Contract Specialist
What you'd do
At the Indian Health Service, Contract Specialists acquire supplies and services that support healthcare for American Indian and Alaska Native communities. They manage acquisitions from planning through closeout while ensuring compliance and mission success. Reports to IHS Headquarters. Duty stations available in Rockville, MD, and nationwide at IHS Area Offices and field locations. A REAL ID will be required beginning May 7, 2025, in accordance with 6 C.F.R. 37.5 (2021).
Major duties
Total Compensation Package - Check out IHS's outstanding total compensation package for this job: Contract Specialist Total Compensation | Pay (ihs.gov) Plans and leads complex pre award and post award contracting activities for healthcare related supplies, services, construction, information technology, research, and professional service acquisitions. Develops acquisition strategies, prepares acquisition documentation, conducts cost and price analyses, negotiates contract terms, and awards contracts within delegated authority. Administers complex contracts by negotiating modifications, resolving performance issues, ensuring regulatory compliance, and managing contract closeout or termination actions. Advises program officials and senior leadership on acquisition planning, procurement strategies, regulatory requirements, and contracting risks to support mission objectives. Leads multidisciplinary acquisition teams and provides technical guidance and mentoring to Contract Specialists and other acquisition professionals.
What you need to qualify
To qualify for this position, your resume must state sufficient experience and/or education, to perform the duties of the specific position for which you are applying. 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; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer and part time experience. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week. BASIC REQUIREMENT(S): 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, quantitativemethods, or organization and management. Exceptions: Employees in GS-1102 positions will be considered to have met the standard for positions they occupy on January 1, 2000. Employees who occupy GS-1102 positions at grades 5 through 12 will be considered to meet the basic requirements for other GS-1102 positions up to and including those classified at GS-12. This includes positions at other agencies and promotions up through grade 12. However, employees must meet specialized experience requirements when seeking another position. and/or Basic Requirements for GS-13 and Above 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. 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. 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. In addition to the Basic Requirements, you must also meet the Minimum Qualifications stated below. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: GS-13: Your resume must demonstrate at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector performing the following type of work and/or tasks: Developing and implementing acquisition strategies for complex requirements. Leading acquisition planning with program, technical, legal, financial, and small business officials. Determining appropriate contract types, pricing structures, source selection approaches, competition strategies, and negotiation positions; performing or overseeing complex cost and price analysis. Leading negotiations involving significant technical, schedule, performance, funding, or contractual risk. Using multiple contracting methods and vehicles, such as simplified acquisition procedures, sealed bidding, negotiated procurements, Federal Supply Schedules, Governmentwide Acquisition Contracts, indefinite-delivery contracts, task or delivery orders, blanket purchase agreements, or purchase orders. Resolving complex performance, scope, claims, terminations, closeout, or contract administration issues. Providing authoritative acquisition advice to leadership and program officials. Interpreting and applying the FAR, agency supplements, procurement statutes, policies, and legal precedents and mentoring or reviewing the work of lower-graded contracting personnel. SELECTIVE FACTOR: Selective factors are knowledge, skills, abilities, or special qualifications that are in addition to the minimum requirements in a qualification standard, but are determined to be essential to perform the duties and responsibilities of a particular position. Applicants must possess a current Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting (FAC C) Professional certification OR a Legacy FAC C Level III Certification OR a current Department of Defense (DoD) Contracting Professional Certification. Applicants claiming a DoD Contracting Professional Certification must also submit a current Defense Acquisition University (DAU) /FAI Cornerstone on Demand Continuous Learning Individual Progress Dashboard (Acquisition Career Record Brief transcript). A copy of the required certification and supporting documentation, if applicable, must be submitted with the application. Time In Grade Federal employees in the competitive service are also subject to the Time-In-Grade Requirements: Merit Promotion (status) candidates must have completed one year of service at the next lower grade level. Time-In-Grade provisions do not apply under the Excepted Service Examining Plan (ESEP). You must meet all qualification requirements within 30 days of the closing date of the announcement.
Before you apply
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