Addendum_5_-_How_to_Apply.pdf

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ADDENDUM 5: How to Apply

How to Apply for the Economist (EA) Position

The Economist (EA) position in the Economics division of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) is a fantastic opportunity for those interested in international development and/or the social sciences. The job provides graduates a quantitative, results-driven world with exposure to a number of different sectors in international development at an agency holding a strong reputation for evidence-based interventions and transparency. Unfortunately, recent graduates don’t usually look at federal contracting opportunities during the job hunt, and even if they do, they can be overwhelmed by the acronyms and jargon. As a result, we miss out on some great candidates, and these candidates miss out on a great job fresh out of school! Because the process of applying for this position can be difficult to navigate, we’ve put together this guide to decode the jargon and acronyms.

Is this really a job?

The position is a full-time personal services contract with the federal government. Personal services contractors (PSCs) are not full-time equivalent (FTE) federal employees of the federal government, so they do not receive all federal benefits, including health care and retirement benefits. However, EA PSCs are treated as employees in most other regards (You may have a desk onsite at the MCC headquarters in Washington D.C., you’ll get paid federal holidays, you’ll receive a W2 from MCC for tax purposes, etc.).

So what do I do next?

Because it is technically a contract between a small business (you) and the federal government, the EA position is posted on FedBizOpps (www.fbo.gov). Use the solicitation number provided to navigate to the posting. The RFQ (Request for Quotation) package attached to the posting includes the details of the position and contract. First, take a look at the information in the “Combined Synopsis Solicitation” section, and then at Addenda 2, 3, and 4. Addendum 1 includes the legal language of the RFQ and the clauses that will eventually be incorporated into your contract, should you be selected as the successful candidate.

This sounds great! What’s the first step to apply?

Because this is technically a contracting opportunity for a small business, before you submit your application, you must register as a small business with the federal government. If you are selected for the position, then you’ll need to provide your D-U-N-S number and a CAGE code, which are unique identification numbers assigned businesses interested in doing business with the federal government. This involves making a request from Dun & Bradstreet, and registering as a sole proprietor in the System for Award Management (SAM). Obtaining both of these numbers requires some lead time, so please get started on this process as soon as you decide to apply.

1. Register at http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform and request a D-U-N-S number. Within a few days, Dun & Bradstreet will send an email with the new D-U-N-S number. As stated in the email they send, the number may not be valid for use for up to two days after issuance.

2. After the D-U-N-S number is valid, create an account on SAM. The taxpayer identification information entered during registration will then take a few days to be validated by the IRS. See Addendum 6 (SAM Quick Start Guide) for detailed instructions on how to register in SAM.

a. Register as a sole proprietor, using your name as the business name.

b. Add the Classification code and NAICS code that match the RFQ (to find this information, see the

“General Information” bar on the right hand side of the FedBizOpps posting).

3. Once you receive an email confirming validation of the taxpayer identification information, log back in to SAM and follow the instructions in the email to submit the registration.

4. Within a week or two, SAM will send another email confirming activation of the SAM account. Log back into

SAM to view the CAGE code.

After getting the ball rolling on the SAM registration, go back to the RFQ document and work on pulling together the required and desired documents for the application. Good luck, and feel free to reach out to the point of contact listed on the posting with any questions!

http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform