USPSC OTI Knowledge Management Specialist

Request for Personal Services Contractor USAID Office of Transition Initiatives Position Title: OTI Knowledge Management Specialist - Washington, D.C. Solicitation Number: SOL-OTI-16-000038 Salary Level: GS-11 Equivalent: ($64, 650 - 84,044 per annum) GS-12 Equivalent: ($77,490 - $100,736 per annum) GS-13 Equivalent: ($92,145 - $119,794 per annum) Issuance Date: June 29, 2016 Closing Date: July 14, 2016 Closing Time: 5:00 P.M. Eastern Time Dear Prospective Applicants: The United States Government (USG), represented by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), is seeking applications from qualified U.S. citizens to provide personal services as a Knowledge Management Specialist under a personal services contract, as described in the attached solicitation. Submittals must be in accordance with the attached information at the place and time specified. Applicants interested in applying for this position MUST submit the following materials: 1. Complete resume. In order to fully evaluate your application, your resume must include: (a) Paid and non-paid experience, job title, location(s), dates held (month/year), and hours worked per week for each position. Dates (month/year) and locations for all overseas field experience must also be detailed. Any experience that does not include dates (month/year), locations, and hours per week will not be counted towards meeting the solicitation requirements. (b) Specific duties performed that fully detail the level and complexity of the work. (c) Names and contact information (phone and email) of your current and/or previous supervisor(s). (d) Education and any other qualifications including job-related training courses, job-related skills, or job-related honors, awards or accomplishments. (e) U.S. Citizenship. Your resume should contain explicit information to make a valid determination that you fully meet the experience requirements as stated in this solicitation for each grade level(s) for which you are applying. If you do not specify which grade level(s), your application will be considered at the lower grade level. This information should be clearly identified in your resume. Failure to provide explicit information to determine your qualifications for the position will result in loss of full consideration. 2. Supplemental document specifically addressing: Each of the three (3) Evaluation Factors shown in the solicitation. Responses must be limited to 500 words per factor. Any additional words above the limit will neither be read nor scored. NOTE: The Evaluation Factors are worth 60 out of 100 points. Applicants are required to address each of the Evaluation Factors in a separate document describing specifically and accurately what experience, training, education and/or awards they have received that are relevant to each factor. Additional documents submitted will not be accepted. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered. Your complete resume and the supplemental document addressing the EFs must be mailed or emailed to: Office of Transition Initiatives 529 14th Street, NW, Suite 300 Washington, DC 20045 E-Mail Address: contact@example.gov Applicants can expect to receive a confirmation email when application materials have been received. Applicants should retain for their records copies of all enclosures which accompany their applications. Applicant resources are available at www.otijobs.net/#!guidance-for-applying/c1ggu. Any questions on this solicitation may be directed to: OTI Recruitment Team Telephone Number: +1 (555) 000-0000 E-Mail Address: contact@example.gov Website: www.OTIjobs.net Sincerely, Cristina Sylvia Contracting Officer ATTACHMENT 1 Solicitation for U.S. Personal Services Contractor (PSC) OTI Knowledge Management Specialist, Washington, D.C. I. GENERAL INFORMATION 1. SOLICITATION NO.: SOL-OTI-16-000038 2. ISSUANCE DATE: June 29, 2016 3. CLOSING DATE/TIME FOR RECEIPT OF APPLICATIONS: July 14, 2016, 5:00 pm Eastern Time 4. POSITION TITLE: Knowledge Management Specialist 5. MARKET VALUE: This position has been designated as a "tandem/ladder" position that, depending on the qualifications of the candidate, can be filled at either the GS-11 ($64, 650 - $84,044 per annum), GS-12 ($77,490 - $100,736 per annum), or GS-13 ($92,145 - $119,794 per annum) equivalent levels. The highest level of this position is a GS-13. Final compensation will be negotiated within the listed market value of the GS-11, GS-12 or GS-13 level depending on qualifications, previous relevant experience and work history, salary and educational background. Salaries over and above the pay range will not be entertained or negotiated. Candidates who live outside the Washington, D.C. area will be considered for employment but no relocation expenses will be reimbursed. If selected at the GS-11 equivalent grade level, following at least one year at the GS-11 grade, the candidate may have the opportunity for advancement to the GS-12 equivalent grade. If selected at the GS-12 equivalent grade level, following at least two years at the GS-12 grade, the candidate may have the opportunity for advancement to the GS-13 equivalent grade. In order to be advanced to the higher grade, the incumbent must meet the minimum qualifications of the higher grade and receive an excellent performance rating