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Contract Specialist, GS-1102-14 Direct Hire

National Science Foundation
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position is located in the Office of Budget, Finance, and Award Management, Division of Acquisition & Cooperative Support. This organization is responsible for providing comprehensive acquisition and cooperative agreement award leadership; solicitation, negotiation, award and administration of NSF contracts and of complex cooperative agreements for NSF's research facilities, and major centers' programs such as Science Technology Centers (STC's) and Engineering Research Centers (ERC's).

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
12/05/2019 to 12/19/2019
Salary
$117,191 to - $152,352 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 14
Location
Alexandria, VA
FEW vacancies
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - As needed to fulfill duties of the position and training.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-Time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
14
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Announcement number
DACS-2020-0001
Control number
553520000

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Any U.S. citizen and ICTAP/CTAP eligible employees. Direct Hire Authority will be used to fill this position. The 'Rule of Three', Veterans Preference and traditional rating and ranking of applicants does not apply to this vacancy.

Duties

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Contract Specialists at the National Science Foundation are responsible for preaward and postaward functions involving highly specialized procurements of significance to the agency. Requirements typically involve systems or programs such as:

  • Solicit, evaluate, negotiate and award contracts for products and services;
  • Develop acquisition and business strategies in support of program objectives;
  • Perform detailed analyses of all elements of cost in contractor proposals and make competitive range determinations;
  • Conduct pre and post award conferences to arrive at a clear understanding of what is required;
  • Plan and coordinate the negotiation strategy, lead the negotiations, and award the contract;
  • Perform contract administration to include incremental funding, preparation of rate and cost adjustments, redirection of effort, coordination of time extensions, change orders, and stop work orders;
  • Terminate contracts for the convenience of the Government or default by the contractor.

Competencies

  • Attention to Detail
  • Contracting/Procurement
  • Control of Funds
  • Customer Service
  • Decision Making
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Negotiation

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Background investigation.
  • US citizenship.
  • Selective Service registration required for male applicants, unless exempt.

It is NSF policy that NSF personnel employed at or IPAs detailed to NSF are not permitted to participate in foreign government talent recruitment programs. Failure to comply with this NSF policy could result in disciplinary action up to and including removal from Federal Service or termination of an IPA assignment and referral to the Office of Inspector General. Foreign Talent Definitions

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.

You must answer all job-related questions in the NSF eRecruit questionnaire. All online applicants must provide a valid email address.

If your email address is inaccurate or your mailbox is full or blocked, you may not receive important communication that could affect your consideration for this position.

This position is in the bargaining unit.

Qualifications

Candidates must have completed all the requirements for a bachelor's or higher degree from an accredited college or university that included or was supplemented by 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 AND have 4 years of specialized experience with one year equivalent to the GS-13 level developing, preparing, and presenting terms and conditions in bids or proposals related to the award of contracts; negotiating and awarding contracts, contract modifications, and/or subcontracts; legal practice involving participation in negotiating, awarding, or administering contracts; or the analysis of procurement policies and procedures; administering the terms and conditions of contracts. Your application package must include proof of meeting educational requirements. 

OR You must currently be serving in a GS-1102-14 level position 

OR Held a GS-1102-14 level position on January 1, 2000.

Education

You must meet the minimum education requirements as described in “Qualifications."

Education may enhance skills required for this position; however, no substitution of education for specialized experience may be made at this level.

Additional information

Relocation Expenses will not be paid. OR Relocation Expenses May be paid contingent on the availability of funds.

Veteran Preference does not apply.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP):
ICTAP and CTAP provide eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP or CTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your ICTAP or CTAP eligibility; 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement; and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified you must meet the following: OPM qualification requirements for the position, all selective factors, where applicable; special OPM approved qualifying conditions for the position; is physically qualified with reasonable accommodation, where appropriate, to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry; and receives a rating of at least “Very Good” on the questionnaire.  You must provide proof of eligibility with your application to receive selection priority. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of ICTAP or CTAP eligibility, or a copy of your separation personnel action form. Additional information regarding ICTAP or CTAP eligibility is available from  OPM's Career Transition Resources

NSF has determined that all of its positions are eligible for telework. Work suitable for telework depends on job duties; therefore, employees must receive approval from their supervisor for telework and have a telework agreement in place. Entering into a telework agreement is voluntary.

For additional information on the NSF eRecruit system, please visit our NSF eRecruit Applicant Guide.

This announcement may be used to fill like positions in other organizations within the National Science Foundation.

The Selected Candidate(s) may be subject to a background investigation

How you will be evaluated

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

This position is being advertised under a Direct Hire Authority. The information contained in your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses to the Occupational Questionnaire to determine the degree to which you meet the competencies required of this position. Please ensure you answer all questions accurately. Your responses are subject to verification. In support of your responses provided in the Occupational Questionnaire, your resume should include verbiage that describes your experience relative to the position for which you are applying and provide examples that show the depth of knowledge, level of skill, or degree of ability you possess. If your application does not support your responses to the Occupational Questionnaire or your application is not complete, it may affect your evaluation or result in your name being removed from further consideration. In some cases, additional assessment processes may be used. Applicants eligible for selection preference under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) or CTAP must meet the agency definition of "well qualified." In NSF categories, this means at least “Very Good.”


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