Supervisory Contract Specialist Job in Anywhere in the U.S. (remote job)

Vacancy No. NIH-ARPA-H-DH-25-12568071 Department National Institutes of Health
Salary $143,736.00 to $191,900.00 Grade 15 to 15
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 10/11/2024 Close Date 10/25/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Anywhere in the U.S. (remote job)


Summary

This position is located within the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), Acquisition and Contracting Office (ACO).

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

You must be a U.S. Citizen or U.S. National. Foreign nationals or legal permanent residents are not eligible for consideration.

Duties

  • Serves as an expert in acquisition regulations and contract principles and holds an unlimited Contracting Officer warrant authorized to commit federal funds through the execution of contract actions.
  • Selects, trains, and provides oversight to subordinate leads to ensure that solicitation, evaluation, source selection, award, administration, and close-out decisions made by acquisition staff are sound.
  • Serves as the acquisition leader for the Mission Office.
  • Serves as a subject matter expert for research and development for team of multiple Agreements Officers.
  • Applies business acumen and risk management strategies to navigate complex acquisition challenges.
  • Mentor and guide colleagues to apply lessons learned from creative problem solving.
  • Continuously seek out and experiment new ideas to decrease barriers to entry for the Public Health Industrial Base and expedite effective dealmaking.
  • Applies rapid support in a dynamic environment to serve as acquisition lead for a portfolio of high risk, high reward programs.
  • Guides program managers to create business arrangements which will accomplish breakthrough, revolutionary health outcomes.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • U.S. Citizenship requirement or proof of being a U.S. National must be met by closing date.
  • Employment is subject to the successful completion of a background investigation, verification of qualifications, completion of onboarding forms, submission of required documents, and any other job-related requirement before or after appointment.
  • Applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
  • Those born a male who were born after December 31, 1959 must be registered with the Selective Service.
  • You must obtain (within a timeframe established by the supervisor) and maintain a Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting, Professional Certification (FAC-C-PC) throughout the duration of employment.
  • A one-year supervisory trial/probationary period may be required upon selection/placement.
  • A one-year probationary period may be required upon selection/placement.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements for the GS-15:

In order to qualify for a Contract Specialist, GS-1102 position at this grade, you must have:

A. Completed all mandatory training prescribed by the head of the agency for progression to GS-15 or higher level contracting positions, including at least 4-years experience in contracting or related positions. At least 1 year of that experience was specialized experience at or equivalent to work at the GS-14 level, and provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the work of the position AND you 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. Visit our web page Guidance on Business Related Coursework for the GS-1102 Contracting Series for information on what coursework is qualifying along with other helpful information; OR

B. Occupied a GS-1102-13 position on or before January 1, 2000; OR

C. A current Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) employee with an approved waiver of educational requirements. To receive consideration, you must submit your waiver with your application.

Additional Qualifications for the GS-15:In addition to the Basic Requirements above, you must demonstrate in your resume:At least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-14 level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector, performing the following types of tasks: Advising personnel on acquisition regulations and contract principles; interpreting acquisition policies and regulations to advise personnel on contractual matters; developing solutions to acquisition and contract issues; and recommending improvements to acquisition operating policies and procedures.You will receive credit for all experience material to the position, including experience gained in religious, civic, welfare, service, and organizational activities, regardless of whether you received pay.Do not copy 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.

Preview assessment questionnaire before you apply: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12568071

Education

This position has an education requirement. You are strongly encouraged to submit a copy of your transcripts (or a list of your courses including titles, credit hours completed and grades). Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package. Official transcripts will be required from all selectees prior to receiving an official offer. Click here for information on Foreign Education.

Additional information

  • This position is designated as a "non-emergency/teleworker" position and the selected candidate will be considered a "non-emergency/teleworker" employee. In the event of a closure, you must be available to telework or request leave.
  • ARPA-H may repay certain outstanding Federally insured student loans to facilitate the recruitment and retention of highly qualified people. Recipients will be determined on a case-by-case basis based on organizational need, specific case justification, and budget limitations.
  • A newly appointed or reappointed employee may receive service credit for prior work experience or active duty uniformed service that otherwise would not be creditable for the purpose of determining his or her annual leave accrual rate. All creditable service must be directly related to the duties of the position being filled and decisions to allow for such credit must be finalized prior to the selectee's entrance on duty. Recipients are determined on a case-by-case basis based on organizational need, specific case justification, and budget limitations.
  • A newly appointed or reappointed individual may receive a recruitment incentive. Recipients will be determined on a case-by-case basis based on organizational need, specific case justification, and budget limitations.
  • This position is eligible for remote work, a position designation where little to no onsite presence is required (e.g., once or twice annually). You may work anywhere in the U.S., including any of the territories. Worksites outside of the U.S. are prohibited. Your pay is determined by the geographically defined pay locality applicable to your approved worksite (e.g., home residence). Reporting to an NIH location may also be required during the onboarding process. Visit NIH's Remote Work page for more information and requirements.
  • At the supervisor's discretion, this position may offer work schedule flexibilities: telework (work from home on a regular basis or ad hoc basis but reports to the office at least once a week/two days a pay period), compressed schedules, flexible schedules.
  • PHS Commissioned Officers interested in performing the duties of this position within the Commissioned Corps should also apply online to this announcement in order to receive consideration.
  • The ARPA-H participates in the USCIS Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Program (E-Verify). E-Verify helps employers determine employment eligibility of new hires and the validity of their Social Security numbers.
  • The ARPA-H maintains a tobacco free work environment and campus.
  • Must be able to perform the essential duties of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation.
  • Visit NIH's Applicant FAQs page for helpful information on the application process.
  • Visit NIH's Total Compensation page and this sample for a detailed look into the benefits, awards, leave, retirement, and other incentives employees may receive as part of a rewarding work environment.
  • If selected, you will be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report, OGE Form 450 to determine if a conflict or an appearance of a conflict exists between your financial interest and your prospective position with the agency. This information is required annually. For information, visit the NIH Ethics website: https://ethics.od.nih.gov/fd.

