1. GENERAL INFORMATION

 

1. SOLICITATION NO.: 720BHA23R00002

 

1. ISSUANCE DATE: February 7, 2023

 

1. CLOSING DATE AND TIME FOR RECEIPT OF OFFERS: November 17, 2023, 12:00 P.M. Eastern Time

 

This solicitation is open and continuous until November 17, 2023. The following are the closing dates for each review period:

 

March 24, 2023, 12:00 P.M. Eastern Time

July 21, 2023, 12:00 P.M. Eastern Time

November 17, 2023, 12:00 P.M. Eastern Time

 

Offerors not selected during a previous review period must reapply in order to be considered for positions available in subsequent review periods. A review period may be canceled at the Contracting Officer’s (CO’s) discretion.

 

1. POINT OF CONTACT: MENAE Recruitment Team, BHA.MENAERecruitment@usaid.gov

 

1. POSITION TITLE: Deputy Regional Director

 

1. MARKET VALUE: $117,518 - $152,771 equivalent to GS-15 (not eligible for locality pay)

 

Final compensation will be negotiated within the listed market value and will include Locality Pay for domestic USPSCs based on the location of the Official USAID Worksite, or the approved alternative worksite if approved for remote work. USPSCs performing overseas are not entitled to Locality Pay.

 

Salaries over and above the top of the pay range will not be entertained or negotiated.

 

1. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: Budapest, Hungary

 

There may be an initial training program in Washington, D.C. for three months, which will include formal classroom training and on-the-job training; and may include security training. After completion of initial training, the Deputy Regional Director will be assigned to the place of performance.

 

1. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: Five (5) years, tentatively 145 days after closing before start date.

 

1. ELIGIBLE OFFERORS: U.S. Citizens Only

 

1. 10. SECURITY LEVEL REQUIRED: Secret clearance level.

(If there is a change in circumstances requiring access to National Security information classified at the Top-Secret level, the offeror may be asked to obtain and maintain a Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information level clearance as provided by USAID).

 

1. STATEMENT OF DUTIES

 

GENERAL STATEMENT OF PURPOSE OF THE CONTRACT

 

The Office of Middle East, North Africa and Europe (MENAE)  requires the services of a Deputy Regional Director (DRD) for the Europe and North Africa Regional Office in Budapest, Hungary to ensure that BHA’s mandate is met and to enhance its capability to manage complex portfolios, effectively respond to international crises and disasters, and manage a preparedness and disaster risk reduction portfolio across the region.

 

 

STATEMENT OF DUTIES TO BE PERFORMED

 

The Deputy Regional Director will, in coordination with the Regional Director, be responsible for a complex portfolio—requiring oversight of multiple, concurrent humanitarian crises throughout the disaster cycle. The DRD will play a critical role in managing and supervising a diverse team of field-based staff responsible for the monitoring and assessment of humanitarian needs in the region of responsibility and in developing, implementing, and monitoring humanitarian response and disaster risk reduction efforts. These staff may be in the regional office in Budapest or in country offices within the region. The DRD will oversee daily office activities, manage staffing processes, and ensure adherence to applicable USAID rules and regulations. They will also serve as a lead humanitarian advisor, representing BHA in engagements with other USG and external stakeholders and ensuring that BHA field-based perspectives are incorporated into the bureau’s internal and external policy efforts. Travel throughout the assigned region and to headquarters will be expected.

 

The DRD’s responsibilities will include the following:

 

Leadership and Supervision

• Manage and prioritize daily activities of BHA’s regional office and all related sub-regional and program offices, and guide the operationalization of BHA policies, procedures, and systems in the field.
• Supervise BHA staff within the region, including establishing and maintaining clear roles and responsibilities and providing technical guidance, oversight, and administrative approvals.
• Oversee and manage recruitment and onboarding of new hires, professional development and training opportunities, and other staffing processes.
• Administer the performance review cycle for employees, including reviewing statements of work, setting annual performance goals, conducting annual performance reviews, documenting disciplinary reviews, and drafting personnel award documents.
• Provide current and future strategic direction to the regional office to include programmatic, liaison, and representational prioritization and human and financial resource requirements.
• Participate in a leadership role in office-wide policy initiatives to ensure field perspectives are well-represented.
• Serve as an early adopter of change through constructive engagement in policy, process, and management issues during development and implementation.

