SOLICITATION NUMBER: 720BHA23R00044

ISSUANCE DATE: May 22, 2023

CLOSING DATE AND TIME: March 4, 2024, 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) 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 of this solicitation. Incomplete or unsigned offers will not be considered. Offerors should retain copies of all offer materials for their records.

USAID will evaluate all offerors based on stated evaluation criteria. USAID encourages all individuals, including those from disadvantaged and under-represented groups, to respond to the 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.

Any questions must be directed in writing to the Point of Contact specified in Attachment 1.

Sincerely,

Ousay Wahaj

Supervisory Contracting Officer Office of Acquisition & Assistance (M/OAA/BHA-CPS/PSC)

ATTACHMENT 1

GENERAL INFORMATION

1. SOLICITATION NO.: 720BHA23R00044
2. ISSUANCE DATE: May 22, 2023
3. CLOSING DATE AND TIME FOR RECEIPT OF OFFERS: This solicitation is open and continuous until March 4, 2024. The following are the closing dates for each review period: July 5, 2023, 12:00 P.M. Eastern Time; November 3, 2023, 12:00 P.M. Eastern Time; March 4, 2024, 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 discretion.
4. POINT OF CONTACT: FARO Recruitment Team, BHA.FARORecruitment@usaid.gov
5. POSITION TITLE: Support Relief Group (SRG) Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Advisor
6. MARKET VALUE: $84,546 - $109,908 equivalent to GS-13.

   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.

7. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: USAID/Worldwide
   Relocation expenses will not be reimbursed for U.S.-based positions.
8. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: Five (5) years, tentatively 145 day estimated start date from closing

   STATEMENT OF LIMITATIONS ON PERIOD AND PLACE OF PERFORMANCE:

   The purpose of this contract is to establish an employee/employer relationship with the contractor to perform services on a temporary, on-call, basis as part of the SRG. BHA intends to contract for these services for a maximum of 250 days per calendar year. Activation days vary but will not exceed 250 days during each contract year.

   The level of effort anticipated under this contract will be provided within the terms of this contract at times mutually agreed to by BHA and the contractor. Upon identification of a temporary need within the scope of work, BHA will contact the contractor and provide the following information:

   Date contractor is needed to report to BHA or assignment in the field
   Duration of Assignment
   Place of Performance

   The contractor will notify BHA within 24 hours of availability. At the time the contractor accepts the assignment, he/she is expected to commit for the duration of the assignment. While the contractor will be required to commit to a certain time period, it is understood that the exigencies of a disaster may require the assignment to be extended (not to exceed 250 days). The contractor shall notify BHA at the time of commitment if their existing schedule would preclude an extension. Notification of schedule conflicts shall not necessarily disqualify the contractor from the assignment but will simply assist BHA in recruiting a replacement. Subsequently, if the contractor agrees to an extension of the duration of a particular assignment, thereafter, the contractor will be required to give BHA 10 days’ notice for release from the assignment.

9. ELIGIBLE OFFERORS: U.S. Citizens Only
10. SECURITY LEVEL REQUIRED: Secret

    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 Secret up to Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information level clearance as provided by USAID.

11. STATEMENT OF DUTIES

GENERAL STATEMENT OF PURPOSE OF THE CONTRACT

The Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) requires the services of Support Relief Group (SRG) Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Advisors to support BHA’s efforts to monitor activity (project) performance systematically and effectively, and ensure BHA’s strategies and programs are effective, efficient, relevant, accountable, and impactful.

STATEMENT OF DUTIES TO BE PERFORMED

The M&E Advisor will perform a combination of the following duties and responsibilities:

Technical Assistance

• Provide technical assistance to third-party monitoring (TPM) contracts for the design and implementation of monitoring systems.

• Review monitoring approaches, indicators, and evaluation methods proposed in proposals for humanitarian response, early recovery, risk reduction, and resilience programs.
• Review semi-annual and annual results reports submitted by implementing partners; identify challenges and lessons learned, synthesize and aggregate data, and prepare summary reports.
• Assess needs for remote monitoring when necessary; advise appropriate remote monitoring approaches and tools; review third-party statements of work; provide technical support to TPM contracts; review appropriate and relevant reports.
• Independently lead, advise on, and contribute to the development and implementation of evaluations, indicators, surveys, measurement approaches, and learning practices, including assisting with evaluation and selection of prospective monitoring and evaluation awards.
• Provide technical assistance to BHA, Missions, and partners’ staff to design and implement monitoring systems for humanitarian response, early recovery, risk reduction, and resilience programs.
• Provide technical assistance in defining relevant qualifications and design and implementation of monitoring systems for the acquisition of TPM contracts.

