SOLICITATION NUMBER: 720BHA21R00043
ISSUANCE DATE: April 27, 2021
CLOSING DATE AND TIME: May 18, 2021, 12:00 P.M. Eastern Time
SUBJECT: Solicitation for U.S. Personal Service Contractor (USPSC)
Dear Prospective Offerors:
The United States Government (USG), represented by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Office of Global Policy, Partnerships, Programs, and Communications (G3PC) is seeking offers from qualified U.S. citizens to provide personal service as a Congressional Liaison Advisor under a United States Personal Services Contract (USPSC), as described in the solicitation.
Submittals must be in accordance with the attached information at the place and time specified. Offerors interested in applying for this position MUST submit the following materials:
1. Complete resume. In order to fully evaluate your offer, your resume must include:
(a) Paid and non-paid experience, job title, location(s), dates held (month/year), and hours worked per week for each position. Any experience that does not include dates (month/year), locations, and hours per week will not be counted towards meeting the solicitation requirements.
(b) Specific duties performed that fully detail the level and complexity of the work.
(c) Education and any other qualifications including job-related training courses, job-related skills, or job-related honors, awards or accomplishments. Failure to identify an academic discipline will result in disqualification.
(d) U.S. Citizenship
(e) Optional: How did you hear about this opportunity? (beta.SAM.gov, BHA Jobs, Career Fair, etc.).
Your resume must contain sufficient information to make a valid determination that you fully meet the experience requirements as stated in this solicitation. This information must be clearly identified in your resume. Failure to provide information sufficient to determine your qualifications for the position will result in loss of full consideration.
2. USPSC Offeror form AID 309-2. Offerors are required to complete sections A through I. This form must be physically signed. Electronic signatures will not be accepted. AID 309-2 is available at http://www.usaid.gov/forms. **
NOTE REGARDING DATA UNIVERSAL NUMBERING SYSTEM (DUNS) NUMBERS
AND THE SYSTEM FOR AWARD MANAGEMENT
All USPSCs with a place of performance in the United States are required to have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) database prior to receiving an award. You will be disqualified if you either fail to comply with this requirement or if your name appears on the excluded parties list. The selectee will be provided with guidance regarding this registration.
NOTE: As of March 28, 2018, all new SAM.gov entity registrations will now require a signed notarized letter identifying the authorized Entity administrator for the entity associated with the DUNS number. Additional information on the format of the notarized letter and where to submit can be found via the below Federal Service Desk link:
https://www.fsd.gov/fsd-gov/answer.do?sysparm_kbid=d2e67885db0d5f00b3257…
Offerors can expect to receive a confirmation email when offer materials have been received. Offerors should retain for their records copies of all enclosures which accompany their offers. Your complete resume must be emailed to:
G3PC Recruitment Team
E-Mail Address: BHA.G3PCRecruitment@usaid.gov
Website: www.BHAjobs.net
Any questions on this solicitation may be directed to the G3PC Recruitment Team via the information provided above.
Sincerely,
Sonja Stroud-Gooden
Contracting Officer
I. GENERAL INFORMATION
1. SOLICITATION NO.: 720BHA21R00043
2. ISSUANCE DATE: April 27, 2021
3. CLOSING DATE AND TIME FOR RECEIPT OF OFFERS: May 18, 2021, 12:00 P.M. Eastern Time
4. POINT OF CONTACT: G3PC Recruitment Team, BHA.G3PCRecruitment@usaid.gov
5. POSITION TITLE: Congressional Liaison Advisor
6. MARKET VALUE: $122,530 – $159,286 equivalent to GS-14 (includes locality pay)
Salaries over and above the top of the pay range will not be entertained or negotiated.
7. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: Two (2) years, with three (3) one-year options
8. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: Washington, D.C.
9. ELIGIBLE OFFERORS: U.S. Citizens
10. SECURITY LEVEL REQUIRED: Ability to obtain and maintain a Secret up to Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information level clearance as provided by USAID.
