I. GENERAL INFORMATION

1. SOLICITATION NO.: 72012124R00013

2. ISSUANCE DATE: May 03, 2024

3. CLOSING DATE/TIME FOR RECEIPT OF OFFERS: June 03, 2024 (11:59 p.m. EST)

4. POSITION TITLE: Relief and Development Coherence 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:

With over $2.8 billion in humanitarian assistance and $2.9 billion in development assistance allocated to USAID in Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, USAID provides humanitarian aid and supports stronger democratic governance, improved economic growth, resilient energy systems and infrastructure, and better health services. USAID’s 2019-2026 Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) goal is for an independent, democratic, prosperous, and healthy Ukraine united around core European values. The CDCS frames USAID’s work supporting Ukraine’s commitment and capacity to progress towards self-reliance, and addresses its two-front war – against Russia’s full-scale aggression on the one hand, and against its internal legacy of corruption on the other.

The war has caused large-scale displacement, widespread damage to infrastructure, economic deterioration, and serious protection issues for conflict-affected populations. The UN estimates that 12 million people inside Ukraine will need relief and protection. Ukraine has the highest proportion of elderly people in need of humanitarian aid, making up over 30 percent of those in need. Hundreds of thousands of people live within five kilometers of the line of contact (LOC) in the government-controlled areas often experience daily armed clashes—sometimes resulting in injury, death, or damage to their property—or live with the feeling of periodic or constant threat to their lives. Land mines, explosive remnants of war, and unexploded ordnance also pose a threat to civilians and hinder their freedom of movement. The ongoing conflict and the LOC, which acts as a de facto border, has had a negative impact on the socio-economic situation of eastern Ukraine and has disrupted access to services, freedom of movement, and infrastructure systems (particularly water and electricity).

In response to the conflict, USAID has provided almost $5 billion since February 2022 in development and humanitarian assistance to directly shape programming in economic growth, energy and infrastructure, democratic and accountable governance, and urgent health reforms and service delivery, as well as relief assistance to vulnerable populations. USAID humanitarian assistance in eastern Ukraine is focused on protecting and assisting the most vulnerable conflict-affected populations, prioritizing people and communities who continue to be caught in the line of fire and whose access to basic services, including markets and livelihoods has been compromised. To date, 5.8 million refugees have been recorded across Europe, 5.1 million people are displaced across Ukraine, and 17.6 people are in need of humanitarian assistance.

While humanitarian assistance can often mitigate immediate threats to life and property, its purpose makes it an inappropriate tool for diminishing the underlying systemic drivers of those threats. Wherever possible, development actors must work hand-in-hand to ensure that development programs meet the needs of conflict-affected people, including a focus on the most vulnerable, who remain the recipients of humanitarian assistance. This requires joined-up coordination, planning, and programming on both sides of the humanitarian-development divide. The USG refers to this as Relief and Development Coherence, or RDC. Under the UN’s New Way of Working, such efforts are also known as the humanitarian-development nexus (HDN).

The USAID’s Relief and Development Coherence Advisor (RDC Advisor) will play a critical role in supporting these transitions and collaborative efforts. The advisor will coordinate within the Mission and USAID Washington among development, humanitarian (e.g. funded by the Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance), and stabilization/transition efforts (e.g. funded by the Office of Transition Initiatives), as well as with other USG partners such as the State Department’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM), Defense Department counterparts, and other sections and agencies.

Due to USG’s large portfolio through its humanitarian, transitional, and development assistance, USAID/Ukraine is hiring an RDC Advisor to continuously monitor the situation in Ukraine as it relates to the nexus between humanitarian assistance, early recovery, and long-term development. The RDC Advisor will represent USAID at relevant coordination meetings, workshops, and presentations with USG and international partners and provide continuous reporting to USAID and other elements of the U.S. Mission in Kyiv on updated activities, approaches, and plans. His/her work will be centered on the Mission’s portfolio of activities working toward the CDCS’ second development objective (DO 2), which focuses on mitigating the impacts of Russia’s Aggression. S/he will develop or contribute to ongoing strategies and activity designs that fall under DO 2 and will promote overall cross-activity coordination through information sharing. The RDC Advisor will maintain close collaboration with all relevant stakeholders on the ground in Ukraine, develop appropriate policies and responses to the situation, respond to requests for information, and prepare background/briefing documents. In addition to the Advisor role, s/he will also serve as USAID/Ukraine’s civilian-military coordinator (MC2) and as the main point of contact on veteran’s affairs. The Advisor will also be responsible for teaching and coaching other Mission staff, as appropriate, on the advisor’s areas of expertise.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

The RDC Advisor’s main responsibilities will include the following:

