1. GENERAL INFORMATION

1. SOLICITATION NO.: 72066321R00025
2. ISSUANCED ATE: 8/26/202
3. CLOSING DATE/TIMEFORRECEIPTOF OFFERS: 9/25/2021 (5:00pm Ethiopia’s local time.)
4. POINT OF CONTACT: Linda Gregory, Supervisory EXO and Fekadu Tamirate, HR Specialist, e-mail at [email protected].
5. POSITION TITLE: Highlands Resilience Team Leader
6. MARKET VALUE: $79,468 to $103,309 equivalent to GS-13. The final compensation will be negotiated within the listed market value based on the successful candidate’s salary history, work experience, and educational background.  Salaries over and above the top of the pay range will not be entertained or negotiated.
7. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: For two years, no options to renew. Estimated to start on 01/01/2022.

The base period will be 01/01/2022 – 01/01/2024, estimated to start on 0/01/2022.

8. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia with possible travel as stated in the Statement of Work.

1. ELIGIBLE OFFERORS: U.S. Citizens and U.S Resident Aliens   

           For USPSC:

• Be a U.S. citizen or U.S. Permanent Resident (“green card holder”).
• U.S. resident alien means a non-U.S. citizen lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States.
• Submit a complete application as outlined in the solicitation section titled SUBMITTING AN OFFER.
• Be able to obtain facility access authorization.
• Be able to obtain a Department of State medical clearance.
• Be willing to travel to work sites and other offices as/when requested.
• Employment is subject to funds availability and all the required approvals obtained.

9. SECURITY LEVEL REQUIRED: Facilities Access. The final selected candidates must obtain both the appropriate security and medical clearances within a reasonable period. If such clearances are not obtained within a reasonable time or negative suitability issues are involved, any offer made may be rescinded. 

10. STATEMENT OF DUTIES

1. General Statement of Purpose of the Contract:

Despite rapid economic growth over the past decade, Ethiopia continues to struggle to effectively respond to recurrent natural disasters and unexpected man-made crises, such as drought, conflict or disease outbreaks.  A significant number of Ethiopians remain very poor and/or vulnerable to falling into extreme poverty in the wake of a shock or crisis.  USAID/Ethiopia’s 2019-2024 Country Development and Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) expands USAID investments to directly contribute to the strategic objectives of increasing the resilience of vulnerable Ethiopians—and Ethiopian systems and institutions—to recurrent shocks and crises.

The Highlands Resilience Team Leader will coordinate USAID investments in Ethiopia’s highlands, which include activities in the food security, social protection and resilience sectors.  The Highlands Resilience Team Leader will ensure programmatic coherence with the Mission’s CDCS, the USG Global Food Security Strategy, and USAID humanitarian objectives to deliver timely assistance and improve the resilience of chronically food insecure populations across Ethiopia.  The incumbent will implement a new generation of targeted resilience programming that smooths consumption, increases food security, and contributes to increased resilience at the household, community, and systems level. As the Highlands Resilience Team Leader, s/he will represent USAID/Ethiopia in broader donor and government fora covering food security issues, with a particular focus on, but not limited to, the Ethiopian Rural Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP).

Safety Net and Food Security Programming in Ethiopia

USAID has supported the Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP) since its inception in 2005.  The safety net is resourced through pooled contributions from 11 donors and development partners, with an increasing share covered by the Ethiopian government.  USAID support is implemented through agreements with Private Voluntary Organizations and consists of food assistance, coupled with complementary interventions to boost livelihoods, nutrition, and water, sanitation and health outcomes of safety net beneficiaries.  Currently in its fifth phase, PSNP 5 aims to reach nearly 8 million chronically food insecure beneficiaries through cash and food transfers, nutrition, and livelihood interventions. The food/cash-for-work component supports public works programs related to landscape restoration, irrigation, and agroforestry. The PSNP has demonstrated that safety nets – when provided in a predictable, regular manner – can protect households from the negative impacts of chronic shocks, although shocks experienced in 2020-2021 - predominately acute shocks - severely tested the safety net’s capacity and impact.

