Stabilization Officer, Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E)

 

• SOLICITATION NUMBER: 306-11-30/SU

• ISSUING DATE: April 25,2011

• CLOSING DATE: May 24, 2011

• POSITION TITLE: Stabilization Officer, Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E)

• NUMBER OF POSITIONS: One

• MARKETING VALUE: GS-13 ($71,674 – $93,175)

• ORGANIZATIONAL LOCATION OF POSITION: USAID/AFGHANISTAN

• DIRECT SUPERVISOR: Director, Stabilization Unit

• SUPERVISORY CONTROL: Minimal. The incumbent is expected to act independently with limited oversight.

• PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: One year (13 months) with an option for renewal

• SECURITY ACCESS: U.S Citizens: Secret Level

• AREA OF CONSIDERATION: U.S. Citizens

 

 

 

 

 

POSITION DESCRIPTION: Monitoring and Stabilization Officer, Evaluation (M&E)

 

 

A. BACKGROUND:

 

The programs ongoing at the USAID Afghanistan Stabilization Unit are designed to empower our USAID/Afghanistan Field Program Officers (FPOs) and USAID/OTI Field Program Managers (FPMs) to play a decisive role in nationwide stabilization efforts, by equipping them with the resources and technical support to address drivers of instability at the provincial and district levels with their Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GIRoA) partners. Without our Stabilization Programs, USAID, GIRoA and its partners operating at the sub-national level would be unable to implement dynamic stabilization strategies; slowing the re-entry of GIRoA led service delivery and longer term development programs run by USAID and other donors.

 

USAID’s stabilization programs address sources of instability and grievances by: engaging/supporting at-risk populations, extending the reach of GIRoA to unstable areas, providing income generation opportunities, building trust between citizens and their government, and encouraging local populations to take an active role in their development. USAID’s stabilization programs also support recently stabilized communities to sustain their gains toward development.

 

USAID’s stabilization programs do not operate alone and play an integral part in supporting jointly derived provincial and district stabilization strategies. Stabilization programs have cross-cutting and transitional links with USAID technical offices such as Education, Agriculture, Democracy and Governance, Infrastructure and Economic Growth. The effectiveness of our stabilization programs thus must be evaluated on a regular basis, to ensure that program managers are directing implementers to allocate and maximize resources and adapt implementation strategies as time and conditions change. Currently the Stabilization Unit has a program portfolio worth $465,000,000. Our programs impact the stability of Afghanistan nationally and must be constantly reviewed to ensure effectiveness and adaptation to support GIRoA and development efforts at the sub-national levels. To accomplish these objectives, the Stabilization Unit program managers continuously evaluate their programs through field visits and by the use of several third party monitoring and evaluation programs. Moving forward the Stabilization Unit intends to centralize the collective third party analysis of its programs to measure their effectiveness in leading to the office’s accomplishment of its Performance Management Plan, as well as to identify wider stabilization impacts in the field.

 

Management of this effort requires coordinated efforts from both the program managers as well as an individual skilled in the field of monitoring and evaluation to ensure efficient and effective measuring of project/program implementation as well as program impact and analysis in leading to office objective accomplishments. As such, this requires additional staff resources within the Stabilization Unit.

The incumbent will lead the Stabilization Unit’s program monitoring and evaluation process, specifically focusing on the achievement of the objectives of our individual programs with respective program managers, and enhance the coordination of our diverse array of third party monitoring and evaluation initiatives. The individual will:

 

• Develop and monitor the implementation of a unit wide third party

monitoring and evaluation program with respective COTRs and AOTRs.

 

• Work with the COTRs and AOTRs in ensuring the effectiveness of existing program specific third party monitoring and evaluation efforts are maximized.

 

The incumbent will focus on unit wide program monitoring and evaluation as determined by the Stabilization Unit Director. This is largely supported by managing our third party monitoring and evaluation efforts and may include the following themes, but are not limited to developing and analyzing:

 

• Perception surveys and indexes following up on existing program surveys in order to develop perceptions trend data for each district
• Baseline and mid-term surveys evaluating individual stabilization program results and indicators through trend analysis encompassing outputs of the District Stabilization Framework (DSF), or other conflict programming frameworks conducted at the district level
• Cross-comparison of stabilization programs in geographical areas to ensure ‘best-fit’ of USAID stabilization programming based on comparative advantages of programs in addressing drivers of instability
• Impact analysis—evaluation of overall political and stability trends in districts targeted by USAID stabilization programming
• Comparison of ongoing USAID stabilization programs with GIRoA and donor led initiatives, such as CERP, National Solidarity Program and other similar initiatives to determine where the most effective interagency-agency program impacts are occurring in order to foster replications based on ‘best practices’ elsewhere
• Developing reports to USAID, the USG and GIRoA on program operational effectiveness and trends

