Contract Specialist

Summary

This position is located in the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP), Office of Administration (OA), Acquisition Management Division (AMD). OJP provides federal leadership, funding, and other critical resources to directly support law enforcement, combat violent crime, protect American children, provide services to American crime victims, and address public safety challenges, including human trafficking and the opioid crisis.

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Duties

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The duties and responsibilities for a GS- 1102-13 generally include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Serves as a Contracting Officer/Contract Specialist in the Office of Justice Programs (OJP), Office of Administration (OA), Acquisition Management Division (AMD).
• Analyzes requirements and recommends revisions to statements of work and the specifications they contain.
• Provides assistance to requestors by aiding in the definition, preparation and submission of required documents and forms for the Government's need.
• Surveys the market to determine the availability of items and services with specialized requirements.
• Assists the customer with development of acquisition documents (Acquisition Plan, D&F, Sole Source Documentation, etc)
• Identifies appropriate contract types such as labor hour, time and material, or firm fixed price.
• Determines procurement strategy, including any, small business set-aside decisions and terms.
• Leads technical evaluations as Source Selection Decision Authority and awards contract vehicles within warrant authority
• Negotiates price, contract specifications, delivery dates, incentives, and other terms and conditions.
• Prepares and coordinates case files on appeals, protests, or mistakes in the bidding procedures of assigned contracts.
• Procures acquisition supplies/services utilizing NASA SEWP, GSA Schedule, NITAAC, etc

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• You must be a United States Citizen.
• You will be required to complete a pre-employment security investigation and background check which includes a drug screening.
• Selective Service registration is required for males born on, or after, December 31, 1959. Those not registered should have an approved exemption on file.
• You must meet all eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement and continue to meet these requirements throughout the hiring process. Offers can be rescinded if requirements are not met.
• Financial Disclosure: If selected, you may be required to disclose financial information in accordance with DOJ and Federal ethics guidelines.
• Security Requirements: Non-Sensitive/Moderate Risk
• A USA Hire assessment is required. An email will be sent with additional information after you submit your application. You will have 48 hours from the closing date of this announcement to complete the assessment.
• Requires maintenance of a FAC-C (Professional) certification.

Qualifications

To qualify for the position of Contract Specialist, at GS-1102-13, you must meet the qualification requirements listed below.

Basic Entry Requirements:

A. (1) Successful completion of all mandatory training prescribed by the Federal Acquisition Certification-Contracting which led to a FAC-C (Professional) certificate or equivalent certification which can be found at Contracting (FAC-C) | FAI.GOV.

AND

(2) Have at least 4 years of experience in contracting or related positions.

AND

B. Successful completion of a full four-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with a major in any field, that included or was supplemented by at least 24 semester/36 quarter 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. (Note: You must submit supporting documentation.)

OR

D. WAIVER: Requirements of paragraphs A and B above may be waived if the agency's 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 (Current Department of Justice (DOJ) employees only).

Specialized Experience:

Applicants must have one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 level. Specialized experience is experience which is in or related to the line of work of the position to be filled and which has equipped the applicant with the specific knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position.

Examples of specialized experience include:

• Manages pre-award and post-award functions for the broad field of procurement to determine procurement strategy and to develop and manage the procurement and contract administration program.
• Develops innovative contractual language, terms, and conditions.
• Develops pre-negotiation for the acquisition of a system.
• Performing post-award negotiations involving contract changes or modifications.
• Analyzing and/or evaluating cost and pricing data to determine cost or price reasonableness.
• Developing acquisition packages that include assisting program offices with developing scopes of work, source selection plans, and crafting technical evaluation factors; conducting research related to acquisitions; and presenting findings on contracting approaches and methodologies used in federal acquisition regulations.

Online Assessment:

This position requires an online assessment. After you submit this application, you will receive an e-mail informing you that a USA Hire assessment is required of you. You will have 48 hours from the closing date of this announcement 07/13/2026 to complete the assessment as this assessment is part of your application.

You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

• Reading Comprehension
• Decision Making
• Accountability
• Attention to Detail
• Customer Service
• Flexibility
• Influencing/Negotiating
• Integrity/Honesty
• Interpersonal Skills
• Learning
• Self-Management
• Stress Tolerance
• Teamwork
• Reasoning

You MUST meet all qualification requirements, including time-in-grade, by the closing date of this announcement, 07/13/2026.

Your resume must support your responses to the online questionnaire and the qualification requirements. Failure to do so may result in an ineligible rating.See the Required Documents section for important notes about what must be included in your resume.

After you submit your application, you will receive notification indicated whether or not the USA Hire assessment is required. You will have 48 hours from the closing date of this announcement 07/13/2026 to complete the assessment which is part of your application.

Education

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements, please see the statements below.

Education must be reviewed and certified by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, in order for it to be creditable towards your qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from accredited institution.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. You must show proof the education credentials have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. education program. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see the Department of Education website. If you are qualifying on foreign education, you MUST submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. All documentation must be in English or include an English translation.

Additional information

• OJP offers opportunities for flexible work schedules.
• Additional selections may be made from this announcement.
• Probationary Period: You may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period to evaluate your fitness and whether continued employment advances the public interest. We may consider: 1) performance and conduct; 2) agency needs and interests; 3) advancement of agency/Government organizational goals; and 4) Federal service efficiency. Upon completion, employment terminates unless you receive written certification that your continued employment advances the public interest.
• EEO Statement/Policy: The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor. More information can be found here:
• DOJ Reasonable Accommodation Policy: Federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. The DOJ Reasonable Accommodation policy can be found here:
• Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs: The Fair Chance Act prohibits Federal agencies from requesting an applicant's criminal history information before the agency makes a conditional offer of employment. If you believe a DOJ employee or Federal contractor acting on its behalf has violated your rights under this Act, you may submit a written complaint within 30 days of the date of the alleged non-compliance directly to View email address on click.appcast.io. Note: In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201(b) certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance Act.

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.