CONTRACT SPECIALIST Job in Naval Support Activity, Mechanicsburg, PA

Vacancy No. ST-12758413-25-KMB Department Naval Supply Systems Command
Salary $107,517.00 to $139,774.00 Grade 13 to 13
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 7/10/2025 Close Date 7/16/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Status Candidates
Locations:
Naval Support Activity, Mechanicsburg, PA


Summary

You will serve as a CONTRACT SPECIALIST in the CONTRACTING DEPARTMENT of NAVSUP WEAPON SYSTEMS SUPPORT.

Duties

  • You will award and administer the highest dollar value, most complex and most critical contracts in the department.
  • You will provide guidance and leadership to the other members of the acquisition team and you will be responsible for eliminating obstacles preventing contract award and successful performance.
  • You will serve as the contractual authority on the acceptability and applicability of contractual matters related to NAVSUP WSS Maritime and/or Aviation procurements.
  • You will develop contracting techniques and procurement strategies that can be applied to resolve future procurement/support issues.
  • You will prepare and issue the solicitation and analyze contractor proposals, comparing them against previous history, actual expenditures, established rates, or via other acceptable cost/price analysis methods.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • Must be a US Citizen.
  • Must be determined suitable for federal employment.
  • Must participate in the direct deposit pay program.
  • New employees to the Department of the Navy will be required to successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit e-verify.gov
  • Generally, current federal employees applying for GS jobs must serve at least one year at the next lower grade level. This requirement is called time-in-grade. Time-in-grade requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.
  • This position is covered under the Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA). Certification in the Acquisition Functional Area and category assigned to the position is required within established category timeframes.
  • Within the Department of Defense (DoD), the appointment of retired military members within 180 days immediately following retirement date to a civilian position is subject to the provisions of 5 United States Code 3326.
  • Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service.
  • This is a bargaining unit position.
  • You will be required to obtain and maintain an interim and/or final security clearance prior to entrance on duty. Failure to obtain and maintain the required level of clearance may result in the withdrawal of a job offer or removal.
  • This position is covered under the Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA). Certification in the Acquisition Functional Area and category assigned to the position is required within established category timeframes.

Qualifications

In addition to the Basic Requirements for this position, your resume must also demonstrate at least one year of Contract Specialist experience at or equivalent to the (GS-12) grade level or pay band in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private or public sector that demonstrates knowledge of contract administration/procurement principles, policies, regulations, and procedures to administer group contracts and post award procurement actions. Specialized experience must demonstrate the following:

(1) Evaluating the reasonableness of the contractor's proposed cost/price for use in preparing for complex negotiations;
(2) Preparing for negotiations/ discussions/ awards by reviewing audit and technical reports, performing cost and/or price analysis, and developing pre-negotiation and post negotiate terms and conditions based on the pre-negotiation objective and give-and-take with the offer or to establish a fair and reasonable price;
(3) Managing programs and fostering an environment that administers all resources in a manner that instills public trust while accomplishing the mission;
(4) Identifying and analyzing problems; weighing relevance and accuracy of information; evaluating alternative perspectives/solutions; making timely/effective recommendations, based on potential implications of findings or conclusions;
(5) Developing the competencies of others to perform and contribute to the organization by inspiring and providing a learning environment of ongoing feedback and opportunities to learn through formal and informal methods.


Applicant must meet the following Department of Defense qualification requirements for 1102 contracting positions: http://www.secnav.navy.mil/donhr/Documents/CivilianJobs/DoD_Qualification_Standard_For_GS-1102.pdf

And the title 10 requirements found here: http://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title10-section1724&num=0&edition=prelim

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (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.

Education

Applicants must meet the following Basic Education Requirement of the Department of Defense Qualification Standard for Contracting Positions:

A bachelor's degree from an accredited educational institution authorized to grant baccalaureate degrees.

NOTE: The education requirement listed above applies only to individuals entering DoD GS-1102 positions on or after October 1, 2000. Current civilian personnel in DoD who occupied GS-1102 positions or contracting positions with authority to award or administer contracts above the simplified acquisition threshold in an Executive Department on or before September 30, 2000 are exempt from meeting this requirement. Current military members who occupied a similar occupational specialty to the GS (or equivalent) 1102 or before September 30, 2000 are also exempt from meeting this requirement.

Additional information

This position is covered by the Department of Defense Priority Placement Program.

Additional vacancies may be filled by this announcement.

A tentative offer of employment will be rescinded if the selectee fails to meet the pre-employment requirements, including failure to report to any of the scheduled appointments.

