CONTRACT SPECIALIST, GS-1102-09/11

This position is located in the Department of Homeland Security, United States Coast Guard, Surface Forces Logistics Center, Contracting and Procurement Division, Baltimore, MD.

Promotion Potential: If this position is filled at a level below the full performance level, the selectee may be promoted without further competition. This implies no promise or guarantee of a promotion.

Overview

• Accepting applications

• Open & closing dates

  10/11/2024 to 10/22/2024

  
  
• Salary

  $68,405 – $107,590 per year

• Pay scale & grade
  

  GS 9 – 11

• Location

  2 vacancies in the following location:

• Remote job
  

  No

• Telework eligible

  Yes-as determined by the agency policy.

• Travel Required

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

  
  
• Relocation expenses reimbursed

  Yes-You may qualify for reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with agency policy.

• Appointment type
  

  Permanent

• Work schedule
  

  Full-time

• Service
  

  Competitive

• Promotion potential
  

  11

• Job family (Series)
• Supervisory status
  

  No

• Security clearance
• Drug test
  

  No

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

  Yes

• Bargaining unit status
• Announcement number
  

  12574162

• Control number
  

  813658400

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

Duties

Serves as Contract Specialist responsible for all aspects of contracting transactions from initiation to recommendation of award to procurement of items or services.

Being a Coast Guard civilian makes you a valuable member of the Coast Guard team. Typical work assignments include:
– Conducting advertised procurements: providing guidance to technical personnel; deciding contracting approach to be taken; preparing solicitation; determining sources to be solicited; conducting pre/post award conferences; determining proposal responsiveness based upon Policy and Regulation; and awarding or recommending award based on award criteria.

– Participating in the development of procurements, plans the procurement action, provides guidance for the statement of work; determining most suitable type of contract; develops special clauses; determining sources to be solicited; preparing determinations and findings.

– Drafting documents including contract modifications, cure or show-cause notices and other administrative documentation characteristic of the contract administration phase either independently or based on specific detailed information provided by senior contract specialists/supervisor.

– Interpreting and implementing the Federal Acquisition Regulation, and applicable agency directives.

– Creating and maintaining effective communications with customers.

– Responsible for pre-award and post-award activities to include contract closeout.

Selectee(s) for this position who are newly appointed to a permanent position are authorized to receive a one-time recruitment incentive of 10% of the salary, including locality for this position. Receipt of the bonus will require a 12 month service agreement.

“Newly appointed” refers to the first appointment (regardless of tenure) as an employee of the Federal Government, an appointment following a break in service of at least 90 days from a previous appointment as an employee of the Federal Government, or, in certain cases, an appointment following a break in service of less than 90 days from a previous appointment as an employee of the Federal Government.

Selectee(s) for this position who are current federal employees on permanent appointments who would be moving outside of the current commuting area of their current position to accept this position are authorized to receive a one-time relocation bonus of 10% of the salary including locality for this position. Receipt of the bonus will require a 12 month service agreement. The employee must establish a residence in the new geographic area prior to payment.

Selectee(s) for this position who are newly appointed to a permanent or term position may be eligible for student loan repayment up to $10,000 (pre-tax) for one calendar year. More than one loan may be repaid if the combined repayments do not exceed $10,000. Receipt of this incentive will require a three year service agreement.

A. Federal Acquisition Certification for Program and Project Managers Level I (FAC P/PM-I) or management determined equivalent within two years of entry into the position.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

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

Key Requirements:

1. Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
2. Must be registered or exempt from the Selective Service. See www.sss.gov
3. A one-year probationary period may be required.
4. Suitable for Federal employment determined by background investigation.
5. This is a Bargaining Unit position.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements: This position has a positive Education Requirement in addition to at least one year of Specialized Experience or substitution of education for experience or combination (if applicable) in order to be found minimally qualified. Transcripts must be submitted with your application package. You MUST meet the following requirements:

Applicants must meet the following basic requirements: Completed a 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor’s degree with a major in any field; OR Completed 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. NOTE: Applicants who have been in a GS-1102 position at a GS-12 or lower grade level since January 1, 2000 without a break in service only need to meet the additional requirements in order to qualify. IN ADDITION to meeting the basic education requirements above.

