Contract Specialist

Company: National Geospatial Intelligence Agency
Location: Potomac
Posted on: November 13, 2020

Job Description:

Job Summary

ASSIGNMENT DESCRIPTION: Contract Specialists plan and manage acquisitions to procure a variety of products and services for NGA. They interact with customers to develop and implement an acquisition strategy, solicit and evaluate proposals, and negotiate and award contracts. They also administer contracts, including monitoring contractor performance, preparing modifications, resolving problems, and terminating and closing out contracts. They may also hold a warrant that would authorize them to obligate the Government subject to the limitations expressed on their warrant.

Additional Job Information

ADDITIONAL ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The Office of Contract Services (OCS) provides innovative business strategies, agile contracting solutions, and develops and implements acquisition policy to enable NGA to provide geospatial intelligence to the warfighter and policy makers in support of national security. OCS strategically transforms NGA business practices by utilizing innovative contracts, grants, purchase card and other transactions on a timely basis and at the best value while maintaining the public's trust and fulfilling public policy objectives. OCS has a highly skilled, motivated, and engaged workforce that provides critical mission support.

OCS seeks applicants with the depth and breadth of contracting experience in a wide range of acquisitions for supplies, services and other support to provide creative solutions in fulfilling NGA's contracting mission. The position(s) supports numerous customer organizations across the agency. The selected candidate(s) will provide business advice and all contractual guidance for a variety of requirements. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to: ensuring that acquisition activity is executed ethically, legally, efficiently and effectively; and in accordance with applicable Department of Defense (DoD) policies and procedures. The individual(s) must demonstrate the experience that is outlined in the Mandatory Qualifications.

Selected candidates will be expected to seek a Contracting Officer Warrant at the level commensurate with their pay band and team workload. Candidates may receive an invitation to provide additional information or respond to questions via email and/or HireVue as part of the candidate evaluation process.

Additional Application Requirement: You may be asked to complete one or more assessments in addition to the application you submit on this website as part of your application to NGA. These assessments may include but are not limited to:

* Online questionnaires or assessments that require you to describe your job-related knowledge, skills, abilities, or other characteristics that are aligned with the mandatory and desirable qualifications of this job posting. The information you provide in the application you submit must support the response you provide to this questionnaire.

You will receive an email to describe any additional assessments required. Please monitor your emails and complete any required assessments as soon as possible.

Mandatory Qualifications

MANDATORY QUALIFICATION CRITERIA: For this particular job, applicants must meet all competencies reflected under the Mandatory Qualification Criteria to include education (if required). Online applications must demonstrate qualification by providing specific examples and associated results, in response to the announcement's mandatory criteria specified in this vacancy announcement:

* Working knowledge of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and other supplements as they apply.
* Demonstrated experience conducting market research.
* Demonstrated knowledge of contracting methods such as simplified acquisition, contracting by negotiation or commercial acquisition procedures.
* Experience with administering and monitoring contractor performance for moderately complex contracts in collaboration with Contracting Officer's Representative.
* Experience preparing contract modifications, resolving problems, and/or completing contract closeouts.
* Experience conducting Cost or Price Analysis.

EDUCATION REQUIREMENT: A bachelor's degree from an accredited educational institution authorized to grant baccalaureate degrees. Reference the DoD Qualification Standard for Contracting Positions for exceptions and waivers.

* AND-

LICENSES/CERTIFICATIONS: Must obtain DAWIA Certification in Contracting, as appropriate for the band, within 24 months of appointment. Once obtained, Defense Acquisition Workforce members must obtain 80 Continuous Learning Points (CLPs) every 2 years in order to maintain proficiency.

Highly Desired Qualifications

QUALIFICATION CRITERIA: In addition to the mandatory qualifications, experience in the following is desired:

* Experience utilizing a variety of contract types, including Firm Fixed Price (FFP), Time and Materials (T&M), Cost-Reimbursement, Incentive, and Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ).
* Demonstrated exemplary customer service skills.
* Proficiency with standard Microsoft Office Suite, i.e., Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Outlook.
* DAWIA Level II Certification in Contracting or Federal Acquisition in Contracting Certification (FAC-C) Level II in Contracting.
* Critical thinking skills to identify problems and resolutions.

Additional Job Requirements

You must be able to obtain and retain a Top Secret security clearance with access to Sensitive Compartmented Information. In addition, you are subject to a Counterintelligence Polygraph examination in order to maintain access to Top Secret information. All employees are subject to a periodic examination on a random basis in order to determine continued eligibility. Refusal to take the examination may result in denial of access to Top Secret information, SAP, and/or unescorted access to SCIFs.

