Contracting Specialist Job in Washington, DC

Vacancy No. FEC-12774484-OPM Department Federal Election Commission
Salary $84,601.00 to $156,755.00 Grade 11 to 13
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 9/9/2025 Close Date 9/22/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Washington, DC


Summary

The Federal Election Commission is a small dynamic environment committed to building a skilled and motivated team that supports our mission and delivers high-quality services. This position is located in the Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO), Procurement Division for the Federal Election Commission (FEC), which is responsible for timely, accurate and useful financial and procurement information, essential for making day-to-day decisions and managing the Agency's operations.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

This announcement is open to all US Citizens as well as current/former federal employees and individuals eligible under one or more of the following: veterans eligible for VEOA, disabled veterans receiving 30% or more disability compensation from the VA, military spouses under E.O. 13473, certain former overseas employees, present/former Peace Corps volunteers/employees or VISTA members; present and former Foreign Service officers and employees and Schedule A.

Duties

Salary Ranges:
GS-11: $84,601 - $109,975
GS-12: $101,401 - $131,826
GS-13: $120,579 - $156,755

As a Contracting Specialist in this position, you will:

  • Collaborate with the supervisor/other contracting officials performing contract planning, including generating complete contract packages and providing long-range and short-term procurement planning.
  • Prepare price and cost analyses for designated actions, formulate negotiation strategies, develop negotiation objectives, and negotiate contracts for the Agency's programs, including information technology equipment, computer programming services, conference management and case management services, and others.
  • Perform contract administration functions required by procurement regulations, drafting documents for contractual modifications, and oversight of contract performance necessary to ensure delivery of the supplies or services required by contract.
  • Administer and maintain contracting records and files ensuring strict compliance with contracting regulations.
The full performance level of this position is GS-1102-13. If you are selected for the GS-11 or GS-12, you will perform the same duties outlined above in a developmental capacity. Upon meeting regulatory and performance requirements you may be promoted non-competitively to the target level of GS-13.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • You must be a U.S. citizen or national.
  • You must be able to pass a background investigation.
  • Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see Legal and regulatory guidance below).
  • You may be required to serve a 2 year probationary period.
  • Direct Deposit of Pay is required.
  • You must meet eligibility and qualification requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.
  • Status candidates must meet time-in-grade/band requirements (52 weeks at the next lower grade).
  • This position requires a Financial Disclosure Statement.

Qualifications

In order to qualify, you must meet the experience and/or education requirements described below. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience. If qualifying based on education, a copy of your unofficial or official transcripts must be provided with your application.

**Selective Placement Factor required for the GS-11, GS-12 and GS-13**: You must have FAC-C (Professional) or Department of Defense (DoD) Contracting Professional Certification. You must provide copy of your certificate with your application.

Basic Requirement for GS-11 and GS-12:
A. Have completed a 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with a major in any field.
OR
B. Have completed 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
C. Currently occupy a GS-1102 position and have continuously occupied GS-1102 positions since January 1, 2000. (NOTE: You must submit a copy of your most recent SF-50 and an SF-50 dated on or before January 1, 2000 to support your response.)

AND

Additional Qualifications for GS-11:
A. Have one full year of specialized experience, comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-09 federal grade level, performing the following on government contracts: (1) performing contract execution, which involves preparing and issuing solicitations and negotiating terms, conditions and price; (2) terminating contracts by analyzing, negotiating, and settling claims and proposals; (3) analyzing and evaluating cost or price proposals and accounting systems data; (4) performing price and cost analyses; and (5) preparing negotiation positions using technical analysis.
OR
B. Have 3 full academic years of progressively higher-level graduate education or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree 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.
OR
C. A combination of specialized experience, as defined in A, and graduate education, as defined in B, that when combined, equal 100% of the total requirement. (Please note only graduate education in excess of the first two years, generally considered 36 semester hours, may be used in this calculation.)

Additional Qualifications for GS-12:
Have one full year of specialized experience, comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-11 federal grade level, performing the following on government contracts: (1) performing contract execution, which involves preparing and issuing solicitations and negotiating terms, conditions and price; (2) managing the overall life cycle of the contract programs; (3) coordinating complex contract planning and preparation of price and cost analyses for designated actions; (4) developing negotiation strategies and objectives, and negotiate contracts for an organization; and (5) developing strategies and plans for contract specification and quality assurance criteria.

Basic Requirement for the GS-13:
A. Have completed 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.
OR
B. Currently hold a GS-1102 Contracting Specialist position in the Federal service at the GS-13 grade level or higher and I have held this position on or before January 1, 2000. (NOTE: You must submit a copy of your most recent SF-50 and an SF-50 dated on or before January 1, 2000 to support your response.)

