INL Coordinator
Description
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
BUREAU OF INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AFFAIRS (INL)
You have received this "Personal Services Contractor” (PSC) solicitation through the Department of State (DOS) Internet site. If you have any questions regarding this PSC, you may contact the DOS Official named in this solicitation. The Department is not responsible for any data and/or text not received when retrieving this document electronically. Amendments to solicitation documents generally contain information critical to the submission of an application.
Position Title: INL Coordinator
Location: Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Salary Level: FS-02 - $88,619 - $130,140 (Equivalent GS-14)
Period of performance: The period of performance for this contract is twelve (12) months from the date of award with four (4) optional one-year extensions.
Issuance Date: October 13, 2020
Closing date: October 27, 2020
Closing Time: 3:00 PM ET
Solicitation Number: PSC-21-004-INL
Dear Prospective Offerors:
The Department of State is seeking offers from qualified U.S. citizens to provide personal services for the subject position under a personal services contract, as described in this 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. Form SF 171 (Completed and signed)
2. Complete resume. In order to fully evaluate your offer your resume must include:
a. Paid a 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 any overseas 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 and email) of your current and/or previous supervisor(s).
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
Note: Resume must contain explicit information to make a valid determination that the candidate meets the experience requirements as stated in this solicitation. This information needs to be clearly identified in the resume. Failure to provide explicit information to determine qualifications for the position will result in loss of full consideration.
3. Evaluation Factor document specifically addressing: Each of the Evaluation Factors shown in the solicitation below. Responses must be limited to 500 words per Evaluation Factor. Any additional words above the limit will neither be read nor scored.
Note: The Evaluation Factors are worth 70 out of 100 points. Offerors are required to address each of the Evaluation Factors in a separate document describing specifically and accurately what experience, training, education and/or awards they have receive that are relevant to each Factor.
4. Professional References: Three (3) names and contact information (phone and email) of current and/or previous supervisors to serve as professional references.
Additional documents submitted will not be accepted. Incomplete or late offers will not be considered. Complete applications must be emailed to:
Dominique Chittum
U.S. Department of State
INL/EX/GAPP
ChittumDA@state.gov
Sincerely,
Amy Kara
Contracting Officer
U.S. Department of State
SUBJECT
A solicitation for a Personal Services Contractor (PSC), Department of State (DOS), Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL).
The United States Government (USG), represented by the DOS, seeks applications from US citizens interested in providing PSC services as described in this solicitation.
PRE-AWARD ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF PSC (JUN 2011)
This solicitation may result in the award of one or more personal services contracts as defined in FAR 2.101. Prior to contract award, all offerors or quotes must advise the cognizant Contracting Officer if they have a personal conflict of interest, such as a financial conflict, that would prevent them from either meeting the requirements of the clause entitled, “Post-Award Ethical Responsibilities of Personal Services Contractors,” or otherwise objectively performing their contractual duties upon contract award.
HOW TO APPLY
Offerors proposal shall be in accordance with the requirements stated in this solicitation at the place and time specified. A proposal will be determined non-responsive and ineligible for consideration unless all required documents and information are included in the submission. Offerors shall ensure their resume demonstrates their possession of the minimum qualifications outlined in this Solicitation, as well as their ability to fulfill all required duties. The Government is not responsible for any costs incurred by the offeror during the solicitation process.
NOTE REGARDING GOVERNMENT OBLIGATIONS FOR THIS SOLICITATION
This solicitation in no way obligates the Department of State to award a PSC contract, nor does it commit the Department of State to pay any cost incurred in the preparation and submission of the application.
Proposals must include the following and not exceed twenty (20) pages (additional pages will not be accepted or reviewed):
1. Form SF 171 (Completed and signed)
2. Resume
3. Evaluation Factor Responses
4. Three (3) names and contact information (phone and email) of current and/or previous supervisors to serve as professional references.
Note: Your resume should contain explicit 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 explicit information to determine your qualifications for the position will result in loss of full consideration. Additional documents submitted beyond the requirements will not be accepted or reviewed.
*** ONE PDF ATTACHMENT IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
VETERAN’S PREFERENCE
Veteran’s preference is not applicable to this position therefore do not submit DD-214.
