Duties

The incumbent serves as a contract specialist for the Library of Congress programs. This position will be utilized throughout the Office of the Chief Operating Officer. The incumbent awards and administers a wide range of contract actions for the various library service units. The incumbent serves as a Contracting Officer and Team Leader.

The Library applies sound and innovative business strategies and techniques to provide timely, effective, and seamless acquisitions and grant support to our clients to enable fulfillment of the Library's mission. The incumbent serves as a lead contract specialist for the Library of Congress.

As a contract specialist at the Library, you will have the opportunity to work with leaders in their fields to understand and help them fulfill of their needs through contractual relationships. You will research and provide guidance on complex issues such as contract structure, negotiation strategies, and performance management in support of your clients' missions. You will have the opportunity to apply the knowledge you gain to negotiate meaningful and effective contracts for a broad spectrum of your clients' needs, applying your knowledge of law and business practices to a broad range of actions and establish and maintain client confidence and trust. You will support, coach, and lead your team members in the consistent and effective application of integrity, honesty, and tact in all of the dealings within your portfolio. You will execute all aspects of contracting transactions: from working with clients to develop and refine their needs through evaluation, negotiation, and selection of contractors for a dynamic range of supplies and specialized services. You will apply techniques to research market conditions and sources, develop effective strategies to achieve results, and negotiate to obtain the best value solutions for your clients' diverse needs. You will apply your skills to effectively manage performance on technically complex contract engagements, including obtaining and monitoring funding levels and expenditures, analyzing contract costs, evaluating firms' fiscal soundness, production capacity, and methods for quality assurance.

The Contract Specialist conducts advance acquisition planning and prepares novel or innovative acquisition plans, source selection plans, and contract terms, conditions, or financial arrangements, which serve as models for future acquisitions. Advise clients and prepare procurement objectives for clear requirements to support optimal competition.

Serves as lead negotiator for Library programs involving multiple interrelated requirements and contracts; work with junior-level specialists to plan, negotiate, execute, and monitor contracts. Explains Library of Congress contract provisions for team members, clients, and industry personnel. Ensures agreements comply with contract terms and provisions.

Performs all aspects of contracting transactions for procurements with numerous different processes or elements resulting in extensive contract administration and subcontracting. Responsible for important and complex agency acquisitions involving diverse supplies and services, e.g., telecommunications and other electronic systems and subsystems, building maintenance, architect/engineering, etc. Coordinates contractual actions involving many sophisticated, multi-million dollar contracts with periods of performance.

Analyzes proposals extending for more than one year and requiring projecting expected changes in labor and material costs and technology that do not permit price comparisons because of restricted competition. Responsible for conducting extensive and complex cost and financial analyses. Uses cost estimating methods, such as learning curve, regression analysis, sophisticated contractual arrangements, extensive fact finding, etc. Prepares final price for negotiation position and participates as a member on the negotiating team.

Performs contract termination actions for significant project contracts after several years of work have been expended. Terminates highly specialized and complex procurements that are significant to the Library. Evaluates settlement proposals/claims involving disposition of large amounts of Government inventory and/or property.

This position is located in the Contracts and Grants Directorate, Office of the Chief Operating Officer.

This is a permanent position.

The position description number for this position is 347532.

The salary range indicated reflects the locality pay adjustments for the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan area.

The incumbent of this position will work a compflex; or flextime; or maxiflex work schedule.

This is a non-supervisory, non-bargaining unit position.

Relocation expenses will not be authorized for the person(s) selected under this vacancy announcement.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

Conditions of Employment

Although the Library of Congress is not covered by the nationwide injunction against the federal government vaccine requirement, the Library of Congress has decided it will not enforce its vaccine requirement at this time. Therefore, to the extent a Library of Congress job announcement includes the requirement that applicants must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, that requirement does not currently apply. The Library of Congress continues to require information regarding the vaccination status of selected applicants for the purposes of implementing other workplace safety protocols, such as protocols related to masking, physical distancing, testing, travel, and quarantine. Library employees who are not vaccinated will be required to undergo testing for COVID-19 every seven days.

