Contract Specialist II

About NSTXL

The National Security Technology Accelerator (NSTXL) harvests innovative technology from the commercial and non-defense marketplace, transforming government innovation while decreasing costs, compressing timelines, and improving outcomes. NSTXL supports the delivery of technology to the Department of Defense by serving as a one-stop shop to match government requirements with innovative private-sector and academic solutions. NSTXL is creating an ecosystem of innovators to collaborate and bring next generation technologies to the end-user. Currently, our OTAs have more than 900 corporate, non-profit, educational, and financial institution members. For these members, NSTXL offers opportunities to bid on government contracts, education and training, and live/virtual forums on a wide variety of topics.

Job Description

The Contract Specialist II will perform as the lead contracts specialist for assigned projects under a portfolio of Other Transaction Agreements (OTAs) based projects focused on prototyping emerging technologies for defense applications. Reporting to the Sr. Contracts Manager, the selected Specialist will be responsible for an array of tasks in support of project Performers and our Department of Defense customers throughout all project phases of our prototypes. The Specialist will work closely with various departments, such as program managers, marketing, and finance, to mitigate risks and ensure that all agreement obligations are met. The role requires a strong contracting skillset combined with customer service & problem-solving skills.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

• Performs as the lead contracts specialist for assigned projects throughout the project lifecycle.
• Develops, prepares, reviews, and administers agreements, to include all associated supporting documents and/or other memoranda, that are compliant with policies, regulations, and statutes.
• Supports, participates, and/or acts as lead moderator in low-to-moderately complex contract negotiations with performers and/or customers, as assigned.
• Led troubleshooting efforts to resolve contractual issues and elevates to management when appropriate.
• Reviews contract terms to identify potential risk and monitors for compliance issues at prime, performer and sub-performer tiers.
• Prepares high-quality documentation, correspondence, and presentations to support various actions.
• Examines supporting materials and agreement documents, conducts timely research, and shares findings with supervisor and/or team as applicable.
• Authors high-quality documentation and correspondence.
• In coordination with supervisor & team, performs as a primary liaison between the organization and performers/customers for assigned workload.
• Maintains accurate, thorough, and complete contract records to ensure compliance with contractual, reporting, and regulatory requirements.
• Contribute to presentations in support of various actions as assigned.
• In coordination with supervisor & team, performs as a primary liaison between the organization and performers/customers for assigned workload.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree or other Advanced Degree in relevant field of study such as Business Administration.
• 3+ years federal contracting experience (commercial/private sector and/or civil service).
• Direct experience in contract execution, procurement, or acquisition in support of a defense-centric contracting portfolio.
• Working knowledge and practical experience with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) and other relevant regulations and instructions.
• Experience executing projects and contracts from inception to completion.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills to convey ideas clearly and effectively.
• Ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional teams and stakeholders.
• C competence in negotiating terms and resolving conflicts.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills to address challenges that arise.
• Strong sense of ethics and integrity to ensure compliance with terms and conditions and to protect sensitive information.
• Ability to manage multiple deadline-driven tasks and projects simultaneously.
• Taking initiative and anticipating needs and issues before they arise.
• Ability to adapt to changing circumstances, regulations, policies, and project requirements.
• High level of accuracy and attention to detail in contract documentation and management.
• Proficient with contract management software and tools, as well as general office software such as Microsoft Office Suite.

Preferred Skills/Experience

• Direct experience with 10 U.S.C. 4022 (Other Transactions for Prototyping) and/or 10 U.S.C. 4021 (Research Projects)
• NCMA (e.g., CPCM) or DAWIA certification (e.g., Level I, II, or III in Contracting)
• Knowledge and understanding of the FAR Source Selection Processes and/or Commercial Supplier Selection Processes
• Familiarity with Navy programs