in their most recent annual performance evaluation. The evaluation must include a statement by the supervisor that the employee is performing successfully at the current grade and is considered ready to perform at the higher grade level. Neither advancement nor extension of the contract is guaranteed. Note: Applicants who submit an application for the GS-12 or GS-13 grade levels, but do not meet the minimum qualifications as outlined in this solicitation and as reviewed by the Technical Evaluation Committee, will not be considered for the GS-11 position, respectively, if they have not submitted a separate application for the GS-11level. Similarly, applicants who apply for the GS-11 or GS-12 positions, even though they might meet the minimum qualifications for the GS-13 position, respectively, will not be considered for the higher graded position if they have not submitted a separate application for the GS-13 position. Applicants who are unsure of which grade level they meet the minimum qualifications for should submit separate applications for the GS-11, GS-12, and GS-13 positions. 6. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: Two years, with three one-year option periods. START DATE: Within 45 days of receiving notification that required security clearance have been obtained. 7. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: Washington, D.C. 8. SECURITY LEVEL REQUIRED: Secret 9. STATEMENT OF DUTIES POSITION DESCRIPTION BACKGROUND USAID's Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI) is seeking highly motivated, highly qualified individuals who want the opportunity to help support rapid international transition programs for priority conflict-prone countries. Created in 1994 as a distinct operating unit within USAID, OTI helps local partners advance peace and democracy in politically-transitioning countries. In support of U.S. foreign policy, OTI seizes emerging windows of opportunity in the political landscape to promote stability, peace, and democracy by catalyzing local initiatives through adaptive and agile programming. Countries experiencing a significant political transition in the midst of a disaster or emerging from civil conflict have unique needs that cannot be fully addressed by traditional disaster relief. Timely and effective assistance to promote and consolidate peaceful, democratic advances can make the difference between a successful or a failed transition. OTI assists in securing peace by aiding indigenous, mostly non-governmental, civil society and media organizations. OTI uses such mechanisms as support for re-integration of ex-combatants into civilian society; development of initiatives to promote national reconciliation; identification of quick-impact community self-help projects to meet urgent economic needs; and aid to independent media outlets and community-based organizations to help promote informed debate and broaden public participation. To respond quickly and effectively and meet its program objectives and mandate OTI retains a group of high level professionals and experts under U.S. Personal Services Contracts (USPSCs). These knowledgeable and skilled professionals make up the vast majority of the OTI work force and are at its forefront implementing and achieving the office's programmatic goals and objectives. There are several benefits that USPSCs may participate in, such as partial reimbursement for health and life insurance costs, as well as full coverage of workers' compensation, among other benefits. For more complete information on USPSC benefits, please see Section VI of this solicitation. For more information about OTI and its country programs please see: http://www.usaid.gov/political-transition-initiatives INTRODUCTION As a member of the OTI Applied Best Practices and Coordination (ABC) Team, the KM Specialist position utilizes the experience and skills gained from working in a dynamic organization dedicated to individual and institutional learning. OTI's success now and in the future depends in large part on its ability to achieve an overarching organizational goal: the effective transfer and ongoing analysis of knowledge and experience - comprised of values, management processes, lessons learned, best practices, standards, and innovations - in real time, with a variety of stakeholders. These stakeholders include: OTI staff in the field and headquarters; OTI's implementing partners around the world; USAID Missions overseas; other USAID offices and bureaus in Washington; other U.S. Government agencies and branches; other donors; other transition, stabilization and reconstruction practitioners; host government and/or other local counterparts; and the U.S. public. All of the above increases OTI's level of transparency and accountability. To this end, the OTI ABC Team supports a model of organizational learning across the office that ensures: 1. Increased transparency and accountability between the headquarters and field teams; 2. Increased opportunities for peer-to-peer dialogue; 3. Easier access to content and learning resources for a variety of stakeholders; 4. More guidance available in online format; and 5. Provision of tools to surface and apply OTI's programming lessons to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of OTI programs. The KM Specialist supports OTI's mission to provide