Contract Specialist (Title 5) (Permanent)

Duties

As a Contract Specialist (Title 5) (Permanent), GS-1102-12, you will perform the below duties:

Plans the overall approach to meet contracting program objectives for a variety of requirements with multiple complexities. Analyzes difficult/controversial contracting issues, determines, recommends and/or implements course of action which may depart from previous approaches for long-term contract performance or short-term contracts with extremely stringent time frames. Performs acquisition planning, along with the program manager/customer, technical, legal, and finance personnel to develop market research, acquisition strategy, milestones, evaluation/source selection criteria, and/or incentive or award fee provisions, as applicable. Determines appropriate method of procurement, contract type, and financing arrangements to fit special circumstances. Reviews and evaluates requisitions for which previous experience and historical data are not usually directly available or applicable such as complex services, architect and engineering services or environmental related construction. Reviews procurement requests to determine whether, based on market analysis, the requirement can be performed by and should be set aside for small businesses; actively solicits Small Business, Small Disadvantaged Business, Women-Owned Small Business, HUB Zone Small Business, and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business participation. Reviews and may sign justification for limiting competition procurements. Procurements usually involve a variety of complexities such as socioeconomic considerations, source selections, and special handling provisions or other specialized terms and conditions, unfavorable market conditions, complex contracts, and limited competition, difficult-to-define scopes of work, legal conditions, and rigid deadlines causing additional complications. Resolves problems which limit competition and discourage potential offering parties in order to increase small business participation.

Oversees the procurement of a wide variety of services, supplies, construction and architect and engineering. Researches, interprets, analyzes, and applies all regulations, business and industry practices, market trends, Government Accountability Office (GAO) and Comptroller General decisions, public law, case law, and precedents. Devises special terms, provisions, clauses, and conditions applicable to the solicitation and contract as required. Ensures that the price schedule is properly structured and determines sources to be solicited. Prepares solicitation, amendment, and contract documents incorporating applicable terms, conditions, provisions and clauses. Receives and performs oversight of quotes/bids/proposals evaluations and determines the acceptability of offers based on an analysis of financial and technical information gained. Conducts price or cost analysis as needed. Recommends or determines the competitive range. Formulates negotiation strategies and identifies areas subject to negotiation (e.g., price, quantity discounts, packaging, payment discounts, transportation, and delivery). Prepares pre-negotiation positions and memoranda based on audit and/or technical recommendations. Conducts any necessary conferences to discuss offers received; performs price or cost analysis; plans and conducts negotiations on price, technical requirements, and/or terms and conditions of the contract. Obtains and reviews subcontracting plans as required. Determines the need for final proposal revisions. Prepares/oversees the final contract to include appropriate standard clauses, special provisions, and incentives such as price redetermination or cost and performance incentive provisions, and/or post-negotiation memoranda.

Executes post-award contract performance management actions on assigned contracts. Appoints Contracting Officer Representatives (CORs) within delegated authority and manages the COR program as required. Evaluates contractor performance for compliance with terms and conditions of contracts and ensures timely submission of contract deliverables and performance metrics. Makes field site visits, if necessary, detecting and correcting labor standards violations, taking appropriate action to expedite delivery or performance when required by mission changes, monitoring the contractor's use of government-furnished property inventories, and issuing change orders as necessary. Obtains additional funds or de-obligates funds as necessary. Negotiates and prepares contract modifications including those caused by changes in technical requirements, in quantities, ordering unpriced options, and similar issues. Maintains records to identify adverse trends in contractor performance, and documents contractor past performance.

Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

• NATIONAL GUARD MEMBERSHIP IS REQUIRED. If you are not sure you are eligible for military membership, please contact a National Guard recruiter prior to applying for this position.
• This is an excepted service position that requires membership in a compatible military assignment in the employing state's National Guard, required prior to the effective date of placement.
• Selectee will be required to wear the military uniform.
• Acceptance of an excepted service position constitutes concurrence with these requirements as a condition of employment.
• Applicants who are not currently a member of the National Guard must be eligible for immediate membership and employment in the National Guard in the military grade listed in this announcement.
• Males born after 31 December 1959 must be registered for Selective Service.
• Federal employment suitability as determined by a background investigation.
• May be required to successfully complete a trial period.
• Participation in direct deposit is mandatory.
• This position is not located in a bargaining unit.
• All job seekers will be required to limit their resumes to 2 pages in length when applying for job opportunity announcements (JOAs)

Qualifications

NOTE: Qualifications are based on breadth/level of experience. In addition to describing duties performed, applicants must provide the exact dates of each period of employment (from MM/DD/YY to MM/DD/YY) and the number of hours worked per week if part time. As qualification determinations cannot be made when resumes do not include the required information, failure to provide this information may result in disqualification. Applicants are encouraged to use the USAJOBS Resume Builder to develop their federal resume.

WHO CAN APPLY:
GROUP A - All On Board Federal National Guard Employees within Virginia National Guard.
GROUP B - All current Federal Employees (from any agency), all federal re-employable eligible, and/or current Army M-Day and Air DSG within VANG.

GENERAL EXPERIENCE : Applicants must have experience ensuring successful market research, acquisition planning, contract award, contract performance management, and interpretation of contract law in order to provide the best, most efficient contracting strategies in support of the organization.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE : Applicants must have at least 12 months of specialized experience, equivalent to at least the GS-11 level, or equivalent pay band in other pay systems in the Federal government. This experience may also have been obtained in the private sector but must demonstrate that it is comparable to the GS grade indicated. This experience must include activities such as:

Planning the overall approach to meet contracting program objectives for a variety of requirements with multiple complexities.

Devising special terms, provisions, clauses, and conditions applicable to the solicitation and contract as required.

Evaluating contractor performance for compliance with terms and conditions of contracts.

Assisting in providing interpretation/clarification to contractors and customers.

Education

If you are using Education to qualify for this position,

Basic Requirements

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.

You must provide transcripts or other documentation to support your Educational claims. To receive credit for Education, you must provide documentation of proof that you meet the Education requirements for this position.

Additional information

If you are a male applicant who was born after 12/31/1959 and are required to register under the Military Selective Service Act, the Defense Authorization Act of 1986 requires that you be registered or you are not eligible for appointment in this agency ( ).