Contracting Specialist-Direct Hire

Direct-Hire Authority (DHA) is a hiring authority granted by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to address critical hiring needs or severe candidate shortages. For more information on the Department of Justice and the United States Attorneys' Offices, visit www.justice.gov/usao/. As needed, additional positions may be filled using this announcement.

Duties

If selected for this position, you will join a well-respected team that is responsible for providing technical guidance and contracting services. Typical work assignments will include:

- Performing pre-award and post-award work on a variety of contract actions.
- Developing and documenting acquisition strategy for procuring supplies and services that may require a variety of specialized handling provisions, terms and conditions.
-Reviewing requisitions and determines appropriate contract type, competition requirements, contract vehicle and applicable FAR authorities.
-Preparing all solicitation documents necessary to support a variety of contract actions.
-Monitoring contractual milestones.
-Developing and maintaining familiarity with Government contracting procedures, business practices, the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) and other regulations, policies and procedures.
-Performing cost and price analysis, preparing contracts and executing award documents.
-Preparing statements of work and resolving non-complex problems in the pre-award and post-award phases.
- Reviewing technical and cost evaluation reports for accuracy and completeness.


Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress.

Salary

• $97,307 - $126,502/year

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a United States Citizen or National.
• You must successfully pass a security/background investigation and a drug screening.
• You must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable
• You must meet all qualification requirements within 30 days after the closing date of this announcement and before placement in the position.
• Financial Disclosure: If selected, you may be required to disclose financial information in accordance with DOJ and Federal ethics guidelines.
• You may be required to complete a one-year probationary period. See “Additional Information” section for specific details.
• Must be able to attain and retain at least a level 1 (one) Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting (FAC-C) as a federal contracting professional.

Qualifications

To qualify for the position of Contracting Specialist-Direct Hire, at GS-1102-12, you must meet the basic qualification requirements listed below.

***Must be able to attain and retain at least a level 1 (one) Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting (FAC-C) as a federal contracting professional. FAC-C has specific training requirements with some courses online as well as classroom courses. The person selected is expected to obtain a FAC-C within one year of the date of hire. To maintain a FAC-C, contract professionals are required to meet the continuous training requirement. ***

To be qualified for this position, applicants must meet Both Basic and Minimum Qualification requirements below:

BASIC REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL GS LEVELS:
1. A 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with a major in any field.

OR

2. 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.

OR

3. Exceptions: Employees in GS-1102 positions will be considered to have met the standard for positions they occupy on January 1, 2000. Employees who occupy GS-1102 positions at grades 5 through 12 will be considered to meet the basic requirements for other GS-1102 positions up to and including those classified at GS-12. This includes positions at other agencies and promotions up through grade 12. However, employees must meet specialized experience requirements when seeking another position.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

GS-12: To be eligible at the GS-12 level, you must meet Specialized Experience as defined below:

Specialized Experience: You must have one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level in Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as: conducting all aspects of contracting for supplies and services from initiation to award recommendation; preparing statements of work (SOW) or statement of objectives (SOO) and other documents necessary prior to a formal solicitation process; reviewing requisitions and determining method of procurement, i.e. formal advertising or negotiation; establishing procurement plans through review of history, market conditions, and specifications; evaluating adequacy and completeness of requisition descriptions; compiling bidders lists; initiating and issuing solicitation documents to insure clear and complete specifications, requirements, and other stipulations; responding to procurement inquiries; analyzing bids and proposals; conducting price/cost analysis to determine bid responsiveness and responsibility; recommending and documenting awards; and drafting final contracts.

You MUST meet all qualification requirements by the 06/09/2026 of this announcement.

Your resume must support your responses to the application questionnaire and the qualification requirements. Failure to do so may result in an ineligible rating.See the Required Documents section for important notes about what must be included in your resume.

This announcement is being advertised under an agency specific OR a government-wide Direct-Hire Authority approved by OPM for filling vacancies when a severe shortage or critical hiring need exists. Veterans Preference and other Category Rating procedures do not apply to this announcement. Applicants must meet all qualification requirements of the position. The hiring office may interview and select any qualified candidate of their choosing from the qualified pool. See OPM, Direct Hire Authority for more information.