During the application process you will have the ability to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions in the local commuting area. Depending on the hiring organization and the position being filled, job requirements (e.g., security clearance, travel, drug testing, financial disclosure filing, bargaining unit status, etc.) may vary. Other hiring managers filling similar positions may offer relocation expense reimbursement and/or may offer recruitment incentives for new employees, depending on funding availability and in accordance with policy. If you opt-in and are referred on a certificate, your resume will be available to other hiring managers for 180-days from the date the job announcement closes. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

Federal annuitant information: The selection of an annuitant is subject to the Department of Defense and Department of the Navy policy on the employment of annuitants. Policy information may be found at: http://www.secnav.navy.mil/donhr/Documents/CivilianJobs/FedCivAnnuitants.pdf

PPP applicants will be placed at the FPL, if determined Well Qualified (WQ). To receive priority consideration, the FPL must be the same grade level or equivalent of the retained grade or the grade held immediately prior to separation.

ICTAP Applicants: To be considered well-qualified and exercise selection priority as an ICTAP candidate, displaced Federal employees must satisfy all qualification requirements for the position and receive a rating in the highly qualified category (score 85) or higher. ICTAP candidates must provide copies of all of the following documentation at the time of application: 1) agency notice; 2) most recent performance appraisal; and 3) most recent SF-50 or notification of personnel action that includes position, grade level, and duty location. Applicants who do not provide this documentation will not receive consideration as an ICTAP candidate. For more information about ICTAP eligibility please review the following link: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths/federal-employees/career-transition/


Military Spouse Preference applicants will be placed at the highest grade for which they have applied and are determined Best Qualified (BQ). A BQ military spouse possesses knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies comparable to others who meet the competitive referral criteria for the specific position.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

In order to qualify for this position, your resume must provide sufficient experience and/or education, knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of the specific position for which you are being considered. Your resume is the key means we have for evaluating your skills, knowledge, and abilities as they relate to this position. Therefore, we encourage you to be clear and specific when describing your experience.

When the application process is complete, we will review your resume to ensure you meet the hiring eligibility and qualification requirements listed in this announcement. You will be rated based on the information provided in your resume and responses to the Occupational Questionnaire, along with your supporting documentation to determine your ability to demonstrate the following competencies:

  • Accountability
  • Attention to Detail
  • CONTRACT AWARD
  • Customer Service
  • Decision Making
  • Flexibility
  • Influencing/Negotiating
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Learning
  • ORAL COMMUNICATION
  • PREPARATION AND NEGOTIATION
  • PROBLEM SOLVING
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Reasoning
  • Self-Management
  • Stress Tolerance
  • SYSTEMS ACQUISITION
  • Teamwork
  • WRITTEN COMMUNICATION


You should list any relevant performance appraisals and incentive awards in your resume as that information may be taken into consideration during the selection process. If selected, you may be required to provide supporting documentation.

If after reviewing your resume and supporting documentation, a determination is made that you inflated your qualifications and/or experience, your score may be adjusted to more accurately reflect your abilities or you may be found ineligible/not qualified.

Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

All eligibility, qualifications, and time-in-grade requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

Required Documents

You are required to provide documentation that supports the eligibility and qualification claims made in your resume and assessment questionnaire. You must submit the applicable documents listed here and those listed with the eligibilities you select in the announcement questionnaire with your application package. Applicants who do not provide supporting documentation that fully support their claims will not be referred to the hiring manager. Cover letter is optional.

A complete resume is required. Your resume must show relevant experience, job title, duties and accomplishments. Your resume must show complete information for each job entry to support minimum qualifications. The following information should be provided in your resume but it is acceptable to provide elsewhere in your application package: employer's name, starting and end dates (Mo/Yr), hours per week, and pay plan, series and grade level (e.g. GS-0201-09) for relevant federal experience. TIP: A good way to ensure you include all essential information is to use Resume Builder in USAJOBS to create your resume.

Are you applying for a promotion? For GS positions, to be considered for promotion, you must provide SF-50(s) that show you held next lower GS grade for at least one year. SF-50s with an effective date in the past year (e.g., Gen Adjustment SF-50 from this year or Within Rate/Grade Increase (WRI/WGI) SF-50 within a year) do not show you meet one-year time-in-grade requirement. That means if you submit a SF-50 dated within the last year, you must submit a SF-50 dated more than one year ago to demonstrate you meet time-in-grade requirements. If you are a DoD employee, you can obtain a copy of your SF- 50(s) from MyBiz.