fast, flexible, short-term assistance targeted at key political transition and stabilization needs by supporting the capture, curation, and dissemination of research and program learning through product development and by maintaining knowledge management platforms for OTI and implementing partner staff. ABC supports learning and innovation through the application of technology - including OTI's knowledge management platform, mapping, data visualization, and other analytic tools - to continually improve OTI country program analysis, management and performance. ABC will ensure the effective integration of lessons and knowledge into OTI's learning and training resources. ABC coordinates closely with other units, teams, and divisions within OTI to achieve these goals. CORE FUNCTIONAL AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES The work of the Knowledge Management (KM) Specialist requires teamwork, the exercise of discretion, judgment, and personal responsibility. As a member of a highly operational office, the incumbent is willing and able to perform a wide range of functions to help promote cross-office learning and ensure programmatic success. The incumbent has a high level of integrity and attention to detail to ensure the use of OTI knowledge management systems and procedures to maintain effective and efficient management of funds and programming. The incumbent is highly flexible and willing to work under conditions of ongoing change, and remains professional and respectful of colleagues and authority in a diverse workforce. She or he places a premium on the building of positive relationships with the range of OTI stakeholders in the field and in Washington, as well as with key interlocutors both in and outside of USAID. She or he will serve as a role model for good knowledge management and learning practices. The incumbent is able to prioritize and complete tasks without follow-up by the supervisor, while also filling in gaps as needed to ensure the responsiveness of the team. The KM Specialist is a strategic thinker, articulates innovative ideas, presents solutions, and leads by example for colleagues both in and outside of OTI. Under the supervision of the DCHA/OTI Applied Best Practices & Coordination (ABC) Senior Learning Specialist, the KM Specialist will perform the following duties: At the GS-11 level: Note: Duties and responsibilities are listed in order of importance for this position ? Support efforts to develop and maintain core OTI learning products, such as the Field Guide, Toolkits on key issues related to OTI's programming (e.g. CVE, elections, atrocity prevention, etc.); ? Collaborate with colleagues and partners in communicating and training on incremental improvements to OTI's knowledge management strategy, procedures, and systems, including the Activity Database and OTI Anywhere; ? Provide ad hoc user support and encourage the active use in OTI's knowledge management platforms, including the Activity Database and OTI Anywhere and facilitate the use of the Knowledge Networks; ? In collaboration with ABC's Training Portfolio, update training materials as required; ? Under the supervisor's direction, contribute to documents outlining planning and vision in the development and implementation of OTI's knowledge management strategy, systems, and procedures; ? Respond to ad hoc requests for information and taskers; ? Under the supervisor's direction, carry out high priority and ad hoc research and analysis; ? Under the supervisor's direction, support the capture (e.g. brown bags, webinars, events, etc.), curation, and dissemination of content on OTI's knowledge management systems to support cross-office learning. Serve as OTI's librarian, curating and disseminating research; ? Coordinate with key stakeholders to maintain and update OTI guidance related to the use of knowledge management systems and practices; ? Develop and maintain professional relationships with other organizations with innovative knowledge management approaches on behalf of OTI; ? Under the supervisor's direction, represent and articulate OTI's mission, global programs, and knowledge management systems to select visitors, informational technology professionals, and other USG colleagues; ? As needed, serve on short-term assignments with other USAID offices or bureaus in direct support of OTI programs. These placements shall not exceed three months; ? Fill critical needs for program management and implementation staffing in Washington, DC and the field including providing support to new OTI country program start-ups, country program management, and close-out; ? Serve as the Contracting Officer's Representative for knowledge management product contracts; and ? Perform all other related duties as assigned by the supervisor. At the GS-12 level: Perform the same duties as the GS-11 level but with less supervision, greater decision-making authority, and greater independence of action. ? Lead efforts to develop and maintain core OTI learning products, such as the Field Guide, Toolkits on key issues related to OTI's programming (e.g. CVE, elections, atrocity prevention, etc.); ? Collaborate with colleagues and partners in communicating and training on incremental improvements to OTI's knowledge management strategy, procedures, and systems, including the Activity Database and OTI