ThaiNGO

Please follow the checklist and submission guidelines, posted on the official website: 

https://th.usembassy.gov/

I. GENERAL INFORMATION

1. SOLICITATION NO.: 72048623R10020

2. ISSUANCE DATE: July 7, 2023

3. CLOSING DATE/TIME FOR RECEIPT OF OFFERS: August 6, 2023/11:59PM Bangkok, Thailand local time

4. POINT OF CONTACT: Duanghatai Sirinuntasakul / Human Resources Assistant

5. POSITION TITLE: OPH Project Management Specialist (Global Health Security), FSN-11

6. MARKET VALUE: THB 1,340,075 - 2,345,127 per annum equivalent to FSN-11 in accordance with AIDAR Appendix J and the Local Compensation Plan of USAID/RDMA. Final compensation will be negotiated within the listed market value.

7. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: Five (5) years initial contract. The services provided under this contract are expected to be of a continuing nature that will be executed by USAID through a series of sequential contracts, subject to continued need of the position and availability of funds.

8. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: The United States Agency for International Development/Regional Development Mission for Asia (USAID/RDMA), Bangkok, Thailand with possible travel as stated in the Statement of Duties.

9. ELIGIBLE OFFERORS: This position is opened to Cooperating Country National (CCN). Thai citizen or other country citizen lawfully admitted for permanent Thai residence is eligible to apply. Please note that USAID is not able to sponsor offerors for a Thai residency permit.

10. SECURITY LEVEL REQUIRED: The successful candidate shall be required to obtain a Security Certification for Employment from Regional Security Office.

11. STATEMENT OF DUTIES 

11.1. General Statement of Purpose of the Contract

The Project Management Specialist-Global Health Security (GHS) (the “Specialist”) leads efforts to improve and expand Global Health Security and pandemic preparedness, prevention and response in Thailand and the Asia Region. The GHS Specialist is a technical expert in the area of emerging infectious diseases in the country, with extensive experience working with national stakeholders including government, professional associations, and the private sector. The Specialist facilitates communication and ensures collaborative working relationships with high-level decision makers, as well as technical staff, in multiple government agencies, USAID Missions, USAID/Washington counterparts, with other United States Government (USG) partners including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), the Department of State, and other USG agencies, as well as other key stakeholders, including the World Health Organization (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE). The jobholder provides strategic and technical leadership in the design and implementation of USAID GHS activities. As a senior health advisor for USAID, the Specialist represents USAID and the USG in national and international fora to advise on policies, strategies, and technical issues.

The Specialist will exercise programmatic oversight to manage and coordinate USAID’s GHS activities in support of the Government of Thailand and the Asia Region and their GHS roadmap and to prevent, detect, and respond to existing and emerging pandemic threats. The GHS Specialist will serve as an Agreement/Contracting Officer Representative (AOR/COR) and/or Activity Manager for USAID programs/projects/activities. As an AOR/COR, the Specialist monitors program performance and progress, identifies implementation achievements as well as problems in performance, and initiates appropriate actions in consultation with others, as appropriate. The Specialist is a key member of the Health Office, GHS team.

11.2. Statement of Duties to be Performed

A. PROGRAM, PROJECT, AND ACTIVITY MANAGEMENT: 50%

• Lead the design of strategies, project mechanisms and activities for improved preparedness, prevention, detection and response for GHS and emerging infectious diseases. In addition, in close coordination with other Mission offices, support the design and procurement of bilateral mechanisms to support GHS implementation in the cooperating country.
• Serve as an AOR/COR and/or Activity Manager for GHS programs for the Mission’s GHS and pandemic preparedness activities including: reviewing and approving implementing partners’ (IPs) work plans, facilitating IP relationships and coordinating with local stakeholders (other IPs, host government counterparts, other development partners/donors, etc.) maintaining a schedule for and conducting regular site visits to review program implementation and meeting with beneficiaries, and based on the information collected during such visits, adjusting or recommending adjustments to programs/projects/activities as appropriate; overseeing IP compliance with all relevant USAID regulations and procedures, communicating regularly with IPs regarding USAID rules and regulations as well as their obligations to USAID and, taking a lead role in the preparation of the strategic and operational planning processes such as the USAID Country Development Cooperation Strategy and USAID Operational Plan. Keep his/her supervisor regularly informed of program implementation progress, results, and issues/problems on a timely basis.
• Ensure that sub-awards and sub-contracts are given appropriate monitoring and oversight.
• Provide regular updates to GHS/Washington, Mission, and Health Office Leadership to maintain leadership level oversight and engagement on GHS program implementation in the cooperating country.              

B. TECHNICAL GUIDANCE AND PROGRAM PLANNING: 30%

• Provide technical guidance to the Mission, the National Government, and other development partners on infectious disease preparedness, prevention, detection, and response capacities in the cooperating country, including zoonotic diseases, One Health approaches, and GHS.
• Provide technical guidance and direction on GHS and pandemic preparedness activities and ensure that activities are appropriately integrated with the Health Office and larger Mission activities. Support the integration of emerging disease and other activities that promote the advancement of GHS implementation in-country.
• Lead high-level advocacy and technical dialogue with host government ministries to ensure effective USAID support to the implementation of GHS activities, including advocacy to promote a One Health approach to addressing pandemic threats.
• Provide technical support/guidance to the host government during Joint External Evaluations; the outcomes of which will inform an effective roadmap to achieving Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) targets.
• Keep abreast of new developments and emerging issues that affect USAID and GHS via literature review, conference/meeting attendance, as well as participation and facilitation at workshops, and training events. Advise accordingly on how these policies and strategies can most effectively be incorporated to enhance USAID’s approaches.
• In collaboration with Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning colleagues, contribute to the development of innovative monitoring and evaluation approaches and tools to support measuring the impact and outcomes of GHS and pandemic preparedness activities.
• Provide leadership in the preparation of key annual and mid-term planning and reporting documents including the Operational Plans, Congressional Budget Justifications, Progress Reports, and other ad hoc requests for information.

