USAID/Ukraine Solicitation for a Donor Coordination Advisor, GS-14

I. GENERAL INFORMATION

1. SOLICITATION NO.: 72012124R00011

2. ISSUANCE DATE: April 22, 2024  

3. CLOSING DATE/TIME FOR RECEIPT OF OFFERS: May 22, 2024 (11:59 p.m. EST)

4. POSITION TITLE: Donor Coordination Advisor

5. MARKET VALUE: $104,604-$135,987 per annum, equivalent to GS-14. Final compensation will be negotiated within the listed market value.

6. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: one (1) year, with four (4) option years. Options may be exercised based upon satisfactory contractor performance, mutual agreement between the Contractor and USG, continued Mission requirements and the continued availability of funds.

7. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: Kyiv, Ukraine

8. SECURITY LEVEL REQUIRED: Secret

9. STATEMENT OF DUTIES

BASIC FUNCTIONS OF THE POSITION:

Following Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, USAID has been in the vanguard of USG agencies supporting Ukraine to win the war and win the peace. With over $3 billion in development funds appropriated by Congress for emergency assistance to Ukraine. Mission staff have the resources to directly shape transformational programming in economic growth, energy and infrastructure, democratic and accountable governance, and urgent health reforms and service delivery, as well as oversight for nearly $23 billion in direct budget support to the Government of Ukraine. The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv has resumed operations, and the USAID/Ukraine operating posture includes a capped number of positions at the Embassy compound in Kyiv and on rotational temporary duty status in Poland. More American staff are anticipated to shift to Kyiv when the Department of State authorizes an increase in footprint. When in Kyiv, personnel under Chief of Mission currently receive a 20% hardship differential, 35% danger pay, a 20% special differential (if applicable), a special COLA of $45 per day, 2 R&Rs, and 20 workdays of administrative leave for R&Rs.

The Russian Federation’s invasion of Ukraine has caused significant civilian casualties and damage to infrastructure and productive assets, and has taken a severe human, social, and economic toll. The World Bank Group, the Government of Ukraine, the European Commission, and the United Nations, estimated that in 2023 alone, the Ukraine needed $14 billion for critical and priority reconstruction and recovery investments covering energy, humanitarian demining, housing, critical and social infrastructure and the private sector. A key platform for donor coordination in Ukraine is the Multi-agency Donor Coordination Platform for Ukraine (MDCP). The MDCP brings together high-level officials from Ukraine, the EU, the G7 countries, as well as partners from International Financial Institutions, notably the European Investment Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, to coordinate efforts to address Ukraine’s financing needs, both in the short to medium-term. The MDCP helps coordinate immediate financing needs of Ukraine and future economic recovery and reconstruction needs across different sources and established instruments. Its goal is also to direct resources in a coherent, transparent, and inclusive manner, enabling efficient planning and delivery of assistance to Ukraine and avoiding duplication. The MDCP maintains a headquarters office in Brussels, a smaller representative office in Kyiv, and is developing multiple levels of donor/government coordination and sectoral working groups. This complements the longstanding Kyiv-based Heads of Cooperation group and associated donor coordination working groups.

The Donor Coordination Advisor will work across the USAID/Ukraine Mission to identify, engage and coordinate primarily with representatives of other international donors, in order to ensure that assistance delivered by USAID is complementary and not duplicative of other efforts. The Donor Coordination Advisor will also coordinate with NGOs, philanthropic groups, and the private sector, to the extent possible, and will develop relationships and work to understand the activities and funding being provided by other organizations in order to link other efforts with those of USAID. The Donor Coordination Advisor will map the work of other donors, analyze funding patterns and establish relationships among activities implemented by USAID and others. The incumbent will also coordinate closely with Embassy Kyiv's Assistance Coordinator and other sections of the US Embassy. Finally, The USAID Donor Coordination Advisor will also play an active role in liaising, coordinating and maintaining strategic relations with the Heads of Cooperation, MDCP and other entities and working groups mentioned above.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

