CONTRACTING SPECIALIST Job in Washington, DC

Vacancy No. KC-25-MP-12805064JD Department John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Salary $120,579.00 to $156,755.00 Grade 13 to 13
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 9/22/2025 Close Date 9/26/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Status Candidates
Locations:
Washington, DC


Summary

These positions are part of the, The John F Kennedy Center for Performing Arts. The incumbents will be responsible for serving as a Senior Contract Specialist who performs pre-award and post award functions for procurements involving complex highly specialized contracts including contracts requiring some knowledge of FAR Part 36 (Construction and Architect-Engineer Contracts).

Duties

  • Documents contractor performance, cost controls, funds management, quality control, property administration, and adherence to contract delivery schedules, to ensure that the Contractor is performing in accordance with the terms of the contract.
  • Works with and advises the customer on best contracting strategies and methods and provides technical responses. May negotiate or assist in the negotiation of contract modifications and settlements for such changes.
  • Enforces contract terms, conditions, and provisions; prepares or takes action on requests for consideration; recommends and prepares contracts for terminations of default or convenience; prepares correspondence; and replies to the customer.
  • Performs or leads all pre-award contracting functions which require the use of a combination of contract methods and types to procure large, highly complex/high dollar Construction programs or services where little or no contractual precedent exists.
  • Determines method of procurement, milestones, acquisition plan and type of contract. Develops procurement plans by reviewing previous history, market conditions, and specifications or technical data packages.
  • Performs the full range of contract management activities consistent with external and internal policy and guidance.
  • Responsible for monitoring contractor's performance via meetings, conversations, correspondence, reports, vouchers, and site visits for status of contract performance, scheduling, problems that have arisen, solutions, and verification of deliveries.
  • Conducts or attends monthly Performance Evaluation Boards to formally advise the Contractor of performance on a monthly basis. Issues Corrective Action Requests when necessary to affect contractor performance.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • US Citizenship is required.
  • Suitable for Federal employment, determined by background investigation.
  • Direct Deposit of pay is required.
  • Selective Service registration required for male applicants, unless exempt.
  • Status candidates must meet time-in-grade (see Qualifications).

Qualifications

Applicants for the GS-13 level must meet the following Basic Qualification Requirements and Specialized Experience:
- A 4-year course of study in any field leading to a bachelor's degree, that included 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.
NOTE: You are required to submit your unofficial college transcripts. If selected, official transcripts will be required prior to establishing an entrance on duty date.
AND
- At least 4 years of experience in contracting or related positions - 1 year of which is specialized experience.
***AND- One of the following:
-A current Federal Acquisition Certification- Contracting Professional-A current DoD Contracting Professional Certification
***AND
In addition to the basic qualification requirement, you must meet the following specialized experience qualification:
One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 level. Specialized experience is that which has equipped the applicant with the competencies to successfully perform the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. Specialized experience for this position includes the following: (1) Performing the full range of complex procurement and contracting functions to include contract negotiation, administration and termination; (2) Contracts, task orders, delivery orders and Interagency Agreements, and other contractual transactions to obtain the best value for the customer; (3) Performing life cycle costing and analysis for an unusually large amount of products and services with a large dollar value associated with procurement; (4) Developing procurement plans including analyzing procurement requirements, marketing conditions, the contractor's responsibility, and availability of products/services; (5) Reconciling contractual delivery times, terms and conditions; (6) Developing new terms and conditions or other innovations necessary to satisfy the unique procurement requirements and conditions; and (7) Organizing and implementing strategically sourced contracts.
Exceptions for the GS-13: 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.

NOTE: COPIES OF THE CERTIFICATION MUST BE PROVIDED WITH YOUR APPLICATION BY THE CLOSING DATE OF THE VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT.

Applicants must carefully review the information in the "How You Will Be Evaluated" section for important information and instructions pertaining to the multi-hurdle assessment process for this position.

Only experience and education obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered.

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).

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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Education

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. Note: PDF Portfolio documents will not be processed or accepted as they appear as a one-page document.

Only education from institutions which are accredited or preaccredited/candidate for accreditation may be used to meet education requirements.

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://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/

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, based on your adjudication decision. 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 RA for Online Assessments.

Additional information

Career Transition Assistance Programs: CTAP/ICTAP provides placement assistance to permanent Federal employees who are surplus, displaced, or involuntarily separated. To be considered under CTAP/ICTAP, applicants must be well-qualified (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors; education, and experience requirements), score at least 85 on the assessment questionnaire, and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry. Please refer to Required Documents section for additional details. For information on CTAP and ICTAP visit here.

