Duties

Summary

We are seeking a motivated, customer service oriented professional to serve as Contracting Officer in our Arlington Headquarters, with occasional travel to Paris. You will serve as the local, on-site expert for HQ and report to the Director of Contracting, who is located in Paris. This position assists in the development of contracting policy and also serves as contracting officer in support of agency-wide operations. There is a French language requirement for this position.
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Responsibilities

There is a French language requirement for this position to serve our overseas operations. If you do not believe you will meet the language requirement, you can also apply to our concurrent job posting here.

The first review of applications will be 16 June 2020. Additional reviews will be conducted as needed. The announcement will remain open until the position is filled.

This position serves as the agency's Contracting Specialist, reporting to the Director of Contracting located in Paris, and will be the primary point of contact for all Arlington Headquarters contracting matters. In addition, the incumbent serves as an integral part of our newly established Contracting program, and will participate in establishing policies, procedures, and standards to build and grow an effective program agency wide.

This position will be responsible for:

• Analysis and evaluation of contracting matters, and the initiation, development, and recommendation of contracting policies, procedures, guidance, and control for the ABMC.
• Initiates, develops, and recommends contracting policies and procedures for the guidance and control of all ABMC contracting activities, within and outside of the United States.
• Evaluates and recommends disposition on requested waivers to statutory requirements.
• Reviews, evaluates, and provides specific guidance concerning contracting policies and procedures relative to the procurement of complex, diversified, high priority, high visibility purchases, supplies, services, and construction.
• Plans the overall approach to meet contracting program objectives for procuring a variety of complex, non-standard, high-visibility, politically sensitive requirements.
• Exercises responsibility for pre-award and post-award functions for architect/engineering requirements, complex construction, supplies, and/or services.
• Reviews requisition package for adequacy and compliance with administrative, regulatory, and procedural requirements and consistency with current market practices and conditions.
• Reviews and evaluates requisitions for which previous experience and cost data are not usually directly applicable such as complex services, or the construction of buildings involving unusual design features or site adaptation.
• Prepares all required documentation justifying the basis for award. Ensures final contract meets legal sufficiency for award, and signs the contract.
• Evaluates contractor performance for compliance with terms and conditions of contracts and ensure timely submission of technical progress reports and performance metrics.
• Analyzes and resolves complex contract administration problems, such as disputes and labor violations.
• Conducts investigations on protests, disputes, and claims.
• Terminates contracts and negotiates settlements including determining allowable costs, agreeing on termination inventory, and determination of profit.

You can preview the Assessment Questionnaire here .

Travel Required

Occasional travel - Occasional travel to Paris, as well as other overseas locations as needed.

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
13

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• U.S. Citizenship.
• Suitable for Federal employment as determined by appropriate background investigation.
• Males born after 12-31-1959 must be registered with Selective Service.
• May be required to successfully complete a probationary/trial period.
• Foreign language proficiency as described below and determined by a third party testing facility PRIOR to interview.
• May be eligible for incentive pay.
• Must be able to obtain Contracting Level II certification within 24 months.

Qualifications

Language Requirement
There is a French language requirement for this position in order to better serve our Overseas Operations Office which is based in Paris, and as the majority of our cemeteries are located in France. The Agency may correspond with applicants in French throughout the application process. Applicants will be evaluated by a third-party testing facility prior to interview to determine their proficiency in speaking and reading French using the Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR) scale. You should be prepared for a language evaluation immediately upon consideration. A minimum score of ILR speaking 1+ / reading 2 is required to qualify. More information on the ILR scale is available online . If you are selected at the minimum score(s), you may required to complete a language training program, re-test as a condition of continued employment, and/or be subject to a foreign language critical performance factor until you are able to meet the standard. If you do not believe you will meet this standard, please also apply to our concurrent posting located here.

Your language experience and/or education must be clearly identified in your resume. Failure to clearly identify your language proficiency may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package.

Basic Requirements
GS-12:

• Completed a 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with a major in any field; or, completed 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; AND
• Have at least 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position is defined as performing a full range of pre-award and post-award functions for a wide range of services, supplies, equipment, and/or construction (i.e., formulating policies and procedures, developing and presenting terms and conditions in bids or proposals; negotiating and awarding contracts; administering terms and conditions of contracts; and analyzing proposed prices/costs.); AND
• Must be able to complete requirements for Level II Certification in Contracting through Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting (FAC-C)or Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) in Contracting within 24 months.

