SOLICITATION NUMBER: [03/2020]
ISSUANCE DATE: 4/27/2020
CLOSING DATE/TIME: 5/11/2020 at 4:30 pm Cairo Time
SUBJECT: Solicitation for U.S. Personal Service Contractor (USPSC)
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, 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.
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.
Any questions must be directed in writing to the Point of Contact specified in the attached information.
Sincerely,
Brian L. Carney
Contracting Officer
ATTACHMENT 1
I. GENERAL INFORMATION
1. SOLICITATION NO.: 03/2020
2. ISSUANCE DATE: 4/27/2020
3. CLOSING DATE/TIME FOR RECEIPT OF OFFERS: 5/11/2020 at 4:30 pm. Cairo Time
4. POSITION TITLE: Senior Health Advisor (OEH)
5. MARKET VALUE: $92,977- $120,868 equivalent to GS-14
Final compensation will be negotiated within the listed market value.
6. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: Up to six months of service in Cairo, Egypt, (May-November 2020). This period of performance is planned to be a single period of service in Cairo, Egypt. This Personal service contract is subject to the availability of funds.
7. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: Cairo, Egypt with possible travel as stated in the Statement of Work.
8. SECURITY LEVEL REQUIRED: Facility Access
9. AREA OF CONSIDERATION:
- Candidate must be US citizen.
- Position is open to US Citizens who are ordinarily residence in Egypt and to American Eligible Family Members (AEFMs) of US employees assigned to Cairo.
- The policy of USAID/Egypt prohibits discrimination based on, among other factors, gender, disability, religion or race in matters pertaining to admission, access, treatment, or employment in all Agency programs and activities. This policy complies with the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR), the USAID Acquisition Regulation (AIDAR), Sections 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and their implementing regulations.
10. PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The work requested does not involve undue physical demands.
11. POINT OF CONTACT: Complete, signed application packages should be submitted by email to - usaidhr@usaid.gov
12. STATEMENT OF DUTIES:
USAID is responding to the COVID-19 pandemic with decisive action to support partner countries, including Egypt, in their emergency responses. In support of this effort, USAID/Egypt’s Front Office requires a Senior Health Advisor to manage the Mission’s response to the COVID-19 crisis and support the Government of Egypt to reduce the risks and impacts of COVID-19. The goal of the incumbent’s position is to provide rapid, effective, and coordinated oversight of USAID’s COVID-19 response. The Senior Health Advisor will provide leadership and representation of USAID in the interagency to ensure appropriate oversight and coordination of USAID COVID-19 efforts. Successful completion of this position’s responsibilities will require working with U.S. government agencies, the Egyptian Ministry of Health and Population, donor organizations, and multilateral organizations.
Coordination and representation: (60%)
● The Senior Health Advisor will work with the Front Office and the Office of Education and Health to provide management, coordination, and representational expertise to USAID, the interagency, and external partners on COVID-19. The incumbent will work across offices at USAID/Egypt to support COVID-19 responses in other sectors.
● The Senior Health Advisor will provide technical and managerial support between USAID and implementing partners to support an effective, coordinated partnership in response to the crisis.
● The Senior Health Advisor will represent USAID at interagency dialogues and taskforces on COVID-19. The Senior Health Advisor will provide technical support and guidance to USAID, the interagency, and the Government of Egypt in effective pandemic response.
● The Senior Health Advisor will keep abreast of new developments and emerging issues in the pandemic response, report changes, and make recommendations for pivots in strategy and activity implementation to USAID/Egypt leadership, as necessary.
Activity design and management: (20%)
● The Senior Health Advisor will contribute to the design of USAID programming for the COVID-19 response, applying best practices for public health interventions and Bureau of Global Health frameworks and policies.
● If USAID makes an award in support of the COVID-19 response, the incumbent will be responsible for overseeing grant implementation. This potential grant is anticipated to be managed by a Foreign Service National (FSN) with the support and guidance of the Senior Health Advisor.
● As conditions permit, the incumbent may undertake site visits to local hospitals or conduct in-person meetings with the Ministry of Health.
