An official website of the United States government
NSF is one of the best places to work! In 2021, NSF was ranked No. 2 among mid-sized agencies in the Best Places to Work in the Federal Government® Rankings. Come join our talented and diverse workforce and help us keep NSF at the frontier of discovery!
This position is located in the Office of Budget, Finance, and Award Management, Division of Acquisition & Cooperative Support.
02/22/2023 to 03/09/2023
$112,015 - $172,075 per year
GS 13 - 14
No
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Not required
No
Permanent -
Full-time -
Competitive
14
No
No
DACS-2023-0006
708104500
Federal employees who meet the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee.
U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
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. This announcement will close on 03/09/23 or once 300 applications are received, whichever occurs first.
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:
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; and any additional assessments required.
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 represented by AFGE Local 3403.
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 OR held a GS-1102 position on January 1, 2000 (for promotion, candidates must meet new occupational requirements or seek Agency waiver).
To qualify at the GS-13 level, applicants must have 4 years of experience in contracting or related positions AND have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level developing, preparing, and presenting terms and conditions in complex 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 federal procurement policies and procedures; administering the terms and conditions of contracts. Your application package must include proof of meeting educational requirements.
To qualify at the GS-14 level, applicants must have 4 years of experience in contracting or related positions AND have at least one year of specialized experience 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.
You must meet the minimum education requirements as described in “Qualifications."
Relocation Expenses will not be paid.
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
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, this may result in adjustments to your score, 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.
Competencies
All applicants should submit a resume/CV of their choice, and may also submit a cover letter.
You must submit proof of meeting the basic education requirement described in the QUALIFICATIONS paragraph. Therefore, you should submit TRANSCRIPTS (unofficial copies are acceptable) or a DIPLOMA that verifies that the requirement is met.
Additional Documents, if applicable, may include:
CTAP/ICTAP Documentation: If you are applying under CTAP or ICTAP, you MUST submit proof of eligibility under 5 CFR 330.602(a) for CTAP and 5 CFR 330.704 for ICTAP. This includes a copy of the agency notice, a copy of your most recent performance rating, and a copy of your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) showing your position, grade level, and duty location. Please annotate your application to reflect that you are applying as a CTAP or ICTAP eligible.
We also ask that you complete and submit the Applicant Survey. This will help NSF to ensure that our recruiting efforts are attracting a diverse candidate pool; it will be used for statistical purposes only.
All uploading must be completed before 11:59 PM Eastern time on the vacancy closing date.
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
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.
Your application should be submitted online and must be completed and all required documents successfully uploaded before 11:59 PM Eastern time on the closing date. Since the closing date may be driven by the number of applications received, we urge you to submit all required documents as soon as possible. You must answer all of the job-related questions to ensure full consideration for this position. For more detailed information, please review our NSF eRecruit Applicant Guide.
If you are unable to apply electronically, please use the Contact Information below for special instructions on how to submit your application materials. Hearing impaired individuals may call TDD (703) 292-5090 for assistance.
WARNING! Applications submitted online must have 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.
You may check the status of your application at any time on the USAJOBS website
Applicants should click ‘Track this Application’ in the Applicant Dashboard to receive application updates.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
This job originated on www.usajobs.gov. For the full announcement and to apply, visit www.usajobs.gov/job/708104500. Only resumes submitted according to the instructions on the job announcement listed at www.usajobs.gov will be considered.
Learn more about
If you are intrigued by the idea of working at a unique federal agency that has a tremendous impact on the funding and advancement of science, engineering and education, then the National Science Foundation is the place for you. In addition to funding research in traditional academic areas, NSF also supports innovative ideas, novel collaborations and numerous projects that may seem like science fiction today, but become the reality of tomorrow.
NSF has the advantages of a small agency environment that fosters collaboration, creativity and opportunities to contribute to major agency-wide projects. Consistently ranked by its employees as one of the top federal agencies in managing its workforce, NSF maintains a creative, flexible, and collegial atmosphere and is respected in both the federal and scientific arenas for its work in promoting science, technology, education and management best practices. Join our team at one of the best places to work in the federal government and use your knowledge and imagination to keep NSF at the frontier of discovery!
More about NSF.
