CONTRACT SPECIALIST

Duties
Help

This position is being filled under the memorandum from the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness (USD(P&R)) "Expansion of Direct Hire Authority for Certain Personnel of the Department of Defense," dated August 12,2024.

As a CONTRACT SPECIALIST at the GS-1102-11/12/13 some of your typical work assignments may include:

• The primary responsibilities of this position are to perform a full range of pre- and post-award Federal contracting functions.
• This is a developmental position. Work assignments are progressively complex and intended to broaden your skills and provide you with practical experience to prepare you to perform at the target grade level.
• At the target grade level the major duties are:
  - Serve as a Contract Specialist performing a full range of pre- and post-award Federal contracting functions relating to the use of fixed-price, cost reimbursement, time-and materials or a combination of contract types and methods.
  - Responsible for acquisition of requirements in support of Agency's mission, including acquisition of Research and Development products and services as well as other services and supplies, monitoring contractor performance, negotiating price adjustments and recommending action in problem situations.
  - Conduct acquisition planning, market research, and determine the most suitable methods of acquisition and prepares acquisition plans and attendant acquisition documentation.
  - Analyze requirement documents and recommends necessary revisions to requesting activities to clarify requirements and eliminate inconsistencies.
  - Conduct cost/price analysis, negotiate, prepare required pre- and post-award contract documents, and full contract administration and closeout.
  - You will conduct "cradle-to-grave", or life-cycle contracting.
  - Coordinate and interface as required with the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) and the Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA).
  - Serves as point of contact for assigned procurements.
  - Resolves contractual issues encountered in performance work statements or specifications with the customer.
  - Guide the full range of contract/procurement management actions required for the execution of assigned acquisition programs.
  - Monitors progress on contracts through correspondence, reports, and vouchers
  - Develops source selection criteria and technical evaluation plans.
  - Negotiate terms and conditions of contracts, utilize innovative techniques and ideas to develop contractual arrangements taking into consideration life cycle management, cost benefit analysis, arrangements taking into consideration life cycle management, cost benefit analysis, etc.
  - Prepare contract award packages.
  - Close contracts upon completion.

Requirements
Help
Conditions of employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen
• Occasional Travel; travel in the performance of temporary assignments may be required.
• Work Schedule: Full-time
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service
• Suitable for Federal employment, determined by a background investigation
• May be required to successfully complete a probationary period
• Overtime: Occasionally
• Tour of Duty: Flexible
• Recruitment Incentives: May Be Authorized
• Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA): For GS-12 and GS-13 Exempt; for GS-11 Non-Exempt
• Financial Disclosure: Required
• Telework Eligibility: This position may be eligible for limited, situational telework subject to supervisory approval and not to exceed current Agency guidelines. This position is not eligible for remote telework.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a SECRET security clearance.
• Must consent to and pre-employment drug testing and be subject to periodic drug testing thereafter.
• Required to submit a Confidential Financial Disclosure form, OGE-450, within 30 days of entering the position, annually and upon termination of employment in accordance with DoD Directive 5500.7-R, Joint Ethics Regulation, August 30, 1993.

Qualifications

You may qualify at the GS-11, if you fulfill the following qualifications:

A. One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service as listed below:

• Executing routine procurement assignments by preparing and issuing formal Requests for Proposals (RFPs) and Requests for Quotes for goods and services.
• Managing post-award contract administration, including monitoring vendor performance, processing payments, and handling modifications.
• Reviewing requisitions and recommending procurement methods.
• Managing procurement off-the-shelf items or non-commercial services., OR

B. 3 full academic years of progressively higher level graduate education or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree (Note: You must attach a copy of your transcripts.), OR

C. You have some specialized experience as described in A, but less than one year; and you have more than one year but less than two years of education as described in B. You have computed the percentage of the requirements that you meet, and the total is at least 100%. (To compute the percentage, divide your total months of qualifying experience by 12. Then divide your semester hours of graduate education beyond the first year by 18. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify.)

You may qualify at the GS-12, if you fulfill the following qualifications:

A. One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service as listed below:

• Applying a wide range of contracting methods and contract types to plan and carry out both pre-award and post-award procurement actions.
• Applying contracting policies and procedures, negotiation techniques, and technical requirements to negotiate procurement of supplies and services.
• Administering contracts, such as firm fixed-price, fixed-price with re-determination provisions, cost reimbursement, or contracts with incentive provisions.

You may qualify at the GS-13, if you fulfill the following qualifications:

A. One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service as listed below:

• Performing the full range of pre and post award contractual actions required in the procurement of services and supplies utilizing negotiation, and small purchase negotiation procedures.
• Interpreting and ensuring that contract actions are in accordance with relevant laws, regulations, policies, standards or procedures.
• Reviewing procurement requests to assure clarity, adequacy, and completeness.
• Executing the procurement process from solicitation to award and through all post award phases of contracting, including modifications, processing payments, final invoicing, final evaluation, and closeout.

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.

In addition to meeting qualifications, your application package must reflect the applicable experience to meet the Individual Occupational Requirements for the 1102, series as listed below:

• A 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree.

NOTE: The education requirements listed above apply only to individuals entering DoD GS-1102 positions on or after October 1, 2000. Current civilian personnel in DoD who occupied GS-1102 positions or contracting positions with authority to award or administer contracts above the simplified acquisition threshold in an Executive Department on or before September 30, 2000 are exempt from meeting this requirement. Current military members who occupied a similar occupational specialty to the GS (or equivalent)-1102 or before September 30, 2000 are also exempt from meeting this requirement.

*NOTE: Failure to provide transcripts will result in you being rated ineligible for this position.

Education

For GS-12 and GS-13: substitution of education may not be used in lieu of specialized experience for this grade level.

For GS-11 ONLY: ARE YOU USING YOUR EDUCATION TO QUALIFY? You MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims.

All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement.

GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours that your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study.

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: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

Additional information

Other Notes:
This is an Acquisition Workforce position in the Contracting functional area. The incumbent will be required to become certified in the professional tier within 3 years. The incumbent is required to acquire a minimum of 40 continuous learning points (CLPs) every fiscal year as a goal and 80 CLPs being mandatory within 2 years.

RE-EMPLOYED ANNUITANT: This position DOES NOT meet criteria for re-employed annuitant. The DoD criteria for hiring Re-employed Annuitants can be found at: https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/140025/1400.25-V300.pdf

All applicants must meet qualifications and eligibility criteria by the closing date of the announcement.

Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see Who Needs to Register | Selective Service System : Selective Service System (sss.gov) )