Contracting Liaison

Full Job Description

This position is located in the Office of Domestic Operations (CA/VO/DO), Visa Services, Bureau of Consular Affairs.

CA/VO/DO manages VO-wide program planning, contracting, HR, budget, training, and special projects.

It oversees nationwide visa processing through the National Visa Center, Kentucky Consular Center, Diplomatic Liaison Division, Remote Processing Unit, Immigrant Visa Control and Reporting Division, and Waiver Review Division.

Applicants must meet all the required qualification requirements described below by the closing date of this announcement.

If you are qualifying based on education OR if there are mandatory education requirements listed below, you MUST submit a copy of your college transcript with your application.

NOTE: Applicants must meet time-in-grade and time after competitive appointment requirements, by the closing date of this announcement.

Time-In-Grade Requirements: Federal applicants must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade to satisfy time-in-grade restrictions, per 5CFR 300, Subpart F.

Applicants applying for the GS-11 grade level must meet one of the following requirements: A.

Have at least 1 full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level in the Federal service which provided you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position.

Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate the following: Experience applying knowledge of Federal Acquisition Regulations, Department of State Acquisition Regulations, and procurement regulations to support contracting actions throughout the acquisition process; Experience assisting with acquisition planning and preparing procurement documents such as Statements of Work (SOW), evaluation criteria, and cost estimates; Experience reviewing contractor proposals and performance and supporting negotiations; and Experience communicating clearly in writing and orally providing guidance and preparing reports.

OR B. Have a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree OR 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, or LL.M.

(if related), from an accredited college or university. OR C.

Have a combination of graduate level education AND specialized experience (as described above), which is equivalent to the GS- 09 level in the Federal Service.

This experience and education together meets 100% of the qualification requirements for this position.

Combination of Experience and Education: When an applicant has less than one year of specialized experience as described in the announcement, he or she may combine successfully completed graduate-level education with experience to meet the total qualification requirements.

Generally, 18 graduate semester hours is equivalent to 1 full-time year of graduate study (your school and department determine what constitutes 1 full time year of graduate study).

The percentage of specialized work experience and the percentage of graduate study must total at least 100%.

If you are qualifying based on education, you MUST submit a copy of your college transcript (s) with your application by the closing date of this announcement, and if selected, an official college transcript WILL BE required to verify education prior to employment.

If you fail to provide the requested information, or the information you submit is insufficient to verify your eligibility, you WILL lose consideration for this position.

GS-12: Applicants must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level in the Federal service which provided the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position.

Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate the following: Experience applying in-depth knowledge of Federal Acquisition Regulations, Department of State Acquisition Regulations, and procurement regulations to independently manage contracting actions from planning through closeout; Experience leading acquisition planning, developing procurement strategies, and preparing complex SOWs, evaluation criteria, and cost estimates; Experience evaluating contractor performance, assessing financial capability, and leading negotiations; and Experience advising senior officials and communicating effectively in writing and orally.

There is no substitute of education for specialized experience for the GS-12 position. Major Duties:

• Support procurement activities by preparing and maintaining acquisition plans and milestone schedules, and serve as the primary point of contact for vendor executive leadership.
• Serve as the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) by monitoring contractor performance, reviewing invoices, ensuring compliance with contract requirements, resolving technical issues within authority, and supporting contract closeout.
• Oversee contractor performance and contract operations, conduct site visits, resolve performance issues, brief leadership on operational matters, and ensure contract requirements and staffing needs are met.
• Recommend contract types, assist with acquisition planning, review statements of work, interpret procurement regulations, and guide customers through the contracting process to ensure compliance and timely award.
• Represent VO at meetings and conferences related to contract administration and resource management, as directed by senior leadership.