The positions resides within the Office of Construction and Facilities Management, Office of Facilities Acquisition, located in Washington, District of Columbia. The incumbent will be responsible for cradle-to-grave functions (pre-award, source selection, post award, and contract close-out) involving procurements, including inter/intra-agency agreements for technical & professional services, planning, design, and construction services for major capital assets throughout the Veterans Affairs.

Duties

Projects involve medical facilities, cemeteries, and entail complex renovation, new construction, and modernization projects to existing facilities for use by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Assignments include Interagency Agreements (IAA's), price/cost analysis, negotiation, and acquisition of supplies, equipment, construction, services supporting the CFM Real Property program requirements and obtaining Architectural and Engineering (A & E) services and other related consultant services. Projects routinely attract public and congressional attention and require constant adjustments due to unforeseen site conditions impacting on the design as well as other factors such as inflation, available supplies and resources, and Federal budget pressures and technological advances during several years of design and construction activity. The major duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to: Advising all levels of management on the progress, development and coordination of projects needed to accomplish the overall mission of the Department. Providing consulting and advisory services to other VA facilities and staff officials on contracting issues and on possible projects. Monitoring administrative contract support activities and assuring adequate support is provided for acquisition contract requirements and activities. Participating in high-level meetings with top level officials from Central Office, Medical Center Director(s), special public interest groups, the academic community, sate and local government officials, and private high level executives and attorneys from firms external to VA. Conducting in-depth research on current economic trends and related alternatives for renovation and modernization of existing structures. Keeping abreast of proposed legislative changes regarding issues dealing with federal contracting regulations, and real property acquisition use and disposal. Conferring with management officials and subject matter specialists (including program officials, physicians, architects, engineers, and legal staff), about numerous and varied matters concerning the planning, funding, design, and construction of VA facilities. Work Schedule: Monday thru Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm Compressed/Flexible Work Schedule: May be Available Telework: Authorized up to 50% Remote/Virtual: This position may be filled at the facility where the position is located (VA Central Office, Washington, DC) or in person - telework authorized (e.g., the employee may work at a VA facility or other VA-leased space other than the facility that is hiring the employee) Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Required Position Description Title/PD#: Contract Specialist / PD13300A Physical Requirements: This position is mostly sedentary in a well lit climate controlled office setting, although there are regular and recurring construction inspections requiring a considerable amount of walking, stooping, bending, and climbing. The full performance level of this position is GS-14. At the GS-13 level, you will perform similar duties but under closer supervision. Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level.

Requirements

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job
• Subject to a background/suitability investigation
• May serve a probationary period
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• A complete application package; Resume, Transcripts, etc.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
• Selectee must possess, or obtain and maintain a FAC-C Professional or equivalent certification.
• Transcripts showing type of degree and date of conferral required.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date 05/20/2024 of this announcement. GS-13 Specialized Experience: Applicants must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the federal service; experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA's) and other characteristics to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled, in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience includes: managing the use of memorandums of understanding/agreement (MOUs & MOAs) for work to be performed with other governmental entities; making final decisions on contracting matters, including the most appropriate procurement method an contractual arrangement; assisting with terminating and suspending contracts; assisting in making decisions on protests, disputes, appeal, bid openings, negotiations, procurement integrity monitoring and claims review; assigning and reviewing work; analyzing performance/conduct problems through informal and formal processes. GS-14 Specialized Experience: Applicants must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 grade level in the federal service; experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA's) and other characteristics to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled, in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience includes: managing contracting/procurement construction related acquisition activities sufficient to develop and implement procurement plans involving successive program stages; experience performing negotiation techniques in the development of pre-contract and post-construction related service agreements/settlements; experience managing construction and A-E design related contract and procurement administration activities; expertise communicating contracting procedure/policies. To calculate, first identify the percentage of required education you have earned (when substituting, you cannot use the first 60 semester hours that you earned). Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify at the GS-13. For example, an applicant who has 9 semester hours of graduate level education (i.e. 50% of graduate education required) and 6 months of creditable specialized experience (i.e. 50% of the required experience) would equal 100% of the required experience for the position A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. There is no educational substitution for the this position at either grade level. 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; religions; 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. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

Education

You must meet the basic requirements listed below:

Basic Requirements for GS-13 and GS-14 Grade levels:

1. Must meet All of a, b, and c:

(a) Completion of Training/Certification: FAC-C (Professional) or DoD Contracting Professional Certification OR applicants meets the education and specialized experience and are willing to obtain certification within 36 months of hire date.

(b) At least 4-years' experience in contracting or related positions, including one (1) year specialized experience at or equivalent to work at the next lower level described below;

AND

(c) Completion of 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 organizational and management. (NOTE: Official or Unofficial copy of transcript(s), showing degree type, major, conferral date required to be submitted with application]

2. Exception: If you were in a GS-1102 position on January 1, 2000, you will be exempt from meeting the educational requirements for the grade level of that position. However, to be promoted you will have to meet Option 1 or 3.

3. Waiver: VA's senior procurement executive has the discretion to waive any or all of the requirements in 1 above if the 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. [Note: Candidates that are missing any of the educational, training, or experience requirements, or combination thereof, as specified in the vacancy announcement may be waived. The human resource office will forward your application for review, along with the other applications, with a note that one or more applicants may need a waiver].

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/.

If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education.

Contacts

• Address Construction and Facilities Management 425 I Street NW Washington, DC 20001 US
• Name: VACO OCHO HRSC Recruiting & Staffing Team
• Email: [email protected]