Small Business Specialist

Job Description

Summary

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 position is located in the USAID Annex (UA) Building, 500 D Street, S.W., Washington, D.C in the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU).

Responsibilities

USAID has updated this vacancy announcement to correct an administrative error with the Hiring Paths for this vacancy announcement. This error will not affect the eligibility or numerical ranking of your application.

As a Small Business Specialist, you will:

• Analyze buying activities’ procurement plans to identify opportunities for U.S. based small business concerns, and to ensure proper application of U.S. small business programs.
• Organize and conduct vendor outreach activities to increase the Agency’s small business vendor base.
• Advise U.S. based small business concerns on the acquisition process and the means to conduct business with the Federal government.
• Assist small business concerns to address debriefings, responses to Sources Sought Notices, and other pre-award and post-award administrative issues.
• Collaborate with senior managers to address and resolve difficult issues, specific situations, or problems.
• Review, analyze, and interpret contracting policy to identify alternative courses of action.
• Utilize beta.SAM.gov, System for Awards Management, and other related acquisition and assistance systems to identify capable small business concerns, and to track the Agency’s acquisition and assistance announcements and activities.
• Promote U.S. based small business programs. Maintain a working knowledge of the changes to small business programs, related statutes, laws, regulations, etc.

Conditions of Employment

• United States Citizenship is required.
• Relevant experience (see Qualifications below).
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a security clearance.
• Time in grade must be met by the closing date of the vacancy announcement.
• Males born after 12/31/1959, must be registered with the Selective Service.
• Most recent SF-50 showing tenure code “1” or “2” (see Required Documents).

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.

Qualifications

GS-13: You must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-12 level in the Federal service. One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-time work is considered on a prorated basis. Examples of qualifying specialized experience at the next lower level for this position includes:

• (a) Conducting reviews of buying activity’s proposed acquisition strategy for procurement requests to determine the application of small business programs and opportunities;
• (b) providing guidance to Contracting and Program regarding proper market research and the utilization of various Federal small business search engines;
• (c) advising the small business community of business opportunities with the organization through various forms of media;
• (d) Organizing and conducting Vendor Outreach Sessions (VOS) to increase the Agency’s small business vendor base; and
• (e) independently performing the full range of small business reviews resolving complex pre solicitation and market research related problems requiring new approaches.

Experience refers to 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, relevant to the duties of the position to be filled, including volunteer experience.

Education
This position does not have a positive education requirement. Therefore, ​no Transcripts are required.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
We will review your application package to ensure you meet the job and eligibility requirements, including the education and/or experience required for this position. If you meet the minimum qualifications stated in the vacancy announcement, we will compare your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation to your responses on the scored occupational questionnaire (True/False, Yes/ No, Multiple Choice questions) to determine if your answers to the assessment questionnaire are supported in your resume. If your answers to the online assessment questionnaire are not supported in the resume it will affect your eligibility for further consideration. You may be found “not qualified” if you do not possess the minimum competencies required for the position. If your application is incomplete, we will rate you as ineligible. Candidates that are rated as Highly Qualified will be referred to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview.

The scored occupational questionnaire will evaluate you on the following competencies:

• Collaboration
• Problem Solving
• Planning and Evaluating
• Oral Communication
• Written Communication
• Technology Application

Required Documents

• Resume showing relevant experience.
• CTAP; ICTAP Eligibles: Must submit a copy of the appropriate documentation such as a reduction-in-force (RIF) separation notice, a SF-50 reflecting your RIF separation, or a notice of proposed removal for declining a direct reassign or transfer of function to another commuting area.
• If this position requires proof of higher education, you must include a copy of your transcript (unofficial or official) or a list of courses that includes the following information: name of accredited institution, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. Please refer to http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/policy/ApplicationOfStds-04.asp for more information. Please be advised that an official transcript will be required if you are selected for the position.
• 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), and type of position occupied.
• Veterans’ documentation, if requesting consideration under any Veterans’ hiring eligibilities (veterans’ preference and Veterans Employment Opportunities Act). If seeking eligibility based on any other special hiring authority (e.g. disabled veteran, Schedule A, special hiring programs).
• Peace Corps letter

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from .
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

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.

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.