I. GENERAL INFORMATION

1. SOLICITATION NO.: 72012124R00018

2. ISSUANCE DATE: July 31, 2024

3. CLOSING DATE/TIME FOR RECEIPT OF OFFERS: August 30, 2024 (11:59 p.m. EST)

4. POSITION TITLE: HIV/AIDS 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

BACKGROUND:

USAID/Ukraine’s Office of Health is one of four technical offices in the Mission and is responsible for the management of a portfolio, valued at approximately $24 million per year, which supports the Government of Ukraine (GOU) and civil society to build a health system that responds to the needs of the Ukrainian people. In addition to a strong focus on health reform, USAID partners with Ukraine to respond to its high burden of HIV/AIDS, viral hepatitis C co-infection, and multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB), and is working to improve Ukraine’s immunization program.

USAID, in collaboration with the Department of State, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Defense, and Peace Corps, implements the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) in Ukraine. Partnering with the Ministry of Health, local government, healthcare facilities, and civil society organizations, the program aims to support the country to reach epidemic control by 2030. USAID technical assistance improves HIV service quality, ensures more Ukrainians know their HIV status, links people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) to treatment and care, and reduces stigma and discrimination.

Despite progress on HIV/AIDS in Ukraine, greater efforts are still needed. Only 72 percent of PLHIV in the 12 PEPFAR-supported regions of Ukraine know their status, and only 71 percent of those identified are on antiretroviral therapy. More positively, 93 percent of those on ART are virally suppressed. HIV/TB co-infection remains one of the highest causes of HIV-related mortality in Ukraine.

Current priorities for the PEPFAR program include: refining and scaling efforts to identify and link PLHIV, ensuring those on treatment remain virally suppressed, expanding prevention activities among key populations, and continuing technical assistance in support of Ukraine’s broader health reforms and the capacity of the central procurement authority. The success of the HIV program depends on the Government of Ukraine health sector and policy reforms, including the restructuring of HIV clinical services in accordance with a client-centered approach and decentralization of HIV services, in particular, building capacity of primary level healthcare facilities to provide a full range of HIV services including HIV prevention, diagnostics, and treatment.

Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine has significantly disrupted the health and well-being of the Ukrainian people and the capacity of the Government of Ukraine’s public health system. As of June 2024, MoH estimated that attacks on civilian infrastructure damaged 1,833 health care facilities, and 145 health workers were injured and 43 killed. The war in Ukraine has triggered an unprecedented humanitarian crisis across the country, prompting widespread displacement of the country’s populace. As of August 23, 2022, nearly 14 million Ukrainians are estimated to have left their homes due to the fighting, with almost 7 million people internally displaced and nearly 8 million having fled the country. The scale and dynamic nature of population displacement due to the ongoing war has made it difficult to determine regional estimates of people living with HIV (PLHIV). It is currently unknown how these population shifts and other risk factors brought on by war may have changed the landscape of the HIV epidemic in Ukraine.

BASIC FUNCTIONS OF THE POSITION:

The HIV/AIDS Advisor will provide technical, strategic, and project management support to the Office of Health and its implementing partners, with a specific focus on the PEPFAR portfolio. Under the direct supervision of the Deputy Office Director, the Advisor provides strategic leadership for the portfolio, provides support for partner and activity management, and leads various planning and reporting processes. The Advisor will be based in Kyiv.

The HIV/AIDS Advisor works in close coordination with all USAID and USG PEPFAR teams and groups, relevant counterparts in the Government of Ukraine, and implementing partners for the HIV/AIDS portfolio, with a focus on supporting high quality planning, implementation, monitoring, and reporting of program activities.

The HIV/AIDS Advisor has advanced expertise in the area of international public health and management and will have responsibility for independently planning and carrying out important programs/projects and activities; determining the approach to be taken and the methods to be used; resolving or referring conflicts and questions as needed; coordinating work with others; and interpreting policy in terms of established objectives. The Advisor keeps supervisors informed of progress, potentially controversial matters, and problems with far-reaching implications.

The work of the HIV/AIDS Advisor requires teamwork, the exercise of discretion, judgment, and personal responsibility. As a member of a highly operational office, the incumbent is willing and able to perform a wide range of administrative functions to help ensure programmatic success. The incumbent has a high level of integrity and attention to detail to ensure the use of USAID systems and procedures to maintain effective and efficient management of funds, programming, and monitoring and evaluation. The incumbent is highly flexible and willing to work under conditions of ambiguity and ongoing change, and remains professional and respectful of colleagues and authority in a diverse workforce. She or he places a premium on the building of positive relationships with his or her respective team, and with key stakeholders both in and outside of USAID. The incumbent is able to prioritize and complete tasks with minimal supervision, while also filling in gaps as needed to ensure the responsiveness of the team. The Advisor is a strategic thinker, articulates innovative ideas, presents solutions, and is a positive role model for colleagues. The Advisor may supervise up to 2 employees.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Program/Project Management (40%)

