USAID Lead Procurement Analyst

Job Title:Lead Procurement Analyst

Agency:U.S. Agency for International Development

Job Announcement Number:13-0162-ASH

SALARY RANGE:	$105,211.00 to $136,771.00 / Per Year
OPEN PERIOD:	Friday, May 10, 2013 to Monday, May 20, 2013
SERIES & GRADE:	GS-1102-14
POSITION INFORMATION:	Full-time appointment in the Competitive Service. This position IS in the bargaining unit. - Permanent
PROMOTION POTENTIAL: 14
DUTY LOCATIONS:	1 vacancy - Washington DC Metro Area, DC, US
WHO MAY APPLY:	USAID employees currently in permanent (career or career-conditional), competitive, civil service positions, including those eligible under the Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP).

 

JOB SUMMARY:

“Since its founding in 1961, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) has invested in innovative, cost-effective solutions that save millions of lives…” 

USAID is an independent Federal Government agency that receives overall foreign policy guidance from the Secretary of State.  With headquarters in Washington, D.C., USAID fosters transformational development around the world to support economic growth and trade; agriculture and the environment; education and training; democracy and governance; global health; global partnerships and humanitarian assistance.  The Agency operates in four regions of the world:  Sub-Saharan Africa; Asia and the Near East; Latin America and the Caribbean; and Europe and Eurasia.  USAID employees in the Civil Service and Foreign Service, as well as individuals employed through Personal Service Contracts, must adhere to our Counter Trafficking in Persons Code of Conduct.  For more information on USAID please click on the following link: http://www.usaid.gov/

This position is located in the Bureau for Management, Office of Acquisition and Assistance (M/OAA), at the State Annex (SA-44), in the Federal Center Plaza Building, whose mission is responsible for directing and managing its worldwide acquisition and assistance program and, as such, it’s integral and critical to the delivery of the Agency’s annual development and humanitarian assistance program portfolios.  

As a Lead Procurement Analyst with full responsibility for supporting M/OAA’s strategic and operational goals, objectives, priorities, and special initiatives in all areas of acquisition and assistance delegated to the Director, M/OAA. In addition, key lead responsibilities of the analyst includes implementation and integration of the principles of USAID FORWARD in acquisition and assistance functions worldwide and supporting the Secretariat functions of the BAAR with respect to acquisition and assistance awards, both proposed and existing, subject to review by the BAAR.

If you are interested in applying for this position you are encouraged to read the vacancy announcement in its entirety, and apply following the instructions listed under “How To Apply”. 

In order to be considered for this position, all applications and required supporting documents must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. of the closing date of the announcement. Failure to submit required documents may result in your application being “Incomplete” and therefore receiving no further consideration. 

KEY REQUIREMENTS

• Must be a US Citizen or National
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a SECRET level security clearance
• Males born after 12/31/1959, must be registered with the Selective Service

---

DUTIES:

• Provides guidance for operating units and COs and AOs for preparing and submitting their submissions to the BAAR including preparation, dissemination and explanation of checklists, guides and practical tips. Answers inquiries, reviews and provides guidance with respect to preliminary and final submissions to the BAAR covering proposed contracts and grants from Missions and from AID/W that meet one or more specified thresholds, including the threshold requirements for advance notification to Congress specified in the Conference Report for the 2010 Department of State, Foreign Operations and Related Appropriations Act (Public Law 111-117, Division F).
• Provides overall day-to-day operational management and oversight of the BAAR Secretariat function, with acquisition and assistance planning responsibilities for the Agency’s largest, high profile awards.
• Coordinates with the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business (OSDBU) regarding the respective missions and functions of OSDBU and the BAAR. In cooperation with OSDBU and the Agency Competition Advocate, works with Agency operating units to find opportunities to enhance competition, increase transparency, expand opportunities for U.S.-based small, women-owned, and minority-owned organizations, and promote innovative approaches.
• Accomplishes work related to the conceptualization, planning, design, documentation, solicitation, award and evaluation of large, complex acquisition and assistance implementing mechanisms, both proposed and existing, with special emphasis on large Indefinite Quantity Indefinite Delivery contracts (IDIQs),Leader With Associate awards (LWAs), and large sole source acquisition and assistance awards subject to review by the BAAR.
• Assists the Director of the Bureau for Management, Office of Acquisition and Assistance, and his key supervisory staff on urgent and critically sensitive acquisition and assistance initiatives supporting USAID FORWARD, procurement reform, and acquisition and assistance streamlining, and
• Performs a wide variety of analytic and management duties related to special projects and initiatives involving complex acquisition and assistance issues that involve novel, sensitive or other complicating elements. Undertakes, manages and oversees special tasks and assignments central to accomplishment of crosscutting initiatives and special projects. These initiatives and special projects typically arise out of new legislation or Congressional oversight, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) initiatives and requirements, Government Accountability Office audits and reports, Office of Inspector General activities, inter-agency collaboration, or intra-agency working groups, task forces, and special purpose teams developing and implementing new agency-wide or M/OAA specific initiatives.

