USA Staffing

Specialized experience for the GS-14: You must have one (1) year of specialized experience that has equipped you with the particular competencies/knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position.
To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the GS-12 level in the Federal service, public or other private sectors.
Specialized experience includes experience with 2 or more of the following:

Specialized experience includes the following:
-Experience developing written analyses or memoranda for senior officials regarding the economic, financial, legal, or policy issues and recommending courses of action; OR
-Experience preparing written products such as tables, memoranda or reports and communicating the analytical findings of research to senior officials or decision makers; OR
-Experience creating policy implementation plans based on legislative and regulatory guidelines; OR
-Presenting findings and research in written products of various types such as tables, charts, short summaries, or longer memos, presentations and reports to senior officials or decision makers.

Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s).

1. Do you meet two or more of the specialized experience as stated in the vacancy announcement?

A. Yes

B. No

Specialized experience for the GS-13: You must have one (1) year of specialized experience that has equipped you with the particular competencies/knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position.
To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the GS-12 level in the Federal service, public or other private sectors.

Specialized experience includes experience with 2 or more of the following:
-Experience reviewing and/or developing written analyses or memoranda for your supervisor regarding the economic, financial, or domestic policy issues and recommending courses of action; OR
-Experience preparing written products such as tables, memoranda or reports and communicating the analytical findings of research; OR
-Experience communicating policy implementation plans based on legislative and regulatory guidelines; OR
-Experience reviewing and/or preparing analysis or responses to inquiries from private companies, interested parties, governmental authorities, or members of the public.

Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s).

2. Do you meet two or more of the specialized experience as stated in the vacancy announcement?

A. Yes

B. No

3. Please indicate each of the following that you have written/prepared in the course of your prior professional and/or educational experience.

A. Memoranda to senior officials

B. Policy/Issue Briefs

C. Blogs

D. Tables and charts presenting/synthesizing quantitative or qualitative research results

E. Longer-form written products that include/cite research publications

F. None of the above

4. Please indicate each of the following software tools that you have experience utilizing.

A. Excel

B. Word

C. Outlook

D. PowerPoint

E. Teams

F. Skype or Zoom

G. SharePoint

H. Salesforce

I. Other project management or presentation software

J. None of the above

5. Please indicate all of the following with which you have demonstrated experience either working on your own or assisting others. (Select all that apply)

A. Quantitative or qualitative analysis with respect to the impact of state or federal tax, spending (subsidy), and/or regulatory policies on household or business economic decisions and outcomes.

B. Drafting written materials such as issue papers, presentation notes, memoranda, reports, and responses to inquiries from senior officials or supervisors/managers on issues related to public policy design or implementation.

C. Making presentations based on your own or others technical research findings to senior decision makers within a private or public organization.

D. None of the above.

6. From the list below please select the statement that describe your experience supporting program goals.

A. I have supported various programs and initiatives requiring maximum efforts.

B. I have supported a program to achieve the desired results of the organization.

C. I have worked within a team that supported overall program goals and deliverables.

D. I have not had experience in performing this task.

7. From the list below please select the statement(s) that describe your experience communicating information.

A. I have communicated information to my immediate supervisor and other employees in my office.

B. I have communicated information to senior officials within my agency.

C. I have communicated information to external employees and supervisors.

D. I have communicated information to external senior officials.

E. I have not had experience in performing this task.

8. From the list below please select the statement(s) that describes your experience advising senior leadership.

A. I have advised senior leadership pertaining to complex policies and procedures.

B. I have advised senior leadership on organizational issues.

C. I have advised senior leadership on simple processes.

D. I have not had experience in performing this task.

Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s).

9. Do you have professional experience serving as an advisor to federal, state or local government policymakers on public policies and programs?

A. Yes

B. No

10. Choose the statement that best describes your highest experience in communicating effectively in writing.

A. I have not had training or experience relevant to writing policy papers and/or evaluation reports or related products.

B. I have experience reviewing working report drafts and making modifications for inclusion in final drafts.

C. I have experience performing program analysis, planning, execution, liaison, and preparing or reviewing final reports for technically complex inspections and /or evaluations.

D. I have extensive experience reviewing and approving policy papers and/or opinion papers and evaluation reports for accuracy, technical competency, and experience issuing final reports and recommendations.

11. As part of the responsibilities of your current or past position, which of the following reason(s) do you regularly communicate with others within or outside of your own organization? Choose all that apply.

A. To obtain program or project-related data.

B. To exchange views on policies, legislation, and research affecting programs.

C. To advise or assist in the planning or coordination of projects to resolve operational problems.

D. To influence management officials to accept and implement findings and recommendations for organizational improvements or ways to improve individual programs.

E. I have not communicated with others for any of the above reasons.

12. Select the following statement(s) that best describe your ability to independently make sound, well-informed, and objective decisions.

A. I have identified and evaluated alternatives to decisions.

B. I have made sound and timely decisions in uncertain situations.

C. I have made decisions involving complex issues that impact the work and outcomes of the organization.

D. I have made complex decisions with little or no supervisory review.

E. I have not performed any of the above tasks.

13. Please select the following that represent your demonstrated experience interpreting and communicating policies, procedures, regulations, program research and policy analysis with internal and external stakeholders. Select all that apply.

A. I have experience developing and implementing a communications strategy for policies, procedures, new processes, and departmental activities.

B. I have experience interpreting, and effectively communicating policies, procedures, and regulations, resulting in the need for minimal clarifications.

C. I have experience preparing oral and written reports and presentations, with collateral materials to support the understanding of policies, procedures, and regulations (e.g., graphs, charts, and reports that are clear concise and effective.)

D. I have experience developing analytical documents evaluating programs or policies.

E. I have developed briefing papers or talking points for senior managers.

F. I have experience developing policy guidance notices, handbooks, and procedures.

G. None of the above.

14. Select the choice that best describes your highest level of experience in developing and interpreting policy on designated programs.

A. I have no experience in developing and interpreting policy on designated programs.

B. I have assisted and provided input to my superiors or subject-matter experts concerning the development of a new policy or the application of a new policy to a specific program.

C. I have drafted and/or studied proposals for the implementation of new policies or provided recommendations for the application of policies to a specific program.

D. I have independently developed, written, and implemented new policies that impacted a specific program or interpreted the program response to far reaching policy directives.

15. Please select from the following to indicate your experience in identifying issues, defining problems and goals, and analyzing and conducting complex research and evaluations of detailed proposals and options for policy and resource issues. Select all that apply.

A. I have experience identifying issues to develop detailed reports, proposals, and options for policy and resource issues.

B. I have researched and analyzed complex policy and proposals in order to provide authoritative guidance and evaluations and respond to inquiries on program requirements.

C. I have experience researching and analyzing regulations, policies, proposals, and/or program requirements in order to generate reports, prepare position papers and other written materials.

D. I have represented senior officials at meetings or on committees addressing policy research, proposals, and/or regulatory guidance.

E. None of the above.

You will now be asked to complete a second assessment comprised of two narrative questions. There is a 2,500-character limit on each response. Please allow sufficient time to complete before midnight on the close date of the announcement. The narrative responses are expected to take one hour, at a minimum. Non-detailed and answers such as N/A, See Resume, etc. will be deemed ineligible.

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