The Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board (FRTIB) is looking for a highly qualified and motivated individual to serve as a Contract Specialist.
This Job Opportunity Announcement (JOA) may be used to fill other Contract Specialist, GS -1102- 13 positions within the FRTIB in the same geographical location with the same qualifications and specialized experience.
Summary
The Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board (FRTIB) is looking for a highly qualified and motivated individual to serve as a Contract Specialist.
This Job Opportunity Announcement (JOA) may be used to fill other Contract Specialist, GS -1102- 13 positions within the FRTIB in the same geographical location with the same qualifications and specialized experience.
Handles all key parts of assigned contracts and procurement programs, such as negotiating contracts, analyzing costs and prices, and managing contracts, using the authority given by the agency.
Advises managers on important contracting issues that affect the entire agency.
Works with other agency offices to create effective negotiation strategies and set limits.
Represents the agency at meetings with officials from both government and private organizations.
Prepares reports and presentations about assigned contracting and procurement work.
All qualification requirements must be met by 01/15/2026. Your application package will not be considered if it is missing any of the required documents listed under the "Required Documents" tab.
Probationary Period. One-year probationary period may be required.
Selective Service. If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law.
Background Suitability Investigation. Continued employment is contingent upon satisfactory completion of a background investigation and the granting of a federal suitability or security clearance. If selected, you may be offered tentative employment until the background investigation has been fully adjudicated.
As part of FRTIB's Drug-Free Workplace policy, all FRTIB employees may be subject to a random drug test.
Qualifications
This announcement is issued under the Direct-Hire Authority (DHA) to recruit for positions for which there is a critical hiring need. Appointee(s) will receive a career or career-conditional appointment in the competitive service and may be required to serve a one-year probationary period. Under this DHA announcement applicants who meet the basic qualification requirements will be forwarded to the Selecting Official.
Veterans' preference, Category Rating and traditional rating and ranking of applicants does not apply under the Direct-Hire Authority.
To qualify for this position applicants must meet the Basic Experience requirement and the Specialized Experience as described below.
Basic Requirement:
Completion of all mandatory training prescribed by the head of the agency for progression to 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. AND
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
Employees in GS-1102 positions will be considered to have met the standard for positions they occupy on January 1, 2000. This also applies to positions at the same grade in the same agency or other agencies if the specialized experience requirements are met. However, they will have to meet the basic requirements and specialized experience requirements in order to qualify for promotion to a higher grade, unless granted a waiver under Paragraph D.
Specialized Experience: GS-13: Applicants must have at least one year of full-time specialized work experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the next lower level, GS-12, in the federal government.
Specialized experience is defined as:
Developing acquisition strategies and solicitation documents to support the planning, competition, and award of contracts for services, or professional support requirements.
Evaluating technical and price proposals to determine responsiveness, assess cost and price reasonableness, and support sound award recommendations.
Negotiating contract terms, conditions, and pricing to reach agreements that reflect program requirements and ensure best-value outcomes for the organization.
Administering awarded contracts--including monitoring performance, identifying issues, recommending modifications, and closing out contracts upon successful completion of the contract and payment of all outstanding obligations--to ensure contractor compliance with requirements, schedules, and performance standards.
*Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations. 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.
A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.
Education
You must provide your transcripts to support your educational claims. Transcripts may be unofficial copies, but they must come from an accredited college or university, and they also must include course names and the number of credit / semester hours. Click here to search the database of accredited institutions.
Foreign Education. If you are using education completed at foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign education programs. Foreign education must be deemed equivalent to that gained at an accredited U.S. education program. For further information visit the U.S. Department of Education's website concerning foreign qualifications.
Additional information
The FRTIB offers wonderful benefits and work/life-balance flexibilities to help empower and reflect respect for our employees. Our comprehensive benefits package includes paid time off*, life insurance, health benefits, and participation in the federal retirement system. We offer, as applicable, flexible work hours, annual and sick leave, transit and childcare subsidies, free and confidential employee assistance and occupational health referral services, free on-site fitness center, and off-site fitness membership reimbursement.
The FRTIB offices are conveniently located within a few blocks of the Union Station metro station. In addition, private parking is available in the building at the posted daily and monthly rates.
Relocation expenses are not authorized for this position; however, other recruitment incentives may be authorized.
Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments.
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
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.
You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position.
You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):
Contracting/Procurement
Cost Estimation and Analysis
Negotiating
Oral Communication
Planning and Evaluating
Problem Solving
Writing
The USA Hire Assessments includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment.
Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.