 

 

 

B. BASIC FUNCTION OF THE POSITION:

 

He/she will report directly to the Stabilization Unit director to effectively coordinate third party monitoring and evaluation of the unit’s programs as well as implementing rigorous analysis of each program in conjunction with respective program COTRs/AOTRs. The incumbent will also serve as the monitoring and evaluation advisor to all COTRs/AOTRs. The position will entail taking the lead on a continual dialogue with Stabilization Unit program managers, the US interagency, the Mission Project and Program Development Office, as well as third party monitoring programs to improve evaluation and analysis of our stabilization programs and to analyze the collective performance of our programs in the accomplishment of office Performance Management Plan.

 

The incumbent will work closely and effectively with the Stabilization Unit COTRs/AOTRs, Mission Project and Program Development Office, the Mission Evaluation and Performance Monitoring Unit, other donors including the military, and the private sector to maximize the quality of analysis and third party monitoring efforts of Stabilization Unit programs. The nature of the position requires that the individual be highly knowledgeable of Monitoring and Evaluation data systems, data analysis and USAID program performance monitoring guidelines. The incumbent will report directly to the Stabilization Unit Director on a day to day basis.

 

 

 

C. Duties and Responsibilities

 

The incumbent will have the following duties and responsibilities:

 

1.  Assist the Stabilization Unit Director to ensure that all unit program evaluations are properly planned and carried out in a high quality fashion. Duties include: development and management of a stabilization unit third party monitoring and evaluation program to conduct centralized monitoring and evaluation within the unit, design and review of scopes of work, participation in monitoring and evaluation field trips with COTRs/AOTRs and field based USAID Activity Managers; participation in all inhouse evaluations and surveys as an expert; and provision of assistance and guidance to Stabilization Unit COTRs/AOTRs on program evaluation methodology and best practices. Overall, the incumbent in collaboration with the Unit Director fulfills all necessary steps to improve, develop, and promote performance of the Mission’s evaluation function within the Stabilization Unit.

2. Maintains the Stabilization Unit’s Results Framework, Performance Monitoring Plan (PMP) and the Indicator Table (IT). In this area the incumbent is an expert in data collection, design of appropriate measurable indicators for the Stabilization Unit’s programs, and evaluation of submitted data. The incumbent conducts all necessary steps to ensure high quality data in the IT and its timely submission.

 

3. Responsible for the Stabilization Unit’s performance monitoring requirements such as project performance plans, AFGHAN Info, portfolio reviews for the ambassador and senior USAID management, and other performance monitoring documentation. In order to accomplish the collection of reliable data to track project/program performance, the incumbent will work closely with all COTR/AOTRs, based either in the office or out in the field at one of platforms.

 

4. Determines appropriate response to requests for information on Stabilization Unit program and project performance by the Ambassador, the US Congress staff, State Department staff, senior USAID/Washington staff, Mission Front Office and the Program and Project Development Office. He/she acquires and maintains indepth knowledge of Stabilization Unit programs in order to efficiently disseminate indepth program information and analysis.

 

5. Conducts original research on the relationship between COIN policies/strategies and stabilization programming especially in the areas of improved governance, community and district level development activities.

 

6. Liaises with other stakeholders (including ISAF, GIRoA, other embassies and other USAID Afghanistan technical offices) involved in stability/development initiatives and other research organizations working on counter-insurgency, development and sub-national governance; to enhance effective collaboration in streamlining and making more effective monitoring and evaluation systems and to avoid duplication.

 

7. Responsible for keeping Stabilization Unit regular project one-pagers, program presentations, bios, and other materials up to date. The person will be familiar with the procedures for writing briefing papers and cables and will assist the unit in their composition.

 

8. Assist the Stabilization Unit Director in providing guidance to all COTRs/AOTR with their programs on how to collect high quality data, set up quantitative and qualitative indicators, and update a program’s indicators in collaboration with implementing partners.

