Senior Justice Advisor

You have received this "Personal Services Contractor” (PSC) solicitation through the Department of State (DOS) Internet site. If you have any questions regarding this PSC, you may contact the DOS Official named in this solicitation. The Department is not responsible for any data and/or text not received when retrieving this document electronically. Amendments to solicitation documents generally contain information critical to the submission of an application. Position Title: Senior Justice Advisor Location: Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) Salary Level: FS-02 - $95,225 - $139,841 (Equivalent GS-14) Period of performance: The period of performance for this contract is twelve (12) months from the date of award with four (4) optional one-year extensions. Issuance Date: March 10, 2023 Closing date: March 24, 2023 Closing Time: 3:00 PM ET Solicitation Number: PSC-23-025-INL Job description: See below Dear Prospective Offerors: The Department of State is seeking offers from qualified

U.S. citizens to provide personal services for the subject position under a personal services contract, as described in this solicitation. Submittals must be in accordance with the attached information at the place and time specified. Applicants interested in applying for this position MUST submit the following materials: Form SF 171 (Completed and signed) Complete resume. In order to fully evaluate your offer your resume must include: Paid a 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 any overseas 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. Specific duties performed that fully detail the level and complexity of the work. Names and contact information (phone and email) of your current and/or previous supervisor(s). Education and any other qualifications including job-related training courses, job-related skills, or job-related honors, awards or accomplishments. U.S. Citizenship Note: Resume must contain explicit information to make a valid determination that the candidate meets the experience requirements as stated in this solicitation. This information needs to be clearly identified in the resume. Failure to provide explicit information to determine qualifications for the position will result in loss of full consideration. Evaluation Factor document specifically addressing: Each of the Evaluation Factors shown in the solicitation below. Responses must be limited to 500 words per Evaluation Factor. Any additional words above the limit will neither be read nor scored. Note: The Evaluation Factors are worth 70 out of 100 points. Offerors are required to address each of the Evaluation Factors in a separate document describing specifically and accurately what experience, training, education and/or awards they have received that are relevant to each Factor. Professional References: Three (3) names and contact information (phone and email) of current and/or previous supervisors to serve as professional references. Additional documents submitted will not be accepted. Incomplete or late offers will not be considered. Complete applications must be emailed to: Deborah G. Strom U.S. Department of State INL/EX/GAPP StromDG@state.gov Sincerely, Katelynn Barham Contracting Officer U.S. Department of State SUBJECT A solicitation for a Personal Services Contractor (PSC), Department of State (DOS), Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL). The United States Government (USG), represented by the DOS, seeks applications from US citizens interested in providing PSC services as described in this solicitation. PRE-AWARD ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF PSC (JUN 2011) This solicitation may result in the award of one or more personal services contracts as defined in FAR 2.101. Prior to contract award, all offerors or quotes must advise the cognizant Contracting Officer if they have a personal conflict of interest, such as a financial conflict, that would prevent them from either meeting the requirements of the clause entitled, “Post-Award Ethical Responsibilities of Personal Services Contractors,” or otherwise objectively performing their contractual duties upon contract award. HOW TO APPLY Offerors proposal shall be in accordance with the requirements stated in this solicitation at the place and time specified. A proposal will be determined non-responsive and ineligible for consideration unless all required documents and information are included in the submission. Offerors shall ensure their resume demonstrates their possession of the minimum qualifications outlined in this Solicitation, as well as their ability to fulfill all required duties. The Government is not responsible for any costs incurred by the offeror during the solicitation process. NOTE REGARDING GOVERNMENT OBLIGATIONS FOR THIS SOLICITATION This solicitation in no way obligates the Department of State to award a PSC contract, nor does it commit the Department of State to pay any cost incurred in the preparation and submission of the application. Proposals must include the following and not exceed twenty (20) pages (additional pages will not be accepted or reviewed): Form SF 171 (Completed and signed) Resume Evaluation Factor Responses Three (3) names and contact information (phone and email) of current and/or previous supervisors to serve as professional references. Note: Your resume should contain explicit information to make a valid determination that you fully meet the experience requirements as stated in this solicitation. This information should be clearly identified in your resume. Failure to provide explicit information to determine your qualifications for the position will result in loss of full consideration. Additional documents submitted beyond the requirements will not be accepted or reviewed. *** ONE PDF ATTACHMENT IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED VETERAN’S PREFERENCE Veteran’s preference is not applicable to this position therefore do not submit DD-214. ALL QUALIFIED APPLICANTS WILL BE CONSIDERED REGARDLESS OF AGE, RACE, COLOR, SEX, CREED, NATIONAL ORIGIN, LAWFUL POLITICAL AFFILIATION, NONDISQUALIFYING DISABILITY, MARITAL STATUS, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, AFFILIATION WITH AN EMPLOYEE ORGANIZATION, OR OTHER NON-MERIT FACTOR. Submit proposal via e-mail to the attention of: INL/Deborah G. Strom E-mail: StromDG@state.gov Direct questions regarding this solicitation to: INL/Deborah G. Strom E-mail: StromDG@state.gov INL will not accept proposals beyond the closing time/date; unless it can be determined DOS mishandled the proposal. Mission of the U.S. Department of State: The U.S. Department of State is the lead institution for the conduct of American diplomacy, and the Secretary of State is the President’s principal foreign policy advisor. The Department of State’s mission is to advance U.S. national security interests, fight terrorism, protect U.S. interests abroad, and implement foreign policy initiatives that build a freer, prosperous, and secure world. Mission of the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL): INL is under the Under Secretary for Democracy and Human Rights (J) and works to keep Americans safe at home by countering international crime, illegal drugs, and instability abroad. INL helps countries deliver justice and fairness by strengthening their rule of law, law enforcement, and corrections systems. These efforts reduce the amount of crime and illegal drugs reaching U.S. shores. The principal goal of the INL program in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) is to combat the corruption and organized crime that is corroding the functioning of the state and undermining citizens’ trust in government, including in the justice sector. INL assistance focuses on fighting corruption and promoting rule of law to improve the effectiveness and accountability of institutions of governance and supporting the BiH criminal justice system to meet international standards for eventual integration into the European Union. INL helps BiH justice sector officials better address complex crimes associated with corruption and organized crime, including money laundering and fraud; combat trafficking in persons, narcotics, and other contraband; reduce the backlog of war crimes cases; provide better victim witness services to support the equal administration of justice across the country; strengthen border security; promote effective coordination among BiH security institutions; and increase law enforcement capacity to protect and serve the public. INL also targets opportunities to improve public trust in the criminal justice system and to strengthen the capacity of civil society on counter-corruption practices. The purpose of this Personal Services Contract is to fill the position of Senior Justice Advisor at the U.S. Embassy Sarajevo. The Advisor will work between the INL section and the State Prosecutor’s Office (SPO) and the Anti-Corruption and Quality Control Office of Sarajevo Canton (KS ACO). The Senior Justice Advisor will: (1) assist and advise BiH government officials in developing, implementing, and promoting systemic, organizational, legal, and regulatory reform in the anticorruption sector; (2) mentor prosecutors on improving approaches to corruption and transnational organized crime cases and on the development of policy and procedures; (3) liaise with SPO’s and ACOs’ rule of law and law enforcement partners, to facilitate cooperation between the agencies and advance anticorruption prosecutions; (4) work to improve the capacity of BiH anticorruption institutions with a focus on the cantonal anticorruption offices (ACOs) to investigate corruption complaints; (5) mentor ACOs on the development of policy and procedures, recruitment and staffing, organizational reform, and other management issues; and (6) support the ACOs in developing a case management system. The Senior Justice Advisor must be able to work rapidly, responding promptly to multiple and evolving priorities in a difficult and demanding environment. The position requires criminal justice sector, particularly anticorruption, subject expertise, and experience to enable the incumbent to swiftly determine what assistance is required, within what timeframe it must be implemented, and how such assistance must be supervised to ensure its effectiveness. The Advisor will advise and support the Embassy Sarajevo INL section. The Advisor will also work closely