The goal of the Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP5) is: Extreme poverty reduced in PSNP woredas and the program objective is: Enhanced resilience to shocks of extreme poor and vulnerable rural households in PSNP woredas.  USAID sees the PSNP as a critical component in supporting the self-reliance of vulnerable households and supports the improvement of the PSNP as a system/institution that builds Ethiopia’s capacity to address its own needs at a larger scale in the long run.

B. Organizational Location of Position:

The Highlands Resilience Team Leader position will report directly to the Deputy Office Chief for Development Programs in USAID/Ethiopia’s Office of Relief and Resilience (R2).  USAID/Ethiopia’s highly integrated CDCS relies on cross-sectoral and cross-office Development Objective and Project teams to achieve its objectives.  Within this structure, the incumbent will lead implementation of the Transitioning into Graduation through Enhanced Resilience (TIGER) Project, which contributes to Development Objective 2: Resilience of vulnerable populations to key shocks increased[1]  S/he will collaborate closely with other Mission staff to achieve DO2 outcomes and may also be deployed as a technical expert to support other DO and Project Teams.  The incumbent will contribute to related cross cutting activities such as resilience, nutrition, gender, disaster risk management and youth.  S/he will engage in the Mission’s Strategic Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), which works across Mission technical offices to pivot development programs and resources to respond to shocks and emergencies across the country.

Within R2, across USAID, and in conjunction with USAID implementing partners and other partners such as other donors and the Government of Ethiopia, the incumbent will support R2’sLearning Agenda and promote adaptive management in alignment with Collaboration, Learning and Adapting (CLA) principles.  The incumbent will directly support senior Mission management, as well as relevant offices in the Embassy, in formulating and articulating appropriate highlands resilience strategy, policy, and activities to address vulnerability among the chronically food insecure, including the coordination of USAID’s support to the PSNP and support for an improved continuum of response across safety net and humanitarian beneficiaries.

The incumbent will contribute to the Mission’s work under the U.S. Global Food Security Strategy for Ethiopia; including Feed the Future and Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) -supported programming targeted at chronically vulnerable populations.  The incumbent will have an important role in supporting the operationalization of USAID’s support to the PSNP 5 through its Resilience Food Security Activities (RFSAs) and other R2 resilience programming.  A particular focus of this role will be on how to strategically integrate R2’s highland resilience work with that of other offices, including the Office of Economic Growth & Trade (EG&T) to build a cogent “continuum of response” for vulnerable households through layering resilience and economic growth programming. He/she will also coordinate USAID/Ethiopia’s Highlands Resilience activities with other donors, the GOE, and private sector partners.

​​​​​​​2. Statement of Duties to be Performed:

Specific responsibilities will include but are not limited to the following:

Technical Expertise (25%)

• Provide Mission-level expertise and guidance on technical areas related to chronic vulnerability, food security, and social protection in Ethiopia, including overall policy, strategy and programs.  The incumbent is expected to remain generally informed of the latest research and trends in food security, social protection, and resilience literature, specifically as in regard to safety nets.
• Stay abreast of trends in GOE and donor strategy, policy, and financing in the sectors of interest.  Familiarity with policy and program discussions on Disaster Risk Management, Social Protection and Climate Change, and the relationship between the three agendas and the ability to program these agendas is essential.
• Provide technical guidance on activities managed by R2 and the Mission to ensure strategic coherence and programmatic coordination with important USG initiatives and requirements, including the Global Food Security Strategy and Feed the Future, BHA Guidance, and Mission strategies around resilience with a strong understanding of livelihoods and market systems promotion in resilience programming.
• Analyze and draft briefing documents, program descriptions, scopes of work, reports, speeches, responses to queries, inputs for annual reporting and progress updates etc. on USAID programs and progress in the sector. 