Anywhere; ? Provide ad hoc user support and model active use in OTI's knowledge management platforms, including the Activity Database and OTI Anywhere and facilitate the use of the Knowledge Networks; ? Help provide training and mentoring for better use of OTI's knowledge management systems for more effective program implementation and institutional learning. Update training materials as required; ? Lead efforts to capture (e.g. brown bags, webinars, events, etc.) and curate content on OTI's knowledge management systems and disseminate information to support the overarching organizational goal of the effective transfer and ongoing analysis of knowledge and experience. Serve as OTI's librarian, curating and disseminating research; ? Assist in providing technical assistance for OTI programs and partners in the field and advise OTI staff and implementing partners on knowledge management processes that facilitate knowledge capture and sharing in the implementation of political transition programming; ? Under the supervisor's direction, prepare plans or proposals outlining planning and vision in the development and implementation of OTI's knowledge management strategy, systems, and procedures; ? Respond to ad hoc requests for information and taskers; ? Under the supervisor's direction, carry out high priority and ad hoc research and analysis; ? Develop and maintain professional relationships with other organizations with innovative knowledge management approaches on behalf of OTI; ? Represent and articulate OTI's mission, global programs, and knowledge management systems to select visitors, informational technology professionals, officials from international organizations, bilateral donors, and national and foreign government officials. When required, serve as a liaison with other DCHA offices, USAID divisions and the State Department, to develop appropriate program and policy direction; ? Coordinate with key stakeholders to routinely conceptualize, update and revise OTI guidance related to the use of knowledge management systems and practices; ? As needed, serve on short-term assignments with other USAID offices or bureaus in direct support of OTI programs. These placements shall not exceed three months; ? Fill critical needs for program management and implementation staffing in Washington, DC and the field including providing support to new OTI country program start-ups, country program management, and close-out; ? Serve as the Contracting Officer's Representative for knowledge management product contracts; and ? Perform all other related duties as assigned by the supervisor. At the GS-13 level: Perform the same duties as the GS-12 level but with less supervision, greater decision-making authority, and greater independence of action. ? Lead efforts to develop and maintain core OTI learning products, such as the Field Guide, Toolkits on key issues related to OTI's programming (e.g. CVE, elections, atrocity prevention, etc.); ? Collaborate with colleagues and partners on the development of an office-wide knowledge management strategy and oversee implementation. Develop and deliver related training and training material; ? Provide ad hoc user support and model active use in OTI's knowledge management platforms, including the Activity Database and OTI Anywhere and facilitate the use of the Knowledge Networks; ? Communicate and train on incremental improvements to OTI's knowledge management strategy, procedures, and systems including the Activity Database and OTI Anywhere; ? Coordinate with key stakeholders to maintain and update OTI guidance related to the use of knowledge management systems and practice; ? Provide training and mentoring for better use of OTI's knowledge management systems for more effective program implementation and institutional learning. Develop and update training materials as required; ? Lead efforts to capture (e.g. brown bags, webinars, events, etc.) and curate content on OTI's knowledge management systems and disseminate information to support the overarching organizational goal of the effective transfer and ongoing analysis of knowledge and experience. Serve as OTI's librarian, curating and disseminating research; ? Respond to ad hoc requests for information and taskers; ? Under the supervisor's direction, carry out high priority and ad hoc research and analysis; ? Provide technical assistance for OTI programs and partners in the field and advise OTI staff and implementing partners on knowledge management processes that facilitate the implementation of political transition programming; ` ? Develop and maintain professional relationships with other organizations with innovative knowledge management approaches on behalf of OTI; ? Represent and articulate OTI's mission, global programs, and knowledge management systems to select visitors, informational technology professionals, officials from international organizations, bilateral donors, and national and foreign government officials. When required, serve as a liaison with other DCHA offices, USAID divisions and the State Department, to develop appropriate program and policy direction; ? Conceptualize, develop, update and revise OTI guidance related to the use of knowledge management systems and practices; ? As needed, serve on short-term assignments with other USAID offices or bureaus in direct support