Summary
This vacancy is for a Contract Specialist in the Office of the Secretary within the Department of Commerce.
Duties
As a Contract Specialist, you will: Develop or carry-out policies and procedures to procure supplies, services, construction, or research and development using formal advertising or negotiation procedures. Manage or perform the acquisition processes involved in the procurement or supplies, services, construction, ADP, and research and development. Administers, terminates, and closes out contracts. Develop acquisition strategy and plans procurements. Apply strategic sourcing and category management principles. Manage multiple concurrent acquisition actions being performed by a team. Evaluate contract price proposals. Analyze and advise on changes in policies and resources that affect program objectives. Identify problems, propose solutions, and defend recommendations. Write and communicate clear guidelines. Communicate effectively orally and in writing to a wide range of audiences. Consult with the supervisor on priorities and unusual situations. This Job Opportunity Announcement may be used to fill other Contract Specialist ZA-1102-3, FPL: 4 positions within the Department of Commerce in the same geographical location or local commuting area with the same qualifications and specialized experience. This JOA is also being advertised at the ZA-4 under OS-OAM-DE-26-13031506 under Direct Hiring Authority. The ZA-4 position is the full performance level of the ZA-3 position. If you wish to be considered for both the ZA-3 and ZA-4 positions, you must apply to both.
Requirements
You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position. You must successfully pass a background investigation. This may include a credit check, a review of financial issues, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs. A probationary period may be required. Selective Service: Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see https://www.sss.gov/). If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application. All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing. Bargaining Unit Position: No Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE form 450): Yes Permanent Change of Duty Station (PCS) Expense: Will not be paid License required: No Drug Test Required: No
Education
There is a positive education requirement for this position, please refer to the above qualification section. **NOTE** - Failure to provide transcripts and certifications will result in you being rated ineligible for this position. NOTE: Special Instructions for Foreign Education: Qualifying education from colleges and universities in foreign countries must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part in foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree. You MUST provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course by course listing along with your application. Failure to provide such documentation when requested will result in lost consideration.
How you will be evaluated
Under the provisions of the Direct-Hire Authority (DHA), rating, ranking and veterans' preference does not apply. While veterans' preference does not apply in DHA, preference eligibles are encouraged to submit their supporting documentation (DD-214 stating disposition of discharge or character of service, VA letter, SF-15, etc.). You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., two-page resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire and the result of the USA Hire assessment required for this position. Applicants who meet the qualification requirements, as defined in the job opportunity announcement, will be referred for selection consideration. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. The technical assessment will evaluate you on the following competencies; please do not provide a separate written response: Contracting and Acquisition Management Acquisition Planning and Strategy Contract Analysis and Problem Solving Communication and collaboration Accountability Attention to Detail Customer Service Flexibility Influencing/Negotiating Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Learning Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork Decision Making Reading Comprehension Reasoning The assessment includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment. Do NOT include the following types of information in your resume/application. If any are included, you will be deemed INELIGIBLE for consideration. Classified or government sensitive information Social Security Number (SSN) Photos of yourself Personal information, such as age, gender, religious affiliation, etc. To preview the questionnaire, click the following link:https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13031505