USPSC Support Relief Group (SRG) Logistics Specialists (Multiple Positions)

SOLICITATION NUMBER: 720BHA23R00048

ISSUANCE DATE: June 20, 2023
CLOSING DATE AND TIME: November 28, 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) 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)

STATEMENT OF DUTIES

GENERAL STATEMENT OF PURPOSE OF THE CONTRACT

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID)’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) is responsible for facilitating and coordinating U.S. Government (USG) humanitarian assistance overseas in response to all types of international disasters, including slow-onset disasters such as droughts or famine, natural disasters such as earthquakes or floods, or human-made disasters such as conflict or war. BHA is responsible for planning, coordinating, developing, achieving, monitoring, and evaluating international humanitarian assistance. The Bureau’s three geographic offices are: (1) Office of Africa; (2) Office of Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean; and (3) the Office of the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe. The Office of Field and Response Operations (FARO) leads and manages operational assistance and the purchase and delivery of goods and services in response to declared foreign disasters and international humanitarian needs in key functional areas, including supply-chain management, procurement, logistics, oversight, and operational coordination with the U.S. military.

STATEMENT OF DUTIES TO BE PERFORMED

The Support Relief Group (SRG) is a program developed by BHA to satisfy its growing need for surge capacity. The SRG program brings on board select candidates who work full-time for discrete periods of time, but on an intermittent basis for no more than 2000 hours (approximately 250 days) per calendar year. They can be deployed within hours to facilitate BHA’s response to disasters, or to backfill staff in Washington, D.C. and other locations. SRG staff can be used for activations as short as one day or for up to several months at a time. The SRG program is managed by the Surge Staffing Team (SST) in BHA’s Response Resources Division (R2D). This team maintains a database for all contracted SRG personnel, providing information to the rest of BHA on their availability, skills, and previous experiences. SST assists the teams within BHA in choosing the best qualified SRG staffers for any specific task and provides administrative and personnel support to all SRG. Each SRG incumbent will provide enhancement to the BHA team according to their set of skills and experiences. They will be considered part of BHA/Washington resources that can be deployed worldwide.

The activation of the SRG Logistics Specialist will be coordinated between SST and the Supply Chain Management Division in FARO.

BHA needs to maintain a roster of SRG personnel to meet its surge capacity objectives. Each SRG is deployable within hours to backfill Washington positions, to be assigned to field offices for staff enhancement, to serve on various response teams, both domestically and overseas, as disaster response demands, and to assess critical situations as warranted. SRG staff can be used for activations as short as one day or for up to several months at a time.

BHA requires SRG Logistics Specialists to manage and execute all phases of the direct delivery of food and non-food humanitarian assistance, as well as strengthen its capacity to provide prompt, effective, services in the areas of supply chain and logistics management and support. This includes the acquisition of commodities, facilitation and coordination of transporting goods, inventory management, and other logistical arrangements.

