USPSC Syria DART Humanitarian Program Officer

SOLICITATION NUMBER: 720BHA22R00016
ISSUANCE DATE: March 04, 2022
CLOSING DATE AND TIME: July 01, 2022, 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 Middle East, North Africa, and Europe (MENAE), is seeking
offers from qualified U.S. citizens to provide personal service as Syria Disaster Assistance
Response Team (DART) Humanitarian Program 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. Dates (month/year) and locations for all field experience
   must also be detailed. 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. 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.
   U.S. Agency for International Development
   1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
   Washington, DC 20523
   www.usaid.gov

720BHA22R00016

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 DATA UNIVERSAL NUMBERING SYSTEM (DUNS) NUMBERS
AND THE SYSTEM FOR AWARD MANAGEMENT
All USPSCs with a place of performance in the United States are required to have a Data
Universal Numbering System (DUNS) 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
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
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:
MENAE Recruitment Team
E-Mail Address: [email protected]
Website: www.BHAjobs.net
Any questions on this solicitation may be directed to the MENAE Recruitment Team via the
information provided above.

Sincerely,

Sonja Stroud-Gooden
Contracting Officer

2 | Page

720BHA22R00016

I. GENERAL INFORMATION

1. SOLICITATION NO.: 720BHA22R00016
2. ISSUANCE DATE: March 04, 2022
3. CLOSING DATE AND TIME FOR RECEIPT OF OFFERS: July 01, 2022, 12:00 P.M.
   Eastern Time
   This solicitation is open and continuous until (insert date). The following are the closing dates
   for each review period:

April 01, 2022, 12:00 P.M. Eastern Time
July 01, 2022, 12:00 P.M. Eastern Time

Offerors not selected during a previous review period must reapply in order to be considered
for positions available in subsequent review periods. A review period may be canceled at the
Office of Humanitarian Business and Management Operations’ (HBMO) discretion.

1. POINT OF CONTACT: MENAE Recruitment Team, [email protected]
2. POSITION TITLE: Syria DART Humanitarian Program Officer
3. MARKET VALUE: $68,299 – $88,238 equivalent to GS-12 (not eligible for locality pay)
   Salaries over and above the top of the pay range will not be entertained or negotiated.
4. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: Five (5) years
5. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: Adana, Turkey
   There may be an initial training program in Washington, D.C. for three months, which will
   include formal classroom training and on-the-job training; and may include security training.
   After completion of Washington training, the Syria DART Humanitarian Program Officer
   will be assigned to the place of performance.At any time, at the discretion of BHA
   Headquarters and in consultation with the Embassy and the Mission, the USPSC may be
   reassigned/relocated to Gaziantep, Turkey where the individual services are needed
6. ELIGIBLE OFFERORS: U.S. Citizens
7. SECURITY LEVEL REQUIRED: Ability to obtain and maintain a Secret up to Top
   Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information level clearance as provided by USAID.
   3 | Page

720BHA22R00016

1. STATEMENT OF DUTIES
   POSITION DESCRIPTION
   BACKGROUND
   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 man-made disasters such as conflict or war. BHA is responsible for planning, coordinating,
   developing, achieving, monitoring, and evaluating international humanitarian assistance falling
   into two conceptual areas:
   ● Humanitarian Response activities comprise needs-based humanitarian assistance
   provided to save lives, alleviate suffering, and protect human dignity during and in the
   aftermath of emergencies. Humanitarian assistance is grounded in humanitarian
   principles and is directed toward the most vulnerable populations.
   ● Early Recovery, Risk Reduction, and Resilience (ER4) activities will set the initial
   foundations for longer-term recovery as appropriate, and will work in close conjunction
   with humanitarian assistance. Early recovery is an approach that supports communities
   impacted by crises to protect and restore basic systems and service delivery. Early
   recovery builds on humanitarian response efforts and establishes the initial foundations of
   long-term recovery. Early recovery activities are implemented for a specified, appropriate
   timeframe that assists populations recovering from an identifiable shock. Risk reduction
   is the prevention of new and reduction of existing disaster risk and management of
   residual risk, which contributes to strengthening resilience and to the achievement of
   sustainable development. Resilience is the ability of people, households, communities,
   countries, and systems to mitigate, adapt to, and recover from shocks and stresses in a
   manner that reduces chronic vulnerability and facilitates inclusive growth.
   BHA has seven offices, as follows:
   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.
   Each geographic office designs, provides, and assesses humanitarian assistance for their
   respective regions, including assistance related to responding to, recovering from, and reducing
   the risk of man-made and natural disasters, while linking with other USAID investments that
   build resilience.
   The Office of Global Policy, Partnerships, Programs, and Communications (G3PC) shapes and
   influences USAID’s role within the international humanitarian system; leads engagement on a

