Contracting Officer

Job Description

Summary

USAID is the world’s premier international development agency and a catalytic actor driving development results. USAID works to help lift lives, build communities, and advance democracy. USAID’s work advances U.S. national security and economic prosperity; demonstrates American generosity; and promotes a path to recipient self-reliance and resilience. We operate in five regions of the world: Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Europe and Eurasia.

Duties

Key member of USAID Missions in-country development team supporting and/or leading various elements of the USAID program cycle, including strategic planning, project design, activity design, and activity implementation. Assists with strategic planning and project design by analyzing resources needed to effectively implement and manage technical assistance.

Supports technical offices in understanding planning and design considerations. Supports the design of activities through which USAID projects are implemented. Analyzes activity requirements; recommends or requires, as appropriate, revisions to statements of work/activity requirement; and determines the appropriate type of acquisition or assistance instrument.

Exercises warrant authority with independent judgment in selecting implementing partners and managing the processes leading to implementing partner selection. Develops, and administers solicitations leading to contracts, grants, and other agreements with individuals, firms, and institutions to carry out USAID financed activities. Ensures integrity and fairness throughout USAID Acquisition & Assistance processes. Leads technical evaluation process of proposals/applications for USAID funded projects. Leads selection of implementing partners, award monitoring and maintenance.

Performs cost and price analysis and leads negotiations to determine fairness and reasonableness of proposed price/costs and budgets. Prepares records documentation to explain rationale and methods used in arriving at final cost recommended for award.

Monitors contractor performance for compliance with applicable laws and regulations, delivery schedules, payment provisions, contract data reporting requirements, and satisfactory progress toward achieving contracted-for results and deliverables. Engages with host country officials and implementing partners on a variety of implementation issues.

Delegates authority for day to day implementation management to qualified agency staff and works through and with these officials in providing management oversight (monitoring) over implementing partner performance.

Performs final closeout of assigned contracts/agreements; e.g., assures delivery, inspection and acceptance of contractual end items and that all administrative and reporting actions have been resolved before recommending final closeout of the contract. Continuously updates practices to incorporate changes in Agency policies, priorities, and initiatives.

Develops self and other members of the Acquisition & Assistance workforce to assume increasing levels of responsibility and technical acumen within their respective roles.

You are encouraged to read the entire announcement before you submit your application package. Your application may not receive full consideration if you do not follow the instructions as outlined.This is a Foreign Service announcement. Worldwide availability is a requirement of the position. Successful candidates must be available to work in any country in the world where USAID has a presence. Here is the link to the current list of countries

Supervises staff.

Requirements Conditions of Employment

• United States Citizenship is required.
• Relevant education and experience, see Qualifications below.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret Security clearance.
• Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered with the Selective Service. If selected, the applicant must sign a statement certifying his registration, or the applicant must demonstrate exempt status under the Selective Service Law.
• Worldwide Availability. Worldwide availability is a requirement of the position. While USAID uses a bidding system for assignments, Foreign Service Officers must be willing and available to accept assignments to any country where USAID operates.
• Must be between 18 and 59 years old at time of application, unless the applicant is a Veteran. Veteran, must be between 18 and 64 years old at time of application.
• Class 1 Medical Clearance (no identifiable medical condition that would limit assignment). A medical clearance or waiver is required prior to being hired for this position verifying that the applicant is able to serve at any USAID overseas post.
• Foreign Language Proficiency is not required to apply; however, applicants who demonstrate proficiency in a USAID tenuring language will have an opportunity to test via phone for bonus points to be added to their interview score.
• Drug Testing. These are Testing Designated Positions under the Agency’s approved Drug Free WorkPlace Program. All applicants selected for this position will be subject to random drug testing once they begin working for the Agency.
• Languages: Bilingual preferred; at a minimum, the ability to communicate proficiently in a second spoken or signed language.

