Contract Specialist

Job Description

Responsibilities

• Plans, develops and establishes contractual strategies for acquisition and contract management.
• Provides expert guidance on developing pre-negotiation or post award change negotiation positions; determining the types of contracts and negotiation authorities to use; and preparing justifications.
• Negotiates complex contractual negotiations to interpret contract provisions for contractors and clients; and ensure contract compliance.
• Provides expert guidance to contracting officers, contract specialists, and administrators on all aspects of contracting, including unique, extremely complex acquisitions that may set precedent or imply policy within the agency.
• Exercises unlimited contracting authority to solicit contractual proposals and negotiate, award, execute, administer, terminate public contracts.
• Reviews, advises on, develops and recommends operating procurement processes and systems, procedures and policies.
• Reviewer and signatory authority for entry/mid career contract specialist(s)work products (e.g., solicitations, contracts, and modifications). Ensure the adequacy of acquisition planning, competition in contracting, preparation of price/cost analyses for designated actions, and small business utilization in compliance with FAR and local agency policy.

Requirements Conditions of Employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service
• Must submit Resume and supporting documents (See How To Apply)
• Suitability for Federal employment, as determined by a background investigation
• May be required to successfully complete a probationary period
• If selected, you will be required to file, prior to entrance on duty, a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450)
• This position is subject to random drug testing while you occupy the position.

Qualifications BASIC QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

• Completion of all mandatory training prescribed by the head of the agency for progression to GS-13 or higher level contracting positions, including at least 4-years experience in contracting or related positions. 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
• 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 GS-1102 positions will be considered to have met the standard for positions they occupy on January 1, 2000. This also applies to positions at the same grade in the same agency or other agencies if the specialized experience requirements are met. However, they will have to meet the basic requirements and specialized experience requirements in order to qualify for promotion to a higher grade, unless granted a waiver. If using this exception to qualify you MUST submit an SF-50 that supports the title, series, and grade occupied on 01/01/00.
• Waiver: When filling a specific vacant position, the senior procurement executive of the selecting agency, at his or her discretion, may waive any or all of the requirements of Paragraphs A and B above if the senior procurement executive certifies that the applicant possesses significant potential for advancement to levels of greater responsibility and authority, based on demonstrated analytical and decision making capabilities, job performance, and qualifying experience. With respect to each waiver granted under this Paragraph D, the senior procurement executive must document for the record the basis of the waiver. If an individual is placed in a position in an agency on the basis of a waiver, the agency may later reassign that individual to another position at the same grade within that agency without additional waiver action.

NOTE: Must submit college transcript(s) to verify that the education requirements (as stated above) has been met, in order to be considered for this position.

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You must also have a FAC-C III; DAWIA; OR equivalent certificate to qualify for this position. Certificate must be uploaded to be considered. The incumbent of this position is required to obtain/maintain a Contracting Officer’s (FAC-C Level III) certification. If your FAC-C certification is not dated within the last two years, you will need to submit documentation of the recertification requirement of 80 continuous learning points (CLPs) obtained within the last two years and/or be able to complete recertification within the first 6 months of employment.

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SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE:

One year of specialized experience that is equivalent in difficulty and complexity to the GS-13 level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position includes serving as a warranted Contracting Officer and Subject Matter Expert in acquisition policy and procedures. Experience in administering contracts by assuring compliance with the Federal Acquisition Regulations and contract terms and conditions; analyzing, negotiating, and settling contract termination claims and proposals; analyzing and evaluations cost/price proposals; planning, establishing, or reviewing contracts, programs, policies, or procedures; formulating and administering policies and procedures to ensure achievement of socioeconomic goals; developing acquisition strategies and independently directing or management procurement; and providing functional staff advisory services within the contracting occupation.

Status candidates must meet time-in-grade requirements (52 weeks at the next lower grade level). Applicants must meet all eligibility and qualification requirements no later than 30 days after the closing date of this announcement.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

TIME-IN-GRADE: Current career or career-conditional employees of the Federal government, or former career or career-conditional employees, who have a break in service of less than one year, are required to meet the time-in-grade restriction of one year of Federal experience at the next lower grade, with few exceptions outlined in 5 CFR 300.603(b).

Education

ARE YOU USING YOUR EDUCATION TO QUALIFY?

You MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. Unless otherwise stated: (1) official or unofficial transcripts are acceptable, or (2) you may submit a list with all of your courses, grades, semester, year, and credit for the course. All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement.

PASS/FAIL COURSES:

If more than 10 percent of your undergraduate course work (credit hours) were taken on a pass/fail basis, your claim of superior academic achievement must be based upon class standing or membership in an honor society.

GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school’s definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package which includes:

Your resume showing work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment and duties performed (required).

FAC-C Level III or DAWIA Certification (required).

Transcripts (required).

Member 4 DD-214, Non-award SF-50, or other documentation to support your eligibility claim (required).

Other supporting documents:

• Cover Letter, optional
• Most recent SF-50, “Notification of Personnel Action” showing you are/were in the competitive service and the highest grade or promotion potential held (if applying as a status candidate with current or former Federal Service)
• Most recent Performance Appraisal, if applicable
• DD-214, SF-15 Form and VA letter, or certification of expected discharge or release from active duty from Veterans for consideration under Veteran hiring authorities
• Noncompetitive appointment authority documentation, if applicable
• Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program Documentation, if applicable (e.g. Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; and most recent performance appraisal.)

Closing Date: 01/14/2021