Contract Specialist
What you'd do
This vacancy is for a Contract Specialist in the Office of the Secretary within the Department of Commerce.
Major duties
As a Contract Specialist, you will: Develop or carry-out policies and procedures to procure supplies, services, construction, or research and development using formal advertising or negotiation procedures. Manage or perform the acquisition processes involved in the procurement or supplies, services, construction, ADP, and research and development. Administers, terminates, and closes out contracts. Develop acquisition strategy and plans procurements. Apply strategic sourcing and category management principles. Manage multiple concurrent acquisition actions being performed by a team. Evaluate contract price proposals. Analyze and advise on changes in policies and resources that affect program objectives. Identify problems, propose solutions, and defend recommendations. Write and communicate clear guidelines. Communicate effectively orally and in writing to a wide range of audiences. Consult with the supervisor on priorities and unusual situations. This Job Opportunity Announcement may be used to fill other Contract Specialist ZA-1102-3, FPL: 4 positions within the Department of Commerce in the same geographical location or local commuting area with the same qualifications and specialized experience. This JOA is also being advertised at the ZA-4 under OS-OAM-DE-26-13031506 under Direct Hiring Authority. The ZA-4 position is the full performance level of the ZA-3 position. If you wish to be considered for both the ZA-3 and ZA-4 positions, you must apply to both.
What you need to qualify
Qualification requirements in the vacancy announcements are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook, which contains federal qualification standards. This handbook is available on the Office of Personnel Management's website located at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/#url=Occupational-Series Applicants must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the next lower grade level in the Federal Service. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular competencies/knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. This experience need not have been in the federal government. 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. This position is being filled under the Department Of Commerce (DOC) Alternative Personnel System (CAPS). Under CAPS, positions are classified by career path and pay band. The ZA-3 is equivalent to the GS-11/12 grade levels. To qualify at the ZA-3, you MUST meet the Basic Requirements AND Specialized Experience as stated below: Basic Requirements: (You must submit a copy of certificates. Also, you must submit a copy of your transcripts, official or unofficial, to document your education.) 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. -OR- C. 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 1102 positions at grades 5 through 12 will be considered to meet the basic requirements for other 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. Applicants must demonstrate that they meet the Specialized Experience requirements as noted. AND SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: You must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the ZA-03/GS-09 in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as experience: Managing multiple federal contracting actions concurrently, acquisition planning, and procurement strategies for supplies, services, or research and development requirements. Applying acquisition regulations and contracting procedures to evaluate proposals, analyze costs, and administer contracts. Providing acquisitions guidance, coordinating procurement activities, and communicating contracting recommendations to stakeholders. Working independently serving as a Contract Specialist or warranted Contracting Officer with minimal supervisory oversight within applicable warrant authority. -OR- SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION: Three (3) full academic years of progressively higher-level graduate education or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree. To qualify for 1102 positions on the basis of graduate education it must be in one or a combination of the following fields: accounting, business, finance, law, contracts, purchasing, economics, industrial management, marketing, quantitative methods, or organization and management. -OR- A combination of education and experience as described above. Only graduate-level education in excess of two full years is qualifying for combination of education and experience. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study.
Before you apply
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