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Contract Specialist, GS-1102-14 (Direct Hire)

Employer
USAJobs
Location
Silver Spring, Maryland
Closing date
Nov 24, 2020
Duties

Summary

This is a Direct Hire Public Notice. Please read this Public Notice in its entirety prior to submitting your application for consideration.

This position is located in the Acquisition and Grants Office (AGO) with vacancies in Silver Spring, MD.

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

As a Contract Specialist, you will perform the following duties:
  • Plan, negotiate, lead, administer and close out complex procurements of supplies, systems, services, and/or construction using a wide variety of cost and fixed-price contracts, multi-year contracts and extensive use of subcontractors, frequent changes in terms, conditions or funding arrangements, and similar difficulties;
  • Develop and/or review complex contractual pricing arrangements and incentives requiring sophisticated contracting techniques.
  • Conduct negotiations and meetings with contractors on sensitive and/or controversial issues as an authoritative contractual representative. Responsible for the negotiation of contracts of an unprecedented nature or those which have a major influence on key department programs.
  • Audit or review major acquisitions, present findings, recommend corrective actions and policy or procedure improvements.
  • Review, advise on, develop and recommend operating unit-wide or agency-wide procurement processes and systems, procedures and policies.
  • Assist with guidance and mentorship of junior Contract Specialists and Contracting Officer's Representatives.
  • Participate in and/or lead briefings to senior leadership on complex and/or mission-critical acquisitions.


Travel Required

Not required

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
14

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen or National to apply.
  • Required to pass a background investigation and fingerprint check.
  • Must be suitable for Federal employment.
  • Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable (www.sss.gov)
  • Qualifications requirements must be met by closing date of announcement.
  • If selected, required to complete OGE Form 450 financial disclosure.


Category Rating, Veterans Preference and traditional rating and ranking of applicants do not apply to this Public Notice.

* A one year probationary period may be required.

* Payment of relocation expenses is not authorized.

* Not in a bargaining unit.

NOTE:

*This Job Opportunity Announcement may be used to fill other Contract Specialist, GS-1102-14 positions throughout NOAA. The position must be alike (e.g. within the same geographic locations, same grade/band and requires the same qualifications and specialized experience as indicated in this vacancy announcement).

Applicants must meet ALL application requirements, to include a complete online resume, by 11:59 p.m. EASTERN TIME (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.

Qualifications

Qualification requirements in the vacancy announcements 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 Office of Personnel Management's website located at: Contract Specialist .

To be qualified, all applicants must meet education, training, and experience requirements described below as of the close date of this announcement. Documentation supporting these requirements, including transcript(s), training certificate(s), and certification certificate(s) MUST be submitted with your application package. Failure to submit documentation will result in an ineligible status.

A. Education Requirements: Applicants must have completed at least 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.

Documentation of education requirements must include a copy of your transcript(s) that shows the degree(s) earned and lists each course by the number and department, course title, number of credit hours, and grade earned. You must submit evidence that any education completed in a foreign institution is equivalent to U.S. education standards. If course content cannot be easily identified from the title of the course as listed on your transcript, you must submit an official course description from the college/university course catalog that reflects the content at the time the course was taken. An official college transcript will be required before you can report to duty.

B. Training Requirements: Applicants must have completed of all mandatory training prescribed by the Department of Commerce for progression to the GS-13 or higher level contracting positions or equivalent. For more information, please see the "Other Information" section of the announcement.

Candidates currently holding a FAC-C/DAWIA Level II or III certification are considered to have met all mandatory training requirements for this announcement. You must submit your certification with your application package. If you are not currently certified, but have completed the mandatory training, you must provide a training certificate for each course. Failure to submit documentation will result in an ineligible status.

Selectees holding a FAC-C/DAWIA Level II certification will be required to complete all prescribed mandatory training to become certified FAC-C Level III within 24 months of employment.

C. Experience Requirements: Applicants must have at least four years of experience in contracting or related positions, which must be documented on the applicant's resume. At least one year (52 weeks) of that experience must have been specialized experience at or equivalent to work at the next lower level of the position, as described below. This specialized experience need not have been in the federal government.

