The Contract Specialist position is assigned within the Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) Service (003B6B) of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) National Acquisition Center (NAC) - Hines IL. The NAC (003B6) is strategically aligned under the VA Central Office of Procurement, Acquisition and Logistics.
Summary
The Contract Specialist position is assigned within the Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) Service (003B6B) of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) National Acquisition Center (NAC) - Hines IL. The NAC (003B6) is strategically aligned under the VA Central Office of Procurement, Acquisition and Logistics.
ALL US CITIZENS.
DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: This position is being filled using Direct-Hire Authority (COVID-19 - VA 007) in-accordance with 5 U.S.C. 3304(a)(3) and 5 CFR 337.205(b)(1)-(4).
This position involves a multi-grade career ladder. The major duties listed below represent the full performance level of GS-12. At the GS-7 grade level, you will perform assignments of a more limited scope and with less independence. You will progressively acquire the background necessary to perform at the full performance level of GS-12. Promotion is at the discretion of the supervisor and is contingent upon satisfactory performance, availability of higher level work, and availability of funds.
Contract Specialists in FSS perform time sensitive contract actions to award and administer Multiple Award Schedule base contracts that allow federal Agencies to procure medical and healthcare products and services with the advantages of speed, choice, quality, and price. A Contract Specialist can have life-changing impacts on Veterans and all those served by FSS due to the opportunity to maintain or enhance accessibility to advances in treatments, medications, surgical equipment, and healthcare staffing specialties through the FSS program (www.fss.va.gov)
Major Duties & Responsibilities
The selectee would be involved in cradle-to-grave contracting that includes pre-award reviews, offer evaluation, market research, price analysis, negotiations, contract award, and post award contract administration for Multiple Award Schedule base contracts managed by the Federal Supply Schedule Service
Takes appropriate action to learn and comply with an extensive amount of acquisition regulations, policies, and procedures
Responsible for the negotiation and collection of any using service fees, rebates, and/or administrative fees that are due from suppliers
Performs a wide range of administrative duties including completing contract close outs in a timely manner
Resolves contracting issues using critical thinking and effective writing to develop and document determinations and findings that support a course of action or decision
Discusses and resolves with senior level contract specialist and/or supervisor any unique or problematic situations.
Establishes a contract negotiation position based on technical reviews and develops personal knowledge of the market, supplier's operations, and customer requirements that impact negotiations.
Negotiates directly with supplier personnel regarding pricing, terms and conditions, and final settlements.
Utilizes effective people skills to advocate for successful completion of contract actions by informing and educating active suppliers at various stages of the process.
Participates in conferences and meetings with customers, industry, and various Government agencies and officials.
Provides explanations of FSS contracting procedures to current or prospective suppliers
Meets with contractors in person or via communications tools (Microsoft Teams) to explain the ramifications of various terms, conditions, regulations, and procedures.
Manages contract workload that consists of a diverse set of assignments with various priorities that requires effective time management, ever improving organizational skills, and adaptability to successfully meet customer support timelines.
Perform all duties as assigned.
Work Schedule: Full-Time Employment: 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Monday - Friday Position Description Title/PD#: Contract Specialist/ 44073 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 may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Remote: This may be offered as 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.)
**For this position, telework or remote work may be authorized up to 100% upon supervisor approval if within the local commuting distance of the advertised duty station.
Physical Requirements: Work is sedentary in nature.
Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
May serve a probationary period
Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
A complete application package; Resume, Transcripts, etc.
Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
Qualifications
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
Individual Occupational Requirements: (Basic Qualification Requirements)
Possess a 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with a major in any field. (Transcripts Required) OR
Possess 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. (Transcripts Required) OR
Possess an occupied GS-1102 Contract Specialist position in the Federal Government on January 1, 2000, in one of the following grade levels GS-5, GS-7, GS-9, GS-11, or GS-12. (SF-50 Required)
In addition to meeting the basic qualification requirements above, you must also meet the minimum qualification's requirements below for GS-7.
Minimum Qualification Requirements for GS-7:
Superior Academic Achievement at the GS-7 level:(SAA) at the baccalaureate level in the coursework detailed above is fully qualifying. Applicants who wish to apply under this provision must submit proof from their educational institution that they meet one of the criteria listed below. To qualify for SAA, applicants must have completed all the requirements for a bachelor's degree in a curriculum that is qualifying for the position to be filled and meet one of the following:
Rank in the upper one-third of your class in the college, university or major subdivision.
A grade-point average of "B" (a GPA of 2.95 or higher out of a possible 4.0) for all completed undergraduate courses, or those completed in the last two years of undergraduate study.
A grade point average of "B+" (a GPA of 3.45 or higher out of a possible 4.0) for all courses in your major field of study, or those courses in your major completed in the last two years of undergraduate study.
