DRM Coordinator will be the primary point of contact for DRM matters in the ALT office, serve as the Disaster Risk Management Team Leader and Development Objective 1 lead, and will represent USAID/Ethiopia in broader donor and government fora covering DRM issues.
GOE DRM Overview
Ethiopia is vulnerable to recurrent and increasingly severe natural and manmade shocks and stresses. As a result, the GOE has multiple guiding documents for multi-hazard disaster risk management, mainly the National Policy and Strategy on Disaster Risk Management and DRM Strategic Programme and Investment Framework (DRM SPIF). Ethiopia also has a well-established national platform on DRM which is driven primarily by the National Disaster Risk Management Committee (NDRMC). NDRMC is responsible for coordination of emergency response and relief efforts (food and non-food) through a series of committees and task forces, as well as with other line ministries. Primarily this is through the DRM Technical Working Group (DRMTWG), a multi-stakeholder consortium of key government and non-government actors in the humanitarian and development sectors. The DRMTWG is linked to the Development Assistance Group and Ministry of Finance and Economic Development and Council of Ministers and aligns with the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness. NDRMC is also engaged in all aspects as the technical lead of the DRM cycle, including early warning, assessments, and internally displaced persons (multi-sectoral response)
More broadly, Ethiopia’s DRM efforts increasingly support and link to the country’s Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP[1]) and the annual humanitarian appeal (Humanitarian Response Plan , or HRP[2]). The DRM cycle of early warning, prevention & mitigation, preparedness, response, recovery, and rehabilitation spans the nexus between the development focused PSNP and the humanitarian HRD response. The incumbent will be the focal point in coordinating these efforts between USAID and the GoE.
USAID DRM Priorities
Against the backdrop of increasingly common billion-dollar humanitarian appeals, the USAID Mission in Ethiopia has programmed on average over $600 million in humanitarian assistance each year since FY16. In addition to humanitarian assistance, USAID/Ethiopia prioritizes strategic investments in disaster risk management to build systems and capacity at all levels (federal, regional, community, household) to effectively manage shocks, reduce humanitarian needs, and protect development gains. USAID activities are across the DRM spectrum – from disaster prevention, preparedness and response with institutional development, early warning systems, contingency planning, human resources and organizational capacity building, vertical and horizontal coordination systems, vulnerability and risk assessments to disaster mitigation and recovery cycles with climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction, food security, livelihoods, natural resource management systems, conflict mitigation and responsive health systems. Under the Bureau for Humanitarian Affairs, USAID DRM and humanitarian programs are now housed as one unit, and DRM principles and the application of a resilience lens cut across technical sectors and reflect the reality of vulnerability in Ethiopia.
B. ORGANIZATIONAL LOCATION OF POSITION:
The DRM Coordinator will be a part of USAID/Ethiopia’s ALT Office and serve as the DRM Team Leader. The DRM Coordinator will directly support senior Mission management as well as relevant offices in formulating and articulating appropriate DRM strategies, policies, and activities that: a) reduce vulnerability of chronic and transitory food-insecure households; b) address disaster prevention, preparedness, response, mitigation, and recovery; and c) build Ethiopia’s disaster risk management system. S/he will work with all appropriate Mission offices and contribute to related crosscutting theme activities, including Mission working groups. The incumbent will manage a team ( up to5 personnel) of DRM professionals
Specific responsibilities will include:
Technical Expertise (25%)
The Disaster Risk Management Coordinator directly reports the Deputy for Development Programs in the ALT Office at USAID/Ethiopia. As required, s/he will provide in-depth briefings on disaster risk management issues relating to the HRP and PSNP and aspects resilience programming for the Mission Director and Ambassador, as well as Mission staff. S/he may receive guidance from senior Mission management as the situation warrants. The DRM Coordinator will be expected to show strong independent initiative and work with minimal supervision
Supervise one (1) direct report.
The work requested does not involve undue physical demands.
Note: No in-person appointments or telephone calls will be entertained unless you are required to have more information about this solicitation.
Applications will be initially screened by the Human Resources Office to determine whether applicants have met the advertised minimum qualifications. A list of qualified applicants will be referred to the hiring office for further consideration and screening.
EDUCATION: A minimum of a master’s degree directly related to international development and/or assistance, public administration, business administration, agriculture, social protection, public health, food security and nutrition or another related field is required.
WORK EXPERIENCE: A minimum of seven years’ experience in humanitarian affairs, emergency preparedness, crisis/emergency relief management, project management, budget management, international development or related area is required.