Reporting: (20%)
● The incumbent will draft daily bullets, briefings, and other reporting deliverables for USAID/Washington and the State Department on USAID’s COVID-19 response, the Ministry of Health and Population response, and other contextual developments.
a) Degree of responsibility for decision-making assigned to the position: The Senior Health Advisor has broad latitude for exercising individual initiative and making decisions for USAID/Egypt’s COVID-19 response. Where required, s/he will develop new and innovative activity designs and strategies to meet the demands of a fluid crisis response.
b) Complexity of the work environment/effect on the position’s responsibilities: Due to the rapidly changing nature of the COVID-19 crisis, the work environment of the Senior Health Advisor is highly complex, fluid, and fast-paced. The incumbent must stay abreast of daily developments both nationally and internationally and continually contextualize USAID’s response within the changing environment. Because so much about the COVID-19 virus is unknown, the incumbent must make recommendations and decisions that involve uncertainty in approach and outcome. Because of social distancing, curfews, and telework, the incumbent must be able to work independently and with minimum supervision.
The position has high visibility within the interagency in Egypt and in USAID/Washington. The Senior Health Advisor’s decisions and recommendations have critical implications for the U.S. government’s relationship with the Government of Egypt, and for those reasons the operating environment is highly complex.
c) Supervisory Controls: The incumbent will be supervised by the Deputy Mission Director or his/her designee (Director of the Office of Education and Health).
d) Scope and effect of the work performed: The work involves defining unknown conditions, resolving critical problems and developing new approaches/theories in a crisis context.
e) Level and purpose of contacts: The Senior Health Advisor represents USAID/Egypt to high-level U.S. government diplomats, senior Government of Egypt officials, and other external partners. This interaction includes both speaking and written interactions. Contacts include: the USAID/Egypt Mission Director and Mission staff; USAID/Egypt Office of Education and Health; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); the State Department’s Environment, Science, Technology and Health Officer; Department of Defense staff; senior officials in the Ministry of Health and Population; research institutes; and multilateral organizations working in the health sector.
f) Supervision/oversight over others: None.
g) Available Guidelines: S/he must be proactive in keeping abreast of evolving guidelines and policies, including the USAID/Washington COVID-19 Task Force, the Automated Directives System (ADS), Mission Orders, Mission Notices, and other U.S. government regulations.
h) Work environment and travel: The primary place of work is Cairo, Egypt. As required, the Senior Health Advisor may telework from home. When the context permits, the incumbent will work at USAID/Egypt. Note that currently USAID/Washington permits staff to take up to 10 hours per week of Excused Absence for COVID-19 related reasons.
i) Authority to Make Commitments: None
II. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION
All candidates must meet the Minimum Qualifications. Applicants meeting the required qualifications for the position will be evaluated based on information presented in the application and obtained through reference checks. USAID/Egypt reserves the right to conduct interviews with the most highly ranked applicants and make the interview a deciding factor in selection.
1. Education: Master’s Degree or higher in Public Health or similar related discipline.
2. Work Experience: Minimum of seven years of public health and development experience (program management, project implementation, leadership, and representation), or similar related experience is required. At least five of these years should be in developing country contexts. The incumbent must have experience coordinating complex programs across multiple partners, such as the U.S. government, World Health Organization, or other U.S. government donor programs.
III. EVALUATION AND SELECTION FACTORS
Upon closing of the solicitation, a committee will convene to review the applications. Applicants who meet the education & experience requirements, listed above in Section II, will be scored and ranked based on the following selection factors:
Education: (20 points)
The incumbent must possess a Master’s Degree or higher in Public Health or similar related discipline.
Prior Work Experience: (40 points)
● Minimum of seven years of public health and development experience (program management, project implementation, leadership, and representation), or similar related experience is required. At least five of these years should be in developing country contexts.
● The incumbent must have experience coordinating complex programs across multiple partners.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: (40 points)
● Extensive knowledge of the public health sector and infectious diseases.
● Must have working knowledge of the U.S. government global health policy frameworks and procedures.
● Must have excellent analytical capabilities, strong writing ability, and interpersonal skills.
● Demonstrated leadership, especially in intercultural environments.
● High-level written and oral communication skills in English
● High degree of judgement, maturity, and flexibility to interpret a changing context and adapt approaches and strategies.
