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Counternarcotics Programs Advisor
Bogota, Colombia
Issuance Date: 02/20/2019
Closing Date: 03/07/2020
SOLICITATION NUMBER: PSC-19-037-INL
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 and Evaluation Factor Responses
3) 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/Dominique Chittum
E-mail: [email protected]
Direct questions regarding this solicitation to:
INL/Dominique Chittum
E-mail: [email protected]
INL will not accept proposals beyond the closing time/date; unless it can be determined DOS mishandled the proposal.
1. SOLICITATION NUMBER: PSC-19-037-INL
2. ISSUANCE DATE: 02/20/2019
3. CLOSING DATE: 03/07/2019
4. TIME SPECIFIED FOR RECEIPT OF APPLICATIONS: 3:00 PM, EST
5. POSITION TITLE: INL Counternarcotics Programs Advisor
6. MARKET VALUE: $69,022 - $125,091 (FS-03-02 Equivalent)
7. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: One year from date of award, with four optional years
8. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: Bogota, Colombia
9. JOB DESCRIPTION: See below
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.
The INL section at U.S. Embassy Bogota, established in 1985, is among the largest and most complex INL offices in the world. INL Bogota is charged with developing strategies and programs to achieve international narcotics control, law enforcement, and justice foreign policy objectives.
INL's Organized Crime and Counternarcotics (OCCN) Division supports Colombian National Police and Colombian Armed Forces' counternarcotics efforts, with the goal of stopping the flow of illegal drugs to the United States by improving the effectiveness and efficiency of strategic planning, narcotics interdiction, and illicit crop eradication. These illicit crops include coca, poppy, and marijuana.
The Counternarcotics Programs Advisor will support the OCCN Division by assisting U.S. and Colombian partners to develop operational counternarcotics projects and improve implementation of OCCN programming. The Advisor will advise and assist in the planning, development, coordination, and implementation of counternarcotics projects, programs, and strategies aimed at building the capabilities of Colombian law enforcement and military forces to conduct interdiction, eradication, and organized crime investigations and operations. The Advisor will assist INL Bogota in ensuring its counternarcotics programs have a sustainable and strategic impact and will support project planning and implementation in Colombia, analyzing their effectiveness and suggesting improvements to include a priority focus on Colombia's whole-of-government counternarcotics and rural development effort in zones of strategic concern, particularly as the effort expands to additional zones.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Under the direct supervision of the INL Bogota OCCN Division Chief, and in coordination with other INL Bogota programs working with the Colombian government, the Advisor will perform the following duties:
1. Develop measurable and sustainable operational security initiatives and counternarcotics program activities to include strong regional agreements and policies, capacity enhancement, and regional host nation and USG coordination.
2. Support a wide-range of INL Bogota program activities, including capacity enhancement, vetting, and logistics support for program activities, including acquisitions, budgeting oversight, and monitoring and evaluation.
3. Work closely with U.S. and foreign counterparts to design and implement specific counternarcotics programs.
4. Assess the Government of Colombia's (GOC) capability to respond to security, law enforcement, and counternarcotics challenges and recommend effective strategies to address those challenges to the OCCN Chief and other INL Bogota staff as needed.
5. Provide full-scale program management support, including required reporting such as the annual budget request, drafting documents, assisting high-level coordination and planning meetings, and providing counsel.
6. Work with INL Bogota Program Managers and Advisors to assess GOC action plans, with an eye to addressing capacity deficits and weak inter-institutional coordination and collaboration that prevent the GOC from effectively addressing key counternarcotics threats. Review and make recommendations on agreements, policies, and laws.
7. Work with OCCN Division Chief and other INL Bogota Program Managers to assess security support provided by other international donors, advising on coordination of these efforts.
8. Provide policy analysis and program guidance on issues such as program milestones, strategies, and development of host country capacities and limitations of institutions.
9. Assist in managing and implementing all necessary logistics to facilitate projects in support of these programs, including coordination with INL Bogota advisors and USG agencies.
10. Conduct periodic site visits to assure effective implementation of strategies, agreements, and that initiatives are moving forward in a timely manner.
11. Ensure INL Bogota programming complies with U.S. government legal and policy requirements and restrictions, including Leahy vetting and contracting, and that programming is coordinated with related INL Bogota's police, counternarcotics, criminal justice, financial crimes, rural security, and corrections assistance programs.
