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72066319R00009
I. GENERAL INFORMATION
1. SOLICITATION NO.: 72066319R00009
2. ISSUANCED ATE:1/30/2019
3. CLOSINGDATE/TIMEFORRECEIPTOF OFFERS: 2/28/2019 (5:00pm Ethiopia’s local time.)
4. POSITION TITLE: Senior Infectious Disease Advisor
5. MARKET VALUE: $89,370 to $116,181equivalent to GS-14. The final compensation will be negotiated within the listed market value based on the successful candidate’s salary history, work experience, and educational background. Salaries over and above the top of the pay range will not be entertained or negotiated.
6. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: Two years, with three additional one-year extensions pending approval, need, performance, and funding, not to exceed five years.
7. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia with possible travel as stated in the Statement of Work.
8. SECURITY LEVEL REQUIRED: Facility Access. The final selected candidates must obtain both the appropriate security and medical clearances within a reasonable period of time. If such clearances are not obtained within a reasonable time or negative suitability issues are involved, any offer made may be rescinded.
9. STATEMENT OF DUTIES
1. General Statement of Purpose of the Contract
According to the 2014 WHO Global Tuberculosis (TB) report, 22 high burden countries account for 80 percent of the global TB cases and Ethiopia has the tenth highest TB burden in the world. Ethiopia is also one of the top 27 high multi-drug resistant (MDR) TB burden countries in the world. The Senior Infectious Disease Advisor will serve within the Infectious Disease Team in the Health Office.
Annually, the Senior Infectious Disease Advisor will directly manage over $12 million in TB programming, $8 million in Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD) Resources, and $2 million in HIV/AIDS resources (all subject to change depending on appropriated budget levels). USAID/Ethiopia has one of the largest TB portfolios in the world. This position supports the Government of Ethiopia (GOE) to strengthen treatment, detection, and referral services to combat Tuberculosis in Ethiopia. Specifically, the Senior Advisor will be instrumental in strengthening TB/NTD program capacity at the national and regional levels including enhancing private sector involvement in TB/NTD case detection, treatment and referral; expanded TB laboratory microscopy and culture capacity; community TB care; and MDR-TB service expansion. The Advisor will work with US Government partners, ministries, international organizations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and other implementing partners. He/she will ensure that USAID/Ethiopia’s planning, response, and reporting on TB and Infectious Diseases are carried out in accordance with Agency, State Department, and Congressional directives.
The position is directly supervised by the Infectious Disease Team Leader or designee, and will serve as COR/AOR/Activity Manager (or Alternate) for relevant TB, NTD, and HIV/AIDS agreements or contracts. S/he will provide direct supervision for up to two senior Foreign Service National technical advisors. S/he will provide technical support, planning, design, implementation, management and evaluation expertise for the activities s/he manages. S/he is also responsible for preparing relevant components of the annual operational plan (OP) of the Health Team. The Position will develop relationships with and facilitate communication with senior level officials at the Ministry of Health, other government and non-governmental agencies, as well as other donors, particularly those within incumbent’s technical areas.
2. Statement of Duties to be Performed
The Senior ID Advisor will provide technical leadership to expand and strengthen the quality of ID services in Ethiopia, with a particular emphasis on TB. The Advisor’s primary areas of responsibility include providing strategic and technical leadership and direction on ID issues to USAID/Ethiopia. The Advisor will also ensure close coordination with HIV programming.
The incumbent will have the following specific duties and responsibilities:
• Serve as the primary USAID technical advisor on ID issues, with a particular emphasis on TB, working closely with other USAID staff and partners.
• Review and/or help prepare strategies and program plans. Provide technical assistance to ensure program investments are consistent with international norms and standards and are synergistic with other investments made by the United States Government (USG) and partnering agencies.
• Meet regularly with USAID partners and other ID and TB stakeholders to discuss issues related to program vision, strategy, design, and development/implementation.
• Provide technical support on the program design and implementation of TB guidelines, interventions and community-based programs.
• Conduct program evaluations and/or prepare scopes of work for independent evaluations.
• Monitor and analyze trends and issues related to TB and TB/HIV including HIV testing of TB individuals, optimizing TB treatment for those dually infected, TB screening of HIV individuals, implementation of preventive therapy, and TB drug resistance levels among HIV-infected individuals.
• Provide technical advice to ensure that ID and TB programs are consistent with international standards and recommendations.
• Assist with the identification of potential technical partners and implementation mechanisms for future ID and TB programs.
• Contribute ID technical expertise, with an emphasis on TB, for reviews of Mission documents such as annual reports and operational plans.
• Provide technical input on taskers and other requests for information related to ID.
