Contract Specialist (Direct Hire) LOOKING FOR Contract Specialist (Direct Hire) JOB AT Washington, DC

Duties
The major duties of the position are:
Represent the Agency in meetings with both public and private sector officials involved in contracting and procurement activities.
Provide professional guidance and direction to other contract specialists and to program and administrative staff in interpreting, applying, and complying with Federal and Agency contracting and procurement laws, regulations, policies, and procedures.
Serve as a warranted Contract Specialist with delegated signature authority, and provides expertise, advice, and recommendations to management officials and Agency staff on all aspects of contracting and procurement programs and functions.
Exercise delegated authority for contractual actions and phases of assigned contracting and procurement programs, including contract negotiation, cost and price analysis, and contract administration.
Research and analyze complex problems and issues relating to contracting and procurement functions.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
U.S. Citizenship is required.
All qualification requirements must be met by 08/29/2022. Your application package will not be considered if it is missing any of the required documents listed under the “Required Documents” tab.
Probationary Period. One-year probationary period may be required.
Selective Service. If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System , or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law.
This position requires the incumbent to submit a confidential financial disclosure statement.
Background Suitability Investigation. Continued employment is contingent upon satisfactory completion of a background investigation and the granting of a federal suitability or security clearance. If selected, you may be offered tentative employment until the background investigation has been fully adjudicated.
To ensure compliance with an applicable preliminary nationwide injunction, which may be supplemented, modified, or vacated, depending on the course of ongoing litigation, the Federal Government will take no action to implement or enforce the COVID-19 vaccination requirement pursuant to Executive Order 14043 on Requiring Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination for Federal Employees. Therefore, to the extent a Federal job announcement includes the requirement that applicants must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 pursuant to Executive Order 14043, that requirement does not currently apply. Federal agencies may request information regarding the vaccination status of selected applicants for the purposes of implementing other workplace safety protocols, such as protocols related to masking, physical distancing, testing, travel, and quarantine.
Qualifications
To qualify for this position applicants must meet the Basic Experience, the mandatory training requirement, and the Specialized Experience as described below.
Basic Experience:
Basic Requirements for GS-5 through GS-12
1. A 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor’s degree with a major in any field;
Or
2. 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.
Graduate Education. To qualify for GS-1102 positions on the basis of graduate education, graduate education in one or a combination of the following fields is required: 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. Employees who occupy GS-1102 positions at grades 5 through 12 will be considered to meet the basic requirements for other GS-1102 positions up to and including those classified at GS-12. This includes positions at other agencies and promotions up through grade 12. However, employees must meet specialized experience requirements when seeking another position.
Basic Requirements for GS-13 and Above
A. 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-years of 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
B. 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.
Or
C. 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 in order to qualify for promotion to a higher grade, unless granted a waiver under Paragraph D.
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 on the basis of a waiver, the agency may later reassign that individual to another position at the same grade within that agency without additional waiver action.
Mandatory training:
GS-12: FAC-C Level II or Department of Defense Certification in Contracting at any level.
GS-13 : FAC-C Level III or Department of Defense Certification in Contracting at any level.
You must submit unexpired certification that was issued from August 2019 to present. Failure to provide this documentation will result in your being disqualified and eliminated from further consideration. More information about FAC-C certification can be found here .
Specialized Experience :
GS-12: In addition to meeting the Basic Requirement and the mandatory training, applicants must also have at least one year of full-time specialized work experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the next lower level (equivalent to the GS-11) in the federal government. Specialized experience is defined as: (1) procuring supplies and services; (2) advising personnel on the development of statements of work; (3) formulating contracting approach; (4) securing supplies and services through use of both formally advertised and negotiated procurements; (5) administering contracts; (6) planning and conducting detailed contract price/cost analyses; and (7) reviewing procurement actions to determine cost effectiveness and compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.
GS-13 : In addition to meeting the Basic Requirement and the mandatory training, applicants must also have at least one year of full-time specialized work experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the next lower level (equivalent to the GS-12) in the federal government. Specialized experience is defined as: (1) planning, negotiating, leading, and administering complex procurements of goods, systems or services, using a wide variety of cost and fixed-price contracts, multi-year contracts and extensive use of subcontractors; (2) developing contractual pricing arrangements and incentives; (3) auditing or reviewing major acquisitions, and then presenting findings, and (4) recommending corrective actions and policy or procedure improvements.
*Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations. 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.
A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.
Education
You must provide your transcripts to support your educational claims. Transcripts may be unofficial copies, but they must come from an accredited college or university, and they also must include course names and the number of credit / semester hours. Click here to search the database of accredited institutions.
Foreign Education. If you are using education completed at 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 the interpretation of foreign education programs. Foreign education must be deemed equivalent to that gained at an accredited U.S. education program. For further information visit the U.S. Department of Education’s website concerning foreign qualifications.
Education may not be substituted for experience for this series and grade combination.