AND

Additional Qualifications for GS-13:
At least four (4) years of experience in contracting or related positions, and at least one (1) full year of that experience is specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-12 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors) performing the following: (1) coordinating complex contract planning and preparation of price and cost analyses for designated actions; (2) performing complex contract planning, including generating complete contract packages and providing long-range and short-term procurement planning; (3) performing contract execution, which involves preparing and issuing solicitations and negotiating terms, conditions and price; and (4) developing strategies and plans for contract specification and quality assurance criteria.

Status candidates must meet time-in-grade/band requirements: Merit promotion applicants must meet applicable time-in-grade requirements to be considered eligible.
One year at the GS-09 is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS-11 grade level.
One year at the GS-11 is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS-12 grade level.
One year at the GS-12 is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS-13 grade level.
(Must submit your SF-50 that shows Time-in-Grade eligibility and reflects your title, series, and grade. No award SF-50 will be accepted).

In addition, you must provide a cover letter describing your experience with the competencies identified below (Please limit your cover letter to 2 pages.):
  • Contracting/Procurement- Knowledge of various types of contracts, techniques for contracting or procurement, and contract negotiation and administration.
  • Influencing/Negotiating-Persuades others to accept recommendations, cooperate, or change their behavior; works with others towards an agreement; negotiates to find mutually acceptable solutions.
  • Planning and Evaluating -Organizes work, sets priorities, and determines resource requirements; determines short- or long-term goals and strategies to achieve them; coordinates with other organizations or parts of the organization to accomplish goals; monitors progress and evaluates outcomes.
  • Writing - Recognizes or uses correct English grammar, punctuation, and spelling; communicates information (for example, facts, ideas, or messages) in a succinct and organized manner; produces written information, which may include technical material that is appropriate for the intended audience.
Part-time or unpaid experience: Credit will be given for appropriate unpaid and or part-time work. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week.

Volunteer or unpaid experience: Refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service Programs (i.e., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student and social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge and skills that can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Education

To qualify based on education, you must submit a legible copy of transcripts from an accredited institution with your name, school name, credit hours, course level, major(s), and grade-point average or class ranking. Transcripts do not need to be official, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work.

If you received a degree, the transcript must show the date the degree was awarded or conferred.

A self-created transcript, or a list of courses you have prepared, is not acceptable.

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, click Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov). You must provide translated transcripts.

Additional information

This is a Non-Bargaining Position.

FEC offers competitive salaries and an attractive benefits package, including: health, dental, vision, life, and long-term care insurance; retirement plan; Thrift Savings Plan [similar to a 401(k)]; Flexible Spending Account; Employee Assistance Program; personal leave days; and paid federal holidays. Other benefits may include: flexible work schedules, telework and transportation subsidies.

If you receive a tentative 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.

All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement.

Noncompetitive Appointment Authorities: The following links contain information on the eligibility requirements to be considered under a noncompetitive appointing authority:
Special Hiring Authorities for Veterans
Special Hiring Authority for Certain Military Spouses
Other Special Appointment Authorities

Additional selections may be made from 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.

Once the announcement closes, we will conduct a review of your application package to verify your eligibility and qualifications.
If you are found qualified, your application will move forward to additional phases of the review process which will determine the best qualified candidates.

Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

You will be evaluated on the following competencies:

  • Contracting/Procurement
  • Influencing/Negotiating
  • Planning and Evaluating
  • Writing
For those applying under "the public":

Category Rating: Your application will be evaluated and rated under Category Rating selection procedures. Once the application process is complete, a review of your rsum and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the assessment questionnaire to determine if you are qualified for this position. If, after reviewing your rsum and supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your responses when compared to your background information, your category rating may be adjusted to more accurately reflect your skills and abilities, or you may be rated ineligible. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your eligibility. Qualified candidates will be assigned to a quality category. The quality categories are:

Best Qualified: Candidates in this category possess exceptional skills and experience to exceed well above the minimum requirements for this position.

Highly Qualified: Candidates in this category possess good skills and experience above the minimum requirements for this position.

Qualified: Candidates in this category meet the minimum education and/or experience requirements for this position.

The Category Rating Process does not add veteran's preference points, but protects the rights of veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each category. Preference eligible who meet the minimum qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent must be listed in the highest quality category (except for scientific or professional positions at the GS-09 level or higher).

