SOLICITATION NOTICE
99 -- Foreign Service Assignments Officer - Solicitation
- Notice Date
- 3/13/2018
- Notice Type
- Combined Synopsis/Solicitation
- NAICS
- 921190
— Other General Government Support
- Contracting Office
- Department of State, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, Grants, Acquisitions, Procurement and Policy Division (INL/RM/GAPP), SA-4 Navy Hill, South Building, 2430 E Street, N.W., Washington, District of Columbia, 20037, United States
- ZIP Code
- 20037
- Solicitation Number
- PSC-18-016-INL
- Archive Date
- 4/11/2018
- Point of Contact
- Dominique A. Chittum, Phone: 2027369146
- E-Mail Address
-
ChittumDA@state.gov
(ChittumDA@state.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- Solicitation GENERAL STATEMENT OF THE PURPOSE OF THIS CONTRACT AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CONTRACTOR: This position is located in the Office of Resource Management, Bureau of International Narcotics, and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL/RM). The Bureau has overall responsibility for the development, supervision, and implementation of international narcotics control assistance activities and for international criminal justice issues for the Department of State. The Foreign Service Assignments Officer (FSAO) will perform duties related to both domestic and foreign assignments, and will supplement existing staff during times of heavy workload, when staff shortages occur, or when expertise is required for specific projects. Relationship: The FSAO receives administrative direction from the Administrative Officer, but acts with a high degree of independence in planning, scheduling, and completing work, within the framework of delegated authority. Many assignments are self-initiated based on the FSAO's assessment of post requirements and the means to meet them. As the primary liaison with post personnel, regional bureau staff, and office of Career Development and Assignments (HR/CDA) in the Bureau of Human Resources (HR), the FSAO has broad latitude in coordinating work efforts, and plays a key role in ensuring that posts operate effectively and in compliance with relevant regulations. The FSAO uses a high degree of expertise and independent judgment in developing, consulting, coordinating, and executing programs to achieve compliance with legal and regulatory requirements and organizational goals and objectives, and resolves all but the most complex and sensitive issues. Recommendations and decisions are assumed to be technically accurate, and work is reviewed in terms of the overall effectiveness of the efforts by management within INL/RM as well as by program office staff, post officials, and others who rely on the FSAO's advice and support. Duties and Responsibilities: •Manages the Foreign Service Assignments process, providing expert advice and guidance to senior Bureau managers on all aspects of Foreign Service position management, recruitment, assignment, and evaluation. •Counsels Foreign Service staff on all assignment related questions and provides support and guidance to those individuals who have been offered positions within the Bureau. •Coordinates all FS issues with the appropriate offices within the Bureau of Human Resources, e.g., HR/CDA and HR/PE, resolving issues pertaining to FS assignments and performance, and recommends ways to improve or streamline the process. •Oversees suggestion and award, quality, and or productivity programs related to these activities. Analyzes and evaluates, on a quantitative or qualitative basis, the effectiveness of programs or operations in meeting established goals and objectives. •Liaises with colleagues and professional contacts in other bureaus whose work and role are relevant to supporting INL, including but not limited to Diplomatic Security, the Office of Medical Services, HR/CDA, the Family Liaison Office, the Office of Foreign Missions, Office of Allowances, and others as required. •Analyzes administrative processes and/or agency programs for the Executive Director, with particular emphasis on management and implementation of an effective program in meeting Foreign Service human resources goals and objectives for the Bureau and its worldwide operations. •Identifies problem areas and opportunities for improvement and provides fully staffed recommendations to management, including the Assistant Secretary and Deputy Assistant Secretaries. This encompasses issues such as streamlining processes, assessing the feasibility of automated systems for meeting the Bureau's HR responsibilities, standardizing operations, or collaborating with other organizations on mutual responsibilities, improved management practices or the impact of new or proposed legislation or regulations on HR programs. •Communicates with colleagues, agency management, and other contacts outside the agency to gather and analyze information about these agency processes and programs. Personal Contacts: •Contacts include subject matter experts throughout the Department, as well as officials from traditional foreign affairs and other USG agencies, e.g. USAID and the Departments of Defense and Justice. Contacts occur in a variety of structured and unstructured settings, and require highly developed communication, negotiation, and conflict resolution and leadership skills to attain desired results. Purpose of Contacts •Contacts are to influence, motivate, or persuade people or groups to accept opinions or to take actions related to the goals and objective of INL programs, and/or involve the commitment or distribution of major resources. The FSAO may encounter opposition or resistance due to significant organizational conflicts, competing objectives, major resource limitations, or reductions. As the INL representative in these settings, the FSAO must use tact and professionalism in persuading stakeholders of the merits of INL positions in order to achieve consensus and buy-in for INL objectives. Physical Demands •The work generally does not impose unusual physical demands. •Periodic travel of varying duration may be required. Work Environment •The majority of the work is performed in a standard office setting. Guidelines •Guidelines consist of basic USG, Department of State, and Bureau-level policies and regulations covering various administrative and management functions and programs, as well as country and local laws. These guidelines provide the basic information but often lack specificity and definitive answers or solutions, and thus are insufficient in dealing with unique or unusual situations. Further, due to changing political climates and regional responsibilities, the FSAO must reevaluate their applicability in light of changing situations, and determine when to deviate from standard approaches in developing appropriate strategies and processes to meet INL requirements. The FSAO uses a high degree of judgment, discretion, and ingenuity in interpreting and applying the intent of these guidelines, and in revising current policy and regulatory guidance for use by others. Complexity •The work involves providing expert analytical and advisory support for the planning, development and execution of INL policies and programs domestically, supporting INL missions at posts, and resolving a broad range of administrative and management issues using different and unrelated approaches and techniques in an environment of time-sensitive pressures and deadlines. •The FSAO develops detailed plans, goals, and objectives for the