USAID/Ukraine Solicitation for a Project Management Specialist (Local Governance), FSN-10 (Host Country National only)

Solicitations open to: Ukrainian Nationals (Residency/Ukrainian Work Permit)

Solicitation No.: 720-121-23-R-10039

Position Title: Project Management Specialist (Local Governance)

Issuance date: September 19, 2023

Closing date and time: October 2, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. Kyiv Time

Work hours: 40 hours (Full time)

Position Grade: FSN-10

Market Value: Basic Annual Rate (in U.S. Dollars): $32,180 - $41,841 In accordance with AIDAR Appendix J and the Local Compensation Plan of USAID/Ukraine. Final compensation will be negotiated within the listed market value.

Place of Performance: Kyiv, Ukraine

Period of Performance: One-year with possibility of extension

Security Level Required: Facility Access

STATEMENT OF DUTIES:

The USAID Mission in Ukraine develops and implements U.S. assistance programs for Ukraine and Belarus. USAID/Ukraine partners with Ukrainian citizens, civil society, media, and government to help Ukraine resist Russia’s full-scale invasion, promote transparent and effective recovery processes, and support reforms to integrate Ukraine further into Europe. The Office of Democracy and Governance (ODG), one of the Mission’s three Kyiv-based technical offices, plans, monitors, and evaluates a large, dynamic portfolio of contracts and cooperative agreements spanning some of the country’s highest-priority reform, recovery, and reintegration issues. This position is housed within ODG under the supervision of the Office Director or their designee and is assigned to the Local Governance team. The Local Governance Specialist will focus on supporting USAID’s portfolio of decentralization and local governance strengthening programs.

The principal role of the Local Governance Specialist is to design, implement, and evaluate the effectiveness of ODG’s activities supporting decentralization reforms and strengthening local governance in Ukraine. This professional will serve as a Contracting or Agreement Officer’s Representative (COR/AOR) for one or more complex activities implemented primarily by U.S. non-governmental organizations, development contractors and/or Ukrainian civil society organizations. The Local Governance Specialist will develop collaborative working relationships with local government officials at the city, and oblast levels; national-level Government of Ukraine (GOU) representatives including the Ministry for Restoration / Communities, Territories, and Infrastructure Development (MOR/MCTID); parliamentary leadership and committees; the Office of the President; local government associations; and other Ukrainian civil society organizations in order to advance local-level democratic development and decentralization reform in Ukraine. The Local Governance Specialist will also engage regularly with the U.S. Embassy and other donors, serving as a technical representative during coordination meetings and public events and providing briefings and consultations to executive leadership. This role requires excellent project management, communication, and analytical skills; a strong understanding of local communities and Ukraine’s decentralization reform trajectory; flexibility; and the ability to engage across USAID teams and with a wide range of Ukrainian stakeholders.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Activity Management (50%): The Specialist’s primary responsibility is to manage and assist in the day-to-day management of ODG technical assistance and grant activities. Activity management may include:

• Serving as the contracting/agreement officer’s representative (i.e, lead project manager) or alternate for a number of complexes, sensitive activities within this portfolio.
• Providing USAID and its implementing partners with technical direction on decentralization policy, local governance issues, and regional dynamics to make programmatic decisions.
• Reviewing vouchers, sub-grants, annual implementation plans, performance monitoring plans, key personnel, and other issues requiring USAID involvement.
• Conducting financial management tasks related to ODG activities, such as monitoring spending, tracking accruals, and preparing regular pipeline analyses.
• Conducting site visits to monitor ODG activities, which may require travel within Ukraine, as well as regular in-person interactions and correspondence with partners and stakeholders.
• Tracking partner performance against activity- and strategic-level objectives and results.
• Tracking partner reporting and deliverables, with an emphasis on oversight of taxpayer funds and communicating USAID’s work in Ukraine to local and external audiences.
• Maintaining award management files.
• Drafting daily activity bullets, program briefs, readouts from meetings and events, briefers for other USAID and USG officials, and other reporting as required.
• As requested, occasionally supporting other programs in the ODG portfolio and general office needs, such as organizing meetings and events, participating in working groups, arranging Embassy services, and/or acting as a site officer for Mission or USG official trips.

B. Planning and Procurement (20%) : The Specialist participates and/or leads in the assessment, design, award, and modification of activities, projects, and strategies. They are responsible for developing monitoring and evaluation approaches/tools, polished assessments, concept papers, program descriptions, statements of work, Project Appraisal Documents, and other analytical and planning documents. The Specialist coordinates closely with the Regional Contracting Office and Program Office on new procurements and modifications and serves on Technical Evaluation Committees.

C. Strategic Planning and Coordination (15%): The Specialist is key to shaping ODG’s input into Mission strategic planning by providing analysis and recommendations on local governance issues, regional development, decentralization policy, local-level reconstruction priorities, and political/governance processes, and other local democratic development issues. The Specialist tracks key political and reform developments to ensure USAID’s programs are designed and managed to respond to needs, opportunities and challenges. The incumbent conducts research and analysis to support current and future programming; prepares briefing materials; cultivates personal contacts in civil society, government, and politics; and briefs USAID stakeholders, including Mission management, on sectoral developments.