11. STATEMENT OF DUTIES
POSITION DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID)’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) is responsible for facilitating and coordinating U.S. Government (USG) humanitarian assistance overseas in response to all types of international disasters, including slow-onset disasters such as droughts or famine, natural disasters such as earthquakes or floods, or man-made disasters such as conflict or war. BHA is responsible for planning, coordinating, developing, achieving, monitoring, and evaluating international humanitarian assistance falling into two conceptual areas:
● Humanitarian Response activities comprise needs-based humanitarian assistance provided to save lives, alleviate suffering, and protect human dignity during and in the aftermath of emergencies. Humanitarian assistance is grounded in humanitarian principles and is directed toward the most vulnerable populations.
● Early Recovery, Risk Reduction, and Resilience (ER4) activities will set the initial foundations for longer-term recovery as appropriate, and will work in close conjunction with humanitarian assistance. Early recovery is an approach that supports communities impacted by crises to protect and restore basic systems and service delivery. Early recovery builds on humanitarian response efforts and establishes the initial foundations of long-term recovery. Early recovery activities are implemented for a specified, appropriate timeframe that assists populations recovering from an identifiable shock. Risk reduction is the prevention of new and reduction of existing disaster risk and management of residual risk, which contributes to strengthening resilience and to the achievement of sustainable development. Resilience is the ability of people, households, communities, countries, and systems to mitigate, adapt to, and recover from shocks and stresses in a manner that reduces chronic vulnerability and facilitates inclusive growth.
BHA has seven offices, as follows:
The Bureau’s three geographic offices are: (1) Office of Africa; (2) Office of Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean; and (3) the Office of the Middle East, North Africa and Europe. Each geographic office designs, provides, and assesses humanitarian assistance for their respective regions, including assistance related to responding to, recovering from, and reducing the risk of man-made and natural disasters, while linking with other USAID investments that build resilience.
The Office of Global Policy, Partnerships, Programs, and Communications (G3PC) shapes and influences USAID’s role within the international humanitarian system; leads engagement on a range of policy, programmatic, and operational issues; and positions the Agency to influence collective response to emergency needs across the globe.
The Office of Technical and Program Quality (TPQ) leads the Bureau’s efforts to provide high-quality programmatic and technical leadership, oversight, and guidance. In addition, TPQ leads the Bureau’s external engagement with academia and coordinates research to advance the effectiveness, efficiency, and impact of humanitarian and multi-year programming.
The Office of Humanitarian Business and Management Operations (HBMO) is responsible for maintaining 24/7 operability by providing leadership, planning, quality assurance, technical expertise, and process management. HBMO ensures effective stewardship of the Bureau’s support services, including workforce planning, staffing, financial management, internal controls, facilities operations and infrastructure.
The Office of Field and Response Operations (FARO) leads and manages operational assistance and the purchase and delivery of goods and services in response to declared foreign disasters and international humanitarian needs in key functional areas, including supply-chain management, procurement, logistics, oversight, and operational coordination with the U.S. military.
INTRODUCTION
The Bureau for Legislative and Public Affairs (LPA) is responsible for managing and coordinating the Agency’s external affairs. LPA serves as USAID’s central point of contact with Congress, the media, interested stakeholders from the international development community, and the American people regarding the Agency’s international development programs and policies. In exercising this leadership role, LPA works closely with the Agency’s Bureaus and Independent Offices, as well as its Federal Advisory Committees.
G3PC shapes and influences USAID’s role within the international humanitarian system; leads engagement on a range of policy, programmatic, and operational issues; and positions the Agency to influence collective response to emergency needs across the globe.
The Congressional Liaison Advisor plays a crucial role creating coherence within the Bureau for Humanitarian Affairs (BHA) around shared Congressional goals, objectives and frameworks. The primary responsibility of the Congressional Liaison Advisor is to support the BHA and LPA on matters relating to BHA programs. Housed physically in LPA and with a direct reporting line to LPA, s/he will work closely with LPA and G3PC, U.S. Engagement, Strategy and Programs Division to coordinate BHA legislative policy priorities and overall Congressional engagement.
