Sources Sought Notice – PSC- Senior Corrections Advisor, Kabul, Afghanistan

Notice Type: Sources Sought Notice

Posted Date: 03-DEC-13

Office Address: Department of State; Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs; Grants, Acquisitions, Procurement and Policy Division (INL/RM/GAPP); SA-4 Navy Hill, South Building2430 E Street, N.W.Washington DC 20037

Subject: PSC- Senior Corrections Advisor, Kabul, Afghanistan

Classification Code: R - Professional, administrative, and management support services

Solicitation Number: PSC-14-002-INL

Contact: Larry S. Parr, Fax 202-776-8775, Email [email protected]

Setaside: N/AN/A

Place of Performance Country: AF

Description: Department of State

Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs

Grants, Acquisitions, Procurement and Policy Division (INL/RM/GAPP)

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: Senior Corrections Advisor, Kabul, Afghanistan

Issuance Date: 12/03/2013 Closing Date: 12/15/2013 SOLICITATION NUMBER: PSC-14-002-INL

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.

HOW TO APPLY Offeror's proposals 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.

Proposals must include the following: 1) Form OF-612 (Completed and signed) 2) Resume 3) Three letters of reference (preferred) or three references, including contact information

Submit all proposals via e-mail to the attention of: Larry Parr, INL/RM/GAPP E-mail: [email protected]

Direct questions regarding this solicitation to: Larry Parr, INL/RM/GAPP Email: [email protected]

INL will not accept late proposals unless it can be determined DOS mishandled the proposal.

1. SOLICITATION NUMBER: PSC-14-002-INL 2. ISSUANCE DATE: 12/03/2013 3. CLOSING DATE: 12/15/2013 4. TIME SPECIFIED FOR RECEIPT OF APPLICATIONS: midnight, EST 5. POSITION TITLE: Senior Corrections Advisor 6. MARKET VALUE: $80,728 - $118,552 (FS-02 Equivalent) 7. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: One year from date of award and four option years 8. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: Kabul, Afghanistan 9. JOB DESCRIPTION: See below

GENERAL STATEMENT OF THE PURPOSE OF THIS CONTRACT & RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CONTRACTOR:

A. BACKGROUND

The Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL) manages corrections programs in Afghanistan totaling over $100 million annually. The management of a complex program of considerable size and importance to U.S. foreign policy goals requires someone with significant management and systems development expertise to design, implement, monitor, and troubleshoot all aspects of the program.

INL is responsible for implementing U.S. foreign assistance programs designed to complement Afghan and international efforts to partner with the Afghan Government to build a safe, secure, humane, and transparent Afghan corrections system that meets international standards and Afghan cultural requirements. Program activities include institutional capacity building; professionalizing corrections sector personnel through mentoring and training initiatives; small-scale humanitarian and security correctional facility renovations; fostering coordination within the criminal justice system especially between police, prosecutors, courts and prisons; creating conditions in which Afghan constitutional and international human rights guarantees can be upheld; and promoting alternatives to incarceration, community corrections, vocational and educational rehabilitation programs, and assistance programs targeted at vulnerable populations.

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The Period of Performance for this position will be one year, with the option to renew for up to four additional years.

B. POSITION DESCRIPTION

The Corrections Advisor provides corrections expertise in a wide variety of settings, including internal U.S. embassy and multi-national meetings, to assist the Government of Afghanistan in reaching its stated goals and objectives in reforming the corrections system in Afghanistan. S/he serves as a resource to the INL/Kabul (INL/K) Director, the INL/K Corrections Program Manager, and the Afghan General Directorate of Prisons and Detention Centers (GDPDC) on corrections issues, bringing together expertise from the United States, as well as recognized best practices and innovative corrections efforts and programs from other countries that could be considered by the Government of Afghanistan.

C. STATEMENT OF WORK

* Serves as one of two INL correction experts in Afghanistan.

* Aids in the design, development, implementation, coordination, and oversight of INL's corrections programs in concert with other USG, international, and Afghan law enforcement and criminal justice programs.

* Serves as an advisory resource for INL/K, INL's office of Afghanistan and Pakistan Programs in Washington, D.C. (INL/AP), CJIATF-435, and Afghan corrections officials providing corrections expertise in a wide variety of settings, including internal U.S. embassy and multi-national meetings, to assist the Government of Afghanistan in reaching its stated goals and objectives in reforming the corrections system in Afghanistan and on specific aspects of the planning and implementation of ongoing corrections assistance programs in Afghanistan.

* Assists in coordinating program activities involving other INL and contractor corrections advisors deployed to Afghanistan.

* Manages, in coordination with INL/AP, programs to support vulnerable populations, including women and juveniles; programs seek to ensure humane treatment and to promote rehabilitation and successful reintegration upon release and require close involvement with and oversight of Afghan non-governmental organization (NGO) implementers.

* Provides policy analysis and program guidance to INL/K, INL/AP, and Afghan officials on all aspects of corrections matters, addressing corrections system reform issues to include human rights; security operations, security threat group management, infrastructure design, maintenance, renovation and construction, prisoner classification; strategic planning; collecting and analyzing key performance indicators and conducting trend analyses, prisoner programs; budgeting; community corrections, development of correctional capacities and institutions; ; and training plans.

* Organizes and participates in meetings, seminars, and exercises to develop plans and programs to implement corrections assistance and improve the GDPDC's capacity to effectively modernize existing procedures.

* Attends domestic and international conferences on Afghanistan corrections reform.

* Aids in the preparation of background materials used by INL officials for reports, speeches, briefings, and testimony to articulate INL engagement on corrections reform projects in Afghanistan.

* Coordinates outreach activities with domestic and international law enforcement communities to increase awareness of INL programs and policies and solicit greater cooperation and participation.

