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Contract Specialist

General Services Administration
Federal Acquisition Service

Summary

As a Contract Specialist at the full performance level, you will be responsible for the full range of pre-award and post-award functions within the Federal Acquisition Service (FAS).

Location determined upon selection.

FAS provides a vast array of innovative products, services, and solutions across government at the best value possible.

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

Overview

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Accepting applications
Posted this week · Apply by 07/20/26
Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on July 20, 2026
This job will close when we have received 150 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Location
5 vacancies in the following locations:
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—This position is full-time in the office. In rare instances, situational telework may be approved on a case-by-case basis.
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$89,508 - $145,468 per year

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.

Pay scale & grade
GS 12
Promotion potential
12
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
25% or less - 25% or less travel may be required.
Appointment type
Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Represented by a union
No
Drug test
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Position sensitivity and risk
High Risk (HR)
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Financial disclosure required
Yes - OGE-450
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
FA-2026-0008
Control number
875188000

Duties

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Analyze difficult contracting issues and identifies alternative courses of action

Assists the Contracting Officer (CO) in the acquisition planning processes, providing advice and assistance to ensure proposed service enhancements are within the scope of the contracts or that
specifications are developed in a format suitable for competitive solicitation.

Prepares acquisition documentation, including market analyses, acquisition plans, and Determination & Findings and submits to the CO for final review/approval. Helps determine the acquisition strategy that best aligns with customer requirements.

Supports the CO in negotiations, which includes planning and documenting a negotiation strategy and participating in negotiations to develop the contract prices and terms culminating in issuance of the contract or task order.

Ensures effective contracting by performing all necessary actions to comply with contract terms, safeguarding the interests of the United States in its contractual relationships, and providing quality acquisitions that adhere to regulatory and policy compliance.

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

If selected, you must meet the following conditions:

  • 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 Non­Career 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 4 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.
  • Complete a financial disclosure report to verify that no conflict, or an appearance of conflict, exists between your financial interest and this position
  • Position requires temporary duty business travel approximately 25% of the time.

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.

The GS-12  salary range starts at $89,508  per year.  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.  

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

GS-1102 Basic Requirement:

(A) A 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with a major in any field

or

(B) 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

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE:  

In addition to the Basic Requirements listed above, you must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 in the Federal service. Specialized experience is experience performing a wide range of pre- and/or post-award contract activities such as soliciting, negotiating, awarding, monitoring, and/or closing out contracts; and interpreting and applying federal acquisition regulations, agency policies, and contract law principles to ensure compliance.

 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

Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin.

Applicants are encouraged to make their resume searchable in their USAJOBS.gov profile. This will allow Federal hiring specialists and hiring managers across agencies to find their resume as part of agency recruitment campaigns or staffing searches.

If you apply to this position and are selected, we will not ask about your criminal history before you receive a conditional job offer. If you believe you were asked about your criminal history improperly, contact the agency or visit GSA's webpage.
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 through this announcement in this or other GSA organizations within the same commuting area as needed; through other means; or not at all.

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.

How you will be evaluated

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

A panel of Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) will review the application of qualified candidates and assign a score for each of the five required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) based on the experience documented in the resume and narrative responses.

  1. Ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing with internal and external stakeholders. This includes presentation of clear and comprehensive contract file documentation sufficient to sustain audits and protests; keeping management, customers, and contractors apprised of project status and key issues of concern.

  2. Knowledge of commercial and non-commercial acquisition practices, this includes but is not limited to, in Information Technology (IT), Professional Services (PS), Research & Development (R&D), digital services, operations and maintenance, and/or managed services.

  3. Understanding of compliance for Acquisition Quality Indicators, such as Contractor Performance assessment Reporting (CPAR), Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP).

  4. Knowledge of Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR), other applicable laws, guidelines, and procedures to assist the CO with contract administration and ensure compliance. 

  5. Knowledge of analytical methods, principles, and techniques required to receive, analyze, and resolve customer requests and problems.

Demonstration of these KSAs must be supported by your application. Applicants should also make note of each KSA, as you will be asked to address them later in the application process.

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 the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) or GSA’s Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), your resume must clearly demonstrate experience in at least 3 of the 5 required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) to receive priority consideration.


You may preview questions for this vacancy.

Federal Acquisition Service

Agency contact information

Brandy Martinez
Phone
267-584-7947
Fax
000-000-0000
Email
crcbvacancyinquiries@gsa.gov
Address
GSA, Federal Acquisition Service
Servicing HR Office: TAC Branch B
GSA, Office of Human Resources Management (OHRM)
1800 F Street, NW
Washington, District of Columbia 20405
United States

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https://www.gsa.gov/about-us

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