Employees with SCI access and who are under NGA cognizance are required to submit a Security Financial Disclosure Report, SF-714, on an annual basis in order to determine continued eligibility. Failure to comply may negatively impact continued access to Top Secret information, Information Systems, SAP, and/or unescorted access to SCIFs.

Pay, Benefits, & Work Schedule

PROMOTION OPPORTUNITY: Promotion opportunities allow applicants at all band levels to be considered. Qualifications for NGA positions do not include specific time-in-band requirements. NGA will emphasize quality of experience, rather than duration, and assess how the quality of the experience demonstrates possession of the knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies necessary for successful job performance in the NGA occupational structure.

Band 03 $64,948 - $133,465

PERMANENT CHANGE IN STATION: PCS expenses are not authorized.

Pay is only part of the compensation you will earn working for the Federal Government. We offer a broad array of benefits programs and family friendly flexibilities to meet the needs of you and your family.

For more information on the array of benefits programs, please visit https://www.intelligencecareers.gov/nga/ngabenefits.html

Cover Letter

Applicants are not required to submit a cover letter. The entire cover letter cannot exceed the specified limits provided in the Cover Letter field (3,000 characters). Pages exceeding this limit will not be considered. The cover letter is recommended but is not required for employment consideration with the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. Applicants should place their narrative information in the Cover Letter / Other Professional Details field.

Who may apply

External Applicants Only

How to apply

Application submission involves applying using the Intelligence Community's Applicant Gateway on-line application process. ONLY ELECTRONIC SUBMISSIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED.

How will I be evaluated?

APPLICANT EVALUATION PROCESS: Applicants will be evaluated for this job opportunity in three stages:

* All applicants will be evaluated using the Mandatory Qualification Criteria,
* Qualified applicants will then be evaluated by an expert or panel of experts using a combination of qualification criteria to determine the best-qualified candidates,
* Best-qualified applicants may then be further evaluated through an interview process.

Military retiree applicants, if selected, may be impacted by the 180-day appointment restrictions of DODI 1402.01. HD personnel will provide additional information if applicable.

Applicants are encouraged to carefully review the Assignment Description, Additional Information Provided By the Selecting Official, and the Qualification Requirements; and then construct their resumes to highlight their most relevant and significant experience and education for this job opportunity. This description should include examples that detail the level and complexity of the performed work. Applicants are encouraged to provide any education information referenced in the announcement. If education is listed as a mandatory requirement, only degrees obtained from an institution accredited by an accrediting organization recognized by the Secretary, US Department of Education will be accepted.

In accordance with section 9902(h) of title 5, United States Code, annuitants reemployed in the Department of Defense shall receive full annuity and salary upon appointment. They shall not be eligible for retirement contributions, participation in the Thrift Savings Plan, or a supplemental or redetermined annuity for the reemployment period. Discontinued service retirement annuitants (i.e., retired under section 8336(d)(1) or 8414(b)(1)(A) of title 5, United States Code) appointed to the Department of Defense may elect to be subject to retirement provisions of the new appointment as appropriate. (See DoD Instruction 1400.25, Volume 300, at http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives.)

All candidates will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, disability, or sexual orientation.

NGA provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. Applications will only be accepted online. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify us at recruitment@nga.mil. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be on a case-by-case basis.

Conditions of Employment

As a condition of employment at NGA, persons being considered for employment must meet NGA fitness for employment standards.

* U.S. Citizenship Required
* Security Clearance (Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information)
* Polygraph Test Required
* Position Subject to Drug Testing
* Two Year Probationary Period
* Direct Deposit Required

DCIPS Disclaimer

NGA utilizes all processes and procedures of the Defense Civilian Intelligence Personnel System (DCIPS). Non-executive NGA employees are assigned to five distinct pay bands based on the type and scope of work performed. The employee's base salary is established within their assigned pay band based on their unique qualifications. A performance pay process is conducted each year to determine a potential base pay salary increase and/or bonus. An employee's annual performance evaluation is a key factor in the performance pay process. Employees on term or temporary appointments are not eligible to apply for internal assignment opportunity notices.

This position is a DCIPS position in the Excepted Service under 10 U.S.C. 1601. DoD Components with DCIPS positions apply Veterans' Preference to preference eligible candidates as defined by Section 2108 of Title 5 USC, in accordance with the procedures provided in DoD Instruction 1400.25, Volume 2005, DCIPS Employment and Placement. If you are an external applicant claiming veterans' preference, as defined by Section 2108 of Title 5 U.S.C., you must self-identify your eligibility in your application.

Keywords: National Geospatial Intelligence Agency, Potomac , Contract Specialist, Other , Potomac, Maryland