The OTI Contract Specialist (OAA) is a full-time Personal Services Contract (PSC) position at the GS-9/11/12 equivalent level and located in Washington, DC. Offers for this position are due no later than December 14, 2021 at 1:00pm Eastern Time. For full information about this position, as well as instructions on how to apply, please read the entire solicitation at www.OTIjobs.net.
INTRODUCTION:
The U. S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is an independent Federal agency which manages the U.S. Government’s foreign assistance program, providing assistance for developing countries around the world in the areas of economic growth and trade, agriculture and the environment, education and training, democracy and governance, reconstruction and stabilization, global health, global partnerships and humanitarian assistance.
Within USAID, the Office of Acquisition and Assistance (OAA) oversees the solicitation, selection, award and administration of contracts, grants and cooperative agreements in support of the agency’s development assistance objectives. Procurement actions may involve the private or the public sectors, international organizations, non-government and private voluntary organizations, educational institutions, and host country organizations (both private and public sector). Because of the unique aspect of implementing procurement actions in an overseas context, USAID has implemented a supplement to the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR), the AID Acquisition Regulations (AIDAR). In the course of a year, total procurement actions (both acquisition and assistance) may exceed $11 billion.
The OAA Washington, DC headquarters deals with both domestic and non-domestic (foreign and international) procurement actions and requires the ability to recognize and understand a broad spectrum of different cultures. In addition to accommodating contractual requirements to very different implementing environments, and reconciling Federal procurement policies and procedures with host countries. This usually is in highly visible and complex countries, and often involves coordination among numerous donor countries and organizations.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
At the GS-9 level:
- Utilize the USAID Global Acquisition and Assistance System (GLAAS) in the process of awards;
- Prepare awards for the Contracting Officer’s signature, including review of the statement of work and market value determinations; budget estimates; necessary terms and conditions and applicable provisions and clauses;
- Prepare no-cost and cost modifications, purchase orders, and administrative procurement modifications;
- Contribute to the design and implementation of new country program operations as related to contractual issues;
- Manage a portfolio of Task Orders (TO), Personal Services Contracts (PSCs) and Purchase Orders (POs) in a high pressure environment;
- Develop and maintain collaborative and effective relationships with CPS/OTI, M/CFO, and other USAID offices and staff of all hiring mechanisms, as appropriate;
- Liaise with OTI Program Managers to assure timely completion of all contracting actions; and,
- Serve on temporary details within OTI, other USAID bureaus/offices, or other USG agencies under this scope of work for a period not to exceed six months. Duties performed while on detail must be directly related to the scope of work. Contracting Officer (CO) approval is required for the temporary detail. Any extension past the six months requires CO approval.
At the GS-11 level:
- Advise the CPS/OTI Program Office on the acquisition and assistance instruments available for use in the implementation of development assistance activities. Assist in the identification of the most appropriate procurement instrument for the specific program objective being addressed;
- Assist technical offices in generating the requisition package to ensure compliance with agency acquisition and assistance policies, regulations and procedures, assist in reviewing acquisition and assistance documents including but not limited to scopes of work, instructions to offers, program statements, and individual acquisition plans, to ensure that performance requirements are clearly stated and contractible;
- Assist OAA staff with the preparation and publication of solicitation documents, ensuring that federal requirements for competition have been adequately addressed; schedule publication/dissemination of solicitation announcements; monitor receipt of offers submitted in response to solicitations; assist in the preparation of documents associated with the technical evaluation of proposals received;
- Upon selection of the successful offeror, assist OAA staff with conducting the research and analysis needed to initiate negotiations, including but not limited to detailed analysis of cost proposals, evaluation of proposed key personnel, and assessment of the viability of proposed schedules and milestones;
- Assist OAA staff in the preparation of the total procurement package, ensuring that all relevant documentation is properly completed, accurate, and timely;
- Following award of the procurement, develop schedules for oversight and administration of the award; identify reporting requirements and monitor compliance with reporting requirements; advise OAA staff on issues stemming from noncompliance with contract terms and/or deadlines;
- Establish close coordination with the Contracting Officer’s Representative/Agreement Officer’s Representative (COR/AOR) on assigned actions; respond to questions from these officials, conferring with the Contracting Officer/Agreement Officer (CO/AO);
- Draft procurement documents, including but not limited to contracts, grants, and cooperative agreements in addition to amendments or terminations;
- Support negotiations on behalf of the OAA principal officer in resolving issues independently to the maximum extent possible; and,
- Serve on temporary details within OTI, other USAID bureaus/offices, or other USG agencies under this scope of work for a period not to exceed six months. Duties performed while on detail must be directly related to the scope of work. Contracting Officer (CO) approval is required for the temporary detail. Any extension past the six months requires CO approval.