ALL QUALIFIED APPLICANTS WILL BE CONSIDERED REGARDLESS OF AGE, RACE, COLOR, SEX, CREED, NATIONAL ORIGIN, LAWFUL POLITICAL AFFILIATION, NONDISQUALIFYING DISABILITY, MARITAL STATUS, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, AFFILIATION WITH AN EMPLOYEE ORGANIZATION, OR
OTHER NON-MERIT FACTOR.
Submit proposal via e-mail to the attention of:
INL/Dominique Chittum
E-mail: ChittumDA@state.gov
Direct questions regarding this solicitation to:
INL/Dominique Chittum
E-mail: ChittumDA@state.gov
INL will not accept proposals beyond the closing time/date; unless it can be determined DOS mishandled the proposal.
GENERAL STATEMENT OF THE PURPOSE OF THIS CONTRACT
Mission of the U.S. Department of State: The U.S. Department of State is the lead institution for the conduct of American diplomacy and the Secretary of state is the President’s principal foreign policy advisor. The Department of State’s mission is to advance U.S. national security interests, fight terrorism, protect U.S. interests abroad, and implement foreign policy initiatives that build a freer, prosperous and secure world.
Mission of the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL): INL is under the Under Secretary for Democracy and Human Rights (J) and works to keep Americans safe at home by countering international crime, illegal drugs, and instability abroad. INL helps countries deliver justice and fairness by strengthening their police, courts, and corrections systems. These efforts reduce the amount of crime and illegal drugs reaching U.S. shores.
The International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL) Section at the U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, manages narcotics and law enforcement assistance programs. INL Santo Domingo officers advise the Ambassador on narcotics and law enforcement issues and are responsible for implementing U.S. counternarcotics policy. INL assistance is provided under the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI) that looks to develop both bilateral and regional programs to address transnational criminal activity. The INL Section provides leadership and management oversight for counternarcotics, citizen security, port and border security, and anti-crime projects, including liaison with host country agencies involved in counternarcotics and law enforcement. There is a significant amount of coordination with the U.S. law enforcement community.
INL/Western Hemisphere Programs (WHP) provides overall program and policy direction for INL bilateral narcotics and anticrime assistance programs at overseas posts by developing and revising drug and crime strategies and coordinating program development with other U.S. agencies.
The purpose of the Personal Services Contract (PSC) is to provide an INL Coordinator to the INL Section at the U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The Coordinator will manage the day-to-day implementation, direction, execution and oversight of the INL rule of law and anti-money laundering/financial crimes portfolios, and assist in the implementation of the counter-narcotics and law enforcement portfolios in the Dominican Republic.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Under the direct supervision of the Santo Domingo based INL Director or his/her designee, the INL Coordinator will perform the following duties:
• Coordinate and communicate INL approved policy efforts with other U.S. agencies, the Government of the Dominican Republic (GoDR), other international organizations, non-governmental organizations, and program beneficiaries to avoid waste and duplication of effort.
• Communicate INL-approved policy in internal and external meetings, and representational events as required.
• Articulate and promote U.S., Mission and INL policies and goals.
• Assure that implementation plans reflect specific project objectives, methods of implementation, activity milestones, measures of effectiveness, and budgetary requirements.
• Provide support for INL-funded activities and programs, including serving as Contracting Officer Representative (COR) on project contracts.
• Assure that all training is conducted in full compliance with the Leahy Amendment and Section 477 of the FAA.
• Develop and maintain an automated database of all host-country personnel receiving INL-funded training, and compile vetting records.
• Provide programmatic guidance and analysis of developments in the Dominican Republic’s criminal justice sector and narcotics control to the Mission, INL, and Washington.
• Lead the planning and implementation of anticorruption efforts to include policy, legislation, and inter-ministerial coordination. Build capacity enhancement projects focused on strengthening the partner nation's ability to address corruption and combat organized crime.
• Advise the INL Director on projects and programs required to improve the efficiency of the justice sector, including training and equipment needs of the Dominican agencies compromising the judicial sector.
• Provide analysis and interpretation of GODR justice sector legislation and recommended modifications in support of USG policy goals.
• Advise the INL section Director, GoDR, and Embassy contacts on appropriate types and levels of support needed to initiate and sustain INL-funded projects.
• Draft letters, cables, and other reports on INL activities under general guidance of the INL Director.
• Provide briefings, program evaluations, and support high-level visits to INL support activities.
