Translation Analyst - 2022-1071

Overview:

Contract Labor Category:

Commerce Translation Analyst (Researcher I)

FTE: 2

Clearance: Secret Clearance

Background:

The Mission of the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) is to advance U.S. national security, foreign policy, and economic objectives. BIS’s activities include regulating and enforcing the export of dual-use and certain military items subject to the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). BIS’s Office of Enforcement Analysis (OEA) evaluates the bona fides of foreign parties to U.S. export transactions and identifies unauthorized export transactions for enforcement action.

The work performed by OEA is best characterized as all-source information analysis in support of license and export reviews, enforcement lead generation, and enforcement activity (e.g., designation of parties on the Entity List, investigative case support). These activities require personnel skilled in analytical techniques. This document describes the technical, functional, and performance characteristics of the work that is required to support OEA actions. Similarly, this Statement of Work establishes the general location, quantity, and quality including timeliness of work to be performed.

Objective:

In 2017, less than 1 percent of license applications were denied by BIS and the Export Control Licensing community. In that same year, when intelligence and all source information were used to develop a Bona Fides Information Report to inform the decision makers, the percentage license denials rose significantly to 17 percent. Assessing the bona fides of the foreign entities listed on license applications is essential to ensuring the veracity if the U.S. export control system. The number of licenses and foreign entities listed on those licenses has grown exponentially over the last few years and will continue to grow as Export Control Reform is completed while the staffing and interagency support have remained stagnant. Therefore, SID needs support to review a larger percentage of licenses.

Responsibilities:

Case Data Reviews:

• Review foreign entities listed on license to ensure their authenticity, legitimacy, and location against all-source data to assess the entity’s suitability for a license;
• When derogatory information is identified, produce a Bona Fides Information Report including all information available on the entity in questions;
• Conducting strategic analysis on a topic/technology of concern that is identified by organization seniors’ to inform policy decisions and produce enforcement actions when possible to counter illicit procurement of U.S. technology; and
• Using specialized language skills while conducting the aforementioned tasks.

LANGUAGE SKILLS:

• Analysts should both Mandarin Chinese and Spanish language skills. The analyst should be able to (1) read and comprehend the source language to include scholastic and publication journals and (2) choose the equivalent expression in the target language that both fully conveys and best matches the meaning intended in the source language (referred to as congruity judgment).

Qualifications:

2 years of similar experience

• Intelligence Planning and Guidance
• Open-source Collection
• Processing and Exploitation
• Analysis and Production
• Dissemination
• Evaluation and Feedbac
• Follow OEA’s information process are deliver products that meet generally accepted standards for analysis, including those of the Director of National Intelligence for intelligence products, that are unbiased, timely, factually accurate, founded in logic, and available to those who need it.
• Contract Translation analysts working in non-personal services support the OEA shall perform the full spectrum of intelligence process functions from Intelligence Planning and Guidance through Evaluation and Feedback.
• Given an export transaction to evaluate, each analyst shall be capable of identifying the foreign
  parties to the transaction.
• Using available open source, foreign country data and classified information systems, the analyst shall conduct research to collect as much information as is available to draw logically sound conclusions regarding the bona fides of foreign parties to export transaction or those on a U.S. Government proscribed party list.
• If the open source available is written in a foreign language, the analyst should be able to review and translate or work through OEA for translation assistance in order to incorporate this information in their analysis.
• The abilities to fuse multiple disparate data and think critically are essential attributes of OEA analysts.
• In the case of information gaps, the analyst shall take appropriate actions to lawfully acquire needed information in accordance with OEA policy. In accordance with OEA policy, analysts must fully develop and report pertinent information pertaining to foreign parties.
• In the event that an illicit trade network is identified in the course of bona fides checks and when directed, analysts shall develop and analyze information pertaining to the illicit network in support of DOC/BIS enforcement activities.
• Each analyst shall contribute data to a centralized repository which constitutes the OEA’s historical “body of knowledge.”
• The historical data shall support follow-on analysis including trend and link analysis.
• Each analyst will support intelligence cycle planning, including, but not limited to, authoring standard operating procedures, operational scenarios, and work processes, assisting with the development of resource requirements for outcomes, performing product development, and performance of security duties, and secure print management tasks.
• Analysts may present briefings on a wide variety of foreign end-users to general officers and senior government officials and work closely with a multitude of CONUS and OCONUS-based export control, intelligence, defense and federal law enforcement agencies operating within various regions of the world.

