Contract Specialist

Clarification from the agency

This public notice is issued under Direct Hire Authority (DHA) to recruit talent to occupations for which there is a severe shortage of candidates or a critical hiring need. This means that we can hire any qualified candidate from this notice or any other source. About this DHA notice: -Current civil service employees will receive new appointments if selected under this DHA. -For information on DHA, please visit https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/direct-hire-authority/

• Serves as a subject matter expert and agency authority on acquisition methodology including requirements definition, solicitation, evaluation, award, and delivery of, commercial and/or non-commercial acquisitions, domestic common goods and/or state of the art systems, or equipment and services. Awards and administers various contract types (Firm-Fixed Price, Labor Hour, Time and Materials, etc.). Supports business operations by crafting and overseeing contractual activities in accordance with business processes.
• Prepares acquisition documentation, including market analyses, acquisition plans, and Determination & Findings. Determines the acquisition strategy that best aligns with customer requirements. Develops acquisition objectives in terms of competition and price range and constructs contractual vehicles, including use of pricing arrangements, subcontracting policy, set-aside policies and similar considerations. Plans comprehensive negotiation strategies, coordinates strategies with other technical experts involved, leads negotiations with contractors to develop contract prices and terms, and awards contracts.
• Reviews, validates, and provides guidance on price analysis, market research, the Independent Government Cost Estimates (IGCE), and other pre award documentation. Performs detailed analyses of all elements of cost and price in contractor proposals and makes competitive range determinations. Prepares determinations, findings, and solicitation documents. Develops and recommends acquisition decisions which follow all applicable laws, Comptroller General's decisions, the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) and GSA Regulations (GSAR) and other governing regulations as it pertains to assigned acquisitions.
• Establishes and maintains relationships with Government agency clients and stakeholders for whom conducting the procurement and with both management and technical personnel of private industry. Coordinates program customer communications including conducting regular advisory group and organizational meetings as assigned. Acts as an official spokesperson for the Government. Provides technical direction and guidance to management, customers, and contractors in assignment area relative to the market, the industry, specifications, socio-economic concerns, and similar matters or unusual problems.
• Ensures performance of all necessary actions for effective contracting, ensuring compliance with the terms of the contract, and safeguarding the interests of the United States in its contractual relationships. Performs contract administration, including incremental funding, preparation of rate and cost adjustments, redirection of effort, coordination of time extensions, incorporation of change orders, issuance of stop work orders, issuance of cure notices or show cause letters, monitoring of government property reporting, approval of progress payments, settlement of disputes and claims, and final payment and contract close out. Closes out contracts; issues termination notices; reviews settlement proposals; and develops the government positions with respect to contractor claims.

Conditions of employment

• US Citizenship or National (Residents of American Samoa and Swains Island)
• Meet all eligibility requirements within 30 days of the closing date.
• Register with Selective Service if you are a male born after 12/31/1959

If selected, you must meet the following conditions:

Qualifications

For each job on your resume, provide:

• the exact dates you held  each job (from month/year to month/year)
• number of hours per week you worked (if part time).    

If you have volunteered your service through a National Service program (e.g., Peace Corps, Americorps), we encourage you to apply and include this experience on your resume.

The GS-13 salary range starts at $106,437 per year.

If you are a new federal employee, your starting salary will likely be set at the Step 1 of the grade for which you are selected.  

1102 Qualifications GS-13 & above:

You must meet the requirements in 1, 2, or 3 below:

1. All of a, b, and c below:
   (a) Completion of Training/Certification: FAC-C (Professional)  or DoD Contracting Professional Certification.

(b) At least 4 years of experience in contracting or related positions including 1 year of specialized experience at or equivalent to work at the level described below; and
(c) Completion of a 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree 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.

2. Exception: If you were in a GS-1102 position on January 1, 2000, you will be exempt from meeting the educational requirements for the grade level of that position.  However, to be promoted you will have to meet Option 1 or 3.  

3. Waiver: GSA's senior procurement executive has the discretion to waive any or all of the requirements in 1 above. Note: Candidates that are missing either the 24 hours of business credit and/or the mandatory training certification, but are determined to be otherwise eligible, can be placed on a waiver certification by the HR staffing specialist.