OBJECTIVE
BHA requires the services of a Congressional Liaison Advisor to communicate BHA’s strategic messages, programs, work, themes and prepare both personnel and materials for engagement with members of the U.S. Congress, congressional staff and committees who can assist with or contribute to achieving BHA’s and the Agency goals.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Under the direction of LPA and BHA, the Congressional Liaison Advisor will:
● Serve as the primary working level point of contact on BHA and maintain continuous personal contact with selected members of the U.S. Congress and their staffs, and with Agency oversight committees, for the purpose of gaining their acceptance of legislation proposed by USAID and assessing their interest in and attitudes towards these legislative requests.
● Prepare responses to frequent requests from members of the U.S. Congress and their constituents for information or assistance relating to BHA programs and respond in a timely fashion, and as necessary, refer the requests to others to research and prepare responses, follow through to see that accurate and responsive information is relayed to the congressional office or committee without delay.
● Convey to members of the U.S. Congress the Agency’s policy, stance, reaction or other official position with respect to any of a wide variety of matters that may be under discussion or proposed.
● Through ongoing relationships with members of the U.S. Congress, will understand, analyze, and evaluate the views of BHA programs and work by U.S. Congress and individual members to report and recommend to leadership of BHA and LPA and other senior agency officers new directions and approaches.
● Serve on or coordinate input for internal committees and task forces for emerging priorities affecting BHA’s mission.
● Coordinate BHA input to help determine the themes and develop the guidance for the production of budget documents, including materials for testimony on the annual Congressional Budget Justification.
● Prepare reports on congressional hearings, briefings, markups, and floor action as necessary and make recommendations on appropriate strategy and action.
● Prepare BHA senior leadership for congressional hearings and briefings by participating in reviews of formal Agency notifications and presentations to Congress.
● Design, develop, and recommend congressional outreach efforts to promote the Agency’s and BHA’s mission, as appropriate.
● Identify, track, and summarize proposed legislative actions having a direct impact on BHA program activities and keep BHA and appropriate agency staff as well as non-USAID stakeholders informed on legislative actions as needed.
● Attend relevant BHA meetings and report on congressional meetings, share materials and material requests, and assist in ensuring that BHA’s communications efforts are in line with broader legislative issues and efforts before the U.S. Congress.
● Work closely with relevant BHA staff to ensure consistency of message with BHA outreach to U.S. Congress and external groups.
● Sign up for and serve as needed on Washington-based Response Management Teams (RMTs), which provide services and support to Disaster Assistance Response Teams (DARTs) deployed in response to disasters. The duties on RMTs will vary.
● Serve as the BHA after-hours duty officer on a rotational basis for approximately one week every six months.
● As needed, serve on DARTs which may require immediate (within 24 hours) deployment overseas for an extended period of time.
● As needed, may serve on temporary detail within the office to meet operational needs during staff shortages. Duties performed while on detail will be aligned with the Team’s existing duties and responsibilities and will be directly related to the scope of work provided.
● Become certified and serve as an Agreement Officer’s Representative/Contracting Officer’s Representative (AOR/COR), as assigned. The AOR/COR provides financial and programmatic oversight of all aspects of managing the agreement or contract; this includes but is not limited to reviewing invoices, requests for approvals, program/project deliverables (i.e. work plans, annual reports, month status reports), travel requests, key personnel requests, and financial/budget reports. They are responsible for drafting and submitting the annual contractor performance evaluation in Contract/Assistance Performance Assessment Review System (CPARS/APARS). They prepare and review contract/assistance modifications documentation and assist the Contracting/Agreement Officer to ensure performance is compliant with the terms and conditions of the contract/agreement, the FAR, and USAID policy. AOR/CORs are responsible for all related requirements in the COR designation letter and the AOR designation letter.
SUPERVISORY RELATIONSHIP:
The USPSC will take direction from and report to the LPA’s Director of the Office of Legislative Affairs. The Congressional Liaison Advisor will work closely with BHA’s Office of Global Policy, Partnerships, Programs and Communications, US Engagement, Strategy, and Programs Division.
SUPERVISORY CONTROLS:
Supervisor provides administrative directions in terms of broadly defined missions or functions. The USPSC independently plans, designs and carries out programs, projects, studies or other work. Results are considered authoritative and are normally accepted without significant change.
12. PHYSICAL DEMANDS
The work is generally sedentary and does not pose undue physical demands. During deployment on DARTs (if required), and during site visits, there may be some additional physical exertion including long periods of standing, walking over rough terrain, or carrying of moderately heavy items (less than 50 pounds).
