Qualification requirements in the vacancy announcements are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook, which contains federal qualification standards. This handbook is available on the Office of Personnel Management's website located at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/
This position is being filled under the DOC Alternative Personnel System (CAPS). The system replaced the Federal GS pay plan structure. Under CAPS, positions are classified by career, pay plan, and pay band. Non supervisory positions cap out at interval 3 of the band.
The ZA-IV is equivalent to the GS-13/14 grade levels.
To qualify you MUST meet the Basic Requirements and Specialized Experience as stated below for the appropriate grade level.
BASIC REQUIREMENTS: (You must submit a copy of certification/training certificates. Also, you must submit a copy of your transcripts, official or unofficial, to document your education.)
A. Completion of all mandatory training prescribed by the head of the agency for progression to GS-13/ZA-IV or higher-level contracting positions, including at least 4 years of 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. OR
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.
AND
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the next lower grade level in the Federal Service. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular competencies/knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. This experience need not have been in the federal government. To qualify at the ZA-IV level, you must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the ZA-III or GS-12 in the Federal service or its non-Federal equivalent. Specialized experience is defined as experience:
- Serving as an advisor or authority on procurement/ acquisition policies, operations, and planning contracting related functions (such as evaluate contract price proposals, terminate, and close out contracts, and analysis cost analysis factors.
- Researching, analyzing, and interpreting of Federal Acquisition regulations (FAR), statutes, and policies for procurement transactions and programs.
- Analyzing and evaluating contracting and/or acquisition policies or programs to provide counsel to senior-level officials.
- Performing acquisition planning, pre-award and post-award contracting work for supplies and services, or construction and negotiating and awarding contracts and modifications.
Highly desired: Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting (FAC-C professional) or equivalent demonstrated with a certification.
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.