Contract Specialist

This position is located in the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP), Office of Administration (OA), Acquisition Management Division (AMD). DOJ’s mission is to uphold the rule of law, keep the country safe and protect civil rights. OJP’s mission is to provide leadership, resources and solutions for creating safe, just and engaged communities.

Overview

• Accepting applications

• Open & closing dates

  01/11/2025 to 01/16/2025

• Salary

  $101,401 – $156,755 per year
  GS-12: $101,401 to $131,826 / GS-13: $120,579 to $156,755

  
  
• Pay scale & grade
  

  GS 12 – 13

• Location

  2 vacancies in the following location:

  
  
• Remote job
  

  No

• Telework eligible

  Yes-as determined by the agency policy. This position is not a remote position. The duty station is Washington, DC. The selectee will be required to report to the duty station at least 4 days per bi-weekly pay period.

  
  
  
• Travel Required

  Occasional travel – You may be expected to travel for this position.

• Relocation expenses reimbursed
  

  No

• Appointment type
  

  Permanent

• Work schedule
  

  Full-time

• Service
  

  Competitive

• Promotion potential
  

  13

• Job family (Series)
• Supervisory status
  

  No

• Security clearance
• Drug test
  

  Yes

• Position sensitivity and risk
• Trust determination process
• Financial disclosure

  – Confidential Financial Disclosure may be required.

• Bargaining unit status
• Announcement number
  

  JP-25-051

• Control number
  

  827646400

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

Duties

• Serves as a Contracting Officer in the Office of Justice Programs (OJP), Office of Administration (OA), Acquisition Management Division (AMD).
• Analyzes requirements and recommends revisions to statements of work and the specifications they contain.
• Provides assistance to requestors by aiding in the definition, preparation and submission of required documents and forms for the Government’s need.
• Surveys the market to determine the availability of items and services with specialized requirements.
• Assists the customer with development of acquisition documents (Acquisition Plan, D&F, Sole Source Documentation, etc)
• Identifies appropriate contract types such as labor hour, time and material, or firm fixed price.
• Determines procurement strategy, including any, small business set-aside decisions and terms.
• Leads technical evaluations as Source Selection Decision Authority and awards contract vehicles within warrant authority
• Negotiates price, contract specifications, delivery dates, incentives, and other terms and conditions.
• Prepares and coordinates case files on appeals, protests, or mistakes in the bidding procedures of assigned contracts.
• Procures acquisition supplies/services utilizing NASA SEWP, GSA Schedule, NITAAC, etc

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• U.S. Citizenship required.
• Subject to background/suitability investigation/determination.
• Federal payments are required to be made by Direct Deposit.
• Requires registration for the Selective Service. Visit www.sss.gov.
• Pre-employment drug testing required.
• 1-year probationary period may be required.
• Security Requirements: Non-Sensitive/Moderate Risk
• Requires maintenance of a FAC-C (Professional) certification.

Qualifications

GS-12 Basic Entry Requirements :

A. A 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor’s degree with a major in any field;

OR

B. 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.

GS-13 Basic Entry Requirements :

A. (1) Successful completion of all mandatory training prescribed by the Federal Acquisition Certification-Contracting which led to a FAC-C (Professional) certificate or equivalent certification which can be found at Contracting (FAC-C) | FAI.GOV.

AND

(2) Have at least 4 years of experience in contracting or related positions.

AND

B. Successful completion of a full four-year course of study leading to a bachelor’s degree with a major in any field, that included or was supplemented by at least 24 semester/36 quarter hours in any combination of the following fields: accounting, business, finance, law, contracts, purchasing, economics, industrial management, marketing, quantitative methods, or organization and management.

OR

C. Exceptions: Employees in GS-1102 positions will be considered to have met the standard for positions they occupy on January 1, 2000. This also applies to positions at the same grade in the same agency or other agencies if the specialized experience requirements are met. However, they will have to meet the basic requirements and specialized experience requirements in order to qualify for promotion to a higher grade. (Note: You must submit supporting documentation.)

OR

D. WAIVER: Requirements of paragraphs A and B above may be waived if the agency’s senior procurement executive certifies that the applicant possesses significant potential for advancement to levels of greater responsibility and authority, based on demonstrated analytical and decision-making capabilities, job performance, and qualifying experience (Current Department of Justice (DOJ) employees only).

GS-12 Specialized Experience:
Applicants must have one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 level. Specialized experience is experience which is in or related to the line of work of the position to be filled and which has equipped the applicant with the specific knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position.

