Contract Specialist

Summary

This position is located in the Bureau of Diplomatic Security, Office of the Executive Director, Office of Management Services, Contracting and Procurement Division (DS/MGT/CAP).

The Contracting and Procurement Division provides a full range of acquisition and procurement services to DS leading to the acquisition of supplies, services, and equipment; interagency acquisition agreements (IAAs); personal service contracts (PSCs); credit card purchases, and grants and cooperative agreement awards.

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Duties

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• Monitors the progress of contracts to determine adherence to financial, production, and delivery requirements and ascertain the necessity for contract modification or amendment.
• Analyzes procurement requirements to recommend the type of contract and acquisition milestones as well as to prepare the acquisition plan.
• Manages Government-wide Commercial Purchase Card (GPC) accounts to ensure the integrity of the program is maintained within the contracting operations of the organization.
• Plans, analyzes, and evaluates procurement programs to support the development of new and revised policies and procedures to govern the Bureau's contracting and procurement program.
• Advises Bureau employees and managers on the application, clarification, and interpretation of procurement and contract administration policies, regulations, and procedures.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship is required.
• Incumbent will be subject to random drug testing.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a Secret security clearance.
• Statement of Employment & Financial Interest required prior to appointment.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all the required qualification requirements described below by the closing date of this announcement. If you are qualifying based on education OR if there are mandatory education requirements listed below, you MUST submit a copy of your college transcript with your application.

NOTE: Applicants must meet time-in-grade and time after competitive appointment requirements, by the closing date of this announcement.

Time-In-Grade Requirements: Federal applicants must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade to satisfy time-in-grade restrictions, per 5CFR 300, Subpart F.

Applicants applying for the GS-12 grade level must meet one of the following requirements to qualify for this position:

A. Have 1 full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 level in the Federal service that has equipped you with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position AND completed a 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with a major in any field from an accredited college or university. Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate the following:

• Experience evaluating contracting methods and practices to make recommendations on procurement approaches;
• Experience reviewing procurement activities to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements; AND
• Experience monitoring contractor progress and adherence to financial, production and delivery requirements.

-OR-

B. Have occupied your position, which is classified in the GS-1102 series, since January 1, 2000 AND have one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level in the Federal service that has equipped you with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position as described in paragraph A above under qualifying specialized experience.

-OR-

C. Have 1 full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 level in the Federal service that has equipped you with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position as described in paragraph A above under qualifying specialized experience AND completed 24 semester hours of "undergraduate" study in any combination of the following fields: accounting, business, finance, law, contracts, purchasing, economics, industrial management, marketing, quantitative methods, or organization and management.

-OR-

D. Have 1 full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 level in the Federal service that has equipped you with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position as described in paragraph A above under qualifying specialized experience AND completed 24 semester hours of "graduate" level education in one or a combination of the following fields: accounting, business, finance, law, contracts, purchasing, economics, industrial management, marketing, quantitative methods, or organization and management.

Note: All applicants WILL BE required to submit transcripts as verification of educational requirement. If you fail to provide requested information, or the information you submit is insufficient to verify your eligibility, you will be rated ineligible for this position.

Education

See the qualifications section of this vacancy announcement for education requirements.

Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the education requirements if you can show that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. For a list of accredited organizations recognized as specializing in interpretation of foreign education credentials, visit:

Additional information

• To request a reasonable accommodation for additional time on the timed sections of the assessment, please submit your request using the "Request a Reasonable Accommodation" button within the Assessment Application.
  For all other reasonable accommodations at the U.S. Department of State, please contact the Office of Accessibility and Accommodations (OAA) at View email address on click.appcast.io.
  OAA is responsible for reviewing and adjudicating reasonable accommodation (RA) requests for the Assessment Battery being used for this announcement. The following applies to all RA requests:
  • RA requests cover additional time on timed sections only.
  • Applicants submitting a RA request MUST attach supporting medical documentation signed by a licensed, treating medical provider. The documentation should describe the nature, severity, and expected duration of the condition, identify the relevant medical condition or diagnosis, and explain the basis for the requested extension. RA requests that do not contain supporting medical documentation attachments at the time of initial request may be subject to further review.
  • Note: the following documents do not, on their own, qualify for automatic approval of the RA request: Schedule A letters, VA benefits letters, or SSA letters.
  • Applicants MUST submit their application before the vacancy closes, even if pending an accommodation decision.
  • Applicants are encouraged to carefully follow instructions related to medical documentation provided in the vacancy announcement prior to beginning the RA process.
  • Applicants will have 48 hours after their RA request is adjudicated to complete the assessment battery. Scores generated after the allotted timeframe will not be admissible and the applicant will not be considered further for the vacancy.
  • If a different type of RA is needed, please contact OAA directly at View email address on click.appcast.io.
• If eligible, situational telework agreements may be permitted with supervisory approval.
• Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement. If eligible, applicants to this announcement may be referred to other similar positions in other Bureaus/Offices in the Department for up to 240 days and may require a higher or lower security clearance. Telework eligibility and security clearance requirements may vary for such similar positions.
• Agency & Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP & ICTAP): View OPM's CTAP & ICTAP eligibility website for more information. You must be rated in the Well-Qualified category and submit supporting documents under the required documents section of this announcement to receive selection priority consideration. To be considered Well-Qualified applicants must: score an 85 or above, meet Minimum Qualifications, and demonstrate proficiency in some, but not all major aspects of the position.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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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 windowLearn more about federal benefits.

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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.