This position is in the Government Accountability Office, Financial Management and Business Operations, Acquisition Management, Procurement Operations Branch. The GAO is part of the Legislative Branch of the Federal government. As a Contract Specialist, you will be responsible for planning the overall approach to meet contracting program objectives. The GAO is part of the Legislative Branch of the Federal government. As such, all positions are in the excepted service.

Duties

As a Contract Specialist, PT-1102-3 your typical work assignments may include the following: Serves as a Contract Specialist for planning the overall approach to meet contracting program objectives for procuring a variety of complex highly specialized requirements. Serves as the department focal point for a full range of pre-award and post-award contracting activities associated with the acquisition of goods and services, such as acquisition planning, contract negotiation and preparation, administration, and termination, in support of GAO's mission. GAO's goods and services range from relatively simple, low dollar requirements to highly complex, high dollar, multi-year transactions that involve fixed- fee, cost-plus fixed-fee, time and material, labor hour, and indefinite delivery types of contracts which incorporate a mixture of these features acquisitions to support the acquisition requirement. Performs pre-award and post-award contract functions including negotiation, cost/price analysis, and administration of contracts for supplies and services. Manages the most complex requirements that require extensive negotiations involving cost or pricing data and special or unusual contract terms needed to support the program. Negotiates, or serves as lead negotiator of a negotiation team for assigned contracts. Participates in special procurement evaluations, studies, and analyses. Participates in pre- solicitation and pre-award conferences to discuss contractual provisions (i.e., technical requirements, financial management, capacity of the contractor to perform, etc). Negotiates prices, terms and conditions. Performs cost or price analysis, including review of cost breakdowns to determine reasonableness, and negotiates with potential contractors. Provides business solutions to program offices regarding all aspects of acquisition management for the procurement of supplies and services based on expert knowledge of Federal contracting theories, statues, principles, practices, and procedures. Evaluates response to solicitations, including price reasonableness, adequacy of competitions, compliance with solicitations, and probability of meeting requirements. Analyzes each element of cost using appropriate techniques (e.g., comparison, historical data, quantitative analysis) to determine the necessity and reasonableness of proposed contract costs. Encourages the use of performance based and other innovative contracting procedures utilizing e-procurement and GSA strategies. Provides details in specialty areas, including engineering, finance, pricing, law, overhead, etc., and require that the incumbent have the requisite knowledge in those areas. Provides advice on programs to office staff with regard to the acquisition plan strategies pertaining to the degree of competition, the contractual methods to be utilized to meet program objectives and policy/regulatory requirements, and similar considerations; effectively and efficiently provide contract management support. Assists all contract specialists in support of achieving acquisition management goals and objectives; and assists with automated procurement systems administration support.

Requirements

Qualifications

To be qualified for the Contract Specialist, PT-1102-3, you must meet the Basic Requirement, Selective Placement Factor and Minimum Qualification Requirements. Basic Requirement: For progression to GS-13 or higher level contracting positions, experience must include at least 4-years of experience in contracting or related positions. At least 1 year of that experience must have been specialized experience at or equivalent to work at the next lower level of the position, and must have provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the work of the position. AND A 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree, that included or was supplemented by 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. 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, unless granted a waiver. Selective Placement Factor: Possess an ACTIVE FAC-C Professional or DAWIA certification. Minimum Qualification Requirement: Applicants must have at least one year (52 weeks) of specialized experience at the next lower level/band, equivalent to the PT-II, PE-IIA, PA-II, or GS-13 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is described as 1) performing pre-award and post award contracting activities to include negotiation, cost/price analysis and administration of contracts; 2) preparing solicitation and synopsis documents for procurement activities; and 3) providing qualitative and quantitative analysis to support sound business decisions. Desired Experience: Current or previously held authority on acquisitions is desired. If you have this experience, please attach a copy of your contracting officer warrant certification to your application package. 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.

Education

A 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree, that included or was supplemented by 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.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed outside of the United States must be deemed equivalent to that gained in conventional/accredited U.S. education programs to be acceptable for Federal employment. Most foreign education is not accredited by an accrediting body that is recognized by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of 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 the US Department of Education.

Contacts

• Address Government Accountability Office Human Capital Office 441 G Street NW Washington, DC 20548 US
• Name: Joycelyn Williams
• Email: [email protected]