This job originated on www.usajobs.gov. For the full announcement and to apply, visit www.usajobs.gov/job/563566900. Only resumes submitted according to the instructions on the job announcement listed at www.usajobs.gov will be considered.
Tour of Duty: 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Position Description Title/PD#: Contract Specialist/ PD# 44073-A, 44074-A, 44075-A, 44076-A
Compressed/Flexible Schedules: May be authorized
Telework: May be authorized only in the Hines, Illinois locality area
Virtual Position: No
This recruitment is for fourpositions with the Office of Procurement, Acquisition and Logistics (OPAL), National Acquisition Center located in Hines, IL.
03/23/2020 to 04/01/2020
$47,965 - $62,351 per year
GS 7
4 vacancies in the following location:
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel 6-10 nights per month. Completion of multiple training sessions at the VA Acquisition Academy may require travel up to 8 weeks per training session.
No
Permanent
Full-Time
Competitive
12
No
No
CBAF-NAC-10754701-20-HB
563566900
Individuals who have graduated from an accredited educational institute or certificate program within the last 2 years or 6 years for Veterans.
U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
Recent graduates, The public; United States Citizens and recent graduates who have completed, within the previous two years, a qualifying associates, bachelors, masters, professional, doctorate, vocational or technical degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution. Veterans unable to apply within two years of receiving their degree, due to military service obligation, have as much as six years after degree completion to apply.
Contract Specialist / PD# 44073-A (GS-7), 44074-A (GS-9), 44075-A (GS-11), 44076-A (GS-12)
As a junior contract specialist in the National Acquisition Center, receives formal classroom and on-the-job training. Training and work assignments will be geared to basic, formal contracting areas as the incumbent rotates through the functional areas of procurement. Developmental assignments involve a variety of pre-award and post-award functions associated with the procurement of assigned items, services and equipment including standardized and specialized items using both formal advertising or negotiation techniques. Receives procurement work directives and procurement data packages to determine adequacy of information provided and the inclusion of all supporting documentation such as specifications, drawings, funds certification and clarity of statement of work. Compiles bidders' list from qualified bidders list assuring that contractors are not on the debarred list. Prepares solicitation document selecting clauses to cover special conditions, such as inspection and acceptance, marking and packaging, quantity variation, price differential, or transportation costs. The incumbent serves as an intern Contract Specialist within the Department of Veterans Affairs. The incumbent works under the guidance and supervision of the National Acquisition Center in performing acquisition requirements and attends periods of training in Frederick, MD at the VA Acquisition Academy's Acquisition Internship School.
VA Acquisition Intern Program - trains and develops entry level professional talent into Contract Specialists. As a Contract Specialist attending the VA Acquisition Academy (Frederick, MD), the applicant will receive unique training providing a competency based and holistic curriculum focusing on the technical, communications, writing, leadership, business savvy, creative thinking and interpersonal skills needed to develop successful contract professionals. They provide a 2-year developmental training program where attendance is required intermittently.
Continuation of Service Agreement: Employees will be required to sign a Continuation of Service Agreement as a condition of employment as well as for entry into the program. The employee must agree to (1) continue in the service of the Department of Veterans Affairs for three (3) years commencing upon completion of the training, and (2) pay back expenses if he/she voluntarily separates from the VA prior to the completion training or of the service obligation period.
You must be a US citizen to apply for this job.
Subject to a background/suitability investigation.
Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
Position requires filing a Financial Disclosure report.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: The subject position is primarily of an administrative nature in an office setting, however, there may be light physical work required, such as carrying files.
The Recent Graduates Program affords developmental experiences intended to promote possible careers in the civil service to individuals who have recently graduated from qualifying educational institutions or programs.
Successful applicants are placed in a one-year Excepted Service appointment and receive training and professional development, complete an Individual Development Plan (IDP), and are assigned a mentor. Under the formal training program, applicants will be provided a mentor and execute an Individual Development Plan outlining training requirements and program expectations. Participants who successfully complete the program may be converted to term or permanent positions, however conversion is not mandatory or guaranteed.
To be eligible for conversion to a permanent or term positions, Recent Graduates must:
1. Be a United States citizen;
2. Have successfully completed at least one-year of continuous service in addition to all requirements of the Program.
3. Demonstrate successful job performance.
4. Meet the Office of Personnel Management's qualifications for the position to which the Recent Graduate will be converted.
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
Upon selection: selectees must complete the Administrative Careers with America (ACWA) written test. The ACWA written tests consist of two major components:
A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.
APPLICANTS PLEASE NOTE: Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications (particularly positions with a positive education requirement). Therefore, applicants must report attendance and/or degrees from only these schools. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following websites: www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html and http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/.
Foreign Education: To receive credit for education completed outside the United States, you must show proof that the education has been submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education has been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs.
Completion of Competency-Based Program Curriculum: The VA Acquisition Intern Program curriculum is based on the 23 Federal Acquisition Institute (FAI) defined contracting workforce General Business and Technical competencies: 8 General Business competencies; 15 Technical Contracting competencies. Proficiency Levels: At the end of each year, interns are academically eligible to apply for the appropriate Certification level of Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting (FAC-C).
The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified, you must submit appropriate documentation and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. Information about CTAP and ICTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp.
Receiving Service Credit for 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.
Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.
It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
If you are unable to apply online view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
You will be rated on the following competencies based on your application for this position:
Competency 1 - Contracting
Competency 2 - Acquisition Policy and Regulation
Competency 3 - Oral Communication
Competency 4 - Written Communication
If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to: responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview.
IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume/application does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s).
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.
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
The following documents are required:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 04/01/2020
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made.
You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
This job originated on www.usajobs.gov. For the full announcement and to apply, visit www.usajobs.gov/job/563566900. Only resumes submitted according to the instructions on the job announcement listed at www.usajobs.gov will be considered.
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OUR MISSION: To fulfill President Lincoln's promise "To care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan" - by serving and honoring the men and women who are America's Veterans. How would you like to become a part of a team providing compassionate care to Veterans?
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.