Contract Specialist (Direct Hire)

Summary This position is in the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (OIG) in the Office of Management and Policy (OMAP), Division of Procurement and Administrative Services. The incumbent functions as a contract specialist and is responsible for providing procurement and contract services for the Office of Inspector General (OIG) nationwide. Learn more about this agency Duties As a Contract Specialist, you will: Serves as an expert contract specialist responsible for performing a full range of acquisitions procedures in accordance with FAR and DOLAR to procure supplies, services, and/or equipment for the OIG. Based on technical specifications received, develops a solicitation document. Determines number of vendors to be solicited. Issues, documents, and coordinates responses received for the purpose of evaluating offers. Determines specific contract language and clauses by editing Statements of Work. Selects the appropriate type of contract, and coordinates with socioeconomic specialists relative to special programs if applicable. Determines method of award. Performs price/cost analysis to determine price/cost fair and reasonable. Analyzes commercial pricing practices applicable to assigned commodities and economic developments relative to increased material, labor, or transportation costs as reflected in price indices. Evaluates cost/price data submitted by offertory to support direct and indirect costs, and profit. Provides research and analytical support in researching procurement issues. Uses the FAR, Appropriation Law, Comptroller General Decisions and other sources to resolve issues and recommend policies and procedures. Responsible for the administration of all contracts awarded. This includes negotiating and preparing modifications, accurately and timely, reviewing and approving invoices, confirming receipt of items purchased, and closing out contract(s) timely. Performs other duties as assigned. Requirements Conditions of employment Appointment to this position may require a background investigation. Requires a probationary period if the requirement has not been met. Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting (FAC-C), or equivalent Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) certification such as DAWIA Professional) is required upon selection, and must be maintained. Must be a U.S. Citizen. This position is subject to the confidential financial disclosure (OGE-450) requirements of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 (P.L. 95-521). This position requires the employee to obtain and maintain the appropriate background investigation and/or security clearance. Qualifications Applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level in the Federal Service. Specialized Experience is the experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to perform the duties of the position successfully, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level. To qualify on Experience for the GS-13, you must have one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-12, which includes: Examples of specialized experience may include performing such duties as: Performing independent contracting assignments in the solicitation, negotiation, award, and administration of a variety of complex contracts for goods or services. Demonstrated accomplishment of pre-award and post-award procurement actions that require extensive knowledge of Federal government and Departmental contracting methods and procedures. Knowledge of Government contract administration concepts, principles, and practices to monitor contractor performance over the life of a contract, and to solve a broad range of contract administration problems relating to specification interpretation, delinquent/unsatisfactory performance, constructive changes, change proposals, claims, contractor business systems, progress and other payments, subcontractor consent, pre-award functions, unilateral determinations, and other issues. Ability to advise clients on the development of statements of work and technical requirements; and have actively participated in multiple levels (i.e. sole source, 8a, limited competition, full and open competition), multiple forms (i.e. simplified acquisitions, GSA Schedule competitions, negotiated and/or sealed bids), multiple needs (i.e. services, supplies, equipment), and multiple portions of the procurement process (i.e. pre-award, post- award, policy, price analysis). Basic Requirements for GS-13 and Above 1. 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. No Relocation Incentives will be offered. No Permanent Change of Station Incentives will be offered. This position is outside the Bargaining Unit. This position will not be filled until the Department's Placement Assistance Programs have been fully utilized. Education Any applicant falsely claiming an academic degree from an accredited school will be subject to actions ranging from disqualification from federal employment to removal from federal service. If your education was completed at a foreign college or university, you must show comparability to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States and comparability to applicable minimum course work requirements for this position. Click Evaluation of Foreign Education for more information. Additional information This position is being filled through the Direct Hire Authority. Traditional rating and ranking of applications do NOT apply. The Veteran's preference does not apply. Non-Supervisory Financial Disclosure: This position may be subject to the confidential financial disclosure requirements of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 (P.L. 95-521). Therefore, if selected, you will be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450) to determine if a conflict or an appearance of a conflict exists between your financial interest(s) and your prospective position with DOL. This information will be required annually. DOL seeks to attract and retain a high-performing and diverse workforce in which employee differences are respected and valued to better meet the varying needs of the diverse customers we serve. DOL fosters a diverse and inclusive work environment that promotes collaboration, flexibility, and fairness so that all individuals can participate and contribute to their full potential. Refer to these links for more information: GENERAL INFORMATION, REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION, ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION, FORMER FEDERAL EMPLOYEES As a condition of employment, all personnel must undergo a background investigation for access to DOL facilities, systems, information and/or classified materials before they can enter on duty: BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION Telework Positions: This position is physically located in Washington, DC. Incumbents are eligible to telework, subject to supervisor approval, but must also report to the physical office a prescribed number of days each pay period. Click here for Telework Position Information Based on agency needs, additional positions may be filled using this vacancy. The Fair Chance Act (FCA) prohibits Federal agencies from requesting an applicant's criminal history information before the agency makes a conditional offer of employment. If you believe a DOL employee has violated your rights under the FCA, you may file a complaint of the alleged violation following our agency's complaint process Guidelines for Reporting Violations of the Fair Chance Act. Note: The FCA does not apply to some positions specified under the Act, such as law enforcement or national security positions. All applicants tentatively selected for this position will be required to submit to screening for illegal drug use prior to the appointment. All Department of Labor employees are subject to the provisions of the Drug-Free Workplace Program under Executive Order 12564 and Public Law 100-71. Expand Hide  additional information 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. Benefits A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits. Review our benefits Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.