Sol No. 72061524R10036 - Travel Assistant

Overview

GENERAL INFORMATION
USAID DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING) AND DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANT’S BANK ACCOUNTS.
1. SOLICITATION NO.: 72061524R10036
2. ISSUANCE DATE: May 22, 2024
3. CLOSING DATE AND TIME FOR RECEIPT OF OFFERS: June 05, 2024 (4:30 PM East Africa Time).
4. POINT OF CONTACT: USAID Kenya and East Africa Human Resources, e-mail at nairobiusaid.hr@usaid.gov
5. POSITION TITLE: Travel Assistant
6. MARKET VALUE: Ksh. 2,632,247.00 to Ksh. 4,474,828.00 KSH per year, equivalent to FSN-08 grade level in accordance with AIDAR Appendix J and the Local Compensation Plan of USAID/Kenya and East Africa. The salary range provided is inclusive of all allowances and annual bonus. All applicable taxes will be deducted from the stated gross market rate. Final compensation will be negotiated within the listed market value.
7. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: Five (5) years estimated to start o/a November 10, 2024. 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 the availability of funds, the continued need for services and successful performance.
8. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: Nairobi, Kenya; with possible travel as stated in the Statement of Duties.
9. ELIGIBLE OFFERORS: Open to qualified Cooperating Country National (CCN) (an individual who is a cooperating country citizen or a non-cooperating country citizen lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the cooperating country). Employees presently on probation are ineligible to apply.
10. SECURITY LEVEL REQUIRED: Security certification issued by the US Embassy RSO.

STATEMENT OF DUTIES:
General Statement of Purpose of the Contract
As one of two positions in the Travel Unit, the Travel Assistants serve in the Executive Office (EXO) located in USAID/Kenya (which includes Somalia Mission staff) providing the full range of travel services to all categories of Mission employees (i.e., U.S. Direct Hires (USDH), U.S. Personal Services Contractor (USPSC), Foreign Service Nationals (FSN) and support services to official visitors. The two Travel Assistants share equal responsibility within the Travel Unit to provide travel support to the combined KEA/EA and Somali Workforce consisting of 464 positions and report to the Administrative Management Specialist (Logistics). The services involve Travel Authorization preparation and review, as well as explaining and disseminating relevant travel guidance and policies (ADS, FAM, FAH, SR, etc.) to Mission employees. This also includes keeping a log for all eligible employees entitled to request home leave, rest and recuperation, and educational travel. The Assistants will be responsible for accurately reporting and updating the Missions’ temporary duty (TDY) arrival and departures list and managing the electronic country clearance (eCC) process via the Department of State myservice system. This responsibility entails tracking and monitoring every TDY visitor in direct support of enhancing safety measures to guarantee the safety for personnel providing field support to the Mission. The Assistants are responsible for critical ad hoc reports for post management in need of the most up-to-date information to make urgent decisions related to travelers’ safety.

Responsibilities

Statement of Duties to be Performed.

Travel Management and Policy Interpretation 75%
1. Serves as a subject matter expert on travel and is responsible for the full range of E2 system administrative support services, including: requesting creation of new user accounts; transferring user accounts; and creating and updating routing pools to ensure approval rights for employees designated with this authority. Interacts with and works closely with Administrative Assistants/Secretaries and travelers to provide advice, guidance, and clarification on travel regulations, processes and resolve system errors.
2. Prepares and reviews Mission Travel Authorizations (TAs) for all international travel such as departure, transfer, reassignment, emergency, medical evacuation, training, and entitlement travel. In addition, prepares and reviews a high-volume of local Travel Authorizations for Mission employees as well as for Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) and other Missions that receive support from the unit from time to time depending on the security situation as has happened with Missions Ethiopia and Sudan recently. This responsibility also includes timely execution and review of Open Travel Authorizations (OAs) for staff that require regular project site visits.
3. Supports and makes recommendations to EXO by researching and interpreting travel regulations and policy, and disseminating findings under the Automated Directive System (ADS), Foreign Affairs Manual (FAM), Federal Travel Regulations (FTR), Department of State Standardized Regulations (DSSR), USAID Acquisition Regulation (AIDAR), and Mission Orders with all Mission staff. Conducts regular reviews of Missions travel procedures and makes recommendations to align changes with Post Regional Security directives and updates in Agency policies.
4. Provides policy interpretation to USAID staff of all hiring mechanisms and their dependents depending on the type of travel e.g. educational travel. This is done through one-on-one engagements, virtually or through email communication. This responsibility will involve close engagement with EXO to determine interpretation of policy to facilitate effective management of government travel management. The Travel and Transportation Division (TTD) may be contacted from time to time to provide resources needed to better support USAID Operations
5. When working with paper TAs, the Assistant assigns numbers to the travel authorizations; verifies the correct reservations with Travel Office and employee as described in the travel authorization requests; prepares or reviews estimated travel expense budgets; forwards the TAs to the accountants for funding; and ensures the Regional Financial Management Office and EXO approve travel in a timely manner and to customer’s satisfaction.
6. Assists with issuance of invitational TAs and other USAID employees TDY travel, as requested. Works on electronic and paper TA amendments as required ensuring compliance with USG travel regulations.

