I. GENERAL INFORMATION
1. SOLICITATION NO.: 72012124R00013
2. ISSUANCE DATE: May 03, 2024
3. CLOSING DATE/TIME FOR RECEIPT OF OFFERS: June 03, 2024 (11:59 p.m. EST)
4. POSITION TITLE: Relief and Development Coherence Advisor
5. MARKET VALUE: $104,604-$135,987 per annum, equivalent to GS-14. Final compensation will be negotiated within the listed market value.
6. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: one (1) year, with four (4) option years. Options may be exercised based upon satisfactory contractor performance, mutual agreement between the Contractor and USG, continued Mission requirements and the continued availability of funds.
7. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: Kyiv, Ukraine
8. SECURITY LEVEL REQUIRED: Secret
9. STATEMENT OF DUTIES
BASIC FUNCTIONS OF THE POSITION:
With over $2.8 billion in humanitarian assistance and $2.9 billion in development assistance allocated to USAID in Ukraine since Russiaโs full-scale invasion in February 2022, USAID provides humanitarian aid and supports stronger democratic governance, improved economic growth, resilient energy systems and infrastructure, and better health services. USAIDโs 2019-2026 Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) goal is for an independent, democratic, prosperous, and healthy Ukraine united around core European values. The CDCS frames USAIDโs work supporting Ukraineโs commitment and capacity to progress towards self-reliance, and addresses its two-front war - against Russiaโs full-scale aggression on the one hand, and against its internal legacy of corruption on the other.
The war has caused large-scale displacement, widespread damage to infrastructure, economic deterioration, and serious protection issues for conflict-affected populations. The UN estimates that 12 million people inside Ukraine will need relief and protection. Ukraine has the highest proportion of elderly people in need of humanitarian aid, making up over 30 percent of those in need. Hundreds of thousands of people live within five kilometers of the line of contact (LOC) in the government-controlled areas often experience daily armed clashesโsometimes resulting in injury, death, or damage to their propertyโor live with the feeling of periodic or constant threat to their lives. Land mines, explosive remnants of war, and unexploded ordnance also pose a threat to civilians and hinder their freedom of movement. The ongoing conflict and the LOC, which acts as a de facto border, has had a negative impact on the socio-economic situation of eastern Ukraine and has disrupted access to services, freedom of movement, and infrastructure systems (particularly water and electricity).
In response to the conflict, USAID has provided almost $5 billion since February 2022 in development and humanitarian assistance to directly shape programming in economic growth, energy and infrastructure, democratic and accountable governance, and urgent health reforms and service delivery, as well as relief assistance to vulnerable populations. USAID humanitarian assistance in eastern Ukraine is focused on protecting and assisting the most vulnerable conflict-affected populations, prioritizing people and communities who continue to be caught in the line of fire and whose access to basic services, including markets and livelihoods has been compromised. To date, 5.8 million refugees have been recorded across Europe, 5.1 million people are displaced across Ukraine, and 17.6 people are in need of humanitarian assistance.
While humanitarian assistance can often mitigate immediate threats to life and property, its purpose makes it an inappropriate tool for diminishing the underlying systemic drivers of those threats. Wherever possible, development actors must work hand-in-hand to ensure that development programs meet the needs of conflict-affected people, including a focus on the most vulnerable, who remain the recipients of humanitarian assistance. This requires joined-up coordination, planning, and programming on both sides of the humanitarian-development divide. The USG refers to this as Relief and Development Coherence, or RDC. Under the UNโs New Way of Working, such efforts are also known as the humanitarian-development nexus (HDN).
The USAIDโs Relief and Development Coherence Advisor (RDC Advisor) will play a critical role in supporting these transitions and collaborative efforts. The advisor will coordinate within the Mission and USAID Washington among development, humanitarian (e.g. funded by the Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance), and stabilization/transition efforts (e.g. funded by the Office of Transition Initiatives), as well as with other USG partners such as the State Departmentโs Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM), Defense Department counterparts, and other sections and agencies.
Due to USGโs large portfolio through its humanitarian, transitional, and development assistance, USAID/Ukraine is hiring an RDC Advisor to continuously monitor the situation in Ukraine as it relates to the nexus between humanitarian assistance, early recovery, and long-term development. The RDC Advisor will represent USAID at relevant coordination meetings, workshops, and presentations with USG and international partners and provide continuous reporting to USAID and other elements of the U.S. Mission in Kyiv on updated activities, approaches, and plans. His/her work will be centered on the Missionโs portfolio of activities working toward the CDCSโ second development objective (DO 2), which focuses on mitigating the impacts of Russiaโs Aggression. S/he will develop or contribute to ongoing strategies and activity designs that fall under DO 2 and will promote overall cross-activity coordination through information sharing. The RDC Advisor will maintain close collaboration with all relevant stakeholders on the ground in Ukraine, develop appropriate policies and responses to the situation, respond to requests for information, and prepare background/briefing documents. In addition to the Advisor role, s/he will also serve as USAID/Ukraineโs civilian-military coordinator (MC2) and as the main point of contact on veteranโs affairs. The Advisor will also be responsible for teaching and coaching other Mission staff, as appropriate, on the advisorโs areas of expertise.
MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
The RDC Advisor's main responsibilities will include the following:
- Coordination & Strategy Development (40%)
- Provide technical leadership to USAID/Ukraine teams, other contractors, partners and customers in the design, implementation and monitoring of RDC-relevant activities.
- Collaborate with the USAID Mission, BHA and PRM representatives, and other USG colleagues on RDC issues and programming.
- Lead dialogue around RDC integration and coordination and adjust tactical approaches to take advantage of emerging program opportunities through project/activity modifications and course corrections.
- Develop and contribute to the formulation and articulation of appropriate strategies, recommendations and policies, activity/program designs.
- As an expert, provide mentoring and support to USAID/Ukraine technical teams, and as appropriate, implementing partnersโ field staff, to ensure the conceptualization and implementation of large complex activities and programs.
- Promote situational awareness among USAID colleagues and other elements of the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv on relevant context shifts, emerging needs, and opportunities for programmatic pivots that would promote RDC in development activities.