Job Description

GENERAL INFORMATION

SOLICITATION NO.: 72066324R00002

ISSUANCED ATE: 12/18/2023

CLOSINGDATE/TIME FOR RECEIPT OF OFFERS: 01/17/2024, no later than 5:00 p.m (EAT) (close of business).

 POINT OF CONTACT: James Cerwinski, Supervisory EXO and Fekadu Tamirate, HR Specialist, e-mail at addisusaidjobs@usaid.gov.

POSITION TITLE: Development program Specialist

MARKET VALUE: $84,546 to $109,908, equivalent to GS-13. The final compensation will be negotiated within the listed market value based on the successful candidate’s salary history, work experience, and educational background.  Salaries over and above the top of the pay range will not be entertained or negotiated.

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia with possible travel as stated in the Statement of Work.

USPSCs may be authorized to telework or remote work only from a location within the country of performance, in accordance with Mission policy. Telework or remote work from outside the country of performance may only be authorized in certain situations in accordance with the terms and conditions of the contract.

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: For two years with one-three-year options to extend. Extensions will be contingent on satisfactory performance, continued need for the services and availability of funds. No PSC contract may exceed a five-year period of performance. Estimated to start on 05/02/2024.

The base period will be 05/02/2024– 05/01/2026. Based on Agency need, the Contracting Officer may exercise additional one-year option period for a maximum of three years, as noted below:

Base Period:

05/02/2024– 05/01/2026

Option Period 1:

05/02/2026– 05/01/2027

Option Period 2:

05/02/2027– 05/01/2028

Option Period 3:

05/02/2028– 05/01/2029

ELIGIBLE OFFERORS: U.S. Resident-Hire. Resident Hire U.S. Personal Services Contractor 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 U.S. government or non-U.S. government employment, or under any contract or other arrangement, that provides repatriation to the U.S.; or (ii) is a spouse or dependent of a U.S. citizen or resident alien who resides, or will reside, in the cooperating country for the purpose of U.S. government or non U.S. government employment, or under any contract or other arrangement that provides repatriation to the U.S. A U.S. citizen for purposes of this definition also includes a person who at the time of contracting is a lawfully admitted permanent resident of the United States and have a valid work authorization for Ethiopia.

Applicant must:

• Submit a complete application as outlined in the solicitation titled SUBMITTING AN OFFER

• Be able to obtain facility access security clearance.

• Be able to obtain a medical clearance.

• Be willing to travel to work sites and other offices or locations as/when requested.

CLEARANCES:  The final selected candidates must obtain both the facility access and medical clearances within a reasonable period. If such clearances are not obtained within a reasonable time or negative suitability issues are involved, any offer made may be rescinded.

STATEMENT OF DUTIES

General Statement of Purpose of the Contract:

The incumbent will serve as the Development Program Specialist in US Mission to African Union’s USAID Office. S/he will support the Mission in the achievement of its objectives by providing technical expertise, strategic programming, and leadership through a broad range of duties including program design, coordination and integration, management of, and/or contribution to regional activities, and analyses, reporting, and representation.

Statement of Duties to be Performed:

 Program Coordination and Integration - 35%

• Support the analysis, planning, budgeting, design, approval, justification, monitoring, implementation, and evaluation of USAID/AU development programs.

• Serve as AOR/COR for USAID/USAU grants and contracts where appropriate.

• Apply broad knowledge of U.S. Government and USAID regulations and procedures towards program sector planning and design. 

• Demonstrate a broad understanding of U.S., AU and African development needs and objectives, as well as how they relate to each other.

 Analyses and Reporting - 35%

• EXTERNAL CONTACTS:  Maintains an extensive range of contacts with senior officials of the African Union, international organizations, multilateral and bilateral donors, civil society organizations, the private sector, university and other “think tank” research institutes, and professional associations, as it is required to make use of and project USG influence with these organizations. 

• EMBASSY ASSISTANCE: Assists in developing the Embassy Country Mission Performance Plan. 

• OUTSIDE MEETINGS:  Represents USAID/USAU, in coordination with senior Mission management and the Embassy, at official meetings, workshops and seminars organized by government, donors and non-governmental organizations, and reports back to USAID on the discussions.   May be responsible for presenting USAID policy positions and activities at such meetings, in consultation with senior Mission management. 

• PRESENTATION AND ADVICE: Presents the results of program analyses to senior Mission management and advises on major related developments and their relation to development programs.

