CONTRACT SPECIALIST.

Summary

This position is located in Defense Information Systems Agency, DITCO-Europe, (PS51).

• Initial review of applicants will occur 7 days after the announcement opens. Additional reviews of applicants will occur at the 30 and 60 day cutoff and the closing date of the announcement.

Review Dates Of Applications Received Before Or On:

• 24 DEC 2024
• 17 JAN 2025
• 16 FEB 2025
• 18 MAR 2025

Learn more about this agency. This job is open to:

• Federal employees - Competitive service

Current or former competitive service federal employees.

Clarification from the agency:

Current Competitive Service Department of Defense (DoD) employees, PPP Applicant Eligibles and Military Spouse Preference eligibles in the local commuting area.

Duties

• Serves as a contract specialist, but may be required to obtain a warrant based on mission needs.
• Primary responsibilities include solicitation preparation, proposal evaluation, cost/price analysis, negotiation, contract preparation, source selection, contract award, and contract administration.
• Contract requirements range from routine commercial off-the-shelf products and services to extremely complex state-of-the-art telecommunication systems, often requiring site surveys and special construction of facilities.
• Serves as an advisor to customer and project management personnel in procurement planning meetings.
• Conducts pre-solicitation/pre-proposal/pre-award meetings with telecommunication providers and foreign government telecommunication agencies to ensure a clear understanding of contract requirements is presented to all prospective contractors.
• Incumbent prepares and/or reviews solicitations for Inquiry/Quote/Order (IQO), Request For Proposal (RFP), and Request For Quotation (RFQ) procurements.

Requirements Conditions of Employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen.
• This national security position, which may require access to classified information, requires a favorable suitability review and security clearance as a condition of employment. Failure to maintain security eligibility may result in termination.
• Obtain/Maintain Defense Acquisition Workforce Certification.
• Mission-Essential Position.
• This is a covered position and the person selected for this position must complete an OGE Form 450, Confidential Financial Disclosure Report within 30 days of appointment pursuant to 5 CFR 2634.903(b) (DoD 5500.7).
• The initial length of this overseas tour is 36 months. Tours extensions may be authorized at the discretion of management. With few exceptions, DOD policy limits overseas tours to a maximum of 5 years.
• No-fee passport required.
• This position requires frequent travel by any mode of Government or commercial transportation IAW Joint Travel Regulations and may be TDY up to 90 days on short notice in support of the DITCO Europe, SWA Procurement Branch field office.

Qualifications

Time in Grade:

For entry at the GS-11 level, status applicants must have served 52 weeks as a GS-09 or higher grade in the Federal Service. For entry at the GS-12 level, status applicants must have served 52 weeks as a GS-11 or higher grade in the Federal Service.

Basic Education Standards For Positions In The 1102 Series:

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited education institution authorized to grant baccalaureate degrees.

All applicants must provide a copy of your transcripts. Failure to provide this information will result in disqualification.

Education Exemptions: The education requirements listed above apply only to individuals entering DoD 1102 positions on or after October 1, 2000. Current DoD employees or Armed Forces members, who occupied GS-1102 positions or contracting positions with authority to award or administer contracts above the simplified acquisition threshold in an Executive Department on or before September 30, 2000, are exempt from meeting this requirement. Failure to provide SF-50 or career brief (for Armed Forces members) dated prior to October 1, 2000 will result in disqualification (this includes DISA employees).

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 the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services at the time of application.

Specialized Experience:

For the GS-11, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent in level of difficulty and responsibility to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service, or comparable in difficulty and responsibility to GS-09 if outside the Federal service, is required.

Your resume MUST demonstrate experience applying contracting procedures under supervision sufficient to negotiate, award, and administer contracts with telecommunication providers both government and commercial.

For the GS-12, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent in level of difficulty and responsibility to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service, or comparable in difficulty and responsibility to GS-11 if outside the Federal service, is required.

Your resume MUST demonstrate experience negotiating, awarding, and administering Inquiry/Quote/Order (IQO), Request For Proposal (RFP), and Request For Quotation (RFQ) contracts to acquire telecommunication services and IT products and services.

Candidates must describe how their experience meets the specialized experience requirement within the body of their resume. In addition to meeting the specialized experience requirements, qualified applicants must also possess the quality of experience as it relates to how closely or to what extent an applicant's background, recency of experience, education, and training are relevant to the duties and responsibilities of the announced position. Candidates must clearly demonstrate the possession of knowledge, skills and abilities, or competencies necessary to successfully perform the work of the position at the appropriate level to be qualified for the position. Applicants must describe how their experience meets the competencies within the body of the resume. No separate statements addressing KSA's or competencies are required.

Competencies: Communication, Contracting/Procurement, Influencing/Negotiating, Issue Changes and Modification, and Proposal Evaluation.

Qualification and time-in-grade requirements must be met within 30 days after the closing date of this announcement.

Education

SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION FOR EXPERIENCE AT GS-11 LEVEL: Three full years of progressively higher level graduate education or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree.

There is no substitution of education for specialized experience at the GS-12 grade level.

Graduate Education: To qualify for GS-1102 positions on the basis of graduate education, graduate education in one or a combination of the following fields is required: accounting, business, finance, law, contracts, purchasing, economics, industrial management, marketing, quantitative methods, or organization and management.

To be creditable, education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. You must report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions that are recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

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 the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services at the time of application.

Additional information:

• TDY Travel: Frequent
• Tour length: 36 months
• Telework availability will be based upon the mission requirements and supervisory determination.
• Current Federal employees within CONUS who are selected through a formal competitive recruitment process for a lower graded position overseas may be afforded pay retention if their pay would otherwise be reduced.
• Eligibility for foreign-area allowances such as Foreign Post Allowance and Living Quarter Allowance will be determined at the time of hire.
• U.S. citizens in Germany under ordinary resident status are not eligible to apply for appointment under Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA).
• A one year probationary or trial period may be required.
• Management has the prerogative to select at either grade level.
• This recruitment provides promotion opportunity to target position without further competition when selectee is eligible and recommended by management. However, promotion is not guaranteed and no promise of a promotion is implied.
• Current Department of Defense employees who accept this position will have statutory return rights to the same grade they held prior to accepting this position.
• We may use this announcement to fill additional vacancies within 90 days of the closing date.
• Moving costs MAY be paid. They MUST be paid if a DISA employee is selected for the position.
• Recruitment, relocation, or retention incentives MAY be authorized. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 makes certain reimbursements/payments taxable.
• No-fee passport required. US Government civilian personnel who have not received their no-fee passport prior to departing CONUS may enter Germany using a tourist passport.
• For more information on veterans' preference click here.
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service.
• The Department of Defense (DoD) policy on employment of annuitants issued March 18, 2004 will be used in determining eligibility of annuitants.
• This position is subject to the limitations imposed by the DOD Priority Placement Program.
• Military Spouse Preference (MSP)/Family Member Preference (FMP) - Candidates claiming MSP/(FMP) must include a copy of sponsor's permanent change of station orders authorizing movement of spouse to the overseas command or other appropriated documentation that support the preference.
• All applicants are encouraged to apply electronically. If you are unable to apply on-line, you may contact 317-212-0454 for assistance.

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding.

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.