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

  1. Your Resume listing hours worked per week, dates of employment (month/year) and duties performed for each position held.
  2. Transcripts if qualifying based on education.
  3. Cover Letter which addresses the competencies identified in the Qualifications section above. Please limit your cover letter to 2 pages.
  4. Selective Placement Factor documentation. You must have FAC-C Professional Acquisition Certification. You must provide copy of your certificate with your application.
  5. Other supporting documents if applicable:
  • Veterans documents:
    • If you are a Discharged, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 showing character of discharge (Member 4 copy), or other Documentation of Service and Separation under Honorable Conditions, as listed on the SF15. If you don't have your DD-214, you may request it after discharge from the National Archives.
    • If you are a veteran within 120 days of discharge, you must submit signed documentation from the Armed Forces certifying: 1) your expected release/retirement from active duty, 2) under honorable conditions, 3) your pay grade/rank/rate at time of discharge, 4) dates of active duty service, 5) any campaign or expeditionary medals received, & 6) dated within 120 days of your separation.
    • If you are a Disabled Veteran, Purple Heart Recipient, or Mother or Spouse of a Disabled or Deceased Veteran, you must submit all additional proof required by the SF15. You may request a copy of your Department of Veterans Affairs letter from www.ebenefits.va.gov or call 1-800-827-1000 to establish proof of disability.
  • Current Federal Employee (including FEC employees):
    • To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your most recent Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50), or equivalent personnel action, reflecting your permanent competitive or excepted service status with Block 24 as "Tenure 1 or 2" and in Block 34 as "Competitive Service" or "Excepted Service." No award SF-50s will be accepted as proof of eligibility.
    • In addition to submitting your most recent SF-50, if you have held a higher grade than the one you're applying for on a permanent basis, please submit an SF-50, or equivalent personnel action, which documents the highest grade you have held on a permanent basis.
  • Former Federal Employee (including FEC employees):
    • To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your most recent Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50), or equivalent personnel action, reflecting your permanent competitive or excepted service status reflecting one of the criteria listed below:
      • You are a former Federal employee who previously attained Career status identified on your last Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50) in Block 24 as "Tenure 1" and in Block 34 as "Competitive Service" or "Excepted Service."
      • You are a former Federal employee without veterans' preference who separated within the past three years and previously attained Career-Conditional status as identified on your last SF-50 in Block 24 as "Tenure 2" and in Block 34 as "Competitive Service" or "Excepted Service."
      • You are a former Federal employee with veterans' preference who previously attained Career-Conditional status identified on your last SF-50 in Block 24 as "Tenure 2" and in Block 34 as "Competitive Service" or "Excepted Service."
      • Your last Federal performance appraisal plan must reflect a rating of Fully Successful or equivalent.
      • If you have held a higher grade than the one you're applying for on a permanent basis, please submit an SF-50, or equivalent personnel action, which documents the highest grade you have held on a permanent basis.
  • Certain Family Members of Overseas Employees Eligible under E.O. 12721: Your most recent non-award SF-50 and performance appraisal.
  • Certain Military Spouses Eligible under E.O. 13473: Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders, issued within the last 2 years, that lists you as authorized to accompany the Military member to the new duty permanent station; OR verification of the member's 100% disability (VA Letter); and/or verification of the member's death while on active duty (DD-1300 and Death Certificate) AND verification of the marriage to the service member (i.e., a marriage license or other legal documentation verifying marriage).
  • Peace Corps volunteers and VISTA members: submit a copy of your description of service or other proof of non-competitive eligibility. If you are a former Peace Corps volunteer or VISTA member who is requesting an extension of your non-competitive eligibility, please also provide the necessary documentation to support your request.
  • Schedule A, Persons with Disabilities Appointment Eligibles: Schedule A letter from a physician, local, state or federal rehabilitation or benefits office citing disability - eligibility under 5 CFR 213.3102 (u).

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

Please limit your resume to 2 pages. If more than 2 pages are submitted, only the first 2 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.

To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section.

The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 09/22/2025 to receive consideration.

To begin, click Apply Online. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account or you may need to create a new account.

You will be taken to an online application. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation, and submit the application. You will receive an email notification when your application has been received for the announcement.

To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Application Status page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and your responses submitted to the online application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.

Agency contact information

San Antonio Services Branch
Address
Federal Election Commission
1050 First Street, N.E.
Washington, DC 20463
US

Next steps

Once your complete application is received, we will conduct an evaluation of your qualifications. Additional phases of the review process will determine the best qualified candidates, and whether or not your application is referred to the selecting official. You will be contacted directly if further evaluation or an interview is required. You will receive notifications by email about the status of your application throughout this process.


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


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