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 be advised, the following documents are required even if you are already a current federal employee or employee of the FRTIB:
1. Federal Resume Information: Your resume may be longer than two pages; however, only the first two pages will be reviewed when we evaluate your qualifications. Anything beyond page two will not be considered. Be sure the first two pages of your resume clearly show the relevant experience you want us to consider, including the start and end dates for each job (month, day, and year) and the number of hours you worked each week (for example, 40 hours/week). If your resume does not include this information, we may not be able to determine whether you qualify, and you may not be considered for this position. If you submit more than one resume, only the most recent version will be used to evaluate your application.
2. Responses to the occupational questionnaire.
3. You must submit supporting documents verifying your selection priority eligibility along with your application package. Omitting these documents may result in no preference being adjudicated for you. These documents may include, but are not limited to:
ICTAP documentation. RIF separation notice along with your last performance rating or appraisal.
Schedule A documentation. A qualifying letter from a doctor's or vocational rehabilitation office indicating you are eligible for hire under the Schedule A hiring authority.
VA Disaiblity Letter - Letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) showing a service-connected disability of 30% or more to demonstrate eligibility for the 30%+ Disabled Veteran appointing authority.
4. College transcripts. Transcripts must be legible and possess the school name imprinted on the transcript or be on school letterhead; you may be asked to submit official transcripts upon selection.
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.
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments and submit all required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows:
Click the Apply Online button.
Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.
Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice.
Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials.
Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended.
Set aside at least 3 hours to take the USA Hire Assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link.
Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused.
You may update your application documents and some questions related to your personal information at any time during the announcement open period. However, you will not be able to make changes to questions related to assessing the minimum qualifications and competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics) mentioned in the "How You Will Be Evaluated" section above. To make an allowed update to your application, return to your USAJOBS account (https://usajobs.gov). There you will find a record of your application, the application status, and an option to Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.
To view the announcement status or your application status: Visit https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/howto/application/status/. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application.
Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board
77 K STREET NE, Suite 1000
Washington, DC 20002
US
Next steps
Once your application package is received you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. If your final rating places you among the top candidates, your application will be referred to the selecting official for further review. If your name is referred to the selecting official, you may be contacted directly by the office for a possible interview. You may also check the status of your application through your USAJOBS profile.
When the entire vacancy announcement process has been completed you will receive notice via email (or by mail if no email address was provided during the application process). Please allow at least 4-6 weeks after the vacancy has closed to inquire about the status of your application.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
Please be advised, the following documents are required even if you are already a current federal employee or employee of the FRTIB:
1. Federal Resume Information: Your resume may be longer than two pages; however, only the first two pages will be reviewed when we evaluate your qualifications. Anything beyond page two will not be considered. Be sure the first two pages of your resume clearly show the relevant experience you want us to consider, including the start and end dates for each job (month, day, and year) and the number of hours you worked each week (for example, 40 hours/week). If your resume does not include this information, we may not be able to determine whether you qualify, and you may not be considered for this position. If you submit more than one resume, only the most recent version will be used to evaluate your application.
2. Responses to the occupational questionnaire.
3. You must submit supporting documents verifying your selection priority eligibility along with your application package. Omitting these documents may result in no preference being adjudicated for you. These documents may include, but are not limited to:
ICTAP documentation. RIF separation notice along with your last performance rating or appraisal.
Schedule A documentation. A qualifying letter from a doctor's or vocational rehabilitation office indicating you are eligible for hire under the Schedule A hiring authority.
VA Disaiblity Letter - Letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) showing a service-connected disability of 30% or more to demonstrate eligibility for the 30%+ Disabled Veteran appointing authority.
4. College transcripts. Transcripts must be legible and possess the school name imprinted on the transcript or be on school letterhead; you may be asked to submit official transcripts upon selection.
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.
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments and submit all required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows:
Click the Apply Online button.
Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.
Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice.
Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials.
Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended.
Set aside at least 3 hours to take the USA Hire Assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link.
Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused.
You may update your application documents and some questions related to your personal information at any time during the announcement open period. However, you will not be able to make changes to questions related to assessing the minimum qualifications and competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics) mentioned in the "How You Will Be Evaluated" section above. To make an allowed update to your application, return to your USAJOBS account (https://usajobs.gov). There you will find a record of your application, the application status, and an option to Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.
To view the announcement status or your application status: Visit https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/howto/application/status/. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application.
Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board
77 K STREET NE, Suite 1000
Washington, DC 20002
US
Next steps
Once your application package is received you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. If your final rating places you among the top candidates, your application will be referred to the selecting official for further review. If your name is referred to the selecting official, you may be contacted directly by the office for a possible interview. You may also check the status of your application through your USAJOBS profile.
When the entire vacancy announcement process has been completed you will receive notice via email (or by mail if no email address was provided during the application process). Please allow at least 4-6 weeks after the vacancy has closed to inquire about the status of your application.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