• PROFESSIONAL TASKS: Supporting visiting U.S. delegations and providing assistance.

 Manage of, and/or Contribute to Regional Activities - 30%

• Preparation and oral presentation of briefing books and other information materials for the Front Office, visiting USG officials or VIP visits.

• Developing the terms of reference for and undertaking studies to prepare and update the USAID/USAU strategy, program and activity design.

• Serving as a certified AOR/COR project manager for one or more projects.

Supervisory Relationship

The immediate supervisor will be the USDH USAID Representative to the USAU.  S/He will assist to define general assignments, priorities and deadlines against an annual work plan that will be developed in collaboration with the incumbent.  Upon acceptance of the annual work plan, the incumbent will be expected to work largely independently in planning and executing the tasks. The supervisor will usually review the incumbent’s completed assignments for adherence to broad policies. On a quarterly basis the incumbent and the supervisor will meet to review priorities and adjust the plan as appropriate.

Supervisory Controls:

Incumbent may well have direct supervision of short-term staff, consultants, and interns.  No supervision responsibilities are anticipated for long term permanent employees.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The work requested does not involve undue physical demands.

Once the CO informs the successful candidate about being selected for a contract award, the CO will provide the successful candidate instructions about how to complete and submit the following forms.

1. Medical History and Examination Form (Department of State Forms)

2. Fingerprint Card (FD-258), and either       

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

4. Questionnaire for Non-Sensitive Positions (SF-85), whichever is applicable.

BENEFITS/ALLOWANCES

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

BENEFITS:

1. Employer's FICA Contribution

2. Contribution toward Health & Life Insurance

3. Pay Comparability Adjustment

4. Annual Increase (depending on satisfactory performance evaluation)

5. Eligibility for Worker's Compensation

6. Annual and Sick Leave

TAXES

USPSCs are required to pay federal income taxes, FICA, Medicare and applicable state income taxes.

USAID REGULATIONS, POLICIES AND CONTRACT CLAUSES PERTAINING TO PSCs

USAID regulations and policies governing USPSC a wards are available at these sources:

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.

Contract Cover Page form AID309-1 available at https://www.usaid.gov/forms.

LINE ITEMSITEM NO(A)SUPPLIES/SERVICES (DESCRIPTION)(B)QUANTITY(C)UNIT(D)UNIT PRICE(E)AMOUNT(F)0001Base Period - Compensation, Fringe Benefits and Other Direct Costs (ODCs)- Award Type: Cost- Product Service Code: [e.g. R497]- Accounting Info: [insert one or more citation(s) from Phoenix/GLAAS]1LOT$ _TBD__at Award after negotiations with Contractor_1001Option Period 1 – Compensation, Fringe Benefits and Other Direct Costs (ODCs)- Award Type: Cost- Product Service Code: [e.g. R497]-Accounting Info: [insert from Phoenix/GLAAS]1LOT$ _TBD__at Award after negotiations with Contractor_2001Option Period 2 – Compensation, Fringe Benefits and Other Direct Costs (ODCs)- Award Type: Cost- Product Service Code: [e.g. R497]-Accounting Info: [insert from Phoenix/GLAAS]1LOT$ _TBD__at Award after negotiations with Contractor_3001Option Period 3 – Compensation, Fringe Benefits and Other Direct Costs (ODCs)- Award Type: Cost- Product Service Code: [e.g. R497]-Accounting Info: [insert from Phoenix/GLAAS]1LOT$ _TBD__at Award after negotiations with Contractor_

• 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.

• 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 5CFR2635. See https://www.oge.gov/web/oge.nsf/OGE%20Regulations.

• 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: https://www.usaid.gov/work-usaid/personal-service-contracts-ombudsman.

• The PSC Ombudsman may be contacted via: PSCOmbudsman@usaid.gov.

 Equal Employment Opportunity: The U.S. Mission in Ethiopia provides equal opportunity and fair and equitable treatment in employment to all people without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, political affiliation, marital status, or sexual orientation. USAID/Ethiopia also strives to achieve equal employment opportunity in all personnel operations. 

The EEO complaint procedure is available to individuals who believe they have been denied equal opportunity based upon marital status or political affiliation. Individuals with such complaints should avail themselves of the appropriate grievance procedures, remedies for prohibited personnel practices, and/or courts for relief.

