• Perform pre and post award functions for acquisitions, involving supplies, services, research and development, construction, and information technology for numerous Research and Development Laboratories.
• Perform pre and post award functions for complex supply, service, and information technology contracts.
• Ensure appropriate market research is conducted; acquisition planning and documentation is thorough, accurate, and complete; and solicitations and contracts are drafted in accordance with all applicable laws, regulations, and policies.
• Conduct and support the overall approach to meeting the Engineer Research and Development Center contracting needs to procure a variety of requirements.
• Perform market research/analysis to determine availability of the requirement, commerciality, and the most advantageous acquisition strategy, trends, commercial practices, conditions and technological advances.
• Select appropriate techniques and procedures to solve any acquisition problems. Analyze contracting issues and determine recommended courses of action, which may depart from previous approaches.
• Provide business advice and assistance to technical personnel involved in development of the requirement documents; review acquisition packages for adequacy and compliance with administrative, regulatory, and procedural requirements.
• Review procurement requests to determine whether, based on market analysis, the requirement can be performed by small businesses; actively solicit small business participation; and negotiate subcontracting plans as applicable.
• Initiate action to have all or part of a procurement set-aside exclusively for small business performance; plan the acquisition along with the appropriate technical, legal, and contract pricing personnel.
• Develop evaluation criteria to use in determining source selection and best value requests for proposal, which may include utilization of past performance data, and technical qualifications for awards other than lowest price.
• Serve as point of contact for assigned procurements. Procurements may involve a variety of complexities such as foreign environments, socioeconomic considerations, legal conditions, and rigid deadlines causing additional complications.
• Determine appropriate methods of procurement using a wide range of contracting methods and contract types.
• Administer cost contracts, perform most probable cost analyses, conduct accounting system reviews, review vendor invoices, negotiate final indirect costs rates, analyze DCAA audits.
• Monitor contractor performance for compliance with terms and conditions of contracts, which will include inspection of Contracting Officer Representative (COR) files.
• Negotiate and prepare contract modifications caused by changes in technical requirements, analyzing price and cost elements of the proposed change(s) and obtaining audits when required.
• Analyze complex contract administration problems, e.g., disputes and labor violations; issuing show cause and/or cure notices; terminating contracts and negotiating settlements.
• Prepare negotiation memoranda to explain rationale and methods used in arriving at the final settlement and preparing full documentation for cases requiring formal review.
• Represent the interest of the organization in a professional manner in meetings and various contacts outside the agency on a variety of issues that often are not well defined.
• Provide business advice, guidance, and assistance to team members, technical and program personnel, private industry and academia representatives on acquisition and business-related issues.
• Conduct training to contractors and customers on contractual language, legal responsibilities, and opportunities.

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Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• Annual Statement of Employment and Financial Disclosure OGE-450.
• Approximately 25% travel to other duty locations.
• Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation
• This is a Defense Acquisition Workforce (AWF) position. The employee must meet the DoDI 5000.66 requirements applicable to the Career Category/Functional Area and the Career Level Certification assigned on the sequenced position.
• Foundational Career Level Certification or Contracting Professional Certification required within 3 years.

Qualifications

This announcement uses the Direct Hire Authority (DHA) for Science and Technology Laboratory Personnel Management Demonstration Project Support Positions authority to recruit and appoint qualified candidates to certain positions in the competitive service.

In order to qualify, you must meet the education and/or experience requirements described below. 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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document.

Basic Requirement for Contract Specialist DJ-1102-02/03: Degree: Bachelor's degree (or higher degree) from an accredited educational institution authorized to grant baccalaureate degrees. (Note: You must attach/upload transcripts.)

OR

Exemption: You are exempt from the education requirements above if (A) you are a current civilian employee in DoD who occupied GS-1102 positions or contracting positions with authority to award or administer contracts above the simplified acquisition threshold in an Executive Department on or before September 30, 2000; OR (B) you are a current military member who occupied a similar occupational specialty to the GS (or equivalent)-1102 on or before September 30, 2000.

In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for the DJ-03 grade level you must also meet the below qualification requirements:

Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the DJ-02 (GS-09) grade level in the Federal service which includes: 1) Drafting solicitations and contracts in accordance with all applicable laws, regulations, and policies; 2) Performing pre and post award functions for acquisitions involving supplies, services, research and development, construction, and/or information technology; and 3) Perform contract negotiations, contract administration, and contract closeouts.

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

Education

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html