Veterans Health Administration (VHA)

.

Update canvas image

Image uploaded by:

Ryan Callahan

You don't have permission to edit.

You must be logged in.

Group editing is not supported in IE8.

Sorry, group editing is not supported in your browser. Editing is supported in Internet Explorer 9 or later, Chrome, Safari, and Firefox.

Select Image Crop

Contract Specialist

Apply Back to Job Postings

Security Clearance: None

Duties

This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT. See "Additional Information" below for details.

The Contract Specialist (GS-13) will be assigned complex and sensitive contracts for the Agency and will assist team supervisors in coordinating contracting activities and training. Duties of the Contract Specialist (GS-13) include: Recommend the appropriate contract type or contract method for the product or service being procured. Develop acquisition plans for applicable requirements. Review statements of work to ensure they adequately describe requirements. Educate and guide customers through their procurement process to ensure they understand how their needs will be met. Interpret and apply laws, regulations, policies, standards, or procedures to address acquisition issues. Negotiate with vendors to acquire products or services or to address technical requirements, cost/pricing, or other terms and conditions. Review vendor submissions to determine acceptability and compliance with solicitation requirements. Establish and monitor acquisition milestones to ensure progress toward award. Prepare award documents, including clearances, compliance checks, and notifications. Serve as contract administrator on awarded contracts, monitor contractor's performance to determine if requirements are being met. Provide guidance to customers and stakeholders on contracting requirements. Draft solicitation documents in compliance with regulations, laws, and policies. Perform contract closeout actions (e.g., approval of final payments, archival of records), and identifies training needs and provides training.

Work Schedule: Tour of Duty is 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Compressed/Flexible Schedules: Available
Telework: VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position is authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.
Remote: This is a remote position. (Remote refers to work performed on full-time basis anywhere other than a VA facility or using VA-leased space.)
Virtual: This is not a virtual position. (Virtual refers to work performed on full-time basis using VA-leased space or at a VA facility other than the facility that hired the employee.)
Position Description/PD#: Contract Specialist/PD14007A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized
Retention Incentive: Authorized 10% after 90 days of fully successful (or better) performance and supervisor approval.
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized
Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary in nature. There are no special physical requirements. The work is performed primarily in office areas or conference rooms and similar environments. However, it may require some traveling and visits to Government and/or contractor's facilities and other contract-related performance sites.

Help
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
You may be required to serve a probationary period
Subject to background/security investigation
Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
Position requires filing a Financial Disclosure Report within 30 days from your start date
Qualifications
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the time of application, 12/15/2023.

Basic Requirements: Applicants must meet the basic requirement for this position.To meet the basic requirement for Contract Specialist GS-13 and above positions, applicants must have:
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 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,
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.

Note: The Defense Acquisition University (DAU) does not grant Academic degrees; therefore courses completed at the DAU are not creditable towards meeting the 24 semester hour requirement, in the fields identified above, unless the coursework has been evaluated by an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, and appears on a college or university transcript.

Specialized Experience GS-13: Applicants must also meet the specialized experience for the GS-13 grade. You may qualify based on your experience described below for the GS-13 Contract Specialist (Branch Chief) position:
Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-12) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience include experience with: Recommending the appropriate contract type or contract method for the product or service being procured. Providing guidance regarding complex contracts to other Contract Specialists in a contracting office to include firm-fixed-price, firm-fixed-price with economic price adjustments, and cost reimbursement. Providing guidance and training to other Contract Specialists on contract methods to include simplified acquisitions, sealed bidding, negotiations, cost sharing, multiple awards, commercial items, and special provisions. Utilizing and training other Contract Specialists on electronic systems for contract writing, contract management, contract reporting, and financial management in accordance with agency/department and Federal (or similar) policies. Reviewing statements of work to ensure they adequately describe requirements. Negotiating with vendors to acquire products or services or to address technical requirements, cost/pricing, or other terms and conditions. Interpreting and applying Federal laws (or similar), acquisition regulations, policies, contract law and procedures applicable to acquisition and contract administration which includes change orders, supplemental agreements, terminations, claims, and close-out of contracts. Establishing and monitoring acquisition milestones to ensure progress toward the award. Serving as contract administrator on awarded contracts and conducts post-award conferences to negotiate required changes to contract conditions to protect the agency/department.
Education: There is no education substitute for the GS-13 grade.
Preferred requirements are available on the following FAC link: Contracting (FAC-C) | FAI.GOV

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; religions; 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.

Note: 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.

For more information on these qualification standards, visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.
Education
Transcripts: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Transcripts must depict the name of the college to determine accreditation, and your name must also be displayed on the transcripts. If qualifying based on a degree, or for positions requiring a degree, the transcript must show the date the degree was conferred. If selected, you must provide official transcripts. Transcripts should state degree conferred, and have a date. Undergraduate transcripts are required to meet the basic requirement for this position; please submit all transcripts. Copies of Official Transcripts are accepted and are the best way to ensure your education is interpreted correctly in accordance with OPM qualification standards, but unofficial transcripts are accepted if they contain all the required information. If credit for a course is being questioned by the HR Professional performing qualifications, it is your responsibility to provide supporting descriptive information (course syllabus/descriptions) in your application package.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Additional information
This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until December 15, 2023. The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications will be May 8th, 2023, with subsequent cut-off dates on the 1st of each month or when required by the Service. Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as-needed basis until positions are filled.

Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Contact the Agency Contact for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal/VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.