Career Transition Programs (CTAP or ICTAP): These programs apply to Federal and/or DOJ employees who meet the definition of surplus or displaced from a position in the competitive service. To receive selection priority for this position, you must:

Be rated well-qualified for the position based on the competencies listed above; and submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. Well-qualified is defined as having knowledge, skills, abilities, and/or competencies clearly exceeding the minimum qualification requirements for the vacancy.

Education All academic degrees and coursework must be completed at a college or university that has obtained accreditation or pre-accreditation status from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, see http://www.ed.gov If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements, please see the statements below. Education must be reviewed and certified by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, in order for it to be creditable towards your qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from accredited institution. FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. You must show proof the education credentials have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. education program. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see the Department of Education website. If you are qualifying on foreign education, you MUST submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. Transcripts must be uploaded with your application to verify education. All documentation must be in English or include an English translation. Other Information Probationary Period: As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: 1) your performance and conduct; 2) the needs and interests of the agency; 3) whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and 4) whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. EEO Statement/Policy: The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor. More information can be found here: https://www.justice.gov/jmd/media/1425556/dl?inline. DOJ Reasonable Accommodation Statement: Federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. The DOJ Reasonable Accommodation policy can be found here: https://www.justice.gov/jmd/reasonable-accommodation#policy Selective Service: If you were born male, on or after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. Additional information is found at: www.sss.gov. Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs: The Fair Chance Act prohibits Federal agencies from requesting an applicant's criminal history information before the agency makes a conditional offer of employment. If you believe a DOJ employee or Federal contractor acting on its behalf has violated your rights under this Act, you may submit a written complaint within 30 days of the date of the alleged non-compliance. In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201(b) certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance Act. Required Documents

It is your responsibility to carefully review the list of required documents below and submit the necessary documentation based on your eligibility. Resume

Resume - All Applicants: You must submit a resume (a two page or less resume is required) containing the following pieces of information for each job entry listed in your employment history:

• Official position title,
• Employer name and contact information,
• Start and end dates (including month and year),
• Indicate full-time or number of hours worked per week if part-time,
• A list of duties performed and accomplishments.

Required for education requirement for Contract Series: An unofficial college transcript (Note: If you are selected for this position, an official transcript will be required prior to your first day.) and foreign education evaluation documentation, if applicable, as described under the "Qualifications" section of this vacancy announcement.

Required if you are a current or former Federal employee: a recent copy of an SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, showing title, series, grade, and full performance level (FPL); AND a copy of your most recent performance appraisal. Please note your SF-50 must include your FPL in the remark section (e.g., appointment, reassignment, promotion actions), pay adjustments and awards do not include this information so they are not acceptable.


CTAP/ICTAP eligibility documentation - If you are a displaced Federal employee claiming eligibility under CTAP or ICTAP, you must submit:

1. A copy of the agency notice (i.e., letter of intent to separate, separation notice, or agency RIF letter),
2. Your most recent performance appraisal, and
3. Most recent SF-50 showing current/former position, grade, promotion potential, and duty location.

Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office by providing a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment:

• Position title;
• Type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee);
• Agency; and
• Beginning and ending dates of appointment.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the online application questionnaire and submit your supporting documentation. Your complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 06/09/2026 to receive consideration.

The application process is as follows:

• Click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
• Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
• After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
• You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.

Essay Questions: The following four narrative questions provide an opportunity for you to highlight your dedication to public service for the hiring manager and agency leadership (or designee(s)). While your responses are not required and will not be scored, we encourage you to thoughtfully address each question. Please provide a response of 200 words or less to each question (see the application questionnaire). You will be asked to certify that you are using your own words and did not use a consultant or artificial intelligence (AI) such as a large language model (LLM) like ChatGPT or Copilot.

1. 1. How has your commitment to the Constitution and the founding principles of the United States inspired you to pursue this role within the Federal government? Provide a concrete example from professional, academic, or personal experience.
2. 1. In this role, how would you use your skills and experience to improve government efficiency and effectiveness? Provide specific examples where you improved processes, reduced costs, or improved outcomes.
3. 1. How would you help advance the President's Executive Orders and policy priorities in this role? Identify one or two relevant Executive Orders or policy initiatives that are significant to you, and explain how you would help implement them if hired.
4. 1. How has a strong work ethic contributed to your professional, academic or personal achievements? Provide one or two specific examples, and explain how those qualities would enable you to serve effectively in this position.

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