Development Program Assistant

I GENERAL INFORMATION

SOLICITATION NO.: 72036723R10008
ISSUANCE DATE: 07/21/2023
POINT OF CONTACT: USAID/Nepal HR office, email at usaidnepalhr@usaid.gov

POSITION TITLE: Development Program Assistant

NUMBER OF VACANCIES: ONE (1)

MARKET VALUE:. Final compensation will be negotiated within the market value for the position equivalent to FSN-9 level in accordance with AIDAR Appendix J and the Local Compensation Plan (LCP) of U.S. Embassy-USAID/Nepal. The LCP consists of the local salary schedule, which includes salary rates, authorized fringe benefits, and other pertinent facets of compensation.

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: Estimated to start o/a November 1, 2023 through o/a October 31, 2028. (depending on the security clearance process)
Employment under this contract is of a continuing nature. Its duration is expected to be part of a series of sequential contracts; all contract clauses, provisions, and regulatory requirements concerning availability of funds and the specific duration of this contract shall apply.

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: Kathmandu, Nepal

ELIGIBLE OFFERORS: All interesting candidates – Cooperating Country Nationals (CCNs) AIDAR, Appendix J. 1 (b) Definitions:
“Cooperating country “means the country in which the employing USAID Mission is located.
“Cooperating country national” (“CCN”) means an individual who is a cooperating country citizen or a non-cooperating country citizen lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the cooperating country.

SECURITY LEVEL REQUIRED: Facility and computer access.

STATEMENT OF DUTIES
The Development Program Assistant (DPA) is an FSN mid-level professional in the USAID/Nepal Education Development Office (EDO). S/he works in a collaborative manner with the EDO team and the larger US Government (USG) Mission to advance USAID/Nepal’s Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) strategic priorities to support the transition to federalism, advance inclusion, and integrate resilience into outcomes. Specifically, s/he will support CDCS Development Objective 3: Inclusive Health and Education Systems Strengthened through USAID/Nepal’s approximately $15 million per year education portfolio, under the guidance of the EDO Office Director and Deputy Director. The DPA serves in a mid-level capacity providing oversight, including technical, programmatic, and administrative guidance for activities in the office.

The Major Duties and Responsibilities include:
Program Support and Management 50%

• Assists the EDO’s Agreement Officer’s Representatives (AORs), Contract Officer’s Representatives (CORs), and Government Agreement Technical Representatives (GATRs) in the management and oversight of ongoing grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements. This includes reviewing implementing partner annual work plans, quarterly and annual progress reports, and budgets, and annually preparing narratives for USAID/Nepal planning and reporting processes to USAID/Washington.
• Schedules and attends meetings with partner technical staff and ensures that written records of such meetings are produced, shared, and placed in the formal recording (electronic and hard copy).
• Participates as a USAID/Nepal representative in technical and programmatic meetings with department-level Government of Nepal (GON) officials from relevant ministries and non-governmental partners, as and when needed. Prepares meeting agendas and presentations and ensures that written records of such meetings are produced, shared, and formally recorded.
• Conducts site visits for project monitoring and data quality assurance within Nepal.
• Oversees the process for project close-out and start-up, when and where appropriate.
• Serves as alternate A/COR and/or alternate GATR and assumes COR, GATR or activity manager responsibilities as requested.

Communications and Outreach 30%

• Serves as EDO lead representative with the Development Outreach and Communications (DOC) team, coordinating all relevant communication products and social media engagement.
• Supports EDO implementing partners on communication strategies and branding and marking plans; offering training and support as needed.
• Tracks ongoing opportunities for communication and social media engagement; develops and proposes ideas; and monitors outreach in communication tracker.
• Supports the planning of EDO and partner workshops and special events.

Education Development Office Key Operations and Mission-wide Activities 20%

• Supports EDO key operations, including participation in Mission budget reviews, portfolio reviews, operational plan development, monitoring and evaluation activities and reporting, concept and activity design, reviews, evaluation, and award of new activities.
• Supports the development of Mission-wide assessments, strategies, and activity designs.
• Supports EDO participation in designated USAID Mission cross sector teams and/or serves as sector specific EDO POC to other Mission Offices.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS
The work requested does not involve undue physical demands.

II MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION
a. Education: Completion of minimum of two years of College or University studies in education, social policy, international development, public administration, or other related discipline is required.
b. Prior Work Experience: At least three years of progressively responsible experience in the field of education is required.
c. Language Proficiency: Level IV (fluent) English and Nepali is required for speaking, writing, and reading.
d. Job Knowledge:

• Working knowledge of technical and programmatic education issues in Nepal and the approaches to address them is required.
• Knowledge of gender, equity, and inclusion principles and practices or ability to acquire them is required.

e. Skills and Abilities:

• Must possess the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others.
• Ability to follow oral instructions and be able to organize, prioritize and follow through on all assignments with minimal oversight, a strong focus towards attention to detail is required.
• Must possess knowledge and skills of using computers and office software, such as Microsoft Word, Excel, Power Point, and Google applications.
• Ability to effectively learn and use Agency specific software related to work area effectively are required.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and an ability to work in a team environment are required. Must demonstrate adaptability and openness to learning new skills.

Once hired, the job holder will develop an understanding of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) principles and will be expected to demonstrate them as part of the position responsibilities. S/he must participate in diversity, equity and inclusion training and demonstrate the ability to explain how they can effectively be integrated into development programming and the workplace environment.

