Contract Specialist Job in Washington, DC

Vacancy No. 20250523-95714-008959-AB-EH Department U.S. Coast Guard
Salary $142,488.00 to $185,234.00 Grade 14 to 14
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 7/23/2025 Close Date 7/28/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Washington, DC


Summary

This position is located in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), United States Coast Guard (USCG), Acquisition Directorate, Director of Contracting & Procurement. You will work at the USCG Headquarters building, which is in Washington, District of Columbia. There is one vacancy in each Formal Contracts Branch: CG-HCA-COCO-41 and CG-HCA-COCO-42 Washington, District of Columbia.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

Open to all U.S. Citizens. This position will be filled through Expedited Hiring Authority (EHA). All applicants who meet the basic qualification requirements will be forwarded to the Selecting Official for further consideration. The "Rule of Three", Category Rating, Veterans Preference, and traditional rating and ranking of applicants does not apply to this vacancy.

Duties

You will serve as a senior Contract Specialist and Contracting Officer, and be responsible to plan and recommend for execution, all contractual actions and phases for assigned programs.

Being a Coast Guard civilian makes you a valuable member of the Coast Guard team. Typical work assignments include:

  • Providing contracting expertise and business advice to programs, leadership, top management officials, policy makers, and non-governmental organizations and institutions in all contracting areas and on challenging, new developments in contracting and procurement initiatives. Collaborating with other government agencies and support development of interagency agreements.
  • Working closely with and responsible for the full range of contracting actions required to support program/requiring office from project initiation to contracting closeout. Planning, managing, pre-award, award, post-award, and closeout of complex acquisitions. Negotiating acquisitions employing a variety of contract types such as: cost reimbursement, incentive, indefinite delivery, and firm-fixed-price.
  • Conducting in-depth compliance reviews of solicitations and contracts appropriate contract type, pricing and other contract provisions, acquisition method, selection of source, clarity of contract terms, and propriety of cited funds.
  • Conducts random routine Electronic Contract Filing System (ECFS) file audits on team, and reports findings to Supervisor to identify areas for improvement.
  • Develops ideas to increase compliance with the contracting office's "Metrics that Matter". These metrics consist of meeting normally 90% to 100% quotas on compliance with: exercising Options timely, completing CPARS registrations and evaluations timely, approving FPDS-NG, CARs timely, awarding Closeouts timely, paying Invoices timely, and ensuring the complete and accurate file for every action over the Micro-Purchase Threshold is uploaded into ECFS.
  • Prepares and hosts various trainings for team staff as needed, depending on noticed skill deficiencies staff may have, or to just share lessons learned.
  • Assists Contract Specialists with creating and adjusting milestone plans, and hosts meetings with all stakeholders as needed.
  • Researches and stays up to date on all FAR, HSAR, HSAM, and CGAP, Class Deviations, Acquisition Alerts, and local level guidance, to be prepared to answer stakeholder or industry questions, when the Contract Specialist is unfamiliar with the topic.
  • Is flexible with alternating between taking mandatory trainings and ensuring the work is still done, so mission critical services and supplies are procured accurately and timely.
  • Is the Acting Supervisor for contractual issues during the Supervisor's absences, and coordinates with Level Above Supervisor for other issues such as unexpected staff absences or HR related issues.
  • Provides much advanced notice of planned leave requests and coordinates leave requests with Supervisor, so Supervisor can try to ensure that there is always at least 1 Contracting Officer working on each business day.
  • Effectively communicate orally and in writing with the team, management, and stakeholders.

Mandatory training is required which must be successfully completed and other training may occur as necessary for success in the position.

A. Required to possess a current Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting (FAC-C) (Professional) or a current Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) Contracting Professional certification at the time of application.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.

Must complete all mandatory trainings, successfully obtain and maintain an Unlimited Contracting Officer Warrant conducted through a formal warrant board interview within 6 months from the date of hire.

Key Requirements:
All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.

  1. Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
  2. Must be registered or exempt from the Selective Service. See www.sss.gov
  3. A one-year probationary period may be required.
  4. Unofficial Transcripts must be submitted at the time of application
  5. This is a Bargaining Unit position.

Qualifications

You must meet all three requirements listed below, unless you are covered by an exception:1) Completion of a 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with a major in any field, that included or was supplemented by 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: The Defense Acquisition University (DAU) does not grant Academic degrees; therefore, courses completed at the DAU are not creditable towards meeting the 24-semester hour requirement, in the fields identified above, unless the coursework has been evaluated by an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and appears on a college or university transcript.