GS-13:

• Completion of a 4-year course of study, leading to a bachelor's degree, in any field from an accredited college or university, that included or was supplemented by at least 24 semester hours in any combination of the following fields: accounting, business, law, contracts, economics, industrial management, marketing, quantitative methods, or organization and management. In order to be considered, you must submit a copy of your college transcript(s) (unofficial copies are acceptable) that includes the number of semester or quarter hours completed; AND
• Have at least 4 year's experience in contracting or related positions. At least 1 year of that experience must have been specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position is defined as performing a full range of pre-award and post-award functions for a wide range of services, supplies, equipment, and/or construction (i.e., formulating policies and procedures, developing and presenting terms and conditions in bids or proposals; negotiating and awarding contracts; administering terms and conditions of contracts; and analyzing proposed prices/costs.) Please make sure your specialized experience/requirement(s) can be identified in your resume; AND
• Must possess requirements for Level II Certification in Contracting through Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting (FAC-C) or Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) in Contracting. Please state in your resume your Level of Certification and how it was obtained.

Exceptions to the Basic Requirements above: Federal employees in GS-1102 positions will be considered to have met the standard for positions they occupied on January 1, 2000.
Time in Grade
Time-in-grade restrictions apply for all candidates considered under Merit Promotion (generally applicants who have held a Federal civilian appointment within the previous 52 weeks). These applicants must have 1 year time-in-grade at the next lower level or equivalent to qualify.

Relocation expenses are authorized in accordance with applicable travel regulations and Agency policy.
The majority of entitlements through a civilian Permanent Change of Station (PCS) with the government will be considered taxable benefits by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). However, any additional taxes incurred will be offset either by government regulations, Agency policy, or both, as applicable.

Closing Date
Only experience and education obtained by the review date of your application will be considered.

Education

Additional information

Annual Leave Accrual Credit
Selectees may be eligible to earn a higher annual leave accrual rate based on prior non-Federal or uniformed service work experience. The amount of service credit will be based on specialized experience or qualifying experience that is provided on the applicant resume and documentation submitted. As such, if you are an applicant that is a new employee to the Federal Government or a rehire, it is important that you provide a resume that lists all directly related positions, work history and includes the dates of employment (month/day/year).

Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA): To be eligible for a VEOA appointment under Merit Promotion procedures, the veteran must be a preference eligible or a veteran separated after 3 years or more of continuous active service performed under honorable conditions.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): If you have never worked for the Federal government, you are not ICTAP eligible. View information about ICTAP eligibility on OPM's Career Transition Resources website. To receive selection priority, you must: (1) meet ICTAP eligibility criteria; (2) be rated well-qualified for the position; and (3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your ICTAP eligibility. To be considered well-qualified and receive selection priority, applicants must satisfy all qualification requirements for the position and have a rating of 85 or above.

Noncompetitive Appointment Authorities: For more information on noncompetitive appointment authority eligibility requirements, you may review the information at the following links:

• Persons with Disabilities-Schedule A
• Special Hiring Authorities for Veterans
• Special Hiring Authority for Certain Military Spouses
• Other Special Appointment Authorities
• Family of Overseas Employees
• Peace Corp/Americorps VISTA

Males born after December 31, 1959 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service .

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 are minimally qualified for this job, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses on the Assessment Questionnaire. 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 an incomplete application. If you are found to be among the top candidates, you will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration.

The first review of completed application packets will be two weeks after opening date of this announcement. After first review, completed application packets will be reviewed and referred to the selecting official once or twice a month. This announcement will be CLOSED when the position is filled. In addition, it may be extended as needed.

Management will consider any Federal performance appraisals and/or awards you submit with your application as an indication of your experience and work history. These documents will not be scored as part of the assessment process.

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

• Contracting/Procurement
• Interpersonal Skills
• Technical Competence
• Foreign Language

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Not Required

Drug test required
No

Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

Trust determination process
Credentialing , Suitability/Fitness

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 and duties performed.
2. Online Assessment Questionnaire, as completed through this Vacancy announcement.
3. Other supporting documents:

• Cover Letter, optional;
• College transcript(s), only if qualifying based on education;
• Most recent SF-50 or Notification of Personnel Action showing you are/were in the competitive service and the highest grade or promotion potential held if applying as a Status, Transfer, or Reinstatement candidate with current or former Federal service;
• Most recent Performance Appraisal, if applicable;
• DD-214, SF-15 Form and VA letter, or certification of expected discharge or release from active duty for consideration under Veteran hiring authorities.

4. Applicants applying under other authorities (disability/Schedule A, Peace Corps/VISTA volunteers, CTAP/ICTAP, Interchange, etc.) must submit the appropriate documentation establishing their eligibility.

If your resume or supporting documents are illegible or unreadable, or if you fail to include any of the above mentioned required documents, you may lose consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted. You may not be considered for any hiring eligibilities that you fail to list and/or support with proper documentation.

If your resume and/or cover letter contains sensitive or inappropriate information, including but not limited to: photographs; classified or government sensitive information; copied and pasted portions of this job announcement; Social Security Number (SSN); personal information such as race, gender, religious affiliation; obscene information, etc., you may not be considered.

Falsifying your background, education, and/or experience is cause for non-selection, disqualification from further consideration or withdrawal of tentative or final job offers.

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.