Summary This position is located in the Architect of the Capitol (AOC), Office of the Chief Security Officer (OCSO), Administrative Services Division. The Senior Contracting official awards highly technical structural and mechanical systems in support of security projects of large occupied office buildings on Capitol Hill, with unlimited range based on approved funding for projects. Responsibilities The position requires mastery of contracting principles, laws, regulations and procedures applicable to pre-award and post-award actions sufficient to award and administer Architect/Engineer (A/E), Design-Build, Design-Bid-Build, Construction Manager at Risk (CMc), Construction Manager as Agent (CMa) and Utility Energy Savings Contracts (UESC) for construction. Pre-Award Duties Serves as contracting officer with a limited signatory authority to enter into contracts for acquisition of significant systems or programs characterized by: (1) large funding levels and a commitment period extending over a long period of time (approximately five to fifteen years); (2) the magnitude and terms of the contract substantially impact on the economic wellbeing of the AOC; (3) the agency head monitors progress due to criticality and visibility of the program; and (4) the final product is a highly complex security construction project. Analyzes and prepares recommendations and determines requirements, ensures validation of independent government cost estimates, and formulates contracting strategies and objectives to be pursued, taking-into account overall AOC considerations such as socio-economic programs, competition maximization, pricing arrangements, subcontracting and similar considerations requiring the use of innovative and unique acquisition techniques. Plans, develops, and establishes the contractual strategy for the overall acquisition program. Post Award Duties Guides the full range of contract administration actions required for the acquisition program, including the issuance of contract modifications, negotiation of changes, exercise of options, investigation and resolution of delays, contractor performances appraisal, subcontractor surveillance, disposition of claims, commissioning, acceptance, close-out and similar matters. Steakholder Liaison Responsible for preparing briefings for the OCSO to present to Members of Congress and their staff, oversight committees and contractors on the status of contracts and progress in achieving mission critical goals. Performs other related duties as assigned. Requirements Conditions of Employment Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication. "To be employed by the Architect of the Capitol in a paid position, an individual must meet one of the categories below: A citizen of the United States; A person who is lawfully admitted for permanent residence and is seeking citizenship as outlined in 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)(B); A person who is admitted as a refugee under 8 U.S.C. 1157 or is granted asylum under 8 U.S.C. 1158 and has filed a declaration of intention to become a lawful permanent resident and then a citizen when eligible; A person who owes allegiance to the United States (nationals of American Samoa, Swains Island, and the Northern Mariana Islands, and nationals who meet other requirements described in 8 U.S.C. 1408); or A person who is currently an officer or employee of the Government of the United States." Qualifications You must meet the United States Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) qualification requirements (including specialized experience and/or educational requirements) for the advertised position. You must meet all eligibility and qualifications requirements by the closing date of the job announcement. Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualifications Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions. It is available for your review on the OPM web site at http://www.opm.gov/qualifications. In addition to meeting the basic education requirement for the Contracting series, your resume must clearly demonstrate the required specialized experience as described below. Specialized Experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position and is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. To be creditable, an applicant's one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary for successful job performance. To qualify at the GS-14 level, your resume must clearly demonstrate that you have one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience comparable in difficulty and responsibility to at least the GS-13 level in the federal service. Examples of qualifying experience include the following @types of tasks performed on a regular and recurring basis: Performing acquisition and contracts full life cycle processes to include pre-award, post-award functions, cost and/or price analysis; Preparing solicitation documents, analyzing proposals, negotiating with potential contractors; Administering contracts to include contract scope determinations, modifications, supplemental agreements, justifications and contract terminations; and Interpreting and applying relevant laws, regulations, policies, standards, or procedures to specific contracting issues. Education In addition to meeting the specialized experience requirements for this position, applicants must possess the following: REQUIRED EDUCATION 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. 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. NOTE: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. However, to be creditable, foreign education must have been evaluated by an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. You must provide a copy of your college transcript and the letter containing results of the course by course work and degree equivalency evaluation. Transcripts are required upon selection. Additional Information Welcome Veterans. The Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) gives veterans' preference rights in the legislative branch to certain veterans as applied by the Congressional Accountability Act. Veterans' preference is applied on this vacancy announcement. If you are a veteran and have been separated under honorable conditions, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 or other proof of eligibility; SF-15, if applicable; and Department of Veterans Affairs documentation of disability, if applicable. For more information, please visit http://www.opm.gov/veterans/html/vetguide.asp#6. If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System. If you are exempt from registration under Selective Service Law, you must provide appropriate proof of exemption. Please visit the Selective Service System website for more information. DRUG TESTING: The Architect of the Capitol (AOC) is a Drug Free Workplace. As part of the AOC's suitability assessment, a candidate tentatively selected for a position who is not currently an AOC employee is required to submit to screening for illegal drug use. Satisfactory completion of a drug test is a condition of employment with the Agency. A candidate must test negative prior to being eligible for appointment into a position. We will schedule, provide and cover the cost for the drug test. The selectee(s) under the vacancy announcement for this position is subject to a criminal record check by the U.S. Capitol Police and satisfactory adjudication to be eligible for employment at the Architect of the Capitol. The Architect of the Capitol is an E-VERIFY Participant. E-VERIFY is an Internet-based system that compares information from an employee's Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to data from U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Social Security Administration records to confirm employment authorization in the United States. If you are selected for this position, the documentation that you present for purposes of completing the DHS Form I-9 will be verified through the DHS "E-VERIFY" electronic system. For more information on E-Verify, please visit http://www.dhs.gov/files/programs/gc_1185221678150.shtm The Architect of the Capitol is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information and/or disability. This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. Moving expenses are not authorized. Relocation expenses are not authorized. Probationary Period - A newly appointed selectee is subject to the completion of a one-year trial/probationary period, regardless of whether or not a trial/probationary period has been completed previously with the Architect of the Capitol or another Federal agency. This vacancy announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies in any of the jurisdictions of the Architect of the Capitol. All application materials become the property of the Architect of the Capitol.
