Senior Environmental Impact Analyst PSC

A. POSITION TITLES: Senior Environmental Impact Analyst, Office of Investment Policy (OIP). OPIC anticipates awarding up to one (1) PSC contracts from this solicitation. B. POSITION INFORMATION: Personal Services Contractor (PSC), Two year, renewable up to a total of 5 years. C. MARKET VALUE: GS-14, Equivalent $62.42 - $82.95 per hour. Final compensation will be negotiated within the listed market value based upon the candidate's past salary, work history, and educational background. D. ORGANIZATIONAL LOCATION POSITION: Washington, DC E. APPLICATION DEADLINE: Friday, September 20, 2019 at NOON EST F. SECURITY ACCESS: The selected candidate must be able to obtain a Public Trust clearance. G. AREA OF CONSIDERATION: U.S. Citizens. SECTION C PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT 1. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND This position is located in the Office of Investment Policy (OIP) of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC). Incumbents of this position conduct complex environmental assessments for projects under consideration for OPIC support in the area of debt finance, insurance, or equity finance. Incumbents also monitor previously approved projects for environmental compliance. Incumbents must possess a sound understanding of the technical aspects of projects as well as environmental and social impacts. Incumbents possess technical expertise in one of a number of disciplines necessary for a sound interdisciplinary approach to impact assessment (e.g., environmental engineering; ecology; geology;) as well as technical expertise in one or more of a number of sectors, including the following: extractive industries, energy production, water and water-based infrastructure, heavy industry and natural resource based industries 2. PERSONAL SERVICES CONTRACT OPIC is authorized under Section 239(d) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended, "to enter into limited-term contracts with nationals of the United States for personal services to carry out activities in the United States and abroad under subsection (d) and (e) of section 234" of the FAA. Section 234(d) of the FAA authorizes OPIC to "initiate and support through financial participation, incentive grant, or otherwise, and on such terms and conditions as the Corporation may determine, the identification, assessment, surveying and promotion of private investment opportunities..." Section 234(e) of the FAA authorizes OPIC to "administer and manage special projects and programs, including programs of financial and advisory support which provide private technical, professional, or managerial assistance in the development of human resources, skills, technology, capital savings and intermediate financial and investment institutions and cooperatives and including the initiation of incentives, grants, and studies for renewable energy and other small business activities." A. Definitions i. Personal Services Contract means a contract which establishes an employer-employee relationship between OPIC and the Contractor for the performance of services personally by the contractor. The services may include general continuing services as well as specifically identifiable tasks. ii. Employer-employee relationship means an employment relationship in which the employer supervises or has the power to supervise the performance of the work including, for example, the manner in which it is to be performed or controlled and the days of the week and the hours of the day in which it is to be performed. 3. KEY REQUIREMENTS U.S. citizenship. The selected candidate must be able to obtain a Public Trust clearance. Performance at OPIC Headquarters in Washington, DC Domestic and international travel may be required. Statement of Employment & Financial Interest (i.e. Office of Government Ethics "OGE Form- 450," or similar statement) may be required. Active and approved System for Award Management (www.sam.gov) registration and be listed as sole-proprietor. 4. MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Serves as program expert in one or more of the following areas: o Extractive Industries: minerals exploration and mining; oil and gas exploration, development and production; related infrastructure including tailings disposal, product transport (pipelines); downstream processing, including refining and phase separation. o Energy Production: thermal, geothermal, solar, wind and engine-driven power production; energy transmission; carbon credits modeling and trading; emissions control technology, including energy efficiency improvements, fuel specifications and pollution control technology.. o Water and Water-related Infrastructure: large- and small scale hydroelectric facilities; municipal water supply and distribution systems; wastewater treatment systems; marine-based industries including ports and marine transportations system and support industries. o Heavy Industry: petrochemical, including plastics and pesticide manufacturing; cement; pulp and paper; hazardous and solid waste management; o Natural Resources Based Industries: forestry, agriculture, ecotourism and fisheries; projects directly or indirectly impacting critical forest areas, including endangered or threatened species and critical habitats. Completes Environmental Analyses of OPIC-Assisted Projects: o Identifies, collects and provides in-depth analysis of relevant data concerning the potential impact of proposed projects on the environment of the host country and globally. Relevant data can include international and U.S. guidelines, standards, legal and regulatory restrictions relating to environmental protection, public health and safety, and other country-specific environmental information. o Provides guidance to prospective clients and other analysts regarding the appropriate content, procedures and format for conducting and presenting Environmental and Social Impact Assessments, Initial Environmental Audits, Environmental Management Plans, Major Hazard Assessments, Environmental Remediation Plans, Annual Environmental Reports, Occupational health and Safety Plans and Third-Party Audits. Drafts environmental sections of Investment Committee and Board papers. o Based on the Environmental and Social Impact Assessments and discussions with clients on a technical level, prepares environmental impact statements, assessments, reviews or studies. Makes recommendations to OPIC management regarding project eligibility and conditionality on environmental grounds and specifies environmental conditions of default to be included in OPIC finance, insurance, and investment funds agreements. o Monitors the actual environmental, health and safety impacts of previously approved OPIC projects through analysis of investor and third party monitoring reports and through site visits. Conducts desk and on-site monitoring investigations of environmentally sensitive projects on a regular basis. Compares actual environmental impact with original projections and prepares analytical reports outlining findings. Prepares reports identifying issues of non-compliance with OPIC contract conditions and makes recommendations for appropriate remediation. o Solicits and responds to comments by NGO's and the public at large regarding the potential environmental impacts of prospective projects and the reported impact of existing OPIC-assisted projects. o Performs other related duties as assigned. This includes, but is not limited to, participating in conferences, committees and/or other OPIC events as requested. Guidelines Guidelines consist of basic legislation, international and U.S. guidelines, standards, legal restrictions relating to public health or safety, or the environment, previous impact statements, assessments, reviews and studies as well as OPIC policies and procedures concerning the identification and assessment of environmental impacts. Frequently there are no precedents to guide the work. Incumbents use considerable judgment to interpret guidelines, to apply them or develop procedures to accomplish projects. Incumbents are recognized as a technical authority in the particular industry area for purposes of environmental assessment of OPIC-assisted projects worldwide. Incumbents are also a key resource for the development of new procedures and methodologies needed to fully assess the environmental impacts of OPIC's investments. Complexity Assignments include the performance of a broad range of professional duties involved in analyzing a wide variety of OPIC-sponsored finance, insurance, and investment funds projects. Incumbents analyze and evaluate these projects for the environmental impact on the host country and globally. The work requires the gathering of a wide variety of complex, technical information to determine the nature and scope of the project, interpreting voluminous data and recommending appropriate courses of action. The work is complicated by the varying degrees of environmental information and regulations in the countries in which OPIC does business. Scope and Effect…