If you have contracting experience and are looking for a rewarding and challenging position to learn and grow professionally, consider joining the National Institutes of Health!
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Additional Institutes/Centers may participate in this announcement. It is highly encouraged to apply even if your desired institute/center is not listed.
Summary
If you have contracting experience and are looking for a rewarding and challenging position to learn and grow professionally, consider joining the National Institutes of Health!
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Additional Institutes/Centers may participate in this announcement. It is highly encouraged to apply even if your desired institute/center is not listed.
You must be a U.S. Citizen or U.S. National. Foreign nationals or legal permanent residents are not eligible for consideration.
NIH may use this announcement to consider current Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) employees with an approved waiver of education requirements. If you are a current DHHS employee with an approved waiver, please submit a copy of your waiver with your application.
As a Lead Contract Specialist, your duties may include:
Developing acquisition objectives for institute programs;
Developing, reviewing, and advising on the development of reliable Independent Government Cost Estimates (IGCEs) for use in planning and approval of proposed studies;
Serving as lead negotiator or team leader for large-scale multiple-award studies;
Conducting on-site reviews of contractors' fiscal capability for handling federal funds;
Performing all aspects of contract administration including preparation of overhead and cost adjustments, redirection of effort, coordination of time extensions, incorporation of change orders, issuance of stop work orders, issuance of cure notices or show cause letters, etc.;
Applying knowledge of contract principles, laws, statutes, Executive Orders, regulations and procedures applicable to pre-award and/or post-award actions sufficient to procure and/or administer complex contracts; and
Identifying potential or existing acquisition issues or problems and provide solutions.
Some positions in this announcement are eligible for non-local remote work. Please select the "Location Negotiable" or "All-NIH Locations" location when applying if you wish to be considered for non-local remote work. All other location(s) are not eligible for non-local remote work. Non-local remote is a position designation where little to no onsite presence is required (e.g., once or twice annually). You may work anywhere in the U.S., including any of the territories. Worksites outside of the U.S. are prohibited. Your pay is determined by the geographically defined pay locality applicable to your approved worksite (e.g., home residence). Reporting to an NIH location may also be required during the onboarding process. Visit NIH's Remote Work page for more information and requirements.
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, please submit transcripts.
As a condition of employment, you must obtain (within the timeframe established by the supervisor) and maintain a Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting Level III certification throughout the duration of employment in the position.
Qualifications
Basic Requirements: You must have completed 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; OR
In addition: You must have completed all mandatory training prescribed by the head of the agency for progression to the 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.
Additional Qualifications: You must demonstrate in your resume at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at the least the GS-13 level in the Federal service. Specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-13 level in the Federal service includes: serving as a lead or senior contract specialist with Contracting Officer (CO) with authority for acquisition planning, preparing price/cost analyses for designated actions, formulating negotiation strategies, developing negotiation objectives, negotiating all types of contracts; reviewing, providing comments and assisting in developing acquisition policies and procedures, preparing and reviewing requests for proposals and other pre-award documentation, preparing pre-negotiation position analysis, performing contract closeout functions; awarding contracts within delegated contracting officer authority; and/or administering complex contracts, monitoring contractor's performance; preparing solicitation documents, analyzing proposals for conformance with the solicitation; providing technical guidance and reviewing the work assignments of junior contract staff.
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.
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.
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.
Federal agencies may request information regarding the vaccination status of selected applicants for the purposes of implementing other workplace safety protocols, such as protocols related to masking, physical distancing, testing, travel, and quarantine. Employees providing healthcare or services in support of healthcare (Healthcare Workforce) may be required to receive a COVID-19 vaccine because they are expected to perform duties that put them in contact or potential contact with patients. We may request COVID-19 vaccination, and other vaccination documentation from Healthcare Workforce personnel at any point during the onboarding process or at any time during your employment with NIH.
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.
At the supervisor's discretion, this position may offer work schedule flexibilities: [telework (work from home on a regular basis or ad hoc basis but reports to the office at least once a week/two days a pay period), compressed schedules, flexible schedules].
A one-year probationary period may be required upon selection/placement.
PHS Commissioned Officers interested in performing the duties of this position within the Commissioned Corps should also apply online to this announcement in order to receive consideration.
A newly appointed or reappointed employee may receive service credit for prior work experience or active duty uniformed service that otherwise would not be creditable for the purpose of determining his or her annual leave accrual rate. All creditable service must be directly related to the duties of the position being filled and decisions to allow for such credit must be finalized prior to the selectee's entrance on duty. Recipients will be determined on a case-by-case basis based on organizational need, specific case justification, and budget limitations.
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.