of OTI programs. These placements shall not exceed three months; ? Fill critical needs for program advisement, management and implementation staffing in Washington, DC and the field including providing support to new OTI country program start-ups, country program management, and close-out; ? Serve as the Contracting Officer's Representative for knowledge management product contracts; and ? Perform all other related duties as assigned by the supervisor. SUPERVISORY RELATIONSHIP: The Knowledge Management Specialist will be supervised by the OTI Senior Learning Specialist within the Applied Best Practices and Coordination (ABC) Team or his/her designee, within the OTI Program Learning and Innovation (PLI) division. SUPERVISORY CONTROLS: The supervisor will set overall objectives and resources available, and work with the employee to develop deadlines, projects, and work to be accomplished. The employee will be responsible for planning and carrying out assignments, resolving most conflicts, coordinating with others, and interpreting policy in terms of established objectives. Keeping the supervisor informed of progress, the employee may determine the approach to be taken and the methodology to be used. The supervisor will review completed work from an overall standpoint of feasibility, compatibility with other work, or effectiveness in meeting requirements. 10. PHYSICAL DEMANDS PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The work is generally sedentary and does not pose undue physical demands. If traveling overseas, the employee may be subject to some additional physical exertion including long periods of standing, walking over rough terrain, or carrying of moderately heavy items (less than 50 pounds). WORK ENVIRONMENT: Work is primarily performed in an office setting. If the employee travels overseas, the work may additionally involve safety and/or security precautions, wearing of protective equipment, and exposure to severe weather conditions. 11. POINT OF CONTACT: OTI Recruitment Team 529 14th Street, NW, Suite 300 Washington, DC 20045 Telephone Number: +1 (555) 000-0000 E-Mail Address: contact@example.gov II. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION (Determines basic eligibility for the position. Applicants who do not meet all of the education and experience factors are considered NOT qualified for the position. See detailed instructions for demonstrating Education/Experience under "Applying") At a minimum, the applicant must have: At the GS-11 level: (1) A Master's Degree with three (3) years of work experience; OR A Bachelor's Degree with four (4) years of work experience; AND (2) Two (2) years of project management experience with a U.S. Government foreign affairs agency, international or domestic assistance organization, or non-governmental organization in community development, economic development, mediation/arbitration, conflict resolution, democracy and governance, international law, human rights activities, and/or political analysis; (3) Six (6) months of overseas field experience working in a developing country, of which three (3) months must include experience working in one or more countries undergoing political transition; (4) Demonstrated experience using and contributing to knowledge management systems. At the GS-12 level: (1) A Master's Degree with four (4) years of work experience; OR A Bachelor's Degree with five (5) years of work experience; AND (2) Three (3) years of project management experience with a U.S. Government foreign affairs agency, international or domestic assistance organization, or non-governmental organization in community development, economic development, mediation/arbitration, conflict resolution, democracy and governance, international law, human rights activities, and/or political analysis; (3) Six (6) months of overseas field experience working in a developing country, of which three (3) months must include experience working in one or more countries undergoing political transition; (4) Demonstrated experience contributing to the use, design, and/or management of knowledge management systems. At the GS-13 level: (1) A Master's Degree with five (5) years of work experience; OR A Bachelor's Degree with six (6) years of work experience; AND (2) Four (4) years of project management experience with a U.S. Government foreign affairs agency, international or domestic assistance organization, or non-governmental organization in community development, economic development, mediation/arbitration, conflict resolution, democracy and governance, international law, human rights activities, and/or political analysis; (3) Six (6) months of overseas field experience working in a developing country, of which three (3) months must include experience working in one or more countries undergoing political transition; (4) Demonstrated experience designing, maintaining, and managing knowledge management systems. (5) Demonstrated experience capturing and disseminating internal or external research to inform program design and learning. SELECTION FACTORS: (Determines basic eligibility for the position. Applicants who do not meet all of the selection factors are considered NOT qualified for the position.) - Applicant is a U.S. Citizen; - Complete resume submitted. See cover page for resume requirements. Experience that cannot be