Contract Specialist

About the role

The position is within the Office of Finance and Management (AFN), Acquisition and Contracting (AAQ), Aerospace Center Acquisition Division, AAQ-700.

What you will do

• Performs multiple, varying, and complex assignments under the minimal direction of a manager, project/program manager, team leader, or more experienced professional.
• May act as a contributing specialist on large work activities or as a project manager or team leader for large projects/programs/activities.
• Applies experience and comprehensive knowledge applicable to acquisitions and contracting to plan and conduct functional activities for projects/programs.
• Assignments frequently require knowledge and experience working across functional and/or organizational lines.
• Independently plans time.
• Identifies, plans, and organizes available resources to accomplish projects/programs/activities.
• Makes optimal use of resources to complete activities within established schedules.
• As a principle Contract Specialist, the incumbent will apply all agency requirements including laws, regulations, the Acquisition Management System (AMS), contracting Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and other directives.
• The incumbent will provide comprehensive advice and guidance and support one of several specialty areas in the Acquisition Organization, such as, research and development, major systems, system operations, facilities, construction and architect-engineer services, support services, and other services.
• This includes complete contract management for agency wide acquisition programs, NextGen initiatives, National Airspace System (NAS) support and automation, and other agency priorities.
• The incumbent must be aware of conditions and processes for contracts such as, major systems, design to cost, effective competition, acquisition life cycle, exploration, demonstration, full production, and full-scale development.
• Applying principles of program management, quality assurance, reliability, scheduling, work breakdown structures and validations, the incumbent will plan, develop, and implement acquisition strategies utilizing the flexibilities found in the AMS.
• As the principal specialist, the incumbent will be responsible for drafting, reviewing, editing documents as well as leading the execution and implementation of major milestones throughout the acquisition process.
• This includes, but is not limited to, all the key contractual roles identified above as well as analysis of contractor Cost Accounting System (CAS) Disclosure Statements, analysis of Earned Value Management (EVM) data, analysis of compliance with terms and conditions, using tools to determine root causes for issues that arise as well as formulating the course of action to remedy issues.
• The negotiated contracts and awards will be made to commercial organizations, educational institutions, nonprofit organizations and State, local or foreign government entities.
• Pre-Award and Acquisition Planning and Strategy: Under minimal supervision, the incumbent will serve as the principle specialist that will lead the development and implementation of strategies to assure that goods and services are available when needed to meet mission requirements.
• Acts as a trusted advisor on acquisition issues and educates customers and acquisition team members on the full range of procurement options and contract types.
• Uses all appropriate laws, regulation, agency directives, etc., to perform all pre-award contract duties.
• Analyzes and anticipates business needs and proactively formulates acquisition strategies.
• Duties include: Understands and implements acquisition planning and market research principles to develop comprehensive and innovative plans to best fulfill the Agency¿s needs while collaborating across Acquisitions to consider dollar value, complexity (e.g., major systems), and other appropriate factors.
• Assists requiring organization with developing and implementing a comprehensive market research process that identifies external sources in anticipation of future requirements.

Requirements

• We are not accepting applications from noncitizens.

Education

This position has a positive education requirement: Applicants must submit a copy of their college or university transcripts(s) and certificates by the closing date of announcement to verify qualifications. If selected, an official transcript will be required prior to appointment.

You may upload these documents with your application in USAJOBS or fax it to fax number provided in the announcement (please include announcement number on each page).

Failure to do so will result in loss of consideration.

Schools must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Accreditation may be verified at the following website: ***

Foreign education must be evaluated by a private professional organization specializing in interpretation of foreign education credentials or an accredited U.S. educational institution in terms of equivalence to a degree acquired at an American college or university. A copy of the evaluation results must be included, otherwise your foreign education will not be considered.

How you will be evaluated

IMPORTANT: Applicants may be rated on the extent and quality of experience, education, and training relevant to the duties of the position(s). All answers provided in the on-line process must be substantiated. Ensure that your application package/resume supports your responses.

Documents you must provide

• SF-50, NOTIFICATION OF PERSONNEL ACTION.
• (See Below) Your SF-50 may be emailed to *** on or before the closing date of this vacancy announcement.
• Applicants must reference the cement number on their faxed documents.
• This position has a positive education requirement; college transcripts are required for ALL candidates newly appointed to the FAA in the 1102 series.
• College transcripts must be submitted from current FAA employees applying for internal vacancies if they have never held a position in the 1102 series with the FAA.
• College transcripts are not required from current FAA employees who are currently occupying a 1102 series.
• If selected, official transcripts are required prior to employment.
• If you are an FAA employee, you MUST provide a copy of your SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) containing information in Blocks 15, 17, 18, 19, 22, and 24 so it can be used to verify your position title, series, grade, tenure, and organization of record by the closing date of the announcement.
• You may fax your SF-50 or upload it into the on-line application.
• If faxing the SF-50, please ensure you include the vacancy announcement number on the faxed copy.
• If you are an FAA employee, you can access and print your SF-50 from the eOPF system ***

What to expect next

Once we receive your complete application, the Human Resources Office will conduct an evaluation of your qualifications. Eligible and qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for consideration. You will be contacted directly if selected for an interview.

For instructions on how to check the status of your application, please go to: USAJOBS Help Guide. Important - If you make any changes to your application, you must resubmit it. If you make changes to your application and do not resubmit it, your changes will not be considered part of your application package, and only your previously submitted application will be evaluated.

All qualified applicants will be considered regardless of political affiliation, race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, age, disability, or other non-merit factors. DOT provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities.

If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency contact listed in the Agency Contact Information section of this announcement or the hiring manager. An employee with a disability must notify the decision-maker of the accommodation request.

Job applicants and employees are required to follow up oral requests in writing. Decisions on granting reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. Additional information on reasonable accommodations procedures or on EEO Programs is available on Office of Civil Rights (ACR) or by contacting the local FAA Civil Rights Office.

Additional information

We may use this vacancy to fill other similar vacant positions. Position may be subject to a background investigation. A one-year probationary period may be required.

The person selected for this position may be required to file a financial disclosure statement within 30 days of entry on duty.

FAA policy limits certain outside employment and financial investments in aviation-related companies. *** As a part of the Federal-Wide Hiring Reform Initiative (streamlining the hiring process), the FAA is committed to eliminating the use of the Knowledge, Skills and Ability (KSA) narratives from the initial application in the hiring process for all announcements.

Therefore, as an applicant for this announcement, you are NOT required to provide a narrative response in the text box listed below each KSA. In lieu of providing a KSA narrative response in the text box listed below each KSA in your work history, please include information that provides specific examples of how you meet the response level or answer you chose for each KSA.

Your work history examples should be specific and clearly reflect the highest level of ability. Your KSA answers will be evaluated further to validate whether the level that you selected is appropriate based on the work history and experience you provided. Your answers may be adjusted by a Human Resource Specialist as appropriate.

Links to Important Information: Locality Pay, COLA