Summary
Applications received as a result of job fairs, recruitment events, and emergency hiring mechanisms in support of this hiring initiative will also be accepted during open and closing date of this announcement.
**Applicants please note: Additional selections may be made across the Department of Health and Human Services through this vacancy announcement.**
This job is open to
Clarification from the agency
This is a Direct-Hire Authority position, traditional rating and ranking of applicants does not apply to this vacancy. This position is also open to PHS Commissioned Corps Officers. PHS Commissioned Corps (CC) Officers will be referred as CC personnel and not as a candidate for conversion to a permanent federal appointment.
Duties
This position is located in the Health Resources and Services Administration, Office of Federal Assistance and Acquisition Management, Office of Acquisitions Management and Policy. This position is 100% remote and the US location is negotiable after selection. Work sites outside of the U.S. are prohibited. Your salary will be based upon the locality pay of your work site after selection.
For salary information based on locations, please visit this link to the OPM 2024 salary tables.
As a Contract Specialist, your major duties and responsibilities include:
- Using contract types such as simplified acquisitions, interagency agreements under the Economy Act, interagency agreements under other specific authorities; contracts, delivery orders and blanket purchase agreements, including developing and approving determinations and findings and solicitation documents of varying types and amounts.
- Performing procurement planning to develop objectives in terms of competition and price range and constructs the contractual vehicle including use of pricing arrangements, subcontracting policy, set-aside policies, and similar considerations.
- Preparing and reviewing Requests for Proposals (RFP), other pre-award documentation, price/cost analysis, negotiates contracts, and determining the appropriate mechanism for awards, prepares pre-negotiation position analysis, acts as contract administrator, and performing contract closeout functions.
- Responding both orally and in writing, to inquiries from the Division and Office Director, program staff and external parties, including but is not limited to explanations and/or defenses of various components of a contract, reports (routine and ad hoc), and interfacing with the PO and contractor on sensitive issues, such as poor or nonperformance of contract terms and conditions.
- Performing a full range of contract administration duties and responsibilities for assigned acquisitions, including but not limited to modifications, performance monitoring and feedback, addressing/resolving performance problems, payment issues, and subcontracting; and may partially or completely terminate contracts for the convenience of the Government or default by the contractor.
NOTE: Do not cut and paste the duties, specialized experience, or occupational assessment questionnaire from this announcement into your resume as that will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- U. S. Citizenship is required.
- Males ages 18 through 25 must be registered with the Selective Service.
- PHS Commissioned Corps applicants must submit current personnel orders.
- This position has an education requirement - Must submit transcripts.
- A one year probationary period may be required.
- Employment is subject to the successful completion of the pre-appointment process (i.e., background investigation, verification of qualifications and job requirements, completion of onboarding forms, submission of required documents, etc.)
- This position is covered under the Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) Act. A Federal Acquisition Certification – Contracting (Professional) (FAC-C (Professional)) is required within Agency-established timeframes.
Qualifications
THESE QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS MUST BE MET BY THE CLOSING DATE: 08/30/2024.
This is an open continuous announcement that is being used to create an inventory of applicants for Contract Specialist (Direct Hire) positions and will be used to fill immediate and future needs.
Applicants are encouraged to apply early in order to maximize their employment opportunities. Your application will remain in the inventory of tentatively qualified applicants. Applicants that fully meet the announcement requirements will be referred to the selecting official for consideration as requests to fill vacancies are processed by the Human Resources Office. Referral lists will be generated throughout the open period as vacancies occur. If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted.
Qualified applicants will be considered as job opportunities occur and may or may not receive further notification regarding the status of their application. However, all applicants will receive a final disposition notification once the recruitment process is complete.
QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:
OPM INDIVIDUAL OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR CONTRACTING SERIES, 1102:
To qualify for this position at the GS-1102-13 grade level, you must meet all of the following requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
Basic Requirements for GS-13 and Above
A. Completion of all mandatory training prescribed by the head of the agency for progression to GS-13 or higher-level contracting positions, including at least 4-years' experience in contracting or related positions. At least 1 year of that experience must have been specialized experience at or equivalent to work at the next lower level of the position, and must have provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the work of the position.