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.

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.

The position(s) advertised in this announcement are covered by GW-007 dated 10/11/18 a direct hire authority. Traditional rating and ranking of applicants, including category rating, does not apply to this vacancy. You will be initially evaluated against the basic qualifications only. Qualified applicants will be referred for consideration in accordance with the Office of Personnel Management direct hire guidelines. Veterans' Preference does not apply to positions covered by a direct hire authority.

To be considered well qualified for the purposes of the Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) and the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP), you must be able to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry and substantively exceed the basic qualifications and meet all eligibility, physical, medical, suitability, and all other requirements.

Required Documents

REQUIRED FOR ALL APPLICANTS

RESUME:
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, 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:

  1. Job title
  2. Name of employer
  3. Beginning and ending dates of employment (month/day/year format)
  4. Hours worked per week. We will assume full-time unless otherwise stated. We will prorate part-time employment in crediting experience.
  5. Detailed description of job duties, accomplishments, related skills, and responsibilities to include any supervisory/managerial responsibilities and number of staff supervised (if applicable)
  6. Series and grade or equivalent (if a federal position)
If the position has an education requirement or you are qualifying on the basis of education, you must list your education history including the type of degree and your major of study. If the position requires a certain number of credit hours, you are strongly encouraged to list the relevant courses in your resume.

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.

For resume writing guidance, please visit the following resources: NIH Jobs website, USAJOBS Resource Center, and the USAJOBS Resume Writing Video Tutorial.

ASSESSMENT QUESTIONNAIRE:
You must submit a completed assessment questionnaire.

Unless otherwise stated, we will only use the information above to determine your qualifications. Not providing the required information may result in a determination that you do not meet minimum requirements for the position (e.g., an ineligible rating) or a lower rating.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION FOR PREFERENCE

Veterans' Preference does not apply to positions covered by a direct hire authority, however, to document veterans' preference, you must provide the documentation listed below AND respond accordingly to the associated question on the online questionnaire.

  • Veterans' preference (DD-214, VA Disability Letter, etc.): Reference Standard Form 15 (SF-15) for required documentation for 10 point claims. Submission of SF-15 is not required, unless you are claiming derived preference (XP) as described in questions 7, 8, or 9 on the SF-15. In those cases, you must submit a completed SF-15 and the required documentation. For 5 point claims, you must submit your DD-214 (if separated) or any written documentation from the armed forces that certifies you are expected to be discharged or released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted with your application package.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION FOR CAREER TRANSITION CLAIMS

To claim career transition selection priority, you must provide the documentation listed below AND respond accordingly to the associated question on the online questionnaire.

If you do not provide the required information, we will assume you are not eligible or you do not wish to be considered for any preference or eligibility.

Please do not submit any other supplementary documentation that is not requested of you. To protect your personal information, we will only send your resume and cover letter to the selecting official or hiring manager.

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

To apply for this position, please read and follow all instructions in this announcement, complete the online application, and submit the documentation specified in the "Required Documents" section. Your complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM Eastern Time (ET) on 10/25/2024 to receive consideration.

  1. To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply.
  2. Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. See the "Required Documents" section for any additional forms and/or supplemental materials required.
  3. Read all Eligibility questions and respond accordingly to any Eligibility you wish to claim. You will only be considered for those Eligibility questions (Status Applicant, Reinstatement, Schedule A, etc.) you respond in the affirmative to, regardless of what documentation you submit. We cannot assume you intended to respond differently to a question based on other information in your application package.
  4. Complete the assessment questionnaire. Applicants are asked all questions regardless of their consideration preferences. We will only consider you for the grades, series, locations, specialties, and other considerations that you self-identify as being qualified for or interested in. Preview assessment questionnaire before you apply: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12568071
  5. Verify all required documentation is included in your application package, review your responses to the assessment questionnaire for accuracy, and then submit your application.
In addition to the required documents, we encourage you to submit a cover letter, a copy of your transcripts, and any applicable certifications or licenses. Even though this information is not required at the time of application, we may request this information later.

We cannot assume responsibility or grant extensions for personal issues (e.g., troubles navigating the application process, loss of internet, not understanding a question) when applying to our announcements. For technical difficulties, contact HR Systems Support between 8:00 AM and 4:30 PM ET Monday through Friday at hrss@nih.gov.

If you need any other accommodation or assistance with applying, please contact William Pinson at pinsonwj@mail.nih.gov. Requests for reasonable accommodations must be made before the announcement closing date.

NIH's EEO and Diversity and Inclusion Policy Statement

Visit the NIH's Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion site for information on NIH's EEO program, Reasonable accommodation procedures, laws, policy statements, and the operation of the EEO complaint process.

Agency contact information

William Pinson
Address
Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health
1301 K Street NW
Washington, DC 20005
US
Learn more about this agency

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 you submit your application package, you will receive an acknowledgement email. You will be notified of the status of your applications via email. In addition, you can track the progress of your application package through your USAJOBS account.

At the discretion of the agency, you may be contacted via phone or email for an interview or to provide additional information up to several months from the closing date of the announcement. Please ensure you have provided accurate contact information. To remain in consideration, you must respond in a timely manner to our correspondence and requests for documentation or information throughout the hiring process.


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