Planning and Guidance - Id & define questions to be answered:

• Identify and manage information requirements.
• Obtain, and coordinate resources required to support intelligence activities. As used here, “resources” refers to the skilled personnel, partners, facilities, information systems, equipment, tools, software, databases, training, time, funding, standard operating procedures, and other elements necessary to conduct intelligence activities.
• Plan the execution of the intelligence cycle including development or application of governing policy recommendations, processes, and standards.
• Synchronize and integrate the intelligence function with both export administration operations and export enforcement operations.

Collection – Gathering information to answer the questions:

• Collect information in satisfaction of information requirements. In the case of the OEA, collection is overt and entails open-source research, export licensing and law enforcement data, all-source classified research, and liaison efforts.

Processing and Exploitation – Interpreting / compiling info into usable format:

• Translate material if in a language other than English.
• Compile and format the collected information in preparation for further analysis.

Analysis and Production – Evaluate/ producing products delivered to:

• Determine the applicability, veracity, reliability, accuracy, and timeliness of collected information.
• Determine information gaps then submit requests for information (RFIs) to resolve gaps.
• Develop logical arguments based upon the available data and metacognition.
• Qualitatively and quantitatively evaluate data in support of selected a3.3.3
  analytical methodology.
• Produce finished products in accordance with Director National Intelligence Standards for analysis.
• Verify the bona fides of foreign parties to U.S. export transactions.
• Develop any derogatory information pertaining to foreign parties to U.S. export transactions.
• Retain data in a manner that supports future follow-on analysis including trend analysis and link analysis.

Dissemination – Release timely products to customer:

• “Write for Release.” - Author intelligence products at the TOP SECRET classification or lower. Top Secret/SCI is the actual clearance requirement for the licensing support. For translation/analytical for cases, a SECRET will suffice.
• As directed, coordinate products within the interagency community.
• Make finished “End User Verification” assessments directly available to customers via standard OEA dissemination policies.
• Adhere to DNI standards regarding analytical products.
• Conduct oral presentations, as needed, to the community of interest

Evaluation and Feedback – Determine value of products delivered:

• Provide interagency community members with feedback to improve the quality of information available to the OEA.
• Receive and digest feedback from customers in order to orient OEA activities to customer mission needs and ultimately improve OEA products.

Travel:

20% travel is expected under this Task Order.

If required, the Contractor shall travel as approved by the designated TM (OEA/SID Assistance Director/ appointed representative) or COR during the performance of this task order to attend meetings, conferences or conduct other official business covered under this task order. Authorized travel is reimbursable in accordance with the contract. The Contractor shall ensure adequate funding is available for costs of travel prior to incurring costs. The contactors providing support to licensing will not be required to travel. For translation/analytical for cases, up to 20% travel will be required (of course this might be impacted by COVID in the short term).

Oversea and local travel to meetings, conferences or other official business covered under this task order is not reimbursable as a direct charge and must have the approval of the designated TM (OEA/SID Assistance Director/ appointed representative) or COR. All travel required will be reimbursable under a separate travel CLIN.

Location:

All work must be completed on site in a secure faciltiy at the Department of Commerce Headquarters, Herbert C. Hoover Building (HCHB); 1401 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, D.C.

At Ardent Eagle Solutions, we offer a comprehensive benefits package to our employees and their families:

• Medical/Dental/Vision Coverage
• Matching 401(k) Plan
• Continuing Education Assistance
• Paid Time Off

This job description is intended to describe the general scope of work and level of work that is needed to perform while on task. Other duties may be assigned.

Ardent Eagle Solutions is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Job Type: Full-time

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Flexible schedule
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance
• Referral program
• Retirement plan
• Tuition reimbursement
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Monday to Friday

Supplemental pay types:

• Bonus pay

Education:

• Bachelor's (Required)

Experience:

• Analysis skills: 2 years (Required)

Language:

• Spanish (Required)
• Mandarin (Required)

Security clearance:

• Secret (Required)