1. Coordination & Strategy Development (40%)

• Provide technical leadership to USAID/Ukraine teams, other contractors, partners and customers in the design, implementation and monitoring of RDC-relevant activities.
• Collaborate with the USAID Mission, BHA and PRM representatives, and other USG colleagues on RDC issues and programming.
• Lead dialogue around RDC integration and coordination and adjust tactical approaches to take advantage of emerging program opportunities through project/activity modifications and course corrections.
• Develop and contribute to the formulation and articulation of appropriate strategies, recommendations and policies, activity/program designs.
• As an expert, provide mentoring and support to USAID/Ukraine technical teams, and as appropriate, implementing partners’ field staff, to ensure the conceptualization and implementation of large complex activities and programs.
• Promote situational awareness among USAID colleagues and other elements of the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv on relevant context shifts, emerging needs, and opportunities for programmatic pivots that would promote RDC in development activities.
• When necessary, lead the design, procurement, and management of research and analysis necessary to inform the design of RDC-responsive development interventions.
• Work with USAID’s technical teams to identify potential RDC synergies and help to establish linkages across different programs, agencies, and donors; and advisor Mission Leadership on recommendations.

2. Monitoring & Communication (35%)

• Represent USAID at relevant humanitarian, development, or RDC-related fora and meetings both within and outside of the USG.
• Travel to eastern Ukraine to attend meetings, lead site visits, monitor the general RDC situation, and represent USAID with local government officials and NGOs.
• Establish an RDC annual work plan featuring monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) and report key findings each quarter to Mission Leadership via briefs or written summaries.

3. Information Management (15%)

• Prepare and assist with the preparation of background documents, briefing papers, talking points, information memos, position papers, reports, and other documents as necessary.
• Provide timely information and responses to RDC-related inquiries from within USAID and from the rest of the USG.
• Collaborate with USAID/Ukraine’s Development Outreach and Communications (DOC) Team and when needed the Public Affairs Section (PAS) on outreach and any social media postings concerning RDC.

4. Mission’s veterans’ issues point of contact (10%)

• Track USAID support and assistance related to veterans.
• Assist with the preparation of background documents, briefing papers, talking points, and information memos.
• Participate in relevant internal working groups and attend external events related to veterans’ affairs.
• Represent the needs of veterans in Mission discussions about strategy, activity design, and resource allocation. Seek out means of elevating the role and importance of veterans in Mission and Embassy programming.

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 [email protected]

II. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION

Education: A bachelor’s degree or higher in international affairs, international law, international development, conflict resolution, or related degree is required.

Prior work experience: Minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in USG foreign affairs agencies, international organizations, and/or NGOs specializing in one or more of the following: international development, early recovery, humanitarian relief, internally displaced persons and refugee issues, or a closely related field.

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 or higher in international affairs, international law, international development, conflict resolution, or related degree is required. Additional education in the aforementioned areas is desirable.

Prior Work Experience (30 Points): Minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in USG foreign affairs agencies, international organizations, and/or NGOs specializing in one or more of the following: international development, early recovery, humanitarian relief, internally displaced persons and refugee issues, or a closely related field. Substantive experience working specifically on/with conflict-affected populations, including assessing, designing, monitoring, managing, implementing, and/or evaluating programming in disaster-affected or fragile contexts overseas is desirable. Relevant work experience in Ukraine or for the USG is desirable. Additional experience in the aforementioned areas is desirable.

Knowledge (30 Points): In-depth knowledge of USG laws, policies, regulations and procedures related to international development assistance. Knowledge of the conflict in eastern Ukraine and its development impact on Ukraine and conflict-affected communities, as well as knowledge of humanitarian assistance principles is highly preferred. A working knowledge of the Eastern European region, its institutions, and unique development challenges is preferred. Additional knowledge in the aforementioned areas is desirable. A working knowledge of USAID policies and procedures for the planning and implementation of development or humanitarian assistance is desirable.

Skills and Abilities (30 points):

• Interpersonal and Teamwork Skills: Demonstrated mastery of collaborative development assistance and the ability to work on a team and with internal and external professional colleagues and in a leadership capacity. Negotiation skills to mediate complex situations with a variety of stakeholders, often with diverging viewpoints to come to a consensus and move forward. The ability to motivate and influence counterparts and customers at the mid to senior levels.
• Communication: Excellent oral and written communications skills are essential. Some speaking and/or writing ability in Russian and/or Ukrainian is desired. The Advisor should have the ability to develop concise, well-written products and present briefings to senior officials, including the presentation of narrative and qualitative and quantitative information.
• Analytical and Problem Solving: A high degree of creativity and problem-solving skills to identify potential synergies in programming.
• Information Technology: Basic competency with common office software, such as Google and Microsoft Suite.
• Professionalism: Strong organizational and time management skills as well as learning agility and the ability to effectively adapt to new or changing situations.

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 [email protected]:

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,

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