Contract Specialist

Summary This position is part of the Department of the Interior (DOI), Office of the Secretary (OS), Interior Business Center (IBC), Acquisition Services Directorate (AQD), The incumbent will be responsible for pre-award and/or post-award functions for a broad range of complex, multidisciplinary, multi-agency contracts, and interagency agreements, including research and development contracts. Responsibilities Serves as a Contracting Officer and Senior Contract Specialist responsible for pre-award and/or post-award functions for a broad range of complex, multidisciplinary, multi-agency contracts, and interagency agreements, including research and development contracts. Selectees will be responsible for obtaining and maintaining a Contracting Officer's Certificate of Appointment consistent with assigned duties. Duties typically involve: Performing compliant and mission-focused pre-award and post-award functions for a full range of acquisition activities in support of a fee-for-service acquisition shared services provider; Researching, analyzing, and applying governing acquisition, agency, organizational regulations and policies, to include those that are customer-specific, in order to deliver compliant acquisition services; Conducting acquisition planning in coordination with the technical program office, and determining the recommended contractual strategy to be used in the acquisition of a specific program element; processing, analyzing, evaluating, and performing price analysis; providing input for the competitive range determinations and developing a pre-negotiation position for proposals; Serve as a member of a negotiating team responsible for planning, coordinating, and negotiating a variety of procurements; Applying technical acquisition knowledge and utilizing efficient acquisitions processes and good business management to ensure timely delivery of acquisition services to the customer. Requirements Conditions of Employment U.S. Citizenship is required. Suitable for Federal employment, determined by background investigation. Direct Deposit of pay is required. Selective Service registration required for male applicants, unless exempt. Status candidates must meet time-in-grade (see Qualifications). Qualifications ALL APPLICANTS FOR THE CONTRACT SPECIALIST, GS-1102-13, POSITION MUST POSSESS THE FOLLOWING BASIC REQUIREMENTS: A 4-year course of study in any field leading to a bachelor's degree that included 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 (NOTE: You are required to submit your unofficial college transcripts from an appropriately accredited educational institution in order to document completion of the educational requirements for this position. The unofficial transcripts must be legible and include your name, major, school name/location, course title/number, date completed, grade, number of credits earned, and degree(s) conferred. In the case that your transcripts do not show that a degree was conferred, you may submit your unofficial transcripts AND a copy of your degree certification. If selected, official transcripts will be required prior to establishing an entrance on duty date.) AND At least 4 years experience in contracting or related positions - 1 year of which is specialized experience or equivalent to work at the next lower level in the Federal service. AND One of the following: A current Federal Acquisition Certification - Contracting Professional A current DoD Contracting Professional Certification NOTE: COPIES OF THE CERTIFICATION OR TRAINING CERTIFICATES MUST BE PROVIDED WITH YOUR APPLICATION BY THE CLOSING DATE OF THE VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT. AND One year of specialized experience or equivalent work at the GS-12 level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is that which has equipped the applicant with the competencies to successfully perform the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. Specialized experience for this position includes: Using contracting principles and procedures applicable to complex pre-award and/or post-award actions sufficient to procure and/or administer contracts for a variety of specialized equipment, services, and/or construction; conducting price or financial analysis for highly complex contracts and applying cost and price analysis principles and techniques and business and industry principles and practices to analyze cost elements on an extensive range of contracts; independently developing strategic procurement plans or methods for an acquisition program; effecting procurements by negotiation, performing the full range of competitive contract negotiation tasks for highly complex acquisitions; developing new terms and conditions or other innovations necessary to satisfy the unique and complex procurement requirements and conditions; analyzing difficult contracting issues and identifying any alternative courses of action to provide the most effective support of current needs and anticipated acquisition program requirements; exemplifies ability to work in customer-focused environment, to include instilling in others effective adaptability to change based on shifts in workload and/or customer requirements. Exception: Employees in the GS-1102 positions will be considered to have met the standard for positions they occupied 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, employees will have to meet the basic requirements and specialized experience requirements in order to qualify for promotion to a higher grade. If using this exception to qualify you MUST submit an SF-50 that supports the title, series, and grade occupied on 01/01/00.) Applicants must carefully review the information in the "How You Will Be Evaluated" section for important information and instructions pertaining to the multi-hurdle assessment process for this position. Only experience and education obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered. TIME-IN-GRADE: Current career or career-conditional employees of the Federal government, or former career or career-conditional employees, who have a break in service of less than one year, are required to meet the time-in-grade restriction of one year of Federal experience at the next lower grade, with few exceptions outlined in 5 CFR 300.603(b). 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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Education You are required to submit your unofficial college transcripts from an appropriately accredited educational institution in order to document completion of the educational requirements for this position. The unofficial transcripts must be legible and include your name, major, school name/location, course title/number, date completed, grade, number of credits earned, and degree(s) conferred. In the case that your transcripts do not show that a degree was conferred, you may submit your unofficial transcripts AND a copy of your degree certification. If selected, official transcripts will be required prior to establishing an entrance on duty date. Only education from institutions which are accredited or preaccredited/candidate for accreditation may be used to meet education requirements. FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: d.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html Additional Information Career Transition Assistance Programs: CTAP/ICTAP provides placement assistance to permanent Federal employees who are surplus, displaced, or involuntarily separated. Applicants claiming CTAP/ICTAP eligibility must submit a copy of their most recent performance appraisal, proof of eligibility, and most current SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location with their application. To be considered under CTAP/ICTAP, applicants must be well-qualified (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors; education, and experience requirements), score at least 85 on the assessment questionnaire, and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry. For information on CTAP and ICTAP visit: sajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths/federal-employees/career-transition/ Appointment Authorities: For more information on appointment authority eligibility requirements: Persons with Disabilities-Schedule A Special Hiring Authorities for Veterans Special Hiring Authority for Certain Military Spouses Other Special Appointment Authorities OPM Interchange Agreement and Other Miscellaneous Authorities Telework Suitability: The duties of this position are suitable for occasional telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval and if they meet the eligibility criterion in the 2010 Telework Act. Stipulations of Employment: Selection may require completion of a 1-year probationary period. Selectee will be responsible for obtaining and maintaining a Contracting Officer's Certificate of Appointment consistent with assigned duties. A Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450) will be required at the time an employee becomes a warranted contracting officer. Work Schedule: This position allows for a flexible work schedule. Miscellaneous: This position has been designated as hard to fill. If you were referred by an IBC employee, the employee may be eligible to receive a bonus for referring you under the IBC Referral Program. A qualified referring employee must submit the Candidate Referral Form to the HROD point of contact identified in the vacancy announcement prior to the issuance of a competitive selection certificate. DOI uses E-Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit scis.gov/e-verify. This vacancy announcement may be used to fill similar positions within 90 days.