Summary
This position is part of the Southwestern Power Administration, Department of Energy. As a Contract Specialist, you will perform a wide range of contracting duties and assignments to complete solicitation, award, and administration of contracts, as well as other acquisition duties. **This is NOT A REMOTE POSITION. The selectee will be required to be physically present at one of the duty location(s) identified.**
Duties
Administer contracts, perform detailed cost analyses on contractor estimated cost, analyze labor rates and escalation factors, and assess the impact of socioeconomic considerations on procurement actions. Perform pre-award functions, ensure that the bid schedule is properly structured, plan the procurement action with technical, legal, and contract pricing personnel. Determine the sources to be solicited, prepare applicable determinations and findings, conduct pre-proposal or pre-bid conferences, receive and evaluate proposals in conjunction with price/cost analysts or other technical personnel. Monitoring contractor performance in relation to the completion schedule required by the contract, making periodic visits to the contractor's facility or work site, detecting and correcting labor standards violations. Negotiate settlements for such changes, approve contract payments, assess liquidated or actual damages for non-performance, issue show cause or cure notices, terminate contracts for default or convenience and negotiate settlements, prepare replies to other involved agencies, appeal boards, or Congressional inquiries.
Requirements
Must be a U.S. Citizen or National. This employer participates in the e-Verify program. Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for Selective Service. Suitable for Federal employment, as determined by a background investigation. Appointments made under the DHA are processed as "new" appointments. Status and Non-Status applicants from outside DOE selected under this authority are required to serve a mandatory one (1) year probationary period. A DOE career status employee selected for this position may be required to serve a new one (1) year probationary period, pursuant to 5 CFR 315.802. Employees serving on a probationary period may be terminated at any time during the probationary or trial period for performance, conduct, or business-related reasons in the interest of Federal service. Limit your resume to no more than two (2) pages. If more than two pages are submitted, only the first two pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility and qualifications. In accordance with Executive Order 14170, applicants are encouraged to respond to the four short, free-response, essay questions in the questionnaire. Answers to these questions are not scored or rated. Your answers will be reviewed by the hiring manager and agency leadership if you are referred for selection consideration. Incumbent must have a valid and current State driver's license. Upon reporting, and annually thereafter, you may be required to complete a financial disclosure (OGE-450). Federal Acquisition Contracting-Certification (FAC-C) Professional via the Federal Acquisition Institute (FAI), or the Defense Acquisition University (Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) is required and must be maintained by the incumbent. Certification must be obtained within 24 months from date of hire.
Education
This vacancy has a positive education requirement. In order to be rated as qualified, you must provide copies of your college transcripts. Education must be obtained from an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. See Department of Education Accreditation Search to verify school accreditation. Foreign education must be reviewed by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see the Department of Education website. DO NOT email or mail in any of your application documents. Documents will not be accepted outside of the online application system. Failure to provide copies of your college transcripts may result in a rating of "Ineligible".
How you will be evaluated
This position is announced under a government-wide Direct-Hire Authority (DHA) for Contract Specialist positions in the 1102 series. Under the DHA, applicants who meet the Education and Qualification requirements listed in this announcement will be referred for consideration. Veteran's Preference, category rating, and traditional rating and ranking of applicants does not apply under the DHA process. Minimum Qualifications: Once the application process is complete, the Human Resources Offices or Subject Matter Expert (SME) will review the first two pages of your resume and supporting documentation to determine whether you meet the minimum job qualifications. USAHire: To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. Successful candidates will possess the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics): Accountability Attention to Detail Customer Service Decision Making Flexibility Influencing/Negotiating Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Learning Reading Comprehension Reasoning Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork Career Transition Assistance Programs: If you are eligible for career transition assistance, such as ICTAP or CTAP, you must meet the Education and Qualification requirements to be referred for consideration. You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date (08/31/2026) of this announcement. To preview the Assessment Questionnaire, click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13033306