• When required, perform the role of Duty Officer.
• Perform other duties as requested and assigned that are directly related to this Statement of Work.
TRAININGS & DISTANCE LEARNING COURSES
1. Completes the Contracting Officer Representative (PA296) distance-learning (DL) course through the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) within 120 days of arriving at Post.
2. Completes the Introduction to Working in an Embassy (PN113) distance-learning (DL) course through the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) within the first six (6) months of arriving at Post.
3. Completes the mandatory Foreign Affairs Counter-Threat (FACT) Course (OT650) prior to deployment to Post.
4. If applicable - Consultations with the INL Program Office may be required.
PLACE OF PERFORMANCE & TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS
The position is located at the U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Occasional travel in and around the Dominican Republic and the Caribbean is likely and will be covered under this order.
RELATIONSHIPS
The INL Coordinator works under the direct supervision of the INL Director at Post and in coordination with INL/Washington to initiate projects and execute approved new programs under general supervision. He/she will manage the day-to-day implementation, direction, execution and oversight of the INL rule of law and anti-money laundering/financial crimes portfolios, and assist in the management of the INL section in the Dominican Republic.
The D/SRS will provide yearly performance reviews to the INL/EX/GAPP Contracting Officer in Washington, D.C. to contribute to the incumbent’s official yearly review.
COMPLEXITY
This position involves planning, organizing and completing financial and organizational analysis of enormous complexity. Due to the high visibility and political sensitivity of the issues in which INL is involved, there is extreme difficulty in identifying the nature of the issues and planning, organizing and determining the scope and depth of studies/audits to be undertaken. The PSC is expected to address difficult scenarios by separating the substantive nature of the programs or issues into their components and determining the nature and magnitude of programs or issues, as well as in discerning the intent of the legislation and policy statements and determining how to translate the intent into program actions.
SCOPE AND EFFECTIVENESS
The PSC performs broad and extensive assignments related to a complex administrative/financial program spanning the full-range of citizen safety, law enforcement, rule of law, and counternarcotics programs in the Dominican Republic, which is of significant interest to the public and to Congress.
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE
The period of performance for this contract is twelve (12) months from the date of award with four (4) optional one-year extensions.
1. U.S. citizenship with the ability to obtain and maintain Department of State Secret level security and Medical clearances. Department of State Ethics clearance (if applicable). (Security clearance upgrade to TS level may be required).
2. JD degree from an accredited law school and a minimum of fifteen (15) years of related experience in the fields criminal law, international money laundering investigation/prosecution, law enforcement, international relations and public administration; or,
a. Bachelor’s Degree and a minimum of twenty (20) years of related experience in the fields criminal law, international money laundering investigation/prosecution, law enforcement, international relations and public administration.
3. A minimum of ten (10) years of experience practicing criminal law and/or managing foreign assistance programs in the area of rule of law/criminal justice.
4. A minimum of ten (10) years of demonstrated interpersonal and communications skills practicing criminal law and/or managing foreign assistance programs in the area of rule of law/criminal justice.
5. Demonstrated experience in administration and management of international criminal justice sector projects in Latin America, including preparation of budgets, procurement of goods and services, and implementation and oversight of projects.
6. Demonstrated experience advising foreign governments on developing and implementing legislation regarding money laundering, asset forfeiture and/or modernization of prosecutorial systems.
7. Experience analyzing and determining true requirements to propose feasible solutions for problems in implementation of projects.
8. Demonstrated experience working with a wide variety of governmental, public and private sector representatives, as well as with local community members and groups.
9. Knowledge of decentralized decision-making, which involves flattening the agency hierarchy, increasing tolerance for new approaches in problem-solving efforts, and allowing officers discretion in handling calls.
10. Demonstrated strong verbal and written English, interpersonal and liaison skills dealing with host government and USG officials in a multicultural environment.
11. Demonstrated ability to write and speak Spanish at the FSI 3/3 Level.
12. Demonstrated working level familiarity with program databases such as the Global Training Tracking System (GTTS) currently being deployed by INL.
EVALUATION CRITERIA
(Used to determine the competitive ranking of qualified offerors in comparison to other offerors.) Offerors should cite specific, illustrative examples for each factor. Responses must be limited to 500 words per factor. Any additional words above the limit will neither be read nor scored.
