Contract Specialist Job in Washington, DC

Vacancy No. 25-12722510-DH-MJ Department Government Publishing Office
Salary $84,601.00 to $131,826.00 Grade 11 to 12
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 5/1/2025 Close Date 5/14/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Washington, DC


Summary

GPO employees possess a diverse array of talent in many administrative fields and trades. We provide other agencies with innovative services for the printing, publishing, storage, and distribution of digital content. If you are an energetic, inventive individual looking for a challenging, yet rewarding career opportunity, GPO may be the place for you.

This position is located in Government Publishing and Print Procurement, Government Publishing Office in Washington, District of Columbia.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

All U.S. Citizens

Duties

  • Reviews requisitions submitted by customers to determine the best procurement method, whether by informal bid procedure, traditional advertising, considering urgency and nature of the requirement, availability, prospective competition etc.
  • Prepares pre and post award print related documents for all phases of the procurement process. Prepares documents for negotiations, change orders, and modifications.
  • Evaluates bids received and proposes recommendations for the award by the agency and federal regulations. Perform cost and price analysis for various procurements.
  • Reviews contractors performance to ensure compliance with the terms and agreements of the contract. Resolve contractual related issues with internal and external customers.
  • Prepares solicitations, writes contract requirements, edits language, special terms / conditions, secures technical manufacturing specifications from contract clauses while consulting with and providing customers procurement guidance as necessary.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • U.S. Citizenship is required.
  • Selectee must successfully pass pre-employment prior to appointment.
  • Males born after 12/03/59 must be registered for Selective Service.
  • Selectee may be required to serve a one year probationary period.
  • Selectee must be able obtain and maintain a Public Trust security clearance.
  • You must have at least FAC-C level I or DAWIA certification in contracting.
  • Confidential Financial Disclosure report may be required.

Qualifications

THIS IS A DIRECT HIRE ANNOUNCEMENT. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Direct Hire Authority, authorized by 5 United States Code (U.S.C.), Section 3304 and 5 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 337, Subpart B. Veterans Preference and traditional rating and ranking of applicants do not apply to the Direct Hire process.

This position requires for following:

A. Completion of the Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting (FAC-C level I or above) Program.

AND

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

OR

C. 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.
OR
D. Exceptions: Employees in PG-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 under Paragraph E.
OR
E. Waiver: GPO's senior procurement executive has the discretion to waive any or all of the requirements in paragraph A above.
A 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with a major in any field;

In addition to the above requirements, you must meet the Specialized Experience:

Specialized Experience PG-11: Your resume must also demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the PG-09 grade level or pay band in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private or public sector. Specialized experience must demonstrate the following: Preparing contract award proposals, ensuring reasonable prices, evaluating offers, reviewing contractors' performance to ensure compliance with the terms and agreements of the contract.

OR

3 full academic years of progressively higher level graduate education or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree.

OR

Combination of the Specialized Experience for the PG-11 and education stated above.

Specialized Experience PG-12: Your resume must also demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the PG-11 grade level or pay band in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private or public sector. Specialized experience must demonstrate the following: negotiating and awarding contracts ensuring reasonable prices. preparing contract award proposals, negotiating contract changes, performing cost and price analysis, evaluating offers, reviewing contractors performance to ensure compliance with the terms and agreements of the contract


Additional qualification information can be found from the following Office of Personnel Management website:https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/1100/contracting-series-1102/

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.

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement 05/14/2025to be considered.

Education

SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION FOR SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: If you do not possess the specialized experience described above, you may qualify if you have graduate education as noted below if it is in one or a combination of the following fields: accounting, business, finance, law, contracts, purchasing, economics, industrial management, marketing, quantitative methods, or organization and management.

PG-11 level: 3 full academic years of progressively higher level graduate education or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree.

PG-12 level: There is no substitute of education for this grade level

Additional information

Employment of Relatives: Section 3110 of Title 5, U.S. Code, prohibits a Federal official from appointing, promoting, or advocating the appointment or promotion of a relative in the agency where the official is serving or exercises jurisdiction. In addition, Section 2302(b)(7) of Title 5, U.S. Code, makes it a "prohibited personnel practice" for a person in authority to "appoint, employ, promote, advance, or advocate for the appointment, employment, promotion, or advancement of a relative." For further information visit: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/5/3110 and https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/5/2302

Separated Employees: If you have separated from Federal Government employment, you may obtain a copy of your SF-50 via: National Personnel Records Center, Annex, 1411 Boulder Boulevard, Valmeyer, IL, 62295; or visit the National Archives Website.

Work Life Balance: The GPO offers Transit subsidy for commuters using public transportation (Metro Bus/Rail, MARC, VRE, etc.).


Background Investigation:

For any type of Public Trust the language should be as follows, highlighted would be changed based on high or moderate:
To ensure the accomplishment of its mission, the GPO requires every employee to be reliable and trustworthy; this position requires a Moderate Risk Public Trust background investigation. To meet those standards, all selected applicants must undergo and successfully complete a background for a Moderate Risk Public Trust. This review could include financial issues such as delinquency in the payment of debts, child support and/or tax obligations, as well as criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs; this process may take 6 weeks or longer. The Agency may rescind the tentative offer, if the candidate is unable to pass the background investigation.

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 and the candidate is unable to obtain an interim clearance.

The selectee will work shift 1

Additional vacancies may be filled by this announcement.

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.