Applicants for the GS-9 grade level must possess at least one full year of experience (equivalent to at least the GS-7 level in the Federal Service) serving as a contract specialist responsible for all aspects of contracting transactions from initiation to recommendation of award for off-the-shelf items or services; reviewing requisitions and determining the appropriate method of procurement; developing procurement plans reviewing previous history, market conditions, and specifications or technical data packages; recommending actions when the contractor is not in compliance with contract provisions; and conducting contract reviews to evaluate contractor performance. OR, or 2 full academic years of progressively higher level graduate education, or a masters or equivalent graduate degree in accounting, business, finance, law, contracts, purchasing, economics, industrial management, marketing, quantitative methods, or organization and management.

Applicants at the GS-11 level must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 grade level in the federal service. Examples of specialized experience include: performing the full range of acquisition functions (i.e., pre-award, award, post-award) to procure a variety of supplies, equipment and/or services. Duties include: analyzing procurement requests to determine requirements, recommending changes to statements of work or specifications, and determining appropriate type of contract and procurement plan; coordinating procurement plan and other contractual/procurement aspects with requestor(s), technical representative, and finance; developing procurement/contractual documents inclusive of determining terms and conditions; conducting pre-bid/proposal conferences and negotiations; analyzing bids/proposals, cost and pricing data and contractor responsibility, and recommending award; and, carrying out post-award functions (i.e., monitoring contract, evaluating performance, interpreting provisions, providing advice/guidance, negotiating contract modifications, processing terminations, conducting close-outs). Candidates at the GS-11 level may also meet the additional requirement through substitution of education for experience as follows: 3 full academic years of progressively higher-level graduate education or Ph.D, or equivalent doctoral degree is required. Graduate education must be in one or a combination of the following fields: acquisition management, business administration, contracting or procurement, economics, finance, industrial management, law, management and organization, marketing, public administration, purchasing, quantitative methods, or other fields directly related to this position. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the particular ability, skill, and knowledge to successfully perform the duties of this position and is typically in or related to this line of work. NOTE: The Defense Acquisition University (DAU) does not grant Academic degrees; therefore courses completed at the DAU are not creditable towards meeting the 24 semester hour requirement, unless the coursework has been evaluated by an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, and appears on a college or university transcript. All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement. IN ADDITION to meeting the basic education requirements above.

Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the particular ability, skill, and knowledge to successfully perform the duties of this position and is typically in or related to this line of work.

National Service Experience (i.e., volunteer experience): 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.

The Office of Personnel management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule, C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.

Education

This position does have a positive education requirement. You MUST provide transcripts in order to receive consideration. If you are including education on your resume, report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. See Required Documents section for detail.

Only experience and education obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet Federal qualification requirements if you can show that your foreign education is comparable to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence with your application. See Recognition of Foreign Qualifications

Additional information

E-Verify
DHS uses E-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about , including your rights and responsibilities.

Fair Chance Act
The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Homeland Security and its Components from requesting an applicant’s criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. In accordance with and certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance to Compete Act. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to aden.p.williams@uscg.mil.

Suitability Statement
If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an , and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment.

Shared Certificates Statement
Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for DHS to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions.

Special Employment Consideration
The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR 213.3102(u), and or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR 315.707. , , , and possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above or contact the servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement.

ecruitment incentives may be authorized.

All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit.

More than 1 selection may be made from this announcement if additional identical vacancies in the same title, series, grade, and unit occur within 45 days from the date the certificate was issued.
If selection is made below the full performance level, the incumbent may be promoted up to the target grade without further competition, if all legal and regulatory requirements are met and when recommended by the supervisor. However, promotion to the full performance level is not guaranteed and is dependent on successful performance at the lower grade level(s).

