USPSC Support Relief Group (SRG) Livestock and Animal Health Specialist (Multiple Positions)

Sep 9, 2019 | US Agency for International Development
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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 Support Relief Group (SRG) Livestock and Animal Health Specialist 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. Offerors 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. 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) Education and any other qualifications including job-related training courses, job-related skills, or job-related honors, awards or accomplishments.

(d) U.S. Citizenship

(e) Optional: How did you hear about this opportunity? (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. 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 Quality Ranking Factors (QRFs) shown in the solicitation.

3. USPSC Application form AID 309-2. Offerors are required to complete sections A through I. This form must be physically signed. Electronic signatures will not be accepted.

NOTE REGARDING DATA UNIVERSAL NUMBERING SYSTEM (DUNS) NUMBERS AND THE SYSTEM FOR AWARD MANAGEMENT

All USPSCs with a place of performance in the United States are required to have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) database prior to receiving an award. You will be disqualified if you either fail to comply with this requirement or if your name appears on the excluded parties list. The selectee will be provided with guidance regarding this registration.

NOTE: As of March 28, 2018, all new SAM.gov entity registrations will now require a signed notarized letter identifying the authorized Entity administrator for the entity associated with the DUNS number. Additional information on the format of the notarized letter and where to submit can be found via the below Federal Service Desk link:

https://www.fsd.gov/fsd-gov/answer.do?sysparm_kbid=d2e67885db0d5f00b3257...

Offerors can expect to receive a confirmation email when application materials have been received. Offerors 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 Newton

Contracting Officer

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The SRG Livestock and Animal Health Specialist responsibilities may include the following:

  • Conduct sector-specific assessments and make expert technical recommendations for appropriate activities, both for the initial disaster response phase and for longer-term disaster risk reduction or rebuilding of livelihoods. Assessments may be conducted at the regional, sub-regional, or national level, and may be related to disaster response or to comprehensive strategy development.
  • Based on a thorough understanding of best practices in the livestock and animal health sector, particularly those outlined in the Livestock Emergency Guidelines and Standards, and expert knowledge of how both the framework and assessment information inform emergency programming in this sector, apply assessment information to programming decisions.
  • At the field level, provide assessments of the livestock situation as it relates to food security and livelihoods. Assess critical livestock and animal health needs and the parameters of the problem, and make expert recommendations to regional teams and DARTs on how to best respond to those needs programmatically.
  • Actively represent USAID/OFDA in emergency discussions and activities pertaining to livestock and animal health. Display expert technical and organizational leadership in sectoral activity commensurate with the role as a primary resource person for emergency livestock activities.
  • Guide OFDA rational on livestock and animal health activities, and formulate sector strategies and recommendations, both for response and disaster risk reduction, and provide expert technical support for OFDA field offices, other offices within USAID, and to OFDA’s Technical Advisor Group for the livestock and animal health sector.
  • Coordinate livestock response and recovery activities across a wide range of actors, including UN, NGOs, and other governments, to ensure consistency of programming.
  • Facilitate and coordinate actual USG emergency response activities within the livestock sector with the USAID Mission, other donor agencies, and the U.S. Embassy.
  • Provide coordination and managerial oversight of OFDA-funded livestock and animal health activities to ensure the proper use of OFDA program funds.
  • Provide technical review of submitted proposals and/or concept notes to ensure that proposed activities and programs align with best practice in the livestock sector. Apply new developments in the livestock sector to OFDA livestock programming.
  • Provide expert technical support in developing disaster risk reduction programs that mitigate the effects of disasters on populations and communities. Identify disaster mitigation measures that could be linked to disaster response activities. Review disaster risk reduction principles and make expert recommendations on course(s) of action.
  • May serve as needed, on Washington-based RMTs, which provides services and support to DARTs deployed in response to disasters. The duties on RMTs will be varied.
  • May serve on DARTs which may require immediate (within 24 hours) deployment overseas for an extended period of time.
  • As needed, may serve on temporary details within the office, not to exceed six months. Duties performed while on detail will be aligned with the Team’s existing duties and responsibilities as well as directly related to the scope of work provided.

SUPERVISORY RELATIONSHIP:

In general, the incumbent will take direction from and report to the OAT Leader or his/her designee. When activated, the USPSC will take direction from and report to the person designated as his/her supervisor in the Staffing Authorization.

SUPERVISORY CONTROLS:

Supervisor provides administrative directions in terms of broadly defined missions or functions. The USPSC independently plans, designs and carries out programs, projects, studies or other work. Results are considered authoritative and are normally accepted without significant change.

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION

(Determines basic eligibility for the position. Offerors 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 the specialized field, including, but not limited to livestock, veterinary training, animal sciences, international development, plus nine (9) years of progressively responsible experience working in emergency relief and humanitarian assistance with a focus on livestock/animal health or veterinary sciences.

OR

Master’s degree with significant study in or pertinent to the specialized field, including, but not limited to, livestock, veterinary training, animal sciences, international development, plus seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience working in emergency relief and humanitarian assistance with a focus on livestock/animal health or veterinary sciences.

SELECTION FACTORS

(Determines basic eligibility for the position. Offerors who do not meet all of the selection factors are considered NOT qualified for the position.)

  • Offeror 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 309-2. Offerors are required to complete sections A through I. 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/Sensitive Compartmented Information level clearance as provided by USAID.
  • Ability to obtain a Department of State medical clearance.
  • Must not appear as an excluded party in the System for Award Management (SAM.gov).
  • Satisfactory verification of academic credentials.

QUALITY RANKING FACTORS (QRFs)

(Used to determine the competitive ranking of qualified offerors in comparison to other offerors. The factors are listed in priority order from highest to least. The evaluation of QRF responses will also take into consideration the quality of written responses. Aspects of written responses including, but not limited to typos, grammatical errors, spelling errors, and incomplete sentences will be factored into the evaluation process.)

QRF #1 Describe your relevant work experience in disaster response/ preparedness/ mitigation and humanitarian assistance within the sectors of livestock and/or animal health;

QRF #2 Discuss your experience with the LEGS framework, and how you have applied it within a disaster response scenario;

QRF #3 Describe a previous experience serving with the USG or with an NGO while working in a disaster or humanitarian relief situation overseas, and discuss any lessons you learned from the experience;

QRF #4 Discuss your experiences with program development, assessment, and/or strategic planning in the field of disaster response, preparedness, mitigation, and humanitarian assistance; and

QRF #5 Discuss your ability to work with a diverse array of individuals and organizations involved in disaster response/preparedness/mitigation and humanitarian assistance, including U.S. Government agencies (e.g., USAID, State Department, Department of Defense, CDC, NOAA, USGS), international organizations, non-governmental organizations, and UN agencies, and include any relevant experience.

BASIS OF RATING: Offerors who meet the Education/Experience requirements and Selection Factors will be further evaluated based on scoring of the QRF responses. Those offerors determined to be competitively ranked may also be evaluated on interview performance and satisfactory professional reference checks.

Offerors 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 offerors 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 offerors 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 offeror. OFDA reserves the right to select additional offerors if vacancies become available during future phase of the selection process.