NIH may repay certain outstanding Federally-insured student loans to facilitate the recruitment and retention of highly qualified people. Recipients will be determined on a case-by-case basis based on organizational need, specific case justification, and budget limitations.
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.
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.
Additional selections may be made for similar positions across the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) within the local commuting area(s) of the location identified in this announcement. By applying, you agree to have your application shared with interested selecting official(s) at HHS. Clearance of CTAP/ICTAP will be applied for similar positions across HHS.
The position(s) advertised in this announcement are covered by a direct hire authority. Traditional rating and ranking of applicants, including category rating, does not apply to this vacancy. You will be initially evaluated against the basic qualifications only. Qualified applicants will be referred for consideration in accordance with the Office of Personnel Management direct hire guidelines. Veterans' Preference does not apply to positions covered by a direct hire authority.
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.
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.
RESUME:
Your resume must thoroughly describe how your skills and experiences align to the criteria defined in the "Qualifications" section of this announcement and it must support your responses to the assessment questionnaire. We cannot assume you have performed the necessary experience required for this position regardless of your employment history or academic career.
To ensure all of the essential information is in your resume, we encourage you to use the USAJOBS online Resume Builder. If you choose to use your own resume, you must ensure it contains all of the required information and you organize it so we can associate the following information for each experience/position:
Job title
Name of employer
Beginning and ending dates of employment (month/day/year format)
Hours worked per week. We will assume full-time unless otherwise stated. We will prorate part-time employment in crediting experience.
Detailed description of job duties, accomplishments, related skills, and responsibilities to include any supervisory/managerial responsibilities and number of staff supervised (if applicable)
Series and grade or equivalent (if a federal position)
If the position has an education requirement or you are qualifying on the basis of education, you must list your education history including the type of degree and your major of study. If the position requires a certain number of credit hours, you are strongly encouraged to list the relevant courses in your resume.
Do not include a photograph or video of yourself, or any sensitive information (age, date of birth, marital status, protected health information, religious affiliation, social security number, etc.) on your resume or cover letter. We will not access web pages linked on your resume or cover letter to determine your qualifications.
ASSESSMENT QUESTIONNAIRE:
You must submit a completed assessment questionnaire.
Unless otherwise stated, we will only use the information above to determine your qualifications. Not providing the required information may result in a determination that you do not meet minimum requirements for the position (e.g., an ineligible rating) or a lower rating.
REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION FOR CAREER TRANSITION CLAIMS
Visit our websites to claim selection priority through the Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP):
If you do not provide the required information, we will assume you are not eligible or you do not wish to be considered for any preference or eligibility.
Please do not submit any other supplementary documentation that is not requested of you. To protect your personal information, we will only send your resume and cover letter to the selecting official or hiring manager.
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, please read and follow all instructions in this announcement, complete the online application, and submit the documentation specified in the "Required Documents" section. This announcement accepts applications during the open period 8/29/2022 through 9/02/2022; unless the applicant cut-off (100 applications) is reached. This announcement will close at 11:59PM Eastern Time (ET) on 9/02/2022, or on the day the 100th application is received, whichever comes first.
Early submission of your application is highly encouraged.
To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply.
Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. See the "Required Documents" section for any additional forms and/or supplemental materials required.
Read all Eligibility questions and respond accordingly to any Eligibility you wish to claim. You will only be considered for those Eligibility questions (Status Applicant, Reinstatement, Schedule A, etc.) you respond in the affirmative to, regardless of what documentation you submit. We cannot assume you intended to respond differently to a question based on other information in your application package.
Complete the assessment questionnaire. Applicants are asked all questions regardless of their consideration preferences. We will only consider you for the grades, series, locations, specialties, and other considerations that you self-identify as being qualified for or interested in. Preview assessment questionnaire before you apply: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11611298
Verify all required documentation is included in your application package, review your responses to the assessment questionnaire for accuracy, and then submit your application.
In addition to the required documents, we encourage you to submit a cover letter, copy of your transcripts, and any applicable certifications or licenses. Even though this information is not required at the time of application, we may request this information later.
We cannot assume responsibility or grant extensions for personal issues (e.g., troubles navigating the application process, loss of internet, not understanding a question) when applying to our announcements. For technical difficulties, contact HR Systems Support between 8:00 AM and 4:30 PM ET Monday through Friday at hrss@nih.gov.
If you need any other accommodation or assistance with applying, please contact Harvey Parris at parrish5@mail.nih.gov. Requests for reasonable accommodations must be made before the announcement closing date.
