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USPSC Shelter and Settlements Advisor

6:50:00 PM

Request for Personal Service Contractor

United States Agency for International Development Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance
Position Title: Shelter and Settlements Advisor Solicitation Number: SOL-OFDA-16-000034
Salary Level: GS-12 Equivalent: $77,490 - $100,736
GS-13 Equivalent: $92,145 - $119,794
Issuance Date: March 25, 2016
Closing Date: May 6, 2016 (Deadline Extended)
Closing Time: 12:00 P.M. Eastern Time
Dear Prospective Applicants:
The United States Government (USG), represented by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA), is seeking applications from qualified U.S. citizens to provide personal services as a Shelter and Settlements Advisor under a United States Personal Services Contract (USPSC), as described in the attached 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. Complete resume. In order to fully evaluate your application, your resume must include:
(a) Paid and 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 all field 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.
(b) Specific duties performed that fully detail the level and complexity of the work.
(c) Names and contact information (phone/email) of your current and/or previous supervisor(s). Current and/or previous supervisors may be contacted for a reference.
(d) Education and any other qualifications including job-related training courses, job-related skills, or job-related honors, awards or accomplishments.
(e) U.S. Citizenship
(f) Optional: Where you heard about this job (FedBizOps, OFDA Jobs, Career Fair, etc.).
Your resume should contain sufficient information to make a valid determination that you fully meet the experience requirements as stated in this solicitation for each grade level(s) for which you are applying. This information should be clearly identified in your resume. Failure to provide information sufficient to determine your qualifications for the position will result in loss of full consideration.
  1. Supplemental document specifically addressing the Quality Ranking Factors (QRFs) shown in the solicitation.
  2. USPSC Application form AID 302-3. Applicants are required to complete and sign the form. This form must be physically signed. Electronic signatures will not be accepted.
Additional documents submitted will not be accepted. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered. OFDA reserves the right to select additional candidates if vacancies become available during future phases of the selection process.
Applicants can expect to receive a confirmation email when application materials have been received. Applicants should retain for their records copies of all enclosures which accompany their applications. Your complete resume and the supplemental document addressing the QRFs must be emailed to:
OFDA Recruitment Team
E-Mail Address: recruiter@ofda.gov
Website: www.OFDAjobs.net
Any questions on this solicitation may be directed to OFDA Recruitment Team via the information provided above.
Sincerely,
Renee Reed Contracting Officer
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Under direct supervision and concurrence of the Shelter and Settlements Sector Team Leader, GS-12 Equivalent Duties and Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Technical

· Work with other offices/bureaus in USAID, development community actors, and humanitarian community actors, to advocate and provide insight for the integration of Shelter and Settlements activities into development activities, and identify ways to incorporate Shelter and Settlements Sector activities into early recovery and transition activities;
· Provide technical expertise to ensure that OFDA Shelter and Settlements activities are sound, sustainable, and appropriate within the OFDA mandate. This will involve the following activities:
o Systematic analysis of available Shelter and Settlements tools and programmatic guidance;
o Assist regional teams and technical leads in assessing gaps and needs;
o Review and analysis of Shelter and Settlements efforts of other organizations;
o Assess priority countries for Shelter and Settlements interventions;
o Develop strategic, integrated, and comprehensive approaches to Shelter and Settlements;
o Review and comment on project proposals and regional strategies related to Shelter and Settlements activities;
o Coordinate with the Training Unit to incorporate Shelter and Settlements activities into various OFDA training modules, as appropriate, in order to build capacity within OFDA and among partner relief agencies;
o Work with the OFDA Evaluation and Reporting Coordinator to develop a program to evaluate Shelter and Settlements activities;
· Identify potentially relevant and applicable concepts, theories and practices and operationalize them to a given situation context;
· Identify potentially relevant and applicable urban planning and concepts, theories and practices and adapt them to sector activities to fashion comprehensive, coherent, rational, and implementable response programs to fulfill mission objectives;
· Identify potentially relevant and applicable engineering, building, and construction principles, practices, and methods (e.g., critical path methods, computerized drafting tools), and adapt them to the situation context of any given humanitarian shelter and settlements intervention.