At the GS-13 Equivalent Level
● Coordinate with BHA/Disaster Response Divisions to plan logistics responses to declared disasters, including Urban Search and Rescue (USAR), airlift, sealift, local purchase of disaster relief supplies, and supply chain support.
● Implement and maintain complete information tracking systems that contain detailed and accurate data about logistical responses and on quantities of material dispatched for specific disasters.
● When in the field, assess the host nation’s capability to provide an effective response to specific logistical issues especially in the areas of warehousing, air, sea, and ground transportation.
● Employ the International Assistance Systems Concept of Operations during response activation to support domestic response activities.
● Assist in the procurement of emergency relief commodities and services.
● Manage current procurement mechanisms, transport contracts, and other third-party contracts; assist in the modifications of awards as necessary. Manage and coordinate actions by USAID, Department of Defense (DoD), and commercial transport managers, including conducting market research.
● Use web-based IT procurement systems to procure commodities.
● Ensure commodity procurements are accomplished and that commodity quality and safety problems are identified and resolved.
● Monitor current progress to meet logistical needs; evaluate plans for feasibility, effectiveness, efficiency, and economy; develop alternative methods to achieve goals in a wide variety of work operations.
● If assigned, manage a warehouse: inventory, assess, manage, and coordinate worldwide disaster relief stockpiles; independently conduct the annual inspection and physical inventory of the BHA’s stockpiles in accordance with USAID policy and regulations.
● Maintain a computerized Management Information System that produces reports and provides accountability for inventory management, replacement, transportation, and commodity dispatch.
● Prepare demand forecasts to determine the proper quantities of relief items to procure and preposition in BHA regional warehouses.
● Formulate appropriate supply chain and logistics strategies and policies for BHA.
● Contribute to the formulation of appropriate strategies for the rest of the USG in disaster and emergency-related situations.
● Review partner proposals and provide technical guidance on warehousing, transport, and other logistics-related matters such as SPHERE standardization; manage logistics-related.
● Represent and speak on BHA logistics operations at university lectures, interagency working groups, the Logistics Cluster, workshops, and conferences both domestically and internationally.
● Provide logistics training to United States Forest Service, USAR and other SRG and rotational personnel (also known as Detailers) on BHA Logistics operations so they can assist during large-scale disaster or multiple disaster situations.
● Represent the Supply Chain Management (SCM) Division with BHA geographic program colleagues, the Officer of Technical and Program Quality, etc., as technical experts to support timely and appropriate supply & logistics planning and service delivery, and to support efficient, best value use of taxpayer funds.
● This position will, on occasion, require weekend work and overseas travel.
● 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.
● May 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.
● Serve on temporary detail within the Bureau. Duties performed while on detail will be aligned with the Team’s existing duties and responsibilities as well as directly related to the scope of work provided.
● Consistently model behaviors that demonstrate a commitment to building and maintaining a non-hostile work environment free of discrimination, bias, unfairness, exclusion, offensive behaviors, and harassment of any kind.
● Actively participate in diversity and harassment training opportunities, brown bag sessions or focus group discussions, and workforce diversity initiatives/activities focused on helping to improve the organizational culture.
● Ensure staff attends trainings related to harassment, discrimination, sexual abuse/ exploitation, and keep staff abreast of updates to policies, processes, and guidelines. Encourage staff participation in initiatives/programs that promote diversity and combat harassment in the workplace.
● Demonstrate consistent accountability for adherence to and knowledge of laws, executive orders, and USAID’s policies which prohibit EEO and non-EEO infringements as well as the Agency’s zero tolerance for sexual misconduct, including harassment,
exploitation, and abuse of any kind.
● Ensure that conduct is not inappropriate or offensive to others by responsibly and intentionally creating a culture of civility and respect whereby both managers and employees are expected to behave professionally at all times.
● Hold self and others accountable for adhering to a zero-tolerance policy for harassment of any form, bullying or any other prohibited behaviors and report objectionable conduct.
● Assist staff in understanding the value of differing perspectives, cultural norms, and gender in the work environment.
● The SRG Logistics Specialist 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.
● 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 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.

At the GS-14 Equivalent Level

All of the duties and responsibilities associated with the GS-13 position in addition to:

● Lead efforts with BHA/Disaster Response Divisions to plan logistics responses to declared disasters, including USAR, airlift, sealift, local purchase of disaster relief supplies, and supply chain support.
● Serve in a leadership position on the Washington-based RMTs which provide services and support to DARTs deployed in response to disasters. The duties on RMTs will be varied. RMT service is not a core requirement or expectation, but occasional RMT activations are possible.
● Serve in a leadership position on DARTs which would involve deployment overseas for an extended period. DART service is not a core requirement, but occasional deployments are possible.
● Support the Division Director in the development and implementation of the SCM strategy.
● Support the SCM leadership in the development and tracking of budget, staff workload assignments and strategies for staff capacity building and addressing staff-gap measures.
● Develop systems and procedures describing SCM’s processes and guidance, provide guidance to GS-13 SRG colleagues, and lead supply chain-related research activities, as assigned.
● As AOR/COR, manage awards and contracts of significant difficulty and responsibility along with provision of supply chain management technical expertise.

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.)

At the GS-13 equivalent level

Bachelor’s degree with significant study in or pertinent to the specialized field (including international relations, management, logistics operations, or other related fields), and at least seven (7) years of relevant experience working in the logistics field, two (2) years of which must include disaster logistics operations based in the field with a non-governmental organization (NGO) or intergovernmental organization.

OR

Master’s degree with significant study in or pertinent to the specialized field (including international relations, management, logistics operations, or other related fields), and at least five (5) years of relevant experience working in the logistics field, two (2) years of which must include disaster logistics operations based in the field with an NGO or intergovernmental organization.

At the GS-14 equivalent level

Bachelor’s degree with significant study in or pertinent to the specialized field (including international relations, management, logistics operations, or other related fields), and at least nine (9) years of relevant experience working in the logistics field, two (2) years of which must include disaster logistics operations based in the field with an NGO or intergovernmental organization.

OR

Master’s degree with significant study in or pertinent to the specialized field (including international relations, management, logistics operations, or other related fields), and at least seven (7) years of relevant experience working in the logistics field, two (2) years of which must include disaster logistics operations based in the field with an NGO or intergovernmental organization.

AND

● Offeror is a U.S. Citizen.
● Ability to obtain and maintain a Secret Level Clearance. (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 Secret up to a Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information level clearance after award).
● Ability to obtain and maintain a Department of State medical clearance.

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 section IV 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 may be accepted.
● Ability to obtain and maintain a Secret clearance. 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.
● 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.

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 the future phase of the selection process.