A. Develop and Execute the USAID/Ukraine Donor Coordination Strategy (60%)

• Draft the USAID/Ukraine Donor Coordination Strategy and implementation plan to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of USAID/Ukraine’s development cooperation, alignment of USAID and other donor’s activities, and leveraging of donor relationships.
• Establish new and maintain existing relationships with Kyiv-based donors (working and high level) on technical assistance, financing, stabilization, relief and recovery planning and implementation by building trust and through mutually effective relationships.
• Advise the USAID/Ukraine senior management team and team leads on stabilization related donor, political, appropriate events, related activities, and analyses.
• Attend regular donor coordination meetings in Kyiv and in the region; and share invitations for conferences, seminars, and other meetings with USAID/Ukraine staff.
• Convene donors on emerging issues of importance to USAID/Ukraine and the U.S. Embassy.
• Advise USAID/Ukraine Front Office on strategies for improving donor coordination and suggestions for improving the USG donor coordination strategy.
• Contribute to USAID reporting (weekly reports, cables, analyses, etc.) for U.S. Embassy Kyiv and Washington audiences; and use social media platforms when appropriate in coordination with the USAID/Ukraine Development Outreach and Communications (DOC) team and/or the Embassy Public Affairs Section (PAS).
• Establish regular communications with respective members of the USAID/Ukraine team, U.S. Embassy colleagues, the MDCP members, and other interested parties on donor activities.
• Develop and maintain a repository of donor strategies, activities (sector and geographical), that potentially align with USAID/Ukraine activities, initiatives, and outreach.

B. Support and Advise USAID/Ukraine staff on strategic partnering opportunities (25%)

• Provide guidance on USAID/Ukraine’s programming, with a focus on alignment and coordination with the MDCP, other donors, and international community efforts.
• Support USAID donor assessments or analyses related to recovery and reconstruction, architect & engineering, Humanitarian Assistance, economic growth, and other technical assistance.
• Support USAID assistance planning, including participating in regular team meetings and outyear budget planning exercises.
• Partner with the USAID/Ukraine team leads and drafts applications for possible co-funding and co-creation opportunities (i.e. project and activity design, monitoring and evaluation planning, and the implementation of appropriate activity) with other donors.
• Conduct data collection and data calls, including drafting and submission of performance narratives for the Mission’s Performance Plan and Report, Performance Monitoring Plan, Operational Plan, and other annual reporting requirements involving donor coordination.
• Identify donor coordination gaps in information, expertise, and/or programming that can be resolved with USAID interventions and that capitalize on USAID’s comparative advantage.
• Contribute to the design and implementation of new USAID/Ukraine projects and activities, including donor landscape analyses, to determine appropriate donor partnering.
• Provide support and advice to the USAID/Ukraine technical teams and mission leadership in forging and implementing strategic partnerships.
• Facilitate knowledge-sharing to build skills and capacity of USAID/Ukraine staff to enhance coordination with other donors in activity implementation.

3. Provide Support to overarching USAID/Ukraine Mission Donor Coordination Initiatives (15%)

• Host and support Ukraine-related USG visitors to Ukraine or in the region, including VIPs, to schedule donor coordination events.
• Contribute to technical teams’ strategic planning, internal and external portfolio reviews, and assisting technical team leads in preparing the related documentation and analysis with regards to their donor coordination efforts.
• Coordinate with other USG partners as directed by the USAID/Ukraine Leadership, including those affiliated with BHA, OTI, the DART, and others.
• Represent USAID Ukraine at forums and events hosted by EURACE and serve as the Mission’s day-to-day liaison to the Embassy’s Assistance Coordinator Office.
• Identify entry points for establishing new collaborative efforts.

SPECIFIC DELIVERABLES:

• Strategy: Draft a USAID/Ukraine donor coordination strategy and work to implement this strategy.
• Reporting: Draft and distribute regular reporting (weekly or as indicated by the incumbent’s supervisor) on Donor Coordination topics, including reports or analyses relevant to the USAID/Ukraine portfolio, as well as regular reporting on donor activities, updates, and trends. Also when appropriate, use social media to promote donor relations.
• Knowledge Management: Gather and share key analysis, information, meeting outputs, contact information, and reports with USAID/Ukraine, and, where appropriate, other USG agencies. Maintain an updated, shared, and accessible database of this information.
• USG Visitors: Create a TDYer/visitor schedule for all donor-related travelers.
• Meetings: Regularly report on technical and high-level donor coordination meetings (formal and informal). Track and report on stabilization outputs, socio-economic trends, political scenarios, and other content for the technical team leads, Mission staff, and the Mission Leadership.
• Manage Relationships: Manage productive working- and senior-level relationships with donors, Ukraine stakeholders, members of the MDCP, and regional-based Ukraine actors.
• Contact List: Maintain an updated donor contact list in coordination with the USAID/Ukraine administrative assistant.