4 | Page

720BHA22R00016

range of policy, programmatic, and operational issues; and positions the Agency to influence
collective response to emergency needs across the globe.
The Office of Technical and Program Quality (TPQ) leads the Bureau’s efforts to provide
high-quality programmatic and technical leadership, oversight, and guidance. In addition, TPQ
leads the Bureau’s external engagement with academia and coordinates research to advance the
effectiveness, efficiency, and impact of humanitarian and multi-year programming.
The Office of Humanitarian Business and Management Operations (HBMO) is responsible for
maintaining 24/7 operability by providing leadership, planning, quality assurance, technical
expertise, and process management. HBMO ensures effective stewardship of the Bureau’s
support services, including workforce planning, staffing, financial management, internal
controls, facilities operations and infrastructure.
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.
INTRODUCTION
BHA has been responding to humanitarian needs resulting from the conflict in Syria since
February 2012. The USG has allocated over $10.5 billion in humanitarian assistance to support
humanitarian programs. USAID’s programs are currently being managed by a Disaster
Assistance Response Team (DART), located in Turkey, Jordan, and Hungary, and supported by a
Response Management Team (RMT) in Washington, D.C. USAID anticipates significant
additional humanitarian programming in 2022 and beyond.
OBJECTIVE
BHA requires the services of a Syria Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) Humanitarian
Program Officer (HPO) based in Adana, Turkey, to meet its objectives of programming,
monitoring, coordinating, and evaluating USG humanitarian programs in Syria. At any time, at
the discretion of BHA Headquarters and in consultation with the Embassy and the Mission, the
USPSC may be reassigned/relocated to Gaziantep, Turkey where the individual services are
needed.
Should BHA no longer require or maintain this position’s full-time presence in Turkey, the
individual may be relocated to Washington, D.C., or be temporarily deployed to a field office as
determined by response leadership.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
This position requires a Syria Response HPO based in Adana, Turkey, as determined in
consultation with the Embassy and the Mission and subject to security and programmatic
5 | Page

720BHA22R00016

considerations. The HPO must be prepared to function effectively in a challenging and restrictive
work environment and be willing to strictly adhere to U.S. Embassy security guidelines.
The HPO in Adana, Turkey, will manage response planning, assessing, reporting, personnel
tracking, information analysis, and documentation activities and make recommendations based
on an analysis of information. Working directly under the guidance and supervision of the
Planning Coordinator or his/her designee, the HPO will:
Contextual Specialty
● Develop and maintain specialized understanding of humanitarian developments
within Syria to include political, social, and operational issues impacting humanitarian
efforts.
● Develop and maintain knowledge of USAID, USG, and U.S. humanitarian priorities
and strategies within Syria and of BHA’s contributions to those efforts.
● Provide regular reporting on issues related to the humanitarian situation.
● Provide overviews of patterns and trends in the humanitarian situation and keep the
Planning Coordinators, Deputy Team Lead, and other program staff across the Field and
Headquarter Teams on response issues.
● Provide regular reports on site visits, meetings, general atmospherics, and other issues
that impact humanitarian relief efforts.
● Prepare briefing papers, notes and presentations on BHA programming for official
USG visitors interested in humanitarian issues.
Portfolio Management
● Work in close coordination with BHA’s program staff based in Washington, D.C. and in
regional countries to develop BHA’s programming for humanitarian assistance in Syria
and the region.
● Support team efforts to continually assess emergency response needs in order to ensure
that BHA’s programs are appropriately responsive.
● In close coordination with the Deputy Team Leader, Planning Coordinators, and
RMT Programming/Planning Team, work with non-government organizations (NGOs),
international organizations (IOs), and United Nations (UN) agencies that are
developing proposals for BHA (including grant amendments and extensions) and ensure
that draft proposals are in compliance with BHA’s Guidelines for Unsolicited Proposals
and Reporting.
● Review concept papers and proposals and provide recommendations and comments to
BHA for final funding determination.
● Assist designated Agreement Officer’s Representatives in managing humanitarian
awards by providing field-based insights, knowledge, and perspectives.
● Monitor designated programs by meeting regularly with NGO and UN agencies.
● Travel as permitted to support team efforts to assess, evaluate and monitor
humanitarian conditions, and make strategic recommendations for appropriate
interventions.
Representation:
6 | Page