Qualifications

Relevant majors for graduate degrees are business administration, public administration, law, banking, international affairs and/or political science, operations research, procurement and contracting or finance with an emphasis on commerce, trade, or materials management.*

Relevant Professional experience is government and/or commercial contracting or regulatory affairs,
international development, finance with an emphasis on cost analysis and pricing, management
consulting, or public and/or nonprofit administration.
*Transcript submitted MUST HAVE DEGREE CONFERRED DATE Included or it will not be accepted.

”Overseas and diverse working environment includes serving or working in an overseas context or in an economically disadvantaged domestic community (such as an inner city or Indian reservation) for the minimum number of years required, performing work directly related to the advertised Foreign Service Officer position, in which you experienced new cultures, learned foreign languages, encountered different cultures and practices, and/or coordinated and engaged with external partners and local counterparts.

Volunteer experience. Experience includes relevant paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience, that meets the criteria as defined under “relevant work experience”.

Relevant diverse experience includes working and living: (1) in a foreign country, nation, territory, or tribe or (2) in an economically disadvantaged community in the United States. The applicant will need to demonstrate the diverse experience is relevant to the technical competencies for an Foreign Service Contracting Officer listed below. The experience in (1) and (2) above must have been achieved after the Bachelor’s degree and by the close of the announcement.

Competencies:

Technical

Contracting/Procurement - Knowledge of various types of contractual modalities (contracts, grants, agreements, etc.), techniques of negotiation, and administration or regulatory requirements (for example, Federal Acquisitions Regulations). Preserves the integrity of US Government contracting and assures the fair treatment of offerors and implementing partners.

Information Gathering Analysis, and Problem Solving - Locates and effectively analyzes data or information. Assesses reliability and accuracy of information. Accurately summarizes General findings and conclusions verbally or in writing appropriate to audience. Networks formally and informally into communities of practice that focus on the technical areas and portfolio of the officer. Participates effectively in monitoring and evaluation activities.

Communication - Speaks clearly and persuasively. Permits others to express views. Writes clearly, succinctly, and in a professional manner appropriate for the intended audience. Produces written material within established timeframes that are thorough and factually accurate.

Consensus Building - Ability to present positions in a non-confrontational way. Ability to act confidently and decisively within own purview. and support team consensus and moves to implement it.

Customer Service - Identifies customers, both internal and external; Develops and engenders customer-centric focus. Works with more senior officers to prioritize work. Meets established deadlines or negotiates them in face of constraints.

Adaptability and Flexibility - Ability to live in developing countries with difficult conditions such as harsh climate, isolation, civil unrest, quality of local health care, security concerns, pollution levels, and availability of family members employment opportunities. Ability to alter intended course of action to
changing situation and constraints.

Motivation and Empowerment - Communicates and comports self in a way that inspires employee commitment, spirit, pride, and trust. Provides opportunities for others to take responsibility. Supports smart risk taking, learning and adapting, innovation, and alternative solutions generated by other staff.

Education

FS-05: Master’s level degree in a relevant major PLUS two (2) years of relevant work experience WITH a minimum of one (1) year overseas and/or in a diverse domestic environment is required.*
FS-04: Doctorate level degree (PhD, JD) in a relevant major PLUS three (3) years of relevant work
experience WITH a minimum of two (2) years overseas and/or in a diverse domestic environment is
required.*

OR

Master’s level degree in a relevant major PLUS four (4) years of relevant work experience WITH a minimum of two (2) years overseas and/or in a diverse domestic environment is required.*
This vacancy has a reverse grading structure in that grade FS-04 is the higher grade of the 04 and 05.

Relevant majors are business administration, public administration, law, banking, international affairs and/or political science, operations research, procurement and contracting or finance with an emphasis on commerce, trade, or materials management.*

Relevant work experience is government and/or commercial contracting or regulatory affairs, international development, finance with an emphasis on cost analysis and pricing, management consulting, or public and/or nonprofit administration.

*Transcript submitted MUST HAVE DEGREE CONFERRED DATE Included or it will not be accepted.

12 May 2023