Duties

Summary

This position is located in the National Science Foundation (NSF), Office of Budget, Finance & Award Management, Division of Acquisition & Cooperative Support, Contracts Branch. The mission of the Contracts Branch is the planning, solicitation, negotiation, award & award administration of all research & research support contracts for NSF. The primary purpose of this position is to be the NSF Procurement Integrity Program Manager for the management & implementation of OMB Circular A-123.

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

Direct periodic and comprehensive assessments and evaluation of NSF's procurement program goals and objectives that provide a basis for long-range planning to enhance NSF management capability and compliance with OMB Circular A-123 by identifying and implementing NSF-wide acquisition reform initiatives designed to reduce total costs, achieve management objectives, improve accountability, prevent fraud, waste and abuse, and meet customer requirements. Responsible for ensuring that the Automated Acquisition Management System (AAMS) is implemented and administered to leverage the benefits of an automated procurement system with the accountability requirements of A-123. Develop NSF acquisition guidelines that standardizes a top-down process for reviewing, documenting, testing, and assessing internal control effectiveness of the acquisition function that addresses risk and provide reasonable assurance of: effective and efficient procurement activities and operations; reliable, complete, and timely data are maintained for internal control and compliance reviews; and, NSF's programs and resources are protected from mismanagement. (50%)

Serve as a Contracting Officer with unlimited signatory authority for contract methods and types necessary to plan and manage all pre-award and post-award phases of critical agency procurements. The programs or systems procured involve unprecedented factual or contractual issues requiring the origination of contracting innovations, concepts, or principles; include negotiations, which require balancing conflicting interests of extreme intensity due to public and political attention; and critically affect the U,S. scientific community. Oversee and manage lead negotiators in developing pre-negotiation strategy, conducting negotiations, and in directing or performing post-award negotiations involving contract changes or modifications and operational interrelationships including negotiations requiring balancing conflicting interests of extreme intensity due to public and political attention and critically affecting the U.S, scientific community and NSF mission. Represent BFA/DACS at executive and senior management levels within NSF and other federal agencies, as well as with contractor organizations by establishing, developing, and maintaining effective working relationships with these entitles to ensure satisfactory progress and completion of contract activities supporting or implementing agency initiatives that involve multi-million dollar levels annually. The incumbent is involved in projects that range from small corporate procurements for internal purposes, to internationally visible, highly complex projects that significantly impact the NSF mission and scientific reputation as well as unique and extremely complex contracts and subcontracts, such as logistics support for U.S. scientific activities in the Antarctic and Arctic. (25%)

Supervise the work of 8 to 12 acquisition professionals, administrative and support personnel up to the GS-15 level. Conducts and issues performance appraisals for all direct staff employees. In addition, hears and resolves group grievances or serious employee complaints, makes decisions on work problems and reviews and provides input on serious disciplinary actions involving non-supervisory subordinates. Perform administrative and personnel management functions. Provide input on the establishment of guidelines and performance expectations for staff, which are clearly communicated through the formal employee performance management system. Observe workers' performance; initiate and conduct work performance critiques. Resolve informal complaints and grievances. Develop work improvement plans, initiating personnel actions for promotion, award and pay action as appropriate. Provide advice and counsel to workers related to work and administrative matters. Approve or disapprove leave requests. Assure that subordinates are properly trained in accordance with requirements of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy. (25%)

Competencies:

• Contracting/Procurement
• Oral Communication
• Written Communication
• Teamwork

Travel Required

Not required

Supervisory status
Yes

Promotion Potential
15

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• US citizenship.
• Background investigation.
• Supervisory/managerial probationary period.
• Selective Service registration required for male applicants, unless exempt.
• Preview questions at bottom of Qualifications & Evaluations-see tab above.

It is NSF policy that NSF personnel employed at or IPAs detailed to NSF are not permitted to participate in foreign government talent recruitment programs. Failure to comply with this NSF policy could result in disciplinary action up to and including removal from Federal Service or termination of an IPA assignment and referral to the Office of Inspector General. Foreign Talent Definitions

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

You must meet eligibility and qualification requirements within 30 days of the closing date.

Time in Grade Requirement: Applicants who have held a General Schedule (GS) position within the last 52 weeks must have 52 weeks of Federal service at the next lower grade or equivalent.

You must answer all job-related questions in the NSF eRecruit questionnaire.

All online applicants must provide a valid email address. If your email address is inaccurate or your mailbox is full or blocked, you may not receive important communication that could affect your consideration for this position.

This is a non-bargaining unit position.

Qualifications

Candidates at the GS-15 level must have completed all the requirements for a bachelor's or higher degree from an accredited college or university that included or was supplemented by 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 AND have 4 years of specialized experience with one year equivalent to the GS-14 level. Specialized experience is experience serving as an expert and advisor to management officials in the areas of acquisition program strategies, goals, initiatives, regulations, policies, and methodologies for a major acquisition program; evaluation of procurement integrity controls; and program oversight to ensure that goals are met.

OR Held a GS-1102-15 position or above on January 1, 2000.

Education

You must meet the minimum education requirements as described in "Qualifications."