Additional information
The FRTIB offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes paid time off*, life insurance, health benefits, and participation in the 3-tier federal retirement system. The FRTIB also has wonderful benefits and work/life-balance flexibilities that may be right for you. We offer, if applicable:
Flexible work schedule options. The FRTIB offers three flexible work schedules, the Gliding Schedule, the Flexible 5-4/9 Schedule, and the Maxiflex Work Schedule. All work schedules allow for an arrival time between 6:00 and 10:00 am. Employees on the Gliding Schedule work 8 hours plus a 30-minute unpaid lunch period. Employees on the Flexible 5-4/9 Schedule work eight 9-hour days and one 8-hour day (plus the 30-minute unpaid lunch period) in each biweekly pay period, and receive one scheduled day off. Employees on the Maxiflex Work Schedule work between 4 and 10 hours per day, and core work hours apply; the latest departure time under Maxiflex is 8 pm.
Telework is currently three (3) days per week for eligible positions.
Employee Assistance Program (EAP ). The EAP provides employees with free confidential assistance for help with personal issues that may be affecting work life. The program also provides consultation to supervisors who are trying to best help an employee with performance and/or attendance problems.
Work Life 4 You. The FRTIB provides all employees and their family members with access to the Federal Occupational Health managed referral and information service to assist in dealing with life, family, health, education, work, and finance. This service is provided at no cost to the employee.
Annual and sick leave (paid time off). Employees of the FRTIB accrue both annual and sick leave depending on years of service with the federal government. Annual leave may be used for vacation or other personal reasons. Sick leave may be used when you are ill, when you have a doctor, dental, or optical appointment, or when you need to provide care to an ill family member.
Fitness center. The FRTIB employees, at no cost, have access to the fitness center conveniently located on the main level of the building featuring state of the art weight training and cardiovascular equipment.
Extensive training programs and tools supportive of enhancing organization effectiveness and employee development.
A monthly transit subsidy for a portion of your commuting costs to help defray the commuting costs of employees who use mass transportation, including commuter bus, Metrorail or Metrobus, or commuter rail systems.
Child care program. The FRTIB’s childcare subsidy program offers up to $600 in monthly subsidy paid to qualified child care providers of employees meeting the eligibility requirements.
Student loan repayment or recruitment bonus, when applicable.
The FRTIB offices are conveniently located within a few blocks of the Union Station metro station. In addition, private parking is available in the building at the posted daily and monthly rates.
Relocation expenses are not authorized for this position; however, other recruitment incentives may be authorized.
Benefits
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new window Learn more about federal benefits .
Review our benefits
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
To preview the occupational questionnaire, click on the following link https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11606461 .
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the above qualifications.
Once the application process is complete, a review of the resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the assessment questionnaire to determine if you are qualified for this job. If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.
Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):
Contracting/Procurement – Knowledge of various types of contracts, techniques, or requirements (for example, Federal Acquisitions Regulations) for contracting or procurement, and contract negotiation and administration.
Technical Competence – Uses knowledge that is acquired through formal training or extensive on-the-job experience to perform one’s job; works with, understands, and evaluates technical information related to the job; advises others on technical issues.
Writing – Recognizes or uses correct English grammar, punctuation, and spelling; communicates information (for example, facts, ideas, or messages) in a brief, clear, and organized manner; produces written information, which may include technical material, that is appropriate for the intended audience.
Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP). The ICTAP provides eligible displaced federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if this vacancy is within your ICTAP eligibility, you apply under the instructions in this announcement, and you are found Well Qualified for this vacancy. Well Qualified means you must meet all the minimum qualification standards listed above and be assessed and assigned the rating of at least Well Qualified to receive special selection priority. Well Qualified is further defined as possessing the Basic Qualifications and meeting the specialized experience noted above.
You must provide proof of eligibility with your application to receive selection priority. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of ICTAP eligibility or a copy of your separation personnel action form. Information about ICTAP eligibility is on OPM’s Career Transition website .
When a sufficient pool of candidates has been determined only members of that group will be referred to the selecting official for further consideration.
Benefits
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new window Learn more about federal benefits .
Review our benefits
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
Required Documents
As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have – whether you’re a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you’re eligible under their policies.
Please be advised the following documents are required even if you are already a current federal employee or employee of the FRTIB:
1. Resume (please include on your resume the experience you wish to be considered for the review of your qualifications, the dates of employment with month, day and year, and hours worked per week). Resumes that do not contain all of the necessary information to determine qualifications may be marked as insufficient and applicants may not receive consideration for this position. Your latest resume submission is the one that will be used to determine your qualifications.
2. Responses to the occupational questionnaire.
3. You must submit supporting documents verifying your selection priority eligibility along with your application package. Omitting these documents may result in no preference being adjudicated for you. These documents may include, but are not limited to:
ICTAP documentation. RIF separation notice along with your last performance rating or appraisal.
Schedule A documentation . A qualifying letter from a doctor’s or vocational rehabilitation office indicating you are eligible for hire under the Schedule A hiring authority .
