Southern Cone Coordinator (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay)

expired opportunity(Expired)
From: Federal Government(Federal)
PSC-22-060-INL

Basic Details

started - 06 Sep, 2022 (18 months ago)

Start Date

06 Sep, 2022 (18 months ago)
due - 21 Sep, 2022 (18 months ago)

Due Date

21 Sep, 2022 (18 months ago)
Bid Notification

Type

Bid Notification
PSC-22-060-INL

Identifier

PSC-22-060-INL
STATE, DEPARTMENT OF

Customer / Agency

STATE, DEPARTMENT OF (6310)STATE, DEPARTMENT OF (6310)ACQUISITIONS - INL (624)

Attachments (2)

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATEBUREAU OF INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AFFAIRS (INL)     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: Southern Cone Coordinator – (Argentina/Brazil/Chile/Paraguay/Uruguay)Location: Brasilia, BrazilSalary Level: FS-02 - $91,475 - $134,334 (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: September 06, 2022Closing date: September 21, 2022Closing Time: 3:00 PM ETSolicitation Number:
PSC-22-060-INLJob description:  See belowDear 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. CitizenshipNote: 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:            Cecille D. Washington            U.S. Department of State            INL/EX/GAPP            Washingtoncd@state.govSincerely,Katelynn E. BarhamContracting OfficerU.S. Department of StateSUBJECTA 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 APPLYOfferors 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 SOLICITATIONThis 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 ResponsesThree (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 RECOMMENDEDVETERAN’S PREFERENCEVeteran’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/Cecille D. WashingtonE-mail: Washingtoncd@state.govDirect questions regarding this solicitation to:INL/Cecille D. WashingtonE-mail: Washingtoncd@state.govINL will not accept proposals beyond the closing time/date; unless it can be determined DOS mishandled the proposal. GENERAL STATEMENT OF THE PURPOSE OF THIS CONTRACT 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 police, courts, and corrections systems. These efforts reduce the amount of crime and illegal drugs reaching U.S. shores.INL’s Office of Western Hemisphere Programs (INL/WHP) develops and manages diplomatic and foreign assistance efforts to build more effective and accountable criminal justice institutions in partner nations throughout the Americas to tackle corruption and transnational crime threats that directly impact U.S. communities. INL/WHP is responsible for the management of more than $500 million a year in foreign assistance to advance key U.S. interests. The objective of INL/WHP’s Southern Cone Cooperation (SCC) program is to improve the capacity of partner nation law enforcement and justice sector actors to counter illicit activity of transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), including the trafficking of drugs and natural resources and related financial crimes, and disrupt TCO expansion in this sub-region. INL assistance in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay (hereafter “the Southern Cone”) supports regional and bilateral efforts to combat transnational organized crime and narcotics, advances sustainable reforms in law enforcement and criminal justice systems, and builds relationships and interoperability between U.S. and partner nation law enforcement.The purpose of this Personal Services Contract is to serve as the INL Southern Cone Coordinator based at the U.S. Embassy in Brasilia, Brazil. The Coordinator will work with Southern Cone officials and the U.S. interagency to develop foreign assistance programs to counter insecurity created by transnational criminal organizations carrying out drug trafficking and other illicit activities in the Southern Cone. The coordinator will provide specialized expertise to design, monitor, and evaluate programmatic initiatives to build partner nation capacity to counter TCOs, the trafficking of drugs and natural resources, and related illicit activities. The Coordinator reviews, develops, implements, and/or contributes to a wide variety of plans, policies, and procedures for advancing U.S. and Southern Cone government shared priorities.This PSC will assist INL in ensuring its Southern Cone programs have a sustainable impact. The Coordinator will establish and maintain internal controls and accountability for the delivery of equipment, technical assistance, training, and other assistance in Southern Cone countries without INL local personnel. The Coordinator must be able to work effectively across a diverse set of Embassies, responding to multiple and evolving priorities while advancing INL’s overarching objective to strengthen bilateral and cross-border security cooperation. The position requires foreign assistance design, monitoring, and evaluation subject expertise and security sector program management experience to enable the incumbent to assess what new assistance is needed, make programmatic recommendations, design appropriate performance measures, and coordinate with implementing partners to report on INL program impact and effectiveness.DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIESUnder the direct supervision of the Brasilia Deputy Chief of Mission and the INL/WHP South America Team Lead, or his/her designees the Coordinator will perform the following duties:Serve as the INL Coordinator in the field and advise on implementation of INL program activities, including counternarcotics, citizen security, anticorruption, and criminal justice capacity building. The incumbent will coordinate with U.S. government agencies operating in Southern Cone countries and the region, as well as with appropriate partner nation stakeholders.Design bilateral and regional priorities, new programming, liaise with potential implementers, prepare and finalize for INL/WHP approval all components of implementing mechanism packages