AND
B. 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. You must provide unofficial transcripts as verification that you meet this education requirement by the closing date of this announcement. Please DO NOT send copies of diplomas as they are NOT acceptable as verification that you meet the education requirement.
C. Exceptions: 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 under Paragraph D. If attempting to qualify based on this option, you must provide an SF50 at the GS-13 or higher level that is dated on or prior to January 1, 2000. This will allow HR to verify that you meet this exception.
D. Waiver: When filling a specific vacant position, the senior procurement executive of the selecting agency, at his or her discretion, may waive any or all of the requirements of Paragraphs A and B above if the senior procurement executive certifies that the applicant possesses significant potential for advancement to levels of greater responsibility and authority, based on demonstrated analytical and decision-making capabilities, job performance, and qualifying experience. With respect to each waiver granted under this Paragraph D, the senior procurement executive must document for the record the basis of the waiver. If an individual is placed in a position in an agency on the basis of a waiver, the agency may later reassign that individual to another position at the same grade within that agency without additional waiver action.
PLEASE NOTE: This is an HHS Acquisition Workforce position that requires the Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting (FAC-C) (Professional). Effective February 1, 2023:
a. Current workforce members certified at Levels I, II, or III of the Legacy FAC-C programs will automatically be certified in the FAC-C Professional. Applicants who possess a current FAC-C (Professional) Certification (or equivalent) MUST provide a copy of the certification with their application by the closing date of the announcement.
b. New Federal employees shall follow the FAC-C (Professional) requirements, which includes 12 months of full-time experience applying a representative sample of technical contracting competencies. New hires must obtain a FAC-C (Professional) Certification within 36 months of entrance on duty.
In addition to the above requirements, in order to qualify for this position at the GS-13 level, your resume must clearly demonstrate that you have one full year of the minimum qualifying specialized experience comparable in difficulty and responsibility to at least the GS-12 level in the federal service.
MINIMUM QUALIFYING SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position and is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. To be creditable, an applicant's one full year of specialized experience must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary for successful job performance.
Examples of minimum qualifying specialized experience equal to the GS-12 level include performing the following types of tasks on a regular and recurring basis:
- Performing pre-award and post-award contract administration.
AND
- Performing cost and price analyses for contract administration.
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; community; student; social). If such experience is on a part-time basis, you must provide the average number of hours worked per week as well as the beginning and ending dates of the experience so it can be fully credited.
TO PREVIEW THE OCCUPATIONAL ASSESSMENT QUESTIONNAIRE, please click on the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12408815
Education
This position has an education requirement. You must submit a copy of your transcripts (or a list of your courses including titles, credit hours completed and grades) to document that you have met the education requirement. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package. Official transcripts will be required prior to your starting work.
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: http://www.ed.gov.
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.
This is a Direct-Hire Authority position, traditional rating and ranking of applicants does not apply to this vacancy. Veterans' Preference does not apply to direct hire recruitment procedures.
Your application will be reviewed to ensure that you meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position. All applicants who meet the minimum qualifications will be referred for consideration in accordance with the Office of Personnel Management Direct Hire Authority.
Additional selections may be made for similar positions across the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) within the local commuting area(s) of the location identified in this announcement. By applying, you agree to have your application shared with interested selecting official(s) at HHS. Clearance of CTAP/ICTAP will be applied for similar positions across HHS.
To determine your qualifications and referral status, we may review your resume and supporting documentation and compare it against your responses to the vacancy questionnaire. Ensure you support your self-ratings by the information you provide in your application. We may verify or assess your qualifications at any time. Inflated or unsupported qualifications may affect your rating. Any misrepresentation or material omission of facts may be sufficient cause to end further consideration of your candidacy. Persons listed as having knowledge of your past accomplishments or experience in your application may be contacted for verification purposes at any time. Verification may, but need not, begin prior to receiving an offer. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.