Upon request, employees must provide proof of vaccination to the Health Services Division.

Library of Congress employees are prohibited from using illegal drugs, including marijuana. The Library is part of the Federal Government and abides by federal law, so regardless of individual state or District of Columbia laws, marijuana use is illegal, considered criminal activity, and can affect your employment at the Library. In addition, past drug use and activities (e.g., selling or distributing) may deem you ineligible for employment.

Qualifications

Applicants must have had progressively responsible experience and training sufficient in scope and quality to furnish them with an acceptable level of the following knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of the position without more than normal supervision.

Knowledge of Federal contracting laws, regulations, principles, policies, and procedures to develop and issue solicitations and contracts.**

Ability to communicate in writing.**

Ability to solicit, negotiate, and monitor contracts.**

Ability to research, analyze, and interpret Federal contract laws, regulations, principles, and policies.**

Ability to lead a team.

Ability to assess and meet customer needs.

Ability to communicate effectively other than in writing

Education

Basic Requirements

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.

You must submit a legible copy of your college/university transcripts to your online application. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable at the time of application. Official transcripts will be required if selected. Failure to submit the required legible documentation at the time of application will result in disqualification of your application.

Foreign Education - Education completed outside the U.S. must be deemed equivalent to conventional/accredited U.S. education programs to be acceptable for Federal employment. If your college/university is outside the U.S., your transcripts must be accompanied by a report from a credential evaluation service that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) or the Association of International Credentials Evaluators (AICE) . Failure to submit a foreign education evaluation report will result in disqualification of your application.

Additional information

Although it is the Library's policy to afford the maximum pay benefit to employees when setting rates of pay, a new appointee who has had no previous Federal service will generally be paid the minimum step of the grade.

The Library of Congress is an equal opportunity employer. Women, minorities, and persons with disabilities who meet eligibility requirements are strongly encouraged to apply.

Applicants must submit a complete application package that is received by the closing date of this announcement.

This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please email ADA@loc.gov. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

Applicants with disabilities may be considered under special hiring procedures and must submit an appropriate certificate of eligibility when applying for this position. The proof or disability/certification may be issued by the State Vocational Rehabilitation Office, Disability Services or Career Services office of the applicant's college or university, or the Department of Veterans Affairs. The letter must verify that the applicant has a severe disability and must be dated within three years of the date of the application. Certification from health care providers are not accepted. For more information contact the Library's Office of EEO/Diversity Programs at 202-707-6024 or email spp@loc.gov. FAILURE TO SUBMIT YOUR CERTIFICATION WILL CAUSE YOUR APPLICATION TO NOT BE CONSIDERED UNDER THE SELECTIVE PLACEMENT PROGRAM.

The Library of Congress is the national library of the United States and is part of the Legislative Branch of the Federal government. As such, all positions are in the excepted service.

Appointment/retention is subject to a favorable evaluation of an appropriate personnel security/suitability investigation.

The Library reserves the right to fill a lesser or greater number of vacancies indicated during the life of this vacancy announcement.

Initial appointments, permanent or indefinite, to the Library of Congress require completion of a one-year probationary period.

The Library of Congress may offer repayment for all or part of federally insured student loans. However, not all service units within the Library of Congress participates in the repayment of federally insured student loans. Therefore, determination to repay a federally insured student loan is subject to approval by the appropriate service unit.

A "Not to Exceed" (NTE) status is used to identify an appointment with a specific ending date. However, the Library has the right to separate a NTE employee at any time due to either performance issues or budget constraints.

Are you a veteran? Please indicate the type of veterans' preference you are claiming in your application materials and/or applicant profile and provide the appropriate supporting documentation to validate your claim. Those applying for 5-point preference must submit Member Copy 4 of your DD 214. Those applying for 10-point preference must fill out an SF-15 (click here for the form) and provide the required documentation listed on the back of the form. If required supporting documentation is not attached, Veterans' Preference will not be considered in the application process.