Qualifications
To qualify for a Contract Specialist, your resume and supporting documentation must support:
Recent Graduate Eligibility
To be eligible, applicants must meet ONE of the following requirements:
- A person who was awarded a degree by an institution of higher education not more than two years before the date of the appointment - OR -
- A person who has completed a period of obligated service in a uniformed service of more than four years, and was awarded a degree by an institution of higher education not more than four years before the date of the appointment.
You must provide supporting eligibility documentation (i.e., transcript or other official documentation of showing the date you completed the requirements for a degree and veterans' documents (including DD-214), if applicable).
In addition to meeting the Recent Graduate eligibility education requirements, to qualify for a Contract Specialist, your resume and supporting documentation must support:
A. Basic Contracting Requirement: A.) A baccalaureate degree from an accredited educational institution authorized to grant baccalaureate degrees OR B.) a current civilian employee in DoD or member of the Armed Forces, who occupied an 1102 position, contracting officer position, or comparable military contracting position with authority to award or administer contracts above the simplified acquisition threshold on or before September 30, 2000 are excluded from the requirements of A.) above.
B. Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience that equipped you with the particular competencies to successfully perform the duties of the position, and is directly in or related to this position. In addition to meeting the Basic Contracting Requirement above, to qualify for the GS-07 grade level, specialized experience must be at the GS-5 grade level or equivalent under other pay systems in the Federal service, military or private sector. Creditable specialized experience includes:
- Experience performing developmental and/or recurring assignments in support of a local installation or in a centralized procurement activity
- Procuring supplies or services primarily through formal advertising or through limited use of negotiation techniques
- Reviewing requisitions to determine proper specifications or purchase descriptions are included in solicitation documents
- Contacting technical personnel to resolve questions of applicability of specifications, classifications of terms, or acceptance of substitute items
- Evaluating bids or proposals for compliance with specifications or purchase descriptions and applicable clauses
C. Education Substitution: Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. Education must be from a college or university accredited by an organization approved by the U.S. Department of Education. See http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/Search.aspx. YOU MUST SUBMIT A TRANSCRIPT as supplemental documentation. To qualify based on education in lieu of specialized experience, you must possess: a bachelor's degree AND meet Superior Academic Achievement -OR- possess one (1) full academic year of graduate education or law school. Superior Academic Achievement (SAA) is based on one of the following: (1) class standing (upper third standing in graduating class); (2) grade-point average (2.95 overall or over the last two years of bachelor's degree -or- 3.45 in your major field or over the last two years in your major); or (3) election to membership in a national scholastic honor society. One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credit 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 fulltime graduate study.
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.
Education
Are you using your education to qualify? You MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. Unless otherwise stated: Unofficial transcripts are acceptable at time of application.
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.
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.