Duties

Summary

Tour of Duty: 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Position Description Title/PD#: Contract Specialist/ PD# 44172-A, 44132-A
Compressed/Flexible Schedules: Authorized
Telework: Authorized
Virtual Position: No

This recruitment is for multiple positions with the OPAL, Strategic Acquisition Center, (5) located in Frederick, MD and (7) in Fredericksburg, VA.

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

Contract Specialist PD# 44132-A/44172-A

Contract Specialist ensures that specifications and statements of work are prepared in a manner which adequately describes the Government's requirements without restricting competition. Advises technical personnel as to inadequate, ambiguous or vague specifications to avoid Government liability. Performs a complete review of recommended sole-source requirements and conducts necessary market analysis to test the noncompetitive assumptions of requisitions. Prepares required findings and sufficiently documents determinations in this regard. Recommends the appropriate method of procurement, i.e. simplified acquisition procedures, sealed-bidding, negotiations. Advertises all applicable requirements and prepares the solicitation document using agency contract writing systems for issuance, insuring regulatory and legal sufficiency, and promoting maximum competition. Conducts public bid openings, reviews bids, and determines responsiveness and responsibility of low bidder in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements. Resolves protests, mistakes in bids, late bid situations and coordinates with the Small Business Administration for Certificate of Competencies (COC's). Identifies appropriate negotiation team members; formulates pre-­ negotiation objectives and facilitates the negotiation as the chief negotiator. Prepares price negotiation memoranda, outlining in writing the details of negotiations with contractors in competitive and noncompetitive negotiations. Provides signatory authority and executes contract awards within warrant authority for their own contract awards and for staff that lack requisite warrant authority, as requested by supervisor. Serves as contract administrator on awarded contracts. Conducts post-award conferences with Contractor and Government personnel to provide information and to clarify standard and special contractual provisions of the contract. Negotiates required changes to contract conditions to protect the agency. Resolves problems of delivery, production, quality, inspection, and other pertinent matters. Performs cost/price analysis on change order proposals and analysis of delivery requirements. Contract Specialist shall fully utilize contract writing system, contract reporting system, financial management system, in accordance with Agency policies. Performs other related duties as assigned.

Must meet all eligibility requirements to receive and maintain the Federal Acquisition Certification (FAC-C) Level II, within 12 months upon appointment into position for grade GS-12. Level III FAC-C certification within 12 months of assignment for grade GS-13.

Travel Required

Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
13

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

You must be a US citizen to apply for this job.
Subject to a background/suitability investigation.
Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
Position requires filing a Financial Disclosure report.
Physical Requirement: The subject position is primarily of an administrative nature in an office setting.
May serve a probationary period.
Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
A complete application package; Resume, Transcripts, etc.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Basic Requirements (GS-12):
A 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with a major in any field;

- or -

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.

Basic Requirement 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-year's 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 in GS-1102 positions will be 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 to qualify for promotion to a higher grade, unless granted a waiver under Paragraph D.

Waiver: When filling a specific vacant position, the senior procurement executive of the selecting agency, at his or her discretion, may waive any or all of the requirements of Paragraphs A and B above if the senior procurement executive certifies that the applicant possesses significant potential for advancement to levels of greater responsibility and authority, based on demonstrated analytical and decision making capabilities, job performance, and qualifying experience. With respect to each waiver granted under this Paragraph D, the senior procurement executive must document for the record the basis of the waiver. If an individual is placed in a position in an agency based on a waiver, the agency may later reassign that individual to another position at the same grade within that agency without additional waiver action.

Specialized Experience (GS-12)

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements at the date of application submission.

Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-11) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization: Examples of specialized experience would include:

• Knowledge of Acquisition Regulations, Acquisition Regulations, contract law, and procedures applicable to acquisition and contract administration including change orders, supplemental agreements, terminations, claims, and close out of contracts.
• Knowledge of cost/price analysis techniques used in evaluation of contractor proposals, change order proposals and to conduct negotiations.
• Ability to communicate orally and in writing in a clear and concise manner.
• Advanced knowledge of various types of contracts, including firm-fixed price, firm-fixed price with economic price adjustments, and cost reimbursement; and contract methods to include simplified acquisitions, sealed bidding, negotiations, cost sharing, multiple awards, commercial items and special provisions.
• Knowledge of negotiation techniques sufficient to negotiate prices, terms and conditions, contract modifications and settlements.
• Knowledge of commercial and industrial business practices.
• Knowledge of contract administration principles and practices sufficient to monitor contractor performance and compliance with all terms and conditions of the contract.
• Knowledge of the Agency's electronic Contract Writing and Management System (i.e. e-CMS) and ability to fully solicit, award, and administer contracts.

There is no Education Substitute for the GS-12.

(GS-13):
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements at the date of application submission.
Time-in-grade: Applicants who are current Federal employees or who have held a GS grade anytime in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements. Example for a GS-13 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-12 level.

Specialized Experience (GS-13):

Applicants must have One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-12) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to:

• In expert knowledge of Acquisition Regulations, Acquisition Regulations, contract law, and procedures applicable to acquisition and contract administration including change orders, supplemental agreements, terminations, claims, and close out of contracts.
• Expert knowledge of cost/price analysis techniques used in evaluation of contractor proposals, change order proposals and to conduct negotiations.
• Ability to communicate orally and in writing in a clear and concise manner.
• Expert knowledge of various types of contracts, including firm-fixed price, firm-fixed price with economic price adjustments, and cost reimbursement; and contract methods to include simplified acquisitions, sealed bidding, negotiations, cost sharing, multiple awards, commercial items and special provisions.
• In Depth knowledge of negotiation techniques sufficient to negotiate prices, terms and conditions, contract modifications and settlements.
• Advanced knowledge of commercial and industrial business practices.
• Expert knowledge of contract administration principles and practices sufficient to monitor contractor performance and compliance with all terms and conditions of the contract.
• In depth knowledge of the Agency's electronic Contract Writing and Management System (i.e. e-CMS) and ability to fully solicit, award, and administer contracts.

There is no educational substitution for the GS-13 level.

Additional information on the qualification requirements are outlined in the OPM Qualifications Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions. It is available for your review on OPM's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/classifying-general-schedule-positions/ .

Education

APPLICANTS PLEASE NOTE: 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 (particularly positions with a positive education requirement). Therefore, applicants must report attendance and/or degrees from only these schools. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following websites: www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html and http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/ .

Foreign Education: To receive credit for education completed outside the United States, you must show proof that the education has been submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education has been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs.

Additional information

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified, you must submit appropriate documentation and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. Information about CTAP and ICTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

If you are unable to apply online view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application .

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

You will be rated on the following competencies based on your application for this position:

Competency 1 - Pre-Solicitation
Competency 2 - Price/Cost Estimation and Analysis
Competency 3 - Contract Administration
Competency 4 - Acquisition Strategy
Competency 5 - Writing
Competency 6 - Influencing/Negotiating

If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to: responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume/application does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s).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.

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Other

Drug test required
No

Position sensitivity and risk
High Risk (HR)

Trust determination process
Suitability/Fitness

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

The following documents are required:

Your Résumé (Must include series, grade, step, starting and ending dates of employment, month and year, and hours worked per week, and salary information).

You must submit a copy of your last or most recent signed Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) showing your position, title, series, grade and eligibility. Applicants who fail to submit this form will be rated INELIGIBLE (SF-50 must be in PDF format; text format will not be accepted). Note: If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Award SF-50's do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time-in-grade. Examples of appropriate SF-50's include:

• Within grade increases at the highest grade held; or
• Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or
• SF-50's at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old.

Copy of unofficial transcripts. Must show name of college to determine accreditation. If qualifying based on degree, or for positions requiring a degree, the transcript must show date the degree was conferred. If selected, you must provide official transcripts. NOTE: Transcripts should state degree conferred, and have a date.

Please use this checklist to ensure you have included other documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), documentation to support Veterans Preference claims, or ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees). You will not be contacted for additional information.

Veterans' Preference: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit http://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/vetpref/index.aspx .

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.