Lead Contract Specialist

Summary The Office of Procurement is tasked to procure supplies and services on behalf of the Agency in accordance with Federal and CSOSA acquisition regulations. The Office of Procurement is responsible for the award and administration of the full range of contracts for various services from simplified acquisitions to multi-million-dollar procurements that contain a number of different processes or elements. This is NOT a remote position. Position is Telework eligible according to agency policy. Responsibilities Serves as the Lead Contract Specialist preparing procurement actions requiring the ability to complete tasks in the pre-solicitation phase through contract closeout that comply with Agency policies and procedures, Federal Acquisition Regulation, and the Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act. Leads team in developing the Agency pre-negotiation positions and types of contracts and authority to acquire various products and services, including treatment services and facilities, consulting, staffing, security, office and laboratory equipment, computers, supplies, and furniture. The Incumbent will lead designated agency Contracting Officer Representatives (CORs) to perform their duties following agency and federal regulations. Maintains familiarity with federal Contracting Officer Representative Policy documents, certification requirements, and continuous learning requirements. Implements policies and procedures to evaluate and assess contractor performance, including delivery, cost, progress, and service. Serves as the agency-wide expert in a functional procurement area, e.g., pre-award issues or price/cost analysis and post-award issues, responsible for providing expert technical advice and guidance, staff coordination, and consultation. Performs limited human resource management functions such as approving leave for a few days or emergencies only; resolving simple, informal complaints of employees and referring others, such as formal grievances and appeals, to the supervisor or an appropriate management official; informing employees of available employee benefits, services, and work-related activities; informing the supervisor of performance management issues/problems and recommending/requesting related actions, such as: assignments, reassignments, promotions, the tour of duty changes, peer reviews, performance appraisals, awards, and recognition. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications Time-in-Grade: Current or former federal employees who have held a GS position in the preceding 52 weeks, must meet the time in grade requirement. Applicant must have served 52 weeks as a GS-13 or higher grade in Federal Service. To minimally qualify for this position, Lead Contract Specialist, you must meet all three requirements stated below. 1. SELECTIVE PLACEMENT FACTOR (SPL) Selective Placement Factor - Federal Acquisition Certification (Mandatory): Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting - FAC-C (Professional) or higher This position requires the applicant to possess a current FAC-C (Professional) or an equivalent DAWIA Contracting Certification at the time of application. This certification is essential to perform the duties of the position, which include providing expert acquisition policy guidance, leading complex procurement actions, conducting compliance reviews, and advising senior leadership on contracting matters. Note: Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) is a law that requires standardized training, certification, and career development for DoD acquisition professionals. IMPORTANT NOTE: You must upload a copy of your certification prior to announcement closing or you will be considered ineligible. 2. BASIC REQUIREMENTS 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 4-years of experience must have been specialized experience at or equivalent to work at the next lower level of the position, GS-13, and must have provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the work of the position. and 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. 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. 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 1 and 2 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 4, 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. 3. SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENT To minimally qualify for the GS-1102-14 Lead Contract Specialist position, applicants must demonstrate one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 level in the Federal service. Specialized experience must demonstrate all of the following: Demonstrating project management techniques for developing, implementing, and maintaining systems and overseeing contracts. Creating and monitoring contract management plans, policies, and procedures. Providing direction and technical oversight to ensure successful implementation of federal contracts/task orders and contractor performance. Developing negotiation strategies. Performing cost/price analysis. Manage projects that require collaboration across multiple organizations, program offices, and sections and preparing briefings to leadership on crucial progress and issues with a solutions-oriented approach. Provide guidance to lower graded contract specialists and CORs concerning contracting policies and procedures. Demonstrate ability to lead a group of employees. 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. Education ARE YOU USING YOUR EDUCATION TO QUALIFY? You MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. Unless otherwise stated: (1) official or unofficial transcripts are acceptable, or (2) you may submit a list with all of your courses, grades, semester, year, and credit for the course. All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement. PASS/FAIL COURSES: If more than 10 percent of your undergraduate course work (credit hours) were taken on a pass/fail basis, your claim of superior academic achievement must be based upon class standing or membership in an honor society. GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours 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 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: Additional Information If you are an eligible Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) applicant, you may apply for special selection over other applicants for this position. Individuals who have special priority selection rights under the CTAP or ICTAP must be well qualified for the position. To be well qualified, applicants must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and meet the mid-level (scoring between 85 and 89) of the rating criteria for all factors or the established cutoff score. CTAP/ICTAP eligibles must submit one of the following as proof of eligibility for the special selection priority: a separation notice; a "Notice of Personnel Action" (SF-50) documenting separation; an agency certification that you cannot be placed after injury compensation has been terminated; an OPM notification that your disability annuity has been terminated; OR a Military Department or National Guard Bureau notification that you are retired under 5 U.S.C. 8337(h) or 8456. Additional information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is at: This vacancy announcement may be used to fill future vacancies for identical positions within the next year. Relocation expenses are not authorized. Only experience and education obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered. You must meet all qualification requirements within 30 days after the closing date of this announcement and before placement in the position. CSOSA is an Equal Opportunity Employer. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office. Position is Mission Essential and is not subject to administrative dismissal in emergencies based on inclement weather conditions, or other emergency situations, as appropriate. A Mission Essential employee is required to report for, or remain at, work in emergency situations; dismissal or closure announcements do not apply to him/her unless his/her supervisor instructs otherwise.