FACTOR 1: Program Management (20 points)
Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, in a timely and concise manner, and to interact effectively with others at all levels, in order to prepare, analyze, explain and defend determinations and requirements with respect to conformance to applicable laws, policies and other regulatory guidelines, and advise program officials.
FACTOR 2: Development/Implementation (20 points)
Demonstrated ability to coordinate rule of law and money laundering program and financial management, among other issues, with all relevant bureaus and agencies, including effectively conducting in-depth studies on technical aspects of program requirements and making recommendations to senior managers on appropriate course of action on specific projects and issues. Experience analyzing and determining true requirements to propose feasible solutions for problems in implementation of projects.
FACTOR 3: Knowledge and Ability (15 points)
Demonstrated ability to apply specific knowledge and analyze Latin American, and preferably the DR’s, justice sector’s systems, laws and practices in developing briefing materials, contributing to policy planning documents, and in making recommendations to senior staff on management of the INL programs. Knowledge of decentralized decision-making, which involves flattening the agency hierarchy, increasing tolerance for new approaches in problem-solving efforts, and allowing officers discretion in handling calls.
FACTOR 4: Liaison and Communication (15 points)
Demonstrated liaising with both host nation officials and U.S. government agencies and personnel. Demonstrated ability to communicate complex issues in a timely and concise manner, both verbally and in writing.
BASIS OF RATING: Offerors who clearly meet the Education/Experience Requirements will be further evaluated based on scoring of the Evaluation Factor responses. Offerors are required to address each of the Evaluation Factors in a separate document describing specifically and accurately what experience, training, education and/or awards they have received that are relevant to each factor. Failure to specifically address the Evaluation Factors may result in your not receiving credit for all of your pertinent experience, education, training and/or awards.
The Offeror Rating System is as Follows:
Evaluation Factors have been assigned the following points:
Factor #1 – 20
Factor #2 – 20
Factor #3 – 15
Factor #4 – 15
Total Possible – 70 Points
Interview Performance – 30 points
Satisfactory Professional Reference Checks – Pass/Fail (no points assigned)
Past performance evaluation of applicant’s ability to perform under the contract. In conducting the evaluation, the U.S. government reserves the right to utilize all evaluation information available at the time of evaluation, whether provided by the applicant or obtained from other sources.
Total Possible Points: 100
The most qualified candidates may be interviewed, required to provide a writing sample, and demonstrate an ability to operate commonly used office applications. INL will not pay for any expenses associated with the interviews. In addition, applications (written materials and interviews) will be evaluated based on content as well as on the applicant's writing, presentation, and communication skills. In the event that an applicant has fully demonstrated his/her qualifications and there are no other competitive applicants, INL reserves the right to forego the interview process. Professional references will be evaluated for applicants being considered for selection.
COMPENSATION (BASE PAY)
This position has been designated at the FS-02 equivalent level ($88,619 and $130,140 per annum). Final compensation will be negotiated within the listed market value based upon qualifications, previous relevant experience and work history, salary and educational background. Salaries, including any recruitment supplemental pay that exceeds the listed pay range, will not be entertained or negotiated.
For award, INL will negotiate for this contract based on the market value as outlined above and overall experience relevant to the solicitation requirements.
BENEFITS & ALLOWANCES
AS A MATTER OF POLICY, INL NORMALLY AUTHORIZES THE FOLLOWING BENEFITS AND ALLOWANCES
BENEFITS - IF APPLICABLE
• Employee's FICA/Medicare Contribution
• Contribution toward Health and Life Insurance
• Pay Comparability Adjustment
• Annual Increase
• Eligibility for Worker's Compensation
• Annual, Sick and Home Leave
• 401K Plan
• MEDVAC (provided by DOS Med)
ALLOWANCES IN ACCORDANCE WITH DEPARTMENT OF STATE STANDARDIZED REGULATIONS (DSSR) - IF APPLICABLE
• Temporary Quarters Subsistence Allowance (TQSA) or Per Diem upon arrival at Post
• Housing Allowance
• Post Allowance
• Supplemental Post Allowance
• Maintenance Allowance (SMA)
• Education Allowance
• Educational Travel (full-time United States based secondary)
• Post Hardship Differential
• Danger Pay
• Shipment of HHE, UAB, POV and Consumables