CONTRACT SPECIALIST Job in Fort Meade, MD

Vacancy No. DMA-25-12784708-MP Department Defense Media Activity
Salary $101,401.00 to $131,826.00 Grade 12 to 12
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 8/22/2025 Close Date 9/5/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Status Candidates
Locations:
Fort Meade, MD


Summary

This position is part of the Defense Media Activity. The incumbent serves as a Contract Specialist executing and administering contracts in support of DMA, OASD/PA. Ensures compliance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and the Defense FAR Supplement (DFARS) as well as DoD directives, policies, and instructions governing acquisition and procurement.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

Current Civilian DoD Employees in the Competitive Service; Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan; Disabled Veterans with 30% or more, Veterans Employment Opportunities Act; People with Disabilities Schedule A (PWD); Military Spouses; PPP, DoD Military Spouse Preference (MSP); PPP, DoD Retained Grade Preference (RGP); PPP, DoD Military Reserve (MR) and National Guard (NG) Technician (DoD MRNG); PPP, DoD MR and NG Preference Eligible Tech Receiving Disability Retirement (DoD MR & NG).

Duties

As a CONTRACT SPECIALIST at the GS-1102-12 some of your typical work assignments may include:

  • Serves as a Contract Specialist executing and administering contracts in support of DMA, OASD/PA.
  • Experience ensuring compliance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and the Defense FAR Supplement (DFARS) as well as DoD directives, policies, and instructions governing acquisition and procurement.
  • Experience with pre-award and post-award procedures for assigned contracts including formal advertising or negotiation procedures, evaluation of contract price proposals, and the administration and termination/close out of the contract.
  • Experience interpreting and applying acquisition laws, policies, directives and regulations.
  • Providing acquisition advice to the DMA Director, and senior leadership.
  • Utilizing the Standard Procurement System (SPS), Wide Area Workflow (WAWF), Electronic Document Access, Federal Procurement Data System- Next Generation (FPDS-NG), System for Award Management (SAM) and other DoD-mandated acquisition, procurement, and financial applications and systems.
  • Serves as a technical expert on contractual and business matters.
  • Provides expert advice and sound business solutions to high-visibility or enterprise-wide acquisition strategies including appropriate contract types, source selection criteria, cost and pricing issues, and appropriate contract terms and conditions.
  • Utilizes a variety of contract types and pricing arrangements.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen
  • Occasional Travel
  • Work Schedule: Full-time
  • Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service
  • Suitable for Federal employment, determined by a background investigation
  • May be required to successfully complete a probationary period
  • Overtime: Occasionally
  • Tour of Duty: Flexible
  • Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
  • Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA): Exempt
  • Financial Disclosure: Required
  • Telework Eligibility: Situational telework only.
  • Incumbent must possess or be able to obtain and maintain a secret clearance.
  • Incumbent must be able to pass a pre-employment drug test screening and periodic testing thereafter if required.
  • Incumbent is required to submit a financial Disclosure Statement upon entering the position and annually thereafter.
  • This is an acquisition position coded Foundational in Contracting. Incumbent must obtain mandatory Back to Basics (B2B) certification within 36 months of entry into position. Incumbent must acquire 80 Continuous Learning Points every 24 months.
  • A bachelor's degree from an accredited educational institution authorized to grant baccalaureate degrees.

Qualifications

You may qualify at the GS-12, if you fulfill the following qualifications:

A. One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service as listed below:
  • Performing contract management and administration, including negotiation and execution of supplemental agreements.

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.


In addition to meeting qualifications, your application package must reflect the applicable experience to meet the Individual Occupational Requirements for the 1102, series as listed below:

Basic Requirements for GS-12 and Above:

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

Education

Substitution of education may not be used in lieu of specialized experience for GS-12 and above.

ARE YOU USING YOUR EDUCATION TO QUALIFY? You MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims.

All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement.

GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours that 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 that 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: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

NOTE: All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement.

Additional information

Other Notes:
This is a non-critical acquisition position.


RE-EMPLOYED ANNUITANT: This position DOES NOT meet criteria for re-employed annuitant. The DoD criteria for hiring Re-employed Annuitants can be found at: https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/140025/1400.25-V300.pdf

All applicants must meet qualifications and eligibility criteria by the closing date of the announcement.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Programs: This program applies to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: 1) meet ICTAP eligibility criteria; 2) be rated well-qualified for the position; Well qualified is defined as possessing the type and quality of experience that exceeds the positions minimum qualifications. and 3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your ICTAP eligibility. For more information:
https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/

Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see Who Needs to Register | Selective Service System : Selective Service System (sss.gov))

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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.

