Contract Specialist

Summary The Smithsonian Institution (SI) is the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex, with 21 museums and the National Zoo.  This position is located in the Office of Contracting and Personal Property Management. The Office of Contracting and Personal Property Management is responsible for the overall planning, management and execution of SI’s contracting, simplified purchasing, personal property and policy programs.  Learn more about this agency Duties The Contract Specialist acts as the overall contract administrator for assigned projects in exhibit fabrication and design.  In this position, you will: Drafts, solicits, negotiates and awards contracts for unique services, often with innovative financial arrangements. Provides guidance during contract administration concerning contract change orders, resolving contract claims and disputes, terminations for default and convenience, etc. Prepares all necessary contract documents, assuring the inclusion of all provisions required by law, regulation, and policy. Requirements Conditions of employment Pass Pre-employment Background Investigation May need to complete a Probationary Period Maintain a Bank Account for Direct Deposit/Electronic Transfer Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered with Selective Service. Conditions of Employment Qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.For information on qualification requirements, see Qualification Standards Handbook for General Schedule Positions on OPM website. Qualifications Basic Qualification Requirements GS-12: A 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with a major in any field; or 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. Basic Qualification Requirements GS-13: 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 meeting the basic requirements above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the specialized experience requirements listed below: GS-12 Experience: You qualify for this position if you have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 level in the Federal Service.  For this position, specialized experience is defined as assisting with and performing contracting functions related to exhibit fabrication and design and related services. This includes supporting contract planning, solicitation, negotiation, award, administration, and closeout actions; monitoring contractor performance; reviewing schedules, drawings, and specifications; assisting with on‑site inspections; and helping resolve routine contract issues under established guidance and supervision. GS-13 Experience: You qualify for this position if you have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 level in the Federal Service.  For this position, specialized experience is defined as independently performing and leading complex contracting actions related to exhibit fabrication and design and related services. This includes serving as the primary contract administrator; planning and executing acquisition strategies; negotiating and awarding contracts; administering long‑term, high‑dollar contracts with multiple change orders or disputes; exercising authority to accept, modify, or terminate contracts; and providing expert contracting advice to program officials with minimal oversight. Your resume must be no more than two (2) pages and should clearly demonstrate how your experience aligns with the responsibilities and specialized experience required for this position. Do not copy language directly from the vacancy announcement, as you will be deemed ineligible for consideration. Instead, provide detailed, descriptive information about your actual experience.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.Part-time and/or unpaid experience related to this position will be considered to determine the total number of years and months of experience. Be sure to note the number of paid or unpaid hours worked each week. Education You must submit a copy of your unofficial college transcripts for verification in order to be considered. FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. Additional information This position is not included in the bargaining unit. Recruitment Incentive: Recruitment incentive(s) may be authorized for this position.  However, approval for incentives are contingent upon various availability. If authorized, certain incentives will require the incumbent to sign a service agreement to remain in the Federal government for a certain time period. Note: This statement does not imply nor guarantee an incentive will be offered and paid. Selections may be made for vacancies across the Smithsonian Institution (SI). By applying to this position, you agree to allow your application and other personal information to be shared with one or more SI hiring officials for employment consideration for same/similar positions within the location(s) identified in this announcement. 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 The Smithsonian offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, vacation and sick leave, holidays, health/life insurance, accident insurance, and excellent retirement program options. Please see Benefits at https://www.si.edu/OHR/benefits for a complete description. Flexible Spending Accounts - https://www.fsafeds.com/ Health Insurance - http://www.opm.gov/insure/health/index.aspLeave - http://www.opm.gov/oca/leave/index.aspLife Insurance - http://www.opm.gov/insure/life/index.aspLong Term Care Insurance - http://www.ltcfeds.comRetirement Program - https://www.opm.gov/retirement-services/