long-range implementation of INL assignments at posts, as well as delivery of critical administrative services and guidance. The work necessitates handling multiple actions, problems, and relationships concurrently. Decisions on how to proceed are often complicated by conflicting goals and objectives of post management, host nation laws and requirements, and world events. Decisions and actions must also take into account the precedents that are being set, or at least the perception that precedents are being set, and the long-term implications of short-term solutions. •The FSAO must deliver service and resolve problems in this environment, and ensure that all stakeholders are satisfied with the results of his/her decisions and recommendations. Scope and Effect •The purposes of the work are to collaborate with management in the Department in providing prompt and effective administrative support of the assignment of FS personnel domestically and at INL positions at posts; support INL missions at posts in engaging their administrative and personnel resources as effectively as possible; liaise with relevant Bureaus and USG agencies to ensure that INL's best interests are protected; and ensure that administrative and substantive policies are mutually compatible. •The FSAO's efforts play a critical role in ensuring that posts' administrative, operational, and managerial requirements are met to ensure their effective operations and ability to carry out their public diplomacy missions. Minimum Qualifications: 1.U.S. citizenship, with the ability to obtain and maintain a Department of State Secret security clearance. 2.Bachelor's degree from an accredited U.S. institution in Business Administration, Public Administration, or Human Resources. 3.Specialized Experience: Three (3) years of experience demonstrating the following: •Program and organizational analysis principles, methods, practices and techniques; and interpersonal relations practices and the skill to apply this mastery in developing new methods and approaches in planning, integrating, and evaluating programs for an agency. •Knowledge and skill to advise other specialists in and outside an agency, as well as top managers and decision-makers, on issues of developing, communicating, or enhancing program matters involving interaction with all of the agency's publics, both nationally and internationally. •Skills to plan, organize, and direct team study work or to negotiate effectively with management to accept and implement recommendations where the proposals involve substantial agency resources (financial or human resources), require extensive changes in established procedures, or may be in conflict with the desires of the activity studied. Evaluation Criteria: Factor 1Concepts and Practice(20 points) Offeror demonstrates knowledge of the concepts, principles, practices, laws, and regulations associated with the broad areas of organization and management principals, practices and techniques and interpersonal relations practices in order to manage and evaluate programs for the Bureau. Experience would display applicant's knowledge of the full range of administrative and management policies and procedures applicable to these functions and an understanding of how they apply to specific cases. Knowledge of and skill to advise other specialists, top managers and decision-makers, on issues of developing, communicating, or enhancing program matters involving interaction with partners and clients to define and manage projects from inception to completion. Experience would display applicant's knowledge of specific programs for which responsible, and ability to convey such information to others. Factor 2Plan and Organization(20 points) Offeror demonstrates skills to plan, organize, and direct team study work and/or to negotiate effectively with management to accept and implement recommendations where the proposals involve agency resources (financial or human resources), require extensive changes in established procedures, or may result in conflicting views. Experience would display applicant's ability to manage/evaluate the full-range of program resources and issues where the projects were sufficiently complex to require extensive coordination and management, such as requiring interaction with task force groups to accomplish goals. Ability to write and speak effectively in order to skillfully negotiate with senior officials, and be adept in presenting positions in written form. Written experience would display applicant's ability in writing papers and reports that present clear and concise explanations or analyses of the administrative program area, which are not standardized, and which represent information the applicant was required to research and analyze. Oral experience would display applicant's ability in expressing his/her thoughts or opinions in a logical sequence, such as working with others as a member of a work team, briefing groups on agency policy in administrative/management fields, or conveying information about a project to colleagues within an agency. Factor 3Department of State(20 points) Offeror demonstrates knowledge of Department of State and INL policy goals and objectives in order to provide expert advice on FS assignment issues with particular focus on the issues impacting the nation in which the post is located; coordinate the work of other professionals in a variety of disciplines to accomplish goals; resolve complex problems; and ensure program offices comply with relevant departmental priorities and policy goals vis-a-vis the INL mission domestically and at post. Expert knowledge of departmental policies and business processes, covering a broad range of administrative functions, e.g. general services, financial management, facilities maintenance management, human resources, medical and health services, or information management, in order to provide expert support and guidance in these areas; resolve complex and interconnected issues; ensure program offices and posts receive proper support in these areas; and recommend policies in these areas. Factor 4Communication(20 points) Offeror demonstrates expert oral and written communication skills in order to articulate and defend decisions; communicate with and advise officials; participate in and conduct briefings/negotiations; present facts, assessments and recommendations on complex issues; and produce coherent reports, policy recommendations, memoranda, and written proposals which identify and recommend solutions to problems. Strong interpersonal skills in order to interact with high-ranking officials; negotiate and recommend a variety of administrative policies and procedures related to overseas mission and program goals; and represent post interests and requirements with senior level management. Factor 5Past Performances(20 points) Past performance evaluation of applicant's ability to perform under the contract. In conducting the evaluation, the Government reserves the right to utilize all evaluation information available at the time of evaluation, whether provided by the applicant or obtained from other sources.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/State/INL/INL-RM-MS/PSC-18-016-INL/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: Washington, District of Columbia, United States
- Record
- SN04853261-W 20180315/180313231846-525450e02015bfed5d699c0a821cf67d (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
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