USPSC Support Relief Group (SRG) Field Operations Desk Officer

SOLICITATION NUMBER: 720BHA22R00028

ISSUANCE DATE: May 17, 2022

CLOSING DATE AND TIME: February 7, 2023, 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) Office of Field and Response Operations (FARO), is seeking offers from qualified U.S. citizens to provide personal service as a Support Relief Group (SRG) Field Operations Desk Officer under a United States Personal Services Contract (USPSC), as described in the solicitation.

Submittals must be in accordance with the attached information at the place and time specified. Offerors interested in applying for this position MUST submit the following materials:

1. 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 for each grade level(s) for which you are applying. 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.

2. USPSC Offeror form AID 309-2. Offerors are required to complete sections A through I. This form must be physically signed. Electronic signatures will not be accepted. AID 309-2 is available at http://www.usaid.gov/forms.

NOTE REGARDING ENSURING ADEQUATE COVID-19 SAFETY PROTOCOLS FOR FEDERAL CONTRACTORS

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.

NOTE REGARDING UNIQUE ENTITY IDENTIFIER (UEI) NUMBER AND THE SYSTEM FOR AWARD MANAGEMENT

All USPSCs with a place of performance in the United States are required to have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number and be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) database prior to receiving an award. You will be disqualified if you either fail to comply with this requirement or if your name appears on the excluded parties list. The selectee will be provided with guidance regarding this registration.

NOTE: As of March 28, 2018, all new SAM.gov entity registrations will now require a signed notarized letter identifying the authorized Entity administrator for the entity associated with the UEI DUNS number. Additional information on the format of the notarized letter and where to submit can be found via the below Federal Service Desk link:

https://www.fsd.gov/fsd-gov/answer.do?sysparm_kbid=d2e67885db0d5f00b3257d321f96194b&

sysparm_search=kb0013183

Instructions to obtain a UEI can be found via the SAM.gov link.

Offerors can expect to receive a confirmation email when offer materials have been received. Offerors should retain for their records copies of all enclosures which accompany their offers.

Your complete resume must be emailed to:

FARO Recruitment Team

E-Mail Address: [email protected]

Website: www.BHAjobs.net

Any questions on this solicitation may be directed to the FARO Recruitment Team via the information provided above.

Sincerely,

Sonja Stroud-Gooden

Contracting Officer

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

At the GS-9 Level:

The SRG Field Operations Desk Officers will:

• Serve as primary respondent to field-initiated inquiries in support of BHA field platforms and staff.
• Support BHA program-funded field staff’s permanent change of station by tracking onboarding actions and maintaining permanent change of station checklists, researching and maintaining resources intended to prepare field staff to live and work overseas, assisting in the preparation of cables and circulating for clearances, and staying up-to-date on changes to policy impacting staff allowances, entitlements, and travel.
• Monitor pertinent travel legislation, policies, and directives, both internal and external.
• Assist in financial and budgeting actions using USAID and BHA financial systems.
• Maintain budget and finance related records for BHA’s overseas offices administrative and operational costs.
• Maintain internal resources including, but not limited to: an updated and standardized filing system of personnel and country office files, a tracking system for BHA field staff, and shared inbox for regional portfolio management.
• Assist in the preparation of memorandum of understanding (MOU) for service agreements between BHA and supporting regional USAID missions.
• Assist in the preparation of information and action memoranda for home leave, entitlement funding approval, and other administrative documentation related to travel and allowances.
• Support the position classification process and hiring of foreign national administrative staff by assisting in the preparation of classification documentation and routing for clearances.
• Support onboarding, training, and ongoing technical development and oversight of foreign national administrative staff.
• Support staff recruitment, permanent change of station, and staff orientation for field positions across the bureau.
• Assist in the review of each BHA Mission International Cooperative Administrative Support Services (ICASS) MOU, subscription, services count, and invoices for accuracy.
• Assist with the Chief of Mission (COM) staffing approval process and coordinate with the State Department Office of Management to gain National Security Decision Directive (NSDD) 38 position approvals at post for USPSCs and non-presence post Foreign Service Officer (FSO) positions.
• Obtain access and familiarity with the NSDD-38 approval system.
• May serve, as needed, on Washington-based RMTs, which provide services and support to DARTs deployed in response to disasters.
• May serve on DARTs which may require immediate (within 24 hours) deployment overseas for an extended period of time.
• Schedule and meet availability requirements for Response On-Call for a minimum of two periods per year.
• Support special projects within the FPO Team and AC Responsible Unit, including training support, developing, and maintaining standard operating procedure documents, and otherwise contributing to internal team systems.
• As needed, and developmentally appropriate, accompany Field Operations Advisors on field assessments to BHA field platforms.
• As needed, 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.