• Participate in meetings, workshops and task forces and act as a liaison to other organizations working on ID and TB.
• Work with other USAID staff to ensure linkages to other programs.
• Strengthen coordination with government, donors and NGOs involved in ID and TB.
• Monitor current medical and public health literature, reports, and international guidelines and standards in ID and provide recommendations in developing improved approaches to monitoring and evaluating TB and TB/HIV programs.
• Identifying required actions, making decisions and recommendations, and executing activities as they pertain to assigned areas of responsibility, and providing timely information, assistance, and recommendations to HAPN Office staff and USAID Mission Management.
• Continuously monitoring operations as well as the actions of outside forces that could potentially disrupt or desynchronize program efforts. This includes working to identify unforeseen obstacles and problems, implementing measures to reduce their effects whenever possible, and reporting problems and recommendations to HAPN staff when situations exceed the incumbent's ability to control or influence them.
• Continuously conduct risk management to identify hazards affecting plans and operations, and recommend control measures.
• Effectively manage time and resources within assigned areas of responsibility, to include the synchronization of program activities with those of the USAID FSN Construction Specialist, the USAID/Washington Office of Economic Growth, Agriculture and Trade/Infrastructure and Engineering (EGAT/I&E) unit, and other supported teams and agencies as appropriate.
• Obtaining, providing, and processing input and recommendations from staff members, and establish, monitor and control timelines, and identify critical operational events affecting operations.
• Provide daily input and advice to his/her Supervisor regarding all matters pertaining to proposed, planned, and ongoing contracted work and activities, and the completion of other activities as assigned by the Supervisor and/or the Contracting Officer.
• Develop relevant sections of the Operational Plan (OP) and other relevant program documents and reports as needed.
• Participate in job-related working groups and professional meetings.
• Prepare and submit occasional technical papers to professional journals and meetings.
• Provide technical assistance on issues related to other infectious disease issues, as needed.
3. Supervisory Relationship:
The Infectious Disease Advisor will work under the direction of the Infectious Disease Team Leader or his/her designee. S/he will develop a personal annual performance plan, in coordination with his/her supervisor, and will be evaluated annually on the basis of the performance plan.
4. Supervisory Controls:
The Infectious Disease Advisor independently plans and carries out the work, selecting technical and managerial approaches and techniques to be used, and informs the supervisor of progress and significant challenges and remedies. Regular consultation with other members of USAID’s HAPN Team is expected
10. AREA OF CONSIDERATION: U.S. Citizens, Resident Aliens, and Third-Country Nationals.
For USPSC:
· Be a U.S. citizen or U.S. Permanent Resident (“green card holder”);
· U.S. resident alien means a non-U.S. citizen lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States;
· Submit a complete application as outlined in the solicitation section titled APPLYING;
· Be able to obtain facility access authorization;
· Be able to obtain a Department of State medical clearance;
· Be willing to travel to work sites and other offices as/when requested;
· Employment is subject to funds availability and all the required approvals obtained.
For Third Country Nationals:
· Submit a complete application as outlined in the solicitation section titled APPLYING;
· Be able to obtain facility access authorization;
· Be able to obtain a Department of State medical clearance;
· Be willing to travel to work sites and other offices as/when requested;
· Employment is subject to funds availability and all the required approvals obtained.
11. PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
The work requested does not involve undue physical demands.
12. POINT OF CONTACT: Supervisory Executive Officer, Shelby Hunt and HR Specialist, Fekadu Tamirate at [email protected].
Note: No in-person appointments or telephone calls will be entertained, unless you are required to have more information about this solicitation.
II. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION
Applications will be initially screened by the Human Resources Office to determine whether applicants have met the advertised minimum qualifications. A list of qualified applicants will be referred to the hiring office for further consideration and screening.
EDUCATION: Advanced degree in public health, with emphasis on infectious diseases is required. MD is strongly preferred.
WORK EXPERIENCE: Minimum of ten years’ experience in public health programs is required with emphasis on infectious diseases, primarily TB, and at least five years’ experience working on international health care delivery in international or resource poor setting. Experience in multiple countries in Sub-Saharan Africa preferred.
III. EVALUATION AND SELECTION FACTORS
The following evaluation factors for evaluating applications are established. The Technical Evaluation Committee will establish the competitive range/cut-off points per the evaluation factors listed below. Applicants are encouraged to provide a narrative for each selection criteria listed below in this section. This information will be used for evaluating and scoring each criterion. The TEC will conduct interviews with all offerors in the competitive range and provide the final rating and ranking of the offerors based on the interview and satisfactory professional reference checks. Be sure to include your name and the solicitation number at the top of each page.
