Location: Philadelphia,PA, USA
Summary See below for important information regarding this job. Note: This is an open continuous announcement with an established initial cut-off date of January 2, 2025. Please see the How You Will Be Evaluated section for more information. Responsibilities Performs cradle-to-grave contracting actions including: acquisition planning, solicitation, evaluation and cost/price analyses, negotiations, contract award, modifications/amendments, terminations, closeouts, and contractor performance reviews. Performs Pre- and Post-Award functions for a wide variety of procurements. Performs market research, identifies potential vendors, evaluates offers, performs comparative price analysis for reasonableness, and recommends award of contracts. Negotiates settlements for contractual changes. Negotiates equitable adjustments and supplemental agreements to delivery or performance time and prices, and execution of supplemental agreements for reduced or additional requirements. Determines contract type and method of solicitation. Prepares negotiation plan and submits for review and approval. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications To qualify for a Contract Specialist your resume and supporting documentation must support: A. Basic Contracting Requirement: A.) A bachelor's degree from an accredited educational institution authorized to grant baccalaureate degrees OR B.) a current civilian employee in DoD or member of the Armed Forces, who occupied an 1102 position, contracting officer position, or comparable military contracting position with authority to award or administer contracts above the simplified acquisition threshold on or before September 30, 2000, are excluded from the requirements of A) above. B. Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience that equipped you with the particular competencies to successfully perform the duties of the position and is directly in or related to this position. In addition to meeting the Basic Contracting Requirement above, to qualify for the GS-09 grade level, specialized experience must be at the GS-07 grade level or equivalent under other pay systems in the Federal service, military, or private sector. To qualify for the GS-11 grade level, specialized experience must be at the GS-09 grade level or equivalent under other pay systems in the Federal service, military, or private sector. To qualify for the GS-12 grade level, specialized experience must be at the GS-11 grade level or equivalent under other pay systems in the Federal service, military, or private sector. Applicants must meet eligibility requirements including time-in-grade (General Schedule (GS) positions only), time-after-competitive appointment, minimum qualifications, and any other regulatory requirements by the cut-off/closing date of the announcement. Creditable specialized experience includes: GS-09: With assistance, applying contracting principles, laws, statutes, regulations, and procedures applicable to procurement/contracting actions. Soliciting offers to procure a variety of requirements ranging from standard to specialized supplies or services. Applied knowledge of acquisition planning. With assistance using negotiation techniques to procure services supplies. Communicating through written communications and discussions with vendors/customers. GS-11: With assistance, applying contracting principles, laws, statutes, regulations, and procedures applicable to procurement/contracting actions. Soliciting offers to procure a variety of requirements ranging from standard to specialized supplies or services. Applied knowledge of acquisition planning. With assistance using negotiation techniques to procure supplies. Communicating through written communications and discussions with vendors/customers. GS-12: Applies and adapts contracting principles, laws, statutes, regulations, and procedures applicable to procurement/contracting actions. Soliciting offers to procure a variety of requirements ranging from standard to specialized supplies or services. Performing acquisition planning. Independently negotiates to procure supplies. Communicating through written communications and discussions with vendors/customers. C. Education Substitution: Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. Education must be from a college or university accredited by an organization approved by the U.S. Department of Education. See If using education to meet basic qualifications, YOU MUST SUBMIT A TRANSCRIPT as supplemental documentation. To qualify based on education in lieu of specialized experience, you must possess: GS-09: Two years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree. GS-11: Three (3) years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a PhD or equivalent Doctorate degree. Such education must be from an accredited college or university, and must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities to do the work. GS-12: There is no education substitution at this 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, 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 GS-09: Two years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree. GS-11: Three (3) years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a PhD or equivalent Doctorate degree. Such education must be from an accredited college or university, and must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities to do the work. GS-12: There is no education substitution at this grade level. Are you using your education to qualify? You MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. Unless otherwise stated: Unofficial transcripts are acceptable at time of application. GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours that your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study. FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that 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. Additional Information Position requires DoD Acquisition Contracting, Foundational certification within required timeframes. Selectee must also achieve 80 hours of Continuous Learning Points (CLPs) every 2-years. Click here for more details and Resources. For Important General Applicant Information and Definitions go to: Reemployed Annuitants: This position does not meet criteria for appointment of Reemployed Annuitants. The DoD criteria for hiring Reemployed Annuitants can be found at: Information for Veterans is available at: As of 23 December 2016, Military retirees seeking to enter federal service in the Department of Defense now require a waiver if they would be appointed within 180 days following their official date of retirement. Drug-Free Workplace: The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) has established a Drug-Free Federal Workplace Policy. All applicants tentatively selected for DLA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with DLA for a period of six months. This policy extends to random testing for the use of illegal drugs by employees who occupy testing designated positions defined as sensitive in Section 7(d) of Executive Order 12564. The Defense Logistics Agency's Drug Free Workplace Plan's drug testing panel includes testing for the following illegal substances: marijuana, cocaine, opiates (codeine/morphine), 6-Acetylmorphine (heroin), phencyclidine, amphetamines (amphetamine/methamphetamine), methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA), oxycodone, oxymorphone, hydrocodone, and hydromorphone. ADVISORY: By using cannabidiol (CBD) products you are risking a positive drug test result for marijuana.