U.S. Department of State

Bureau 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: Counternarcotics and Drug Enforcement Advisor

Location: Lagos, Nigeria

Salary Level: FS-02 - $88,619 - $130,140

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: May 4, 2020

Closing date:  May 18, 2020

Closing Time: 3:00 PM ET

Solicitation Number: PSC-20-038-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:

1. Form SF 171 (Completed and signed)
2. Complete resume. In order to fully evaluate your offer your resume must include:
   1. 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.
   2. Specific duties performed that fully detail the level and complexity of the work.
   3. Names and contact information (phone and email) of your current and/or previous supervisor(s).
   4. Education and any other qualifications including job-related training courses, job-related skills, or job-related honors, awards or accomplishments.
   5. 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.

1. 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 receive that are relevant to each Factor.  

1. 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:

            Victoria Stewart

            U.S. Department of State

            INL/EX/GAPP

            [email protected]

Sincerely,

Anthony Pierce

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):

1. Form SF 171 (Completed and signed)
2. Resume  
3. Evaluation Factor Responses
4. 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/Victoria Stewart

E-mail: [email protected]

Direct questions regarding this solicitation to:

INL/Victoria Stewart

E-mail: [email protected]

INL 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 Africa and the Middle East Programs (INL/AME) develops and manages criminal justice sector reform programs and contributes to policy formation on civilian security issues in both regions.  INL works to improve the effectiveness, responsiveness, and accountability of criminal justice sector institutions (police, justice sector actors, and corrections).  These efforts are designed to improve stability, human rights, and good governance in close partnership and cooperation with host government and civil society actors.

INL has program authority derived from the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended (FAA).  Under the FAA, INL is responsible for providing assistance to host governments to develop and implement effective counter narcotics, anticrime, and border control programs.

INL’s overarching goal in Nigeria is to support the development of effective and professional law enforcement and justice sector institutions to prevent, detect, respond to, investigate, and prosecute crime – including transnational organized crime – and safeguard its citizens and protect human rights.  A primary focus of INL’s counternarcotics programming in Nigeria is building capacity for Nigeria’s National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to identify, interdict, and investigate drug trafficking networks. 

The Counternarcotics (CN) and Drug Enforcement Advisor Personal Services Contract (PSC) is located at the US Consulate General, Lagos, Nigeria and involves various travels within Nigeria, particularly to the capital city of Abuja.  The Advisor will work in close proximity with senior leadership of Nigeria's NDLEA in Lagos and Abuja.  The Advisor will advise the NDLEA to help build capacity of investigations and the prosecution of key individuals committing international drug trafficking and other related organized crimes.

The Advisor will coordinate with the US diplomatic mission in Nigeria, including the INL Director at the US Embassy, Abuja, INL Program Officer in Washington, D.C., and the Country Attaché of the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) at the US Consulate General, Lagos. The INL Director will be the Advisor’s primary point of contact on all matters related to DEA at the U.S. Consulate General Lagos.

The Advisor will coordinate training and provide mentorship to NDLEA staff and make recommendations for additional training/assistance. The primary purpose will be to strengthen the capacity of the NDLEA and to increase its CN capabilities against the primary organized narcotics traffickers.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Under the direct supervision of the INL Director or his/her designee, the CN and Drug Enforcement Advisor will perform the following duties:

1. Advise senior leadership of the NDLEA on planning, designing, and implementing actions that develop the institutional capacity of the NDLEA and improve the investigation and prosecution of key individuals involved in international drug trafficking and other related crimes.
2. Design effective strategies in which the NDLEA can use the successful interdiction of lower level drug traffickers to dismantle the criminal organizations behind drug trafficking throughout Nigeria.
3. Aid in the development of NDLEA institutional goals, objectives, and internal personnel support measures, including training and equipment that will support overall NDLEA capabilities to complete its CN mission.
4. Advise NDLEA leadership on ways to increase international and regional cooperation

·with other CN and law enforcement partners, including the exchange of information and opportunities for joint training and operations.

1. Advise NDLEA leadership on changes in policies and practices that may augment its capacities and lead to improved results in its ongoing efforts against international narcotics and related organized crimes.
2. Evaluate requests from the NDLEA for operational, logistical, or institutional support.  Recommend supportive courses of action to the INL and DEA offices within the US diplomatic mission to Nigeria.
3. Advise NDLEA leadership on CN training programs based on the appropriate skill sets needed by NDLEA personnel.  Participate in regular liaison meetings with interested parties to develop annual training plans and to monitor effectiveness of activities.
4. Maintain a well-organized list of all trainings, participants, and items procured through the advisor’s effort.
5. Develop robust methods to evaluate the impact of training and technical support.
6. Implement and annually revise INL’s Theory-of-Change and five-year plan for counternarcotics programming in Nigeria.
7. Monitor and review, in coordination with the US diplomatic mission to Nigeria, the use of any US government assistance provided to the NDLEA during the term of the contract. The purpose of this oversight is to ensure, any United States Government (USG) provided commodities and financial support are delivered in a timely manner and properly utilized in accordance with applicable USG regulatory standards and waste, fraud, and/or abuse is prevented.
8. Prepare and present briefings to NDLEA, other Nigerian law enforcement agencies, the US diplomatic mission in Nigeria, third country government officials, officials of international organizations concerning counternarcotics programs, and achievements in Nigeria.
9. Prepare monthly reports on the status of ongoing activities and accomplishments regarding the · assistance to the NDLEA in augmenting its CN capabilities.  The key objective of increasing NDLEA capacity is to dismantle major drug trafficking operations.
10. Prepare cables to report critical data that provides quantifiable data to illustrate impact from training and statistics on narcotics investigation.
11. When required, perform the role of Duty Officer.
12. Perform other duties as requested and assigned that are directly related to this Statement of Work