AND 2) Completion of at least 4-years of experience in a contracting or related position, 1 year of which was directly related experience equivalent to the GS-13 level in the Federal service. Directly related experience must have involved the application of procurement and contracting principles, laws, regulations and procedures in planning, developing, implementing, and maintaining all aspects of the administration of one or more major systems contracts; applying knowledge of a procurement functional area sufficient to provide expert technical leadership, staff coordination, and consultation; formulating guidelines, implementing new developments, and providing policy interpretation; performing in-depth evaluations of the financial and technical capabilities, or the performance, of the contractor; planning and conducting on-site training to improve overall acquisition functions; coordinating the implementation of financial management business processes that impact contract operations; and assisting in the implementation of policies, programs and services related to acquisition information technology systems.

EXCEPTIONS TO QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS: Applicants who have been in a GS-1102 position, at or above the GS-13 level, since January 1, 2000 without a break in service only need to meet the 1-year of directly related experience in order to qualify. The educational, training and additional years of contracting experience requirements do not apply to these individuals.AND3) Training refers to the Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting (FAC-C) Modernization Memo issued by the Office of Federal Procurement Policy on Jan. 19, 2023.

Applicants must meet the FAC-C (Professional) or DAWIA Contracting Professional requirements at the time of application. Possession of certification must be indicated as part of application submission. Certification requirements may be viewed at FAC-C (Professional) | FAI.GOV National Service Experience (i.e., volunteer experience): 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. The Office of Personnel management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule, C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.

Education

This position does have a positive education requirement. If you are including education on your resume, report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. See Required Documents section for detail.

College Transcript: If you are qualifying based on education, submit a copy of your college transcript that lists college courses detailing each course by the number and department (i.e., bio 101, math 210, etc.), course title, number of credit hours and grade earned. You must submit evidence that any education completed in a foreign institution is equivalent to U.S. education standards with your resume. You may submit an unofficial copy of the transcript at the initial phase of the application process. If course content cannot be easily identified from the title of the course as listed on your transcript, you must submit an official course description from the college/university that reflects the content at the time the course was taken.

Transcripts--If this position requires specific educational course work to qualify, or you are qualifying based in whole or part on education, you are required to provide all unofficial transcripts (undergraduate, graduate, etc.) by the closing date of this announcement or you will be disqualified from further consideration. Please ensure that all documentation is legible. FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet Federal qualification requirements if you can show that your foreign education is comparable to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence with your application. See Recognition of Foreign Qualifications click here

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

Additional information

E-Verify
DHS uses E-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.

Fair Chance Act
The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Homeland Security and its Components from requesting an applicant's criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201 certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance to Compete Act. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to Andrea.D.Benn@uscg.mil.

Suitability Statement
If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment.

Shared Certificates Statement
Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for DHS to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions.

Special Employment Consideration

The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR 213.3102(u), and or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR 315.707. Veterans, Peace Corps, VISTA volunteers, and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above or contact the servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement.

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.

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, optional cover letter and supporting documentation will be reviewed to determine if you meet the minimum qualification requirements for the position. Under the provisions of direct hiring authority, rating, ranking and veterans' preference does not apply; therefore, your responses to the questionnaire will not be used to determine a scored rating. All applicants who meet the minimum qualifications in the job opportunity announcement, will be referred for selection consideration. While veterans' preference does not apply in EHA, preference eligible are encouraged to submit their supporting documentation (DD-214 stating disposition of discharge or character of service, VA letter, SF-15, etc.).

Applicants applying as CTAP or ICTAP candidates, and are determined CTAP or ICTAP eligible, must exceed the minimum qualification requirements to be referred under this selection priority placement program by attaining at least a rating of 85 out of 100. For those deemed eligible and who meet the minimum qualifications, we will compare your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation. CTAP/ICTAP eligibles who are not determined well-qualified will not be referred under the CTAP/ICTAP selection priority placement program; however, will be referred for selection consideration with other minimally qualified applicants.



Veterans' preference does not apply.

Preview the job questionnaire https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12769359.

Required Documents

A complete application consists of the following:

Resume showing relevant experience; cover letter optional. Your resume must list your educational and work experience including the dates (mm/dd/yy) of each employment along with the number of hours worked per week. If applying under CTAP/ICTAP your resume may be used to validate your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire. Your resume should also indicate your citizen the Selective Service System if you are a male born after 12/31/59.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) and Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) documentation.

CTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents: A copy of your RIF separation notice, a copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating, a copy of your most recent SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action", noting current position, grade level, and duty location, any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential.

ICTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents: A copy of your RIF separation notice, and/or a copy of your most recent SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action" noting your current position, grade level, and duty location, a copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating, any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential. View information about ICTAP eligibility on OPM's Career Transition Resources website.

OPM must authorize employment offers for former or current Political Appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C or Non-Career SES employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information. Submit proof of your former or current status, such as your SF-50. Please see here.

NOTE: You will not be considered if you fail to provide all required documents.

Are you a current or former federal employee? Submit a copy of your most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action that demonstrates your eligibility for consideration, e.g., length of time you have been in your current grade; your highest grade held; your current promotion potential and proof of permanent appointment if applying based on an interchange agreement. Examples of appropriate SF-50s include promotions, within-grade increases and accessions.

