The Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO) directs the worldwide overseas building program for the Department of State. Working with other offices and bureaus, foreign affairs agencies, and Congress, OBO’s challenge is to set worldwide priorities for the design, construction, acquisition, maintenance, use, and sale of real properties and the use of sales proceeds.
The projects that will be supported by this task order are all located in U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide. These projects include all manner of leasing real property, lease fit outs, and some construction. Budget estimates for these projects range from approximately $100,000 to $50,000,000
This position is located in the Bureau of Overseas Building Operations (OBO), Deputy Director for Planning and Real Estate (PRE), Office of Master Planning and Evaluations, Evaluations Division (MPE/EV). The Division provides the valuation services, market studies, and financial analysis services in support of the U.S. government’s international real estate portfolio within Chief of Mission authority.
Duties:
- As a Planner assigned to the Master Planning Division of OBO/PRE/MPE, the contractor carries out assignments and tasks that include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following:
- Provides advice and assistance to all levels of PRE and OBO senior management on a full range of capital and non-capital facility planning and policy development activities.
- Assists PRE senior management in determining which overseas Posts require Facility Planning Studies, Functional Space Requirements Programs, and Special Planning Studies, and undertakes activities including the following:
- Facility Planning – Conducts analyses of current and future Post requirements; assesses the condition and appropriateness of Post facilities; and recommends alternatives for meeting the differences, taking into account rehabilitation requirements, new construction requirements, lease versus buy versus build options, etc., to determine the most effective means of addressing long-term facility needs.
- Functional Space Planning – Assesses the overall size of capital facilities (e.g., office buildings, residences, warehousing and support operations, recreational facilities, etc.); allocates space to specific organizations, agencies, and functions; proposes, in collaboration with OBO/PRE and building design and engineering organizations, the conceptual cost of various aspects of the project; collects background information on each project (i.e., previous planning documents, site data, staffing projections, current facility conditions, etc.); consults with functional and technical offices within OBO, major State Department bureaus and offices with overseas requirements (e.g., Bureau of Consular Affairs, Office of Information Resource Management, Bureau of Diplomatic Security, etc.), tenant agencies, regional bureaus, and overseas Posts; and collects and analyzes information about functional, operational and special use space requirements, security considerations, communications needs, and public operations;
- Project Management – As a member of project management teams, monitors capital projects during design and construction to ensure that the architectural designs and constructions are consistent with the approved functional space requirements plan; keeps abreast of policy and technical developments inside and outside of OBO; and provides advice and guidance to the Project Management Team on the impact of these developments on the project; and
- Budget Formulation and Long-Range Planning – Provides input to OBO budget formulation and long-range planning processes; and ensures that the facility planning, and space programming studies assigned to the Facilities Planning/Programming Team are soundly and rigorously developed.
- Gathers/analyzes a comprehensive list of all on-going or planned real estate acquisition or disposal projects at a Post and assesses prioritization required for acquisition strategies.
- Drafts Statements of Work for architectural/engineering (A/E), task orders and supports realty specialists with various administrative/political due diligence closeout activities on completed site acquisitions, e.g., congressional approval, host-government approvals, planning/zoning confirmations, etc.
- Supports PRE decision makers by analyzing geospatial data, preparing maps and graphics, etc.
- Research strategies to review and assess validity and appropriateness of proposed sites for acquisition based on principles of urban design and planning, as well as real estate best practices, and applies this knowledge to real estate acquisitions.
- Establishes and maintains effective work relationships at various levels within the Office
- Demonstrates interpersonal skills in presenting analysis recommendations.
Requirements
- Must be a U.S. citizen
- A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution and eleven (11) years of related experience
- Knowledge of program and project planning techniques and processes as they relate to facilities and their long-term use that demonstrates proficiency in the management of planning, design and construction of high-dollar-value programs and projects, including large and complex commercial, industrial, and/or public works structures and facilities in the United States and overseas.
- Comprehensive knowledge of methods for developing and using models, simulations, statistics, and cost-benefit and other analyses, as well as considerable skill in the use of Computer Aided Drafting/Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAD/CAM) systems and SketchUp as they relate to facility planning.
- Knowledge of the sequence and timing of program events and milestones, and methods of evaluating the value of program accomplishments.
- Skill in the planning, organizing, and directing of team study work and in negotiating effectively with management to accept and implement recommendations where proposals involve substantial Department resources, require extensive changes in established procedures, or may conflict with the desires of the activity studied.
Other Duties:
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.