At the GS-11 level:

In addition to all the duties mentioned above, the SRG Field Operations Desk Officers will:

• Provide continuous support to USPSC, Foreign Service Limited, and Participating Agency Service Agreement staff, from initial assignment-to-post through repatriation.
• Track new staffing actions under assigned portfolio. Develop and maintain systems to track the flow of work related to recruitment and contract actions.
• Be proficient in all Agency financial management systems used to manage and program BHA’s funding.
• Manage the full lifecycle of annual budget actions including:
  • direct communication with the field to initiate the new fiscal year budget, mid-year review, and end-of-year review exercises for the assigned portfolio,
  • analyzing field platform spending and financial projections in alignment with the overseas staffing pattern,
  • providing fund cite data for the transfer of field platform operational funds.
• Facilitate all aspects of permanent changes of station, including:
  • drafting and reviewing cables and circulating for clearances,
  • informing new field staff of entitlements and conditions of employment in various countries prior to departure to post and assist with logistical actions for transfer to post,
  • working with local BHA staff, as well as the Executive and Financial Management Offices to prepare for the arrival of new staff, and
  • coordinating introductions with staff at post of assignment, as necessary.
• Draft and/or review MOU for service agreements between BHA and supporting regional USAID missions.
• Draft information and action memoranda for home leave, allowance funding approval, and other administrative documentation related to travel and allowances.
• Assist hiring teams with reviewing standardized BHA position descriptions for non-administrative foreign national staff.
• Review each BHA Mission ICASS MOU, subscription, services count, and invoices for accuracy and approve.
• Facilitate the COM staffing approval process and coordinate with the State Department Office of Management to gain NSDD-38 position approvals at post for USPSCs and non-presence post FSO positions. This includes:
  • working with the Mission Executive Officer to understand Post-specific processes for obtaining COM approval,
  • communicating with the relevant hiring team within BHA to shepherd and track the approvals,
  • preparing the NSDD-38 system paperwork and circulating for approvals, and
  • tracking the submission and communicating with stakeholders throughout the process.
• 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.

At the GS-12 level:

In addition to all the duties mentioned above, the SRG Field Operations Desk Officers will:

• Research, analyze, and interpret USAID policy and guidance related to USPSCs; work with Field Operations Advisors to specifically address problems that arise with international travel and relocation issues and make recommendations to address sensitive deployment cases.
• Advise BHA field staff on travel citing relevant legislation, policies, and directives, both internal and external.
• Present policy and process related information orally and in writing to staff deployed overseas in a clear and concise manner, to ensure accurate and appropriate protocols are followed.
• Monitor operational effectiveness and efficiency by providing comprehensive day to day support to the field and each respective functional area to include, but not limited to: personnel, finance, procurement, staffing, and administrative logistics.
• Monitor and track funds distributions, commitments, and obligations for administrative and operational costs and perform annual financial management maintenance actions.
• Train administrative personnel in the field, including training BHA locally employed staff.
• Review field administrative budgets and recommend funding levels of the field offices throughout the fiscal year, including analysis of pipeline balances. Provide funding to overseas offices using USAID and BHA systems.
• Coordinate with Response and Systems Officers to assist in the preparation and delivery of training, including the RMT AC Positional Training.
• Deploy to a regional or program office, as necessary, to assess local administrative support capabilities, establish procedures whereby the BHA staff interact seamlessly with USAID/Embassy personnel in support of field platform operations, and assist with field platform operations.
• Mentor and train Junior Desk Officers.

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.)

For the GS-9 equivalent level:

High School Diploma plus a minimum of six (6) years of relevant experience working in government or a large organization or a business setting or an overseas setting, with responsibilities related to project management or operational management or administrative management or financial management or personnel support or procurement or humanitarian assistance operations or emergency management.

OR

Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of two (2) years of relevant experience working in government or a large organization or a business setting or an overseas setting, with responsibilities related to project management or operational management or administrative management or financial management or personnel support or procurement or humanitarian assistance operations or emergency management.

OR

Master’s degree and a minimum of one (1) year of relevant experience working in government or a large organization or a business setting or an overseas setting, with responsibilities related to project management or operational or administrative management or financial management or personnel support or procurement or humanitarian assistance operations or emergency management.

For the GS-11 equivalent level:

High School Diploma plus a minimum of seven (7) years of relevant experience working in government or a large organization or a business setting or an overseas setting, with responsibilities related to project management or operational or administrative management or financial management or personnel support or procurement or humanitarian assistance operations or emergency management.

OR

Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of three (3) years of relevant experience working in government or a large organization or a business setting or an overseas setting, with responsibilities related to project management or operational management or administrative management or financial management or personnel support or procurement or humanitarian assistance operations or emergency management.

OR

Master’s degree and a minimum of two (2) years of relevant experience working in government or a large organization or a business setting or an overseas setting, with responsibilities related to project management or operational management or administrative management or financial management or personnel support or procurement or humanitarian assistance operations or emergency management.

For the GS-12 equivalent level:

High School Diploma plus a minimum of nine (9) years of relevant experience working in government or a large organization or a business setting or an overseas setting, with responsibilities related to project management or operational management or administrative management or financial management or personnel support or procurement or humanitarian assistance operations or emergency management. Experience must include one (1) year of work in administrative operations overseas or administrative operations work in support of international programs.

OR

Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of five (5) years of relevant experience working in government or a large organization or a business setting or an overseas setting, with responsibilities related to project management or operational management or administrative management or financial management or personnel support or procurement or humanitarian assistance operations or emergency management. Experience must include one (1) year of work in administrative operations overseas or administrative operations work in support of international programs.

OR

Master’s degree and a minimum of four (4) years of relevant experience working in government or a large organization or a business setting or an overseas setting, with responsibilities related to project management or operational management or administrative management or financial management or personnel support or procurement or humanitarian assistance operations or emergency management. Experience must include one (1) year of work in administrative operations overseas or administrative operations work in support of international programs.

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 cover page 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 will not be accepted.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Secret up to 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.

BASIS OF RATING: Offerors who meet the Education/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 package.

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 future phase of the selection process.

How to apply

Via email: [email protected]