GENERAL INFORMATION

USAID DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING) AND DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANT’S BANK ACCOUNTS.

1. SOLICITATION NO.: 72061525R10004
2. ISSUANCE DATE: October 18, 2024
3. CLOSING DATE AND TIME FOR RECEIPT OF OFFERS: November 03, 2024 (4:30 PM East Africa Time).
4. POINT OF CONTACT: USAID Kenya and East Africa Human Resources, e-mail at [email protected]
5. POSITION TITLE: USAID Project Management Specialist (HIV Prevention/Key Populations)
6. MARKET VALUE: Ksh. 5,565,120.00 to Ksh. 9,460,674.00 KSH per year (including 13th month bonus), equivalent to FSN-11 grade level in accordance with AIDAR Appendix J and the Local Compensation Plan of USAID/Kenya and East Africa. Final compensation will be negotiated within the listed market value.
7. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: Five (5) years estimated to start o/a May 11, 2025. The services provided under this contract are expected to be of a continuing nature that will be executed by USAID through a series of sequential contracts, subject to the availability of funds, the continued need for services and successful performance.
8. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: Nairobi, Kenya; with possible travel as stated in the Statement of Duties.
9. ELIGIBLE OFFERORS: Open to qualified Cooperating Country National (CCN) (an individual who is a cooperating country citizen or a non-cooperating country citizen lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the cooperating country). Employees presently on probation are ineligible to apply.
10. SECURITY LEVEL REQUIRED: Security certification issued by the US Embassy RSO.

STATEMENT OF DUTIES:
1. General Statement of Purpose of the Contract
In Kenya, a consortium of United States Government (USG) agencies is charged with coordinating and managing the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) under the leadership of the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator. These agencies include USAID/KEA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Peace Corps, the Department of State (DOS) and the Department of Defense (DOD). The goal is to develop and implement one coherent USG HIV/AIDS program in Kenya combining the strengths and capabilities of all agencies. The Chief of Mission (COM) provides overall guidance to the interagency team and the PEPFAR Coordination Office facilitates complementarities among the various activities implemented by the USG agencies, the GOK and other HIV/AIDS donors in Kenya. The Specialist facilitates communication and ensures collaborative working relationships with high-level decision makers, as well as with technical staff in host country ministries (e.g. Health, Education, and Labour), regional health entities, USAID/Washington counterparts, and with other donors and non-governmental organizations working in the health, education and social welfare sectors.

The Project Management Specialist (HIV Prevention-Key Populations) provides strategic guidance, program monitoring and support to select USAID implementing partners (IPs), which deliver HIV biomedical prevention services targeting Key Populations including Men who have Sex with Men (MSM), Female Sex Workers (FSW), Transgender (TG) and Persons Who Inject Drugs (PWID), throughout Kenya. The general responsibilities of the position are to ensure that all activities contribute to empowering individuals to protect themselves from HIV, ultimately enabling Kenyans to lead longer, healthier lives. Specifically, the Specialist will work as part of the core USAID/Kenya and East Africa HIV Team and the broader PEPFAR interagency as well as with the GOK, NGOs, and the private sector, and contribute to the prevention agenda, including HIV prevention activities that contribute to the enhancement of health outcomes for key populations. Technical duties include leading efforts to ensure HIV prevention interventions respond to the needs of key populations and are based on the latest relevant science and that scientific knowledge is translated into program guidelines and practices for the national program, incorporating new interventions into the national strategy including Health education, medication-assisted treatment (MAT), pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). Strategic planning duties include representing USAID and the USG at the mid-career level, including interagency and technical strategy and policy working groups. The position functions under the supervision of the HIV Prevention Team Leader. The incumbent has a mastery of global health, HIV prevention, as well as the entire USAID/USG health portfolio. The Specialist may be assigned to act for the HIV Prevention Team Leader in their absence or preoccupation.

