Contract Specialist (Direct Hire)

You must meet all three requirements listed below; unless you are covered by an exception:

1. The mandatory Basic Requirement shown in the Education section below;
2. Specialized experience and/or directly related education, as shown below, which has equipped you with the particular competencies needed to successfully perform the duties of this position; and
3. Certification/Training requirements.

To qualify for GS-13, you must have one year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level:

• Performing pre-award and post-award actions to procure and administer contracts for various contract types (e.g., supplies and services); AND
• Utilizing negotiation techniques sufficient to negotiate prices, terms and conditions, and contract modifications in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR).

Certification/Training for GS-13:
You must meet one of the following requirements to be considered for this position:
A. Certification:
Possess a valid Level II Federal Acquisition Certification-Contracting (FAC-C) certification or FAC-C (Professional) or Level II Department of Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) certification or DAWIA Professional.

OR

B. Training:
Completion of all mandatory training prescribed by the head of the agency for level II Federal Acquisition Certification-Contracting (FAC-C) (NASA-FAC-C-Curriculum-Table.pdf), and at least 4 years of experience in contracting or related positions. At least one 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.

To be hired for this position, you must possess a valid level II Federal Acquisition Certification-Contracting (FAC-C) or FAC-C Professional or level II Department of Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) certification or DAWIA Professional or must have already completed all mandatory training prescribed by the head of the agency for level II FAC-C and/or FAC-C Professional. If you are currently certified, you will be asked to provide evidence of continuous learning to verify your existing certification. If you are not currently certified, you must apply for certification within 30 days after your start date in this position.


**List your FAC-C or DAWIA certification level and date of certification. If you are not currently certified, but have completed the mandatory procurement training, list the training that you have completed to date.**

Your resume must include a clear and detailed narrative description, in your own words, of how you meet the required specialized experience. Experience statements copied from a position description, vacancy announcement or other reference material constitutes plagiarism and may result in disqualification and losing consideration for the job. NASA prohibits the use of artificial intelligence (AI) or AI-assisted tool in drafting application and assessment responses. Please visit https://www.nasa.gov/careers/how-to-apply/#Artificial-Intelligence to review NASA's guidance on the use of AI tools during the application process.


Waiver:
For this position, applicants that possess the specialized experience outlined above but do not currently meet the education or training requirements may be eligible to receive the required FAC-C certification. The education or training requirements above may be waived if the NASA Senior Procurement Executive certifies that an 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. If you are hired for this position, you will have up to two years from your start date to obtain FAC-C Level II and/or FAC-C Professional certification, as applicable, under a waiver of the education requirement or up to one year from your start date to meet the training requirement and receive FAC-C Level II and/or FAC-C Professional certification, as applicable. If you do not meet the education or training requirements before the period expires, you will be demoted or removed from this position.

The ideal candidate has experience recommending, developing, and implementing policies and procedures to procure supplies, services, for construction or research and development projects using formal advertising or negotiation procedures to evaluate contract price proposals and policies.