        SUPERVISORY RELATIONSHIP:

The incumbent will work under the direct supervision of the Director of the Program Office of the USAID Regional Mission for Ukraine and Belarus, or her/his designee.

10. AREA OF CONSIDERATION: U.S. Citizens only 

11. PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The work requested does not involve undue physical demands.

12. POINT OF CONTACT: All questions and offers must be submitted by email to KyivVacancies@usaid.gov

II. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION  

Education:  A Bachelor’s degree in International Relations, Marketing, Journalism, Public Relations, International Development or a related field is required. 

Prior work experience: Seven (7) years of experience in international development with duties that include strategy design, communications or media/public relations or related areas is required. 

Only offerors clearly meeting the above minimum qualifications will be considered for further evaluation.

Security and Medical clearances: The ability to obtain the required security and medical clearances in a reasonable timeframe is considered a minimum qualification. See Section V.

III. EVALUATION AND SELECTION FACTORS

Selection Process and Basis of Evaluation: Offerors who clearly meet the aforementioned minimum education and work experience qualification requirements may be further evaluated through review of the offeror’s submitted required documents (see section IV below) and ranked based on the below evaluation and selection factors. A competitive range may be established of the highest-ranked offerors, who may be further evaluated through technical tests, interviews, and reference checks to determine the most qualified/highest-ranked offerors. Reference checks may be conducted with the highest-ranked offerors. Reference checks may be conducted with individuals not provided by the offeror. Any offeror not receiving satisfactory reference checks will no longer be considered for the position. Negotiations may be conducted with the most qualified/ highest-ranked offerors at the conclusion of evaluations.

Education (10 Points): A Bachelor’s degree in International Relations, Marketing, Journalism, Public Relations, International Development or a related field is required.  Master’s is desired.

Prior Work Experience (20 Points): Seven (7) years of experience in international development with duties that include strategy design, communications or media/public relations or related areas is required.  This also includes advising senior management and/or government officials, as well as arranging, convening and leading events and meetings. At least two (2) years of experience with donor coordination is strongly preferred.  Demonstrated experience in relationship and partnership building, experience working on issues related to Ukraine or the Europe and Eurasia region is preferred.

Knowledge (30 Points): A thorough understanding of the international development sector, including major donors and development partners. Familiarity with the strategies and operations of donors and development partners in Ukraine and/or the Europe and Eurasia region. Knowledge of program or activity design/management in the development or related field. Understanding of knowledge management and the organization of accessible reports and information. Excellent knowledge of how to utilize a multidisciplinary approach that satisfies multiple stakeholders.  Knowledge of US government policies, procedures, and regulations (preferred).

Skills and Abilities (40 points):  Ability to work with non-governmental organizations, international assistance organizations, contractors, international organizations (IOs), or U.S. Government entities on issues related to: donor coordination; development; political analysis; or other related fields. Demonstrated ability to work constructively with high-level officials, donors, or political leaders. Demonstrated skill in strategy development. Excellent oral and written communication skills, including message development, advocacy, diplomatic communications, developing and delivering presentations/briefings, report-writing, and analysis. Demonstrated skills in relationship and partnership building. Excellent English language skills (Level 4). Ukrainian and/or Russian language skills (preferred).

IV. APPLYING

1. Eligible Offerors are required to complete and submit all the following documents and information in English in order to be considered for the position.  Submit your complete application package to kyivvacancies@usaid.gov:

a. Completed and signed form Form AID 309-2,“Offeror Information for Personal  Services Contracts,” available also at Forms | U.S. Agency for International Development. Only include base salary information in box 4 of sections B and C. Do not include bonuses, differentials, cost of living allowances, or other types of compensation. During negotiations, salary history may be verified through pay slips, earnings and leave statements, or other appropriate documentation. 

b. A cover letter of no more than 2 pages that demonstrates how the Offeror’s qualifications meet the evaluation and selection factors in section III of this solicitation.

c. A resume or curriculum vitae (CV) of not more than 3 pages which, at a minimum, describes education, experience and career achievements relevant to the evaluation and selection factors in section III of this solicitation.

d. Names of three professional references, including at least one current/former supervisor, that have knowledge of the offeror’s ability to perform the duties set forth in the solicitation. This information may be included in the cover letter or resume/CV. 

