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Grant and Contract Cost Analyst, GS-1101-13 DE

National Science Foundation
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position is located in the Directorate for Budget, Finance and Award Management, Division of Institution and Award Support (DIAS), Cost Analysis and Pre-Award Branch. DIAS is responsible for providing excellence in the stewardship of the federal funding awarded by NSF to support science, technology and engineering research and education across the Nation.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
12/08/2021 to 01/05/2022
Salary
$103,690 to - $134,798 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 13
Location
Alexandria, VA
Few vacancies
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - 3 to 4 one week trips per year.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
13
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
DIAS-2022-0002
Control number
625894400

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Any U.S. citizen and ICTAP/CTAP eligible employees. This opportunity is also open to current/former competitive service employees or those with status only under announcement DIAS-2022-0001 MP.

Duties

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As a Grants and Contract Cost Analyst, you will provide cost analysis expertise to NSF management and program staff across the full range of funding mechanisms (i.e., grants, cooperative agreements, contracts) to ensure proposed costs are reasonable, allocable, and allowable.  You will conduct advanced analyses and negotiations in support of both pre- and post-award cost analysis.  In addition you will provides day-to­day, authoritative advice and consultation to program managers, grant and contract specialists, awardees, and others related to issues across the variety of funding mechanisms to ensure federal funds are used for their intended purpose. Specific duties include the following:

  • Conduct comprehensive evaluations of awardee institutions' business, financial, management, and administrative systems, policies, and practices to determine their capacity to carry out the terms of proposed awards; 
  • Conducts complex negotiations of predetermined, fixed, provisional, and post-determined final indirect cost rates for organizations where NSF has rate cognizance to ensure that there is a fair and equitable rate negotiated on behalf of the Federal government; 
  • Analyzes and provides authoritative advice on direct costs proposed on grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts in accordance with applicable federal cost principles;
  • Conducts audit resolution for difficult, complex projects; works with grantees to resolve issues making recommendations to improvements in business systems and practices;
  • Serve as lead and definitive expert on the review team for Award Monitoring and Business Assistance Program (AMBAP) site visits, conducting general management, financial and accounting system reviews;
  • Conducts fact-finding inquiries that require communication skills; coordinates with various directorates and divisions within NSF; other federal agencies; and a wide range of awardee organizations.

Competencies:

  • Accounting Operations
  • Project Management
  • System Development Life Cycle
  • Critical Thinking/Problem Solving
  • Oral/Written Communications

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Background investigation.
  • US citizenship.
  • Selective Service registration required for male applicants, unless exempt.
  • Selectee may be required to serve a 1-year trial/probationary period

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

As required by Executive Order 14043, Federal employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 regardless of the employee’s duty location or work arrangement, subject to such exceptions as required by law. This policy applies to all NSF staff, to include employees, Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) assignees, Visiting Scientists, Engineers, and Educators (VSEEs), as well as fellows and interns. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by November 22, 2021 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination by November 22, 2021 or before appointment or on-boarding with the agency, if after November 22. Upon selection, NSF will provide additional information regarding what documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required exception from this requirement. 

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

To qualify at the GS-13 level, you must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level in the Federal service. With respect to potential grantees and/or contractors, examples of specialized experience include the evaluation of: financial capability & adequacy of accounting systems of organizations recommended for funding; assistance to awardees in implementing adequate financial & accounting systems for financial awards & indirect costs; advice on various cost principles affecting awards; ability to review, analyze, & resolve audit findings.

Education

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.

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

Veteran's Preference:
If you are entitled to veterans' preference, you should indicate the type of veterans' preference you are claiming on your resume. Your veterans' preference entitlement will be verified by the employing agency. For 5-point veterans' preference, please provide your DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty), official statement of service from your command if you are currently on active duty, or other official documentation (e.g., documentation of receipt of a campaign badge or expeditionary medal) that proves your military service was performed under honorable conditions. For 10-point veterans' preference, please submit a Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, DD-214, and the required documentation as specified on the SF-15.

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.

Category rating procedures will be used to rank and select eligibles.  Based on your responses to the occupational questionnaire, you will be assigned a score.  Your score will determine in which of three categories you will be placed:  Excellent, Very Good, or Good.  Under this process, veterans will be assigned to the appropriate category (without additional preference points) and then placed at the top of their category.  

Veterans with service-connected disability of 10% or more will be placed at the top of the highest quality category.

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" with a score of 90.


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