Supervisory Contract Specialist (Section Chief)

Department of Justice

Bureau of Prisons/Federal Prison System

Summary

Corrections professionals who foster a humane and secure environment and ensure public safety by preparing individuals for successful reentry into our communities.

This job is open to

Federal employees - Competitive service

Current federal employees whose agencies follow the U.S. Office of Personnel Management's hiring rules and pay scales.

Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)

Federal employees whose job, agency or department was eliminated and are eligible for priority over other applicants.

Land and base management

Current or former employees of a base management agency.

Veterans

Veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces or a spouse, widow, widower or parent of a veteran, who may be eligible for derived preference

Military spouses

Military spouses of active duty service members or whose spouse is 100 percent disabled or died on active duty.

Clarification from the agency

• Current Federal Employees nationwide • Former Federal Employees (Reinstatement Eligible) • Surplus and Displaced (CTAP or ICTAP) Federal Employees in the local commuting area • Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) • Current and Former Land Management employees eligible under Public Law 114-47 • Military Spouse under Executive Order 13832 • Duty Location: Washington, D.C. • Division: Acquisition Branch, Procurement Executive's Office, Administration Division, Central Office

Duties

Serves as Section Chief in either the Acquisitions Branch or Procurement Operations Branch, Administration Division, Federal Bureau of Prisons.

Oversees and ensures accountability for all contractual work involving acquisitions such as Information Technology, service contracts, and many other acquisitions essential to meeting the Bureau of Prisons' (BOP) mission.

Lead role in developing the acquisition strategy and carrying out protracted and sensitive negotiations connected with major procurements.

Serves as lead negotiator and independently develops negotiation strategies which often include innovative contracting approaches.

Provides direction to technical evaluation and source selection committees in procedures of contract award.

Serves as liaison to numerous Central Office Divisions which may include assistance in evaluating award fee terms, cost adjustments, schedule extensions and contractor progress.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

Career Transition Programs (CTAP or ICTAP): These programs apply to Federal and/or DOJ employees who meet the definition of surplus or displaced from a position in the competitive service. To receive selection priority for this position, you must:

Meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria;
Be rated well-qualified for the position, scoring at least half of the total possible points for the vacancy KSAs or competencies; and
Submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility:
- A copy of the agency notice (i.e., separation notice or agency RIF letter),
- Most recent performance appraisal, and
- Most recent SF-50 showing current/former position, grade, promotion potential, and duty location.
- See USAJOBS' Career Transition Programs for more information.

EEO Statement/Policy: The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental
status, military service or other non-merit factor. More information can be found here: U.S Department of Justice - Equal Employment Opportunity Policy

Key Requirements:

U.S. Citizenship is Required.
See Special Conditions of Employment Section.

Qualifications

To be considered for the position, you must meet the following:

Basic Qualifications:

A. Completion of all mandatory training prescribed by the head of the agency for progression to GS-13 (the Bureau of Prisons has defined mandatory training to be FAC-C Professional certification or a BOP Level III warrant) 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 grade level of the position, and must have provided the qualifications to perform successfully the work of the position.

NOTE: ALL applicants MUST submit a legible copy of their FAC-C Professional certification or a copy of their BOP Level III warrant. The FAC-C Professional Certification or BOP Level III warrant MUST be uploaded and electronically submitted at the time of application.

MUST be uploaded and electronically submitted at the time of application.

Examples of qualifying experience are:

Experience performing pre award and post award functions involving highly specialized procurements of significant importance to an agency.

Experience as a lead negotiator, planning the negotiation strategy, coordinating strategy with negotiation team, and leading the negotiations with the contractor to develop the contract prices and terms and awarding the contract.

Experience in providing direction to technical evaluation and source selection committees in procedures of contract award and providing technical direction and guidance to lower graded contract negotiators.

AND

B. A 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree, that included or was supplemented by at least 24 semester or 36 quarter hours in any combination of the following fields: accounting, business, finance, law, contracts, purchasing, economics, industrial management, marketing, quantitative methods, or organization and management.

A 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree is defined as possession of a bachelor's degree conferred or approved by an accredited U.S. College or university based on a 4-year course of study. Simply being enrolled and working toward a degree does not meet the qualification standard.

NOTE: When academic credit is expressed in contract months, units, or other terms that differ from conventional semester or quarter hours, it is the responsibility of the applicant to provide an interpretation of such credits from the appropriate institution in order to equate them to the semester or quarter hours specified in the standard.

C. Exceptions: Employees currently occupying a GS 1102 position at certain grade (i.e., GS 13 or higher) since January 1, 2000, is considered to have met the basic requirements for other GS 1102 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.

