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Contract Specialist

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Affairs, Inspector General
This job announcement has closed

Summary

OIG is organized into seven operational units: the Immediate Office of the Inspector General, Office of the Counselor, Office of Audits and Evaluations, Office of Healthcare Inspections, Office of Investigations, Office of Management and Administration, and Office of Special Reviews. In addition to the Washington, DC, headquarters, OIG has offices located in more than 60 locations throughout the country.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
12/21/2021 to 01/03/2022
This job will close when we have received 200 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Salary
$87,198 to - $134,798 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 12 - 13
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Washington, DC
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
13
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Announcement number
22-VAOIG-25
Control number
627881000

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

All candidates who are: Current or former federal employees qualifying as Status Candidates, Federal employees currently serving on a VRA, VEOA eligibles, CTAP/ICTAP eligibles, eligible for special hiring authorities (e.g., the Schedule A appointment for persons with disabilities, or covered by an Interchange Agreement), or Land Management employees eligible under Public Law 114-47.

Duties

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The following are the duties of this position at the GS-13. If you are selected at a lower grade level, you will have the opportunity to learn to perform all these duties, and will receive training to help you grow in this position.

- Act as project leader in the extraction of a broad range of data and information, including from contractor-supplied databases, for downloading and performing in-depth analysis. Review and analyze data provided and explain the purpose, scope, method, and results of efforts to end-users, including OIG senior staff, VA clients, private sector management representatives, and other interested parties. Results of analyses contribute to the development of new contracting techniques, or are used to enable economic forecasting, contractor evaluation, etc.

-Plan, analyze, and evaluate proposals and contracts for pre- and post-award compliance, and review proposed and completed contractual actions for conformance with regulatory requirements and accepted procurement practices. Initiate actions to ensure that contract reviews and audits are conducted efficiently. Identify mismanaged, under-performing contracts and contracts vulnerable to fraud, waste, and abuse; recommend changes in contract wording and renegotiation of performance metrics; and flag contracts for future audit review. Post's solicitations, solicits and evaluates quotes or offers, and prepares contract files for contracting officer review and award.

-Obtain/maintain level III FAC-C certification or equivalent. Responsibilities include price cost analysis, source selection, negotiation, administration, evaluation, competitive range determination, and termination. Incumbent is accountable for evaluating proposals, contract changes, repricing, and final contract pricing. Negotiations include price, performance terms, and parameters specified in the contracting document. The incumbent is responsible for developing the negotiation strategy and objectives, as well as monitoring performance, assuring delivery, resolving disputes that arise, and negotiating contract modification.

-Work with mid-level managers to develop, implement, and execute contract and acquisition plans for the next budgetary cycle in order to achieve strategic planning goals. This requires close collaboration with budget and operational support staff. Maintain a working relationship with the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) to further small business goals. Contracts include basic, intermediate, complex, and multi-year to meet the needs of the VA OIG.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

The experience may have been gained in either the public, private sector or volunteer service. One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-time work is considered on a prorated basis. To ensure full credit for your work experience, please indicate dates of employment by month/day/year, and indicate number of hours worked per week on your résumé.

Key Requirements:
  1. Please refer to "Conditions of Employment."
  2. Click "Print Preview" to review the entire announcement before applying.
  3. Must be a U.S. Citizen or U.S. National.
Conditions of Employment:
- A one year probationary period may be required.
- Must successfully complete a background investigation.
- Public Trust - Background Investigation will be required.
- If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so.
- Have your salary sent to a financial institution of your choice by Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer.
- Go through a Personal Identity Verification (PIV) process that requires two forms of identification from the Form I-9. Federal law requires verification of the identity and employment eligibility of all new hires in the U.S.
- Complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment, at the time requested by the agency.
- Must adhere to agency health requirements, including, but not limited to: (1) must report Covid-19 vaccination status when requested; and (2) must comply with agency's Covid-19 testing and vaccination requirements, if any, or qualify for and receive a valid exemption.

Qualifications

You must meet the following requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.

Selective Factor: For the GS-13: You must be certified at Level III in either Federal Acquisition Contracting-Certification (FAC-C) or Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA).

Specialized experience for the GS-13 is defined as one year of experience at the GS-12 level, or equivalent, that is directly related to the position and which has equipped the candidate with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Specialized experience is defined as:

- Planning, organizing, and carrying out all phases of an acquisition related to the procurement of supplies and services in support of an operational mission; AND
- Executing contractual agreements; AND
- Purchasing or administering commercial items and services in accordance with procurement regulations and processes.


