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Contract Specialist

Department of Health and Human Services
National Institutes of Health
This job announcement has closed

Summary

There are many vacancies across the National Institutes of Health. Please see below for a list of Institutes/Centers that are participating in this recruitment to fill their vacancies:

  • National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
  • NIH Clinical Center
  • National Institute on Drug Abuse
  • National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
  • National Cancer Institute

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Posted 07/11/21
This job will close when we have received 100 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Location
Many vacancies in the following locations:
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$60,129 - $78,167 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 9
Promotion potential
12
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
Not required
Appointment type
Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Drug test
No
Security clearance
Other
Position sensitivity and risk
Noncritical-Sensitive (NCS)/Moderate Risk
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Announcement number
NIH-GR-DE-21-11158178
Control number
606938700

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

You must be a U.S. Citizen or U.S. National. Foreign nationals or legal permanent residents are not eligible for consideration.

Duties

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  • Perform specialized contract award and administration work.
  • Research, interpret, and apply the rules, regulations, policies, and procedures governing NIH acquisitions to plan, manage, and participate in various aspects of contracting.
  • Evaluate bid responsiveness, contractor responsibility and performance.
  • Apply knowledge of contract types, methods, and techniques.
  • Apply knowledge of contract administration and termination techniques sufficient to administer and close out contracts.
  • Coordinate and conduct negotiations on assigned programs
  • Apply critical thinking and judgment skills to various work assignments to identify and troubleshoot potential problems and to develop remedies and solutions.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship requirement or proof of being a U.S. National must be met by closing date.
  • Employment is subject to the successful completion of a background investigation, verification of qualifications, completion of onboarding forms, submission of required documents, and any other job-related requirement before or after appointment.
  • Applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
  • Males born after December 31, 1959 must be registered with the Selective Service.
  • Position requires a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report, OGE Form 450.
  • Position requires Education.

Qualifications

In order to qualify for a Contract Specialist, GS-1102 position, you must have:

A. completed a 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with a major in any field; OR

B. 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; OR

C. occupied a GS-1102 position on January 1, 2000. NOTE: Employees who occupy GS-1102 positions at grades 5 through 12 will be considered to meet the basic requirements for other GS-1102 positions up to and including those classified at GS-12. This includes positions at other agencies and promotions up through grade 12.

In addition, in order to qualify for a Contract Specialist, GS-1102 position at the GS-09 level, you must have:

A. 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-07 level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector, performing the following types of tasks: reviewing requisitions for supplies or services to determine that proper specifications or purchase descriptions are included in solicitation documents; evaluating bids or proposals for supplies or services to ensure compliance with specifications or purchase descriptions; or evaluating the prior contract performance of potential suppliers to determine their financial responsibility; OR

B. completed a master's or equivalent graduate degree, or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education or an LL.B. or J.D. 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); OR

C. a combination of post baccalaureate education and experience that meets 100% of the qualification requirements for this position.

You will receive credit for all experience material to the position, including experience gained in religious, civic, welfare, service, and organizational activities, regardless of whether you received pay.

Do not copy and paste the duties, specialized experience, or occupational assessment questionnaire from this announcement into your resume as that will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position.

Preview assessment questionnaire before you apply: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11158178

Education

This position has an education requirement. You are strongly encouraged to submit a copy of your transcripts (or a list of your courses including titles, credit hours completed and grades). Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package. Official transcripts will be required from all selectees prior to receiving an official offer. Click here for information on Foreign Education.

If you qualify based on education in lieu of specialized experience, you are strongly encouraged to submit a copy of your transcripts or a list of your courses including titles, credit hours completed and grades. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application packages. Official transcripts will be required from all selectees prior to receiving an official offer. Click here for information on Foreign Education.

Additional information

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.

  • Guidance on Business Related Coursework for the GS-1102 Contracting Series
  • This position is designated as a "non-emergency/teleworker" position and the selected candidate will be considered a "non-emergency/teleworker" employee. In the event of a closure, you must be available to telework or request leave.
  • A one-year probationary period may be required upon selection/placement.
  • We may make additional selections for similar positions within the commuting area(s) of the locations listed through this vacancy announcement. By applying, you agree to have your application shared with any interested selecting official(s). Clearance of CTAP/ICTAP will be applied for similar positions.
  • At the supervisor's discretion, this position may offer work schedule flexibilities: [telework, remote work, compressed schedules, flexible schedules].
  • If selected, you will be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report, OGE Form 450 to determine if a conflict or an appearance of a conflict exists between your financial interest and your prospective position with the agency. This information is required annually. For information, visit the NIH Ethics website: https://ethics.od.nih.gov/topics/fd.htm.
  • The National Institutes of Health participates in the USCIS Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Program (E-Verify). E-Verify helps employers determine employment eligibility of new hires and the validity of their Social Security numbers.
  • The NIH maintains a tobacco free work environment and campus.
  • Must be able to perform the essential duties of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation.
  • Visit our Applicant FAQs page for helpful information on the application process.
  • Visit our Total Compensation page for a detailed look into the benefits, awards, leave, retirement and other incentives employees may receive as part of a rewarding work environment.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

If you meet the minimum qualifications for this position, your application and responses to the online questionnaire will be evaluated under Category Rating and selection procedures for placement in one of the following categories:

  • Best Qualified - for those who are superior in the evaluation criteria
  • Well Qualified - for those who excel in the evaluation criteria
  • Qualified - for those who only meet the minimum qualification requirements
The Category Rating Process does not add veterans' preference points but protects the rights of veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each category. Applicants determined to be Best Qualified will be referred for further consideration. Preference eligibles in the Best Qualified category are referred before all other applicants.

To determine your qualifications and referral status, we may review your resume and supporting documentation and compare it against your responses to the vacancy questionnaire. Ensure you support your self-ratings by the information you provide in your application. We may verify or assess your qualifications at any time. Inflated or unsupported qualifications may affect your rating. Any misrepresentation or material omission of facts may be sufficient cause to end further consideration of your candidacy. Persons listed as having knowledge of your past accomplishments or experience in your application may be contacted for verification purposes at any time. Verification may, but need not, begin prior to receiving an offer.

To be considered well qualified for the purposes of the Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) and the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP), you must be able to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry and substantively exceed the basic qualifications by scoring at least an 85 on the assessment and meet all eligibility, physical, medical, suitability, and all other requirements.

National Institutes of Health

The National Institutes of Health (NIH), a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the largest biomedical research funding organization in the world. NIH is made up of 27 Institutes and Centers, with a specific research agenda, often focusing on particular diseases or body systems. NIH employs approximately 18,000 employees in varied occupations, all supporting research efforts that improve health and save lives. For more information on NIH's mission and goals, and its 27 Institutes and Centers, visit the NIH website.

Agency contact information

Harvey Parris
Phone
3014435758
Email
parrish5@mail.nih.gov
Address
National Institutes of Health
2115 East Jefferson Street
Rockville, MD 20851
US

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Learn more about what it's like to work at National Institutes of Health, what the agency does, and about the types of careers this agency offers.

https://hr.nih.gov/working-nih/work-life

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