---

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:

In order for your application to be considered, you must meet the following core competencies and knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics (KSAOC’s) by the closing date of this announcement. 

Note:  Narratives are not required, but your answers to the assessment questions, that attest to your work experience, and KSAOC’s must be supported in your resume at the next lower grade level by the closing date of this announcement.

• Technical Competence
• Oral Communication
• Written Communication
• Reasoning
• Contracting/Procurement
• Reading

1. Mastery of contracting methods, contract types and contract administration policies and procedures, federal acquisition regulations, and public laws.
2. Mastery knowledge of acquisition and assistance planning beginning with project planning and design in accordance with ADS 201 and ADS 300 and continuing through award.
3. Expert knowledge of assistance policies and practices applicable to Leader With Associate awards (LWAs).

To qualify for this position at the GS-14 level you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 grade level in the Federal Service.  Examples of qualifyingspecialized experience include: knowledge of contracting principles, laws, regulations and procedures applicable to pre-award and/or post-award actions sufficient to procure and/or administer contracts for major development, testing, and/or production, or mastery of a procurement functional area sufficient to provide expert technical leadership, staff coordination, and consultation including responsibility for formulating guidelines, implementing new developments, and providing policy interpretation. One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-time work is considered on a prorated basis.

Basic Requirements for GS-13 and Above

1. Completion of all mandatory training prescribed by the head of the agency for progression to GS-13 or higher level contracting positions, including at least 4-years experience in contracting or related positions. At least 1 year of that experience must have been specialized experience at or equivalent to work at the next lower level of the position, and must have provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the work of the position.
   AND
2. A 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor’s degree, that included or was supplemented by at least 24 semester hours in any combination of the following fields: accounting, business, finance, law, contracts, purchasing, economics, industrial management, marketing, quantitative methods, or organization and management.
3. Exceptions: Employees in GS-1102 positions will be considered to have met the standard for positions they occupy on January 1, 2000. This also applies to positions at the same grade in the same agency or other agencies if the specialized experience requirements are met. However, they will have to meet the basic requirements and specialized experience requirements in order to qualify for promotion to a higher grade, unless granted a waiver under Paragraph D.
4. Waiver: When filling a specific vacant position, the senior procurement executive of the selecting agency, at his or her discretion, may waive any or all of the requirements of Paragraphs A and B above if the senior procurement executive certifies that the applicant possesses significant potential for advancement to levels of greater responsibility and authority, based on demonstrated analytical and decision making capabilities, job performance, and qualifying experience. With respect to each waiver granted under this Paragraph D, the senior procurement executive must document for the record the basis of the waiver. If an individual is placed in a position in an agency on the basis of a waiver, the agency may later reassign that individual to another position at the same grade within that agency without additional waiver action.

Time-in-grade requirements must be met by the closing date.  This means that you must have served at least 52 weeks at the next grade level (or equivalent) below the grade advertised on this vacancy announcement.  This requirement does not apply when applying under the Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) competitive appointing authority.  This allows veterans that meet the criteria below to apply to announcements open to Federal employees only. To be eligible for a VEOA appointment, your latest discharge must be issued under honorable conditions (this means an honorable or general discharge), AND you must be either:

• a preference eligible (defined in title 5 U.S.C. 2108(3)), OR
• a veteran who substantially completed 3 or more years of active service. 