with officials at counterpart agencies in BiH, including but not limited to the SPO, select cantonal ACOs, Cantonal prosecutor’s offices, the Cantonal Police, and the State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA), and eventually other willing partners in BiH. The Advisor will serve as prosecutorial advisor and an in-country anticorruption assistance consultant and will provide advice pertaining to the development and implementation of the INL anticorruption assistance program. DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES Under the direct supervision of the Sarajevo INL Director, the Advisor will perform the following duties: Review municipal and cantonal-level anticorruption, justice, and law enforcement needs, particularly as relates to ACOs; manage, prioritize, and evaluate U.S.-sponsored anticorruption, rule of law and law enforcement assistance projects under the guidance and direction of the INL Director and INL/EA in Washington. Advise state, federation, and local prosecutors on high corruption and organized crime cases. Provide case-based mentoring to prosecutors on effective strategies and ways to improve their cases. Become primary liaison between State Prosecutor’s Office and Embassy Sarajevo. Establish and maintain relationships with ACOs, SPO, and relevant prosecutors and investigators partnering with the agencies. Provide mentoring, training, and other technical assistance to ACOs, SPO, and other anticorruption stakeholders on a range of issues, including corruption investigations and prosecutions and case management, and identify outside experts, when appropriate, to serve as trainers. Coordinate broadly across the host country’s criminal justice system, civil society, and government officials to ensure system-wide integration and functionality of reform efforts. Provide strategic planning and program development in all phases of INL’s anticorruption programming. This includes project execution from the study and assessment period to development through acquisition and implementation; planning, scheduling, budgeting, monitoring, and coordinating among vendors, contractors, and BiH officials; and conflict resolution. Assess ACOs’ media strategy, identify weaknesses, and assist in creating a modern public relations and outreach strategy to draw attention to corruption issues and explain the role of the ACO in combatting corruption. Communicate and coordinate with other donors and other Embassy sections to avoid waste and duplication of effort. Draft reports and assessments, provide input to strategy and other briefing papers, and provide oral and written briefs to the INL Director, the INL/EA Program Officer in DC, and leadership at the Embassy and in Washington. Liaise with U.S. Embassy agency representatives involved in law enforcement, rule of law and anticorruption efforts, including the Department of Justice (DOJ), Political section; U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Office of Public Affairs, and the Department of Defense. Advise and assist in preparing documentation for procurement of systems and equipment, including drafting of electronic purchase requests (PRs), statements of work (SOWs), requests for source-origin waivers, sole-source justifications, and delivery and acceptance of systems, supplies and equipment procured. Draft and provide advice and assistance in the preparation of required reports, including to the U.S. Congress, and Principals at the Department of State, INL, and other US federal agencies. Provide advice and assistance in assessing stakeholders’ needs for training, equipment, software, supplies, etc.to increase stakeholders’ effectiveness. Provide advice and assistance in the formulation of the Mission Performance Plan and other strategy and planning exercises undertaken by Embassy Sarajevo, EUR and INL. Participate in visits by senior officials and serve as an escort or control officer. Arrange itineraries and logistical support for official visitors. Brief DOS, Congressional, Embassy staff, and other visiting officials on the INL’s role and the status of U.S.-BiH anticorruption projects and related initiatives. Attend and report on general anticorruption meetings, national and international conferences and seminars, and meetings with BiH government officials. Supervise one INL Locally Employed Staff supporting ACO anticorruption programming. When required, perform the role of Duty Officer. Perform other duties as requested and assigned that are directly related to this Statement of Work. TRAINING & DISTANCE LEARNING COURSES Completes the Contracting Officer Representative (PA296) distance-learning (DL) course through the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) within 120 days of arriving at Post. Completes the Introduction to Working in an Embassy (PN113) distance-learning (DL) course through the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) within the first six (6) months of arriving at Post. Completes the mandatory Foreign Affairs Counter-Threat (FACT) Course (OT650) prior to deployment to Post. Consultations with the INL Program Office may be required. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE & TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS The place of performance for this is U.S. Embassy and the KS ACO headquarters, and the SPO in Sarajevo, Bosnia, and Herzegovina. The Advisor’s work occurs primarily at the KS ACO’s offices in Sarajevo, the SPO, and Embassy Sarajevo, though it will also take place in other locations around BiH. The Advisor must be able to work independently in remote areas for short periods when conducting field visits or program oversight. RELATIONSHIPS The Advisor will work under the direct supervision of the INL Director who is an FS-02. The Advisor will initiate anticorruption, rule of law and law enforcement projects and execute approved programs under general supervision. The INL Director will review the timeliness and effectiveness of the Advisor’s work. The INL Director at Embassy Sarajevo will provide yearly performance reviews to the Contracting Officer in Washington, D.C. to contribute to the incumbent’s official yearly review. The Advisor will routinely work with the rule of law and law enforcement element of the INL program in BiH and will help develop and implement programs and projects to advance rule of law and law enforcement reforms in BiH. The Advisor will also be expected to coordinate and collaborate with other INL-funded efforts, in particular INL’s Senior Law Enforcement PSC, and the DOJ’s Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance, and Training (OPDAT) Program. COMPLEXITY This position involves planning, organizing, and completing financial and organizational analysis of enormous complexity. Due to the high visibility and political sensitivity of the issues in which INL is involved, there is extreme difficulty in identifying the nature of the issues and planning, organizing, and determining the scope and depth of studies/audits to be undertaken. The PSC is expected to address difficult scenarios by separating the substantive nature of the programs or issues into their components and determining the nature and magnitude of programs or issues, as well as in discerning the intent of the legislation and policy statements and determining how to translate the intent into program actions. The Advisor must be able to review host country anticorruption, rule of law and law enforcement needs; develop and manage related programs in coordination with INL; draw upon experience to suggest, design, advise and implement projects; ensure sustainability of projects through provision of appropriate training and maintenance; and have the ability to integrate the competing needs of U.S. rule of law and law enforcement, development, and security agencies, and BiH entities involved in rule of law and law enforcement. SCOPE & EFFECTIVENESS The PSC performs broad and extensive assignments related to a complex administrative/financial program spanning the full range of anticorruption, rule of law and law enforcement, programs in BiH, which is of significant interest to the public and to Congress. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE The period of performance for this contract is twelve (12) months from the date of award with four (4) optional one-year extensions. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS U.S. citizenship with the ability to obtain and maintain Department of State Secret level security clearance, medical clearance, and ethics clearance (if applicable). (Security clearance upgrade to Top Secret level may be required.) Law degree from an accredited U.S. institution AND a minimum of five (5) years of demonstrated experience investigating or prosecuting corruption, OR graduate degree in international criminal justice, rule of law, or related field from an accredited U.S. institution AND a minimum of fifteen (15) years of demonstrated experience investigating corruption; Demonstrated experience working as an anticorruption investigator, prosecutor, or in a preventative agency or non-governmental organization. Demonstrated ability to manage programs, including budget preparation, procurement of goods and services, and implementation and oversight of projects involving rule of law, law enforcement, and training initiatives. Demonstrated experience working overseas for at least two (2) years and maintaining positive working relationships within the interagency and in a cross-cultural setting, especially with foreign officials. Demonstrated work experience drafting case summaries, analytical papers, memoranda, and/or reports for review and/or signature by senior-level officials Demonstrated experience coordinating and working closely with the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Agency for International Development, or other relevant U.S. agencies with law enforcement mandates relevant to corruption. EVALUATION FACTORS (Used to determine the competitive ranking of qualified offerors in comparison to other offerors.) Offerors should cite specific, illustrative examples for each factor. Responses must be limited to 500 words per factor. Any additional words above the limit will neither be read nor scored. Factor 1: Anticorruption Prosecutorial, Investigatory, and Training Experience (25 points) Demonstrated experience and expertise prosecuting and investigating corruption in the rule of law, law