At the GS-12 level:
- Advise the program office on the acquisition and assistance instruments available for use in the implementation of development assistance activities. Assist in the identification of the most appropriate procurement instrument for specific program objective being addressed;
- Collaborate with technical offices in generating the requisition package to ensure compliance with agency acquisition and assistance policies, regulations and procedures;
- Assist in reviewing procurement documents including but not limited to scopes or work, instructions to offers, program statement, and individual acquisition plan, to ensure that performance requirements are clearly stated and contractible;
- Assist OAA staff with the preparation and publication of solicitation documents, ensuring that federal requirements for competition have been adequately addressed; schedule publication/dissemination of solicitation announcements; monitor receipt of offers submitted in response to solicitations; assist in the preparation of documents associated with the technical evaluation of proposals received;
- Upon selection of the successful offeror, assist OAA staff with conducting the research and analysis required to initiate negotiations, including but not limited to detailed analysis of cost proposals, evaluation of proposed key personnel, and assessment of the viability of proposed schedules and milestones;
- Collaborate with OAA staff in the preparation of the total procurement package, ensuring that all relevant documentation is properly completed, accurate, and timely;
- Following award of the procurement, develop schedules for oversight and administration of the award; identify reporting requirements and monitors compliance with reporting requirements; advise OAA staff on issues stemming from noncompliance with contract terms and/or deadlines;
- Establish close coordination with the COR/AOR on assigned actions; respond to questions from these officials conferring with the CO/AO;
- Draft procurement documents, including but not limited to contracts, grants and cooperative agreements, in addition to amendments or terminations;
- Support negotiations on behalf of the OAA principal officer, resolving issues independently to the maximum extent possible; and,
- Serve on temporary details within OTI, other USAID bureaus/offices, or other USG agencies under this scope of work for a period not to exceed six months. Duties performed while on detail must be directly related to the scope of work. Contracting Officer (CO) approval is required for the temporary detail. Any extension past the six months requires CO approval.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
At the GS-9 level:
- A Master’s Degree with two (2) years of work experience;
OR
A Bachelor’s Degree with three (3) years of work experience;
OR
An Associate’s Degree with four (4) years of work experience;
AND
- At least one (1) year of work experience directly related to contracting work, including but not limited to issuing or responding to solicitations for cost reimbursement, time and materials contracts, negotiating cost/price, terms, and /or other elements of such contracts.
At the GS-11 level:
- A Master’s Degree with three (3) years of work experience;
OR
A Bachelor’s Degree with four (4) years of work experience;
OR
An Associate’s Degree with five (5) years of work experience;
AND
- At least two (2) years of work experience directly related to contracting work, including but not limited to issuing or responding to solicitations for cost reimbursement, time and materials contracts, negotiating cost/price, terms, and /or other elements of such contracts.
At the GS-12 level:
- A Master’s Degree with four (4) years of work experience;
OR
A Bachelor’s Degree with five (5) years of work experience;
OR
An Associate’s Degree with six (6) years of work experience;
AND
- At least three (3) years of work experience directly related to contracting work, including but not limited to issuing or responding to solicitations for cost reimbursement, time and materials contracts, negotiating cost/price, terms, and /or other elements of such contracts.
Please direct questions about this position or the offer process to the OTI Recruitment Team at otijobs@usaid.gov.
How to apply
For full information about this position, as well as instructions on how to apply, please visit www.OTIjobs.net.