Examples of specialized experience include:

• Supporting pre-award and post-award activities across a wide range of procurement tasks to determine procurement strategies and to develop and oversee the procurement and contract administration program.
• Contributing to the creation of innovative contractual language, terms, and conditions.
• Aiding in the development of pre-negotiations for the acquisition of a system.
• Assisting with post-award negotiations involving contract changes or modifications.
• Negotiating with vendors to acquire products or services or to address technical requirements, cost/pricing, or other terms and conditions.
• Interpreting and/or applying Federal laws (or similar), acquisition regulations, policies, contract law and procedures applicable to acquisition and contract administration which includes change orders, supplemental agreements, terminations, claims, and close out of contracts.
• Establishing and/or monitoring acquisition milestones to ensure progress toward award.

GS-13 Specialized Experience:
Applicants must have one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 level. Specialized experience is experience which is in or related to the line of work of the position to be filled and which has equipped the applicant with the specific knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position.

Examples of specialized experience include:

• Manages pre-award and post-award functions for the broad field of procurement to determine procurement strategy and to develop and manage the procurement and contract administration program.
• Develops innovative contractual language, terms, and conditions.
• Develops pre-negotiation for the acquisition of a system.
• Performing post-award negotiations involving contract changes or modifications.
• Analyzing and/or evaluating cost and pricing data to determine cost or price reasonableness.
• Developing acquisition packages that include assisting program offices with developing scopes of work, source selection plans, and crafting technical evaluation factors; conducting research related to acquisitions; and presenting findings on contracting approaches and methodologies used in federal acquisition regulations.

Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualification Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions and is available at OPM’s website: https://

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

Education

This position has a positive education requirement. Please see the Qualifications section for more information.

Additional information

• This position may be eligible for telework per agency policy.
• OJP offers opportunities for flexible work schedules.
• Recruitment incentives may be authorized.
• Relocation incentives may be authorized for current federal employees.
• This vacancy announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
• Please do not indicate current or former position salary in your application or resume.
• As the federal agency whose mission is to ensure the fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans, the Department of Justice is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. To build and retain a workforce that reflects the diverse experiences and perspectives of the American people, we welcome applicants from the many communities, identities, races, ethnicities, backgrounds, abilities, religions, and cultures of the United States who share our commitment to public service.
• This position has a duty station of Washington, D.C. The selectee will be required to physically report to the OJP office building at least four (4) days per bi-weekly pay period and may incorporate leave and official travel plans into this reporting requirement. The office director or supervisor may request the selectee’s presence in the office more frequently, as determined by the needs of the office. The selectee will be responsible for covering all commuting-related travel expenses. OJP employees are eligible for one transportation benefit – parking or the Department of Justice (DOJ) transit subsidy.

• Benefits
  

  A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. .

  Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

  
  
  

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Direct Hire applicants: Your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications listed on this announcement. Your resume must contain sufficiently detailed information upon which to make a qualification determination. Qualified candidates will be considered in accordance with the Office of Personnel Management Direct Hire guidelines. Veterans’ Preference does not apply to direct hire recruitment procedures.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP)/Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP): The ICTAP provides eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. The CTAP provides eligible surplus and displaced competitive service employees in the Department of Justice with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, or if your Department of Justice component has notified you in writing that you are a surplus or displaced employee eligible for CTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your ICTAP/CTAP eligibility; 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement; and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified, applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors if applicable and must be proficient in most of the requirements of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM’s Career Transition Resources website, which can be found at https://www.opm.gov

• Benefits
  

  A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. .

  
  
  

  Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

• Required Documents

  As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have – whether you’re a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you’re eligible under their policies.

  
  
  

  REMINDER: ALL DOCUMENTS MUST BE RECEIVED BY 11:59 Eastern Time (Washington, D.C. time) ON 01/16/2025 .

  REQUIRED DOCUMENTS (ALL APPLICANTS):

  
  
  

  1. Resume (To receive credit for experience, your employment history must be documented in month/year format (MM/YYYY), reflecting starting date and ending date and include the number of hours worked per week. Failure to follow this format may result in disqualification), and
  2. FAC-C (Professional) certificate or equivalent certification (For GS-13), and
  3. Unofficial transcripts (official transcripts will be required if selected).

  Note: Incomplete applications will not be considered.

  
  

  If you are claiming CTAP/ICTAP eligibility, you must submit proof by the closing date of the announcement that you meet the requirements of 5 CFR 330.605(u) for CTAP and 5 CFR 330.704 for ICTAP or you will not receive priority consideration. The proof includes a copy of the Agency notice, your most recent performance appraisal, and your most recent SF-50 Notification of Personnel Action for Competitive Appointment.

  If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

  
  
  

  Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from .

  Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

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