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Contract Specialist

Department of Homeland Security
Office of the Inspector General
Office of Management

Summary

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) is an independent office whose mission is to promote excellence, integrity, and accountability throughout the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). In our dynamic environment, the OIG conducts investigations, audits, evaluations, and inspections to enhance program effectiveness and efficiency and to detect and prevent waste, fraud, and mismanagement in DHS programs and operations.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—Relocation and/or Recruitment incentives may be authorized.
Salary
$138,595 - $180,178 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 14
Promotion potential
14
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
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
Yes
Security clearance
Secret
Position sensitivity and risk
Noncritical-Sensitive (NCS)/Moderate Risk
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Financial disclosure required
Yes
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
OIG-MP-26-13032171-DF
Control number
879814400

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Current federal employees who hold or held a non-temporary career or career-conditional appointment and persons eligible for reinstatement.

Duties

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This position is located in the Acquisitions and Special Programs Division, Office of Management, Office of Inspector General (OIG), Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Typical assignments include:

  • Plans, develops, and establishes contractual strategy.
  • Determines the type of contract and authority best suited to the requirements; develops special clauses and metrics, as necessary, to clearly convey expectations and evaluate contractor performance.
  • Prepares statements of work in collaboration with program personnel and prepares appropriate file documentation, as required by the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), including justifications.
  • Appoints and oversees the contracting officer's representatives in all OIG procurement actions and ensures that benchmarks for projects are met and that contracts receive prompt payment for deliverables.
  • Directs the full range of contract administration actions required for the acquisition program, including the issuance of contract modifications, negotiation of changes, exercise of options, investigations and resolution of contractor delays, contractor performance appraisals, subcontractor surveillance, disposition of claims, and similar matters.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position
  • You must successfully pass a background investigation
  • You must be able to obtain Secret security clearance
  • Selective Service registration required
  • Completion of [a two year Trial Period, 1 year probationary period OR 1 year Supervisory Probationary Period] may be required
  • A Financial disclosure is required for GS-14, GS-15 and Acquisition positions
  • Submission of Performance Appraisal is mandatory

Qualifications

BASIC QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

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

2. 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.

3. 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 under Paragraph D.

4. 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.

NOTE: If you are currently employed with an agency other than DHS and seeking a lateral transfer AND you were promoted to an 1102 position at or above the GS-13 level (or equivalent) after 12/31/99 based on a waiver of the agency's training requirements, you will need to be approved for another training waiver before you can be hired into a GS-1102 position at or above the GS-13 level with DHS. If you were hired into your current GS-1102-13 or higher level position, with a non-DHS agency, based on an educational waiver, you will still have to meet the educational requirements stated in Qualification Requirements #1.

Minimum Qualifications for GS-14: You qualify for the GS-14 position if you possess one year of specialized experience at the equivalent to GS-13 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience at this level includes:

  • Administers the full range of contracts for various goods and services from small purchases to multi-million dollar procurements that entail a number of different processes or elements.
  • Manages, administers, and oversees all contracting activities of the agency.
  • Develops and provides oversight of policies and procedures with regard to the contracting process and acquisition planning and strategy.

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; religious; 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.

The qualification requirements listed above must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

Current federal employees must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade level or equivalent grade band in the federal service. The time-in-grade requirement must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

Education

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications (particularly positions with a positive education requirement). Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website:

https://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/search.aspx.

All education claimed by applicants will be verified by the appointing agency accordingly.

Special Instructions for Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in 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 interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university.

NOTE: You must attach a copy of your transcripts for verification.

Additional information

DHS offers competitive salaries and an attractive benefits package, including: health, dental, vision, life, and long-term care insurance; retirement plan; Thrift Savings Plan [similar to a 401(k)]; Flexible Spending Account; Employee Assistance Program; personal leave days; and paid federal holidays. Other benefits may include: flexible work schedules; telework; tuition reimbursement; transportation subsidies; uniform allowance; health and wellness programs; and fitness centers. DHS is committed to employee development and offers a variety of employee training and developmental opportunities. For more information, go to the DHS Careers website and select Benefits. Disabled veteran leave will be available to any Federal employee hired on or after November 5, 2016, who is a veteran with a service-connected disability rating of 30 percent or more.

If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment.

Additional identical positions may be filled from this announcement at a later date.

Background Investigation: To ensure the accomplishment of our mission, DHS requires every employee to be reliable and trustworthy. To meet those standards, all selected applicants must undergo and successfully pass a background investigation for Secret clearance as a condition of placement into this position.

DHS uses E-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.

The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR § 213.3102(u), and/or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR § 315.707. Veterans, Peace Corps/VISTA volunteers, and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above or contact the Servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement.

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.

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), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, a subject matter expert review of your resume, and the result of the online assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

  • Accountability
  • Attention to Detail
  • Customer Service
  • Decision Making
  • Flexibility
  • Influencing/Negotiating
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Learning
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Reasoning
  • Self-Management
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Teamwork


In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.

The assessment 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. The assessment 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 the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

Following the review of your resume by our panel of subject matter experts, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be called for an interview.

Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA): To be eligible for a VEOA appointment, the veteran must be 1) be a preference eligible; or 2) be a veteran separated after 3 or more years of continuous active service performed under honorable conditions. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this announcement. (Note: Veteran's preference does not apply under Merit Promotion procedures.) View VEOA information on Feds Hire Vets.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) Eligibles: If you have never worked for the federal government, you are not ICTAP eligible. View information about ICTAP eligibility on OPM's Career Transition Resources website. To be considered well qualified under ICTAP, you must be rated at a minimum score of 85 for this position. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this announcement.

Office of the Inspector General

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) offers you the opportunity to become a part of one of the most challenging and important missions facing the country today, by driving transformative change to improve DHS programs and operations and promote a safer homeland.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is calling on those who want to help protect American interests and secure our Nation. DHS Components work collectively to prevent terrorism; secure borders and our transportation systems; protect the President and other dignitaries; enforce and administer immigration laws; safeguard cyberspace; and ensure resilience to disasters. We achieve these vital missions through a diverse workforce spanning hundreds of occupations. Make an impact; join DHS.

Additional identical positions may be filled from this announcement at a later date.

Any Offers of employment made pursuant to this announcement will be consistent with all applicable authorities, including Presidential Memoranda, Executive Orders, interpretive U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB), U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) guidance, and Office of Management and Budget plans and policies concerning hiring. These authorities are subject to change.

View the Common Definitions of terms in this announcement.

Agency contact information

Dhymee Fields
Email
Dhymee.Fields@oig.dhs.gov
Address
Office of Inspector General
245 Murray Lane SW
Washington, DC 20528
US

Visit our careers page

Learn more about what it's like to work at Office of the Inspector General, what the agency does, and about the types of careers this agency offers.

https://www.oig.dhs.gov/

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