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Duties

Summary

This is a bargaining-unit position.
This is not a (drug) testing designated position (TDP).

The Business Opportunity Specialist (BOS) serves as a member of the Massachusetts 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 the District.
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Responsibilities
- 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 Owned Small 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.
At the GS-12 level, operate with a high degree of independence in administering the portfolio of 8(a) businesses and function more independently and with less supervision than GS-9/11 team members. As authorized by the District Director (DD), Deputy District Director or supervisor/team lead, serve as a Senior Staff Mentor (SSM) by providing technical oversight, consultation and training to lower-graded specialists and/or other District Office staff in certain areas such as, but not limited to, contractor or government organizations visits, SBA programs and services training and inquiry response facilitation
Travel Required

50% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.

Supervisory status

No

Promotion Potential

12
Job family (Series)

1101 General Business And Industry
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Requirements

Conditions of Employment
- You must be a US Citizen.
- You must successfully complete a background investigation.
- You may be required to serve on a one-year probationary period.
Qualifications

Basic/Mandatory Education Requirement:

This position has a basic education requirement; you must furnish a copy of your college transcript(s). 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. Successfully completed a four (4) year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with a major in any field. One full year of full-time undergraduate study is 30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours;

OR

2. At least 24 semester hours (36 quarter hours) of education in any combination of the following fields: accounting, business, finance, law, contracts, purchasing, economics, industrial management, marketing, quantitative methods, or organization and management. One full year of full-time undergraduate study is 30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours.

AND

GS-1101-11

Specialized Experience: In addition to the possessing the basic/mandatory education 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 four skill sets with minimal supervision:

(1) 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);

(2) 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);

(3) promoting an organization's programs and services through outreach and marketing;

(4) and/or 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).

These qualifications must be clearly referenced in your resume in order to receive credit. Remember, we cannot assume your experience. Therefore, be very specific when describing your duties in your resume.

OR

Education: 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). One year of full-time graduate education is 18 semester hours or the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. You must submit transcripts (official or unofficial) to support this response. If selected, official transcripts will be required.

OR

Combination: 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. You must submit transcripts (official or unofficial) to support this response. If selected, official transcripts will be required.

GS-1101-12

Specialized Experience: In addition to the possessing the basic/mandatory education 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 to work independently in ALL of the following:

(1) 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); AND

(2) 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); AND

(3) promoting an organization's programs and services through outreach and marketing; AND

(4) 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).

These qualifications must be clearly referenced in your resume in order to receive credit. Remember, we cannot assume your experience. Therefore, be very specific when describing your duties in your resume.

AND

Selective Placement Factor: 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 their certification showing possession of the following selective factor will be rated not qualified:

A. In accordance with the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2013 you must have successfully completed ALL of the mandatory training course requirements and have a Level I Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting (or successor certification) or the equivalent Department of Defense certification.

OR

B. Agree to complete required training within one year of coming on board. You will be required to sign a training agreement if selected.

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.

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).

Telework may be available. For information on Telework visit: http://www.telework.gov/

Additional vacancies may be filled from this vacancy announcement if additional vacancies occur within 180 days of the date the certificates were issued.

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.

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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/10469447. 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' preference will 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.
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Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance

Not Required

Drug test required

No
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Required Documents
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. If selected, official transcripts will be required;
- 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:

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 schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

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.
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Benefits

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. Learn more about federal benefits.

Review our 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.
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How to Apply
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 04/22/2019 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.
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Agency contact information

Kathleen Schrank

Email

kathleen.schrank@sba.gov

Address

Office of Field Operations - Region I
10 Causeway Street
Room 265
Boston, MA 02222
US

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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.

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Fair & Transparent

The Federal hiring process is setup to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

Equal Employment Opportunity Policy
The United States Government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor.
- Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) for federal employees & job applicants
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Reasonable Accommodation Policy
Federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process should follow the instructions in the job opportunity announcement. For any part of the remaining hiring process, applicants should contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

A reasonable accommodation is any change to a job, the work environment, or the way things are usually done that enables an individual with a disability to apply for a job, perform job duties or receive equal access to job benefits.

Under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodations when:
- An applicant with a disability needs an accommodation to have an equal opportunity to apply for a job.
- An employee with a disability needs an accommodation to perform the essential job duties or to gain access to the workplace.
- An employee with a disability needs an accommodation to receive equal access to benefits, such as details, training, and office-sponsored events.
You can request a reasonable accommodation at any time during the application or hiring process or while on the job. Requests are considered on a case-by-case basis.

Learn more about disability employment and reasonable accommodations or how to contact an agency.
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Legal and regulatory guidance

This job originated on www.usajobs.gov. For the full announcement and to apply, visit www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/529958600. Only resumes submitted according to the instructions on the job announcement listed at www.usajobs.gov will be considered.

Business Opportunity Specialist

Overview

Open & closing dates

Service

Pay scale & grade

Salary

Appointment type

Work schedule

Location

Relocation expenses reimbursed

Telework eligible

Duties

Summary

Responsibilities

Travel Required

Supervisory status

Promotion Potential

Job family (Series)