13. WORK ENVIRONMENT
Work is primarily performed in an office setting. During deployment on DARTs (if required), and during site visits, the work may additionally involve special safety and/or security precautions, wearing of protective equipment, and exposure to severe weather conditions.
14. START DATE: Immediately, once necessary clearances are obtained.
II. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION
EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION
(Determines basic eligibility for the position. Offerors who do not meet all of the education and experience factors are considered NOT qualified for the position.)
Bachelor’s degree with significant study in or pertinent to the specialized field (including, but not limited to, international relations, human rights, economics, food policy, public health, disaster management, or public policy or a related field) plus nine (9) years of progressively responsible experience working on humanitarian assistance and legislative issues.
OR
Master’s degree with significant study in or pertinent to the specialized field (including, but not limited to, international relations, human rights, economics, food policy, public health, disaster management, or public policy or a related field) plus seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience working on humanitarian assistance and legislative issues.
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. FAR provisions of this solicitation are available at https://www.acquisition.gov/browse/index/far.
SELECTION FACTORS
(Determines basic eligibility for the position. Offerors who do not meet all of the selection factors are considered NOT qualified for the position.)
● Offeror is a U.S. Citizen.
● Complete resume submitted. See cover page for resume requirements. Experience that cannot be quantified will not be counted towards meeting the solicitation requirements.
● USPSC Offeror form AID 309-2. Offerors are required to complete sections A through I. This form must be physically signed. Electronic signatures will not be accepted.
● Ability to obtain and maintain a Secret up to Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information level clearance as provided by USAID.
● Ability to obtain a Department of State medical clearance. **
● Must not appear as an excluded party in the System for Award Management (SAM.gov).**
● Satisfactory verification of academic credentials.**
OFFEROR RATING SYSTEM
The offeror rating system factors are used to determine the competitive ranking of qualified offerors in comparison to other offerors. Offerors must demonstrate the rating factors outlined below within their resume, as they are evaluated strictly by the information provided. The evaluation of writing tests will also take into consideration the quality of written responses. Aspects of written responses including, but not limited to typos, grammatical errors, spelling errors, and incomplete sentences will be factored into the evaluation process. The rating factors are as follows:
Professional Experience (8 points)
● Demonstrated experience in research and analysis of legislative issues.
● Demonstrated experience in advocacy and legislative strategy work on complex issues.
● Demonstrated experience in humanitarian and/or foreign policy issues.
● Demonstrated experience negotiating outcomes among multiple layers of stakeholders with competing demands.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (12 points)
● Knowledge and understanding of the U.S. legislative process.
● Knowledge and understanding of the international humanitarian assistance system.
● Demonstrated ability to communicate complex and sensitive subjects both written and oral to staff of all levels.
Representational Experience (5 points)
● Demonstrated experience with internal representation to senior leadership on legislative priorities or advocacy issues.
● Demonstrated experience with external representation, including to legislative stakeholders, on policy or programming matters.
Interview Performance (40 points)
Timed Writing Test (15 points)
Satisfactory Professional Reference Checks (20 points)
Total Possible Points: 100
BASIS OF RATING: Offerors who meet the Education/Experience requirements and Selection Factors will be further evaluated in accordance with the Offeror Rating System. Those offerors determined to be competitively ranked may also be evaluated on interview performance and satisfactory professional reference checks.
Offerors are required to address each factor of the Offeror Rating System in their resume, describing specifically and accurately what experience, training, education and/or awards they have received as it pertains to each factor. Be sure to include your name and the announcement number at the top of each additional page. Failure to address the selection factors and/or Offeror Rating System factors may result in not receiving credit for all pertinent experience, education, training and/or awards.
The most qualified offerors may be interviewed and required to provide a writing sample. BHA will not pay for any expenses associated with the interviews. Professional references and academic credentials will be evaluated for offerors being considered for selection. Note: Please be advised that references may be obtained independently from other sources in addition to the ones provided by an offeror. BHA reserves the right to select additional offerors if vacancies become available during future phase of the selection process.
How to apply
Via email