Management

· Serve as a focal point within USAID/OFDA for Shelter and Settlements programs and activities;
· Coordinate with PSPM sector leads to develop technically sound Shelter and Settlements strategies in an effort to integrate Shelter and Settlements sector programming with programming goals within the overall sector;
· Sign-up for and serve as needed, on Washington-based Response Management Teams (RMTs), which provides services and support to DARTs deployed in response to disasters. The duties on RMTs will be varied;
· Serve as the OFDA after-hours duty officer on a rotational basis, for approximately one week every six months;
· As needed, serve on Disaster Assistance Response Teams (DARTs) which may require immediate (within 24 hours) deployment overseas for an extended period of time.
· USPSC is responsible for planning and carrying out assignments. USPSC is responsible for planning approach or methodology to be used in carrying out assignments.

Communication

· Develop technical papers, guidelines and informational publications to help lead and inform the sector and the population at large of shelter and settlement programs, strategies and directions.
In the event that GS-12 Equivalent performance merits an increase to the GS-13 level after one (1) year of excellent performance, established through both a formal evaluation and the recommendation of the Shelter and Settlements Sector Team Leader, the GS-13 Equivalent would assume greater responsibility and independence to undertake the kinds of duties and responsibilities outlined above, as part of the Shelter and Settlements Sector Team and PSPM and the additional abilities and skills below.

Skills and Abilities

· Provide original thinking and contribution to the development of appropriate Shelter and Settlements strategies and policies for OFDA and the U.S. Government in disaster and emergency response;
· Analyze divergent and often conflicting data to formulate coherent and consistent strategies, programs, and proposals;
· Represent USAID/OFDA and coordinate with international donors, non-governmental organizations, United Nations agencies, and other regional, national, and local partners to promote the implementation of Shelter and Settlements Sector activities in disaster-prone regions;
· Maintain up-to-date, expert-level knowledge of the technical areas of shelter and settlements and the related subject thereto, and of the organizations engaged in related program activities;
· Work in situations that are often complex, confusing, non–structured, stressful, and unsafe; and
· Demonstrate work performance reflective of a self-motivated problem solver.

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION

(Determines basic eligibility for the position. Applicants who do not meet all of the education and experience factors are considered NOT qualified for the position.)
Bachelor’s degree with significant study in or pertinent to one or more of the following fields: urban/regional planning, economics, architecture, engineering, humanitarian shelter and settlements assistance, urban/regional planning in developing countries, or housing construction in developing countries, AND a minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible relevant experience, of which a minimum of no less than one (1) year must be direct, “hands-on” field experience in international humanitarian shelter and settlements sector activities.

OR

Master’s degree in one or more of the fields listed above, AND a minimum of four (4) years of progressively responsible relevant experience, of which a minimum of no less than one (1) year must be direct, “hands-on” field experience in international humanitarian shelter and settlements sector activities.

SELECTION FACTORS

(Determines basic eligibility for the position. Applicants who do not meet all of the selection factors are considered NOT qualified for the position.)
● Applicant is a U.S. Citizen.
● Complete resume submitted. See cover page for resume requirements. Experience that cannot be quantified will not be counted towards meeting the solicitation requirements.
● USPSC Application form AID 302-3. Applicants are required to complete and sign the form. This form must be physically signed. Electronic signatures will not be accepted. Supplemental document specifically addressing the Quality Ranking Factors (QRFs) submitted.
● Ability to obtain and maintain a Secret up to Top Secret level clearance as provided by USAID.
● Ability to obtain a Department of State medical clearance.
● Satisfactory verification of academic credentials.