Strategy and Activity Design (20%)

• Lead the design of strategies, concept papers and procurement documents in line with USAID requirements for activities to reduce chronic poverty and address the needs of food insecure populations.   Formulate strategies for integrating social protection and resilience into USAID activities in all technical areas.
• Leverage USAID expertise and programming to meaningfully support GOE and other donor activity or program designs.
• Develop scopes of work, design documents, and other inputs to contracts, where necessary external support or expertise in support of new activity or strategy designs.    

Coordination and Representation (40%)

• Serve as the primary technical USAID representative to the PSNP Donor Working Group and fully participate and represent USAID in technical working groups and other coordination meetings.  During the U.S. Chair of the Donor Working Group, undertake chairing and leadership responsibilities, as needed. The incumbent will keep the R2 Office Chief and Deputy Chief apprised of all developments within the donor community and GFDRE.
• As required, lead discussions and negotiations with the host nation, on behalf of the entire PSNP Donor Working Group to ensure common approaches, identify issues, set the policy agenda, and propose recommended solutions acceptable to key stakeholders.  These tasks will require senior-level relationships with both the GFDRE and donor community, and demand from the incumbent, a willingness to be flexible and to act in the best interests of the program and other donors.
• Represent USAID at workshops, forums and meetings advocating for USAID resilience and food security objectives and programming. The incumbent will represent USAID/Ethiopia at social protection forums, including but not limited to the PSNP Donor Working Group, technical working groups, and in Joint Review and Implementation Support (JRIS) and other assessments.  The incumbent will take a lead role in supporting the implementation of PSNP through regular coordination meetings and participation in dialogue, decision-making, and follow-up with the GFDRE and other donors.
• The incumbent will participate fully in and, as necessary, provide guidance to USAID projects that contribute to Ethiopia’s Safety Net, and associated programs and activities programmed under USAID/Ethiopia’s CDCS.  This will include providing strategic guidance to the Mission’s Title II development food assistance programs (RFSAs) and Mission-funded livelihood support activities.
• The incumbent will identify, support, and provide technical support to learning and programming opportunities across the R2 Office and broader Mission including support for R2s joint learning agenda. The incumbent is expected to liaise with other R2 teams, including the Program and Resource Management Team, The Emergency Team, The Lowlands Resilience Team, The Disaster Risk Management Team, and the Disaster Risk Management Team, to supportR2’s and the broader Mission’s efforts in collaboration, learning and adaptation as they relate to the Highlands Resilience Portfolio.  The incumbent will seek to share USAID lessons learned and assimilate lessons from other donors through engaging with partners under the PSNP Donor Working Group.

Administrative Management and Supervision (15%)

• Give strategic direction and guidance to the Highlands Resilience Team, which includes seven Cooperating Country Personal Services Contractors (CCPSCs, formerly Foreign Service National, or FSN) staff.  Provide supervision of at least three senior CCPSCs and oversee all related administrative processes for the members of Highlands Resilience Team.  This includes day to day management of the staff and completion of annual performance reviews, reviews of position descriptions, professional development plans and leave requests.  The incumbent will also advise, consult, and notify R2Office management on personnel matters relevant to the team that require action. 
• The incumbent is responsible for monitoring the Highlands Resilience budget. This includes reviewing budget requests for appropriateness, monitoring use of funds and burn rates to ensure timely spending, reviewing quarterly pipeline reviews/budget status reports, following up on irregular audit findings, providing advice for realignments of budgets, and reviewing accruals.
• As necessary, the incumbent prepares progress reports on the Highlands Resilience Team activities. These include the annual USAID Operational Plan and the Annual Performance Report.
• The incumbent will be responsible for understanding and incorporating USAID core values and USAID Ethiopia’s Leadership Behavior Charter in all aspects of his/her work. 
• The incumbent is expected to provide mentorship and coach CCPSCs within the Highlands Resilience Team and help team members identify opportunities for professional development. v

3. Supervisory Relationship:

The incumbent will report to the Deputy Chief of Development Programs of the R2 Office at USAID/Ethiopia.  As required, s/he will provide in-depth briefings on food security issues including the PSNP, aspects of Feed the Future and 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 incumbent will be expected to show strong independent initiative and work with minimal supervision. 

