NASA

Contract Specialist

Huntsville, Alabama, United States

$103-167k

Contract

4 hours ago

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Job description

Duties

Serves as a lead negotiator and business advisor responsible for all pre-award and/or post award functions for a variety of supply, service, research, and/or construction contracts.
Performs all aspects of contracting for procurements that may be complex in nature and require extensive contract and subcontract administration.
Develops contract-related documentation to include incremental funding modifications, preparation of rate and cost adjustments, redirection of effort, coordination of contract extensions.
This includes, the incorporation of change orders, evaluating contractor performance, reviewing and analyzing contractor financial reports and other submittals.
Develops contract instruments representing sound judgement and business acumen (e.g. proper contract type, pricing/other contract provisions, source selection, acquisition method, determination/findings, documentation, and propriety of cited funds).
Coordinates with mission partners to develop overarching procurement objectives for program and construct contractual instruments accordingly including use of pricing arrangements, subcontracting goals, set-aside policies, and similar considerations.
Plans the negotiation strategy, coordinates strategy with negotiation team, and conducts the negotiations with contractors to develop the contract prices and terms.
Fosters a culture of engagement, diversity, inclusiveness, excellence and innovation. Champions NASAs commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility to create an environment that promotes a commitment to safety, integrity, and teamwork.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

This position is open to U.S. citizens, nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
Position subject to pre-employment background investigation or higher level clearance. Investigation/Clearance may differ and be required based on the duties/location-NASA Center requirements.
Financial Disclosure, Drug Testing, Bargaining Unit and/or the Travel Requirements for this position may differ and be required based on the duty location/NASA Center requirements.
You must meet qualifications requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
This position may require a one year probationary period.
Duty location will be determined upon selection and will be at one of the locations listed on the announcement. Selectee(s) will be required to work ON-SITE at the duty location selected.
Selectee will have a designated "Home Center", but may be assigned to support programs or projects at any NASA Center using virtual tools and capabilities.

Qualifications

You must meet all three requirements listed below; unless you are covered by an exception:

The mandatory Basic Requirement shown in the Education section below;
Specialized experience and/or directly related education, as shown below, which has equipped you with the particular competencies needed to successfully perform the duties of this position; and
Certification/Training requirements.

To qualify for GS-13, you must have one year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level:

Performing pre-award and post-award actions to procure and administer contracts for various contract types (e.g., supplies and services); AND
Utilizing negotiation techniques sufficient to negotiate prices, terms and conditions, and contract modifications in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR).

Certification/Training for GS-13:
You must meet one of the following requirements to be considered for this position:
A. Certification:
Possess a valid Level II Federal Acquisition Certification-Contracting (FAC-C) certification or FAC-C (Professional) or Level II Department of Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) certification or DAWIA Professional.

OR

B. Training:
Completion of all mandatory training prescribed by the head of the agency for level II Federal Acquisition Certification-Contracting (FAC-C) (NASA-FAC-C-Curriculum-Table.pdf), and at least 4 years of experience in contracting or related positions. At least one year of that experience must have been specialized experience at or equivalent to work at the next lower level of the position, and must have provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the work of the position.

To be hired for this position, you must possess a valid level II Federal Acquisition Certification-Contracting (FAC-C) or FAC-C Professional or level II Department of Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) certification or DAWIA Professional or must have already completed all mandatory training prescribed by the head of the agency for level II FAC-C and/or FAC-C Professional. If you are currently certified, you will be asked to provide evidence of continuous learning to verify your existing certification. If you are not currently certified, you must apply for certification within 30 days after your start date in this position.

**List your FAC-C or DAWIA certification level and date of certification. If you are not currently certified, but have completed the mandatory procurement training, list the training that you have completed to date.**

Your resume must include a clear and detailed narrative description, in your own words, of how you meet the required specialized experience. Experience statements copied from a position description, vacancy announcement or other reference material constitutes plagiarism and may result in disqualification and losing consideration for the job. NASA prohibits the use of artificial intelligence (AI) or AI-assisted tool in drafting application and assessment responses. Please visit https://www.nasa.gov/careers/how-to-apply/#Artificial-Intelligence to review NASA's guidance on the use of AI tools during the application process.