2. Statement of Duties to be Performed.
Management of USAID/ Kenya and East Africa’s HIV Prevention Activities with a focus on Key Populations (90%)
• Serves as a technical advisor for the development, implementation, and monitoring of USG-supported HIV prevention activities in USAID supported counties in Kenya. Provides high level technical guidance and updated technical information to partners as it becomes available to be consistent with PEPFAR policies and guidance and host country policies and regulations.
• Identifies implementational and capacity needs, designs practical and relevant training and capacity building training as required for various target audiences on how to implement, monitor and evaluate HIV prevention programs, uses M&E data, and reports progress to key stakeholders. Conducts on-the-job training sessions to ensure partner staff is up to date with HIV prevention protocols.
• Responds to requests from civil society, health care organizations and the private sector for information and technical assistance on HIV prevention strategies.
• Supervises, coordinates, and provides direct technical support and evaluation for USAID funded HIV prevention activities to ensure that the most current evidence-based interventions are being utilized and high-quality prevention programs at the national, county and site level are established and implemented. Provides recommendations on sound technical strategies to supervisor and PEPFAR Prevention Interagency Technical Teams (ITT) and other HIV team colleagues.
• Provides technical evaluation of all grants, contracts or cooperative agreement proposals and partner work plans for HIV prevention programs. Works with the Acquisition and Assistance Office and partner representatives to ensure that state of the art HIV prevention protocols is included in the signed agreements. Provides guidance and direction to grantees, program collaborators and contractors on management and implementation of implementing mechanism activities to ensure consistency with PEPFAR policies and guidance and host country policy regulations. Organizes joint annual workplan and semi-annual performance review meetings between implementing partners and external stakeholders including national, county and local government. Provides technical advice to the key government ministries including Health, Education, and Public Service and the National AIDS and STI Control Programme (NASCOP) as well as other non-/government entities as appropriate in furthering their HIV prevention programs, focusing on non-duplication of services provided by USG agencies, cooperative partners, and contractors. Works closely with the host government, county structures, private voluntary organizations including partners funded by the government and /or Global Fund, and civil society organizations to influence other collaborative organizations engaged in HIV Prevention programs to adopt appropriate strategies for their program activities. Represents the USG in key Ministry of Health (MOH) and Government of Kenya (GOK) Committees of Experts (COE) technical working groups (TWG), including: NASCOP Key Populations, VMMC, PrEP HIV Testing Services; NASCOP convened committee of experts and consultations, Key and Priority Populations Global Fund application processes; and other fora.
• Working closely with senior and mid-level host government staff and county teams involved in public health programs, private sector providers and implementing partners, the incumbent is required to monitor all programs under his/her purview to assure that the specific objectives for the program are achieved and/or appropriate remedial activities are instituted in conjunction with MOH staff, county team, private sector providers, and implementing partners, as appropriate. In liaison with the Strategic Information unit/advisors, develops program evaluation strategies, methodologies and indicators for monitoring HIV Prevention programs in accordance with standard guidelines and protocols. Provides support and recommendations to the chief of section and supervisor in analyzing and interpreting data on health objectives and indicators related to specific HIV Prevention programs to inform improvements.
• Monitors activities and collaborates with each partner organization on a regular basis to make sure program results are achieved and all programmatic HIV prevention activities.
• Participates in identification and design of evaluations, study protocols that meet human subject requirements and pass-through ethical review with the appropriate agency authority.
• Participates in Site Improvement Monitoring System (SIMS) technical support visits to partner sites, and meetings with representatives of each organization to review progress and provide updated technical information and compile technical reports and support partners in implementing corrective measures. Draws attention to organizational needs such as inadequate medical supplies, equipment, facilities and staffing.
• Prepares directives, memoranda, policy statements and proposals to introduce new initiatives and to recommend effective operations consistent with overall program objectives in support of the PEPFAR Prevention Program in Kenya.

Preparation of Key Mission Information Products and Documents (10%)
• The Key Populations Specialist will be responsible for reporting on Kenya-specific information related to select aspects of the HPN portfolio as part of the Mission’s and PEPFAR’s annual planning and reporting process; participates in the preparation of Congressional presentations; drafts technical and congressional notifications; and prepares implementing documents such as program descriptions and scopes of objectives/work for new solicitations.

The contractor is eligible for temporary duty (TDY) travel to the United States, or to other Missions abroad, to participate in the "Foreign Service National" Fellowship Program, in accordance with USAID policy.

Prior Work Experience

The Job Holder must possess a minimum of five years of progressively responsible public health experience working for a US Government agency, a development organization, or implementing partner, with experience spent in a developing country context supporting development programs, in Kenya or a similar developing country context experience. Of these five years, at least three years of strong technical experience managing HIV prevention especially amongst Key populations, vaccine development programs and/or clinical quality assurance activities is required.

Supervisory Relationship
The USAID Project Management Specialist (HIV Biomedical Prevention) works under the day-to-day supervision of the HIV/AIDS Sub-team Leader for Clinical Services or designate. Assignments are made orally and in writing. Most assignments are self-generated, and occur in the normal course of the work, but the incumbent determines those that must be coordinated with the supervisor. The supervisor provides a review of the assignment, the goals and objectives to be achieved, and the results expected. The incumbent will seek advice and assistance as required. Completed work is accepted as technically correct, and the overall assignment is reviewed in terms of results achieved.

Supervisory Controls
No supervision of USAID staff is expected.

Physical Demands

The work requested does not involve undue physical demands.

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.

Offerors who meet the minimum qualifications listed above will be evaluated and ranked according to the following job-related criteria. Top-ranking candidates will be invited for a skills test and an oral interview.