Job Requirements

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION

• Applications will be initially screened by the Mission Human Resources Office to determine whether they have met the minimum qualifications listed below. All candidates who meet the minimum qualifications requirements will be referred to the Technical Evaluation Committee (TEC) for further consideration and screening.

• EDUCATION: A minimum of a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field such as political science, conflict, governance, business, economics, agribusiness, education or human rights.

• WORK EXPERIENCE:  At least five years of progressively responsible experience in the design, evaluation or management of development and/or humanitarian programs.

EVALUATION AND SELECTION FACTORS

The Government may award a contract without discussions with candidates 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 candidates 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 candidates in the competitive range to the greatest number that will permit an efficient competition among the most highly rated offers.  The FAR provisions referenced above are available at https://www.acquisition.gov/browse/index/far.

 EVALUATION FACTORS

EDUCATION (5 points):  Points will be given for (1) education above the minimum level and/or (2) specialized education pertinent to the position. and/or (3) specialized training pertinent to the position.

WORK EXPERIENCE (35 points): Points will be given for (1) experience above the minimum levels required, (2) specialized experience pertinent to the position, (3) experience in pertinent development assistance activities, (4) experience in development organizations that are large and/or international, and (5) At least one-year prior work or consultative experience with bilateral or multilateral development agencies.

KNOWLEDGE (30 points): Demonstrated understanding of 1) the history, nature and dynamics of politics and governance in one or more regions of Africa, and 2) the level of development, interests and perspectives of government, political party, corporate sector and civil society stakeholders.  Demonstrated knowledge on procedures for programming and strategy development, and policies.  Demonstrated knowledge of the African Union – its operations, strategy and work plans, particularly as they relate to democracy and governance.

SKILLS AND ABILITIES (30 points): Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain an extensive range of senior/high level contacts in governmental, international, and private sector circles. Demonstrated ability to interrelate current development issues and trends to the broader political forces and factors at work in Africa. Demonstrated ability to prepare factual and interpretive reports covering complex subject matter is required. Demonstrated ability to plan, organize and execute complex projects conducted independently.  Demonstrated ability to prepare precise and accurate factual and analytical reports.  Demonstrated ability to effectively present in writing conclusions/ analysis through field trip reports, special reports, studies, memoranda of record to document meetings, conferences, workshops, etc. Demonstrated ability to effectively represent the Mission’s policies and program objectives and/or the Mission-endorsed results of their analyses.  Demonstrated ability to orient, train, and supervise lower-level professional personnel, when appropriate. Mastery of computer usage including Word, Excel, Power Point and other relevant computer programs.

INTERVIEW PERFORMANCE (100 points)

BASIS OF RATING: Candidates who meet the Minimum Qualifications will be evaluated in accordance with the Evaluation and Selection Factors.

Candidates should address these factors in the offer package, describing specifically and accurately what experience, training, education and/or awards they have received as it pertains to the factors. Failure to address the Evaluation and Selection Factors may result in not receiving credit for all pertinent experience, education, training and/or awards.

The highest-ranking applicants may be selected for an interview and writing test. Interviews may be conducted either in person or by telephone/video call at USAID’s discretion.

Final TEC recommendations for the candidates will be based on the initial evaluation of the applications and interview performance. USAID/Ethiopia will not pay for any expenses associated with interviews.

Satisfactory Professional Reference Checks – Pass/Fail (no points assigned). Reference checks will be conducted only for the first-ranked candidate.  Please be advised that references may be obtained independently from other sources in addition to the ones provided by an offeror. If a candidate does not wish USAID to contact a current employer for a reference check, this should be stated in the candidate’s cover letter, and USAID will not contact those references without contacting the candidate.

How to Apply

For your application to be considered, the following documents must be submitted:

• Offeror Information for Personal Services Contracts with Individuals, available at AID- 309-2 Form

• Letter of Application

• Current curriculum vitae (CV).

Further Guidance:

• To ensure consideration of offers for the intended position, offerors must prominently reference the Solicitation Number in the offer submission.

• Application must be submitted ONLY via addisusaidjobs@usaid.gov and the email subject must say 72066324R00002 – Program Development Specialist. Be sure to include your name and the solicitation number at the top of each page.

Please do not submit more than one application and

• The application must be submitted before or on the closing date at local Ethiopia time  5 p.m. (Local Ethiopia, Addis Ababa Time, or EAT). Late and incomplete applications will not be considered.