Are you claiming membership in any professional organizations, or possession of a license, certificate or credentials? Check Conditions of Employment section above to see if any are required. If you claim membership, license, certification, or credentials, you must submit a copy of said document in your application package.

Are you using education as a substitute for some or all of the experience requirement? Is there a basic education requirement for this position? Check the Education section above to see what is allowed and what is required. Any claims you make in your resume or assessment questionnaire regarding education or degrees MUST be supported by submitting with your application official or unofficial transcripts or list of courses, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned issued from your school. While unofficial transcripts are acceptable for initial application, official transcript(s) will ultimately be required if you are selected for the position. You may submit a copy your degree(s) if specific coursework does not have to be verified. Claims for approved "grandfather" clauses must be fully supported with documentation.

Are you a veteran claiming 5-point veterans' preference or claiming sole survivorship preference? You must submit a copy of your latest DD-214 Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (any copy that shows all dates of service, as well as character of service [Honorable, General, etc.] is acceptable) OR VA letter that shows dates of service or service connected disability AND character of service. If you have more than one DD-214 for multiple periods of active duty service, submit a copy for each period of service. If you were issued a DD-215 to amend aforementioned information on the DD-214 you must submit that too. If you are not sure of your preference eligibility, visit Department of Labor's website: Veterans' Preference Advisor

Are you a disabled veteran or claiming 10-point veterans' preference?
If you are eligible to claim 10 point veterans preference you must submit a DD-214 Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty as described above for 5-point preference.

You must also provide applicable supporting documentation of your disability (e.g. disability letter from the VA) as described on Standard Form-15 (SF-15). http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf.

Are you an active duty service member? Active Duty Service Members are required to submit a statement of service printed on command letterhead and signed by the command. The statement of service must provide the branch of service, rate/rank, all dates of service, the expected date of discharge and anticipated character of service (Honorable, General, etc).

Documents submitted as part of the application package, to include supplemental documents, may be shared beyond the Human Resources Office. Some supplemental documents contain personal information such as SSN and DOB and some documents such as military orders and marriage certificates may contain personal information for someone other than you. You may sanitize these documents to remove said personal information before you submit your application. You must provide an un-sanitized version of the documents if you are selected.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments, and required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows:
1. Click the Apply Online button.
2. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.
3. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
4. If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice.
5. Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials.
6. Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended.
7. Set aside at least 3 hours to take the USA Hire assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link.
8. Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended, that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here: https://appsupport.usastaffing.gov/hc/en-us/sections/28980686389652-Reasonable-Accommodation-Information

For more general information, system requirements and to request assistance regarding the USA Hire Assessments, review the following resources: https://support-usahire.opm.gov/hc/en-us

To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.

To view the announcement status or your application status: Click on this: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application.


You are encouraged to apply online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application.

Do not email or send hard copy resumes/applications to the Contact Information or Agency Information listed in this vacancy announcement. All resumes/applications received at the addresses listed in the Contact Information or Agency Information will be destroyed and will not be considered for this vacancy announcement.

It is the applicant's responsibility to verify that all information in their resume and documents are legible and accurate. HR will not modify answers/documents submitted by an applicant.

Agency contact information

Department of Navy EIC
Address
NAVSUP WEAPON SYSTEMS SUPPORT
Naval Supply Weapon Systems Support
5450 Carlisle Pike
Mechanicsburg, PA 17055-0791
US

Next steps

When the application process is complete, your complete application (resume, assessment questionnaire, USA Hire assessments and all supporting documents) will be reviewed to determine if you meet the hiring eligibility and qualification requirements for which you requested consideration. You will be rated based on the information provided in your resume and responses to the questionnaire and USA Hire Assessment, along with your supporting documentation to determine your level of knowledge, skill, and ability related to the job requirements.

If you meet the minimum qualifications of this position, you may be presented with instructions on how to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments system. These additional online assessments must be completed within 48 hours following the close of this announcement unless you have requested Reasonable Accommodation for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments.

Generally, only best qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager. Sometimes well qualified and minimally qualified candidates are referred. Occasionally, candidates eligible for priority consideration are referred, and no other candidates are referred.

The hiring manager may choose to conduct interviews.

You will be notified of our rating and referral decision. If you are referred, you will be notified when a hiring decision is made.

NOTE: If you have any questions or need assistance, please email the DON Employment Information Center at DONEIC@us.navy.mil


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


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