• Job Knowledge (60 Points)

Advanced public health knowledge and experience in HIV prevention and treatment for key populations is required. Thorough specialist knowledge of clinical HIV services is required. Comprehensive knowledge of the Kenyan government HIV prevention and social protection policies, health care and social welfare systems and structures including familiarity with Ministry policies, program priorities and regulations is required. The incumbent should have professional-level knowledge of development principles, concepts, and practices, especially as they relate to the devolution of the health sector and the increasing roles and responsibilities of the counties within this new formulation. The incumbent must have a good knowledge, or the potential to quickly acquire such knowledge, of USG legislation, policy, and practice relating to development assistance, of USAID programming policies, regulations, procedures, and documentation, and of the objectives, methodology, and status of assigned activities is required. The incumbent must have knowledge and understanding of the organization and respective roles of the different levels of the GOK, and the role of units within each level, in order to enhance effective communication, and to develop consensus on program/project strategy and implementation plans.

• Skills and abilities (40 Points)

Demonstrated diplomatic and leadership skills with strong oral and written communication abilities is required. Ability to analyze, understand and discuss new program design, management and implementation approaches is required. This includes the development of evaluation designs, protocol/guideline development, and methods for data collection, analysis and reports. Ability to lead project teams and workgroups and to develop effective working relationships with national and international working partners is required. The incumbent will be expected to exercise a high level of independence, ingenuity, and tact in applying guidelines to unique and different settings, as the work is highly complex. The ability to influence and persuade others will be required to work collaboratively with organizations engaged in key populations activities. The incumbent must demonstrate sensitivity toward the unique challenges faced by key populations and a willingness to model principles of diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility. Skills in project programming, policies, and plans, and in developing strategies for implementation is desired. The ability to work effectively in a collaborative team environment, and to achieve consensus on policy, program/project, and administrative matters, is necessary. The work requires good computer skills in order to manage assigned activities and to achieve set goals and achievements, both technical and financial.

Total possible points:  100

SUBMITTING AN OFFER

Step 1: Register in MyJobsInKenya at www.myjobsinkenya.com

Step 2: Complete the job application at www.myjobsinkenya.com

Step 3: Internal Offerors/Current USG Employees: Attach an updated curriculum vitae/resume (no more than five pages), a copy of your most recent Performance Evaluation Report, and copies of all relevant certificates. Scan and attach all the documents and upload them to MyJobsInKenya.

                        OR

External Offerors/Not Current USG Employees: Attach an updated curriculum vitae/resume (no more than five pages) and copies of all relevant certificates. Scan and attach all the documents and upload them to MyJobsInKenya.

Note to Applicants:

1. Offers must be received by the closing date and time specified in Section I, item 3, and submitted through myjobsinkenya.com.
2. Submissions will only be accepted through myjobsinkenya.com. Late and incomplete applications (those that do not contain the applicant’s most current and up to date detailed CV and relevant education certificates) will not be considered for the position.
3. All Applicants must provide at least three professional references, who are not family members or relatives, with working telephone and e-mail contacts. The references must be able to provide substantive information about your past performance and abilities. USAID reserves the right to contact your previous employers for relevant information concerning your performance and may consider such information in its evaluation of the application.

LIST OF REQUIRED FORMS PRIOR TO AWARD 

The CO will provide instructions about how to complete and submit any required forms after an offeror is selected for the contract award.

BENEFITS AND ALLOWANCES

Benefits and allowances are offered in accordance with the Local Compensation Plan (LCP).

TAXES

CCNPSCs are required to pay PAYE and statutory deductions. All applicable taxes will be deducted from the stated gross market rate.

USAID REGULATIONS, POLICIES AND CONTRACT CLAUSES PERTAINING TO PSCs 

USAID regulations and policies governing CCN PSC awards are available at these sources:

1. 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/ads/policy/300/aidar
2. 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) - 0001
SUPPLIES/SERVICES (DESCRIPTION) (B) - Base Contract FSN - 09 Compensation, Fringe Benefits and Other Direct Costs (ODCs)
- Award Type: Cost
- Product Service Code: [ R497]
- Accounting Info: [insert one or more citation(s) from Phoenix/GLAAS]
QUANTITY (C) - 1
UNIT (D) - LOT
UNIT PRICE (E) - $ TBD
AMOUNT (F) - $_TBD at Award after negotiations with Contractor_

3. 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.
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 5 CFR 2635.  See https://www.oge.gov/web/oge.nsf/resources_standards-of-conduct.
   
   
5. 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: [email protected].
6. FAR Provisions Incorporated by Reference

52.204-27 - PROHIBITION ON A BYTEDANCE COVERED APPLICATION - JUN 2023