Clarification from the agency

ALL US CITIZENS DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: This position is being filled using Direct-Hire Authority (5 CFR 337.205) for this occupation.

Duties include but are not limited to:

• Perform comprehensive analysis of acquisition regulations, policies, processes, etc., to provide input to and develop agency-level acquisition curricula and programs, develop course material (student and instructor), and provide guidance to the acquisition workforce on a variety of procurement-related subjects.
• Analyze acquisition regulations, policies, case law, etc., in conjunction with existing course materials (VAAA-developed and vendor-provided), to ensure course materials provide accurate guidance to the acquisition workforce, represent best practices, and include the latest acquisition policy changes/updates.
• Maintain expert knowledge of Federal and VA procurement regulations and policies and use current instructional systems design technology to provide expert guidance to the acquisition workforce through facilitating and instructing courses on an array of acquisition topics.
• Monitor and provide analysis of course participants' progress and attainment of acquisition knowledge as specified by the course objectives; observe classes; and provide feedback to instructors and VAAA leadership.
• Analyze and prepare acquisition requirements packages for agency-level curricula needs to obtain courses, instructors, and other required contract support.
• Develop recommendations and briefs for senior VA leadership on mandated acquisition training.
• Perform comprehensive analysis relative to curriculum development, course content and instructor effectiveness utilizing course management evaluation tools to ensure quality assurance in accordance with VAAA and school standards.
• Act as a Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) for course development, instructor-led training, and other support contracts.
• Provide customer service to the acquisition workforce.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. EST. Tour of duty may be adjusted with supervisory approval as long as it stays within the operating hours of the department.
Location:The selectee will be required to report on-site at 7485 New Horizon Way, Frederick, MD 21703
Compressed/Flexible: Available with supervisory approval.
Telework: Available - Ad Hoc telework (situational telework) as determined by the agency policy.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Procurement Analyst/PD19291A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Required

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents).
• Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a one year probationary period or two year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period one year probationary period or two year trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 03/30/2026.

Certification Requirements:
The incumbent must have achieved Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) Level III contracting certification or Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting (FAC-C) Level III certification or Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting (FAC-C) Professional certification.


You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-12 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to:
  • Experience with federal procurement regulations and policies and use of current instructional systems design technology to provide expert guidance to the acquisition workforce.
  • Facilitating and instructing courses on an array of acquisition topics.
  • Performing comprehensive analysis of acquisition regulations, policies, and processes to provide input to and develop agency-level acquisition curricula and programs;
  • Developing course material (student and instructor) and providing guidance to the acquisition workforce on various procurement-related subjects.

Evidence of this specialized experience must be supported by detailed documentation of like duties performed in positions held on your resume. You will also need to provide work experience information such as hours per week, full-time/part-time status, and starting/ending dates of employment (month and year format) to establish you have one (1) full year of specialized experience at the required grade level.

Individual Occupational Requirements for Contracting Series, 1102
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 perform successfully 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.

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.

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.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.


The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal/VA 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. To be found well qualified, applicants must meet the following qualifications:

• Provides expert analysis and authoritative interpretation of Federal and VA acquisition regulations, policies, and case law, advising contracting officers, program managers, and senior leadership on complex procurement strategies and requirements.
• Designs, develops, and implements agency-level acquisition curricula using instructional systems design methodologies, ensuring alignment with FAR, VA policy updates, and evolving workforce competency needs.
• Facilitates and delivers advanced acquisition training to audiences ranging from GS-05 to GS-15, translating complex procurement concepts into practical application to strengthen workforce capability and compliance.
• Conducts comprehensive analysis of acquisition policies, processes, and training materials to identify gaps, integrate best practices, and ensure accuracy and consistency with current regulatory guidance.
• Analyzes and develops acquisition requirements packages for training-related procurements, ensuring completeness, regulatory compliance, and effective support of agency workforce development initiatives.
• Monitors and evaluates training effectiveness using data-driven metrics, providing strategic recommendations and executive-level briefings to senior leadership to enhance curriculum quality, instructor performance, and overall program outcomes.
• Must meet all the basic requirements for GS-13 1102 and above.

Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.

Local Commuting Area: The local commuting area for this position is defined as a radius of 50 miles from Fredrick, MD. This includes all locations that fall within a 50-mile driving distance from 7485 New Horizon Way, Frederick, MD 21703.

How you will be evaluated

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

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following Competencies for this position:

• Accountability
• Attention to Detail
• Communications
• Contracting/Procurement
• Critical Thinking
• Customer Service
• Decision Making
• Education and Training
• Flexibility
• Influencing/Negotiating
• Integrity/Honesty
• Interpersonal Skills
• Learning
• Reading Comprehension
• Reasoning
• Self-Management
• Stress Tolerance
• Teamwork

USA Hire Assessments include a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment.

Your experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

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; religions; 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.

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

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

• Resume

Other accepted documents:

• Cover Letter
• DD-214/ Statement of Service
• Disability Letter (VA)
• Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) Level III contracting certification
• Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting (FAC-C) Level III certification
• Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting (FAC-C) Professional certification
• Performance Appraisal
• Professional Certification
• Resume
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-15
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

Note: Failure to submit all documentation prior to the announcement closing will result in an ineligible rating. We will not contact applicants for additional documentation.

Please review the above list(s) to ensure you have included all necessary documents required for your application. Not every applicant will require the same documents, therefore it is the applicants responsibility to ensure that their application package includes all necessary documents to determine qualifications and eligibility for appointment, such as a copy of your SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), transcript (if using education to qualify), ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees). Applicants will be deemed ineligible if supporting documentation is not submitted. You will not be contacted for additional information.

A resume which includes a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed, with dates specified in month and year, and indicates hours worked per week. If military or a civilian Federal employee, you must include your rank and/or grade. IMPORTANT NOTE: Only two (2) pages of your resume, starting at your work experience will be reviewed to determine your technical qualifications for this position based on the specialized experience. Additional information beyond your resume (e.g., cover letters, links to additional information) will not be reviewed. In describing your experience, please be clear and specific. We may not make assumptions regarding your experience. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials may result in your removal from consideration.

Veterans' Preference: Since the Direct-Hire Recruitment Authority is being used, traditional Veterans' Preference rules do not apply. Qualified veterans will, however, be given full consideration for this position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Next steps