The full performance level of this position is GS-12.
Location: This is a permanent, full-time position located in the Small Business Administration, Office of Field Operations, USVI & PR District Office located in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The Business Opportunity Specialist (BOS) serves as a member of the District Office team and is responsible for the full scope of the Agency's government contracting and business development programs, as well as developing and conducting outreach and training to strengthen and improve business opportunities for eligible small businesses in each District.
This position is concurrently open under Announcement Number 18-160-LAC for Merit Promotion Eligibles.
Summary
This is a Bargaining Unit position.
This is not a testing designated position (TDP).
The full performance level of this position is GS-12.
Location: This is a permanent, full-time position located in the Small Business Administration, Office of Field Operations, USVI & PR District Office located in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The Business Opportunity Specialist (BOS) serves as a member of the District Office team and is responsible for the full scope of the Agency's government contracting and business development programs, as well as developing and conducting outreach and training to strengthen and improve business opportunities for eligible small businesses in each District.
This position is concurrently open under Announcement Number 18-160-LAC for Merit Promotion Eligibles.
Program Compliance and 8(a) Business Development - Completing all assigned 8(a) Annual Reviews and Mentor Protégé/Joint Venture agreements and other programmatic support activities such as other letters, change of ownership requests, waivers, and resolving contracting issues.
Implement and optimize impact and effectiveness of the 8(a) Business Development Program, Small Disadvantaged Business Certification Program (SBD), Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone), Women/Economically Disadvantaged OwnedSmall Business (WOSB/EDWOSB) Program, Service Disabled Veteran (SDVOSB) and Veteran Owned Small Business (VOSB) Program and other small business certification and assistance programs.
Training and Outreach - Public speaking is required to conduct or participate in training and outreach activities such as training 8(a) participants, contracting officers, and SBA Resource Partners.
Small Business Opportunity Assistance - Provide assistance with small businesses, procuring entities, collaborative partners, resource partners and the general public regarding SBA programs and services.
Business Development - Reviews firms' annual business plans and assists with increasing revenue and business development.
Ensure SBA's strategic plan and mission are communicated and achieved by the team by leading or coaching the selection and application of appropriate problem solving methods; identifying, distributing and balancing workload within team; and arranging for professional development and training opportunities.
You must successfully complete a background investigation.
You may be required to serve on a one-year probationary period.
Qualifications
GS-1101-11:
Basic Requirement: This position has a basic education requirement; you must furnish a copy of your transcript of college work completed (unofficial copy is acceptable). Transcripts must include the name of the college or university and date the degree was conferred. Non-submission will result in you being rated not qualified for the position.
1. A four (4) year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with a major in any field; OR
2. 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.
AND Specialized Experience: In addition to the Basic Requirements for this position, your resume must also demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-9 grade level) in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector which includes at least three of the following four skill sets with minimal supervision.
Applying knowledge of federal procurement laws, regulations, policies, and procedures when recruiting, training, educating or developing businesses interested in doing business with the government or prime contractors (e.g. Supplier Training, Supplier Development);
Assisting staff working with government entities and prime contractors to support the accomplishment of their business goals (e.g. Needs Assessment, Requirements Development, Assessment of Business Capabilities, Acquisition Planning);
Promoting an organization's programs and services through outreach and marketing;
Assisting staff to link and match the needs of organizations (government organizations or prime/sub-contractors) to the capabilities of businesses (e.g. Market Research, Supplier Selection, Networking Sessions).
OR Education: Possess a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or three full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M in an accredited college or university related to the position to be filled (i.e. business, finance, accounting). OR
Combination of Experience and Education: Combination of education and experience as specified above. For example, an applicant who has 1.5 full years of Ph.D. level education (i.e. 50% of education required) and 6 months of creditable specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level as described above (i.e. 50% of the required experience) would equate to 100% of the required experience for the position.
GS-1101-12:
Specialized Experience: In addition to the Basic Requirements for this position, your resume must also demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-11 grade level) in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector which demonstrates the ability working independently and includes ALL of the following:
Applying knowledge of federal procurement laws, regulations, policies, and procedures when recruiting, training, educating or developing businesses interested in doing business with the government or prime contractors (e.g. Supplier Training, Supplier Development);
Working with government entities and prime contractors to support the accomplishment of their business goals (e.g. Needs Assessment, Requirements Development, Assessment of Business Capabilities, Acquisition Planning);
Promoting an organization's programs and services through outreach and marketing;
Linking and matching the needs of organizations (government organizations or prime/sub-contractors) to the capabilities of businesses (e.g. Market Research, Supplier Selection, Networking Sessions).
Education may not be substituted for experience at the GS-12 level.
Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualifications Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions. It is available for your review on OPM's Qualifications web site.
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, including volunteer experience.
Selective Placement Factors: This position requires a special qualification that has been determined to be essential to perform the duties and will be used as a screen out element. Those who do not provide evidence they possess the following selective factor(s) will be rated not qualified.
