Addendum_4._How_to_Apply_for_a_PSC_Position_with_MCC.docx

April 2016

How to Apply for a PSC Position with the Millennium Challenge Corporation Is this really a job?

The position is a part-time (intermittent) personal services contract (PSC) with the federal government. Personal services contractors (PSCs) are not federal employees, so they do not receive all federal benefits, including health care and retirement benefits. However, PSCs are treated as employees in most other regards. See the solicitation for further details.

So what do I do next?

Because it is technically a contract between a small business (you) and the federal government, the opportunity 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 and 3. 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 a contracting opportunity, before you submit your offer, you must register as a small business with the federal government. To register in the System for Award Management (SAM), 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 www.dandb.com 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, follow the instructions in the email from Dun & Bradstreet that issued the number to create an account on SAM. The taxpayer identification information entered during registration will then take a few days to be validated by the IRS.

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!