Points are not adjudicated and preference is not applied under this type of announcement.

Interagency Career Transition Program/Career Transition Program: This program applies to Federal workers whose positions have been deemed ‘surplus’ or no longer needed, or an employee has been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service.  For information on how to apply and what documents to submit as a ICTAP or CTAP eligible, go to: http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp

Interchange Agreement with Other Merit Systems:  An agency may noncompetitively appoint an employee covered by an interchange agreement to a career or career-conditional appointment subject to the conditions listed below.  For mor information to determine if you meet this criteria, please go to: http://www.opm.gov/hr_practitioners/lawsregulations/appointingauthorities/index.asp%23InterchangeAgreementsWithOtherMeritSystems

HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED:

Your application includes your:

1. Resume

2. Responses to the online questions, and

3. Required documents.

We use a multi-step process to evaluate and refer applicants: Qualified applicants receive a score of 70 to 100 . You will be rated on your qualifications for this position as evidenced by the education, experience, and training you report on relative to this position that shows the degree to which you possess the  competencies listed on this vacancy announcement. 

USAID must be able to conduct reference checks as part of its assessment process. Applicants who do not permit reference checks from previous/current employers may be disqualified. 

To preview questions please click here.

---

BENEFITS:

Working for USAID offers a comprehensive benefits package. You may explore the major benefits offered to most Federal employees at by clicking on the link: Federal Benefits

OTHER INFORMATION:

DIRECT DEPOSIT: All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing.

SELECTIVE SERVICE:  The Defense Authorization Act of 1986 requires that all male applicants born after 12/31/59 who are required to register under the Military Selective Service Act, be registered or they are not eligible for appointment to this position.  For further information concerning Selective Service requirements, please visit http://www.sss.gov/.

TESTING DESIGNATED POSITIONS: These are Testing Designated Positions (TDPs) under the Agency’s approved Drug-Free Work Place Program. All applicants selected for this position will be subject to random drug testing once they begin working for the Agency. 

RELOCATION OR MOVING EXPENSES: Will not be paid.

CAREER TRANSITION PROGRAM: This program applies to Federal workers whose positions have been deemed ‘surplus’ or no longer needed, or an employee has been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service.  For information on how to apply and what documents to submit as a ICTAP or CTAP eligible, go to: http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp

Interchange Agreement with Other Merit Systems:  An agency may non competitively appoint an employee covered by an interchange agreement to a career or career-conditional appointment subject to the conditions listed below.  For more information to determine if you meet this criteria, please go to: http://www.opm.gov/hr_practitioners/lawsregulations/appointingauthorities/index.asp#InterchangeAgreementsWithOtherMeritSystems

Additional selections may be made from any certificate of eligibles that result from this announcement.

For more information please click on the following links:

EEO Policy Statement

Reasonable Accommodation

Telework

People with Disabilities

METRO ACCESS: This position is located at State Annex (SA-44) in the Federal Center Plaza building, 301 4th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20547, within close proximity to the Federal Center Southwest and L’Enfant Plaza metro stations. www.wmata.com  

---

HOW TO APPLY:

Back to top

The following instructions outline our application process.  You must complete this on-line application process and submit any applicable required documents by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement. If applying on-line poses an extreme hardship, you must contact the human resources office no later than two business days prior to the closing date of this vacancy announcement.  An alternative application method will provided upon approval of the hardship notification. After this time, requests to apply via alternative methods will not be granted. 

Please note that all required documents must be received by the closing date, via online or alternative methods, and that we will determine your eligibility and qualifications based solely on the material received by the closing date.

Step 1 - Review the Job Announcement
Before you apply, we suggest you review the entire job announcement.  Pay close attention to the Major Duties section and the How You Will Be Evaluated section where you will see the areas upon which your application will be evaluated and a link for previewing online questions.

Step 2 - Create or Upload a resume with USAJOBS (www.usajobs.gov)

-Create or upload a resume in USAJOBS. You may wish to customize your resume to ensure it supports your responses to the online questions and addresses the Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section of the job announcement.  For resume tips, click here.

-Although you must enter your Social Security Number (SSN) for USAJOBS, we will only see the last four digits for identification purposes.

Step 3 - Apply Online
Click the “Apply Online” button on this announcement and then select the resume you wish to submit with your application. You will be redirected to the Department of the Treasury’s CareerConnector website to complete the application process.

Step 4 - Answer the Online Questions and Submit Your Online Application
If this is your first time on Treasury’s CareerConnector website, you will be prompted to register by answering questions related to your eligibility for Federal employment. The system will save these responses and take you back to the main screen so that you can answer the job-specific questions. Select “Take me to the assessment” and click on the “Next” button to answer the job-specific questions. You must answer all the questions and click the “Finish” button.

Step 5 - Review and Confirm Your Submission
You will now have the option to upload a document or print fax cover-sheets for documents (see Step 6 for details). Once you click “Done,” you will see a summary of your application for your review. You may also print a copy for your records. When you click “Finish” at the bottom of the page, you will then be directed back to USAJOBS where you can confirm that your application has been submitted and track your application status.

Step 6 - Submit Documents
You can submit any applicable required or optional documents (see below) by document upload, fax, or e-mail. Whichever method you choose, please include the job announcement number with your documents. To protect your privacy, we encourage you to remove your SSN from any documents that you submit. Failure to submit required documents may result in your application being “Incomplete” and therefore receiving no further consideration.

Document Upload: You may upload documents in one of two ways:
1.    Once you finish answering the questions in the job announcement, you will be prompted to upload your document(s) to your application.  You will be given the choice to either upload the document as part of the application process or you can select a document that you’ve already loaded on USAJOBS.  Or

2.    You can upload a document to an existing application by logging into your USAJOBS account profile.  Click on “My Applications” and search for the vacancy.  Once you’ve located the vacancy, click on the vacancy and select “Apply Online.”  Move through your existing application to the Documents page and select Upload in order to add a document to your application.  Be certain to review your complete application for confirmation that the document uploaded. In the Application Review section, you may verify acceptance of your documents in Career Connector if you see them listed on the “Vacancy Documents” screen. Then, click on “Finished” to be returned to USAJOBS.

Fax: Print a fax cover-sheet in Career Connector by following the “Faxing Supporting Documentation” instructions.  The fax number will be provided on the cover-sheet.

If you are having difficulty within the Career Connector system and need technical assistance please email the help desk at careerconnectorhelp@treasury.gov. The help desk is available to assist you during the hours of 8:00 am- 4:30 pm EST. 

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:

• Resume showing relevant experience.
• Most recent copy of your SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action); your document must reflect grade, step, tenure code “1” (Career) or “2” (Career-Conditional) Appointments ONLY, and type of position occupied.  
• Most recent performance appraisal

Failure to submit required documents may result in your application being “Incomplete” and therefore receiving no further consideration.

AGENCY CONTACT INFO:

Alice Holland
Phone: 202-712-1083
Fax: 202-216-3368
Email: alholland@usaid.gov

Agency Information:
United States Agency for International Development
1300 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington , DC
20523-0016
US
Fax: 202-216-3368

 

WHAT TO EXPECT NEXT:

Applicants are evaluated using an automated applicant assessment system.  After determining basic eligibility and qualifications, the supplemental questionnaire will be used to identify the best qualified applicants to be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and possible interviews. 

After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation.  A final job offer is contingent upon a favorable suitability determination and a favorable SECRET level security clearance investigation and determination.

You may check the status of your application for this position at any time by logging onto the USAJOBS “My Account” tab and clicking on “Application Status.”  

You will receive final notification via email when this vacancy has been filled. Please notify us if your contact information changes after the closing date of the announcement. Also, note that if you provide an email address that is inaccurate or if your mailbox is full or blocked (e.g., spam-blocker), you may not receive important communication that could affect your consideration for this position.