Contract Specialist

Full Job Description

This position is located in the Department of Labor's (DOL), Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management (OASAM), Office of the Senior Procurement Executive (OSPE).

OSPE is responsible for the management and direction of DOL's acquisition system and mission; providing effective, ethical, and prudent business advice; and robust acquisition policies and services.

You must meet the Basic Education Requirements listed in the education portion of this announcement AND the Specialized Experience to qualify for the Contract Specialist position, as described below.

Please read these requirements carefully. Applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the Federal Service.

Specialized Experience: In addition to the basic requirement, to qualify for this position you must have at least 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 which is the next lower grade level of the normal line of progression of this position in the Federal government.

Specialized experience is experience that is related to the work of this position and has provided you with the competencies required for successful job performance.

Qualifying specialized experience for the GS-12 Contract Specialist includes: Experience analyzing pre-award and post-award functions involving highly specialized acquisitions; Experience evaluating responses to solicitations for price reasonableness, compliance with terms and conditions, and adequacy of competition; Experience conducting acquisition planning and contract pre-award functions to include: determining method of procurement and contract type, documenting the acquisition strategy, and obtaining appropriate approvals; Experience administering contracts to include contract scope determinations, contract modifications, supplemental agreements, justifications, approval reviews/fair opportunity evaluations and claims disputes, and contract terminations; Experience interpreting and applying the Revolutionary Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Overhaul (RFO), relevant laws, regulations, policies, standards, or procedures to specific contracting issues.

Major Duties:

The GS-12 Contact Specialist is responsible for contracting actions within contracting divisions, actively engaged in all phases and activities related to the procurement process.

Duties include, but are not limited to: Conduct initial planning by requirements definition, testing, prototype procurement, initial production, full production, spare and repair parts, construction, architecture, and engineering, information technology acquisition, software support, technical data, off-line product improvement, sustaining engineering, training equipment and materials.

Conduct procurement planning by considering acquisition background and objectives including delivery requirements, tradeoffs, cost, and risks.

Determine the method of procurement, method of source selection, and contract type. Establish milestones and schedules for each procurement.

Research trends in supply/demand, production lead times, information technology, and factors that affect market prices.

Consider special contracting methods such as incrementally funded long-term contracts and indefinite-quantity contracts.

Select the type of contract to solicit, such as possible price competition; ability to establish a realistic price through the use of price analysis; ability to realistically estimate cost; type and complexity of the requirement; the urgency of the requirement; etc.

Coordinate with appropriate personnel to exercise contract options, including preparation of preliminary notice by the Government to exercise an option; review and critique of the technical performance evaluation prepared by the program office; evaluation of the option price/estimated cost; preparation of the required determination and findings; and preparation of the contract.

Other duties as assigned. This position is inside the bargaining unit. The position will be included in the Local 12, AFGE bargaining unit. This position has a full performance level of GS-13.

Promotion to the GS-13 is not automatic nor guaranteed and requires additional qualifications.

Applicants must meet additional educational and training requirements to be eligible for promotion to the GS-13 grade level. Below are the additional requirements for the GS-13 grade level.

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 of 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 successfully perform 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.