 

 

 

 

D. EVALUATION CRITERIA/SELECTION CRITERIA:

 

• Education: (20 Points) A Master’s Degree or above in social science or a related field.
• Desired experience: (50 Points) Minimum of six years of experience in performance monitoring, implementing research projects and research analysis; experience with quantitative analysis, research design and the implementation of surveys. Prior USAID/USG experience or in project evaluations is an advantage. Experience in analysis and presentation of data is desired.

 

• Interpersonal / Communication Skills: (30 Points) Excellent communication skills: strong oral and written communication skills and ability to write for an audience that includes the Mission, the military, policymakers and practioners. Demonstrated interpersonal skills including diplomacy, tact, and the ability to negotiate and influence; Demonstrated facilitation skills, with training skills highly desirable; and Computer skills, including extensive experience using various IT systems is required. Fluency in English is required.

 

 

Maximum Points Available: 100.

 

 

 

E. Term of Performance

The term of the contract will be for one year. Within 2 weeks after written notice from the Contracting Officer that all clearances have been received or, unless another date is specified by the Contracting Officer in writing, the incumbent shall proceed to Washington, DC for a period not to exceed three days of consultations with relevant USAID stakeholders as well as the USG interagency, Congress, donor and NGO community. Following consultations in Washington, the incumbent will take the two mandatory pre-deployment training courses and then proceed directly to Kabul to perform the above services which may be extended upon mutual agreement and subject to satisfactory performance and availability of funds. This position has been classified at a U.S. Government GS 13. The actual salary of the successful candidate will be negotiated depending on qualifications and previous salary history.

 

In addition, the Mission has a 35% Post Differential allowance and 35% Danger Pay. FICA and federal income tax will be withheld by USAID. During this one year period you will be entitled to two Rest and Recuperation trips (R&R) and two Regional Rest Breaks. While you will have to use your Annual Leave or Compensatory time for R&R, you will be entitled to 5 days Administrative Leave plus two days of travel time for each Regional Rest Break. There are 4 destinations for Regional Rest Break – they are: Dubai, New Delhi, Istanbul or Baku.

 

Physical Demands and Work Environment: Work in the office is mostly sedentary but travel to program activity implementation sites outside of Kabul requires U.S. Government Regional Security Officer (RSO) approval, travel in fully armored vehicles and close coordination with the U.S. Embassy and U.S. Consulate security officers, DoD, and ISAF as relevant. Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) and District Stabilization Team (DST) sites are in remote areas of Afghanistan in rugged terrain that requires good physical condition to conduct site assessments.

 

 

 

F. General information regarding living and working conditions in Afghanistan

 

Life in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan has somewhat improved since the establishment of the government, and great strides have been made to regularize the availability of services, utilities, and supplies of common consumer items. Living conditions, however, are still difficult but this is an historical opportunity to work closely with a dedicated team to assist the Afghans to bring about peace and stability to their war-torn country. Afghanistan is an unaccompanied post. All staff will be housed on the heavily guarded and fortified Embassy compound, at a military compound, or at a PRT.

 

 

 

G. Medical and Security Clearance

 

The selected applicant must be able to obtain USG Secret Level security clearance and a Department of State Class I Medical Clearance.

 

 

 

H. Benefits:

 

As a matter of policy, and as appropriate, a PSC is normally authorized the benefits and allowances listed in this section.  [NOTE: A contractor meeting the definition of a U.S. Resident Hire PSC, shall be subject to U.S. Federal Income Tax, but shall not be eligible for any fringe benefits (except contributions for FICA, health insurance, and life insurance), including differentials and allowances.]

 

A. BENEFITS:

1. FICA Contribution

2. Contribution toward Health & life insurance

3. Pay Comparability Adjustment

4. Eligibility for Worker’s Compensation

5. Annual & Sick Leave

6. Access to Embassy medical facilities, commissary and pouch mail service as per post policy

B. ALLOWANCES (If Applicable):

(1) Temporary Lodging Allowance (Section 120)
(2) Living Quarters Allowance (Section 130)
(3) Post Allowance (Section 220)
(4) Supplemental Post Allowance (Section 230)
(5) Post Differential (Chapter 500)
(6) Payments during Evacuation/Authorized Departure (Section 600) and
(7) Danger Pay (Section 650)

(8) Education Allowance (Section 270)

(9) Separate Maintenance Allowance (Section 260)

(10)Education Travel (Section 280)

* Standardized Regulations (Government Civilians Foreign Areas).

 

C. FEDERAL TAXES: PSCs are not exempt from payment of Federal Income taxes

under the foreign earned income exclusion.