4. College transcripts. Transcripts must be legible and possess the school name imprinted on the transcript or be on school letterhead; you may be asked to submit official transcripts upon selection. Your transcripts should show 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.
5. Proof of mandatory training certification. You must submit certification showing you have been certified at the FAC-C level for the grade for which you are applying or Department of Defense Certification in Contracting at any level. This certification must have been issued from August 2019 to present and be unexpired.
6. Exception waiver. If you are qualifying based on the exception waiver you must submit a SF-50 showing you occupied a position in the 1102 job series as of 01/01/2000.
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.
How to Apply
You must apply through the USAJOBS online job application system . Complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the “Required Documents” section, below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 08/29/2022 to receive consideration.
*To begin , click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
*Click the Submit My Answers button to submit your application package.
*It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation are submitted prior to 08/29/2022.
*To return to an incomplete application , log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
*To verify your application is complet e, log into your USAJOBS account, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
Note to applicants : To assist us with an expeditious application review process, please do not submit additional documentation from what is being requested in the announcement. The following documents are not required and do not need to be submitted with your application:
Diplomas of any type (when education documents are required, you must submit unofficial transcripts, not diplomas)
Letters of recommendation, reference, or congratulations, etc.
Any documents with a picture of the applicant
Awards documentation, including SF-50’s for awards
Performance appraisals ( only ICTAP eligible applicants need to submit their latest performance appraisal)
Evaluations of any type
This and other positions announced by the FRTIB may be filled under Schedule A, 5 CFR 213.3102(u). Schedule A is an excepted service hiring authority used to appoint persons with severe physical, psychiatric, and/or intellectual disabilities. Such individuals may qualify for conversion to permanent status after two years of satisfactory service. Documentation of disability is required, e.g., Schedule A letter. Such documentation is used to verify the individual being hired is indeed a person with a severe physical, psychiatric, and/or intellectual disability. This documentation must be provided to the hiring agency at the time of application, before an individual can be hired. Documentation of eligibility for employment under Schedule A can be obtained from a licensed medical professional (e.g., a physician or other medical professional certified by a state, the District of Columbia, or a U.S. territory to practice medicine); a licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist (e.g., state or private); or any federal agency, state agency, or agency of the District of Columbia or a U.S. territory that issues or provides disability benefits. Submission of a VA letter does not automatically qualify as a Schedule A letter. Since the vacancy announcement you are viewing is a competitive announcement, if you wish to be considered under the Schedule A authority you must email your supporting documentation and resume to [email protected] for consideration.
This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.
You are encouraged to apply online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application. Paper applications and information sent by mail will not be accepted. If you are unable to apply online view the following link for information regarding submission of an alternate application .
Agency contact information
HR Operations
Phone
202-942-1600
Email
[email protected]
Address
Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board
Office of the Executive Director
77 K Street NE
Washington, DC 20002
US
Next steps
Once your application package is received you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. If your final rating places you among the top candidates, your application will be referred to the selecting official for further review. If your name is referred to the selecting official, you may be contacted directly by the office for a possible interview. You may also check the status of your application through your USAJOBS profile.
When the entire vacancy announcement process has been completed you will receive notice via email (or by mail if no email address was provided during the application process). Please allow at least 4-6 weeks after the vacancy has closed to inquire about the status of your application.
Fair and Transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
Reasonable accommodation policy
Financial suitability
Selective Service
New employee probationary period
Signature and false statements
Privacy Act
Social security number request
Required Documents
Please be advised the following documents are required even if you are already a current federal employee or employee of the FRTIB:
1. Resume (please include on your resume the experience you wish to be considered for the review of your qualifications, the dates of employment with month, day and year, and hours worked per week). Resumes that do not contain all of the necessary information to determine qualifications may be marked as insufficient and applicants may not receive consideration for this position. Your latest resume submission is the one that will be used to determine your qualifications.
2. Responses to the occupational questionnaire.
3. You must submit supporting documents verifying your selection priority eligibility along with your application package. Omitting these documents may result in no preference being adjudicated for you. These documents may include, but are not limited to:
ICTAP documentation. RIF separation notice along with your last performance rating or appraisal.
Schedule A documentation . A qualifying letter from a doctor’s or vocational rehabilitation office indicating you are eligible for hire under the Schedule A hiring authority .
4. College transcripts. Transcripts must be legible and possess the school name imprinted on the transcript or be on school letterhead; you may be asked to submit official transcripts upon selection. Your transcripts should show 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.
5. Proof of mandatory training certification. You must submit certification showing you have been certified at the FAC-C level for the grade for which you are applying or Department of Defense Certification in Contracting at any level. This certification must have been issued from August 2019 to present and be unexpired.
6. Exception waiver. If you are qualifying based on the exception waiver you must submit a SF-50 showing you occupied a position in the 1102 job series as of 01/01/2000.
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.
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