720BHA22R00016

● Support the country team in maintaining relations with senior leadership in the
humanitarian community through regular coordination and collaboration with BHA,
relevant USG staff, and the humanitarian community.
● Assist the country team to coordinate with the donor community on policy issues
affecting humanitarian operations, and develop integrated, non-duplicative programs, as
needed.
● Engage in, and report on, joint donor humanitarian evaluations and UN-led assessments,
and participate actively in the international community response structures.
● Prepare briefing papers, notes, and presentations on BHA programming for official USG
visitors interested in humanitarian issues.
● Represent BHA with various audiences, as requested.
Leadership:
● Serve as peer mentor to team members on grants and portfolio management, to include
BHA’s business processes, portfolio-specific budget and workload management, and
post-award monitoring and management, especially for short-term staff who assist the
response on the portfolio.
● Participate in office-wide discussions on initiatives that impact program implementation
to provide field-based perspectives, as assigned.
General Duties
● Remain current in all BHA training related to program support and development, as well
as response readiness training. This includes completion of technical training, award
management training and certifications as required, Response Management System
essentials, BHA Fundamentals, and others as assigned and/or required.
● 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.
● As needed, may serve on temporary detail within the region 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.
● Consistently model behaviors that demonstrate a commitment to fostering a non-hostile
work environment free of discrimination, bias, unfairness, exclusion, offensive behaviors,
and harassment of any kind.
● Engage in at least one workforce diversity initiative or activity focused on helping to
improve the organizational culture. Attend and actively participate in diversity and
harassment training opportunities, brown bag sessions or focus group discussions.
● Lead and foster a collaborative, respectful, and professional work environment by
demonstrating partnership and teamwork to accomplish team, office, and bureau
objectives.
● 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
7 | Page

720BHA22R00016

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. 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.
SUPERVISORY RELATIONSHIP:
The USPSC will take direction from and will report directly to the Deputy Team Lead or his/her
designee for the Syria Response in Adana, Turkey.
SUPERVISORY CONTROLS:
Supervisor sets overall objectives and resources available. The USPSC consults with
his/her supervisor to develop deadlines, projects and work to be done. The USPSC is responsible
for planning and carrying out assignments. The USPSC is responsible for planning approach
or methodology to be used in carrying out assignments.

1. PHYSICAL DEMANDS
   The work is generally sedentary and does not pose undue physical demands. 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).
2. WORK ENVIRONMENT
   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.
3. START DATE: Immediately, once necessary clearances are obtained.
   II. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION
   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.)
   Bachelor’s degree in any discipline, including but not limited to, international relations,
   economics, food policy, public health, disaster management or a related field and a minimum
   8 | Page

720BHA22R00016

of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in emergency relief and humanitarian
assistance, which must include at least one (1) year of on-the-ground international field
experience working in humanitarian assistance. International field experience must include one
or more of the following: emergency relief operations, monitoring and evaluating humanitarian
programs, or needs assessment and analysis.
OR
Master’s degree in any discipline, including but not limited to, international relations, economics,
food policy, public health, disaster management or a related field and a minimum of four (4)
years of progressively responsible experience in emergency relief and humanitarian assistance,
which must include at least one (1) year of on-the-ground international field experience working
in humanitarian assistance. International field experience must include one or more of the
following: emergency relief operations, monitoring and evaluating humanitarian programs, or
needs assessment and analysis.
III. EVALUATION AND SELECTION FACTORS
The Government may award a contract without discussions with offerors 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 offerors 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 offerors in the competitive range
to the greatest number that will permit an efficient competition among the most highly rated
offers. FAR provisions of this solicitation are available at
https://www.acquisition.gov/browse/index/far.
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.
OFFEROR RATING SYSTEM

9 | Page

720BHA22R00016

The offeror rating system factors are used to determine the competitive ranking of qualified
offerors in comparison to other offerors. Offerors must demonstrate the rating factors outlined
below within their resume, as they are evaluated strictly by the information provided. The
evaluation of writing tests will also take into consideration the quality of written responses.
Aspects of written responses including, but not limited to typos, grammatical errors, spelling
errors, and incomplete sentences will be factored into the evaluation process. The rating factors
are as follows:
Professional Experience (30 points)
● (Field Experience) Experience nationally or internationally to include any of the
following: supporting or directly implementing programming related to development,
disaster preparedness, mitigation, response, or recovery.
● (Program Design and Management) Experience managing USG awards in an
organization to include any of the following: strategy or program design, proposal
development or review, or implementation of regulatory compliance or monitoring.
● (Representation/Communication) Experience representing program or policy issues to
leadership within an organization.
● (Representation/Communication) Experience with external representation to
humanitarian or development partners on program or policy matters.
Interview Performance (40 points)
Timed Writing Test (15 points)
Satisfactory Professional Reference Checks (15 points)
Total Possible Points: 100
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.

10 | Page

720BHA22R00016

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 future phase of the selection process.