enforcement, and/or related fields. Demonstrated experience in anticorruption, rule of law, law enforcement and/or related mentoring and training programs. Individual should demonstrate ability to understand and convey complex criminal justice sector and/or training issues. These issues include, but are not limited to modalities of corruption, complex financial crimes, anti-corruption enforcement, asset recovery, identifying and tracing money laundering operations, procurement of commodities and equipment, training development and implementation, and logistics support. Factor 2: Liaison and Communication (20 points) Demonstrated experience building and maintaining relationships with host nation officials, U.S. government agencies, international organizations, and non-governmental organizations. Demonstrated ability to communicate complex issues in a timely and concise manner, both verbally and in writing. Factor 3: Program Management and Administration (15 points) Demonstrated knowledge and experience in the application of sound management and program management practices, especially in international programs involving multiple agencies that include foreign government entities. Experience in program management should include: (1) familiarity with procurement guidelines; (2) budget development; (3) program planning and execution; and (4) monitoring and evaluation. Demonstrated ability to follow guidance and instructions on law enforcement program implementation; analyze and determine requirements in accordance with U.S. policy goals; and propose feasible solutions for problems in program implementation. Factor 4: International Experience (10 points) Demonstrated experience of working/operating in foreign environments; to include ability to live, work, and travel in difficult conditions with limited support, manage programs in a complex and fluid environment, and demonstrate cultural awareness and good judgment in challenging security situations, while consistently adhering to diversity and inclusion objectives. BASIS OF RATING: Offerors who clearly meet the Education/Experience Requirements will be further evaluated based on scoring of the Evaluation Factor responses. Offerors are required to address each of the Evaluation Factors in a separate document describing specifically and accurately what experience, training, education and/or awards they have received that are relevant to each factor. Failure to specifically address the Evaluation Factors may result in your not receiving credit for all of your pertinent experience, education, training and/or awards. The Offeror Rating System is as Follows: Evaluation Factors have been assigned the following points: Factor #1 - 25 Factor #2 - 20 Factor #3 - 15 Factor #4 - 10 Total Possible - 70 Points Interview Performance - 30 points Satisfactory Professional Reference Checks - Pass/Fail (no points assigned) Past performance evaluation of applicant’s ability to perform under the contract. In conducting the evaluation, the U.S. government reserves the right to utilize all evaluation information available at the time of evaluation, whether provided by the applicant or obtained from other sources. Total Possible Points: 100 The most qualified candidates may be interviewed, required to provide a writing sample, and demonstrate an ability to operate commonly used office applications. INL will not pay for any expenses associated with the interviews. In addition, applications (written materials and interviews) will be evaluated based on content as well as on the applicant's writing, presentation, and communication skills. In the event that an applicant has fully demonstrated his/her qualifications and there are no other competitive applicants, INL reserves the right to forego the interview process. Professional references will be evaluated for applicants being considered for selection. COMPENSATION (BASE PAY) This position has been designated at the FS-02 equivalent level ($95,225 - $139,841 per annum). Final compensation will be negotiated within the listed market value based upon qualifications, previous relevant experience and work history, salary and educational background. Salaries, including any recruitment supplemental pay that exceeds the listed pay range, will not be entertained or negotiated. For award, INL will negotiate for this contract based on the market value as outlined above and overall experience relevant to the solicitation requirements. BENEFITS & ALLOWANCES AS A MATTER OF POLICY, INL NORMALLY AUTHORIZES THE FOLLOWING BENEFITS AND ALLOWANCES BENEFITS - IF APPLICABLE Employee's FICA/Medicare Contribution Contribution toward Health and Life Insurance Pay Comparability Adjustment Annual Increase Eligibility for Worker's Compensation Annual, Sick and Home Leave 401K Plan MEDVAC (provided by DOS Med) ALLOWANCES IN ACCORDANCE WITH DEPARTMENT OF STATE STANDARDIZED REGULATIONS (DSSR) - IF APPLICABLE Temporary Quarters Subsistence Allowance (TQSA) or Per Diem upon arrival at Post Housing Allowance Post Allowance Supplemental Post Allowance Maintenance Allowance (SMA) Education Allowance Educational Travel (full-time United States based secondary) Post Hardship Differential Danger Pay Shipment of HHE, UAB, POV and Consumables