Transcript Requirement: To receive consideration for this position, applicants must submit transcripts documenting completion of the required bachelor's degree and at least 24 semester hours in the qualifying fields listed above. If you do not provide your bachelor's transcripts with your application, your eligibility for this position cannot be verified.

To qualify, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level or higher in the Federal service.

Specialized experience is defined as experience performing pre-award and post-award contracting functions for complex acquisitions. This experience must include:

• Developing and applying acquisition strategies;
• Providing acquisition guidance and recommendations to customers and stakeholders;
• Applying acquisition methodologies across various contract types; and
• Assisting in acquisition planning, drafting solicitations, and awarding, administering, modifying, or closing out contracts.

This position has a positive education requirement: Applicants must submit a copy of their college or university transcript(s) and certificates by the closing date of announcements to verify qualifications. If selected, an official transcript will be required prior to appointment.  

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Your application will be evaluated against the basic qualifications which includes any specialized experience and/or education requirements (if applicable). Qualified candidates will be considered in accordance with the Office of Personnel Management Direct Hire Guidelines. Applications will not be rated or ranked. Veterans’ Preference is not applicable to the direct hire recruitment procedures. Failure to submit a complete application or missing required supporting documentation may result in you not being considered for the position. Falsification of your background, education, and/or experience is grounds for non-selection or dismissal if hired.

SME Resume Review:

Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) will evaluate your resume to determine your qualifications for this position using a pass/fail process. 

ICTAP/CTAP Candidates: The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found “well-qualified" for this vacancy. In addition to meeting the basic qualifications stated in the qualification section of this announcement, well qualified is defined as: experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position, demonstrated by meeting at least 3 out of 5 KSA’s listed below:

1. Knowledge of contract types, methods of contracting and techniques sufficient to serve as a subject matter expert and agency authority on acquisition methodology.

2. Knowledge of federal acquisition regulations, contracting laws, policies, regulations, processes, procedures, and acquisition planning, methods, and execution sufficient to prepare, administer, and complete contracts for a wide range of products and services.

3. Knowledge of procurement processes, including analyzing requirements, identifying suitable contract types, performing cost and price analysis, evaluating contractor proposals, and overseeing task and delivery orders.

4. Skill in oral and written communication sufficient to establish and maintain effective working relationships with customers, contractors, technical personnel, and other stakeholders and to provide acquisition guidance and recommendations.

5. Knowledge of contract administration and termination techniques sufficient to administer, modify, and close out contracts, including resolving disputes, issuing termination notices, reviewing settlement proposals, and developing government positions with respect to contractor claims.

Demonstration of these KSA’s must be supported by your resume. 

ALL required documents must be submitted before the closing date. Review the following list to determine what you need to submit.

Resume: Your resume should not exceed 2 pages and must demonstrate the specialized experience related to the position for which you are applying. Your resume must contain the following information:

• Name, address, telephone number, email address;
• Job Title (if Federal Service, provide series and grade; if not in GS plan, provide GS equivalent grade);
• Relevant work experience—should include employer name, job title, start and end dates (month/year), the number of hours worked per week and descriptions that explain how you meet the required qualifications in the job announcement.
• Education, certifications or licensures—If the job announcement requires any education, certifications or licensures, make sure to include the required information and any required documents like transcripts.

Your resume should contain enough information to make a valid determination that you fully meet experience requirements for each grade level you are applying to. If you do not provide enough information for us to determine your qualifications, you may be rated ineligible.

If you are ICTAP/CTAP eligible - submit a, b, and c: (a) proof of eligibility including agency notice; (b) SF-50, and (c) most recent performance appraisal.

Current or Former Political Appointees: Submit SF-50.  

College transcripts: If you are using some or all of your college education to meet qualification requirements for this position, you must submit a copy of your college transcript(s). Transcripts MUST show: name of the institution, student's name, course work/degree(s) completed/conferred and dates. If selected, an official transcript will be required prior to appointment.

For education completed outside the United States, also submit a valid foreign credential evaluation that substantiates possession of the required education.   

Submit proof of contracting certification:  FAC-C (Professional)  or DoD Contracting Professional Certification.

Next steps

Additional locations