Accountability and Operational Support 25%
1. Manages and updates a tracker for all eligible employees entitled to request home leave, rest and recuperation, and educational travel. Responsible for tracking, updating and reporting on the Mission’s temporary duty (TDY) arrival and departures list and daily accountability roster. This responsibility entails tracking and monitoring every TDY visitor’s location details in direct support of enhancing safety measures. Responsible for tracking and updating reports for post management which identify USDH travel plans.
2. Manages the Missions’ Electronic Country Clearance (eCC) approval processes via the Department of State myservice system. This includes coordinating with technical offices to determine the number of expected visitors within a specified period of time, ensuring all TDYers have relevant post approval prior to travel, communicating post requirements to technical offices, updating requirements as and when needed, preparing weekly eCC status reports, and providing training sessions to Mission staff.

3. Works in collaboration with the Immigration Services and Mission Statistics Assistant to ensure correct and up-to-date information is captured for the emergency evacuation list. Manages and updates the Mission Emergency Cascades lists.
4. Works in collaboration with the Embassy General Service Office (GSO) Travel office to facilitate proper coordination of especially local travel. The Travel Assistant will take a lead liaison role to facilitate communication of key updates from the Department of State such as changes in the list of approved hotels locally that USG staff can use when executing local Temporary duty and changes to the Travel Management Company (TMC) terms of engagement. The Travel Management will coordinate communications with TMC to support USAID employees with their travel preparation as and when required and elevate any issues with TMC engagements to EXO and GSO.
5. Archives and files all travel documents and maintains a current master file for references and in accordance with ADS 502, Records Management Program.

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

Additional education

Education: Completion of two years of College/ University studies is required.

Language Proficiency: Level IV (fluent) in both written and oral English and Kiswahili is required.

Experience

Additional experience

Prior Work Experience: A minimum of three years of progressively responsible experience in travel management, travel operations, customer service, or general administration including experience gained in related work with a U.S. Government Agency, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), other donor organizations, host- government organizations, or private-sector institutions is required.

Skills

• Team Player
• Interpersonal
• computer literacy
• time management
• Travel Systems

Additional skills

Supervision Received
Supervised by the Administrative Management Specialist (Logistics). Assignments are performed and completed independently using innovation within regulations. Consults with the supervisor in unusual circumstances.

Supervision Exercised
Supervision of other staff is not anticipated.

Physical Demands

The work requested does not involve undue physical demands.

Terms and conditions

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.

The technical evaluation committee may conduct reference checks, including references from individuals who have not been specifically identified by the offeror, and may do so before or after a candidate is interviewed.

Job Knowledge (60 Points)
Must have good knowledge of travel practices and procedures. Must have a solid knowledge of local, regional and international travel, good understanding of airline schedules, how to deal with the travel agencies, ticketing, and airfare bases. Must have industry knowledge and reservations skills in order to create multi-segment, multi-destination international itineraries. Must have a good understanding and
expertise in international travel requirements, i.e. visas, passports and immunization requirements, and proven ability to create international travel arrangements including air, hotel and ground transportation. Sound knowledge and understanding of procedures and regulations pertinent to official travel management. Must have knowledge of, or demonstrate the potential to acquire, knowledge of U.S. Government directives, systems and regulations, and documentation. Excellent knowledge of office procedures, practices and customer service principles.