Late, incomplete, and/or un-signed offers will not be considered.

2.   Offers containing all required documents must be received by the closing date and time specified in Section I, item 3, and submitted electronically to the email Point of Contact in Section I, item 12.

3.   To ensure consideration of offers for the intended position, Offerors should prominently reference the Solicitation number in the offer submission.

V. PRE-AWARD DOCUMENTATION / LIST OF REQUIRED FORMS FOR PSC HIRES

Once the Contracting Officer (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, needed to obtain medical and security clearances.

1. Medical History and Examination Form/ Medical Clearance Update (DS-1843; DS-1622 /DS-3057) 

2. Questionnaire for Sensitive Positions for National Security (SF-86), or

3. Questionnaire for Non-Sensitive Positions (SF-85)

4. Fingerprint Card (SF-87)

Timely completion and submission of the required documents are needed to obtain the necessary Security and Medical Clearances. Failure of the selected offeror to accurately complete and submit required documents in a timely manner may be grounds for the CO to rescind any conditional pre- contract offer letter and begin negotiations with the next most qualified/highest ranked offeror.  Selected offerors who are unable to obtain required Security and Medical Clearances in a reasonable timeframe are considered un-qualified for this position.

Within 2 weeks after written notice from the CO that all required clearances have been received, or unless another date is specified by the CO in writing, the selected offeror shall proceed to Kyiv, Ukraine to perform the services specified in section I, item 9.

VI. BENEFITS/ALLOWANCES

As a matter of policy, and as appropriate, an Off-shore hire USPSC is normally authorized the following benefits and allowances:

1. BENEFITS: 

• Employer's FICA Contribution 
• Contribution toward Health & Life Insurance 
• Pay Comparability Adjustment
• Annual Increase (pending a satisfactory performance evaluation)
• Eligibility for Worker's Compensation 
• Annual and Sick Leave

2. ALLOWANCES (If Applicable) *: 

• Temporary Quarters Subsistence Allowance (Section 120)
• Living Quarters Allowance (Section 130)
• Cost of Living Allowance (Chapter 210) (d)
• Post Allowance (Section 220)
• Separate Maintenance Allowance (Section 260)
• Education Allowance (Section 270)
• Educational Travel (Section 280) 
• Post Differential (Section 500)
• Payments During Evacuation/Authorized Departure (Section 600)
• Danger Pay Allowance (Section 650)
• Special COLA
• Hardship Differential (Section 500)

*Dept. of State Standardized Regulations (DSSR) (Government Civilians Foreign Areas

There are additional incentives for service in Ukraine as a critical priority country. EFMs are eligible for Involuntary SMA. When in Kyiv, contractors currently receive a 20% hardship differential, 35% danger pay, a special COLA of $45 per day, 2 R&Rs, and 20 workdays of administrative leave for R&Rs.

As a matter of policy, and as appropriate, a Resident Hire USPSC is normally authorized the following benefits:

BENEFITS:

• Employer's FICA Contribution 
• Contribution toward Health & Life Insurance 
• Pay Comparability Adjustment
• Annual Increase (pending a satisfactory performance evaluation)
• Eligibility for Worker's Compensation 
• Annual and Sick Leave

In accordance with AIDAR, Appendix D, 1 (Class Deviation M/OAA-DEV-AIDAR-21-02c):

(b) Definitions:

(5) Resident Hire U.S. Personal Services Contractor (PSC) means a U.S. citizen or resident alien who, at the time of contract award.

(i) resides in the cooperating country for reasons other than the U.S. government or non-U.S.  government employment, under any contract or employment arrangement that provides repatriation to the U.S.; or

(ii) is a spouse or dependent of a U.S. citizen or resident alien with U.S. government or non-U.S. government employment, under any contract or employment arrangement that provides repatriation to the U.S,

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 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  AIDAR, Appendix D

2. Contract Cover Page form AID 309-1 available at Forms | U.S. Agency for International Development

Line Item Table

3.   Acquisition & Assistance Policy Directives/Contract Information Bulletins (AAPDs/CIBs) for Personal Services Contracts with Individuals available are at Acquisition & Assistance Policy Directives/Contracts Information Bulletins

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 Standards of Ethical Conduct  Standards of Ethical Conduct

5. 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: Ombusdsman The PSC Ombudsman may be contacted via:  pscombudsman@usaid.gov.