Are you qualifying based on education? Submit a copy of your college transcript (unofficial is acceptable) from an accredited institution. Once selected and prior to appointment, applicants must provide an official college transcript. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet Federal qualification requirements if you can show that your foreign education is comparable to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States. For example, specific courses accepted for college-level credit by an accredited U.S. college or university, or foreign education evaluated by an organization recognized for accreditation by the Department of Education as education equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. college or university. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence with your application. See Recognition of Foreign Qualifications for more information.

OPM must authorize employment offers for former or current Political Appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C or Non-Career SES employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information. Submit proof of your former or current status, such as your SF-50. Please see here.

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

Complete applications for this vacancy must be received on-line by 11:59p.m ET 07/28/2025. To begin your online application, click the Apply Online button and follow the prompts to register or sign in to USAJOBS, take the online questionnaire and submit the required documents to provide proof of qualifications. If you are claiming veterans' preference, you will be required to submit proof. See Required Documents section for more detail regarding a complete application package.

High self-assessment in the vacancy questions that is not supported by information in your resume and/or supporting documents may impact you or eliminate you from consideration.

If claiming eligibility under the VOW Act: The VOW Act requires Federal agencies to treat active-duty service member as veterans, disabled veterans, and preference eligibles, when they submit, at the time they apply for a Federal job, a "certification" of active service in lieu of a DD214. In order to be considered under the VOW Act, the certification must specify that the service member is expected to be discharged or released from active duty under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted with your application package for this job announcement. The certification must be on letterhead from the appropriate military branch and include the following information: military dates of service and expected discharge or release date, character of service, military rank, type of discharge, and date when terminal leave will begin. Certifications must be signed by, or by direction of military members' military personnel offices, unit commanders or higher headquarters. Agencies are required to verify a qualifying separation from military service prior to appointment, through the DD214 or other appropriate documentation. Your preference and/or appointment eligibility will be verified prior to appointment.

It is your responsibility to verify that any information entered or uploaded is received and is accurate. Human Resources will not modify or change any part of your application. Determining your eligibility and qualifications is dependent on the supporting documentation and information provided, which may impact your referral for further consideration. If a document is not legible, you will not be able to view it in your application.

To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.

This announcement requires that applicants submit resumes built only by using the USAJOBS Resume Builder Tool. The tool is activated upon selecting "Build New Resume" under the "Resumes" section of your USAJOBS account. Hence, at a minimum, your resume MUST contain your name, address, and contact information, and the following for each listed job experience: Job title; Series and grade, if it is a federal civilian position; Employer's name and address; Employment beginning and ending dates (Month/Year); Number of hours worked per week, and Description of duties performed.

Additionally, your resume must thoroughly describe how your skills and experiences align to the criteria defined in the Qualifications section of this announcement. DO NOT submit a list of competencies or simply paste your Position Description in the Duties performed section of your resume, as we will not assume you have the necessary experience to successfully perform in this job regardless of your employment history or academic career.

Please limit your resume to 5 pages. If more than 5 pages are submitted, only the first 5 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.

  • If you are unable to apply online, you must request an alternative application which is available from the Human Resources Office. Please contact ANDREA BENN at Andrea.D.Benn@uscg.mil to obtain an alternative application.

Agency contact information

ANDREA BENN

Next steps

Once you submit your application, we will assess your experience and training, identify the best-qualified applicants, and refer those applications to the hiring manager for further consideration and interviews. We will notify you by email after each of these steps has been completed. Your status will also be updated on USAJOBS throughout the process. To check your status, log on to your USAJOBS account, click on "Application Status," and then click "More Information." We expect to make a job offer within 60 days after the deadline for applications. If you are selected, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation.

View more information on applying for federal employment.

Any offers of employment made pursuant to this announcement will be consistent with all applicable authorities, including Presidential Memoranda, Executive Orders, interpretive U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) guidance, and Office of Management and Budget plans and policies concerning hiring. These authorities are subject to change. Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for DHS to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions.

Recruitment incentives may be authorized.

Recruitment Incentive - Selectee(s) for this position who are newly appointed to a permanent position are authorized to receive a one-time recruitment incentive of 10% of the salary, including locality for this position. Receipt of the bonus will require a 12-month service agreement.

"Newly appointed" refers to the first appointment (regardless of tenure) as an employee of the Federal Government, an appointment following a break in service of at least 90 days from a previous appointment as an employee of the Federal Government, or, in certain cases, an appointment following a break in service of less than 90 days from a previous appointment as an employee of the Federal Government.

Relocation Incentive - Selectee(s) for this position who are current federal employees on permanent appointments and will be moving outside of the current commuting area of their current position to accept this position are authorized to receive a one-time relocation incentive of 10% of the salary including locality for this position. Receipt of the bonus will require a 12-month service agreement. The employee must establish a residence in the new geographic area prior to payment.


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