Summary
Date Posted: Saturday, August 27, 2022 , Base Salary: Not Disclosed

JOB DETAILS:
Senior Regional Acquisition and Assistance Specialist
Introduction:
USAID’s programs in the Southern Africa region aim to increase and integrate trade, fight the HIV/AIDS epidemic, mitigate food insecurity, support democratic processes, protect human rights, fight climate change and wildlife crime, and address cross-border issues. USAID’s operations in the Southern Africa region comprise of country offices in Angola, Botswana, Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe, and the Power Africa office located in Pretoria. Each Mission/Office manages USAID country programs that aim to advance development through bilateral relationships with respective host country governments. These offices vary in size from full, large-scale Missions led by a USAID Mission Director, to smaller non-presence country offices with few staff. USAID’s offices in those countries rely in varying degrees on services, or alternatively surge support, provided out of the USAID Southern Africa (USAID/SA) regional platform, located in Pretoria, South Africa.
In addition to bilateral programming, USAID Southern Africa implements regional activities that aim to complement country-specific programs by addressing cross-border issues and common development needs and provides support services to USAID Missions in the region. USAID/ SA, one of the Agency’s largest Missions, also houses and provides support to two other operating units in South Africa: The Regional Inspector General and Power Africa. USAID/SA provides technical, programmatic, legal, financial, and administrative services to USAID’s offices in 11 Southern African countries, and it serves as a regional center for conferences and training for the African continent.
The USAID/SA Regional Office of Acquisition and Assistance (ROAA) provides acquisition and assistance (A&A) services supporting USAID’s programs in the Southern Africa region, including the bilateral programs in Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Namibia and South Africa, as well as for cross-border regional programs and for Power Africa. ROAA is comprised of 28 positions that include: eight U.S. direct hires, five US/TCN personal services contractors and fifteen cooperating country nationals (CCN). ROAA also provides technical oversight for theA&A team at USAID/ Madagascar. ROAA’s portfolio is currently comprised of approximately 150 A&A awards with a total life of project value of $3.7 billion for development assistance activities throughout Southern Africa and across the continent.