Selection Factors and Scoring Percentage
Education 20%
Work Experience 40%
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities 40%
TOTAL 100%
IV: APPLYING:
Submission of a resume alone IS NOT a complete application. This position requires the completion of additional forms and/or supplemental materials as described in this section. Failure to provide the required information and/or materials will result in your not being considered for employment.
Interested individuals meeting the Minimum Qualifications above are required to submit the following:
1. 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.
2. Offerors are also required to submit curriculum Vitae or resume and a cover letter along with the application containing:
- The name and Agency of Sponsor
- Post departure date
All applicants must submit complete dates (months/years) and hours per week for all positions listed on the form AID 309-2 to allow for adequate evaluation of your related and direct experiences. Applicants should note that the salary history for the purposes of the AID 309-2 is the base salary paid, excluding benefits and allowances such as housing, travel, educational support, etc. The HR Office will disregard any CV submissions exceeding five pages and/or those received after the deadline.
3. Applicants must provide a minimum of three and a maximum of five references within the last five years from the applicant’s professional life namely individuals who are not family members or relatives. Three references must be from direct supervisors who can provide information regarding the applicant’s work knowledge and professional experience. Applicants must provide e-mail addresses and/or working telephone numbers for all references.
4. Applicants also must address the above Section II: Selection Criteria, in a summary statement to be included in the application. This summary statement, limited to two pages, must describe specifically and accurately what experience, training, education, and/or awards the applicant has received that are relevant to each selection factor above. The summary statement must include the name of the applicant and the announcement number at the top of each page.
5. 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, item 11.
6. To ensure consideration of offers for the intended position, Offerors must prominently reference the Solicitation number in the offer submission.
7. Shortlisted applicants are invited for tests and/or interviews during this time frame. Due to the high volume of applications, only candidates who are shortlisted for a position are contacted for an interview. Please do not contact HR for a status report on your application once your application has been acknowledged. Interviewed candidates will normally be advised of the outcome of the selection process after a period of about four weeks.
NOTE: Experience and education which exceed the requirements set forth in the position description but which are not directly related to or required in the performance of expected duties WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED AS JUSTIFICATION FOR UPGRADING THE POSITION OR DESIGNATED SALARY AS SET BY THE CONTRACTING OFFICER.
IV. LIST OF REQUIRED FORMS FOR PSC HIRES
Once the CO or his designee informs the successful Offeror about being selected for a contract award, the CO or his designee will provide the successful Offeror instructions about how to complete and submit the following forms.
Forms outlined below can be found at: http://www.usaid.gov/forms/
1. Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306)
2. Application for Federal Employment (AID 309-2)
3. Medical History and Examination Form (Department of State Forms)
4. Questionnaire for Sensitive Positions for National Security (SF-86), or
5. Questionnaire for Non-Sensitive Positions (SF-85) 6. Finger Print Card (FD-258)
V. BENEFITS/ALLOWANCES
As a matter of policy, and as appropriate, a local hired PSC is normally authorized the following benefits and allowances:
1. BENEFITS:
(a) Employer's FICA Contribution
(b) Contribution toward Health & Life Insurance
(c) Pay Comparability Adjustment
(d) Annual Increase (pending a satisfactory performance evaluation)
(e) Eligibility for Worker's Compensation
(f) Annual and Sick Leave
2. ALLOWANCES:
Section numbers refer to rules from the Department of State Standardized Regulations (Government Civilians Foreign Areas)
(a) Sunday Premium 5%
(b) Danger Pay Allowance 15% (Section 650) when employees spend 4 hours or more anywhere in Egypt, other than Cairo and Alexandria, on official travel.
VI. TAXES
USPSCs are required to pay Federal income taxes, FICA, Medicare and applicable State Income taxes.
VII. USAID REGULATIONS, POLICIES AND CONTRACT CLAUSES PERTAINING TO PSCs
USAID regulations and policies governing USPSC awards are available at these sources:
1. USAID Acquisition Regulation (AIDAR), Appendix D, “Direct USAID Contracts with a U.S. Citizen or a U.S. Resident Alien for Personal Services Abroad,” including contract clause “General Provisions,” available at https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1868/aidar_0.pdf .
2. Contract Cover Page form AID 309-1 available at https://www.usaid.gov/forms .
3. 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 .
4. 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 5 CFR 2635. See https://www.oge.gov/web/oge.nsf/OGE%20Regulations