Selective Placement Factor #1:In accordance with the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2016 you must have successfully completed ALL of the mandatory training course requirements to obtain a Level I Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting (or successor certification) or the equivalent Department of Defense certification. You MUST submit your qualifying certification with this application or you will be rated ineligible for consideration. OR
You must agree to complete the training program required to obtain Level I FAC-C certification, as a current or future employee of the SBA, by the date that is one calendar year after the date you are appointed as a Business Opportunity Specialist (you will be required to sign a training agreement if selected).
Selective Placement Factor #2:You must have bilingual skills in English and Spanish (verbal and written) to meet minimum
qualifications. Applicants must certify to this skill as part of their application package. Fluency will be assessed during the interview
process.
All qualification requirements must be met by 11:59 pm (Eastern Time) on the closing date of this vacancy announcement.
Education
APPLICANTS PLEASE NOTE: 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 (particularly positions with a positive education requirement.) Therefore, applicants must report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Verify School accreditation. All education claimed by applicants will be verified by the appointing agency accordingly. *** If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. *** For further information, click on: Foreign Education.
Additional information
SUITABILITY, CLEARANCE & REQUIREMENTS: A background investigation may be required for all new hires. Appointment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements will be grounds for termination.
CTAP/ICTAP APPLICANTS: If you are applying for a special selection priority under SBA's Career Transition Assistance Plan (open to surplus SBA employees only) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (open to surplus and displaced Federal employees), you must submit proof of eligibility. Information about CTAP and ICTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at: CTAP/ICTAP.Those new to the federal government will typically be hired at the lowest rate of the salary range for the grade selected.
Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. For additional information visit www.sss.gov.
Consistent with work requirements and current SBA Policy, and all applicable provisions of the collective bargaining agreement with AFGE the SBA offers employees opportunities to perform work at an alternative location (e.g. home).
Additional vacancies may be filled from this vacancy announcement if additional vacancies occur within 180 days of the closing date.
OTHER EVALUATIONS: The Small Business Administration is committed to building a high-performing, 21st century workforce that possesses the following core attributes: cultural astuteness, technological proficiency, articulate, strong writing capabilities, superior conflict resolution skills, and exceptional presentation skills. Candidates should be prepared as they may be further evaluated on these attributes throughout the application and selection process.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Applicants meeting basic eligibility requirements will be further evaluated based on the information provided in the Occupational Questionnaire. To preview this questionnaire, click on the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/10153915. You will be rated based on your responses to the occupational questionnaire. The occupational questions relate to the following Competencies required to do the work of this position:
Business/Economic Development
Contracting/Procurement
Marketing
Oral Communication
Writing
Your application will be evaluated under the Category Rating method based on your responses to the assessment questions. You will receive a score based on the responses to the assessment questions. If, after reviewing your resume and or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience your score can and will be adjusted to more accurately reflect your abilities. If you meet basic requirements for the position, your application will be evaluated and placed into one of three categories:
1. Best-Qualified: highly proficient with an overall comprehensive level of knowledge, skills and abilities related to the job based on a complete review of experience, education, and training as described in an applicant's responses to the assessment questions and resume. 2. Well-Qualified: competent in the position with an overall accomplished level of knowledge, skills, and abilities related to the job based on a complete review of experience, training, and education as applicable, as described in an applicant's responses to the assessment questions and resume. 3. Qualified: an overall basic level of knowledge, skills, and abilities related to the job based on a complete review of experience, education, and training, as described in an applicant's responses to the assessment questions and resume.
Candidates eligible for veterans' preferencewill be placed ahead of other candidates in the appropriate category for which they have been rated. Additionally, preference eligibles who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent and who meet Minimum Qualification Requirements will automatically be placed in the Best Qualified Category.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
1. Your Resume - must contain the following information:
Name, address, telephone number, email address;
Supervisor's contact information, if available (indicate if you would prefer to be notified before your supervisor is contacted);
Job Title (if Federal Service, provide series and grade; if not in GS plan, provide GS equivalent grade);
If qualifying based on related unpaid (e.g. volunteer service) experience, you must provide hours worked per week and beginning/ending dates (mm/dd/yyyy to mm/dd/yyyy);
If other than full time you must provide hours worked per week.
An integral part of our selection process includes the completion of reference checks. Please provide the names and telephone numbers of three professional references (e.g., current and/or former supervisors, college or university professors, managers or coordinators of volunteer activities, etc.) who know your qualifications relative to this position and who we can contact to verify your credentials. Do not list personal friends or relatives.
PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume/application does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s).
Your resume must contain sufficiently detailed information upon which to make a qualification determination.
Please ensure that your resume contains specific information such as position titles, beginning and ending dates (mm/dd/yyyy - mm/dd/yyyy) of employment for each position, average number of hours worked per week, and if the position is/was in the Federal government, you should provide the position series and grade level.
Should you submit multiple resumes, only the latest uploaded resume will be reviewed.
2. A complete Occupational Questionnaire
3. In addition to the online application (resume and responses to the occupational questionnaire), you are required to submit the following forms, if applicable. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure all documents are legible.
If you are using education as a substitution for experience (the announcement will state whether this is allowed), or if there is an educational requirement for this position, you must submit a copy of your transcripts (unofficial or official) that clearly describes your qualifying education;
Transcript(s): ALL applicants MUST furnish a copy of your college transcript(s), if applicable. Must show name of college to determine accreditation. If qualifying based on
degree, or for positions requiring a degree, the transcript must show date the degree was conferred.
IF SELECTED, you will be required to provide official college transcripts to verify your educational qualifications prior to reporting for work.
If you are claiming Veteran status, you must submit a copy of all required documents to support your claim (to include member 4 copy of your DD-214 showing character of service)--see VetGuide;
Veterans who are still in the service may be granted tentative preference on the basis of information contained in their applications, but they must produce a DD-214 (showing the character of service) or other proof of service to receive consideration for veterans' preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit FedsHireVets.gov.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
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.
Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions will affect your rating. If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience your rating may be adjusted to more accurately reflect your abilities.
To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.
The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 03/21/2018 to receive consideration.
To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
Click the Submit My Answers button to submit your application package.
It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation are submitted prior to the closing date.
To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
Office of Field Operations - Region II
26 Federal Plaza
Suite 3108
New York, NY 10278
US
Next steps
Once your responses to the occupational questionnaire are received by our system, you will be sent an acknowledgement email stating that your submission was successful. After a review of your complete application is made, you will be notified of your rating and/or referral to the hiring official. If further evaluation or interviews are required you will be contacted. During the evaluation and interview process you may be asked to provide written responses to questions or writing samples. You may track the status of the application process through USAJOBS and you will be notified of the outcome.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
1. Your Resume - must contain the following information:
Name, address, telephone number, email address;
Supervisor's contact information, if available (indicate if you would prefer to be notified before your supervisor is contacted);
Job Title (if Federal Service, provide series and grade; if not in GS plan, provide GS equivalent grade);
If qualifying based on related unpaid (e.g. volunteer service) experience, you must provide hours worked per week and beginning/ending dates (mm/dd/yyyy to mm/dd/yyyy);
If other than full time you must provide hours worked per week.
An integral part of our selection process includes the completion of reference checks. Please provide the names and telephone numbers of three professional references (e.g., current and/or former supervisors, college or university professors, managers or coordinators of volunteer activities, etc.) who know your qualifications relative to this position and who we can contact to verify your credentials. Do not list personal friends or relatives.
PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume/application does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s).
Your resume must contain sufficiently detailed information upon which to make a qualification determination.
Please ensure that your resume contains specific information such as position titles, beginning and ending dates (mm/dd/yyyy - mm/dd/yyyy) of employment for each position, average number of hours worked per week, and if the position is/was in the Federal government, you should provide the position series and grade level.
Should you submit multiple resumes, only the latest uploaded resume will be reviewed.
2. A complete Occupational Questionnaire
3. In addition to the online application (resume and responses to the occupational questionnaire), you are required to submit the following forms, if applicable. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure all documents are legible.
If you are using education as a substitution for experience (the announcement will state whether this is allowed), or if there is an educational requirement for this position, you must submit a copy of your transcripts (unofficial or official) that clearly describes your qualifying education;
Transcript(s): ALL applicants MUST furnish a copy of your college transcript(s), if applicable. Must show name of college to determine accreditation. If qualifying based on
degree, or for positions requiring a degree, the transcript must show date the degree was conferred.
IF SELECTED, you will be required to provide official college transcripts to verify your educational qualifications prior to reporting for work.
If you are claiming Veteran status, you must submit a copy of all required documents to support your claim (to include member 4 copy of your DD-214 showing character of service)--see VetGuide;
Veterans who are still in the service may be granted tentative preference on the basis of information contained in their applications, but they must produce a DD-214 (showing the character of service) or other proof of service to receive consideration for veterans' preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit FedsHireVets.gov.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
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.
Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions will affect your rating. If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience your rating may be adjusted to more accurately reflect your abilities.
To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.
The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 03/21/2018 to receive consideration.
To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
Click the Submit My Answers button to submit your application package.
It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation are submitted prior to the closing date.
To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
Office of Field Operations - Region II
26 Federal Plaza
Suite 3108
New York, NY 10278
US
Next steps
Once your responses to the occupational questionnaire are received by our system, you will be sent an acknowledgement email stating that your submission was successful. After a review of your complete application is made, you will be notified of your rating and/or referral to the hiring official. If further evaluation or interviews are required you will be contacted. During the evaluation and interview process you may be asked to provide written responses to questions or writing samples. You may track the status of the application process through USAJOBS and you will be notified of the outcome.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