III EVALUATION AND SELECTION FACTORS

The Government may award a contract without discussions with offerors in accordance with FAR 52.215-1. The CO 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 CO 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 CO 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 (TEC) 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.
Following the application packages initial screening by the USAID/Caucasus HR Unit, the offerors meeting the minimum qualifications (see section II above) will be evaluated by the TEC and may be invited to participate further, including a language examination, writing test, and potentially interview. Any offeror not receiving satisfactory reference checks will no longer be considered for the position.

Candidates will be evaluated and ranked based on the following selection criteria to a maximum score of 100 points: 1) Work Experience/20 points:

• At least three years of progressively responsible experience in the field of education. 2) Knowledge/20 points:
• Knowledge of technical and programmatic education issues in Nepal and approaches to address them.
• Knowledge of gender, equity, and inclusion principles and practices or demonstrated ability to acquire them. 3) Skills and Ability/60 points: • Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Ability to develop, propose, and track opportunities for communication and social media engagement.
• Excellent collaboration and teamwork skills
• Excellent time management skills and ability to prioritize tasks.
• The ability to follow oral instructions and to organize and follow through on assignments with minimal oversight.
• Knowledge and skills of using computers and office software, such as Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Google applications.

TOTAL: 100 points
Reference check (Pass/Fail)
Negotiations will be conducted with the most qualified/ highest-ranked offeror at the conclusion of evaluations.

IV. SUBMITTING AN OFFER

• Eligible Offerors are required to complete and submit a resume and application form DS-174.
  DS-174 application form in English is available on the following link:
  https://eforms.state.gov/Forms/ds174.PDF
• Additionally, offerors must provide a cover-page of approximately 500-750 words (1 page), expressing how the offeror’s qualifications meet the evaluation and selection factors (per section III above).
  Offerors who do not submit any of the required documents (resume, DS- 174 and a cover-page) as mentioned above will not be considered further.
• 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 4: usaidnepalhr@usaid.gov
• Offeror submissions must clearly reference the Solicitation number and interested specific technical area on all offeror submitted documents.

V. LIST OF REQUIRED FORMS PRIOR TO AWARD

• Once the Contracting Officer (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 forms required to obtain medical and security clearances.
• Ensuring Adequate COVID-19 Safety Protocols for Federal Contractors – Please be advised that, upon award, the contractor will be required to follow the Mission policies and/or directives from the U.S. Department of State regarding COVID-19 requirements.

VI. BENEFITS/ALLOWANCES
As a matter of policy, and as appropriate, a PSC is normally authorized the following benefits and allowances:

• BENEFITS:
  – Health Insurance Coverage for the selected candidate and immediate family members
  – Variable Contribution Fund (18.33% of the annual base salary)- Employee and Employer
  – Annual Bonus payment (1/12 of annual base salary)
• ALLOWANCES: – Miscellaneous allowance NRs. 68,000 annually

VII. TAXES
Local Employed Staff are responsible for paying local income taxes.

VIII.USAID REGULATIONS, POLICIES AND CONTRACT CLAUSES PERTAINING TO PSCs
USAID regulations and policies governing CCNPSC and TCNPSC awards are available at these sources:
i. 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/sites/default/files/documents/1868/aidar_0.pdf
j. 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) : 001
SUPPLIES/SERVICES (DESCRIPTION) (B): Compensation, Fringe Benefits and Other Direct Costs (ODCs)

• Award Type: Cost
• Product Service Code: [e.g. R497]
• Accounting Info:

[USAID/Nepal funding]
QUANTITY (C): 1
UNIT (D) : LOT
UNIT PRICE (E): $ _TBD
AMOUNT (F): $_TBD at Award after negotiations with Contractor_

k. 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
AAPD 21-04 Revision 3 – Executive Order 14042 on ensuring adequate COVID-19 Safety Protocols for Federal Awards – June 6, 2022
AAPD No. 21-04, ATTACHMENT 4 – Letter for contracts with performance requiring physical access to USAID domestic facilities.
AAPD No. 21-04, ATTACHMENT 5 – Letter to Individuals with Personal Services Contracts
AAPD No. 21-04, ATTACHMENT 6: Overview of Applicability of FAR 52.223-99
AAPD 21-01 – Applicability of FAR 4.21 to USAID personal services contracts with individuals under the AIDAR Appendices D and J- March 26, 2021
AAPD 20-08 – Leave and Holidays for CCNPSCs and TCNPSCs, including country leave for qualifying posts for eligible TCNPSCs- December 22, 2020
AAPD 06-08 AIDAR, Appendices D AND J: using the optional schedule to incrementally fund
contracts-June 23, 2006
AAPD 03-11 Revision of Contracts/Contract Procedures for Personal Services Contracts with Foreign Service Nationals (FSNs) to Work in Iraq and Afghanistan – 12/02/03

 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.

The PSC Ombudsman may be contacted via: PSCOmbudsman@usaid.gov

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USAID/Nepal is an equal opportunity employer committed to a staff composition that reflects the social and ethnic diversity of Nepali society. We believe that social inclusion and diversity contribute to excellence. USAID/Nepal makes hiring decisions without regard for gender, gender identity, caste, race, ethnicity, disability, marital status, age (if over 40), or sexual orientation.

Applicants from ALL backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

CLOSING DATE/TIME FOR RECEIPT OF OFFERS: 08/11/2023 (17:00 Nepal time)

Tagged as: Kathmandu, NGO INGO, Programme Assistant, USAID