Contract Specialist (Direct Hire)

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

• $89,515 - $116,374/year

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a United States Citizen or National.
• Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory pre-employment adjudication. This includes fingerprint, credit and tax checks, and drug testing. Continued employment is subject to a favorable adjudication of a background investigation
• You must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable.
• If selected, you may be required to complete a one year probationary period.
• You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.

Qualifications

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.

Additionally, all applicants must possess a current FAC-C (Professional) certification (or equivalent) at time of appointment, and must maintain that certification as long as they remain warranted.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP)- The ICTAP provides eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your ICTAP eligibility; 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement; and 3) you are found eligible and qualified for this vacancy. To be eligible and qualified, you must satisfy all eligibility and qualification requirements for the vacant position as outlined in this announcement. You must provide proof of eligibility to receive selection priority. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of ICTAP eligibility or a copy of your separation personnel action form. Additional information about ICTAP eligibility is at: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)-The CTAP provides eligible surplus and displaced competitive service employees in the Department of Justice with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your Department of Justice component has notified you in writing that you are a surplus or displaced employee eligible for CTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your CTAP eligibility, 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement, and 3) you are found eligible and qualified for this vacancy. To be eligible and qualified, you must satisfy all eligibility and qualification requirements for the vacant position as outlined in this announcement. You must provide a copy of your written notification of CTAP eligibility with your application. Additional information about CTAP eligibility is at: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.

Education Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the above education requirements if you can show that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. It is your responsibility to timely provide such evidence by submitting proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency with your application materials. More information may be found at www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html. All documentation must be in English or include an English translation. Other Information Payment of relocation expenses will not be authorized. The Department of Justice offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, paid vacation; sick leave; holidays; telework; life insurance; health benefits; and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System. Veterans' Preference - Since Direct Hire Recruitment Authority is being used, traditional Veterans' Preference rules do not apply. Qualified preference eligibles will be given full consideration for this position. While veterans' preference does not apply in Direct Hire Authority, preference eligibles can submit their supporting documentation listed as Optional in the Required Documentation section of this vacancy announcement. Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born 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. See www.sss.gov. Political Appointees (Current and Former): Political Appointees (Current or Former): 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 or Non-Career SES employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the HR Office. Failure to disclose this information could result in disciplinary action including removal from Federal Service. 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. EEO Statement: 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. Required Documents

You must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

- Required: Your responses to the Online Occupational Questionnaire (This is completed automatically during the apply online process).

- Required: Your resume showing relevant experience and dates (for full consideration you must include day/month/year) of employment and work schedule for each (e.g., part-time XX hours per week or full-time) (cover letter optional).). 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.

- Required, if applicable: CTAP/ICTAP documentation to include a copy of a separation notice or other proof of eligibility for priority selection; a copy of an SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, showing current position, grade, promotion potential, and duty location; AND a copy of your most recent performance appraisal.

- Optional, if applicable: Veterans' Preference documentation.
Member Copy 4 of your DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty); or if you are a current Active Duty member, a certification on appropriate military branch letterhead that indicates: 1) your service dates, 2) expected discharge or release date from active duty with a release/discharge date no later than 120 days from the closing date of this announcement, and 3) the character of service (e.g., Honorable); If you are a disabled veteran, a Purple Heart recipient, or widow/widower if a veteran, the spouse of a disabled veteran or the parent of a disabled or deceased veteran, a Standard Form (SF) 15, "Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference" dated October 2013 and the required documentation identified on the reverse side of the SF-15 to support your preference claim.

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 occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section in this announcement.

1. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.

2. Click the Submit My Answers button to submit your application package. (It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation are submitted prior to the closing date.)

3. To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.

To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.

To preview the Assessment Questionnaire, please click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12798609

You are encouraged to apply online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application. If you are unable to apply online, contact Theresa Bossard at Theresa.Bossard@usdoj.gov or 205-244-2072 as soon as possible to arrange an alternative application process.

The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 09/22/2025 to receive consideration. Keep a copy of your proof of submission in the event verification is needed.

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 or Non-Career SES employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the HR Office. Failure to disclose this information could result in disciplinary action including removal from Federal Service.