* Provides regular reporting to INL/K and INL/AP on events in the Afghan corrections sector.

* In consultation with INL/CAP's corrections SMEs and INL/AP and INL/K program managers, designs, develops, and oversees INL corrections programs and projects to meet the overall goal of partnering with the Afghan GDPDC to develop a safe, secure, humane, and transparent Afghan corrections system.

* Works closely with the GDPDC and the Ministry of the Interior to ensure their knowledge, partnership, and participation in the development and implementation of INL's corrections assistance efforts.

* Ensures that all activities are closely coordinated within the Embassy, INL office and INL Bureau.

* Routinely keeps the INL Kabul Corrections Program Manager informed regarding program and project status including weekly executive level reports and ensures that all project members also complete reporting requirements established by the INL Kabul Corrections Program Manager in the accepted Project Management Information (PMIS) reporting system.

* Ensures that feedback is provided to other Project Members regarding program/project status as provided by the INL Kabul Corrections Program Manager to ensure transparency and effective communication for improved coordination and integration of work assigned to the INL Kabul Corrections Program.

* Other duties as assigned.

II. QUALIFICATIONS

A. Minimum required qualifications for the position:

* U.S. citizenship able to attain and maintain a Department of State Secret security clearance and medical clearance.

* A graduate of a certified U.S. federal or state corrections or probation parole academy.

* A bachelor's degree from an accredited institution. Individuals without a degree but with significant corrections management experience (minimum of four years) at the rank of warden (or equivalent) or higher will be considered.

* A total of 15 years professional work experience in law enforcement with:

o A minimum of ten (10) years experience in corrections that includes corrections operations, management, organizational development, planning and/or training, of which two years must have been at the rank of warden, unit chief (security, programs, classification, chief probation/parole officer, et cetera) (or the equivalent); and

o A minimum of two (2) years experience in other senior level management roles at the rank of deputy division/regional director or above that included strategic planning, compliance review, inmate grievances and appeals, prisoner rehabilitation program design, resource management, facilities maintenance and construction, and budgeting in an agency with more than 500 employees and an annual budget of no less than $100 million.

* Superior written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills

* Demonstrated ability to work successfully in a high-pressure environment by adapting to emerging challenges, changing security conditions, and unexpected assignments.

B. Preferred desired qualifications include:

* Experience working in U.S. correctional facilities incarcerating adult and/or juvenile female populations

* Experience working with community corrections in the U.S.

* Experience overseeing a training academy.

* Experience overseeing a security threat group intelligence function.

* Experience as a classification specialist or case manager

* Proficient in Dari or Pashto

III. POSITION ELEMENTS

RELATIONSHIPS

The Corrections Advisor reports to the INL/K Director through the INL/K Deputy Director and the INL/K Corrections Program Manager and closely coordinates their work with the INL/K Corrections Program Advisors and the INL/AP Corrections Team.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The work generally does not impose unusual physical demands when the incumbent is working at his/her office location. However, frequent travel is required to hazardous duty locations that could impose unusual and/or difficult physical demands. All employees under Chief of Mission authority are required to have an updated Class 1 or a Class 2, specific post-approved medical clearance. Embassy Kabul is considered a High Threat Posts and requires successful completion of the Foreign Affairs Counter Terrorism training course prior to deployment. There may be operations which could result in direct threats requiring rapid evacuation to safety. Employees may be required to perform some or all of the following activities in response to an emergency evacuation:

1. wear a helmet and body armor that together weigh a minimum of 30 pounds, 2. walk distances of a half-mile or more on uneven terrain, run and step up to two feet wearing and carrying emergency equipment and/or work materials while wearing protective armor, 3. in field locations, be able to wear protective equipment throughout the workday.

LEVEL OF EFFORT

Base hours for this full-time position will be the core hours of U.S. Embassy Kabul: 8:30 am to 5:30 pm Saturday through Thursday. Additional work may be required as requested by INL/Kabul and in accordance with PSC overtime policies.

SECURITY CLEARANCE

The position requires a Secret security clearance. The Corrections Program Advisor can begin work with an interim Secret clearance.

IV. EVALUATION CRITERIA

A. Experience as a senior level corrections management official. 30 points x ___= ___

B. Demonstrated ability to apply innovative solutions to complex problems in challenging environment. 30 points x ___ =____

D. Ability to assess ongoing programs and assist in the development, oversight, and implementation of new and ongoing programs. 20 points x ____ = ____

E. Ability to communicate complex issues in a timely and concise manner, both in writing and verbally. 20 points x ___= ___

PRE-AWARD RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE 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.

COMPENSATION For award, INL will negotiate for this contract based on the following: * Entry-level salary is at Step 1 of the grade range assigned to solicitation * Consideration given for experience relevant specifically to the solicitation requirements * Level and extent of experience dictates the salary level within the grade range

BENEFITS & ALLOWANCES

AS A MATTER OF POLICY, INL NORMALLY AUTHORIZES THE FOLLOWING BENEFITS AND ALLOWANCES

BENEFITS - IF APPLICABLE * Employee's FICA Contribution * Contribution toward Health and Life Insurance * Pay Comparability Adjustment (is applicable) * Annual Increase * Eligibility for Worker's Compensation * Annual & Sick Leave * 401K Plan * Offerors Representations and Certifications

ALLOWANCES - IF APPLICABLE * Temporary Quarters Subsistence Allowance (TQSA) * Post Allowance (COLA) * Supplemental Post Allowance * Separate Maintenance Allowance * Education Allowance * Education Travel * Post Differential * Payments during Evacuation/Authorized Departure * Danger Pay * R&R and Home Leave

Link/URL: https://www.fbo.gov/spg/State/INL/INL-RM-MS/PSC-14-002-INL/listing.html