Contract Specialist

Full Job Description

The position is located in the Office of Procurement.

As Contract Specialist, the incumbent is responsible for acquisition planning, award, and administration of a variety of acquisition solutions involving highly specialized procurements of significant importance to the agency in support of USPTO's mission.

You must meet the United States Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) qualification requirements (including specialized experience and/or educational requirements) for the advertised position.

You must meet all eligibility and qualifications requirements by the closing date of the job announcement. OPM Qualifications Standards are available at Contracting Series 1102.

Specialized Experience is experience that has equipped applicants with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position, 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 in the federal service. For this position, the next lower grade level is a GS-12.

Specialized experience for this position includes: Experience executing all aspects of acquisition management in the planning, award, and contract administration phases of the procurement process related to goods and services; Experience in evaluating cost/price proposals utilizing cost/price analysis techniques (e.g., performing detailed analyses of all elements of cost/price in contractor proposals); Experience advising junior Contract Specialists on all phases of the acquisition process; AND Experience in using Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 8.4 (Federal Supply Schedules), Part 12 (Acquisition of Commercial Products and Commercial Services), Part 13 (Simplified Acquisition Procedures), Part 15 (Contracting by Negotiation), and Part 16.5 - (Indefinite-Delivery Contracts) to award moderately complex contracts and orders during the pre-award, award and post-award phases of the acquisition lifecycle.

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. Major Duties:

The physical worksite for this position is located in Alexandria, Virginia.

Presence at the Alexandria, VA campus is required for this role, as it includes on site functions that must be performed in person.

Position may be eligible for situational telework in accordance with agency policy/business unit discretion. The agency currently allows for 52 hours of telework per calendar year.

This position is right for you if... You enjoy applying contracting laws, regulations, principles, policies and procedures in order to execute all phases of the acquisition lifecycle.

You are committed to applying appropriate contracting methods and contract types to perform pre-award, award, post-award and contract price/cost analysis.

You have a strong skillset in establishing acquisition strategies and conduct negotiations in order to meet customers' needs.

You possess skills in communicating with internal and external customers to negotiate effectively, present negotiation positions, make award recommendations and oversee contract administration.