EDUCATION (25 points): Advanced degree in public health, with emphasis on infectious diseases is required, and will score 15 points for and MPH or related masters-level degree; 20 points for DrPH or related doctoral degree, and 25 points for MPH plus MD degrees.
EXPERIENCE (30 points): Experience is a significant factor. Fifteen points will be given for meeting the minimum requirement, with an additional two points for each additional year of relevant experience up to the maximum possible points.
COMMUNICATION (15 points): Candidates must demonstrate English language fluency. Oral communication skills will be assessed based on candidate interviews. Candidates will be asked to submit a professional writing sample that has not been professionally edited by a third-party for assessment of written communication skills. Oral communications skills can earn a maximum of five points, and written skills a maximum of ten points.
SKILLS and ABLITIES (15 points): Points will be awarded for abilities in any of Ethiopia’s national languages (up to five points); demonstrated publications record (up to five points); and ability to use widely-used data analysis and management software programs (up to five points).
KNOWLEDGE (15 points): Points will be awarded for knowledge of Ethiopian cultures (up to five points); and knowledge of epidemiological patterns of Ethiopia’s most common infectious diseases (up to ten points)
IV. APPLYING
For your application to be considered, the following documents must be submitted:
1. Eligible offerors are required to complete and submit the offer form AID 309-2,“OfferorInformationforPersonalServicesContractswithIndividuals,”availableathttp://www.usaid.gov/forms.
2. Offers must be received by the closing date and time specified in Section I, item 3,and submitted to the Point of Contact in Section I, item 12.
3. To ensure consideration of offers for the intended position, Offerors must prominently reference the Solicitation number in the offer submission.
4. Letter of Application and current resume.
5. To ensure consideration of offers for the intended position, Offerors must prominently reference the Solicitation number in the offer submission.
6. Application must be submitted ONLY via [email protected] and the email subject must say –: 72066319R00009 - Senior Infectious Diseases Advisor.
7. Please submit the application only once; and
8. Late and incomplete applications will not be considered; the application must be submitted before or on the closing date at local Ethiopia time 5 p.m. (Local Ethiopia, Addis Ababa Time).
V. LIST OF REQUIRED FORMS FOR PSC HIRES
Once the CO informs the successful Offeror about being selected for a contract award, the CO will provide the successful Offeror instructions about how to complete and submit the following forms.
1. Medical History and Examination Form (Department of State Forms)
2. Questionnaire for Sensitive Positions for National Security (SF-86),or
3. Questionnaire for Non-Sensitive Positions (SF-85)
4. Finger Print Card (FD-258)
VI. BENEFITS/ALLOWANCES
As a matter of policy, and as appropriate, a PSC is normally authorized the following benefits and allowances:
1. BENEFITS:
(a)Employer's FICA Contribution
(b) Contribution toward Health & Life Insurance
(c)Pay Comparability Adjustment
(d) Annual Increase (pending a satisfactory performance evaluation)
(e)Eligibility for Worker's Compensation
(f) Annual and Sick Leave
2. ALLOWANCES (if applicable):
Section numbers refer to rules from the Department of State Standardized Regulations (Government Civilians Foreign Areas)
(a) Temporary Quarter Subsistence Allowance (Section 120)
(b) Living Quarters Allowance (Section 130)
(c) Cost-of-Living Allowance (Chapter 210)
(d) Post Allowance (Section 220)
(e) Separate Maintenance Allowance (Section 260)
(f) Education Allowance (Section 270)
(g) Education Travel (Section 280)
(h) Post Differential (Chapter 500)
(i) Payments during Evacuation/Authorized Departure (Section 600), and
(j) Danger Pay Allowance (Section 650)
VII. TAXES
USPSCs are required to pay federal income taxes, FICA, Medicare and applicable state income taxes.
VIII. USAID REGULATIONS, POLICIES AND CONTRACT CLAUSES PERTAINING TO PSCs
USAID regulations and policies governing USPSC a wards are available at these sources:
1. USAID Acquisition Regulation(AIDAR),Appendix D, “Direct USAID Contracts with a U.S. Citizen or a U.S. Resident Alien for Personal Services Abroad,” includingcontractclause“GeneralProvisions,”availableathttps://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1868/aidar_0.pdf.
2. Contract Cover Page form AID309-1availableathttps://www.usaid.gov/forms.
3. Acquisition and Assistance Policy Directives/Contract Information Bulletins(AAPDs/CIBs) for Personal Services Contracts with Individuals available at http://www.usaid.gov/work-usaid/aapds-cibs.
4. 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 5CFR2635. See https://www.oge.gov/web/oge.nsf/OGE%20Regulations.
END OF SOLICITATION
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.