Clarification from the agency

Current Department of Commerce employees (includes any Bureau under Commerce) on a permanent competitive appointment; Current Department of Commerce employee (includes any Bureau under Commerce) on a term, temporary or excepted service appointment with reinstatement eligibility; and Surplus and displaced Commerce employee (CTAP).

• Leads the development of internal controls and oversight mechanisms to ensure procurement compliance.
• Audits or reviews major acquisitions or polices, presents findings, recommends corrective actions and policy or procedure improvements.
• Communicates effectively with internal and external, stakeholders on major Census acquisitions activity.
• Applies Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) principles in hiring practices, training, work assignments, and advancement.

Conditions of employment

• Applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
• U.S. Citizen.
• Suitable for Federal employment.
• Registered for Selective Service, if applicable (www.sss.gov).
• Time-in-grade/band requirements must be met by closing date.
• A supervisory probationary period may be required.
• This is a NON-BARGAINING unit position.
• You may be required to complete a financial disclosure (OGE-450).

Qualifications

Basic Requirement:

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.

In addition to meeting the above basic requirements, you must also meet the specialized experience requirements indicated below.

Specialized Experience: For the GS-15, you must have one year experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-14 in the Federal Service. Experience for this position includes:

1. Advising and serving as a liaison to senior leadership on sensitive or high-visibility acquisition activities, providing strategic guidance and recommendations; and
2. Serving as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) in federal procurement, providing authoritative advice and guidance on acquisition issues to internal and external stakeholders; and
3. Interpreting and applying the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and related policies to ensure compliance across organizational acquisition programs; and
4. Leading or conducting acquisition reviews, audits, or compliance assessments, and developing corrective actions to address identified risks or deficiencies.

Education: Education cannot be substituted for experience at this grade level.

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.

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. The best qualified candidates will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview.

SME Resume Review: You will be evaluated according to your responses to the online questionnaire and the use of a Structured Resume Review. During the Structured Resume Review, Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) will review your resume to determine your technical qualifications for this position based on the required specialized experience. Applicants passing the structured resume review will move on to the next phase of the process. Upon completion of the Structured Resume Review, candidates identified as "best qualified" will be referred to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview.

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration.

CTAP candidates: CTAP candidates will be eligible for selection priority if it is determined that the candidate's resume reflects knowledge, skills, and abilities that have exceeded the minimum qualifications for the position. Information about CTAP eligibility is on the Office of Personnel Management's Career Transition Resources website at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/ctap_guideline.pdf.

If you are invited for an interview, you may be asked to bring a copy of your most recent performance appraisal.

Due weight shall be given to performance appraisals and awards in accordance with 5 CFR § 335.103(b)(3).

We recommend that you preview the online questions for this announcement before you start the application process. Do NOT include the following types of information in your application if included on your resume you will not be considered for this position:

• Social Security Number (SSN)
• Date of Birth (DOB)
• Photos of yourself
• Personal information: such as age, gender, religious affiliation, etc.

To preview the application questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12947775.

The documents you are required to submit vary based on the authority you are using to apply. Your complete application includes your resume, your responses to the online questionnaire, and documents which prove your eligibility to apply.

Your application package should include the following documents:

• Resume: Your resume must not exceed two (2) pages. If your resume exceeds the two-page limit, you will be deemed disqualified and removed from consideration. Your resume must include your educational and relevant work experience for the position for which you are applying to include the title and dates (mm/yy) of employment along with the number of hours worked per week. If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as incomplete, and you will not receive consideration for this position.
• SF-50, "Notification of Personnel Action," supporting your eligibility, with the exception of current Census Bureau employees. You must provide the most current Notification of Personnel Action (Form SF-50) that verifies career/career-conditional status, title, series and grade, such as within-grade increase/within-range increase, promotion, initial appointment, reassignment, realignment (Performance Award and General Adjustment SF-50s do not satisfy this requirement). Also provide the SF-50 that reflects the highest grade level held on a permanent basis or the full performance level of your current position, whichever is higher. Failure to do so will result in an ineligible rating.
• Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) documentation, if applicable:
  • CTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents:
    1. A copy of your RIF separation notice, notice of proposed removal for declining a directed geographic relocation outside of the local commuting area; a Certificate of Expected Separation (CES); or certification that you are in a surplus organization or occupation (this could be a position abolishment letter, a notice of eligibility for discontinued service retirement, or similar notice);
    2. A copy of your SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action", noting current position, grade/band level, and duty location;
    3. A copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and
    4. Any documentation from your bureau/operating unit that shows your current promotion potential.
• Education Documentation: If this position requires proof of higher education, or you are substituting education for experience, you must submit an unofficial transcript or a list of courses that includes the following information: name of accredited institution, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned. This also includes Census Bureau employees. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. Please refer to OPM's Qualification Policy for more information.

You are not required to submit official documents at this time; copies are sufficient.

Special Instructions for Foreign Education: Qualifying education from colleges and universities in foreign countries must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part in foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree. You must provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course-by-course listing along with your application. Failure to provide such documentation when requested will result in lost consideration. For further information on the evaluation of foreign education, refer to the U.S. Department of Education's web site at Academic and Professional Mobility | International Affairs Office (ed.gov).

NOTE: You will not be considered if you fail to provide all required documents.

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