Once the application process is complete, your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications listed on this announcement. If you are minimally qualified for this job, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses on the Occupational Questionnaire. If you rate yourself higher than is supported by your application materials, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job. If you are found to be among the top candidates, you will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration. Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):

Competencies:

  • Contracting/Procurement
  • Oral Communication
  • Planning and Evaluating
  • Team Building


Military Spouse Preference: If you are entitled to military spouse preference, in order to receive this preference you must choose the spousal eligibility in your application package referencing MSP Military Spouse Preference. Your preference entitlement will be verified by the employing agency. To claim Military Spouse Preference (MSP) please complete the Military Spouse PPP Self-Certification Checklist, save the document and attach it to your application package.

Priority Placement Program (PPP) DoD Retained Grade Preference (RGP): In order to receive this preference, you must choose to apply using the "Priority Placement Program, DoD Retained Grade Preference (RGP)" eligibility. If you are claiming RGP and are determined to be Well Qualified (score of 85 or above) for the position, you will be referred to the hiring manager as a priority applicant. Information and required documentation for claiming MSP may be found at the General Applicant Information and Definitions link below. To be eligible as a RGP, you must submit the following supporting documents with your application package: a signed Retained Grade PPP Self-Certification Checklist (DD3145-1 (whs.mil)); a copy of your Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) effecting the placement in retained grade status; or a copy of the notification letter you received regarding the RIF or classification downgrade.

Required Documents

The documents you are required to submit vary based on the authority you are using to apply (i.e., applying as a veteran, applying as a current permanent Federal employee, applying as a reinstatement, etc...). Your complete application includes your COMPLETE resume, your responses to the online questionnaire, and documents which prove your eligibility to apply. If you fail to provide these documents, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further.

The following documents are REQUIRED
1. Your resume:

  • Your resume may be submitted on any format. It must include your name and contact information and support the specialized experience described in this announcement.
  • For qualifications determinations your resume must contain the number of hours worked per week and the dates of employment (i.e., "HRS per week and month/year to month/year" or "HRS per week and month/year to present").
  • For additional information see: What to include in your resume
2. Transcripts:
  • This position has a degree or education requirement so you are required to submit a copy of your transcript
  • College transcript (s), required if qualifying based on education. We accept unofficial transcripts, as long as they contain your name, the name of the school, the date and degree that was awarded, and the list of classes and credits earned.
3. SF50
  • All current and former civilian Federal employees must submit a copy of your MOST RECENT SF50 (Notification of Personnel Action) showing your tenure, grade and step, salary, and type of position occupied (i.e., Excepted or Competitive); or similar Notification of Personnel Action documentation, i.e., Transcript of Service, Form 1150, etc.
4. Veteran's Documents:
  • If applying using veteran's preference or under a Veteran's hiring authority you must submit the following documents: DD214 showing character of service, SF-15 Form and VA letter showing final percentage, or certification of expected discharge or release from active duty.


PLEASE REVIEW THE BELOW LINK FOR OTHER SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS needed for proof of eligibility:
https://www.dla.mil/Portals/104/Documents/Careers/downloads/DODCustomersRequiredSupportingDocumentation.pdf
If you are claiming Military Spouse Preference, you must submit supporting documents with your application package. These documents must provide acceptable information to verify: you reside within the commuting area of your sponsor's permanent duty station (PDS); proof of marriage to the active duty sponsor, proof of military member's active duty status, and other documentation required by the vacancy announcement to which you are applying; and must meet all pre-employment criteria and be eligible for immediate noncompetitive appointment to a position in the competitive service. Documentation required: Marriage Certificate or License, Signed Self-Certification Checklist, Veterans' Preference documentation (e.g., DD-214, VA Letter, Statement of Service, if applicable), Transcripts (if applicable). Additional documentation required if previously held a federal position: SF-50s (e.g., LWOP, highest grade held, overseas appointments, etc.), SF-75 Information, and documentation of performance rating of record (dated within the last 12 months)

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

To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.

The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date to receive consideration.

  • To begin, click Apply Online to access an online application. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account or you may need to create a new account.
  • You will be taken to an online application. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation, and submit the application.
  • You will receive an email notification when your application has been received for the announcement.
  • To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Application Status page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and your responses submitted to the online application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
To preview the questionnaire, please go to https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12784708.

Agency contact information

DMA Servicing Team
Phone
6146927825
Fax
215-516-6069
Email
DHRC-DDMAHR@dla.mil
Address
Defense Media Activity
6700 Taylor Ave
Ft. Meade, MD 20755
US

Next steps

Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. Your application will be evaluated. You will receive another notification about the status of your application. A list of qualified applicants will be created and sent to the selecting official. All applicants reviewed and/or referred will receive a notification letter. All applicants must meet qualifications and eligibility criteria by the closing date of the announcement.

This announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.


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


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