Your resume will be evaluated to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications required; and on the extent to which your application shows that you possess the competencies associated with this position. To determine if you are qualified for the job, a review of your resume and supporting documentation may be made and compared against your responses to the vacancy questionnaire. You will receive a numeric rating based on your responses to the questionnaire. Your rating is based on both your responses to the questionnaire and information stated in your application. Please make sure that your self-ratings are supported by information in your application. The Human Capital Specialist may verify your qualifications and self-ratings during the application and selection process through quality review, interview questions, work samples, demonstrations, reference checks, and other means. Inflated qualifications may result in you being excluded from further consideration for this position.

You will be further evaluated on the following Competencies required for the position.

  • Contracting/Procurement
  • Cost Benefit Analysis
  • Customer Service
  • Written Communication.


We DO NOT require a separate narrative statement responding to the competencies, however your resume must CLEARLY show possession of these competencies.

If you meet the qualifications stated above and you are among the top candidates your application may be referred to the Selecting Official for further review.

Required Documents

A COMPLETE RESUME IS REQUIRED. Your resume must show relevant experience (cover letter optional) where you worked, job title, duties and accomplishments, employer's name and address, supervisor's name and phone number, starting and end dates (Mo/Yr), hours per week & salary. If you are a current Federal employee or previous Federal employee, provide your pay plan, series and grade level i.e. PG-0201-09. Note: Only the last resume received will be reviewed. To assist you in sending in a complete resume, use the checklist Click Here
Proof of Contracting Certification: If you have received a FAC-C (Legacy or Refresh) or DAWIA Level II or higher certification, submit copy of certificate. In addition to the certification, submit your Continuous Learning Points (CLPs) history identifying the completion of 80 CLPs every two years to maintain your certification. The 80 CLPs every two years shall be from the issuance date of certification to current period.

The following documents will be accepted, but are not required to apply:
SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action: - If you are a current or former federal employee, you must submit a Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) showing the highest grade level held in a position for which you are using to qualify. Your SF-50 must also include the Position Title and Series, Step, Salary, Tenure, Position Occupied, and promotion potential (if applicable) to verify your status and eligibility. Failure to submit the information required will result in an ineligible rating under merit promotion procedures. Not sure if we need to include this information as required.
DOES THIS POSITION REQUIRE A LICENSE OR CERTIFICATE?
You must submit a copy of your license or certificate in your application package.
ARE YOU QUALIFYING BASED ON EDUCATION or A COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE?
For applicants qualifying on the basis of education: School transcript(s) - official or unofficial. A transcript or list of completed courses is required if you are claiming to qualify based on your education. The information presented in the transcript must be verifiable; at the minimum the transcript or list of courses should contain the name of the institution, applicant's name, semester hours, and GPA. If you provided an unofficial transcript or list of completed courses at the time of application and you are selected you will be required to provide an official transcript prior to appointment. You must submit a copy of your college transcript or an appropriate course listing. 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. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html. All education claimed by applicants will be verified by the appointing agency accordingly. If selected, an official/sealed transcript will be required prior to appointment.

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

Click the Apply Online button to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account.

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
1. Complete resume with relevant experience where you worked, job title, duties and accomplishments, employer's name and address, supervisor's name and phone number, starting and end dates (Mo/Yr), hours per week and salary. If you are a current or previous federal employee, provide your pay plan, series and grade level (e.g. PG-0201-09).
2. Complete assessment questionnaire. For a quick preview of the assessment questionnaire click here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12722510
3. Supporting documentation

Failure to submit a complete application package will result in an ineligible rating and loss of consideration.

Your complete application (resume, assessment questionnaire, and all supporting documents) must be received by 11:59 pm Eastern Standard Time (EST) on Close Date. Applications received after Close Date may result in an ineligible rating and loss of consideration. If more than one resume is received, only the last resume received and processed will be reviewed.

YOU ARE REQUIRED TO DOCUMENT IN YOUR APPLICATION PACKAGE EVIDENCE THAT SUPPORTS YOUR ELIGIBILITY AND QUALIFICATION CLAIMS. You are required to upload the applicable documents with your application package. These documents will assist the staffing specialist in determining your eligibility and qualifications.

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

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.

Documents submitted as part of the application package, to include supplemental documents, may be shared beyond the Human Capital 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 may be asked to provide an un-sanitized version of the documents if you are selected to confirm your eligibility.

Agency contact information

Michele Jarman
Address
US Government Publishing Office
732 North Capitol Street NW
Washington, DC 20401
US

Next steps


After each step in the recruitment process, your status will be updated in the online application tracking system and if you have elected to receive email updates, you will be notified through your USAJOBS registered email address. If you have not elected to receive email updates, you can review your current application status in USAJOBS at any time. Please check that your USAJOBS profile contact information is current and correct each time you apply to a job. This will ensure we can contact you as quickly as possible.In addition to changing your status online, we will send you email notifications at each major step in the process, to include: application received, eligible or ineligible, referred or not referred, selected or not selected.

Position Reconsideration Process
Applicants who have applied for employment with the Government Publishing Office who were found to be ineligible for a position, may submit a request for reconsideration upon reasonable demonstration that a reconsideration review is necessary.

Request for Reconsideration will not be accepted for failure to submit appropriate required documentation and/or failure to complete required Assessments or respond accurately to Assessment Questions.

Applicants seeking a Request for Reconsideration should reach out to the servicing Human Resources Specialist indicated in the Vacancy Announcement to see you meet the eligibility requirements for reconsideration.
If you meet the eligibility requirements for reconsideration, the Human Capital Talent Acquisitions and Transactions Division will review the application based on the reconsideration request to determine if the rating was appropriate and render a final decision to the applicant.

A request to reconsider a rating determination must be received in the servicing Talent Acquisitons Office within 5 business days from the date indicated on the Touch Point Notification, Notice of Results received from USA Staffing, or it will be rejected as an untimely request for reconsideration.


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


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