National Institutes of Health
6701 Rockledge Dr
Bethesda, MD 20892
US
Next steps
Once you submit your application package, you will receive an acknowledgement email. You will be notified of the status of your applications via email. In addition, you can track the progress of your application package through your USAJOBS account.
At the discretion of the agency, you may be contacted via phone or email for an interview or to provide additional information up to several months from the closing date of the announcement. Please ensure you have provided accurate contact information. To remain in consideration, you must respond in a timely manner to our correspondence and requests for documentation or information throughout the hiring process.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
RESUME:
Your resume must thoroughly describe how your skills and experiences align to the criteria defined in the "Qualifications" section of this announcement and it must support your responses to the assessment questionnaire. We cannot assume you have performed the necessary experience required for this position regardless of your employment history or academic career.
To ensure all of the essential information is in your resume, we encourage you to use the USAJOBS online Resume Builder. If you choose to use your own resume, you must ensure it contains all of the required information and you organize it so we can associate the following information for each experience/position:
Job title
Name of employer
Beginning and ending dates of employment (month/day/year format)
Hours worked per week. We will assume full-time unless otherwise stated. We will prorate part-time employment in crediting experience.
Detailed description of job duties, accomplishments, related skills, and responsibilities to include any supervisory/managerial responsibilities and number of staff supervised (if applicable)
Series and grade or equivalent (if a federal position)
If the position has an education requirement or you are qualifying on the basis of education, you must list your education history including the type of degree and your major of study. If the position requires a certain number of credit hours, you are strongly encouraged to list the relevant courses in your resume.
Do not include a photograph or video of yourself, or any sensitive information (age, date of birth, marital status, protected health information, religious affiliation, social security number, etc.) on your resume or cover letter. We will not access web pages linked on your resume or cover letter to determine your qualifications.
ASSESSMENT QUESTIONNAIRE:
You must submit a completed assessment questionnaire.
Unless otherwise stated, we will only use the information above to determine your qualifications. Not providing the required information may result in a determination that you do not meet minimum requirements for the position (e.g., an ineligible rating) or a lower rating.
REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION FOR CAREER TRANSITION CLAIMS
Visit our websites to claim selection priority through the Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP):
If you do not provide the required information, we will assume you are not eligible or you do not wish to be considered for any preference or eligibility.
Please do not submit any other supplementary documentation that is not requested of you. To protect your personal information, we will only send your resume and cover letter to the selecting official or hiring manager.
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, please read and follow all instructions in this announcement, complete the online application, and submit the documentation specified in the "Required Documents" section. This announcement accepts applications during the open period 8/29/2022 through 9/02/2022; unless the applicant cut-off (100 applications) is reached. This announcement will close at 11:59PM Eastern Time (ET) on 9/02/2022, or on the day the 100th application is received, whichever comes first.
Early submission of your application is highly encouraged.
To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply.
Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. See the "Required Documents" section for any additional forms and/or supplemental materials required.
Read all Eligibility questions and respond accordingly to any Eligibility you wish to claim. You will only be considered for those Eligibility questions (Status Applicant, Reinstatement, Schedule A, etc.) you respond in the affirmative to, regardless of what documentation you submit. We cannot assume you intended to respond differently to a question based on other information in your application package.
Complete the assessment questionnaire. Applicants are asked all questions regardless of their consideration preferences. We will only consider you for the grades, series, locations, specialties, and other considerations that you self-identify as being qualified for or interested in. Preview assessment questionnaire before you apply: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11611298
Verify all required documentation is included in your application package, review your responses to the assessment questionnaire for accuracy, and then submit your application.
In addition to the required documents, we encourage you to submit a cover letter, copy of your transcripts, and any applicable certifications or licenses. Even though this information is not required at the time of application, we may request this information later.
We cannot assume responsibility or grant extensions for personal issues (e.g., troubles navigating the application process, loss of internet, not understanding a question) when applying to our announcements. For technical difficulties, contact HR Systems Support between 8:00 AM and 4:30 PM ET Monday through Friday at hrss@nih.gov.
If you need any other accommodation or assistance with applying, please contact Harvey Parris at parrish5@mail.nih.gov. Requests for reasonable accommodations must be made before the announcement closing date.
National Institutes of Health
6701 Rockledge Dr
Bethesda, MD 20892
US
Next steps
Once you submit your application package, you will receive an acknowledgement email. You will be notified of the status of your applications via email. In addition, you can track the progress of your application package through your USAJOBS account.
At the discretion of the agency, you may be contacted via phone or email for an interview or to provide additional information up to several months from the closing date of the announcement. Please ensure you have provided accurate contact information. To remain in consideration, you must respond in a timely manner to our correspondence and requests for documentation or information throughout the hiring process.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