Waiver:
For this position, applicants that possess the specialized experience outlined above but do not currently meet the education or training requirements may be eligible to receive the required FAC-C certification. The education or training requirements above may be waived if the NASA Senior Procurement Executive certifies that an 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. If you are hired for this position, you will have up to two years from your start date to obtain FAC-C Level II and/or FAC-C Professional certification, as applicable, under a waiver of the education requirement or up to one year from your start date to meet the training requirement and receive FAC-C Level II and/or FAC-C Professional certification, as applicable. If you do not meet the education or training requirements before the period expires, you will be demoted or removed from this position.

The ideal candidate has experience recommending, developing, and implementing policies and procedures to procure supplies, services, for construction or research and development projects using formal advertising or negotiation procedures to evaluate contract price proposals and policies.

Education

Basic Requirement:

1. Completion of all mandatory training prescribed by the head of the agency for progression to GS-13 or higher-level contracting positions, including at least 4-years' experience in contracting or related positions. At least 1 year of that experience must have been specialized experience at or equivalent to work at the next lower level of the position, and must have provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the work of the position.

AND

2. A 4-year course of study leading to a minimum of 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 organization and management.

NOTE: Employees in GS-1102 positions will be considered to have met the basic education requirements for positions they occupied on January 1, 2000; only including positions at the same grade.

U.S. degrees must have been awarded from colleges or universities that are accredited by recognized accrediting organizations. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, go to http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/.

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. These education credentials must be 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. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

All degrees must have been received in the year of, or any year subsequent to the original date of accreditation.

Additional information

Additional selections may be made for similar positions across NASA within the local commuting area(s) of the location(s) identified in this announcement. By applying, you agree to have your application shared with interested selecting official(s) within NASA. CTAP/ICTAP will be cleared for any additional selection from this announcement.

If you have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP), you must:

- Indicate your eligibility when applying for a position. The questionnaire asks you to identify your ICTAP/CTAP eligibility.
- Meet the minimum qualifications requirements for the position
- Submit proof that you meet the requirements for CTAP/ICTAP as indicated in 'Required Documents'

For additional information about CTAP/ICTAP eligibility, click here - https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/#ictap.

Depending on position assignment, position may or may not be in a bargaining unit. To learn more about bargaining units at NASA please click here NASA Unions (Bargaining Units) | NASA.

Benefits
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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.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Direct Hire Authority: These positions will be filled through the Office of Personnel Management's Direct Hire Authority. Category rating and veterans' preference will not be considered in evaluating applicants. For more information on Direct Hire Authority, please see: OPM Direct Hire Fact Sheet.

Veterans: Under the provisions of Direct Hire Authority, veterans' preference does not apply. However, applicants who are eligible for veterans' preference are encouraged to include that information in their application and submit supporting documentation (i.e., DD-214, or other substantiating documents). For more information please see: Veterans' Preference information on the FedsHireVets website.

You will be evaluated for this position based on how well you meet the qualifications and eligibility requirements listed in this vacancy announcement. To determine your qualifications and referral status, we may review your resume and supporting documentation and compare it against your responses to the vacancy questionnaire. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration.

You will be assessed on the following competencies:

Acquisition and Contract Management
Contract Management and Performance Assessment
Decision Making
Procurement Planning and Contract Formation

NASA considers 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.

NASA will not ask you to disclose criminal history record information during the application process or before we make a conditional/tentative offer of employment. If you apply for this position and are selected, NASA will conduct a suitability/security background investigation after you accept a tentative job offer. If you feel you are asked to disclose your criminal history before you accept a tentative offer and wish to file a complaint within 30 days, please contact: Agency-FCCJ@NASA.gov.