The GAO is part of the Legislative Branch of the Federal government. As such, all positions are in the excepted service. This position is located in the Government Accountability Office (GAO), Financial Management and Business Operations (FMBO), Acquisition Management (AM). The incumbent oversees a portfolio of procurements of substantial complexity and visibility that support GAO mission teams and operational offices, ensuring compliance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR).
Summary
The GAO is part of the Legislative Branch of the Federal government. As such, all positions are in the excepted service. This position is located in the Government Accountability Office (GAO), Financial Management and Business Operations (FMBO), Acquisition Management (AM). The incumbent oversees a portfolio of procurements of substantial complexity and visibility that support GAO mission teams and operational offices, ensuring compliance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR).
As aSupervisory Contract Specialist, MS-1102-2your typical work assignments may include the following:
Supervise Contract Specialists and Contracting Officers, setting priorities, assigning work, and ensuring timely completion.
Conduct performance reviews, establishes expectations, provides ongoing feedback, and recommends recognition or corrective actions.
Review Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS) ratings for accuracy, completeness, and documentation.
Develop the team's technical proficiency through training, coaching, and support for Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting (FAC-C) and Federal Acquisition Certification for Contracting Officers Representatives (FAC-COR) and Federal Acquisition Certification for Program and Project Managers (FAC-P/PM) from FAI certification.
Participate in workforce planning, recruitment, interviews, and staff selection to strengthen the acquisition talent pipeline.
Advise GAO mission teams on acquisition strategy, market research, contract type selection, risks, and procurement milestones.
Work directly with program officials to shape requirements, (SOW) Statement of Work, /(PWS) Performance work statement, and / (SOO) Statement of objectives development, and evaluation criteria.
Collaborate with other offices within FMBO, Office of General Counsel, and mission teams to resolve contractor performance issues, disputes, or claims.
Contribute to development of internal policies, templates, SOPs, and quality assurance measures. Supports audit and compliance reviews, ensuring procurement documentation withstands scrutiny
You must meet all qualification requirements before the announcement closes.
1. You must be a U.S. citizen
2. You may be required to submit a financial disclosure statement.
3. You must be suitable for federal employment.
4. Registered for Selective Service, if applicable. (www.sss.gov).
5. Completion of a probationary period may be required
Qualifications
Minimum Qualification Requirements:
Applicants must have at least one year (52 weeks) of specialized experience at the next lower band level, equivalent to MS-1, PE-II, PT-III or the GS-14, which has equipped the applicant with the skills and knowledge to successfully perform the duties of the position.
Specialized experience is experience in supervising personnel and managing work operations, develop, implement, and monitor internal controls, apply program management principles and methods, including a variety of qualitative and quantitative methods.
Basic Qualification Requirement:
A. 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 (for this position, the qualifying experience is at the GS-12 level), and must have provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the work of the position. AND
B. 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.
C. Exceptions: 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.
D. Waiver: When filling a specific vacant position, the senior procurement executive of the selecting agency, at his or her discretion, may waive any or all of the requirements of Paragraphs A and B above if the senior procurement executive certifies that the applicant possesses significant potential for advancement to levels of greater responsibility and authority, based on demonstrated analytical and decision making capabilities, job performance, and qualifying experience. With respect to each waiver granted under this Paragraph D, the senior procurement executive must document for the record the basis of the waiver. If an individual is placed in a position in an agency on the basis of a waiver, the agency may later reassign that individual to another position at the same grade within that agency without additional waiver action.
Selective Placement Factor: Active Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting (FAC-C), Level III or active Defense Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) Level III certification is required.
Education
Have 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.
Additional information
Update your resume so it meets new resume requirements
Starting on September 27, 2025, federal agencies will only accept resumes up to two pages in length to comply with the Merit Hiring Plan. USAJOBS will not allow you to upload or build resumes longer than two pages, and you will need to update the resumes in your profile before applying to a job. What is required in the resume?