 

Contextual Specialty and Portfolio Management

• Serve as an authoritative expert on humanitarian issues, priorities, lessons learned, and opportunities in the region of responsibility and provide expert guidance specific to the region to team members and internal and external stakeholders.
• Monitor incipient disasters and developments in complex crises, humanitarian response appeals and plans, and emerging and intractable humanitarian issues and challenges, lead identification and assessment of humanitarian needs, formulation of assistance requirements, and beneficiary targeting, and apply expertise to inform USG actions.
• Facilitate the development of country, issue, or disaster specific strategies across the region of responsibility, as well as timely revision of these strategies as contextual realities shift, and monitor ongoing activities.
• Prepare or supervise the preparation of regular strategic and analytical reports on current or anticipated emergencies, as well as comprehensive preparedness documentation on assigned countries.
• Ensure interventions within the region of responsibility align with appropriate strategies and facilitate the continued coordination between relief and development portfolios, with the goal of integrating disaster mitigation, readiness, and resilience principles into strategic documents and program design.
• Apply expert knowledge of applicable laws, regulations, guidance, and practice to guide appropriate and effective use of emergency resources and ensure adherence to all applicable USAID rules and regulations.
• In coordination with the regional director, oversee management of the approved regional annual budget, to include timely identification of the need for additional resources or the availability of surplus.

 

Representation

• Serve as a lead BHA representative on humanitarian issues in the area of responsibility and represent USAID in joint efforts to design, develop, and implement humanitarian strategies and interventions with local governments, donor, partner, and UN organizations, as appropriate.
• Serve as an expert advisor on humanitarian and disaster risk reduction issues to senior USG personnel in the region, including ambassadors, mission directors, and other heads of agencies, as well as host country authorities and other stakeholders.
• Develop and maintain relationships with representatives of host governments, government donors, international organizations, NGOs, U.S. embassies, and USAID missions to ensure efficient and coordinated humanitarian response and disaster risk reduction activities.
• Work with local and regional institutions and private and public sector organizations to incorporate disaster risk reduction into appropriate programs.

 

General Duties

• Ensure timely reporting of BHA’s activities in the region through written cables, analyses, strategies, and other requests for written information and oral briefings.
• As needed, serve on DARTs which may require immediate (within 24 hours) deployment overseas for an extended period of time.  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). 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.
• As needed, serve on Washington-based Response Management Teams (RMTs), which provide services and support to DARTs deployed in response to disasters. The duties on RMTs will be varied.
• As needed, serve on temporary detail within the bureau 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 DRD will take direction from and will report to the Regional Director or his/her designee.

 

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.

 

 

 

1. PHYSICAL DEMANDS

 

The work requested does not involve undue physical demands.

 

1. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION

 

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION

(Determines basic eligibility for the position. Applicants who do not meet all the education  and experience factors are considered NOT qualified for the position.)

 

Bachelor’s degree in any field and eleven (11) years of experience working in emergency relief, international humanitarian assistance, or disaster response. Four (4) years of this experience must include on-the-ground field experience in humanitarian needs assessment, analysis, emergency relief program operations, or post-emergency rehabilitation.

 

OR

 

Master’s degree in any field and nine (9) years of experience working in emergency relief, international humanitarian assistance, or disaster response. Four (4) years of this experience must include on-the-ground field experience in humanitarian needs assessment, analysis, emergency relief program operations, or post-emergency rehabilitation.

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.

