Duties

Summary

Provide a full-range of Contract Specialist services.

Are you ready to explore your future with NIST?

Your application package may be shared with other selecting officials at NIST with opportunities like the one you are applying to. Additional selections may be made through this vacancy.

This announcement will close at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the date the first 150 applications are received or September 17, 2019, whichever comes first.

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

The individual selected for this position will serve as a contract specialist to plan, execute, and administer routine, as well as occasionally politically sensitive, acquisitions of services following the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and supplemental agency regulations and policies. Responsibilities include working on-site at NIST to provide advice, information regarding acquisition policy and procedures, and direct administrative support for the acquisition of a full range services for NIST; providing guidance to NIST employees regarding: acquisition planning; preparation of purchase requests and supporting documentation; evaluation of quotations and proposals; and, as appropriate, working with the Office of General Counsel and NIST management regarding legal reviews or other legal matters relating to acquisitions being managed. In addition, responsibilities include mentoring and training other contract specialists. The individual selected for this position will represent NIST in acquisition management initiatives with the Department of Commerce as well as with other Federal Government agencies, private industry, and commercial organizations. The individual selected for this position will be a warranted Contracting Officer of the United States. Dollar value of the warrant will be $10 million or less.

Travel Required

Not required

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
03

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. citizen
• You must be registered for Selective Service if applicable (www.sss.gov)
• You must be suitable for Federal Employment
• Merit applicants must meet time-in-grade/band requirements, as applicable
• You must complete a Financial Disclosure Form, OGE-450

Applicants must meet requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Time-in-grade/band requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement unless eligible for special hiring authority, reinstatement eligible, non-current Federal employee applying as a VEOA eligible which do not require time-in-grade/band.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:

A 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with a major in any field;

OR

Completion of 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.

IN ADDITION to the basic requirements, applicants must meet the following criteria:

Applicants must have one year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 level (ZA-II at NIST). Specialized experience is defined as experience awarding and administering acquisitions of supplies and services using the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and applying acquisition regulations.

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 experience.

Qualification requirements in the vacancy announcement are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook, which contains Federal qualification standards. This handbook is available on the OPM website located at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/

Applicants may request reconsideration of their qualifications determination within three business days from the date their applicant status was changed. Applicants should email the Agency Contact listed in this vacancy announcement with their written request listing the announcement number; explaining why the original determination was improper; what factors were not considered; and, should provide any other pertinent information that would enable reevaluation.

Education

This position has an education requirement. You must submit a copy of your transcripts to document that you have met the education requirement. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package. Official transcripts will be required prior to the final offer of employment.

Foreign education: Individuals educated in whole or in part in foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for a U.S. equivalency evaluation of course work and degree. View a listing of these accredited organizations from the Department of Education's website . Provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course by course listing.

Additional information

A probationary period may be required.

This position is covered by an Alternative Personnel Management System (APMS). This system replaces the General Schedule (GS) pay plan and grade with career paths and pay bands. For information regarding how the pay bands correspond to the General Schedule, click here.

Applying under a Special Appointing Authority (i.e., VRA , 30% or more disabled veterans , Peace Corps, Schedule A/persons with disabilities ): if you meet the minimum qualifications stated in the vacancy announcement, you will be forwarded to the selecting official for consideration and may be contacted for an interview. If two or more VRA candidates apply and one or more is a preference eligible, Veterans' preference will be applied.

Applying as a Merit Candidates: Your responses to the job questionnaire will serve as the basis for identifying best qualified candidates. Best qualified Merit and Veterans Employment Opportunity Act ( VEOA ) eligibles (i.e., candidates in the GOLD category) will be forwarded for consideration to the selecting official and may be contacted for an interview. Candidates must also meet time-in-grade/pay band requirements for consideration. Non-competitive consideration will be given to those Merit candidates that have held a position with the same promotion potential as the position advertised. Documentation (in the form of an SF-50) is required to show proof of promotion potential or highest grade held. In the merit promotion selection process, due weight will be given to incentive awards and performance appraisals.

Applying as an Agency Based candidate (i.e., outside the Federal government), your application package will be placed in one of three categories based on your responses to the assessment questions; Gold, Silver, or Bronze. Within these categories, applicants eligible for veteran's preference will receive selection priority over non-veterans. If non-veterans can be referred, the Best qualified (i.e., candidates in the GOLD category) will be forwarded for consideration to the selecting official and may be contacted for an interview. More information about the three categories can be found at: Category Rating

Applying as a CTAP or ICTAP candidate: CTAP and ICTAP candidates will be eligible for selection priority if it is determined that they have exceeded the minimum qualifications for the position by attaining at least a rating of 85 out of 100. Information regarding CTAP and ICTAP appointments and eligibility can be found at - CTAP/ICTAP

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

Your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation will be reviewed to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for the position. If you meet the minimum qualifications stated in the job opportunity announcement, we will compare your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation to your responses on the scored occupational questionnaire (True/False, Yes/No, Multiple Choice questions). Your resume and/or optional cover letter must support your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire, or your score may be lowered.

Please ensure that your resume contains specific information such as position titles, beginning and ending dates of employment for each position, average number of hours worked per week, salary, duties performed for each position, and if the position is/was in the Federal government, you should provide the position series and grade level/pay band.

The scored occupational questionnaire will evaluate you on the following competencies; please do not provide a separate written response:

• Skill in the strategic procurement of goods, services, and utilities through contractual agreements.
• Knowledge of applying business acumen to deliver mission results.
• Ability to build and maintain collaborative relationships with customers.
  

To preview questions please click here .

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Not Required

Drug test required
No

Required Documents

The documents you are required to submit vary based on how you're applying (i.e., as a veteran or disabled veteran, current or former Federal employee, etc.). Please review the information on the following link to determine if there are any documents you need to provide - https://www.nist.gov/careers/applying-jobs-required-forms

Failure to submit required documents, based upon how you apply, may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted. Official documents are not required at the time of application, copies are sufficient. If selected, official documentation must be submitted prior to appointment.

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.