Capacity Building

• Develop checklists and other tools for Humanitarian Assistance Officers to improve capacity and objectivity in field visits.
• Develop the capacity of BHA and implementing partner staff to implement BHA monitoring and evaluation requirements and monitor BHA programs.

Data Analysis

• Analyze quantitative and qualitative data as tools in assessing program performance, discerning lessons learned, and making recommendations for improved outcomes.
• Synthesize evidence and best practices into written and oral learning products, including training materials, to build capabilities of Agency staff and partners.
• Answering key questions in analytic and learning agendas through designing, managing, and disseminating findings from analyses, research, and evaluations.
• Using various data mining tools, explore plausible relationships among different variables based on the theory of change of early recovery, risk reduction, and resilience programming.
• Provide technical assistance to BHA contractors and partners on data analysis and presentations.

Data Management

• Review and edit performance data and reporting materials, submitted by BHA awardees; provide feedback to awardees or contractors as appropriate, and upload data to Feed the Future and other databases as requested by the M&E Team Lead.
• Manage performance data and update the M&E database regularly; ensure that BHA contractors and awardees comply with USAID and BHA data privacy and security policy; track submission of data to USAID data library.

Evaluation

• Review evaluation scopes of work submitted by BHA awardees, research partners, and contractors; review proposed evaluators; design and participate in evaluations.

Coordination and Collaboration

• Contribute to BHA internal and external documents, such as planning documents, BHA technical guidance, and internal guidance.
• Coordinate with the other members of the M&E Team; the Design, Monitoring, Evaluation, and Applied Learning (DMEAL) Division; with geographic offices and other relevant offices such as the Office of Global Policy, Partnerships, Programs, and Communications; the Office of Technical and Program Quality (TPQ), for technical support, training, data utilization, and knowledge capture and sharing.
• Coordinate with the M&E teams in other bureaus, such as the Bureau for Policy, Planning, and Learning; Bureau for Resilience and Food Security, Bureau for Conflict and Violence Prevention, Bureau for Global Health; Bureau for Development, Democracy, and Innovation; Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration; and with other key USAID partners on evaluations, best practices, and harmonization of indicators.
• As advised by the M&E Team Lead, represent the M&E team in USAID, BHA, and at external events.

General Duties

• The SRG M&E Advisor does not have supervisory responsibilities; however, the PSC may serve in an acting leadership role within the bureau in order to meet short-term staffing needs, not to exceed 120 days in a 12-month contract year.
• May be requested to be on-call/sign up for and serve 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 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.
• May 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 the Contract Performance Assessment Review System. 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.

• Consistently model behaviors that demonstrate a commitment to fostering a welcoming and inclusive work environment free of discrimination, bias, unfairness, exclusion, offensive behaviors, and harassment of any kind.
• Contribute to a collaborative, respectful, and professional work environment by demonstrating partnership and teamwork to accomplish team, division, office, and Bureau objectives.
• Participate in workplace efforts to advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, including those related to Bureau and TPQ programs, partners, staffing, professional development, and other key areas.
• Attend and actively participate in personal-development activities, such as anti-harassment and diversity training opportunities, brown bag sessions, working groups, and/or focus group discussions.

SUPERVISORY RELATIONSHIP:

The USPSC will take direction from and will report to the Office of Field and Response Operations /Response Resources Division Director or their designee. When activated, the SRG M&E Advisors will be a part of TPQ’s M&E Team in the DMEAL Division, receiving day-to-day guidance and management from the M&E Team Lead or their designee.
SUPERVISORY CONTROLS:

The supervisor sets overall objectives. USPSC and supervisor together develop deadlines, projects and work to be done. The USPSC independently plans, designs, and carries out projects, studies, and programs. Completed work is reviewed only from an overall standpoint in terms of feasibility, compatibility with other work, or effectiveness in meeting requirements, or expected results. Technical problems are generally resolved without reference to supervisors.

1. PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The work requested does not involve undue physical demands.

Qualifications

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.)

A Bachelor’s degree with significant study in or pertinent to the specialized field: economics, agricultural economics, biostatistics, statistics, international development, or other related fields with course work and experience in quantitative techniques or analysis plus a minimum of seven (7) years of experience working in monitoring and evaluation as it is practiced in the field of humanitarian assistance or resilience programs.

OR

A Master’s degree with significant study in or pertinent to the specialized field: economics, agricultural economics, biostatistics, statistics, international development, or other related fields with course work and experience in quantitative techniques or analysis plus five (5) years of experience working in monitoring and evaluation as it is practiced in the field of humanitarian assistance or resilience programs.

OR

A PhD from an accredited U.S. or internationally recognized institution with experience in data analysis, or in a field with a focus on econometrics or statistics, or other related fields with quantitative coursework, plus a minimum of three (3) years of professional experience in humanitarian assistance or resilience programs.