Membership in a national honor society (other than freshman honor societies) recognized by the Association of College Honor Societies. For a list of recognized honor societies please visit http://www.achsnatl.org/quick_link.asp.
Substitution of Graduate Education for Specialized Experience: Possess at least one full academic year of graduate education or law school. To qualify for GS-1102 positions on the basis of graduate education, graduate education 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. (Transcripts Required) OR
Specialized Experience for GS-7: Possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-5 grade level in federal service. Specialized experience is developing, preparing, and presenting terms and conditions in bids or proposals related to the award of contracts; or negotiating and awarding contracts, contract modifications, and subcontracts; or in legal practice involving the analysis of procurement policies and procedures; or administering the terms and conditions of contracts, including such aspects as preparing contract modifications, evaluation of performance under the contract, and contract termination; or analyzing proposed prices or costs, including such aspects as evaluating technical and audit reports, forecasting price trends, evaluating economic factors, estimating production efficiencies, and evaluating methods of allocating costs through various types of overhead and general administrative expense. OR
Combination of Graduate Education and Specialized Experience as stated above: To calculate, first identify the percentage of required education you have earned (when substituting, you cannot use the first 60 semester hours that you earned). Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify at the GS-7 grade level. For example, an applicant who has 9 semester hours of graduate level education (i.e. 50% of graduate education required) and 6 months of creditable specialized experience (i.e. 50% of the required experience) would equal 100% of the required experience for the position. (Transcripts Required)
Please note: If selected for this position, you must meet all eligibility requirements to receive and maintain a Level I FAC-C certification within 12 months upon appointment into the position. When requested by the supervisor, you must apply for up to a Level 1 Contracting Officer Warrant, accept contracting officer warrant, and provide the signatory authority for contracts within their warrant authority. Warrants will be granted based on workload, needs of the agency, and upon recommendation of the supervisor.
Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level.
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.
Education
Note: Transcripts must be submitted with your application package. 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.
Additional information
COVID-19 Pandemic Expanded Telework Program - Due to COVID-19, VA is currently in an expanded telework posture. If selected, you may be expected to temporarily telework, even if your home is located outside the local commuting area. Once employees are permitted to return to the office, you will be expected to report to the duty station listed on this announcement. Management officials will provide information about returning to the official, pre-pandemic worksite, when applicable. At that time, you may be eligible to request to continue to telework depending upon the terms of your organization's telework policy and the duties of the position.
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 may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.
The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be well-qualified, applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors if applicable, and must be proficient in most of the requirements of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website which can be found at https://www.opm.gov/.
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.
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
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.
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.
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.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Applicants will be referred in the order in which they were received.
Candidates will be referred to the selecting officials based on the number of applicants. The first day applicants to apply will be panel reviewed to the hiring officials and may be considered for minimum qualifications review and referred on a certificate in the order of application date. Your application date is the date you last submitted and/or updated your application. The second and third day applicants etc. will be panel review to the hiring officials upon agency's request.
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.
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.
Please review the above list(s) to ensure you have included all necessary documents required for your application.Not every applicant will require the same documents, therefore it is the applicants responsibility to ensure that their application package includes all necessary documents to determine qualifications and eligibility for appointment, such as a copy of your SF-50, transcript, ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees).You will not be contacted for additional information. Applicants will be deemed ineligible if supporting documentation is not submitted.
Veterans' Preference: Since the Direct-Hire Recruitment Authority is being used, traditional Veterans' Preference rules do not apply. Qualified veterans will, however, be given full consideration for this position.
Applications are accepted online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
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.
To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 10/05/2022 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11664633.
1. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
2. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.
NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date. To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
National Acquisition Center
1st Ave
1 Block North of 22nd Bldg 37
Hines, IL 60141
US
Next steps
After the vacancy announcement closes, applicants are evaluated 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.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
Please review the above list(s) to ensure you have included all necessary documents required for your application.Not every applicant will require the same documents, therefore it is the applicants responsibility to ensure that their application package includes all necessary documents to determine qualifications and eligibility for appointment, such as a copy of your SF-50, transcript, ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees).You will not be contacted for additional information. Applicants will be deemed ineligible if supporting documentation is not submitted.
Veterans' Preference: Since the Direct-Hire Recruitment Authority is being used, traditional Veterans' Preference rules do not apply. Qualified veterans will, however, be given full consideration for this position.
Applications are accepted online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
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.
To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 10/05/2022 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11664633.
1. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
2. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.
NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date. To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
National Acquisition Center
1st Ave
1 Block North of 22nd Bldg 37
Hines, IL 60141
US
Next steps
After the vacancy announcement closes, applicants are evaluated 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.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
