This is an individual qualification standard developed for the Small Business Administration (SBA) in response to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013.  It only applies to Business Opportunity Specialist within the Office of Field Operations with the Small Business Administration.

Individual Occupational Requirements

Basic Requirements for GS-5 through GS-12

1. A 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with a major in any field;

   or

2. At least 24 semester hours in any combination of the following fields:  accounting, business, finance, law, contracts, purchasing, economics, industrial management, marketing, quantitative methods, or organization and management.

Specialized Experience (for positions above GS-5): Experience in support of projects, programs or assignments providing a requisite knowledge of contracting, acquisition, procurement purchasing or related functions of the position to be filled.  

Exceptions: Employees in Business Opportunity Specialist, GS-1101 positions will be considered to have met the standard for positions they occupy on January 2, 2013.  This also applies to positions at the same grade in the same agency or other agencies if the specialized experience requirements are met.  However, employees will have to meet the basic requirements and specialized experience requirements in order to qualify for Business Opportunity Specialist, GS-1101 positions within the Office of Field Operations with the Small Business Administration by January 2, 2018.

Basic Requirements for GS-13 and Above

1. At least 1 year of that experience must have been specialized experience at or equivalent to work at the next lower level of the position, and must have provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the work of the position.

   and

2. A 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree, that included or was supplemented by at least 24 semester hours in any combination of the following fields: accounting, business, finance, law, contracts, purchasing, economics, industrial management, marketing, quantitative methods, or organization and management.

   Exceptions:  Employees in Business Opportunity Specialist, GS-1101 positions will be considered to have met the standard for positions they occupy on January 2, 2013.  This also applies to positions at the same grade in the same agency or other agencies if the specialized experience requirements are met.  However, employees will have to meet the basic requirements and specialized experience requirements in order to qualify for Business Opportunity Specialist, GS-1101 positions within the Office of Field Operations with the Small Business Administration by January 2, 2018.