QUALITY RANKING FACTORS (QRFs)

(Used to determine the competitive ranking of qualified applicants in comparison to other applicants. The factors are listed in priority order from highest to least.)
QRF #1 Describe an experience that would serve as a good example of critically examining international humanitarian assistance Shelter and Settlements sector issues, specifically:
  1. Spontaneous self-help shelter activities
  2. Emergency shelter repair, and
  3. Transitional Shelter and Settlements activities.
Please describe the findings of your examination/assessment, and the methods or techniques used in conveying analysis of those issues in an effective and persuasive manner.
QRF #2 Describe your experience in designing and/or implementing international humanitarian assistance Shelter and Settlements sector programs at the community/regional/national level, detailing key program elements, and both impacts and lessons learned.
QRF #3 Discuss and evaluate the impact of your experience working with and coordinating individuals and organizations involved in promoting the linkage of international humanitarian assistance Shelter and Settlements Sector activities to other relevant key sectors and follow-on reconstruction activities, including U.S. Government agencies, United Nations agencies, foreign governments, international organizations, non-governmental organizations, and development banks.
QRF #4 Describe efforts to integrate Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) into international humanitarian assistance Shelter and Settlements Sector Activities, and the challenges of operationalizing ISDR principles in the Shelter and Settlements Sector.
BASIS OF RATING: Applicants who meet the Education/Experience requirements and Selection Factors will be further evaluated based on scoring of the QRF responses. Those applicants determined to be competitively ranked may also be evaluated on interview performance and satisfactory professional reference checks.
Applicants are required to address each of the QRFs in a separate document describing specifically and accurately what experience, training, and/or education they have received as it pertains to each factor. Be sure to include your name and the announcement number at the top of each additional page. Failure to address the selection factors and/or Quality Ranking Factors may result in not receiving credit for all pertinent experience, education, and/or training.
The most qualified candidates may be interviewed and required to provide a writing sample. OFDA will not pay for any expenses associated with the interviews. Professional references and academic credentials will be evaluated for applicants being considered for selection. Note: Please be advised that references may be obtained independently from other sources in addition to the ones provided by an applicant. OFDA reserves the right to select additional candidates if vacancies become available during future phase of the selection process.

The Applicant Rating System is as Follows:

QRFs have been assigned the following points: QRF #1 – 20 points
QRF #2 – 15 points
QRF #3 – 15 points
QRF #4 – 8 points Interview Performance – 30 points
Satisfactory Professional Reference Checks – 12 points

Total Possible Points: 100


HOW TO APPLY:
Applications must be received by the closing date and time at the address specified in the cover letter.
Qualified individuals are required to submit:
1. Complete resume. In order to fully evaluate your application, your resume must include:
(a) Paid and 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 all field 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.
(b) Specific duties performed that fully detail the level and complexity of the work.
(c) Names and contact information (phone/email) of your current and/or previous supervisor(s). Current and/or previous supervisors may be contacted for a reference.
(d) Education and any other qualifications including job-related training courses, job-related skills, or job-related honors, awards or accomplishments.
(e) U.S. Citizenship
(f) Optional: Where you heard about this job (FedBizOps, OFDA Jobs, Career Fair, etc.).
Your resume should contain sufficient information to make a valid determination that you fully meet the experience requirements as stated in this solicitation for each grade level(s) for which you are applying. This information should be clearly identified in your resume. Failure to provide information sufficient to determine your qualifications for the position will result in loss of full consideration.
2. Supplemental document specifically addressing the QRFs shown in the solicitation.
3. USPSC Application form AID 302-3. Applicants are required to complete and sign the form. This form must be physically signed. Electronic signatures will not be accepted.
Additional documents submitted will not be accepted.
By submitting your application materials, you certify that all of the information on and attached to the application is true, correct, complete, and made in good faith. You agree to allow all information on and attached to the application to be investigated. False or fraudulent information on or attached to your application may result in you being eliminated from consideration for this position, or being terminated after award, and may be punishable by fine or imprisonment.
To ensure consideration of applications for the intended position, please reference the solicitation number on your application, and as the subject line in any email.
DOCUMENT SUBMITTALS
Via email: recruiter@ofda.gov

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