 

The technical evaluation committee may conduct reference checks, including references from individuals who have not been specifically identified by the offeror, and may do so before or after a candidate is interviewed.

 

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 Section IV 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 may be accepted.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Secret clearance. (If there is a change in circumstances requiring access to National Security information classified at the Top-Secret level, the offeror may be asked to obtain and maintain a Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information level clearance as provided by USAID).
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Department of State medical clearance throughout the contract.
• 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 rating factors are as follows:

 

MATRIX (35 points)

 

Management/Supervisory Experience (15 points)

• Experience providing substantive guidance to senior officials or organizational leadership on political, organizational, structural, and stakeholder interests for humanitarian assistance. (2 points)
• Experience overseeing the daily activities and administrative functions of a team. (2 points)
• Experience managing staff with varied nationalities and cultural backgrounds responding to humanitarian crises. (3 points)
• Experience managing a diverse team of program, technical, and administrative staff. (2 points)
• Experience mediating issues among professionals working in international humanitarian crises. (2 points)
• Experience administering the performance review cycle for employees, to include at least 4 of the following: reviewing statements of work; setting annual performance goals; conducting annual performance reviews; documenting disciplinary reviews; drafting personnel award documents (4 points)

 

Professional Experience (10 points)

• Direct donor-based experience with USG international humanitarian agencies, or other international disaster response donor organizations. (2 points)
• Experience managing humanitarian interventions in an international disaster context across the entire disaster management cycle, to include at least 3 of the following: emergency response; early recovery; disaster risk reduction;  resilience (4 points)
• Specific experience managing humanitarian interventions, must have 5 of the following: needs assessment; strategy development; budget management; resource prioritizations;  program development;  program management (4 points)

 

Skills and Abilities (10 points)

• Skills providing guidance on humanitarian and disaster risk reduction issues to senior diplomats, including ambassadors, or mission directors, or other heads of agencies. (2 points)
• Ability to adhere to USAID rules and regulations in the implementation of programming in an international humanitarian setting. (2 points)
• Diplomatic, interpersonal, and representational skills in order to work effectively with other donors and diplomatic missions at senior levels in the midst of international humanitarian crisis situations. (2 points)
• Ability to represent a large donor organization in joint efforts to design, develop, and implement humanitarian strategies and interventions with local governments, donors, partners, and UN organizations. (2 points)
• Experience compiling timely written reports and oral briefings of humanitarian assistance activities at a regional level, providing analyses, strategies, and policy recommendations. (2 points)

 

Interview Performance (50 points)

 

Satisfactory Professional Reference Checks (15 points)

 

Total Possible Points: 100

 

BASIS OF RATING: Offerors who meet the Education and 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 the future phase of the selection process.

 

 

1. SUBMITTING AN OFFER

 

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. 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.
3. Offeror submissions must clearly reference the Solicitation number on all offeror submitted documents.
4. 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? (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.

 

Additional documents submitted will not be accepted.

 

By submitting your offer materials, you certify that all of the information on and attached to the offer is true, correct, complete, and made in good faith. You agree to allow all information on and attached to the offer to be investigated. False or fraudulent information on or attached to your offer may result in you being eliminated from consideration for this position, or being terminated after award, and may be punishable by fine or imprisonment.

 

To ensure consideration of offers for the intended position, please reference the solicitation number on your offer, and as the subject line in any email.

 

1. Ensure Adequate COVID-19 Safety Protocols for Federal Contractors - Please be advised that upon award, the contractor will be required to show proof that the contractor is fully vaccinated against COVID-19 on or before the first date of onboarding, or submit an approved reasonable accommodation to the CO. If the contractor does not meet this requirement the contract may be terminated.*  USPSCs/TCNPSCs performing overseas must follow the Mission policies and/or directives from the U.S. Department of State regarding COVID-19 requirements.

*See Notice Regarding Any Court Order Affecting the Implementation of E.O. 14042 in Section VIII below.

