Contract Specialist

As a Contract Specialist you will:

• Develop or carry-out policies and procedures to procure supplies services construction or research and development using formal advertising or negotiation procedures.
• Evaluate contract price proposals and administer terminate and close out contracts.
• Manage or perform the acquisition processes involve in the procurement of supplies services construction ADP and research and development.
• Develop acquisition strategy and plans procurements.
• Serve as the policy and planning authority and the expert advisor to top managers and outside officials on a management function or major extramural program.
• Develop recommend and implement policies that lead directly to the accomplishment of major programs.
• Analyze and relate complex variables to a specific policy issue and frame feasible options.
• Use strategic sourcing and category management principles.
• Serve as the principal administrative advisor to the head of a major line component with operational responsibilities for budget procurement personnel and/or other administrative functions.
• Plan assign and review work; provide or arrange training and development; and evaluate performance.
• Manage multiple concurrent actions being performed by a team.
• Represent the organization and present controversial issues and recommendations orally and in writing.
• Communicate effectively orally and in writing to a wide range of audiences.
• Serve as the expert advisor to top managers and outside officials.
• Provide recommendations and guidance on acquisition and management functions.

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
• You must successfully pass a background investigation. This may include a credit check a review of financial issues as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs.
• A probationary period may be required.
• Selective Service: Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306 Declaration for Federal Employment and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application.
• All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing.
• Bargaining Unit Position: No
• Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE form 450): Yes
• Permanent Change of Duty Station (PCS) Expense: Will not be paid
• License required: No
• Drug Test Required: No

Qualification requirements in the vacancy announcements are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook which contains federal qualification standards. This handbook is available on the Office of Personnel Managements website located at: must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the next lower grade level in the Federal Service. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular competencies/knowledge skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. This experience need not have been in the federal government.

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.

This position is being filled under the Department Of Commerce (DOC) Alternative Personnel System (CAPS). Under CAPS positions are classified by career path and pay band.

The ZA-04 is equivalent to the GS-13/14 grade levels.

To qualify at the ZA-04 level you MUST meet the Basic Requirements AND Specialized Experience as stated below:

Basic Requirements: (You must submit a copy of certificates. Also you must submit a copy of your transcripts official or unofficial to document your education.

A. *Completion of all mandatory training prescribed by the head of the agency for progression to GS-13/ZA-04 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 bachelors 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.

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.

*In order to meet the agency mandatory requirements applicants must either have obtained their FAC-C (Professional) or DoD Contracting Professional Certification.

AND

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: You must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the ZA-03/GS-12 in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as experience:

• Developing acquisition strategies and managing complex federal procurements.
• Applying contracting regulations evaluating proposals and administering contracts.
• Advising senior leaders on acquisition policies and program issues; and providing data driven solutions.
• Leading acquisition activities and managing multiple procurement actions concurrently
• Experience working independently as a warranted Contracting Officer with minimal oversight within applicable warrant authority.