Contracts Specialist
What you'd do
The Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) contracting professionals are key partners in modernizing and maintaining the nation's air traffic management system, to increase flight capacity, meet future air traffic demands, and continue FAA's mission in providing the safest and most efficient air travel system in the world.
Major duties
As a Senior Contract Specialist or Team Lead, the incumbent will apply all agency requirements including laws, regulations, the Acquisition Management System (AMS), contracting Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and other directives. The incumbent will serve as a subject matter expert (SME) and provide leadership for highly complex and challenging acquisition functions under minimal direction of a manager or executive. The incumbent will also serve as the lead or SME specialist to develop new and innovative approaches, methodologies, and techniques to define and direct challenging projects, programs, and activities. Applies experience and expert knowledge applicable to acquisitions and contracting to conduct functional activities for projects/programs that often require the development of new and innovative approaches. Identifies and resolves challenging problems or issues that often cross organizational boundaries and impact on the accomplishment of strategic objectives. The incumbent will lead acquisition strategy and contract development, award and administration for the Agency within one or more acquisition specialty areas in the Acquisition Organization, such as, research and development, major systems, system operations, facilities, construction and architect-engineer services, support services, and other services. This includes complete contract management for agency wide acquisition programs, National Airspace System (NAS) support and automation, and other agency priorities. The incumbent must be aware of conditions and processes for contracts such as, major systems, design to cost, effective competition, acquisition life cycle, exploration, demonstration, full production, and full-scale development. Applying principles of program management, quality assurance, reliability, scheduling, work breakdown structures and validations, the incumbent will plan, develop, and implement acquisition strategies utilizing the flexibilities found in the AMS. As the SME, the incumbent will be responsible for drafting, reviewing, editing documents as well as leading the execution and implementation of major milestones throughout the acquisition process. This includes, but is not limited to, all the key contractual roles identified above as well as analysis of contractor Cost Accounting System (CAS) Disclosure Statements, analysis of Earned Value Management (EVM) data, analysis of compliance with terms and conditions, using tools to determine root causes for issues that arise as well as formulating the course of action to remedy issues. The negotiated contracts and awards will be made to commercial organizations, educational institutions, nonprofit organizations and State, local or foreign government entities. Pre-Award - Use all appropriate laws, regulation, agency directives, etc., to perform all pre-award contract duties. Acquisition Planning and Strategy Lead the development and implementation of strategies to assure that supplies and services are available when needed to meet mission requirements. Post-Award - Contract Management.
What you need to qualify
To view the complete OPM qualification standard, please refer to: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/1100/contracting-series-1102/ Basic Requirements for Pay Bands FV-J: (1) 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; and (2) 4 years of 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 pay band or grade of the position, and must have provided the knowledge skills, and abilities to perform successfully the work of the position; and (3) Completion of training for FAC-C certification. Training courses reflect a government-wide standard and each level of certification must be met to qualify for the next level. Applicants must document successful completion of core course work or evidence of certification. SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENT: To qualify for this position you must demonstrate in your application that you possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to FV-I, FG/GS 13 in the Federal Service. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. Specialized experience may include but not limited to: Experience as a senior contract official awarding and administering complex contracts. This experience will include applying innovative and advanced contracting skills to major system and support service acquisitions, which have characteristics such as technically complex, mission essential, high visibility, and high dollar value. Employees in 1102 series positions will be considered to have met the basic requirements for positions they occupy on January 1, 2000, if specialized experience requirements are met. This applies to other positions at the same pay band/grade in the FAA or other Federal agencies. To qualify for a position at a higher pay band or grade, he/she must meet the requirements and specialized experience as stated. Qualifications must be met by the closing date of this vacancy announcement. Eligible applicants meeting the minimum qualification requirements and selective factor(s), if applicable, may be further evaluated on the KSA listed in the announcement. Based on this evaluation, applicants will be placed in one of the following categories: score order, category grouping, or alphabetical and referred to the selecting official for consideration.
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