Required Documents
This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please contact either HRSA's Office of Human Resources at (301) 443-3780 or by email: askhr@hrsa.gov or HRSA's Reasonable Accommodation programs at (301) 443-2538 or by email RA-Request@hrsa.gov. You must contact the Reasonable Accommodations Program prior to the closing date of this announcement to receive assistance. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. Hours of operation: Monday through Friday 7:30AM to 4:00PM EST (except Federal holidays).
Submission of a resume alone is not a complete application. To apply for this position, you must provide a complete online Application Package which includes:
1. A current Resume - For resume writing guidance, please visit USAJOBS Resources Center or view their video tutorial. Your resume must thoroughly describe how your skills and experiences align to the criteria defined in the "Qualifications" section of this announcement and it must support your responses to the assessment questionnaire. We cannot assume you have performed the necessary experience required for this position regardless of your employment history or academic career. To ensure all of the essential information is in your resume, we encourage you to use the USAJOBS online Resume Builder.
If you choose to use your own resume, curriculum vitae, or any other written form you choose, then you must ensure it contains all of the required information and you organize it so we can associate the following information for each experience/position:
- Job title
- Name of employer
- Beginning and ending dates of employment (month/day/year format)
- Hours worked per week. We will assume full-time unless otherwise stated. We will prorate part-time employment in crediting experience.
- Detailed description of job duties, accomplishments, related skills, and responsibilities to include any supervisory/managerial responsibilities and number of staff supervised (if applicable)
- Your resume must show the series and grade or equivalent for all federal positions you have held (if a federal position).
You must also ensure that the duties performed are clearly matched to each period of employment.
Do not include a photograph or video of yourself, or any sensitive information (age, date of birth, marital status, protected health information, religious affiliation, social security number, etc.) on your resume or cover letter. We will not access web pages linked on your resume or cover letter to determine your qualifications.
2. A complete Assessment Questionnaire
3. Other supporting documents to be submitted with application:
- Personnel Orders: PHS Commissioned Corps Officers must submit a copy of latest personnel orders in lieu of SF-50.
- College Transcripts (if the position has a positive education requirement, or you are qualifying on the basis of education).
- Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50), if current or former Federal employee.
- If you are currently serving in a pay banded position, please include a copy of your pay band chart with your application.
For Résumé and Application Tips visit the USAJOBS Resource Center.
The complete Application Package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 08/30/2024
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
Need assistance with the Federal application process? This video will provide you with an overview of the Federal application process for positions in the competitive civil service using USAJOBS. Please click the link to view How to Apply for Federal Jobs - YouTube
To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 08/30/2024 to receive consideration.
- To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
- Click the Submit My Answers button to submit your application package.
- It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.
To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.
Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP)/ Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): Click here for information on how to apply as an CTAP/ICTAP eligible. To exercise selection priority for this vacancy the displaced Federal employee must be found well-qualified.
Click here for information on " Federal hiring for individuals with disabilities".
Applicants please note: To assist us with an expeditious application review process, please do not submit any of the documentation listed below unless specifically requested in the announcement. The following documents are not required and do not need to be submitted with your resume:
- Diplomas of any type (When education documents are required, you must submit unofficial transcripts)
- Letters of Recommendation, Reference, or Congratulations, etc...
- General training documents or certificates of completed training (Except Contract Specialist positions when requested in the announcement)
- Any documents with a picture of the applicant (Except medical or nursing licenses when requested in the announcement)
- Awards documentation including SF-50s for Awards
- Performance Appraisals (Only CTAP/ICTAP eligible applicants need to submit their latest performance appraisal)
- Evaluations of any type
- Writing Samples
- OF-306
- Executive Core Qualifications Statements (ECQs)
Next steps
HHS has a critical preparedness and response mission: HHS protects the American people from health threats, researches emerging diseases, and mobilizes public health programs with domestic and international partners. In support of this mission, HHS offers its employees the opportunity to volunteer to become Federal Civilian Detailees and contribute their unique skills through voluntary temporary assignments to humanitarian emergencies or Departmental priorities countering new and emerging health, safety, and security threats.
Once your online questionnaire is received you will be sent an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. We will update your status after each key stage in the application process has been completed. You may also check the status of your application through your USAJobs profile. Check the status.
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