Contract Specialist

About the role

The purpose of this position is to serve as a Contract Specialist for the US Department of Veterans Affairs with the responsibility for performing professional work involving procurement of supplies and services using procedures outlined in the Federal Acquisition Regulations, VA Acquisition Regulations, Public Laws, and agency policy.

VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: Contracting Specialist - Total Rewards

What you will do

• Aids requiring activities in performing market research, reviewing specifications and statements of work, and approving acquisition milestone plans; Ensures specifications and statements of work are prepared in a manner which adequately describes the Government's requirements without restricting competition; Advises technical personnel as to inadequate, ambiguous or vague specifications to avoid Government liability; Performs a complete review of recommended sole-source requirements and conducts necessary market analyses to test the noncompetitive assumptions of requisition; Selecting the appropriate method of procurement i.e. simplified acquisition procedures, sealed bidding, negotiations; Responsible for advertising all applicable requirements and preparing the solicitation document using agency contract writing systems for issuance, insuring regulatory and legal sufficiency, and promoting maximum competition; Conducts public bid openings, reviews bids and determines responsiveness and responsibility of low bidder in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements when using sealed bidding; Serves as contract administrator on awarded contracts; Conducts post-award conferences with Contractor and Government personnel to provide information and to clarify standard and special contractual provisions of the contract; Negotiates required changes to contract conditions to protect the agency; Resolves problems of delivery, production, quality, differing site conditions, inspection, and other pertinent matters; Performs cost/price analysis on change order proposals and analysis of delivery requirements; Administers payment provisions of the contract for partial payments, progress payments and final payments using the VA Online Certification system; Establishes position of the Government in disputes and issues final decisions of the Contracting Officer; Closes out contract upon completion of the contract, resolution of all conflicts, and final disposition of payment and obtains adequate release of claims documents to protect the agency; Fully utilize contract writing system (i.e., Electronic Contract Management System), contract reporting system (i.e., Federal Procurement Data System), financial management system (i.e., Integrated Funds Distribution, Control Point Activity, Accounting, and Procurement), and prosthetics application suite (i.e., Graphical User Interface), in accordance with Agency policies.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.
• Work Schedule: Tour of Duty is 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Compressed/Flexible: Available Telework: This position may be authorized for ad hoc telework.
• Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.
• Ad hoc is defined as occasional, non-recurring telework.
• Virtual: This position may be authorized for Virtual Work.
• Virtual Work eligibility is for current VA Employees that are already subject to the return to in-person work mandate in their current position.
• Applicants without an existing assigned VA Staff Office must be located within 50 miles of a VA-owned or leased space.
• This is not a remote position.
• Return to Office (RTO): RTO mandates are in effect and selectees will be required to report to in-person work unless they are approved for an exception or an exemption.
• Any approval for an RTO exception, exemption, or extension will happen after a tentative job offer, but before a final job offer.
• Definition of Virtual Work: Employee works outside of original hiring duty station at a VA-owned or leased space.
• Position Description/PD#: PD00425A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Required Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized This recruitment is for several positions with the Office of Acquisition, Logistics and Construction, VA Office of Procurement Operations.
• Area of Consideration: Eligible applicants will be reviewed and referred in the following order: CTAP eligible applicants All current, permanent VA Employees in the Office of Acquisition, Logistics and Construction, VA Office of Procurement Operations- Regional Procurement Office Central Employees

Requirements

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process.
• In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment.
• The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 You may be required to serve a probationary period Subject to background/security investigation Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (***).
• Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Physical Demands: Subject position is primarily of an administrative nature in an office setting, however where travel to work sites is required there may be light physical work required, such as walking over uneven surfaces, or assisting technical personnel in taking measurements or elevations.
• Government travel for training, meetings, or customer interactions will be required in this position.
• As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a one year probationary period or two year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest.
• In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.
• Upon completion of your one year probationary period or two year trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Education

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Transcripts must depict the name of the college to determine accreditation, and your name must also be displayed on the transcripts. If qualifying based on a degree, or for positions requiring a degree, the transcript must show the date the degree was conferred.

If selected, you must provide official transcripts. Transcripts should state degree conferred, and have a date. Undergraduate transcripts are required to meet the basic requirement for this position; please submit all transcripts.

Copies of Official Transcripts are accepted and are the best way to ensure your education is interpreted correctly in accordance with OPM qualification standards, but unofficial transcripts are accepted if they contain all the required information.

If credit for a course is being questioned by the HR Professional performing qualifications, it is your responsibility to provide supporting descriptive information (course syllabus/descriptions) in your application package.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: ***

If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office.