• Provide support to local implementing partners to ensure high quality implementation and administrative management of PEPFAR-funded programs; ensure that implementing partners have the systems, processes, and staff in place to meet PEPFAR monitoring and reporting requirements; mentor implementing partner staff, as required, in high frequency reporting, data analysis, PEPFAR indicators, and PEPFAR reporting requirements.
• Assist Contracting/Agreement Officer’s Representatives (CORs/AORs) and/or Activity Managers with site-level data management; actively analyze site-level data to ensure appropriate geographical and technical focus of PEPFAR investments; make recommendations for programmatic shifts as and when appropriate.
• Assist CORs/AORs and/or Activity Managers to review activity work plans, budgets, performance monitoring plans, quarterly and annual reports, and other key documents. Ensure that work plans and program implementation align closely to COP plans, priorities, and targets.
• Conduct regular site visits to ensure progress toward agreed-upon goals, targets, and objectives; participate in PEPFAR Site Improvement Monitoring System (SIMS) visits; make recommendations to Office of Health colleagues and implementing partner staff to improve program effectiveness and efficiency.
• Serve as a COR/AOR or Activity Manager as assigned by the Office Director/Deputy Director, subject to the requisite certification.

2. Planning and Reporting (25%)

• Support the development of the annual PEPFAR Country Operational Plan; collaborate with Office of Health colleagues, the interagency team, implementing partners, and other stakeholders to ensure high-quality technical approaches; lead the drafting of specific sections as assigned.
• Support the Office of Health’s Strategic Information Specialist to meet high-frequency reporting requirements, as set by USAID/Washington; assist implementing partners and USAID staff to develop streamlined systems and processes that will facilitate high quality and timely reporting.
• Ensure high quality and timely quarterly and annual reporting (including Expenditure Reporting), as required by USAID and PEPFAR; collect and clean data, analyze results, and draft narratives as assigned.
• Assist, and as appropriate lead, preparations for Office of Health portfolio reviews, PEPFAR POART calls, and other program reviews.
• Assist with the design of new projects and activities within the Health portfolio.
• Draft or edit written responses to requests from the USAID Front Office, Embassy Front Office, PEPFAR team, and/or USAID/Washington for information about the Office of Health’s activities and strategy; proactively identify opportunities to showcase program achievements through success stories, events, and other public channels.

3. Strategic and Technical Leadership (20%)

• Provide strategic and technical support to the design of new activities, particularly as related to key populations and/or HIV testing.
• Review and provide technical inputs into implementing partners’ annual work plans; ensure strategic and technical alignment to PEPFAR and Government of Ukraine priorities.
• Regularly review, analyze, and produce visualizations/summaries of PEPFAR program data to inform management decisions; maintain a mastery of PEPFAR data systems such as DATIM and Panorama.
• Maintain familiarity with current literature and best practices relevant to HIV/AIDS programming in Ukraine and globally; advise on program pivots when new opportunities for USAID leadership arise.
• Provide technical input into the development of evaluations, operational research, and/or program assessments as and when required.
• Maintain strong working relationships with USAID/Washington’s Office of HIV/AIDS, the PEPFAR interagency team, implementing partner staff, and other key stakeholders in country. Represent Office of Health interests during meetings with USAID Mission personnel, the PEPFAR interagency, implementing partners, and other stakeholders.
• Regularly brief Office management on the status of program implementation, implementing partner performance, communication and coordination issues, strategic planning requirements, and any other pertinent information required to achieve Office objectives.

4. Supervision (15%)

• May supervise up to two Project Management Specialists on the HIV/AIDS team. This includes annual work planning, professional development assessment and training plans, and semi-annual performance reviews.
• Coordinate and direct team in portfolio oversight, implementation, new designs, and evaluation.

SUPERVISORY RELATIONSHIP:

The incumbent will work under the direct supervision of the Deputy Director of the Office of Health of USAID/Ukraine, 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 Master’s Degree in public health or other related field.

Prior work experience: A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience planning, implementing, and monitoring HIV/AIDS and health programs is required.

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.

Prior Work Experience (30 Points):

• A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience planning, implementing, and monitoring HIV/AIDS and health programs is required.
• Previous experience working with international development organizations overseas, and particularly within a post-Soviet development context, is strongly preferred.
• Experience working on programs focused on key populations, prevention and/or HIV testing preferred.

Knowledge (30 Points):

Demonstrated advanced knowledge of the following is essential:

• Public health and HIV programming
• Program management
• Data analysis and visualization methods

Skills and Abilities (40 points):

• Demonstrated strong interpersonal skills, ability to work in a multicultural team environment, and ability to take on leadership roles within a team.
• Experience supervising teams.
• Strong skills in providing technical support and capacity building for implementing partners.
• Strong English language (oral and written) communication skills—including the ability to prepare clear, succinct reports on findings and programming.
• Must be able to facilitate meetings and make logical and persuasive oral presentations to partners in a multi-cultural context.
• Strong computer skills.
• Excellent skills in data analysis and visualization.
• Basic working proficiency in Ukrainian preferred.

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, UAB 250 lbs., 3 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. g