12. Maintain security awareness and properly handle classified and controlled items and information.
TRAININGS & DISTANCE LEARNING COURSES
1. Completes the Contracting Officer Representative (PA296) prior to arriving at Post. If already COR, complete, if necessary, distance-learning (DL) course through the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) within the first six (6) months of arriving at Post.
2. 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.
3. Completes the mandatory Foreign Affairs Counter-Threat (FACT) Course (CT650) prior to deployment to Post.
4. Completes the following INL-relevant courses within the first nine (9) months of arriving at Post:
• INL - PREP
• PP420 INL Program and Project Management I
• PP421 INL Financial Management
• PP422 INL Contract Administration, Procurement Policies and Procedures
• PA392 ILMS Overseas Ariba Procurement
5. If applicable - Consultations with the INL Program Office may be required.
PLACE OF PERFORMANCE & TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS
US Embassy Bogota, Colombia. Regular travel to rural areas, small towns, and occasionally to large cities throughout Colombia is a requirement of this position. Many of these areas in Colombia are conflict zones where insurgent groups are based, criminal organizations operate, and crime is generally high. In addition, many of these areas in Colombia are tropical, with high temperatures, high humidity, tropical insects and diseases, and minimal infrastructure.
RELATIONSHIPS
The Counternarcotics Programs Advisor reports to the INL OCCN Division Chief and Deputy Division Chief, and assists them in implementing all interdiction and eradication programs. The Counternarcotics Programs Advisor shall maintain open, timely, and effective communication with INL Bogota leadership and staff, resulting in a relationship that proactively addresses potential problems with flexible, workable solutions. The Counternarcotics Programs Advisor's actions, decisions, recommendations and completed work are reviewed for timeliness and effectiveness and conformance with appropriate laws and regulations.
The Organized Crime and Counternarcotics Division Chief will provide yearly performance evaluations for the Counternarcotics Programs Advisor's official yearly review.
COMPLEXITY
The work involves managing and providing technical expertise on a number of different assignments to various offices and stakeholders. The ability to perform complex analysis is essential in coordinating with inter-agency section heads and ministerial levels of the host countries.
SCOPE AND EFFECTIVENESS
The Advisor will perform broad and extensive assignments in Colombia related to programs spanning the full-range of INL Bogota program activities in a very dynamic and complex environment supporting the full-range of the INL Bogota mission, which is of significant interest to the public and to Congress.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
1. U.S. citizenship with the ability to obtain and maintain Department of State Secret level security and Medical clearance.
2. Bachelor's degree from an accredited U.S. institution; and
a) A minimum of seven (7) years of professional experience related to project management, international development, international affairs, political science, or public administration.
b) A minimum of five (5) years of related experience in the fields of counternarcotics, citizen security, policing, law enforcement, or counter-transnational crime.
3. Demonstrated experience in:
a) Developing and managing foreign assistance programs, including assessment, monitoring and evaluation;
b) Drafting related reports/documents, annual budgets, and strategic plan submissions;
c) Planning, strategizing, implementing and reporting on projects;
d) Drafting analytical briefing papers, memoranda, letters, and reports for review and signature by senior-level officials; and
e) Coordinating and working closely with the Department of State, the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Department of Defense, United Nations or international community on security sector development programs.
4. A minimum two (2) years of supervisory experience.
5. Demonstrated ability to work effectively with host-nation counterparts, departments, and ministries to further program objectives, in a timely and concise manner.
6. Demonstrated experience in planning, strategizing, implementing, and reporting on programs and projects.
7. Excellent oral and written English (4/4) and Spanish (3/3) communication skills.
8. Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite.
9. Previous substantive experience managing foreign assistance or security assistance overseas.
10. Demonstrated experience working in Latin America or on Colombia issues.
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, or counter-transnational crime.
Factor 2: Program Experience (30 points)
Demonstrated professional experience related to project management, international development, international affairs, political science, or public administration. Experience in initiating, performing oversight, and evaluating foreign and/or security assistance programs; and preparing budgets, spend plans, statements of work (SOW), procurement orders, and purchase requests.
Factor 3: Management & Communication Experience (20 points)
Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, in both English 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 superior negotiation, interpersonal, and managerial skills.
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 - 30
Factor #3 - 20
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)
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