How you will be evaluated

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC.

WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position.

You will be assessed on the following Competencies for this position: Pre-Solicitation: Uses knowledge that is acquired through formal training or extensive on the job experience to perform contracting pre-award functions; includes knowledge of various types of contracts and methods, market research, and applicable contract laws and regulations; determines resource requirements, develops long and short term strategies to procure equipment or services, and coordinates with customers and stakeholders; is able to identify sources Contract Formation: Uses knowledge acquired through extensive on the job experience to develop solicitation documents, create appropriate evaluation factors, review and analyze vendor submissions; is able to appropriately determine award recommendation.

Contract Administration: Knowledge and application of contract administration principles and practices sufficient to monitor contractor performance and compliance with all terms and conditions of the contract and deliverables; resolves discrepancies; performs contract closeout functions.

Customer Service: Works with customers to assess their needs, offer solutions that will meet or exceed their expectations; is committed to providing quality products and services in a timely manner.

Written and In-Person Communication: Recognizes and uses correct English grammar, punctuation, and spelling; communicates information in a succinct and organized manner; produces written information, which may include technical material such as solicitation documents, statements of work, contract provisions, etc., that is appropriate for the intended audience; in person clearly conveys technical material such as acquisition information, statements of work, contract provisions, etc., that is appropriate for the intended audience.

The USA Hire Assessments includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies.

You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered.

You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

During the application process, you will have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

Documents you must provide

• To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes: Resume Transcript *FOR CURRENT OR FORMER FEDERAL EMPLOYEES: Please view the 'Current and Former Federal Employees: Validating Time-in-Grade and Eligibility' section below to ensure you are submitting the proper SF-50/s Notification of Personnel Actions.
• The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position.
• Please make sure you have included other documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), documentation to support Veterans Preference claims, or CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees).
• You will not be contacted for additional information.
• Cover Letter Other (1) Performance Appraisal Professional Certification Resume Separation Notice (RIF) SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action Transcript Failure to submit any of the above required documents applicable to your submission may result in loss of consideration and a rating of ineligible due to an incomplete application package.
• It is the applicant's responsibility to verify that their application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date.
• We will not contact applicants for additional documentation, nor will we accept late or missing documents after the close of the announcement.
• Current and Former Federal Employees: Validating Time-in-Grade and Eligibility Required document to demonstrate eligibility: Most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, which for current employees, must be effective the first pay period (01/11/2026 or later) of the current calendar year.
• The SF-50 should note your current position or most recently held position, tenure, type of position occupied (i.e., Excepted or Competitive), grade level and duty location.
• (Text version SF-50s or Request for Personnel Action SF-52s are not acceptable.) Non-GS employees (including Federal Wage System and pay band employees) who do not receive annual pay adjustments in January, must submit a SF-50 dated within one year of the closing date of this announcement.
• Required document/s to demonstrate Time-in-Grade (TIG): TIG requirements apply to applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade at any time in the past 52 weeks, some former Federal employees applying for reinstatement, and current employees applying for a Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.
• Applicants who must meet TIG, in addition to their most recent SF-50, must submit: Official SF-50 that shows you hold or held the grade (or a higher grade) for the position you are applying for, or Official SF-50/s that show you held the next lower grade for at least one year for the position you are applying for.
• (Multiple SF-50s may need to be submitted to show this.) Examples of appropriate SF-50s to include (in addition to your most recent SF-50) to meet TIG requirements include: - Within grade increases (WGI) at the highest grade held; or - Promotions to the highest grade held with an effective date that occurred more than one year from the closing date of the JOA; or - SF-50s at the highest grade held with an effective date that occurred more than 1 year from the closing date of the JOA.
• NOTE: Do not submit Award SF-50s (or other SF-50s that do not provide sufficient information to verify time-in-grade.) Veterans' Preference: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire.
• You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.).
• If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation.
• Additionally, disabled Veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form.
• Documentation is required to award preference.
• For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit ***
• IF APPLYING AS A CTAP ELIGIBLE: You must submit the following documentation demonstrating eligibility for CTAP: Resume Agency Reduction in Force notice; Most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location Most recent performance appraisal (must be fully successful or above)

Benefits

VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.

What to expect next

To view the announcement status or your application status: Click on this: *** Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status (if applicable), and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application.

Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required assessments and documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met.

After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued, and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made.

If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview. Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified.

If initial application submission is updated and resubmitted with a new resume, only the most current resume will be reviewed for consideration. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center.

Additional information

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration (HRA) at The Fair Chance Act.

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application.

Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis.

If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision.

You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement.

To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here: ***