NOTE: Current federal employees not employed by the Bureau of Prison and former Bureau of Prison Employees MUST submit documentation (i.e., SF-50(s) covering the period from January 1, 2000) for verification of the above referenced exception criteria to receive consideration. Failure to provide these documents will result in non-consideration for this vacancy.

D. Waiver: When filling a specific vacant position, the Senior Procurement Executive of the selecting agency (agency is defined as Department of Justice), 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.

NOTE: The Agency has made a determination that a waiver may be granted for education only as described in Paragraph B.

Bureau of Prisons employees currently occupying a Contract Specialist position on an approved waiver MUST upload a copy of the waiver at the time you apply.

Contract Specialists who do not possess a four year degree and the required 24 semester hours, may apply and be considered for a waiver of the educational requirements in order to be selected. The waiver is discretionary tool available to the Procurement Executive as such does not constitute automatic approval. If you have any questions about the waiver process, please contact the BOP Procurement Executive at (202) 307-3067.

Acceptability of Higher Education: Education such as foreign education, home study and correspondence courses, academic credit for work experience, military education, continuing education units, life experience, etc., is acceptable to the extent that it is determined to
be equivalent to conventional higher education programs of U.S. institutions. Such education must be accepted for college level credit by an accredited U.S. college or university.

If applicable, credit will be given for paid and unpaid experience. To receive proper credit, you must show the actual time (such as the number of hours worked per week) spent in activities.

**Your eligibility for consideration will be based on your responses to the questions in the application.**

Education

ONLY if education is a requirement/substitution for specialized experience, applicant MUST upload legible transcripts as verification of educational requirement. Transcripts MUST be uploaded and electronically linked from USAJOBS at the time you apply and MUST include identifying information to include School Name, Student Name, Degree and Date Awarded (if applicable). All academic degrees and coursework must be completed at a college or university that has obtained accreditation or pre-accreditation status from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, Click Here.

Foreign Education: For information regarding foreign education requirements, please see Foreign Diploma and Credit Recognition at the U.S. Department of Education website: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications.

If you are selected for this position and qualified based on education (i.e. basic education requirement and/or substitution of education), you will be required to provide an OFFICIAL transcript prior to your first day on duty.

Additional information

The representative rate for this position is $158,306 per annum (75.85 per hour).

Special Conditions of Employment Section:

Initial appointment to a supervisory/managerial position requires a one-year probationary period.

The incumbent is subject to geographic relocation to meet the needs of the agency.

The addresses listed on the USAJOBS account/resume must be the primary residence at the time of application. You may be required to provide proof of residence.

Additional selections may be made if vacancies occur within the life of the certificate.

Although competitive and non-competitive applications are being accepted, the selecting official may elect to have only one group reviewed.

Current Federal Law Enforcement Employees:

A prerequisite of the secondary law enforcement position is the completion of the mandatory courses in "Introduction to Correctional Techniques Phase I and Phase II". If you have not completed the mandatory courses in "Introduction to Correctional Techniques Phase I and Phase II", you are ineligible for secondary law enforcement position(s) and coverage but may still be considered for a non-law enforcement position.

If you are not a current Bureau of Prisons employee, you must submit training records demonstrating you have completed the mandatory courses in "Introduction to Correctional Techniques Phase I and Phase II" to your hiring Human Resource office prior to appointment.

Individuals selected who are under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) or Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and who have not had three years "primary" law enforcement retirement coverage, will not be covered by law enforcement retirement while in this position. To regain coverage, individuals must return to a position with "primary" coverage.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. (https://appsupport-usastaffing.opm.gov/hc/en-us/sections/45063131363475-Reasonable-Accommodation-Information)

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.

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.

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. 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 (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

Accountability
Customer Service
Decisiveness
Flexibility
Interpersonal Skills
Problem Solving
Resilience

The USA Hire Assessments includes 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.

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

If you are found to be among the top candidates, you will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration.

There are several parts of the application process that affect the overall evaluation of your application:

Your resume, which is part of your USAJOBS profile;
Your responses to the eligibility questions;
Your responses to the online assessment;
Your supporting documentation, if required.

Time-in-Grade: Federal employees must meet time-in-grade requirements for consideration. You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.

If you applied to more than one grade level, BE ADVISED that you may be selected at ANY grade level for which you applied and are found qualified (i.e., if the job is announced at the 9/11 grade levels and you apply for the GS/GL-9 and the GS-11, and you are found qualified at BOTH grade levels, you may be selected at either grade level).

