Contract Specialist

As needed, additional positions may be filled using this announcement.

About the Role

If selected for this position, you will serve as the Contracting Specialist for the United States Attorney's Office (USAO) for the Central District of California. You will act as a warranted Contracting Officer responsible for planning, negotiating, awarding, administering, modifying, and closing out contracts and other acquisition actions for supplies and services required to support agency programs and operations.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the Government's authorized representative for entering into, administering, and terminating contracts, and making related determinations and findings.
• Exercise independent business judgment and ensure acquisition actions comply with applicable federal statutes, the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), agency acquisition regulations, policies, procedures, and fiscal requirements.
• Review procurement requests and work with management and colleagues to define acquisition requirements and develop appropriate acquisition strategies.
• Conduct and document market research to determine commercial availability, potential sources, competition opportunities, socioeconomic considerations, and appropriate acquisition methods.
• Review statements of work, independent government cost estimates, funding documents, and other acquisition documentation for adequacy and compliance.
• Determine appropriate procurement methods, contract types, competition strategies, source-selection approaches, evaluation criteria, and solicitation provisions and clauses.
• Provide acquisition advice to senior leadership and stakeholders regarding procurement lead times, competition requirements, contract vehicles, small-business considerations, contract types, acquisition risks, and alternative procurement strategies.
• Develop and issue solicitations, requests for quotations, requests for proposals, amendments, and other acquisition documents.
• Conduct pre-solicitation and pre-proposal conferences when appropriate and respond to questions from prospective contractors.
• Evaluate quotations, bids, and proposals and coordinate technical evaluations with internal customers and subject matter experts.
• Perform price and cost analysis to determine price reasonableness and evaluate proposed costs and other pricing factors as applicable.
• Establish negotiation objectives and conduct negotiations with contractors concerning price, terms and conditions, delivery requirements, and other contractual matters.
• Document source-selection and award decisions in accordance with applicable acquisition requirements.
• Determine contractor responsibility and verify that prospective contractors meet applicable eligibility requirements.
• Make contract awards and sign contractual instruments within the limits of delegated contracting authority.
• Ensure sufficient funds are available and that all legal, regulatory, competition, socioeconomic, and administrative requirements have been satisfied before obligating the Government.
• Document the contract file to establish the basis for acquisition decisions and demonstrate compliance with applicable laws, regulations, policies, and procedures.
• Administer contracts after award and ensure contractor compliance with terms and conditions.
• Issue contract modifications, exercise options, process funding actions, address changes in requirements, and make other contractual decisions within delegated authority.
• Coordinate with Contracting Officer's Representatives (CORs), legal counsel, financial personnel, property personnel, security officials, and other stakeholders regarding contractor performance.
• Evaluate contractor requests regarding claims, performance issues, delays, suitability of personnel, and other matters affecting contract performance.
• Take appropriate action when contractor performance does not meet contract requirements.
• Ensure that only authorized Government officials direct contractors or make commitments that may affect contract cost, schedule, scope, or contractual obligations.
• Ensure completed contracts are properly closed out in accordance with applicable regulations and agency procedures.
• Verify completion of contract performance, final acceptance, final payment, disposition of Government property, resolution of outstanding contractual issues, and completion of required administrative actions.
• Maintain complete and accurate official contract files and acquisition records.
• Perform other duties as assigned, especially administrative services related to logistics, space and facilities management, accountable property, mail, records, and government vehicles.
• Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress.

Requirements

• You must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory pre-employment adjudication, including fingerprint, credit and tax checks, and drug testing.
• Continued employment is subject to a favorable adjudication of a background investigation.
• You must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable.
• If selected, you may be required to complete a one-year probationary period.
• You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.

Qualifications

To be qualified at the GS-11 and/or GS-12, you must possess one of the following Basic Requirements:

• A 4-year course of study leading to a Bachelor's degree with a major in any field.
• 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.
• Occupy or have occupied a GS-1102 Contract Specialist position in the Federal government on January 1, 2000 at a GS-05 through GS-12.

Note: You must submit your transcript (unofficial or official) at the time of application to be considered for this position. Failure to submit your transcript may result in disqualification.

In addition to meeting one of the Basic Requirements, you must also meet the following Grade Specific Requirements:

GS-11 Level

You must meet one of the following conditions:

• Specialized Experience: One full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level in Federal service. Specialized experience includes conducting all aspects of contracting for supplies and services from initiation to award recommendation; reviewing requisitions and determining method of procurement; establishing procurement plans; evaluating adequacy and completeness of requisition descriptions; compiling bidders' lists; initiating and issuing solicitation documents; responding to procurement inquiries; analyzing bids and proposals; conducting price/cost analysis; recommending and documenting awards; and drafting final contracts.
• Education: One of the following types of graduate education 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:
  • A Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree; OR
  • 3 full academic years of progressively higher-level graduate education.
• Combination of Experience and Education: Combinations of successfully completed graduate education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements. Graduate education must be in excess of two full years.

GS-12 Level

You must have at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level in Federal service. Specialized experience includes:

• Procuring supplies, services, and equipment using formal advertising and negotiated procedures and techniques.
• Conducting market analysis to determine product/producer availability.
• Establishing new sources based on projected needs analysis.
• Initiating solicitation documents, including determining type of contract, language, and clauses.
• Evaluating bids or offers to determine bidder's responsiveness, capacity, and compliance.
• Conducting price analysis to determine reasonableness of price.
• Planning and conducting negotiations on price, technical requirements, terms, and conditions of contracts.
• Awarding or recommending awards.

If selected, you will receive formal and/or on-the-job training as needed. You must be able to attain and retain at least a Level 1 (One) Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting (FAC-C) as a Federal contracting professional. FAC-C has specific training requirements, with some courses online and in the classroom. To maintain a FAC-C, contract professionals are required to meet a continuous training requirement.

Additional Information

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): The ICTAP provides eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To receive selection priority, you must be well-qualified, which means satisfying all qualification requirements for the vacant position and receiving a score of 85 or better on established ranking criteria. Proof of eligibility may include a copy of your written notification of ICTAP eligibility or a copy of your separation personnel action form.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP): The CTAP provides eligible surplus and displaced competitive service employees in the Department of Justice with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To receive selection priority, you must be well-qualified, which means satisfying all qualification requirements for the vacant position and receiving a score of 85 or better on established ranking criteria. You must provide a copy of your written notification of CTAP eligibility with your application.

Education

All academic degrees and coursework must be completed at a college or university that has obtained accreditation or pre-accreditation status from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used if you can show that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited U.S. institution.