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Contract Specialist

General Services Administration
Public Buildings Service
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position is for a Contract Specialist, you will be responsible for the full range of pre-award and post-award functions, e.g., price/cost analysis, negotiation, administration and termination within the Center for Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (CEVI).

Location of position: General Services Administration, Public Buildings Service, Northwest/Arctic Region

We are currently filling one vacancy, but additional vacancies may be filled as needed.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
12/21/2023 to 01/04/2024
Salary
$82,830 to - $125,851 per year

Salary is based on the duty location to be determined after a selection is made.

Pay scale & grade
GS 12
Location
Few vacancies in the following location:
Anywhere in the U.S. (remote job)
Remote job
Yes
Telework eligible
Not applicable, this is a remote position.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Occasional, Travel as Needed
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
12
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)
Trust determination process
Announcement number
10P-2024-0026
Control number
767227600

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Duties

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  • Reviews and analyzes requests for procurements, revising work statements and drawings or specifications as necessary. Determines the method of procurement and the contract type and develops an acquisition plan to assure project completion in a timely and efficient manner. 
  • Develops justifications for other than full and open competition.
  • Prepares solicitation documents and administers proposals from prospective contractors, incorporating specialized provisions, such as cost accounting standards, requirements for technical proposals with appropriate weighted factors, cost escalation factors, socioeconomic programs, etc. Analyzes specifications to ensure their adequacy and recommends revisions, identifying exceptions or changes needed in standard contract provisions to accommodate unique circumstances. 
  • Prepares and issues solicitation awards. Reviews contractor proposed small business subcontracting plans. Determines procurements to be awarded under a variety of FAR Part 19 Programs; Solicits proposals from non-profit agencies working under the AbilityOne Program (FAR 8).
  • Evaluates technical submissions, bids or offers for responsiveness to the solicitation. Performs cost and/or price proposal analysis; reviews cost breakdowns, direct and indirect costs; identifies costs which are allowable and allocable to determine reasonableness; determines the necessity for, requests and evaluates pre-award financial or physical plant surveys to establish contractor responsibility; and obtains audits, estimates and pricing reports. Establishes competitive range for negotiations.
  • Coordinates the establishment of a technical evaluation committee or source selection evaluation board to determine acceptability of technical proposals; prepares source selection plans; develops selection criteria; and may serve as the Source Selection Authority/chair and as such makes cost/technical trade-offs.
  • Oversees the evaluation process to ensure that the source selection board members consider offers in accordance with the source selection plan. Reconciles inconsistencies in evaluations. Resolves differences between source selection board members and prepares or oversees the preparation of the source selection board's reports.
  • Develops negotiation plans and pre-negotiation position. The recommendation takes into consideration price analysis to determine excessive or underestimated price proposals, when historical pricing data and precedents are applicable
  • Administers awarded contracts, including contracts under a variety of FAR 8 and FAR Part 19 Programs. Conducts initial conferences (post award orientation) with the contractor to provide information, to clarify standard and special provisions of the contract and to maintain liaison with the contractor to interpret contractual obligations and resolve problems.
  • Issues determinations of costs disapproved due to un-allocability, un-allowability, and/or unreasonableness and determines agency position on protests from unsuccessful bidders/offerors; Prepares initial agency position on GAO and interagency protests from unsuccessful bidders.
  • Makes final determination on awards within delegated contracting officer authority.
  • Ensures contract compliance and monitors contractor's performance through phone conversations, correspondence, reports, vouchers and visits, maintaining contractor's compliance with contract, regulatory and statutory provisions. Determines status of contract performance scheduling, identifies problems that have arisen, and proposes solutions (noncompliance and performance plans).
  • Interprets provisions, provides advice and guidance to contractors and customer agencies stakeholders.
  • Negotiates delivery and progress schedule and conventional modifications, determining contract cost changes, price adjustments, progress, partial, and final payments.
  • Determines any corrective actions needed and/or monetary adjustments for deficiencies, investigating and resolving differences of fact.
  • Analyzes proposed modifications, supplemental agreements and change orders; and reviews contractor proposals when precedents are of limited relevance.
  • Closes out contracts; issues termination notices; reviews settlement proposals; and takes administrative actions, calculating Government liability, determining settlement costs and negotiating settlement agreements.
  • Reviews termination notices for extent of action (partial or complete) and for special conditions or instructions.
  • Negotiates partial settlement for those elements on which there is an agreement, reserving the rights of parties on excluded or unsettled elements for later resolution or issuing a unilateral determination on elements for which an agreement cannot be reached.
  • Executes modifications in settling terminations or claims and obtains contractor's release of claims. After settling a claim or proposal, the incumbent prepares the required documentation to set forth the principal elements of the settlement.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • US Citizenship or National (Residents of American Samoa and Swains Island)
  • Meet all eligibility criteria within 30 days of the closing date
  • Meet time-in-grade within 30 days of the closing date, if applicable
  • Register with Selective Service if you are a male born after 12/31/1959

  • Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C or Non-­Career SES employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the HR Office. Failure to disclose this information could result in disciplinary action including removal from Federal Service.
  • Serve a one year probationary period, if required.
  • Undergo and pass a background investigation (Tier 2 investigation level).
  • Have your identity and work status eligibility verified if you are not a GSA employee.  We will use the Department of Homeland Security’s e-Verify system for this. Any discrepancies must be resolved as a condition of continued employment.