 

 

 

I. CONTRACT INFORMATION BULLETINS (CIBs/AAPDs) PERTAINING TO PSCs

AAPD 06-11 Home Leave and Revised General Provision 5, Leave and Holidays

AAPD 06-10 PSC Medical expense payment responsibility

AAPD 06-07 AIDAR, Appendix D: Contract budget, salary determination and salary increase

AAPD 06-01 Medical evacuation insurance

CIB 01-10 Revision of medical clearance process – PSC with U.S. Citizens

CIB 01-07 Clarification of the extension/renewal policy regarding PSCs

CIB 01-05

CIB 00-08 Revision of Competitive Process – PSCs with U.S. Citizens

CIB 00-03 FICA & Medicare Tax Rates for Personal Services Contracts

CIB 99-22 PSC Policy

CIB 98-23 Guidance regarding Classified Contract Security and Contractor Personnel Security Requirements

CIB 98-16 Annual Salary Increase for USPSCs

CIB 98-14 Change in Required Application Form for USPSCs

CIB 98-11 Determining a Market Value for Personal Services Contractors Hired under Appendix D.

CIB 97-17 PSC’s with U.S. Citizens or U.S. resident aliens

CIB 97-16 Class Justification for use of Other Than Full and Open Competition for Personal Services Contracts with U.S. Citizens Contracted with Locally, with CCNs and TCNs Subject to the Local Compensation Plan, and for Overseas Contracts of $250,000 or less

CIB 96-23 Unauthorized Provision in Personal Services Contracts

CIB 94-09 Sunday Pay for U.S. Personal Services Contractors

CIB 93-17 Financial Disclosure requirements under a Personal Services Contract

CIB 89-29 Use of Government Bill of Lading for Transportation of Personal Service Contractor (PSC) Household Effects, Unaccompanied Baggage and Privately Owned Vehicles

 

Various Contract Information Bulletins (CIBs) and Acquisition and Assistance Policy Directives (AAPDs) pertain to Personal Services Contracts can be found at:

 

 

Additionally, AIDAR Appendixes D or J also applies to PSCs can be found at:

 

 

 

J. APPLYING

 

All applications should be submitted electronically to e-mail address

 

Attention: Sameer Lodeen

Human Resources Specialist

USAID/Afghanistan

 

To ensure that your application is received for the intended position, please reference the title and solicitation number in the subject line of your e-mail as (SU1130) or your application may not be considered.

Applicants may submit an application against this solicitation at any time but prior to May 24, 2011 16:30 local time unless revised.

The highest ranking applications may be selected for and interview. Please note that only short listed candidates will be notified.

 

 

 

 

K. LIST OF REQUIRED FORMS FOR PSCs:

For initial consideration:
1. Cover Letter

2. Curriculum Vita
3. OF-612

 

Qualified individuals are required to submit a U.S government OF-612 which is available at the following websites:

 

1:

2: Federal Offices

3: or at USAID/Afghanistan web site at

 

Applications without completed OF-612 form will not be considered.

Interested applicants must submit:

 

1. his/her most current curriculum vitae (CV) or resume;

2. signed OF-612;

3. three (3) to five (5) references, who are not family members or relatives, with working telephone and email contacts,

 

1. The applicant’s references must be able to provide substantive information about his/her past performance and abilities. USAID/Afghanistan will only contact references for the finalist, and will only do so with the permission of the applicant.

 

1. a written statement that addresses the Evaluation/Selection Criteria in this solicitation.

 

The CV/resume must contain sufficient relevant information to evaluate the application in accordance with the stated evaluation criteria. Broad general statements that are vague or lacking specificity will not be considered as effectively addressing particular selection criteria.

 

L. Other Information related to PSCs:

 

Various Contract Information Bulletins (CIBs) and Acquisition and Assistance Policy Directives (AAPDs) pertain to Personal Services Contracts. Those documents can be found at:

 

 

Additionally, AIDAR Appendixes D or J also applies to PSCs, which can be found at:

 

 

 

 

Point of Contact:

Sameer Lodeen

Human Resources Specialist

Email:

Phone (in Afghanistan) – (202) 216-6288 Ext. 4344;

Cell 0093797777301 or Fax (202) 216-6288 (Ext. 105)

 

Place of Performance

USAID/Afghanistan

U.S. Embassy

Great Masoud Road

Kabul, Afghanistan