Selective Factor: For the GS-12: You must be certified at Level II in either Federal Acquisition Contracting-Certification (FAC-C) or Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA).

Specialized experience for the GS-12 is defined as one year of experience at the GS-11 level, or equivalent, that is directly related to the position and which has equipped the candidate with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Specialized experience is defined as:

- Planning, organizing, and carrying out all phases of an acquisition related to the procurement of supplies and services in support of an operational mission; AND
- Executing contractual agreements.

In addition to the above requirements, you must meet the following time-in-grade requirement, if applicable:
For the GS-13, you must have been at the GS-12level for 52 weeks.
For the GS-12, you must have been at the GS-11 level for 52 weeks.

Time After Competitive Appointment: Candidates who are current Federal employees serving on a nontemporary competitive appointment must have served at least three months in that appointment.

Education

Basic requirements for the GS-13 is as follows:
A. Completion of all mandatory training prescribed by the head of the agency for progression to GS-13 or higher level contracting positions, including at least 4-years experience in contracting or related positions. At least 1 year of that experience must have been specialized experience at or equivalent to work at the next lower level of the position, and must have provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the work of the position.
AND
B. A 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree, that included or was supplemented by 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.

C. Exceptions: Employees in GS-1102 positions will be considered to have met the standard for positions they occupy on January 1, 2000. This also applies to positions at the same grade in the same agency or other agencies if the specialized experience requirements are met. However, they will have to meet the basic requirements and specialized experience requirements in order to qualify for promotion to a higher grade, unless granted a waiver under Paragraph D.

D. Waiver: When filling a specific vacant position, the senior procurement executive of the selecting agency, at his or her discretion, may waive any or all of the requirements of Paragraphs A and B above if the senior procurement executive certifies that the applicant possesses significant potential for advancement to levels of greater responsibility and authority, based on demonstrated analytical and decision making capabilities, job performance, and qualifying experience. With respect to each waiver granted under this Paragraph D, the senior procurement executive must document for the record the basis of the waiver. If an individual is placed in a position in an agency on the basis of a waiver, the agency may later reassign that individual to another position at the same grade within that agency without additional waiver action.


Basic requirements for the GS-12 is as follows:
A 4-year course of study leading to a bachelors degree with a major in any field; OR
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.


Additional information

Other information:
- We may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more vacancies. Applicants who apply for this position may be considered for other positions within the Office of Inspector General that require the same knowledge, skills, and abilities.
- This is a non-bargaining unit position.
- A recruitment incentive may be offered.
- We offer opportunities for flexible work schedules.
- Full-time telework may be temporarily required if space is not currently available at the location chosen by the selectee. Selectees will be notified prior to their start date if this is necessary. Telework on a more permanent basis will be determined by management upon completion of all telework requirements and availability needs.

Our comprehensive benefits are very generous. Our benefits package includes:
- Challenging work, opportunities for advancement, competitive salaries, bonuses and incentive awards.
- Eleven paid holidays, 13 days of sick leave, and 13 to 26 days of vacation time each year.
- Access to insurance programs that may be continued after you retire.
- A wide choice of health insurance plans, coverage for pre-existing conditions, and no waiting periods. We pay a substantial amount (up to 75%) of the health insurance premiums.
- A retirement program which includes employer-matching contributions.- Learn more about Federal benefits programs at: https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/Pay_and_Benefits

How you will be evaluated

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

How You will be Evaluated:

Your application includes your résumé, responses to the online questions, and required supporting documents. Please be sure that your résumé includes detailed information to support your qualifications for this position; failure to provide sufficient evidence in your resume may result in a "not qualified" determination.

Rating: Your application will be evaluated in the following areas: Technical, Analytical, Project Management and Communication.

Your application will be rated and ranked among others, based on your responses to the online questions, regarding your experience, education, training, performance appraisals and awards relevant to the duties of this position. Your rating may be lowered if your responses to the online questions are not supported by the education and/or experience described in your application.

Referral: If you are among the top qualified candidates, your application may be referred to a selecting official for consideration. You may be required to participate in a selection interview and/or a writing assessment. Applicants who are selected for an interview may ask questions about the evaluation process at the time they are contacted for an interview.

If you are a displaced or surplus Federal employee (eligible for the Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP)) you must receive a score of 92 or better to be rated as "well qualified" to receive special selection priority.

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