Due Weight for Performance and Awards: Any performance appraisal/evaluation and award documentation you provide will be forwarded to the selecting official. The selecting official will review this documentation and give it due weight consideration during the overall selection process. Please submit:

a copy of your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation; and
a list of any awards (e.g. superior performance awards, special act or achievement awards, quality step increase, etc.) you received in the last 5 years.

If you do not have your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation, please submit a statement as to why it is not available. Please indicate if any prior performance appraisals/evaluations were at an acceptable level.

To preview the application questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13032132

Required Documents

Failure to provide legible required documents and/or follow the prescribed format often results in removal from consideration. If uploading documentation, do not identify/save your documents utilizing a special character such as %, #, @, etc. Documentation should be identified/saved as VA Letter, DD-214, or Transcripts.

Resume (limited to 2 pages) must include your name, contact information, and relevant experience (cover letter optional).
- Experience that would not normally be part of the Federal employee's position is creditable when documented by satisfactory evidence of qualifying experience (e.g., a memorandum from the manager, Human Resource Manager, SF-52, MOU, etc.).
- If providing a memorandum, it must follow the format below AND clearly cite the duties performed.
- To receive credit for experience, your resume and/or any satisfactory evidence must include:
  - Start date and end date in month/year format (MM/YYYY) AND
  - Number of hours worked per week.
SF-50: Current or former Federal employees NOT employed by the Bureau of Prisons MUST submit a copy of their SF-50 Form which shows competitive service appointment, tenure group, and salary. If you have promotion potential in your current position, please provide proof. If you are applying for a higher grade, and your experience was gained at a Federal agency other than the Bureau of Prisons, you MUST provide the SF-50 Form which verifies the length of time you have been in your highest grade and supports your claim for time in grade.
Employees applying with an interchange agreement must provide proof of their permanent appointment.
A copy of your latest yearly performance appraisal/evaluation.
Proof of CTAP or ICTAP eligibility, Click Here, if applicable.
A legible copy of your FAC-C Professional certification or a copy of your BOP Level III warrant at the time of your application submission.
College transcript: includes the School Name, Student Name, Degree, and Date Awarded (if applicable).
- NOTE: If you are selected, official transcript(s) will be required prior to your first day.

For more help, visit USAJOBS Help Center - How do I write a resume for a federal job?

We cannot be held responsible for incompatible software, delays in mail service, applicant application errors, etc.

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 read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments and submit all required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows:

Click the Apply Online button.
Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.
Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice.
Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials.
Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended.
Set aside about two (2) hours to take the USA Hire Assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link.
Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused.

Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments and assessment preparation resources at https://support-usahire.opm.gov/hc/en-us.

To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.

To view the announcement status or your application status: Visit https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/application/status. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application.

All required supporting documentation MUST be received by the Consolidated Staffing Unit by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, on 08/18/2026. You MUST include the vacancy announcement number on your supporting documentation.

If applicable see Notice for Preference Eligible Veterans Applicants

How do I Apply for this Position if I am a Military Spouse applying under the Special Hiring Authority?
***DO NOT SUBMIT APPLICATION ONLINE***

Military Spouses who meet the requirement of Executive Order 13832 must include the vacancy announcement number on all supporting documentation, as well as the appointing authority used. For more information Click Here. To be considered for this Special Hiring Authority, applicants must submit package to BOP-HRM-HRSC-ConsolidatedStaffingUnit-S@bop.gov including:

Resumecontaining all information listed in the Qualifications Section (i.e. transcripts, certification, registration, and/or license, if applicable).
Acopy of spouse's DD-214 and/or orders verifying the military member's current active-duty status.
Documentation confirming marriage to the service member.
If applicable, a copy of documentation from either the Department of Veterans Affairs or the Department of Defense indicating the service member possesses a disability rating of 100 percent due to a service-connected disability.

Your completed application packet must be submitted to the Consolidated Staffing Unit by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Standard Time (EST), on 08/18/2026. You must include the last four digits of your social security number and the vacancy announcement number on your application packet. DO NOT SUBMIT AN APPLICATION ON-LINE.

Agency contact information

Consolidated Staffing Unit

Phone: 972-352-4200
Email: bop-hrm-hrsc-consolidatedstaffingunit-s@bop.gov

Next steps

We will notify you of the outcome after each step of the application process has been completed. Normally, Selecting Officials will make a selection within 90-days. When deemed necessary, the selection process may be extended up to 180-days from the date the certificate(s), (Exception, Best Qualified Lists) is/are generated to make a selection.

Supervisory Contract Specialist (Section Chief) Job in Washington, DC