Duties

Summary

This position reports to the Chief of Office of Acquisition Management for the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) and serves as the Senior Contract Specialist/Warranted Contracting Officer responsible for all phases of procurement, from pre-award to post-award activities, including contract close out.
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Responsibilities

This position reports to the Chief of Office of Acquisition Management for the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA). The individual will perform the following duties:

• Procures products and services, including information technology and telecommunication services through various Government-Wide Acquisition and Multi-Agency Contracts, and Full and Open Competition.
• Monitors solicitation through entire phase, issuing amendments, answering potential offerors' questions, conducting pre-proposal conferences as necessary, and assuring that all offerors are treated equally to maximize receipt of competition and minimize protests.
• Assists the Agency in meeting its small business goals including the socioeconomic categories. Conducts extensive market research and vendor outreach to ensure established goals are met.
• Assists the Chief of Office of Acquisition Management (AQM) in the development, implementation and execution of acquisition policy and guidance. During absence of Chief of AQM, maintains work environment and processes that assures the full and effective utilization of subordinate employees while accomplishing the overall acquisition workload in an effective and efficient manner.
• Provides accurate and timely reporting to procurement databases and systems in support of procurement writing, tracking and reporting requirements, including the Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System and Federal Procurement Data System-Next Generation.

Travel Required

Not required

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
14

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• US Citizenship is required.
• Suitable for Federal employment, determined by background investigation.
• Direct Deposit of pay is required.
• Selective Service registration required for male applicants, unless exempt.
• Status candidates must meet time-in-grade (see Qualifications).
• Background and security investigation for Top Secret Clearance.

Qualifications

The 1102 occupational series has specific qualifications requirements. Your resume, answers to the assessment questionnaire and supporting documents must fully demonstrate possession of these requirements.

Basic Requirements for GS-13 and Above:

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 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

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.

Exceptions: Employees who were in GS-1102 positions on January 1, 2000 will be considered to have met the standard for positions they occupied. 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.

Specialized Experience Requirements for GS-14:

One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-13 level. Specialized experience is that which has equipped the applicant with the competencies to successfully perform the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. More specifically, this requirement involves demonstrated experience applying knowledge of:

• Developing, implementing and providing oversight for acquisition policies and procedures.
• Applying knowledge of Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) and federal acquisition principles, techniques and laws to plan and administer pre-award and post-award procurement actions for complex and/or international requirements.
• Evaluating proposals to determine responsiveness to the solicitation, as well as bidder's capacity to perform and comply with contract clauses and specifications.
• Experience in developing, coordinating and leading negotiations on procurement actions.
• Complying with Federal Procurement Data System reporting and data accuracy requirements.
• Ability to analyze acquisition alternative, existing acquisition program to develop an effective strategic acquisition program.
• Ability to manage and lead subordinate staff, during absence of Chief of AQM, to successfully meet procurement goals and work effectively with diverse Agency program team.

Acquisition Certification Requirement:

Current Federal Acquisition Certification (FAC-C) Level III or Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) Level III certification.

If you do not have either a FAC-C or DAWIA certification you can use 520 hours of advanced contracting education to qualify in lieu of certification. Advanced contracting education must include the following courses and hours or their equivalent: Acquisition Planning I (80 hours); Contract Formation (40 hours); Contract Administration (40 hours); Cost Analysis (40 hours); Price Analysis (40 hours); Federal Contract Negotiation Techniques (40 hours); Acquisition Planning II (40 hours); Contract Formation II (40 hours); Contract Administration (40 hours); Intermediate Contract Pricing (80 hours); Government Contract Law (40 hours).

Applicants must have completed all training requirements for Level III certification under the Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting Program or DAWIA equivalent.

Applicants must also have Team Lead experience.

Only experience and education obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered.

TIME-IN-GRADE: Current career or career-conditional employees of the Federal government, or former career or career-conditional employees, who have a break in service of less than one year, are required to meet the time-in-grade restriction of one year of Federal experience at the next lower grade, with few exceptions outlined in 5 CFR 300.603(b).

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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Education

EDUCATION REQUIREMENT: You MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. Unless otherwise stated: (1) official or unofficial transcripts are acceptable, or (2) you may submit a list with all of your courses, grades, semester, year, and credit for the course. All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement.

Only education from institutions which are accredited or preaccredited/candidate for accreditation may be used to meet education requirements.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

Additional information

Career Transition Assistance Programs: These programs apply to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: 1) meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; 2) be rated well-qualified for the position with a score of 85 or above; and 3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. For more information: http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp) .

Appointment Authorities: For more information on appointment authority eligibility requirements:
Persons with Disabilities-Schedule A
Special Hiring Authorities for Veterans
Special Hiring Authority for Certain Military Spouses
Other Special Appointment Authorities
OPM Interchange Agreement and Other Miscellaneous Authorities

Telework Suitability:
The duties of this position are suitable for occasional telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval and if they meet the eligibility criterion in the 2010 Telework Act.

Stipulations of Employment:

Selection may require completion of a 1-year probationary period.

Applicants must be eligible to obtain and keep a Top Secret security clearance. Appointment is subject to the successful completion of a background investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements will be grounds for termination.

Work Schedule:

This position allows for a flexible work schedule.

Miscellaneous:

TDA uses E-Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit http://www.uscis.gov/e-verify .

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Alternate_Application_Information

This vacancy announcement may be used to fill similar positions within 90 days.

Applicants who applied under vacancy announcement #TDA-19-DH-10426438-WO must reapply under this announcement.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Once the application process is complete, your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications listed on this announcement. If you rate yourself higher than is supported by your application materials, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job. If you are found to be among the top candidates, you will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):

• Analytical Thinking
• Influencing / Negotiating
• Oral Communication
• Planning and Evaluating
• Technical Competency ? Contracting / Procurement

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Top Secret

Drug test required
No

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
1. Your Resume listing work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment mm/yy and duties performed.
2. SF-50 or DD-214

• Current/Former Career/Career-Conditional Eligible: Your most recent non-award Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50 or equivalent) showing that you are/were in the competitive service, as well as the highest grade (or promotion potential) held, on a permanent basis

3. Other supporting documents:

• College transcript(s), if qualifying based on education
• SF-15 Form and VA letter, or certification of expected discharge or release from active duty from Veterans for consideration under Veteran hiring authorities
• Non-competitive appointment authority documentation, if applicable
• Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program Documentation, if applicable (e.g. Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; and most recent performance appraisal)
• Most recent Performance Appraisal, if applicable
• Cover letter, optional

It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted prior to the closing date of the announcement.

Career Transition Assistance Programs: These programs apply to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: 1) meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; 2) be rated well-qualified for the position with a score of 85 or above; and 3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. For more information: http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp .

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.