Resumes submitted for federal jobs are required to have:
Contact Information-your name and the best way to contact you.
Relevant work experience-Job experience should include employer name, job title, start and end dates (month/year), the number of hours worked per week and descriptions that explain how your previous work experience relates to and helps you meet the required qualifications in the GAO job announcement to which you are applying.
Education, certifications or licensures-If the job announcement requires any education, certifications or licensures, make sure you include the required information on the resume.
Form I-9, Employment Verification and the Electronic Eligibility Verification Program - GAO participates in the Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Program (E-Verify). E-Verify helps employers determine employment eligibility of new hires and the validity of their Social Security numbers. If selected, the Form I-9 will be required at the time of in-processing. Click here for more information about E-Verify and to obtain a copy of the Form I-9.
This is a none- bargaining unit position.
Based on the staffing needs, additional selections may be made through this vacancy announcement.
Travel and relocation expenses will not be paid for by the GAO.
Selectees will be required to complete questions contained on the Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306) at the time a tentative job offer is made. If selected, at the time of appointment, selectees will be required to update the OF-306.
REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION: GAO provides reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. To request accommodation, please email ReasonableAccommodations@gao.gov.The U.S. Government Accountability Office's policy is to provide equal employment opportunity for all regardless of race, religion, color, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, or gender identity.
The U.S. Government Accountability Office's policy is to provide equal employment opportunity for all regardless of race, religion, color, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, or gender identity.
The U.S. GAO is part of the Legislative Branch of the Federal government. As such, all positions are in the excepted service. Initial appointments, permanent or indefinite, to the GAO require completion of a one or two-year probationary period.
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.
If you meet the qualification requirements stated above, you will be further rated based on your responses to the assessment questions. Please make sure that your responses to the assessment questions are supported in your resume. Please follow all instructions carefully. If you provide incomplete answers, fail to provide a narrative response to any vacancy question(s) that requires further explanation, or if your response to a vacancy question is "see resume", your rating may be affected or you may be determined ineligible.
Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):
Contracting/Procurement, Oral Communication, and Planning and Evaluating
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.
You must provide a complete application package which includes:
Resume: For qualification determinations your resume must contain hours worked per week (if part-time) and dates of employment (i.e., month/year to month/year or month/year to present). If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as insufficient and you will not receive consideration for this position. If you are a current Federal employee or previous Federal employee, provide your pay plan, series and grade, i.e. GS-0301-09. Do NOT include photographs (or links to social media such as LinkedIn), inappropriate material, inappropriate content, nor personal information such as age, gender, religion, social security number, etc., on your resume.
If you are using your education to qualify (even partially), you must submit a copy of your transcripts. Transcripts do not need to be official, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you will be required to provide official transcripts. Foreign Education: If you are submitting a transcript from a non-US educational institution, applicants must submit all necessary documents to a private U.S. organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials, commonly called a credential evaluation service. For additional information, please visithttp://www.gao.gov/careers/foreignedu.pdf.
Veteran Hiring Authority Eligibles: VEOA, VRA, and 30% Disabled Veterans must submit adequate proof of active service in the Armed Forces including Member 4 copy of your DD-214, which indicates character of service. To claim 10-point veterans' preference, you must also submit an SF-15 and a letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs verifying the percentage of your disability and preference in hiring. To claim 5-Point veterans' preference, you must submit a Member 4 copy of the DD-214 or if you are currently active duty: an official statement of service from your command. For more information on veterans' preference visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Veterans.
If you are applying under Military Spouse Preference, you must Proof of marriage to the service member and the service members DD-214 (member 4 copy); or Proof the service member was released or discharged due to a 100 percent disability; or Proof of the service member's death while on active duty.
Current or former federal employees must submit their most recent Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50 or equivalent), showing tenure, type of service (competitive/excepted) and the highest grade held.
