The Technical Career Field (TCF) is a national workforce development program within VHA that was designed to replenish technical staff in critically identified positions. The purpose of this position is to serve in a developmental capacity as a Contract Specialist trainee in performing professional work involving the procurement of supplies and services using procedures outlined in the Federal Acquisition Regulations, VA Acquisition Regulations, Public Laws, and agency policies.
Summary
The Technical Career Field (TCF) is a national workforce development program within VHA that was designed to replenish technical staff in critically identified positions. The purpose of this position is to serve in a developmental capacity as a Contract Specialist trainee in performing professional work involving the procurement of supplies and services using procedures outlined in the Federal Acquisition Regulations, VA Acquisition Regulations, Public Laws, and agency policies.
The employee in this position serves as a Contract Specialist Trainee in either the local or VA Central Office- funded Trainee Program. The training program enhances all aspects of the procurement process. As a trainee, the employee will receive on-the-job training in the principles, procedures and techniques of the Department of Veterans Affairs contracting occupation, and will receive formal training by completing/attending training program courses. Trainee must successfully complete each of the required courses.
As part of the VA's succession planning, the Technical Career Field (TCF) training program was created to ensure individuals are trained in critical areas that have current or predicted shortages. The program is nationally funded to include salary, benefits and training/travel dollars. At the time of acceptance into the TCF program, trainees will be asked to sign mobility, training, and service agreements. Relocation expenses for acceptance into the training program or for placement are not funded by the TCF program. Please keep in consideration, the training program is meant for those individuals who plan on staying with the VA a minimum of 3 years after completion of their training program.
Selectees will be required to complete and sign the following paperwork; Mobility, Training, and Continued Service Agreements. NOTE: This position requires the selectee to sign a two year continued service agreement, which requires the selectee to complete the full two year TCF training period. Leaving the program before completion of the program will incur financial penalties.
Although not guaranteed, with more than 150 freestanding facilities and hundreds of clinic locations, we will strive to place trainees in positions that will work for their needs and the needs of the VA.
This is a developmental position leading to a GS-9, performing assignments intended to broaden skills and provide practical experience leading to progressively more complex assignments performed under progressively less supervision. You will ultimately acquire the background necessary to perform at the full performance level of GS-9. Promotion is at the discretion of the supervisor and is contingent upon satisfactory performance, availability of higher level work, and availability of funds.
Major Duties and Responsibilities:
Perform market research, reviewing specifications and statements of work, and approving acquisition milestone plans.
Ensure that specifications and statements of work are prepared in a manner which adequately describes the Government's requirements without restricting competition.
Advises technical personnel as to inadequate, ambiguous, or vague specifications to avoid Government liability.
Performs a complete review of recommended sole source requirements and conducts necessary market analyses to test the noncompetitive assumptions of requisitions.
Prepares required findings and sufficiently documents determinations in this regard.
Responsible for recommending the appropriate method of procurement i.e., simplified acquisition procedures, sealed bidding, negotiations.
Conducts public bid openings, reviews bids, and determines responsiveness and responsibility of low bidder in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements when using sealed bidding.
Conducts negotiations for competitive and noncompetitive procurements.
Performs cost/price analysis on change order proposals and analysis of delivery requirements.
Negotiates prices and/or additional time required for performance and consideration on behalf of the Government.
Administers payment provisions of the contract for partial payments, progress payments and final payments using the VA Online Certification system.
Perform all duties as assigned.
Work Schedule: Full-Time Employment: 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Monday - Friday / Salary will be adjusted per locations
**For this position, telework (up to 80% per pay period) or remote work (100% off site) may be authorized upon supervisor approval if within the local commuting distance of the advertised duty stations. Office space will be available for individuals that prefer to work at one of the duty stations advertised. Position Description Title/PD#: Contract Specialist (Technical Career Field (TCF) Trainee)/PD50001A Physical Requirements: The subject position is primarily of an administrative nature in an office setting, however where travel to work sites is required there may be light physical work required, such as walking over uneven surfaces, or assisting technical personnel in taking measurements or elevations. Government travel for training, meetings, or customer interactions will be required in this position. Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level.
Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
A complete application package; Resume, Transcripts, etc.
Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
Applicants must live within 50 miles radius of the advertised duty location.
Qualifications
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
Minimum Qualifications for Grade GS-5
Individual Occupational Requirements (Basic Requirements)
A. Possess at least a 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with a major in any field. (Transcripts Required) OR
B. Possess 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. (Transcripts Required) OR
C. Occupied a GS-1102, Contract Specialist position in the Federal Government on January 1, 2000, in one of the following grade levels GS-5, GS-7, GS-9, GS-11 or GS-12. (SF-50 Required)
Exceptions: Employees in GS-1102 positions will be considered to have met the standard for positions they occupy on January 1, 2000. Employees who occupy GS-1102 positions at grades 5 through 12 will be considered to meet the basic requirements for other GS-1102 positions up to and including those classified at GS-12. This includes positions at other agencies and promotions up through grade 12. However, employees must meet specialized experience requirements when seeking another position.
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; religions; 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.
Education
A full transcripts with conferred/awarded date must be submitted with your application to meet qualification (A) above, if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education to receive consideration.
Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/.If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education.
Additional information
Veterans' Preference: Since the Direct-Hire Recruitment Authority is being used, traditional Veterans' Preference rules do not apply. Qualified veterans will, however, be given full consideration for this position.
VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.
The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be well-qualified, applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors if applicable, and must be proficient in most of the requirements of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website which can be found at https://www.opm.gov/.
Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
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.
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.
IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Applicants will be referred in the order in which they were received.
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.
Please review the above list(s) to ensure you have included all necessary documents required for your application.Not every applicant will require the same documents, therefore it is the applicants responsibility to ensure that their application package includes all necessary documents to determine qualifications and eligibility for appointment, such as a copy of your SF-50, transcript, ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees).You will not be contacted for additional information. Applicants will be deemed ineligible if supporting documentation is not submitted.
Veterans' Preference: Since the Direct-Hire Recruitment Authority is being used, traditional Veterans' Preference rules do not apply. Qualified veterans will, however, be given full consideration for this position.
Applications are accepted online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application.
To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 08/17/2023 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12084967.
1. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
2. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.
NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date. To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
VHA Service Center - 2
6100 Oak Tree Blvd
Independence, OH 44131
US
Next steps
After the vacancy announcement closes, applicants are evaluated to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email.
Candidates will be referred to the selecting officials based on the number of applicants received. The first 75 applicants will be referred to the hiring officials for consideration. If more than 75 applications are received on the first day, then everyone who applied on the first day, when 75 applications were reached will be referred. Only those candidates who are selected for further review by the hiring officials will have their application package reviewed for qualifications prior to the issuance of the certificate list. Based on hiring needs, additional groups of the next 50 applicants who have applied may be reviewed for minimum qualifications and be referred to the hiring officials.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
Please review the above list(s) to ensure you have included all necessary documents required for your application.Not every applicant will require the same documents, therefore it is the applicants responsibility to ensure that their application package includes all necessary documents to determine qualifications and eligibility for appointment, such as a copy of your SF-50, transcript, ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees).You will not be contacted for additional information. Applicants will be deemed ineligible if supporting documentation is not submitted.
Veterans' Preference: Since the Direct-Hire Recruitment Authority is being used, traditional Veterans' Preference rules do not apply. Qualified veterans will, however, be given full consideration for this position.
Applications are accepted online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application.
To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 08/17/2023 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12084967.
1. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
2. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.
NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date. To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
VHA Service Center - 2
6100 Oak Tree Blvd
Independence, OH 44131
US
Next steps
After the vacancy announcement closes, applicants are evaluated to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email.
Candidates will be referred to the selecting officials based on the number of applicants received. The first 75 applicants will be referred to the hiring officials for consideration. If more than 75 applications are received on the first day, then everyone who applied on the first day, when 75 applications were reached will be referred. Only those candidates who are selected for further review by the hiring officials will have their application package reviewed for qualifications prior to the issuance of the certificate list. Based on hiring needs, additional groups of the next 50 applicants who have applied may be reviewed for minimum qualifications and be referred to the hiring officials.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
