Contract Specialist

WHAT IS THE OFFICE OF THE CHIEF PROCUREMENT DIVISION?

A description of the business units can be found at:

Vacancies will be filled in the following specialty areas: PROCUREMENT

The following are the duties of this position at the full working level:

1. Advises and supports OCPO Senior Managers and Executives in developing and directing controls for IRS procurement and contract programs. Consults with and furnishes authoritative advice and guidance to staff. The employee is responsible for devising sophisticated pricing arrangements and for managing all contractual aspects of the services and systems acquisition process. Primary point of contact and authority for OCPO Senior Managers and Executives on acquisition approaches and alternatives, market analysis and outcomes that drive the acquisition approaches for major procurement of supplies, services (including information technology, architectural and engineering, or research and development) using broad authority and oversight within warrant level to legally bind and obligate agency funding through contract issue cure notices and terminate contracts for convenience or default.
2. Takes a leadership role in coordinating and representing the Office of the Chief Procurement Officer on complicated and controversial acquisition issues with all impacted parties. The employee must be prepared to defend the acquisition strategy, competition approach, or award summary or other positions due to challenges from a variety of entities such as congressional staff members, state government, or other federal government authorities such as Government Accountability Office. Serves as a leader for the short- and long-range planning, development, coordination, and implementation of very broad and complex procurements that impact support services and information technology for Internal Revenue business units. Knowledge of related disciplines and functions involved in the acquisition process, such as design or system engineering, integrated logistics support, financial management, and their interrelationships with contracting.
3. Develops and maintains innovative contractual language, terms, and conditions. Serves as a program contractual authority and advisor on the acceptability and applicability of contractual matters related to procurement actions. Interprets and applies Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR), Department of Treasury Acquisition Regulations (DTAR), and Internal Revenue Service Acquisition Procedures (IRSAP) to every acquisition regardless of type of procurement and dollar threshold. Responsible for reviewing acquisitions strategies recommended by program officials to ensure accuracy, quality, adherence to FAR, DTAR, and IRSAP prior to approving streamlined and innovative acquisition strategies that bring the greatest value to the IRS mission.
4. Serves as the subject matter expert for other contracting professionals in the Office of Procurement Operations by utilizing experience, knowledge, and training to guide, coach, and mentor contracting professionals through establishing acquisition strategies, navigating challenging procurements, responding to protests, responding to Freedom of Information Act requests, responding to congressional inquiries, drafting negotiation strategies, drafting award decisions, analyzing the impact of new legislation, and procurement policies on procurement actions.
5. Approves acquisition strategies, evaluation criteria, appoints contracting officer technical representatives, award decisions, negotiation strategies. Participates and collaborates with IRS senior executives, program managers, attorneys, small business specialists, procurement policy, and senior procurement executives on contract review board prior to approving acquisition strategy.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National and provide proof of U.S. Citizenship.

Qualifications

Federal experience is not required. The experience may have been gained in the public sector, private sector or One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-time work is considered on a prorated basis. To ensure full credit for your work experience, please indicate dates of employment by month/year, and indicate number of hours worked per week, on your resume.

You must meet the following requirements by the closing date of this announcement:

BASIC REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADE 13 & ABOVE:

You must have completed all mandatory training prescribed by the head of the agency for progression to GS-13 or higher-level contracting positions, including at least 4-years' 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 successfully perform the work of the position.

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.

Education

For positions with an education requirement, or if you are qualifying for this position by substituting education or training for experience, submit a copy of your transcripts or equivalent. An official transcript will be required if you are selected.

A college or university degree generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. You must show proof the education credentials have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education program.

Additional information

• A 1-year probationary period is required.
• Have your salary sent to a financial institution of your choice by Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer.
• We may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more vacancies. Additional jobs may be filled.
• This is a non-bargaining unit position.
• Tour of Duty: Monday - Friday 8:00AM - 4:30PM EST.
• Alternative work schedule, staggered work hours or telework may be available.
• In the event that a building is closed due to rent management, new hires may be placed in a local commuting location.
• Telework Eligible Positions: Telework eligible positions do not guarantee telework. Employees must meet and sustain IRS telework eligibility requirements.
• Obtain and use a Government-issued charge card for business-related travel.
• If this position is designated as hard to fill and you were referred by an IRS employee, the employee may be eligible to receive a bonus for referring you under The Employee Referral Bonus Program (ERBP).

How to Apply

This Direct Hire Public Notice is to gather applications that may or may not result in a referral or selection. Your application will remain active through the open period of this Public Notice. Applicants will be referred on a first in, first out basis.

To preview the Application Questionnaire, please click the following link:

• To begin the application process, click the "Apply Online" button.
• You will be re-directed to USA STAFFING to complete your application process; answer the online questions and submit all required documents.
• To complete , you must click the "Submit Application" button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on 11/25/2025.

Agency contact information

IRS Memphis External

OCPO - DCPO - Deputy Chief Procurement Officer
1111 Constitution Ave NW
Washington, DC 20224
US

Next steps

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