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Contract Specialist

Environmental Protection Agency
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position is in Region 2, Mission Support Division, Contracts Management Branch. About Region 2.

This is an office-centered position--you must physically report to the duty station stated in this announcement on a regular basis. Partial work-from-home flexibilities may be authorized.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open date: 07/31/2023
Closed date: 08/04/2023
Location
2 vacancies in the following location:
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$66,757 - $86,780 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 09
Promotion potential
12
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be required to travel for this position.
Appointment type
Recent graduates - This is a one-year developmental program which may lead to a term or permanent appointment.
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Excepted Service
Drug test
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Announcement number
RTP-R2-ORG-2023-0016
Control number
739779900

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Recent Graduates who have completed a qualifying degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution or technical education program within the preceding 2 years of application submittal OR current students who will complete a qualifying degree/certificate within 9 months of the announcement closing date. Veterans unable to apply within 2 years of receiving their degree due to military service obligation may apply up to 6 years after degree/certification.

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Duties

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At the entry level of this position, you will:

- Perform pre-award and post-award functions involving specialized procurements;

- Prepare and issue solicitation documents;

- Perform simplified acquisition, sealed bidding, and/or negotiation methods to procure supplies, services, construction, and/or laboratory services;

- Administer and close out contracts.

When entering a Federal job at a grade level lower than the highest promotion potential level, you may be promoted to more complex duties and work more independently, as your career progresses.  NOTE:  Career ladder promotions are not automatic, and all eligibility and qualifications requirements must be met in order to progress to the next grade level.

You will spend more than 50% of your work time on contracts, grants/cooperative agreements, and/or interagency agreements.

One or more positions may be filled (in the organization advertised and/or in other organizations), if appropriate to the position.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must be a U.S. citizen.
  • You must submit a resume and required documents--see How to Apply section.
  • If you are selected, a written participant agreement must be signed.
  • EPA and non-EPA applicants must submit transcripts/course listings.
  • Position has education requirements--see Qualifications/Education section.

This position is designated as Moderate Risk and requires a background investigation. Unless an appropriate background investigation is already on record with the Office of Personnel Management, you must undergo a background investigation. All conditions of the pre-employment security process must be met before an official letter of employment can be issued with a report for duty date.

If you are selected, the entire period served under the Recent Graduates program will be a trial period.

If you are selected, you will be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure form within 30 days of your first day of employment and annually thereafter.

If you are still completing coursework, offer of employment will be contingent upon completion of degree/certificate program. Proof showing confer date within nine months of the announcement closing date will be required before entry on duty.

#LI-Onsite

Qualifications

In addition to the educational requirements, we are looking for at least one year of specialized experience related to this position as described below:

To qualify for the GS-09 level, you need to have at least one year of full-time experience equivalent to the GS-07 level defined as assisting in preparing requests for the procurement of supplies, services, studies, laboratory analyses, or construction; assisting in determining contract and method required for procurement; reviewing contracting documents for accuracy
- OR master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in the academic discipline as described below; or LL.B. or J.D.
- OR an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Your answers to the online assessment will be used to evaluate your competencies in the following areas: 1) Knowledge of pre-award and post-award functions involving specialized procurements; 2) Skill in written communication; 3) Knowledge of solicitation, review, price/cost analysis, negotiation, and administration of contracts; 4) Skill in oral communication; 5) Knowledge of laws, regulations, and rules sufficient to procure supplies, services, studies, laboratory analyses, and/or construction through simplified acquisition, sealed bidding, and/or negotiation methods.

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.

If you have part-time work experience, read this: EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures.

Education

In addition to the eligibility requirements for the Recent Graduates program, this position has specific educational requirements in order to qualify as described below:

You must have a bachelor’s or higher degree from an accredited or pre-accredited college or university 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.

For information about accreditation requirements, visit EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures.