4. Supervisory Controls:

The incumbent will directly manage a team of seven CCPSCs, providing direct supervision to three senior CCPSCs. 

11. PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The work requested does not involve undue physical demands. Up to 15% of travel may be required.

Note: No in-person appointments or telephone calls will be entertained unless you are required to have more information about this solicitation.

II. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION

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. Offerors who do not meet all the education and experience factors are considered NOT qualified for the position.

EDUCATION: A master’s degree in international development assistance, public administration, business administration, agriculture, social protection, food security and nutrition or another related field is required. 

WORK EXPERIENCE: A minimum of seven years related development experience including social protection, rural development, agricultural development, food aid assistance, poverty reduction or other resilience-related development activities is required.  Experience in the support of donor-government relations will be given extra weight, as well as experience in Market Markets Systems Work for the Poor (M4P) and/or in financial inclusion for the poor approaches. Experience designing and implementing safety net food security, poverty reduction, livelihoods diversification, or resilience-related programming is considered a plus.  Experience working in Ethiopia will be given additional weight. 

III. EVALUATION AND SELECTION FACTORS

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.

A USAID “Facility Access” security clearance and Department of State medical clearance are required prior to issuance of the contract for this position.

EVALUATION FACTORS

Education (10 points): A master’s degree in international development assistance, public administration, business administration, agriculture, social protection, food security and nutrition or another related field is required.  A master’s degree can be substituted with an additional three years of relevant development experience. Additional evaluation points will be given to offerors who exceed the minimum requirement.

Experience (35 points): A minimum of seven years related development experience including social protection, rural development, agricultural development, food aid assistance, poverty reduction or other resilience related development activities is required.  Experience in the support of donor-government relations will be given extra weight.  Experience in implementing programming using Making Market Systems Work for the Poor (M4P) or another market systems approach will be given extra weight.  Experience designing and implementing safety net food security, poverty reduction, livelihoods diversification, or resilience related programming is considered a plus.  

​​​​​​​Knowledge (25 points): Demonstrated knowledge of and experience working on strategy, policy and programs related to addressing extreme vulnerability, resilience, poverty reduction, livelihoods support, linking the poor to markets, social protection, and/or safety nets in a developing country context. 

Abilities and Skills (20 points): Ability to coordinate and incentivize disparate teams, activities, or stakeholders towards common action and collective impact.  This includes 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 Skills (10 points): Operating effectively in cross-cultural environments and working with host country government officials and other donors and development partners. 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. 

BASIS OF RATING: The initial evaluation of applications will be based on the weight assigned for education and experience that will be out of 45 points. The weight assigned for education and experience will be used to set a competitive range. Those candidates in the competitive range will be contacted for the interview (55 points). The overall assessment based on weight assigned for the evaluation criteria during the initial evaluation and the interview will determine the final candidate. Therefore, the final rating and ranking for the offerors will be based on the initial evaluation of applications and the interview.

The Offeror Rating System is as Follows:

Evaluation Factors have been assigned the following points:

Education – 10 points

Experience – 35 points

• Initial evaluation – 45 points

Knowledge:                  25 points

Ability and Skill:          20 points

Communication Skills: 10 points

• Interview Performance – 55 points

             Total possible points: 100 points

Satisfactory Professional Reference Checks – Pass/Fail (no points assigned)

IV. SUBMITTING AN OFFER

For your application to be considered, the following documents must be submitted:

• Eligible offerors are required to complete and submit the offer form AID 309-2,“Offeror Information for Personal Services Contracts with Individuals, “available at http://www.usaid.gov/forms. Due to COVID-19 and limited access to equipment, we are currently accepting electronic and typed signatures on the AID 309-2 form.
• Offers must be received by the closing date and time specified in Section I, item 3, and submitted to the Point of Contact in Section I.
• To ensure consideration of offers for the intended position, Offerors must prominently reference the Solicitation number in the offer submission.
• Letter of Application and current resume.
• Application must be submitted ONLY via [email protected] and the email subject must say –: 72066321R00025 Highlands Resilience Team Leader. Be sure to include your name and the solicitation number at the top of each page.
• Please submit the application only once; and
• Late and incomplete applications will not be considered; the application must be submitted before or on the closing date at local Ethiopia time 5 p.m. (Local Ethiopia, Addis Ababa Time (GMT+3).

V. LIST OF REQUIRED FORMS PRIOR TO AWARD

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.

1. 1. Medical History and Examination Form (Department of State Forms)
   2. Questionnaire for Sensitive Positions for National Security (SF-86),or
   3. Questionnaire for Non-Sensitive Positions (SF-85)
   4. Finger Print Card (FD-258)

V. BENEFITS/ALLOWANCES

As a matter of policy, and as appropriate, a PSC is normally authorized the following benefits and allowances:

1. BENEFITS:

1. Employer's FICA Contribution
2. Contribution toward Health & Life Insurance
3. Pay Comparability Adjustment
4. Annual Increase (pending a satisfactory performance evaluation)
5. Eligibility for Worker's Compensation
6. Annual and Sick Leave

  2. ALLOWANCES (if applicable):

Section numbers refer to rules from the Department of State Standardized Regulations (Government Civilians Foreign Areas)

1. Temporary Quarter Subsistence Allowance (Section 120)
2. Living Quarters Allowance (Section 130)
3. Cost-of-Living Allowance (Chapter 210)
4. Post Allowance (Section 220)
5. Separate Maintenance Allowance (Section 260)
6. Education Allowance (Section 270)
7. Education Travel (Section 280)
8. Post Differential (Chapter 500)
9. Payments during Evacuation/Authorized Departure (Section 600), and
10. Danger Pay Allowance (Section 650)

VII. TAXES

USPSCs are required to pay federal income taxes, FICA, Medicare and applicable state income taxes.

VIII. USAID REGULATIONS, POLICIES AND CONTRACT CLAUSES PERTAINING TO PSCs

USAID regulations and policies governing USPSC a wards are available at these sources:

• USAID Acquisition Regulation(AIDAR),Appendix D, “Direct USAID Contracts with a U.S. Citizen or a U.S. Resident Alien for Personal Services Abroad,” includingcontractclause“GeneralProvisions,”availableathttps://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1868/aidar_0.pdf.
• Contract Cover Page form AID309-1availableathttps://www.usaid.gov/forms.

LINE ITEMS

ITEM NO (A) 0001; SUPPLIES/SERVICES (DESCRIPTION) (B) Base Period (two years)- 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] QUANTITY (C) 1; UNIT (D) LOT; UNIT PRICE (E) TBD; AMOUNT (F) TBD at award after negotiations with contractor -

• Acquisition and Assistance Policy Directives/Contract Information Bulletins(AAPDs/CIBs) for Personal Services Contracts with Individuals available at http://www.usaid.gov/work-usaid/aapds-cibs.
• Ethical Conduct. By the acceptance of a USAID personal services contract as an individual, the contractor will be acknowledging receipt of the “Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch,” available from the U.S. Office of  Government Ethics, in accordance with General Provision 2 and 5CFR2635. See https://www.oge.gov/web/oge.nsf/OGE%20Regulations.
• PSC Ombudsman: The PSC Ombudsman serves as a resource for any Personal Services Contractor who has entered into a contract with the United States Agency for International Development and is available to provide clarity on their specific contract with the agency. Please visit our page for additional information: https://www.usaid.gov/workusaid/personal-service-contracts-ombudsman. The PSC Ombudsman may be contacted via: [email protected].

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.