D. Coordination, Representation, and Communication (15%): The incumbent meets regularly with USAID stakeholders, other donors, government counterparts, civil society organizations, implementing partners, and other stakeholders to share information and coordinate ODG programming; may be required to represent USAID in external meetings related to democracy and governance issues.

The contractor is eligible for temporary duty (TDY) travel to the U.S., or to other Missions abroad, to participate in the "Foreign Service National" Fellowship Program, in accordance with USAID policy.

Supervisory Relationship: Day to day technical guidance/supervision is provided by the team lead for the Office of Critical Infrastructure and/or his/her designee. Employees are expected to work independently after receiving general guidance, to exercise initiative in identifying tasks that need to be accomplished and to develop approaches and methodologies.

Supervisory Controls: No supervision of other staff is anticipated.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The work requested does not involve undue physical demand.

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED FOR EFFECTIVE PERFORMANCE:

Education: Minimum of university degree (B.A. or B.S.) in public policy, international relations, political science, law, sociology, management, or a related field relevant to democracy and governance project management is required.

Prior Work Experience: This position requires at least five (5) years of project management experience in the civil society, governance, and/or policy spheres related to local governance, decentralization, and/or community development. Prior work experience could include direct experience in managing civil society organizations/activities working on community development issues, management of donor projects, working with leaders or influencers among Ukrainian civil society and government on decentralization reform or local governance strengthening; and/or experience implementing government reform priorities.

Language Proficiency: Level IV (fluent) English ability for reading, speaking, and writing is required; native facility in Ukrainian (Level IV).

EVALUATION AND SELECTION FACTORS:

The Government may award a contract without discussions with offerors in accordance with FAR 52.215-1. The Contracting Officer 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 Contracting Officer 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 Contracting Officer 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. The FAR provisions referenced above are available at https://www.acquisition.gov/browse/index/far.

The technical evaluation committee may conduct reference checks, including references from individuals who have not been specifically identified by the offeror, and may do so before or after a candidate is interviewed.

Selection Process and Basis of Evaluation: Offerors who meet the minimum education and work experience qualification requirements will be further evaluated through review of the offeror’s submitted required documents (see points below) and ranked based on the evaluation and selection factors. A competitive range may be established of the highest-ranked offerors, who may be further evaluated through technical/language tests, interviews, and reference checks to determine the most qualified/highest-ranked offeror. Reference checks may be conducted with individuals not provided by the offeror, and without prior notification to the offeror. Any offeror not receiving satisfactory reference checks will no longer be considered for the position. Negotiations may be conducted with the most qualified/ highest-ranked offeror at the conclusion of evaluations.

40 points – Knowledge: The position requires an advanced understanding of the capacity, needs, and challenges of Ukraine’s local governance actors and how decentralization reforms fit into the larger context of the Government of Ukraine (GOU) and civil society’s overall policy priorities, recovery agenda, and anti-corruption efforts. S/he should also demonstrate a strong understanding of the perspectives of civil society and international donors on these matters. This professional should have substantial technical knowledge of key players in areas relevant to this position.

60 points – Skills and Abilities: The following are essential for this position:

• Excellent listening, written, and verbal communication skills, particularly for working across USAID teams and with external stakeholders at varying levels.
• Strong learning agility, critical thinking, and ability to adapt to new or changing situations and responsibilities.
• Ability to synthesize data and trends from multiple sources, recognize significant developments, and clearly communicate their impact on USAID programs and Ukraine’s reform and recovery priorities.
• Ability to plan and manage complex projects and draft relevant USAID-required documentation with a great deal of independence.
• Excellent teamwork skills, including the ability to work collaboratively in a multicultural, team-based environment.
• Ability to handle sensitive issues with professionalism, tact, and diplomacy.
• Strong organizational and time management skills, including the ability to prioritize and balance both complex and administrative tasks under tight deadlines.
• Good working knowledge of MS Office and Google suite.

TOTAL POSSIBLE POINTS: 100 points

HOW TO APPLY:

Eligible Offerors are requested to submit a complete application package which must include all the required documents in English electronically to [email protected] with Subject line: Project Management Specialist (Local Governance) (****720-121-23-R-10039).

ANY/ALL application submissions received after the closing date will not be considered.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:

1. Cover Letter: A memo or email that outlines how your qualifications and experience meet the selection criteria.

2. Application for Employment (DS-174): The form can be downloaded from this link https://eforms.state.gov/Forms/ds174.pdf.

Offerors must thoroughly complete the DS-174 form in English and are advised to include all of their current and previous work experience related to this position. Offerors may use continuation pages to further explain their relevant work experience, if needed. AND;

3. Current Resume/Curriculum Vitae (CV): The CV/resume must contain sufficient relevant information to evaluate the applications in accordance with the stated technical evaluation criteria, listed above.