quantified will not be counted towards meeting the solicitation requirements; - Supplemental document specifically addressing how the candidate meets each of the Evaluation Factors submitted; - Ability to obtain a SECRET level security clearance (NOTE: Dual citizens may be asked to renounce second-country citizenship); - Satisfactory verification of academic credentials. A USAID Secret level security clearance is required prior to issuance of the contract for this position. NOTE: If a full security investigation package is not submitted by the selected within 30 days after it is requested, the offer may be rescinded. If a security clearance is not able to be obtained within four months after the selected submits the initial security clearance documentation, the offer may be rescinded. III. EVALUATION FACTORS EVALUATION FACTORS: (Used to determine the competitive ranking of qualified applicants in comparison to other applicants. The factors are listed in priority order from highest to least.) Applicants should cite specific, illustrative examples for each factor. Responses must be limited to 500 words per factor. Any additional words above the limit will neither be read nor scored. Factor #1: Demonstrated experience contributing to the use, design, maintenance, or management of knowledge management strategies or systems in a professional setting with users from around the world. Factor #2: Demonstrated experience conducting training and developing training materials. Factor #3: Demonstrated experience capturing a broad range of research and learning from multiple internal and external sources, then facilitating its curation and dissemination to encourage organizational learning. BASIS OF RATING: Applicants who clearly meet the Education/Experience Requirements and Selection Factors will be further evaluated based on scoring of the Evaluation Factor responses. Applicants are required to address each of the Evaluation Factors in a separate document describing specifically and accurately what experience, training, education and/or awards they have received that are relevant to each factor. Be sure to include your name and the announcement number at the top of each additional page. Failure to specifically address the Selection and/or Evaluation Factors may result in your not receiving credit for all of your pertinent experience, education, training and/or awards. The Applicant Rating System is as Follows: Evaluation Factors have been assigned the following points: Factor #1 - 25 Factor #2 - 15 Factor #3 - 20 Total Possible - 60 Points Interview Performance - 40 points Satisfactory Professional Reference Checks - Pass/Fail (no points assigned) Total Possible Points: 100 The most qualified candidates may be interviewed, required to provide a writing sample, and demonstrate an ability to operate commonly used office applications. OTI will not pay for any expenses associated with the interviews. In addition, applications (written materials and interviews) will be evaluated based on content as well as on the applicant's writing, presentation, and communication skills. In the event that a candidate has fully demonstrated his/her qualifications and there are no other competitive applicants, OTI reserves the right to forego the interview process. Professional references and academic credentials will be evaluated for applicants being considered for selection. IV. APPLYING Applications must be received by the closing date and time at the address specified in Section I, item 3, and submitted to the Point of Contact in Section I, item 11. Qualified applicants are required to submit: 1. Complete resume. In order to fully evaluate your application, your resume must include: (a) Paid and non-paid experience, job title, location(s), dates held (month/year), and hours worked per week for each position. Dates (month/year) and locations for all overseas field experience must also be detailed. Any experience that does not include dates (month/year), locations, and hours per week will not be counted towards meeting the solicitation requirements. (b) Specific duties performed that fully detail the level and complexity of the work. (c) Names and contact information (phone and email) of your current and/or previous supervisor(s). (d) Education and any other qualifications including job-related training courses, job-related skills, or job-related honors, awards or accomplishments. (e) U.S. Citizenship. Your resume should contain explicit information to make a valid determination that you fully meet the experience requirements as stated in this solicitation for each grade level(s) for which you are applying. If you do not specify which grade level(s), your application will be considered at the lower grade level. This information should be clearly identified in your resume. Failure to provide explicit information to determine your qualifications for the position will result in loss of full consideration. 2. Supplemental document specifically addressing: Each of the three (3) Evaluation Factors shown in the solicitation. Responses must be limited to 500 words per factor. Any additional words above the limit will neither be read nor scored. NOTE: The Evaluation Factors are worth 60 out of 100 points. Applicants are required to address each of the Evaluation Factors in a separate document describ...