The purpose of the work is to provide administrative and technical support in all aspects of the planning, coordination and direction of the DoC Training Program. This position will be assisting in the growth and development of current and future contracting officers for the VA and have a direct impact on Acquisition Workforce throughout the Network. VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: Contracting Specialist - Total Rewards

Duties

Major duties and responsibilities include: Develops and provides COR training, ratification training and other acquisition training requirements as defined by leadership. Serves as the principal advisor to the NCM on all matters affecting contracting training, systems, and procedures. Exercises responsibilities involving work assignment to insure a standard approach is used for training and to identify and additional training opportunities. As technical authority, formulates, coordinates and secures approval for complex training products and evaluates impact of training programs on NCO resources. Develops and presents contract training concepts and strategies to the NCM and promotes the total contracting vision by soliciting commitments from functional areas within VA and other government agencies and private entities. Develops and establishes guidelines and training expectations for all acquisition staff, which are clearly communicated through the formal employee annual performance plan/appraisal system. Assists with the development of individual training improvement plans for acquisition staff and provides advice and counsel to supervisors related to staff training matters. Participates on national work groups to develop standardized training plans and training presentations for customer and continued education purposes. Implements acquisition training data base for all acquisition personnel and CORs. Work Schedule: Tour of Duty is 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Compressed/Flexible Schedules: Available Telework: VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Remote: This is a remote position. (Remote refers to work performed on full-time basis anywhere other than a VA facility or using VA-leased space.) Virtual: This is not a virtual position. (Virtual refers to work performed on full-time basis using VA-leased space or at a VA facility other than the facility that hired the employee.) **For this position, telework (up to 80% per pay period) or remote work (100% off site) may be authorized upon supervisor approval if within the commuting distance of the advertised duty station(s) or within the geographical footprint of NCO (20). Position Description/PD#: Contract Specialist (Training Officer)/PD200360 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized Physical Requirements: The work requires some physical exertion. Some ability and dexterity is required in inspecting equipment located in poorly accessible areas. Travel may be required

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 09/20/2024. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-12 position you must have served 52 weeks as a GS-11. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note:Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. Basic Requirements: Applicants must meet the basic requirement for this position.To meet the basic requirement for Contract Specialist GS-05 through GS-12 positions, applicants must have: A 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with a major in any field. OR, 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. Employees who occupy GS-1102 positions at grades 5 through 12 will be considered to meet the basic requirements for other GS-1102 positions up to and including those classified at GS-12. This includes positions at other agencies and promotions up through grade 12. However, employees must meet specialized experience requirements when seeking another position. 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, in the fields identified above, 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. Specialized Experience GS-12: Applicants must also meet the specialized experience for the GS-12 grade. You may qualify based on your experience described below for the GS-12 Contract Specialist (Training Officer) position: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-11) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience includes: Performing long-range planning and development of annual training programs, reviewing and evaluating all training development and evaluations for the NCO. Making overall assignments of training duties and responsibilities ensuring that the NCO employees have clearly defined training objectives. Defining training procedures and making recommendations to ensure training support is effective and efficient. Coordinating training activities throughout the NCO to streamline processes and to consolidate training resources and classes, using all training resources in the most efficient manner. Establishing guidelines and training expectations for all acquisition staff, which are clearly communicated through the formal employee performance management system. Working knowledge of a wide range of contract types, special cost and performance provisions, incentives and techniques used to structure contracts to achieve the emphasis desired by the Government between cost expenditures, desired performance characteristics, and delivery requirements. Experience with cost analysis requirements and techniques. Experience with Federal Acquisition Regulations, Department of Veterans Affairs Acquisition Regulations, contract law, and procedures applicable to acquisition and contract administration including change orders, supplemental agreements, terminations, claims, and close out of contracts. Experience executing negotiation techniques sufficient to negotiate prices, terms and conditions, contract modifications and settlements. Expert knowledge of contract administration principles and practices sufficient to monitor contractor performance and compliance with all terms and conditions of the contract. Education: There is no education substitute for the GS-12 grade. Preferred requirements are available on the following FAC link: Contracting (FAC-C) | FAI.GOV 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. For more information on these qualification standards, visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Education

Transcripts: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Transcripts must depict the name of the college to determine accreditation, and your name must also be displayed on the transcripts. If qualifying based on a degree, or for positions requiring a degree, the transcript must show the date the degree was conferred. If selected, you must provide official transcripts. Transcripts should state degree conferred, and have a date. Undergraduate transcripts are required to meet the basic requirement for this position; please submit all transcripts. Copies of Official Transcripts are accepted and are the best way to ensure your education is interpreted correctly in accordance with OPM qualification standards, but unofficial transcripts are accepted if they contain all the required information. If credit for a course is being questioned by the HR Professional performing qualifications, it is your responsibility to provide supporting descriptive information (course syllabus/descriptions) in your application package.

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. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Contacts

• Address VHA Service Center - 2 6100 Oak Tree Blvd Independence, OH 44131 US
• Name: VHA National Recruitment Center
• Phone: (844)456-5208
• Email: [email protected]