Appointment Authorities: For more information on appointment authority eligibility requirements:


Telework Suitability:
The duties of this position are not suitable for core or situational telework, use the Center guidance during an emergency or natural disaster.

Stipulations of Employment:

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

  • Your performance and conduct;
  • The needs and interests of the agency;
  • Whether your continued employment would advance the organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
  • Whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment may be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

If selected, you will be required to file a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450).

Work Schedule:

This position allows for a flexible work schedule.

Miscellaneous:

The Center uses E-Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit http://www.uscis.gov/e-verify.
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.

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 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.

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of the USA Hire Competency Based Assessment(s) required for this position (if applicable). You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

Note: Duplicative competencies indicate that the competency is being assessed in both the Assessment Questionnaire and USA Hire Competency Based Assessment.

  • Accountability
  • Attention to Detail
  • Customer Service
  • Decision Making
  • Flexibility
  • Influencing/Negotiating
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Learning
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Reasoning
  • Self-Management
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Teamwork


In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online USA Hire Competency Based Assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.

The USA Hire Assessment includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration

Required Documents

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

1. Your Resume listing work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment mm/yy and duties performed. If multiple resumes are submitted, only the most current resume will be reviewed for qualifications.

Please limit your resume to no more than 2 pages. If more than 2 pages are submitted, only the first 2 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.

2. SF-50 or DD-214

  • Current/Former Career/Career-Conditional Eligible: Your most recent non-award Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50 or equivalent) showing that you are/were in the competitive service, as well as the highest grade (or promotion potential) held, on a permanent basis
3. Other supporting documents:
  • College transcript(s), if qualifying based on education
  • SF-15 Form and VA letter, or certification of expected discharge or release from active duty from Veterans for consideration under Veteran hiring authorities
  • Non-competitive appointment authority documentation, if applicable
  • Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program Documentation: If you are applying under CTAP or ICTAP, you MUST submit proof of eligibility under 5 CFR 330.602(a) for CTAP and 5 CFR 330.704 for ICTAP. This includes a copy of the agency notice, a copy of your most recent performance rating, and a copy of your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) showing your position, grade level, and duty location. Please annotate your application to reflect that you are applying as a CTAP or ICTAP eligible
  • Most recent Performance Appraisal, if applicable
  • Cover letter, optional
Do not submit photographs with your application package. Documents with photographs may not be seen by hiring officials - you must remove your image from any badges, licenses, etc.

Do not upload Adobe portfolio documents. Adobe portfolio documents are not viewable by our agency's staffing offices. Note: A PDF Portfolio contains multiple files assembled into an integrated PDF unit. The files in a PDF Portfolio can be in a wide range of file types created in different applications. To ensure the document is not a PDF Portfolio document, open the document and if there are multiple different documents with a variety of extensions, it is a PDF Portfolio document and will not be processed.

It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted prior to the closing date of the announcement.

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 the initial online application, to include the initial online assessment and submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section of this vacancy.

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

  1. To begin the application process, click Apply Online button.
  2. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation. You may preview the Application Questionnaire at:https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12805064
  3. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
  4. Read the Eligibility questions carefully. The questions address if you are eligible to apply to this JOA. Your responses will affect your consideration for the position. You may qualify for more than one eligibility, so please choose carefully. You will only be considered under the options you have selected. If you respond that you do not meet any of the eligibility questions, you will not be considered for this position.
  5. 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.
  6. Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials.
  7. 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.
  8. Set aside at least 3 hours to take the assessment; however, most applicants complete the assessment in less time. If you need to stop the assessment and continue at a later time, you can re-use your unique assessment link.
  9. 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.
Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for general information, practice assessments and assessment preparation resources.

To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login). There you will find a record of your application, the application status, and an option to Edit 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/howto/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.

Agency contact information

Jennifer Turney
Address
The John F Kennedy Center for Performing Arts
2700 F. Street, NW
Washington, DC 20566
US

Next steps

If you have questions about this job, please contact the HR Office representative listed in the "Agency Contact Info" section of this vacancy announcement.

For status updates on your application, please follow the directions listed above in the How to Apply section. Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. If you are selected for an interview for this position, you will be contacted directly. A final job offer for this position is typically made within several weeks after the closing date of the vacancy announcement. After confirming a job offer, all other applicants will be notified of their non-selection.


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


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