Specialized experience for this position is defined as: One full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 level of the Federal service is defined as meeting ALL of the following experience:
  • Implementing, evaluating, and administering the full range of pre-award and post-award activities utilizing various types of contracts associated with the acquisition of a range of complex and specialized goods or services; and
  • Providing authoritative guidance to senior level officials and contractors on the delivery of goods and services.

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.

Exceptions: Employees in GS-1102 at grades 14 and above are 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. This exception does not apply if there was a break in service after January 1, 2000.

Education

Additional information

Applicants MUST submit a copy of their FAC-C/DAWIA certifications with their application materials. For more information regarding the Department of Commerce Acquisition Program please visit: Department of Commerce Acquisition Program Manual .

FAC-C Certification Requirements

DAWIA Certification Requirements

CTAP and ICTAP candidates will be eligible if it is determined that they have met the minimum qualifications for the position. Information about CTAP and ICTAP eligibility is on the Office of Personnel Management's Career Transition Resources website at: Employee Guide to Career Transition

CTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents:
  • A copy of your specific RIF notice; notice of proposed removal for failure to relocate; a Certificate of Expected Separation (CES); or certification that you are in a surplus organization or occupation (this could be a position abolishment letter, a notice eligibility for discontinued service retirement, or similar notice).
  • A copy of your SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action", noting current position, grade level, and duty location;
  • A copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and
  • Any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential.

  • ICTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents:
  • A copy of your RIF separation notice; notice of proposed removal for failure to relocate; notice of disability annuity termination; certification from your former agency that it cannot place you after your recovery from a compensable injury; or certification from the National Guard Bureau or Military Department that you are eligible for disability retirement;
  • A copy of your SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action" documenting your RIF separation, noting your positions, grade level, and duty location, and/or Agency certification of inability to place you through RPL, etc;
  • A copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and
  • Any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential.

  • NOAA participates in e-Verify. E-Verify is an Internet based system operated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in partnership with the Social Security Administration (SSA) that enables participating employers to electronically verify the employment eligibility of their newly hired employees.

    How You Will Be Evaluated

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

    We will review your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for the position.

    Veteran's Preference does not apply to direct hire recruitment procedures.

    Any selections made under this notice will be processed as new appointments to the civil service. Therefore, Current Federal employees would be given new appointments to the civil service and may have to serve a new probationary period under CFR 315.802 (b).

    NOTE: A one year probationary period will be required under the Direct Hire Authority unless you are a current Department of Commerce employee and are in the same line of work and with no more than a 30 day break in service.

    To preview questions please click here .

    Background checks and security clearance

    Security clearance
    Other

    Drug test required
    No

    Required Documents

    • Resume showing relevant experience; cover letter optional. Your resume must indicate your citizenship and if you are registered for Selective Service if you are a male born after 12/31/59. Your resume must include information about your paid and nonpaid work experience related to this position including: job title, duration of employment (mm/dd/yy - mm/dd/yy), hours per week, duties and accomplishments, salary, and your education. For work in the Federal service, please include the grade level for the position/s.
    • Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) and Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) documentation if applicable (see other information).
    • College Transcript: Documentation of education requirements must include a copy of your transcript(s) that shows the degree(s) earned and lists each course by the number and department, course title, number of credit hours, and grade earned. You must submit evidence that any education completed in a foreign institution is equivalent to U.S. education standards. If course content cannot be easily identified from the title of the course as listed on your transcript, you must submit an official course description from the college/university course catalog that reflects the content at the time the course was taken.
    • Mandatory training: Submit a copy of FAC-C Level III/DAWIA Level III certificate, OR FAC-C Level II/DAWIA Level II certificate.
    • SF-50, "Notification of Personnel Action" (if applicable): If you do not meet the education or training requirements and require an Exception (see Qualification Section above for details), you must submit appropriate SF-50s that show the position you occupied on January 1, 2000 and other positions showing no break in service.


    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.

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