 

1. NOTE:  If the full security application package is not submitted within 30 days after the Office of Security determines eligibility, the offer may be rescinded. If a Secret security clearance is not obtained within nine months after offer acceptance, the offer may be rescinded. If Top Secret is required, and clearance is not obtained within nine months after award, USAID may terminate the contract at the convenience of the government. If Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) access is not obtained within nine months after Top Secret clearance is granted, USAID may terminate the contract at the convenience of the government.

 

1. NOTE: If the full medical clearance package is not submitted within two months after offer acceptance, the offer may be rescinded. If a Department of State medical clearance is not obtained; the offer may be rescinded.

 

1. NOTE REGARDING GOVERNMENT OBLIGATIONS FOR THIS SOLICITATION: 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.

 

 

1. LIST OF REQUIRED FORMS PRIOR TO AWARD

 

The CO will provide instructions about how to complete and submit the following forms after an offeror is selected for the contract award.

 

Forms outlined below can be found at:

http://www.usaid.gov/forms/ or at http://www.forms.gov/bgfPortal/main.do

 

2. USPSC Offeror Form (AID 309-2)
3. Medical History and Examination Form (DS-6561). **
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). **
7. Employment Eligibility Verification (I-9 Form). **

 

** Forms 3 through 7 shall be completed ONLY upon the advice of the Contracting Officer that an offeror is the successful candidate for the job.

 

1. BENEFITS AND ALLOWANCES

 

As a matter of policy, and as appropriate, a USPSC 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) Leave and Holidays

 

1. ALLOWANCES

Section numbers refer to rules from the Department of State Standardized Regulations (Government Civilians Foreign Areas), available at https://aoprals.state.gov/content.asp?content_id=282&menu_id=101

 

(a) Temporary Lodging Allowance (Section 120).

(b) Living Quarters Allowance (Section 130).

(c) Post Allowance (Section 220).

(d) Supplemental Post Allowance (Section 230).

(e) Separate Maintenance Allowance (Section 260).

(f) Education Allowance (Section 270).

(g) Education Travel (Section 280).

(h) Post Differential (Chapter 500).

(i) Payments during Evacuation/Authorized Departure (Section 600), and

(j) Danger Pay. (Section 650)

 

NOTE: Family members of USPSC's seeking employment in the local economy overseas need to be aware of the work permit regulations in the host country.

 

If a country does not have a bi-lateral work agreement with the U.S. Government, USPSCs must seek Chief of Mission and Contracting Office approval to seek employment in the local economy; approval is not guaranteed.

 

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:

https://www.usaid.gov/ads/policy/300/aidar

 

 

1. PART 52 - SOLICITATION PROVISIONS AND CONTRACT CLAUSES

 

Subpart 52.2 - Text of Provisions and Clauses

 

52.223-99 ENSURING ADEQUATE COVID-19 SAFETY PROTOCOLS FOR FEDERAL CONTRACTORS, Alternate 70.

 

ENSURING ADEQUATE COVID-19 SAFETY PROTOCOLS FOR FEDERAL CONTRACTORS (OCT 2021)-Alternate 70 (OCT 2021) (M/OAA-DEV-FAR-22-01c)

 

(a) Definition. As used in this clause -

 

United States or its outlying areas means—

 

(1) The fifty States;

(2) The District of Columbia;

(3) The commonwealths of Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands;

(4) The territories of American Samoa, Guam, and the United States Virgin Islands; and

(5) The minor outlying islands of Baker Island, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island, Palmyra Atoll, and Wake Atoll.

 

(b) Authority. This clause implements Executive Order 14042, Ensuring Adequate COVID Safety Protocols for Federal Contractors, dated September 9, 2021 (published in the Federal Register on September 14, 2021, 86 FR 50985).

 

(c) Personal Services Contracts with individuals. As a matter of policy, the contractor must comply with the USAID’s guidance applicable to direct-hire federal employees.

 

(End of Clause)