for contracts, grants, interagency agreements, and contributions to international organizations, and conduct implementation monitoring, impact evaluation, and closeout of INL Southern Cone initiatives. Identify assistance gaps aligned with INL strategic priorities for potential new assistance related to transnational organized crime, counternarcotics, anti-corruption, and related financial crime. Serve as the Agreements Officer Representative (AOR) or Grants Officer Representative (GOR) for INL programs, as assigned.Provide subject matter expertise in security sector assistance and program management involving U.S. government funding in the Western Hemisphere to support a wide range of INL program activities and procurements, to include financial oversight, capacity enhancement, Leahy vetting, and logistics support.Establish and maintain appropriate internal management control systems, ensure compliance with property management regulations, and administer and monitor the expenditure of funds provided to implementers. Ensure INL programs are not subject to waste, fraud, or mismanagement. Provide relevant U.S. laws, regulations, and policies to Southern Cone authorities and implementing partners, as needed. Contribute to posts’ annual End Use Monitoring Report as INL site visits permit.In coordination with INL/WHP and Embassy Political Sections, draft an INL Strategy for the Southern Cone to include key lines of effort and impact indicators. Review, update, and measure progress against strategy in coordination with key stakeholders, at least annually.In coordination with INL/WHP organize and lead bi-annual Southern Cone program evaluation reviews, to access progress towards achieving program goals and objectives from implementing partners quantitative and qualitative indicators. Establish and maintain relationships with Southern Cone countries, U.S. Embassy officials, INL implementing partners, and partner nation officials and conduct site visits to directly monitor the implementation of INL programs.Coordinate with Embassy Political Sections, represent INL in internal and external meetings, ceremonies, and representational events as required. Work closely with foreign counterparts, U.S. interagency representatives, international donors, and Law Enforcement Working Groups at multiple embassies to coordinate security assistance and serve as a subject matter expert on assistance related to anti-crime, law enforcement professionalization, border security, and transnational crime trends, requirements, challenges, and programs in the Southern Cone.Maintain robust and frequent communication with INL/WHP on program activities, developments, and challenges and provide regular program reporting to Washington, including site visit and trip reports covering consultations conducted on all official travel; assessments of program implementation against performance measures and recommendations for improving performance; budgetary analyses; drafting briefing and other informational documents for INL; assisting high-level coordination and planning meetings; and providing counsel on INL issues.Review and analyze reports in Portuguese and Spanish. Provide reports/briefs on security and political developments in Southern Cone countries ensuring that INL/WHP is fully informed on the capabilities, capacity, performance, and opportunities regarding each Southern Cone country’s security and justice sectors.Brief visiting Department, Congressional, and other international dignitaries orally and in writing on INL-funded programs. Contribute to INL/WHP documents for presentation to the U.S. Congress. Develop appropriate itineraries and arrange logistics for INL/WHP and official travelers to Southern Cone countries. Maintain security awareness and properly handle classified and controlled items and information. When required, perform the role of Duty Officer.Perform other duties as requested and assigned that are directly related to this Statement of Work.TRAININGS & DISTANCE LEARNING COURSESCompletes the mandatory Foreign Affairs Counter-Threat (FACT) Course (CT650) prior to deployment to Post. Completes the Monitoring Grants and Cooperative Agreements (PA222) distance-learning (DL) course through the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) within 30 days of arriving at Post.Completes the Managing Foreign Assistance Awards Overseas (PP223) distance-learning (DL) course through the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) within 30 days of arriving at Post.Completes the INL Program and Project Management (PP420) distance-learning (DL) course through the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) within 60 days of arriving at Post.Completes the INL Financial Management (PP421) distance-learning (DL) course through the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) within 60 days of arriving at Post.Completes the Foreign Assistance Performance Monitoring and Evaluation (PP425) distance-learning (DL) course through the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) within 60 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 90 days of arriving at Post.PLACE OF PERFORMANCE & TRAVEL REQUIREMENTSThe place of performance is the U.S. Embassy in Brasilia, Brazil. Substantial travel to Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, and/or Uruguay is a requirement of this position. RELATIONSHIPSThe Southern Cone Coordinator will report to the DCM in Brasilia or his/her designee and the INL/WHP South America Team Lead in Washington, DC, and liaise and coordinate closely with the INL/WHP Southern Cone Program Officer in Washington, DC. The Coordinator will advise on current and potential new programming in accordance with INL and posts’ policy priorities and objectives, as well as work with INL/WHP to develop and manage programs and related issues.  