C. REPRESENTATION AND COORDINATION: 20%

• Represent USG and USAID to high level USG diplomats, Senior Government Officials, and other external partners in the cooperating country as appropriate on technical matters regarding emerging infectious diseases - this includes both speaking and written communications.
• Develop and maintain relationships with ministries (Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Wildlife and others) to ensure that assets can be coordinated and work with stakeholder governments to address gaps in National Action plans.
• Establish and maintain a coordination network among GHS partners in the country. Such partners include bi-lateral donors, international organizations, national governments and their relevant ministries, private sector, international and local Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), etc. and use the coordination network to facilitate USAID GHS implementing partners in successful completion of work plan activities.
• During disease outbreak situations, ensure the Mission’s GHS Team, and GHS implementing partners are closely coordinated with the GHS interagency response in supporting the host government.

The contractor is eligible for temporary duty (TDY) travel to the U.S., or to other Missions abroad, to participate in the "Foreign Service National" Fellowship Program, in accordance with USAID policy.

11.3. Supervisory Relationship
The Specialist position is within the Mission's Health Office. Working under the supervision of the GHS Lead Advisor or the Health Office Director or their designee.

11.4. Supervisory Controls
Continuing supervision of other Health Office and/or Mission staff is not anticipated.

12. PHYSICAL DEMANDS: 
The work requested does not involve undue physical demands.

II. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION

1. Education: A master’s degree is required in public health, infectious disease, epidemiology, ecology, veterinary medicine or a related field.
2. Experience:  At least five (5) years of public health and/or animal health and/or related experience in developing countries including at least two (2) years of experience working with USG, international public health and/or animal health organizations, such as the WHO, FAO, and OIE is required.
3. Language: Level IV – Fluent in Thai and English with a valid TOEIC score of 855 is required.

III. EVALUATION AND SELECTION FACTORS
The Government may award a contract without discussions with offerors in accordance with FAR 52.215-1. The CO reserves the right at any point in the evaluation process to establish a competitive range of offerors with whom negotiations will be conducted pursuant to FAR 15.306(c). In accordance with FAR 52.215-1, if the CO determines that the number of offers that would otherwise be in the competitive range exceeds the number at which an efficient competition can be conducted, the CO may limit the number of offerors in the competitive range to the greatest number that will permit an efficient competition among the most highly rated offers. The FAR provisions referenced above are available at https://www.acquisition.gov/browse/index/far

Application Rating System
The application rating system factors are used to determine the competitive ranking of qualified offerors in comparison to other offerors. offerors must demonstrate the rating factors outlined below within their application and/or resume, as they are evaluated strictly by the information provided. The rating factors are as follows:

1. Experience (40 points): 
Additional points will be given for relevant experience above the minimum requirement which may include demonstrated experience in (1) leading projects with a focus on zoonoses and emerging infectious diseases (EID); and (2) supporting governments in the application of multi-disciplinary approaches to prevention, detection, and response to zoonoses and EID threats.

2. Knowledge (30 points):

• Demonstrates a strong technical understanding of the nature of infectious diseases, including emerging infectious diseases threats.
• Demonstrates a strong knowledge of the measures put in place to prevent, detect and rapidly respond to infectious disease threats.
• Demonstrates an excellent technical knowledge of internationally accepted guidelines, such as WHO International Health Regulations and One Health.

3. Skills and Abilities (30 points):

• Demonstrates an excellent interpersonal and teamwork skills in a diverse, multi-cultural environment involving multiple government agencies, implementing partners and other stakeholders whose productive collaboration is essential for program success.
• Demonstrates an ability to work independently in a team environment and to effectively communicate highly technical information related to human health, animal health, and the environment to a variety of technical and non-technical audiences.
• Demonstrates an ability to understand the strategic purpose and goals of stakeholders involved in epidemic prevention and control; ability to identify and solve problems, and coordinate and support activities that lead to mutual success across the different sectors.
• Demonstrates a high degree of judgment, maturity, ingenuity, and originality to interpret strategy and to analyze, develop, and present work results.
• Demonstrates a strong communication skill both verbal and written and must have good computer skills in use of Microsoft Office software (i.e., Excel, Word, Power Point) for data analysis and reporting.

Total Application Rating: 100
Recruitment Test: 100
Interview Performance: 100
Total Possible Points: 300

SELECTION PROCESS: 

To be considered for candidacy, offerors must address each criterion in their application as to how they meet the minimum qualifications required for the position mentioned in Section II, Item 1-2. If the application submitted fails to demonstrate eligibility, the application will be marked unqualified. It is the responsibility of the offeror to provide all pertinent information.

Applications will be initially screened and scored in accordance with evaluation factors and points mentioned in Section III, item 1-3. Offerors in a competitive range will be given a recruitment test. Offerors with passing marks from the recruitment test and a valid TOEIC score mentioned in Section II, item 3, will be invited for an interview. The recruitment test and the interview will be structured around the evaluation factors mentioned above. The successful offeror will be selected based on a review of his/her qualifications, work experience, knowledge, skills and abilities; a written test; an interview; and the results of reference checks. References may be obtained independently from other sources in addition to the ones provided by an offeror.

Only offerors within a competitive range will be contacted. No response will be sent to unsuccessful offerors.

IV. TO APPLY
Please follow the check lists and submission guidelines, posted on the official website:  carefully and submit complete application package before the deadline.

Failure to follow the instructions will invalidate your application.