Skills and abilities (40 Points)
Strong interpersonal and communication skills are essential. The ability to work effectively as a team member in a culturally diverse team environment is required. Ability to interpret policies, procedures, and regulations in order to make sound decisions and react quickly to provide solutions. The ability to follow oral and written instructions and to organize, prioritize and follow through on all assignments with minimal oversight is required. The incumbent must be a self-starter, able to work calmly, tactfully, and effectively under pressure, and respond to many urgent requests on a frequent basis. The incumbent must be willing and able to travel within the region as/when necessary or requested in direct support of USAID KEA and Somalia. Travel management is a high volume and priority area which requires someone who is willing and able to meet demands on a regular basis. Thorough knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite, Google Drive, and ability to acquire knowledge of travel systems is required.

Total possible points: 100

SUBMITTING AN OFFER
Step 1: Register in MyJobsInKenya at www.myjobsinkenya.com
Step 2: Complete the job application at www.myjobsinkenya.com
Step 3: Internal Offerors/Current USG Employees: Attach an updated curriculum vitae/resume (no more than five pages), a copy of your most recent Performance Evaluation Report, and copies of all relevant certificates. Scan and attach all the documents and upload them to MyJobsInKenya.

OR

External Offerors/Not Current USG Employees: Attach an updated curriculum vitae/resume (no more than five pages) and copies of all relevant certificates. Scan and attach all the documents and upload them to MyJobsInKenya.

Note to Applicants:
1. Offers must be received by the closing date and time specified in Section I, item 3, and submitted through myjobsinkenya.com.
2. Submissions will only be accepted through www.myjobsinkenya.com. Late and incomplete applications (those that do not contain the applicant’s most current and up to date detailed CV and relevant education certificates) will not be considered for the position.
3. All Applicants must provide at least three professional references, who are not family members or relatives, with working telephone and e-mail contacts. The references must be able to provide substantive information about your past performance and abilities. USAID reserves the right to contact your previous employers for relevant information concerning your performance and may consider such information in its evaluation of the application.

LIST OF REQUIRED FORMS PRIOR TO AWARD
The CO will provide instructions about how to complete and submit any required forms after an offeror is selected for the contract award.

BENEFITS AND ALLOWANCES
Benefits and allowances are offered in accordance with the Local Compensation Plan (LCP).

TAXES
CCNPSCs are required to pay PAYE and statutory deductions. All applicable taxes will be deducted from the stated gross market rate.

USAID REGULATIONS, POLICIES AND CONTRACT CLAUSES PERTAINING TO PSCs
USAID regulations and policies governing CCN PSC awards are available at these sources:
1. USAID Acquisition Regulation (AIDAR), Appendix J, “Direct USAID Contracts With a Cooperating Country National and with a Third Country National for Personal Services Abroad,” including contract clause “General Provisions,” available at https://www.usaid.gov/ads/policy/300/aidar
2. Contract Cover Page form AID 309-1 available at https://www.usaid.gov/forms. Pricing by line item is to be determined upon contract award.
LINE ITEMS
ITEM NO (A) - 0001
SUPPLIES/SERVICES (DESCRIPTION) (B) - Compensation, Fringe Benefits and Other Direct Costs (ODCs)
- Award Type: Cost
- Product Service Code: [ R497]
- Accounting Info: [insert one or more
citation(s) from Phoenix/GLAAS]

QUANTITY (C) - 1

UNIT (D) - LOT
UNIT PRICE (E) - $ TBD
AMOUNT (F) - $_TBD at Award after negotiations with Contractor_

3. Acquisition & Assistance Policy Directives/Contract Information Bulletins (AAPDs/CIBs) for Personal Services Contracts with Individuals available at http://www.usaid.gov/work-usaid/aapds-cibs.
4. Ethical Conduct. By the acceptance of a USAID personal services contract as an individual, the contractor will be acknowledging receipt of the “Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch,” available from the U.S. Office of Government Ethics, in accordance with General Provision 2 and 5 CFR 2635. See https://www.oge.gov/web/oge.nsf/resources_standards-of-conduct.
5. PSC Ombudsman
The PSC Ombudsman serves as a resource for any Personal Services Contractor who has entered into a contract with the United States Agency for International Development and is available to provide clarity on their specific contract with the agency. Please visit our page for additional information: https://www.usaid.gov/work-usaid/personal-service-contracts-ombudsman.

The PSC Ombudsman may be contacted via: PSCOmbudsman@usaid.gov.

6. FAR Provisions Incorporated by Reference
52.204-27 PROHIBITION ON A BYTEDANCE COVERED APPLICATION JUN 2023