Additional information

Relocation Expenses will not be paid.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP):
ICTAP and CTAP provide eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP or CTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your ICTAP or CTAP eligibility; 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement; and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified you must meet the following: OPM qualification requirements for the position, all selective factors, where applicable; special OPM approved qualifying conditions for the position; is physically qualified with reasonable accommodation, where appropriate, to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry; and receives a rating of at least "Very Good" on the questionnaire. You must provide proof of eligibility with your application to receive selection priority. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of ICTAP or CTAP eligibility, or a copy of your separation personnel action form.
Additional information regarding ICTAP or CTAP eligibility is available from OPM's Career Transition Resources

Veteran's Preference:
If you are entitled to veterans' preference, you should indicate the type of veterans' preference you are claiming on your resume. Your veterans' preference entitlement will be verified by the employing agency. For 5-point veterans' preference, please provide your DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty), official statement of service from your command if you are currently on active duty, or other official documentation (e.g., documentation of receipt of a campaign badge or expeditionary medal) that proves your military service was performed under honorable conditions. For 10-point veterans' preference, please submit a Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, DD-214, and the required documentation as specified on the SF-15.

NSF has determined that all of its positions are eligible for telework. Work suitable for telework depends on job duties; therefore, employees must receive approval from their supervisor for telework and have a telework agreement in place. Entering into a telework agreement is voluntary.

For additional information on the NSF eRecruit system, please visit our NSF eRecruit Applicant Guide .

This announcement may be used to fill like positions in other organizations within the National Science Foundation.

The Selected Candidate(s) may be subject to a background investigation.

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

Ratings will be assigned based on your responses to the occupational questionnaire. In some cases, additional assessment processes may be used.

Review your resume and responses carefully. Responses that are not fully supported by the information in your application package may result in adjustments to your score. A Human Resources Representative will validate the qualifications of those candidates eligible to be referred to the selecting official.

Applicants eligible for selection preference under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) must meet the agency definition of "well qualified." At NSF, this means a score of 90.0 or higher.

In the merit promotion selection process, formal performance appraisals may be considered if voluntarily submitted by the applicant.

To preview questions please click here .

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Other

Drug test required
No

Position sensitivity and risk
High Risk (HR)

Trust determination process

Required Documents

If you are an NSF employee on or eligible for a permanent, competitive service position or you are an NSF employee who is reinstatement eligible based on prior Federal permanent, competitive service, you need not submit documents to confirm status. All applicants are required to provide a resume, in any format they choose. Cover letters are optional.

If you are not an NSF employee as described above, but you are eligible under merit promotion , under an Interchange Agreements , under a non-competitive authority , or under a similar authority , you will be required to submit supporting documentation. This will typically require the submission of one or more of the following documents:

1. Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50s) or comparable federal agency forms to verify your eligibility for reinstatement and/or grade/step/salary if you are a current or former permanent federal civil service employee.
• SF-50 must indicate that appointment is/was to a competitive service position with permanent tenure or conditional tenure within the last three years; OR, to a similar position in the excepted service at an agency that has an Interchange Agreement.
• An example of a comparable agency form is a personnel action from a DOD Non-appropriated Fund organization or from the US Postal Service for a current and continuing appointment without a break in service.
• Documents that are NOT comparable and NOT acceptable substitutes for a SF-50 include a SF-52, a Performance Appraisal form, a Personnel Action Request (PAR), or a Request for Personnel Action (RPA).

2. Performance appraisals and awards may be considered during the evaluation process if voluntarily submitted.

3. DD-214 (Member-4 copy); and if applicable, the Department of Veterans Affairs Notice of Compensable Disability Rating from applicants requesting consideration under the Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA), Veteran Recruitment Act (VRA), or the disabled veterans appointing authority.

4. Schedule A Certification - from applicants requesting consideration under the Schedule A appointing authority for disabled applicants.

5. Other - Documentation which verifies you are eligible to be appointed to a permanent position in the federal competitive civil service.

If you are requesting consideration under a Special Hiring Authority listed below, you must submit the required documentation as outlined in the regulation or Executive Order. Please also annotate your application to reflect that you are applying under a special hiring authority. If you are requesting consideration under a Special Hiring Authority not listed below, please email eRecruit@nsf.gov or reach out to the point of contact listed on the vacancy announcement.

• Returned Peace Corp Volunteers
• Certain Military Spouses (Executive Order 13473)
• Former Overseas Employees
• Foreign Service Employees
• Career Service Employees
• Postal Rate Commission Employees
• Government Accountability Office (GAO) Employees
• Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts Employees

If you are requesting special employment consideration under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) or
CTAP, you must submit documentation provided by your current or former employing agency verifying your eligibility for that program. This includes a copy of the agency notice, a copy of your most recent performance rating, and a copy of your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) showing your position, grade level, and duty location. Please annotate your application to reflect that you are applying as a CTAP or ICTAP eligible.

You must submit proof of meeting the basic education requirement described in the QUALIFICATIONS paragraph. Therefore, you should submit TRANSCRIPTS (unofficial copies are acceptable) or a DIPLOMA that verifies that the requirement is met.

We also ask that you complete and submit the Applicant Survey . This will help NSF to ensure that our recruiting efforts are attracting a diverse candidate pool; it will be used for statistical purposes only.

All uploading must be completed before 11:59 PM Eastern time on the vacancy closing date.

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.