If you are applying under the Schedule A hiring Authority for individuals with disabilities, you must submit proof disability.
If you are applying as a Former Peace Corps and AmeriCorps Vista Volunteers, you must submit Certification of this volunteer service.
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.
To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.
A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration.
- To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
- Follow the prompts to select your résumé and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
- After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.- You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
If you are unable to apply online, please contact Yvette Jacksonat JacksonY@gao.gov or JacksonY@gao.gov by 4 p.m. on the closing date of the announcement.
For technical issue with USAJOBS: Please refer to the USAJOBS help page.
Government Accountability Office
Human Capital Office
441 G Street NW
Washington, DC 20548
US
Next steps
After the closing date of this announcement, GAO's Human Capital Office will conduct an evaluation of your qualifications by reviewing your assessment questionnaire and resume to complete an analysis. Please be as complete and thorough as possible. If your application is rated "best-qualified," your name will be referred to the selecting official for consideration. At this point you may be contacted for an interview.
If you do not meet the key requirements, and/or basic qualifications or you fail to submit all required application materials, your application will not be considered.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
You must provide a complete application package which includes:
Resume: For qualification determinations your resume must contain hours worked per week (if part-time) and dates of employment (i.e., month/year to month/year or month/year to present). If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as insufficient and you will not receive consideration for this position. If you are a current Federal employee or previous Federal employee, provide your pay plan, series and grade, i.e. GS-0301-09. Do NOT include photographs (or links to social media such as LinkedIn), inappropriate material, inappropriate content, nor personal information such as age, gender, religion, social security number, etc., on your resume.
If you are using your education to qualify (even partially), you must submit a copy of your transcripts. Transcripts do not need to be official, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you will be required to provide official transcripts. Foreign Education: If you are submitting a transcript from a non-US educational institution, applicants must submit all necessary documents to a private U.S. organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials, commonly called a credential evaluation service. For additional information, please visithttp://www.gao.gov/careers/foreignedu.pdf.
Veteran Hiring Authority Eligibles: VEOA, VRA, and 30% Disabled Veterans must submit adequate proof of active service in the Armed Forces including Member 4 copy of your DD-214, which indicates character of service. To claim 10-point veterans' preference, you must also submit an SF-15 and a letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs verifying the percentage of your disability and preference in hiring. To claim 5-Point veterans' preference, you must submit a Member 4 copy of the DD-214 or if you are currently active duty: an official statement of service from your command. For more information on veterans' preference visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Veterans.
If you are applying under Military Spouse Preference, you must Proof of marriage to the service member and the service members DD-214 (member 4 copy); or Proof the service member was released or discharged due to a 100 percent disability; or Proof of the service member's death while on active duty.
Current or former federal employees must submit their most recent Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50 or equivalent), showing tenure, type of service (competitive/excepted) and the highest grade held.
If you are applying under the Schedule A hiring Authority for individuals with disabilities, you must submit proof disability.
If you are applying as a Former Peace Corps and AmeriCorps Vista Volunteers, you must submit Certification of this volunteer service.
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.
To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.
A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration.
- To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
- Follow the prompts to select your résumé and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
- After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.- You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
If you are unable to apply online, please contact Yvette Jacksonat JacksonY@gao.gov or JacksonY@gao.gov by 4 p.m. on the closing date of the announcement.
For technical issue with USAJOBS: Please refer to the USAJOBS help page.
Government Accountability Office
Human Capital Office
441 G Street NW
Washington, DC 20548
US
Next steps
After the closing date of this announcement, GAO's Human Capital Office will conduct an evaluation of your qualifications by reviewing your assessment questionnaire and resume to complete an analysis. Please be as complete and thorough as possible. If your application is rated "best-qualified," your name will be referred to the selecting official for consideration. At this point you may be contacted for an interview.
If you do not meet the key requirements, and/or basic qualifications or you fail to submit all required application materials, your application will not be considered.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