Additional information

This position is in the Pathways Recent Graduates Program, which provides individuals who have completed a qualifying associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, professional, doctorate, vocational, or technical degree or certificate with an entry-level developmental experience with the potential to lead to a career in the Federal government. Upon successful completion of the program, you may be noncompetitively converted to a term or permanent position without further competition. For more information, see USAJOBS Information Sheet.

ATTENTION VETERANS: If you are a veteran (as defined in 5 USC 2108) who due to military service obligations was precluded from applying to the Recent Graduates Program during any portion of the 2-year eligibility period (described in the “This job is open to/Clarification from the agency” section above), you have a full 2-year period of eligibility upon your release/discharge from active duty. In no event, however, may your eligibility period extend beyond 6 years from the date you completed the requirements for a qualifying degree or qualify career or technical education program.

Except in special circumstances, those new to the federal government will be hired at the starting salary (step 1) of the applicable grade range listed in the Overview section.

EPA participates in E-Verify. E-Verify is an Internet based system operated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in partnership with the Social Security Administration (SSA) that enables participating employers to electronically verify the employment eligibility of their newly hired employees. For additional information: EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are core values at EPA. Our excellence can only be fully realized by staff who share our commitment to these values. Successful candidates are committed to advancing equity and inclusion in the Agency’s workplace and mission. We encourage applications from candidates with a variety of personal experiences, values, and worldviews that arise from differences of culture and circumstance. At EPA, diversity is a vital element in bringing a balance of perspectives to bear on every challenge we face. We are committed to creating a diverse workforce because we know that the individual strengths and abilities of our employees make us a stronger organization. The more inclusive our employee base is, the greater the variety of ideas that are generated, and the more representative we are of the nation we serve. To learn more about how EPA values and supports our diverse workforce, visit Equal Opportunity Employment at EPA.

If you are selected, travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will not be paid by EPA. Any travel, transportation, and relocation expenses associated with reporting to work in this position will be your responsibility.

This position is in the bargaining unit.

How you will be evaluated

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

We will review your resume and required documents to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. Your resume must address the knowledge, skills, and abilities listed in the Qualifications section. If you meet basic qualification requirements, your application will be further evaluated based on your answers to the online assessment. Your responses to the online assessment will be used to measure the degree to which your background matches the requirements for the position. You are being evaluated under the category rating method which means, if you are determined to be qualified, you will be placed into the ‘Best Qualified’, ‘Well Qualified’, or ‘Qualified’ category. NOTE:  Preference eligible veterans must be selected, or decline further consideration, before applicants who are ineligible for veterans’ preference can be selected (to learn more, visit Veterans' Preference).

We will compare your resume and supporting documentation to your responses on the assessment questionnaire. If you rate yourself higher than is supported by your application materials, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job. We will evaluate your qualifications and eligibility and notify you if you meet minimum qualification requirements. If you are referred for consideration, you may be subject to additional assessments (e.g., technical writing sample or other work sample, job knowledge test, case scenario analysis, scientific data assessment, structured interview, etc.).

NOTE: We do not require a separate statement responding to the competencies, also referred to as Knowledges, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). However, your resume should clearly show possession of these competencies.


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Environmental Protection Agency

A good career for the good of our planet

The environmental challenges we face today are urgent. At the Environmental Protection Agency, we need professionals like you to join our diverse team dedicated to safe, clean, and healthy communities for all. Whether it’s tackling the climate crisis or advancing environmental justice, what you do here changes the world. That’s why there has never been a more crucial moment to be one of the scientists, engineers, community leaders, IT specialists, communicators, administrative professionals, technicians, problem solvers, and innovators united in our mission to protect our land, air, water, and people. Join us. Be EPA.

Discover how you can make an impact. Explore careers and learn more about EPA at epa.gov/careers.

Agency contact information

RTP Shared Service Center
Phone
919-541-3014
Email
RTP_HR_Shared_Service_Center@epa.gov
Address
Environmental Protection Agency
US Environmental Protection Agency
Human Resources Management Division
109 T.W. Alexander Drive, MD-C639-02
Research Triangle Pk, North Carolina 27711
United States

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