Major Duties and Responsibilities:
The incumbent is responsible for providing expert acquisition and assistance (A&A) services for the full range of pre-award, award, post award and closeout functions involving highly complex, multi-year, multi-million dollar negotiated acquisition and assistance mechanisms of all types. Requirements for A&A actions are typically highly specialized and involve complex systems or sensitive international programs. The incumbent must conduct negotiations, prepare award documents and file award documentation. The incumbent must also be available and able to train and mentor more junior A&A Specialists on all steps of the USAID procurement cycle. The incumbent will work under the direction of a U.S. direct hire Contracting and Agreement Officer (CO/AO) to support USAID’s implementation of the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) activities in South Africa, activities of significant priority and importance to the Agency.
Pre-Award Duties:
Planning and Design: The incumbent is responsible for A&A planning activities for assigned actions, including for new programs or extensions of existing programs. Planning will include reviewing and clearing procurement plans and procurement documents and representing the CO/AO at program planning meetings. S/he will develop appropriate milestone charts, and related schedules and keeps superiors informed of anticipated workload demands. Under the direction of the CO/AO, s/he advises the technical office on activity planning. The incumbent will interact directly with Senior Mission Technical Staff and will guide in the preparation selection of instrument memoranda, statements of work, program descriptions, activity budget estimates or independent government cost estimates, and other A&A planning documents. The incumbent advises the technical office in the development of evaluation criteria, instructions to offerors/applicants, and key personnel requirements, as applicable.
Requisition and Solicitation: The incumbent guides the requestor on what is needed for the requisition and upon receipt, ensures that the requisition is complete and actionable. S/he prepares solicitation documents for the CO/AO review; once approved, s/he publicizes the solicitation in accordance with applicable guidelines. The incumbent conducts pre-solicitation/pre-proposal conferences, manages inquiries related to the solicitation and receives proposals.
Evaluation and Negotiation: The incumbent reviews proposals for compliance, prepares for the technical evaluation or selection committee debriefing, assists the CO/AO in debriefing the TEC/SC, manages the evaluation process, reviews TEC/SC memos, performs complex cost analyses, and completes all functions related to the proposal evaluation process. The incumbent serves as lead negotiator representing USAID on behalf of the CO/AO. S/he plans, leads, and coordinates the strategy for negotiations on both technical and cost related points with contractors/grantees to develop the award price/amount and terms.
Award Duties:
After completing negotiations and all pre-award requirements, the incumbent assists in determining the responsibility of the contractor/recipient and prepares decision documentation for the CO/AO. S/he drafts the contracts/grants and all related award documentation, completes all related processes to ensure compliance with award requirements, and recommends their execution by the CO/AO. The incumbent distributes and files the award and relevant documentation appropriately. S/he responds to protests, if any are received, by liaising with the CO/AO and GC, and by researching and developing necessary analysis, and supporting documentation.
Post-award Duties:
The incumbent oversees all aspects of post-award administration, ensures compliance with award terms and conditions, monitors performance to ensure the achievement of the objectives and deliverables of the award, and works with the CO/AO to address compliance and performance issues in a timely manner. S/he plans post-award orientation meetings with the partner and coordinates any follow-up actions. S/he conducts analyses and prepares required documentation for various types of actions, including administrative approvals, award modifications to add incremental funding or to make changes to the award’s terms, scope, time, budget or cost, and all other post-award actions. S/he interprets award provisions for awardees and for officials of the agency, and provides appropriate advice and guidance, and advises technical office counterparts and contractors/grantees/recipients on their administration responsibilities contained in the award. S/he resolves audit findings on post-award audits.
Award Closeout Duties:
The incumbent performs all of the steps related to the closeout of the award, including receipt of deliverables and reports, property disposition, payment of final invoices, de-obligation of excess funds, receipt and closure of final audits, modification of the award to close it out, and preparation and distribution of all supporting documentation.
Other Assignments:
Contributes to the management of the ROAA as required
1. Organizes and supports data collection efforts
2. Conducts special projects including research, training and presentations as needed.
3. Ensures proper data entry into USAID acquisition and assistance management information systems (including Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System, USAID’s Acquisition and Assistance Plan, FBO.gov, GLAAS, ASIST, etc.)
4. Performs other duties as appropriate.
Qualifications:
Education and Training: A bachelor’s degree is required, preferably in international relations, accounting, law, business or other related field. Training equivalent to the requirements for Federal Acquisition Certification-Contracting (FAC-C) at Level II is desired.
Work Experience: A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in the field of acquisition and assistance is required. Demonstrated professional experience in negotiation and administration of all types of A&A awards is required. A&A experience in an overseas environment in the field of development assistance with a nongovernmental organization, an international or U.S. Government organization is highly desirable.
Language Proficiency: Level IV (fluent) ability is required in written and spoken English.
Knowledge: Successful performance of the duties of the position requires mastery of A&A knowledge and processes, a level which typically requires specialized training and extensive relevant professional experience. A thorough and complete knowledge and understanding of how to execute and administer a complex acquisition and assistance portfolio in accordance with USG regulations is required. Knowledge of relevant policies, procedures and regulations to be used by the incumbent in performing the duties shall include, but is not limited to, the following: Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR), USAID Acquisition Regulations (AIDAR), the Code of Federal Regulations, OMB Circulars, A&A Policy Directives (AAPDs)/Contract Information Bulletins (CIBs), USAID Automated Directive Systems (ADS), USAID Notices, and other reference and guidance as applicable. Knowledge of the Global Acquisition and Assistance System (GLAAS) and other related systems is highly desirable.
Skills and Abilities: Attention to detail, good analytical skills, and excellent organizational skills to perform the full scale of A&A functions. Discretion, tact and the ability to work independently under accelerated schedules and deadlines and to effectively complete required actions. Excellent interpersonal, communication and teamwork skills and the ability to work independently. Written English capability to prepare correspondence and contractual documentation in a professional and competent manner requiring little or no editorial changes. Computer skills in Word and Excel etc, so as to independently prepare correspondence and documentation with minimal office administrative support.
DEADLINE: 23 Sept 2022

Job Experience: No Requirements

Work Hours: 8

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

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