The Coordinator will liaise with other agencies/governments active in the fields of law enforcement and criminal justice, and with host government contacts. The Coordinator will monitor INL programs in the Southern Cone countries, analyzing their effectiveness and suggesting improvements. The Coordinator will present these approaches to INL/WHP for discussion and final approval.The DCM or his/her designee will input job performance feedback to INL/WHP, which will provide yearly performance reviews to the INL/EX/GAPP Contracting Officer in Washington, D.C. to contribute to the incumbent’s official yearly review.or other terms and conditions. Such changes must be authorized, in writing, to the Contracting Officer/Grants Officer.COMPLEXITYThis 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.SCOPE AND EFFECTIVENESSThe PSC performs broad and extensive assignments related to a complex administrative/financial program spanning the full range of citizen safety, law enforcement, rule of law, counternarcotics, and illicit trafficking programs in Southern Cone countries which is of significant interest to the public and to Congress.PERIOD OF PERFORMANCEThe period of performance for this contract is twelve (12) months from the date of award with four (4) optional one-year extensions.MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONSU.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).Bachelor’s degree from an accredited U.S. institution AND a minimum of ten (10) years professional experience related to project management, international development, international affairs, criminal justice, and/or public administration.A minimum of five (5) years of experience managing bilateral or multilateral assistance programs in the fields of citizen security, policing, law enforcement, rule of law/criminal justice, counternarcotics, and/or counter-transnational crime.Proficient language and writing skills in English (4/4), Portuguese (intermediate  – 3/3) and Spanish (intermediate  – 3/3).Demonstrated experience planning, developing, and managing foreign assistance programs, including conducting assessments, monitoring, and evaluation.Demonstrated experience drafting reports/documents, annual budgets, strategic plans, and ability to plan, strategize, implement, and report on projects; Demonstrated ability to draft analytical briefing papers, memoranda, letters, and reports for review and/or signature by senior-level officials; andDemonstrated ability to engage and work closely with the Department of State, the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Department of Defense, the Department of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security, the United Nations, and/or international community on security sector and/or criminal justice development programs.Experience working with Portuguese and Spanish speaking countriesDemonstrated ability to work effectively with host-nation counterparts, departments, and ministries to further program objectives, in a timely and concise manner.Demonstrated ability to work independently on projects and issues within overall policy guidelines.Demonstrated excellent interpersonal skills and a record of working collaboratively at all levels in a workplace environment, especially in advancing a collaborative relationship between Washington and the field.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:        Work Experience                                                                              (20 Points)Demonstrated relevant foreign affairs experience in the fields of counternarcotics, citizen security, policing, law enforcement, and/or counter-transnational crime in Portuguese and Spanish speaking countries.Factor 2:        Program Experience                                                                       (30 points)Demonstrated expertise in evaluating needs and designing, managing, monitoring, and reporting on complex capacity building programs and linking them to strategic U.S. national security interests. Demonstrated experience drafting statements of work, budgets, and program performance measures for U.S. government funded criminal justice and/or security assistance programs. Demonstrated experience in preparing budgets, advance acquisition plans, procurement orders, purchase requests, interagency agreements, letters of agreements, and grant solicitations.Factor 3:        Communications & Coordination Experience                              (20 points) Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, in English, Portuguese, and Spanish, in a timely and concise manner; interact effectively with others at all levels to prepare, analyze, explain, and defend determinations and requirements with respect to conformance to applicable laws, policies and other regulatory guidelines; and advise program officials. Demonstrated ability to work effectively as part of a diverse team and to coordinate with relevant USG agencies and foreign government officials.   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 – 20Factor #2 – 30Factor #3 – 20Total Possible – 70 PointsInterview 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: 100The 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 ($91,475 - $134,334 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 & ALLOWANCESAS A MATTER OF POLICY, INL NORMALLY AUTHORIZES THE FOLLOWING BENEFITS AND ALLOWANCESBENEFITS - IF APPLICABLEEmployee's FICA/Medicare ContributionContribution toward Health and Life InsurancePay Comparability AdjustmentAnnual IncreaseEligibility for Worker's CompensationAnnual, Sick and Home Leave401K PlanMEDVAC (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 PostHousing AllowancePost AllowanceSupplemental Post AllowanceMaintenance Allowance (SMA)Education AllowanceEducational Travel (full-time United States based secondary)Post Hardship DifferentialDanger PayShipment of HHE, UAB, POV and Consumables

US DEPT OF STATE, 2201 C ST NW  WASHINGTON , DC 20520  USALocation

Place Of Performance : N/A

Country : United States

Classification

naicsCode 921190Other General Government Support
pscCode 9999Miscellaneous Items