Summary This position is a contract specialist in the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Procurement, Acquisition and Logistics (OPAL), EPO/AS3 The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is the largest health care organization of its kind in the world. OPAL negotiates, awards, and administers multi-year, multi-billion-dollar contracts for supplies and services using procedures outlined in the Federal Acquisition Regulations, VA Acquisition Regulations, Public Laws, and Agency policy. Responsibilities Duties include but are not limited to: Assist the Acquisition Service Director and Division Chiefs in coordinating contracting activities, perform contract reviews and provide guidance related to complex contracts administered by other Contract Specialists, identify routine and special training needs, and conduct mentoring. Fully utilize electronic systems for contract writing (i.e. Electronic Contract Management System (eCMS)). Contract management, contract reporting (i.e. Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS)), VA mandated financial management system in accordance with Agency policies. Assists requiring activities in performing market research, reviewing specifications and statements of work, and approving acquisition milestone plans. Ensure that specifications and statements of work are prepared in a manner which adequately describes the Government's requirements without restricting competition. Prepares required findings and sufficiently documents determinations in this regard. Coordinates with the appropriate Offices or Small Business Administration (SBA) Small Business liaison on matters relevant to all aspects of socio-economic goal requirements. Conducts negotiations for competitive and noncompetitive procurements. Serves as contract administrator on awarded contracts. Conducts post-award conferences with Contractor and Government personnel to provide information and to clarify standard and special contractual provisions of the contract. Negotiates prices and/or additional time required for performance and consideration on behalf of the Government Maintains accurate, current contract administration records in required VA systems (i.e., eCMS, SharePoint, MS Teams) and proactively communicates with customers and stakeholders throughout the acquisition and post-award lifecycle, escalating issues to leadership in a timely manner. Develops and delivers briefings on assigned portfolio, contract status, and program initiatives to leadership, peers, and stakeholders as requested or required. Performs the duties listed above independently. Work Schedule: Monday- Friday 8am-4:30pm Telework: This position may be authorized for ad-hoc telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Virtual: This position may be authorized for Virtual Work. Virtual Work eligibility is for current VA employees that are already subject to the return to the in-person work mandate in their current position. Location is negotiable among VA-approved staff offices, subject to space availability and management approval. Definition of Virtual Work: Employee works outside of original hiring duty station at a VA-owned or leased space Position Description/PD#: Contract Specialist/PD20710A and PD20712A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required. Subject to background/security investigation Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will 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: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and 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. Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 08/19/2026. Certification Requirements: The incumbent must have achieved Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) Level III contracting certification or Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting (FAC-C) Level III certification or Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting (FAC-C) Professional certification or have the ability to obtain this certification within 12 months of appointment. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience for the GS-13 level of this position: Applicants must have one year of full-time specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-12) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include but are not limited to: Perform research and analysis to support acquisition planning and informed decision-making. Evaluate proposed costs or pricing to determine reasonableness and support contractual actions. Monitor contractor performance to ensure adherence to applicable requirements and standards. Prepare documentation summarizing negotiation outcomes and supporting contract decisions. Develop required summaries and announcements related to solicitation and award activities. Initiate formal notifications to address performance concerns and support potential corrective actions. Conduct or participate in contract negotiations, including price, schedule, and terms and conditions, on competitive and noncompetitive procurement actions. Maintain accurate and complete contract administration records in required electronic systems (e.g., eCMS or comparable contract writing/management systems) in accordance with agency policy. Communicate proactively with internal and external customers throughout the acquisition lifecycle, providing timely status updates and resolving issues. Evidence of this specialized experience must be supported by detailed documentation of like duties performed in positions held on your resume. You will also need to provide work experience information such as hours per week, full-time/part-time status, and starting/ending dates of employment (month and year format) to establish you have one (1) full year of specialized experience at the required grade level. Individual Occupational Requirements for Contracting Series, 1102 Basic Requirements for GS-13 and Above A. 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 B. A 4-year course of study leading to 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. C. Exceptions: Employees in GS-1102 positions will be considered to have met the standard for positions they occupy on January 1, 2000. This also applies to positions at the same grade in the same agency or other agencies if the specialized experience requirements are met. However, they will have to meet the basic requirements and specialized experience requirements in order to qualify for promotion to a higher grade, unless granted a waiver under Paragraph D. D. Waiver: When filling a specific vacant position, the senior procurement executive of the selecting agency, at his or her discretion, may waive any or all of the requirements of Paragraphs A and B above if the senior procurement executive certifies that the 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. With respect to each waiver granted under this Paragraph D, the senior procurement executive must document for the record the basis of the waiver. If an individual is placed in a position in an agency on the basis of a waiver, the agency may later reassign that individual to another position at the same grade within that agency without additional waiver action. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be found well qualified, applicants must meet the following qualifications: Demonstrate knowledge of Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR), and other Federal acquisition regulations. Knowledge of the market and sources to include identification of offerors in specific socio- economic categories eligible for set-asides. Knowledge of contract administration principles and practices sufficient to monitor contractor performance and compliance with all terms and conditions of the contract. Knowledge of commercial and industrial business practices to identify sources, analyze cost and pricing data. Ability to take appropriate action related to issues of noncompliance. Knowledge of cost/price analysis techniques used in evaluation of contractor proposals, change order proposals and to conduct negotiations. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/. Education A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional Information Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be serving in a position in Schedule Policy/Career of the excepted service. You will obtain competitive status after two years of service in this position, if applicable. Your employment in this position will be at-will. Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) appeals of adverse actions concerning performance, discipline, and other matters arising under 5 U.S.C. Chapters 23, 43, and 75 will not be available to an individual serving in this position. Prohibitions on prohibited personnel practices will be enforced by the Office of General Counsel and not the Office of Special Counsel. Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Contact the Agency Contact for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