IMPORTANT:

IN ORDER TO HAVE YOUR APPLICATION CONSIDERED, YOU MUST SUBMIT ALL THREE REQUIRED DOCUMENTS. IF YOU OMIT ANY OF THE REQUIRED DOCUMENTS, COVER PAGE, CV or DS-174 FORM, YOUR APPLICATION WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.

Note:

• This vacancy is open to Ukrainian Nationals (Residency/Ukrainian Work Permit Required).
• Applications with insufficient, incomplete and inconsistent information to make a determination will not be considered.
• No in-person appointments or telephone calls will be entertained.
• Offerers who are applying for this position must fully meet the education requirement (graduated and degree and/or diploma already received) as specified. At the time of applications, candidates must also meet in full the experience requirement.
• Short-listed candidates will be requested to provide educational documents such as degrees, diplomas, certificates and other pertinent documents (passport, proof of residency or work permit) as needed. Failure to provide the required documentation will result in the rejection of their application from further consideration.
• The Agency retains the full right to cancel or amend the solicitation and associated actions at any time.

BENEFITS/ALLOWANCES:

As a matter of policy, and as appropriate, a CCN PSC is normally authorized the following benefits and allowances in accordance to the Mission Policy:

BENEFITS

• Health and Life Insurance coverage: Provided under the Compensation Plan.
• Defined Contribution Plan: Upon separation, a lump sum benefit equal to 12% of the basic salary earned for the duration worked under the appointment.

ALLOWANCES (as applicable)

• Meal Allowances: The annual amount is $853 for employees working on a full-time basis.
• Family Allowances: The mission provides a child allowance. Grants amounts are subject to change as determined by the Ukrainian State Budget Law.
• Unique Conditions of Work Allowances/ Benefits: 10% of Basic Rate Additional information may be provided to the selected offeror at the time of the salary offer.

TAXES:

Taxes apply and are deductible as per the Ukrainian government regulations.

USAID REGULATIONS, POLICIES AND CONTRACT CLAUSES PERTAINING TO PSCs:

USAID regulations and policies governing CCN and TCN PSC awards are available at these sources:

USAID Acquisition Regulation (AIDAR), Appendix J, “Direct USAID Contracts With a Cooperating Country National and with a Third Country National for Personal Services Abroad,” including contract clause “General Provisions,” available at https://www.usaid.gov/ads/policy/300/aidar

Contract Cover Page form AID 309-1 available at https://www.usaid.gov/forms.

Pricing by line item is to be determined upon contract award as described below:

LINE ITEMS

ITEM NO

(A)

SUPPLIES/SERVICES (DESCRIPTION)

(B)

QUANTITY

(C)

UNIT

(D)

UNIT PRICE

(E)

AMOUNT

(F)

0001

Base Period - Compensation, Fringe Benefits and Other Direct Costs (ODCs)

- Award Type: Cost

- Product Service Code: R497

- Accounting Info: Agency/B Code: 797

1

LOT

$ TBD

$ TBD at Award after negotiations with Contractor

Acquisition & Assistance Policy Directives/Contract Information Bulletins (AAPDs/CIBs) for Personal Services Contracts with Individuals available at http://www.usaid.gov/work-usaid/aapds-cibs

USAID Acquisition and Assistance Policy Directives (AAPD-20-08): Leave and Holidays for CCNs and TCNs, available at https://www.usaid.gov/work-usaid/aapds-cibs/aapd-20-08

Ethical Conduct: By the acceptance of a USAID personal services contract as an individual, the contractor will be acknowledging receipt of the “Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch,” available from the U.S. Office of Government Ethics, in accordance with General Provision 2 and 5 CFR 2635. See https://www.oge.gov/web/oge.nsf/OGE%20Regulations

PSC Ombudsman:

The PSC Ombudsman serves as a resource for any Personal Services Contractor who has entered into a contract with the United States Agency for International Development and is available to provide clarity on their specific contract with the agency. Please visit our page for additional information: https://www.usaid.gov/work-usaid/personal-service-contracts-ombudsman.

FAR Provisions Incorporated by Reference

52.204-27

PROHIBITION ON A BYTEDANCE COVERED APPLICATION

JUN,2023

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY (EEO):

The U.S. Mission in Ukraine provides equal opportunity and fair and equitable treatment in employment to all people without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, or transgender status), national origin, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, religion, marital or parental status, veteran status, membership in an employee organization, political affiliation, or involvement in protected equal employment opportunity (EEO) activity. USAID/Ukraine also strives to achieve equal employment opportunities in all personnel operations through continuing diversity enhancement programs.

The EEO complaint procedure is not available to individuals who believe they have been denied equal opportunity based upon marital status or political affiliation. Individuals with such complaints should avail themselves of the appropriate grievance procedures, remedies for prohibited personnel practices, and/or courts for relief.

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Added 6 days ago - Updated 5 hours ago - Source: usaid.gov