Qualifications

For each job on your resume, provide:

  • the exact dates you held  each job (from month/year to month/year)
  • number of hours per week you worked (if part time).    

If you have volunteered your service through a National Service program (e.g., Peace Corps, Americorps), we encourage you to apply and include this experience on your resume.

For a brief video on creating a Federal resume, click here

The GS-12 salary range starts at $82,830 per year and is based on the duty location to be determined after a selection is made.

If you are a new federal employee, your starting salary will likely be set at the Step 1 of the grade for which you are selected. 

Basic Requirement for GS-1102-12: A 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's 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.

Exception Provision : If you occupied a GS-1102 position at the GS-5 through GS-12 on January 1, 2000, you are considered to meet the basic requirement. 

To qualify, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level or higher in the Federal service. 

Specialized experience is defined as experience performing contracting assignments procuring supplies and/or services using a wide range of contracting methods, contract vehicles and types. Procurement of these supplies and/or services at this level include:

  • Planning and carrying out pre-award, award, and post-award acquisition actions;
  • Preparing solicitation documentation incorporating necessary specialized provisions, and drafting the final contract;
  • Evaluating vendor offers for both technical and price/cost factors as well as evaluating bidders capacity to perform/comply with contract clauses and specifications;
  • Planning and conducting negotiations on price, technical requirements, terms, and conditions of the contract;
  • Responding to and resolving acquisition questions/issues that require research to provide recommendations/responses;
  • Analyzing contracting issues and identifying alternative courses of action.

This position has a positive education requirement: Applicants must submit a copy of their college or university transcript(s) and certificates by the closing date of announcements to verify qualifications. If selected, an official transcript will be required prior to appointment.

Education

Note: 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. For further information, visit:   https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/ 

Additional information

Bargaining Unit Status: This position may be eligible for the bargaining unit depending on location.

Relocation-related expenses are not approved and will be your responsibility.

On a case-by-case basis, the following incentives may be approved:
• Recruitment incentive if you are new to the federal government
• Relocation incentive if you are a current federal employee
• Credit toward vacation leave if you are new to the federal government

Additional vacancies may be filled from this announcement as needed; through other means; or not at all.

GSA is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility that goes beyond our compliance with EEO regulations including: 
  • Valuing and embracing diversity, promoting equity, inclusion and accessibility, and expecting cultural competence; and
  • Fostering a work environment where all employees, customers and stakeholders feel respected and valued.
Our commitment is: 
  • Reflected in our policies, procedures and work environment;
  • Recognized by our employees, customers and stakeholders; and
  • Drives our efforts to recruit, attract, retain and engage the diverse workforce needed to achieve our mission.

How you will be evaluated

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

You will be evaluated on the questions you answer during the application process, which will measure your overall possession of the following competencies or knowledge, skills, and abilities.  Your responses to these questions must be supported by your resume or your score may be lowered. 

  • Professional knowledge of Federal and agency contracting laws, policies, regulations, and procedures to acquire and administer contracts for a wide range of extensive or unique services, supplies and equipment.
  • Knowledge of the full range of Federal socio-economic and labor policies and regulations, including those referenced in, but not limited to, FAR Parts 8, 19, and 22 and prospective agency regulations/policies.
  • Knowledge of cost and price analysis and cost accounting standards sufficient to perform the full range of strategic, analytical and technical procurement assignments.
  • Skill in the use of negotiation techniques sufficient to negotiate prices, terms and conditions, contract modifications and settlements.
  • Skill in both written and oral communication to keep GSA management, customers and contractors apprised of project status and procurement issues of mutual concern.
  • Ability to apply judgment to effectively initiate, advise and coordinate the performance of a wide range of contract administration duties including contract compliance, negotiating and resolving contract performance problems, and awarding contract modifications.
  • Professional knowledge of post-award procedures to administer contracts for a wide range of services, supplies and equipment.

Additional hurdle assessments, such as narrative responses or other assessments, may be administered to applicants who meet the requirements of the first hurdle, e.g., the minimum qualification requirements. If additional assessments are used, you will be provided with further instructions.

Consideration will be given to performance appraisals and incentive awards in merit promotion selection decisions in accordance with 5 CFR 335.103(b)(3). You should list any relevant performance appraisals and incentive awards in your resume so that information will be taken into consideration during the selection process.  If selected, you may be required to provide supporting documentation.

If you are eligible under Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan or GSA’s Career Transition Assistance Plan(ICTAP/CTAP), you must receive a score of 85 or higher to receive priority.


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