If you need a reasonable accommodation for the application and hiring process, please contact 1(888)992-7387. Decisions on granting reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. Visit
Below is the link to the list of CRSP’s, which are assigned by area:

• 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.

Your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation will be reviewed to determine if you meet the minimum qualification requirements for the position. Under the provisions of direct hiring authority, rating, ranking and veterans’ preference does not apply; therefore, your responses to the questionnaire will not be used to determine a scored rating. All applicants who meet the minimum qualifications in the job opportunity announcement, will be referred for selection consideration. While veterans’ preference does not apply in EHA, preference eligible are encouraged to submit their supporting documentation (DD-214 stating disposition of discharge or character of service, VA letter, SF-15, etc.).

Applicants applying as CTAP or ICTAP candidates, and are determined CTAP or ICTAP eligible, must exceed the minimum qualification requirements to be referred under this selection priority placement program by attaining at least a rating of 85 out of 100. For those deemed eligible and who meet the minimum qualifications, we will compare your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation to your responses on the scored occupational questionnaire (True/False, Yes/No, Multiple Choice questions). Your resume and/or optional cover letter must support your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire. CTAP/ICTAP eligibles who are not determined well-qualified by scoring at least 85 will not be referred under the CTAP/ICTAP selection priority placement program; however, will be referred for selection consideration with other minimally qualified applicants. The scored occupational questionnaire will evaluate you on the following competencies, please do not provide a separate written response.

Veterans’ preference does not apply.
Preview the job questionnaire .

• 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.

  A complete application consists of the following:

  
  

  Resume showing relevant experience; cover letter optional. Your resume must list your educational and work experience including the dates (mm/dd/yy) of each employment along with the number of hours worked per week. If applying under CTAP/ICTAP your resume may be used to validate your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire. Your resume should also indicate your citizen the Selective Service System if you are a male born after 12/31/59.

  Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) and Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) documentation.

  
  

  CTAP and ICTAP Eligibles: CTAP and ICTAP candidates will be eligible for selection priority if it is determined that they have exceeded the minimum qualifications for the position by attaining at least a rating of 85 out of 100. Information about CTAP and ICTAP eligibility is on the Office of Personnel Management’s Career Transition Resources website at: CTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents: A copy of your RIF separation notice, a copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating, a copy of your most recent SF-50 “Notification of Personnel Action”, noting current position, grade level, and duty location, any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential.

  ICTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents: A copy of your RIF separation notice, a copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating, a copy of your SF-50 “Notification of Personnel Action”, documenting your RIF separation, noting your position, grade level, and duty location, any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential.

  
  
  

  OPM must authorize employment offers for former or current Political Appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C or Non-Career SES employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information. Submit proof of your former or current status, such as your SF-50. Please see

  
  

  NOTE: You will not be considered if you fail to provide all required documents.
  Are you a current or former federal employee? Submit a copy of your most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action that demonstrates your eligibility for consideration, e.g., length of time you have been in your current grade; your highest grade held; your current promotion potential and proof of permanent appointment if applying based on an interchange agreement. Examples of appropriate SF-50s include promotions, within-grade increases and accessions.

  
  
  

  Are you qualifying based on education? Submit a copy of your college transcript (unofficial is acceptable) from an accredited institution. Once selected and prior to appointment, applicants must provide an official college transcript. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet Federal qualification requirements if you can show that your foreign education is comparable to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States. For example, specific courses accepted for college-level credit by an accredited U.S. college or university, or foreign education evaluated by an organization recognized for accreditation by the Department of Education as education equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. college or university. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence with your application. See for more information.
  OPM must authorize employment offers for former or current Political Appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C or Non-Career SES employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information. Submit proof of your former or current status, such as your SF-50. Please see

  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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