TRAININGS & DISTANCE LEARNING COURSES

1. Completes the Contracting Officer Representative (PA296) distance-learning (DL) course through the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) within 120 days of arriving at Post. 
2. Completes the FSI distance learning Grants Officer’s Representative (GOR) successfully within (120) days of assignment. 
3. 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.
4. Completes the mandatory Foreign Affairs Counter-Threat (FACT) Course (OT650) prior to deployment at Post.
5. Completes Human Trafficking Awareness Course (PP460) through FSI Online Courses within the first six (6) months of arriving at Post.
6. Consultations with the INL Program Office in Washington, DC may be required.

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE & TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

General Consulate, Lagos, Nigeria.  Periodic travel throughout Nigeria is required and may occasionally travel to other countries for program development, monitoring, and oversight.  At a minimum, travel to U.S. Abuja two times a year to brief leadership on CN related activities is required.

RELATIONSHIPS

The Advisor will report to the INL Director at the US Embassy Abuja.  The Advisor will provide services to the senior leadership of the NDLEA and in that capacity be prepared to provide training to NDLEA staff as requested.  The Advisor will report the progress of project goa ls to the INL Director and, when appropriate, to the DEA Country Attaché at the US Consulate General, Lagos. The Advisor will also provide information to the INL Program Officer in Washington, D.C. as requested.

The INL Director will supervise the implementation of the Advisor project consistent with normal INL practices and regulations. The Advisor must use good judgment, creativity, and independence in planning work to achieve specific goals and objectives. The Advisor will inform INL Director of possible issues and recommend solutions.

The INL Director will provide yearly performance reviews to the Contracting Officer in Washington, D.C. to contribute to the incumbent’s official yearly review.

COMPLEXITY

This position involves planning, organizing and completing financial and organizational analysis.  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 EFFECTIVENESS

The 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, and counternarcotics programs in Lagos, Nigeria, 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 REQUIREMENTS

1. U.S. citizenship with the ability to obtain and maintain Department of State Top Secret level security and Medical clearances. Department of State Ethics clearance (if applicable). (Security clearance upgrade to TS level may be required).
2. Bachelor's degree from an accredited university.
3. A minimum of twenty (20) years of experience in a related field, with a minimum of ten (10) years of USG counternarcotics experience in program management policies, concepts, practices, and principles in investigating and prosecuting major drug traffickers.
4. Ten (10) years of experiences as a lead law enforcement agent in dismantling drug trafficking organizations through the investigation and prosecution of major drug trafficking offenders.
5. Ten (10) years of experience dealing with senior management of US law enforcement agencies, particularly in counternarcotics operations.
6. Five (5) years of experience training law enforcement officers, preferably counternarcotics in combating drug trafficking and related crimes.
7. Five (5) years of experience working with US Embassy organizations and complex interrelated activities, as well as familiarity with programs, organization, and operations of other USG elements involved in counternarcotics programs, is desirable.
8. Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite.

EVALUATION CRITERIA

(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          International Experience

                        Demonstrated experience in law enforcement and experience working with diverse, multicultural groups in foreign, post-conflict environments; to include ability to live, work, and travel in difficult conditions with limited support, manage programs in a complex and fluid environment, and show good judgment in challenging security situations.  Demonstrated experience in law enforcement, particularly within CN enforcement targeting international drug trafficking organizations, and experience working with diverse, multicultural groups. Experience in Africa generally, and West Africa, Nigeria in particular, is preferred.                                                         

Factor 2          Program Experience

Demonstrated experience assessing counternarcotics enforcement capabilities including the ability to provide policy and programmatic technical guidance, develop and implement recommendations, and achieve project objectives.  Experience managing U.S. government assistance programs is preferred, as well as experience working with U.S. Embassy organizations.  Experience working with US Embassy organizations and complex interrelated activities, as well as familiarity with programs, organization, and operations of other USG elements involved in counternarcotics programs.  Demonstrated knowledge of modern counternarcotics investigative policies, concepts, practices, and principles that are needed in order to analyze and develop recommendations for program implementation and achievement of project objectives. Substantive knowledge of and experience within African counternarcotics programs is highly valued.                         

Factor 3          Communication

                        Demonstrated ability to communicate complex issues in a timely and concise manner, both orally and in writing. Demonstrated independent experience in preparing and writing reports, audits, memoranda, etc. in a subject area related to the duties of the position.                 

Factor 4          Interpersonal Relations

Demonstrated interpersonal skills interacting with police at all command levels in a capacity which includes leading, advising, guiding, regulating performance and policies, and articulating messages and decisions.                                                             

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 – 20

Factor #2 – 20

Factor #3 – 15

Factor #3 – 15

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

COMPENSATION (BASE PAY)

This position has been designated at the FS-02 equivalent level ($88,619 - $130,140 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

Bid Protests Not Available