The Government may award a contract without discussions with offerors in accordance with FAR 52.215-1. The CO reserves the right at any point in the evaluation process to establish a competitive range of offerors with whom negotiations will be conducted pursuant to FAR 15.306(c). In accordance with FAR 52.215-1, if the CO determines that the number of offers that would otherwise be in the competitive range exceeds the number at which an efficient competition can be conducted, the CO may limit the number of offerors in the competitive range to the greatest number that will permit an efficient competition among the most highly rated offers. The FAR provisions referenced above are available at https://www.acquisition.gov/browse/index/far. The TEC will conduct interviews with all offerors in the competitive range and provide the final rating and ranking of the offerors based on the interview. The CO will consider findings from the reference checks as part of the responsibility determination.
EDUCATION (15 points): A minimum of a master’s degree directly related to international development and/or assistance, public administration, business administration, agriculture, social protection, public health, food security and nutrition or another related field is required.
EXPERIENCE (25 points): A minimum of seven years’ experience in humanitarian affairs, emergency preparedness, crisis/emergency relief management, project management, budget management, international development or related area is required. Experience in the support of donor-government relations will be given extra weight. Experience designing and implementing food assistance, public health, social protection and gender mainstreaming considered a plus.
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TECHNICAL EXPERTISE (20 points): Demonstrated knowledge of and expertise in strategy, policy and programs related to humanitarian affairs, disaster risk management, resilience, emergency preparedness or crisis/emergency relief management. Specific expertise in designing, implementing, or monitoring activities at any point along the DRM cycle including humanitarian response. Specific experience with health and nutrition programming in either humanitarian or development settings.
PROGRAM COORDINATION (20 points): Demonstrated experience in operating effectively in cross-cultural environments and working with host country government officials and other donors and development partners. This includes experience in donor coordination, and/or ability to design, develop and manage programs, coordinate the work of multiple implementing partners, align programs with host country policies and programs, and/or support collaboration, learning and adapting among staff, implementing partners and host government officials.
COMMUNICATION and OUTREACH (20 points): Demonstrated experience in chairing and facilitating meetings and/or public speaking and presentation experience. Highlight relationship development, negotiation, advocacy, and consensus building experience with donors, development partners, and host government officials.
For your application to be considered, the following documents must be submitted:
Once the CO informs the successful Offeror about being selected for a contract award, the CO will provide the successful Offeror instructions about how to complete and submit the following forms.
As a matter of policy, and as appropriate, a PSC is normally authorized the following benefits and allowances:
Section numbers refer to rules from the Department of State Standardized Regulations (Government Civilians Foreign Areas)
USPSCs are required to pay federal income taxes, FICA, Medicare and applicable state income taxes.
USAID regulations and policies governing USPSC a wards are available at these sources:
LINE ITEMS
ITEM NO
(A)
SUPPLIES/SERVICES (DESCRIPTION)
(B)
QUANTITY
(C)
UNIT
(D)
UNIT PRICE
(E)
AMOUNT
(F)
0001
Base Period - Compensation, Fringe Benefits and Other Direct Costs (ODCs)
- Award Type: Cost
- Product Service Code: [e.g. R497]
- Accounting Info: [insert one or more citation(s) from Phoenix/GLAAS]
1
LOT
$ _TBD__
$_TBD at Award after negotiations with Contractor_
1001
Option Period 1 – Compensation, Fringe Benefits and Other Direct Costs (ODCs)
- Award Type: Cost
- Product Service Code: [e.g. R497]
- Accounting Info: [insert from Phoenix/GLAAS]
1
LOT
$ _TBD__
$_TBD at Award after negotiations with Contractor_
2001
Option Period 2 – Compensation, Fringe Benefits and Other Direct Costs (ODCs)
- Award Type: Cost
- Product Service Code: [e.g. R497]
- Accounting Info: [insert from Phoenix/GLAAS]
1
LOT
$ _TBD__
$_TBD at Award after negotiations with Contractor_
3001
Option Period 3 – Compensation, Fringe Benefits and Other Direct Costs (ODCs)
- Award Type: Cost
- Product Service Code: [e.g. R497]
- Accounting Info: [insert from Phoenix/GLAAS]
1
LOT
$ _TBD__
$_TBD at Award after negotiations with Contractor_
END OF SOLICITATION
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY: The U.S. Mission in Ethiopia provides equal opportunity and fair and equitable treatment in employment to all people without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, political affiliation, marital status, or sexual orientation. USAID/Ethiopia also strives to achieve equal employment opportunity in all personnel operations through continuing diversity enhancement programs.
The EEO complaint procedure is not available to individuals who believe they have been denied equal opportunity based upon marital status or political affiliation. Individuals with such complaints should avail themselves of the appropriate grievance procedures, remedies for prohibited personnel practices, and/or courts for relief.