Contract Specialist

Summary

As a Contract Specialist, you will accomplish procurement and administration of contracts for supplies for the Western Area Power Administration (WAPA). The incumbent performs work in a developmental capacity in support of the planning, awards, and administration of basic procurements inclusive of all types under the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR). Procurements may involve the use of a variety of contract types to meet mission requirements. This is not a remote position

Duties

As a Contract Specialist, you will: Plans, awards, and administer simple and complex procurements which may involve the use of a variety of contract types under the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR). Plans negotiation strategies; coordinates procurement action with necessary personnel and executes necessary procurement awards to support the mission and operational needs of the Agency. Explores new or innovative contracting approaches to arrive at equitable, effective, and efficient contract arrangements. Maintains skills in oral and written communication (including necessary computer proficiency) and is responsible for attention to detail in all work assignments. Requirements

Must be a U.S. Citizen or National. This employer participates in the e-Verify program. Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for Selective Service. Suitable for Federal employment, as determined by a background investigation. May be required to successfully complete a probationary/trial period. Employees serving on a probationary or trial period may be terminated at any time during the probationary or trial period for performance, conduct, or business-related reasons in the interest of Federal service. In accordance with Executive Order 14170, applicants are encouraged to respond to the four short, free-response, essay questions in the questionnaire. Answers to these questions are not scored or rated. Your answers will be reviewed by the hiring manager and agency leadership if you are referred for selection consideration. Limit your resume to no more than two (2) pages. If more than two pages are submitted, only the first two pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility and qualifications. At the GS-11 grade only, the Federal Acquisition Contracting-Certification (FAC-C) Professional via the Federal Acquisition Institute (FAI), or the Defense Acquisition University (Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) Professional certificate is required and must be maintained by the incumbent. If the incumbent does not hold this certification at the time of appointment to the GS-11, it must be obtained within 12 months. Qualifications

Applicants MUST meet both the Basic Requirement and Specialized Experience as outlined below for each grade level. BASIC REQUIREMENT: A. A 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with a major in any field; OR B. 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. In addition to meeting the Basic Requirement above, applicants must also meet the Specialized Experience listed below. SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS: A qualified candidate's online application and resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position is defined as: To qualify for the GS-07, applicants must have either: One (1) full academic year of graduate education or law school or superior academic achievement - OR - One (1) year (52 weeks) of specialized experience at the GS-05 grade level or equivalent pay band. This experience MUST include at least one (1) of the following: Assist/coordinate contracting activities, i.e. obtain wage information, request audit reports or pre-award surveys, and/or obtain clearances. Perform administrative work, preferably within the contract/procurement setting Create and/or maintain contract files To qualify for the GS-09: applicants must have either: Two (2) full academic years of progressively higher level graduate education or masters or equivalent graduate degree or LL.B. or J.D. - OR - One (1) year (52 weeks) of specialized experience at the GS-07 grade level or equivalent pay band. This experience MUST include at least one (1) of the following: Perform price or cost analysis Draft procurement documentation (i.e. conducting market research or performance work statements) Analyze contract bids or quotes To qualify for the GS-11, applicants must have either: Three (3) full academic years of progressively higher level graduate education or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree - OR - One (1) year (52 weeks) of specialized experience at the GS-09 grade level or equivalent pay band. This experience MUST include the following: Contracting functions, i.e. pre-award, post-award, negotiation, and/or closeout, in any of the following: supply, service, information technology (IT), construction, Architect-Engineer (A&E) contracts, and/or interagency agreement (IAAs). "Experience" refers to paid and unpaid experience. Examples of qualifying unpaid experience may include: volunteer work done through National Service programs (such as Peace Corps and AmeriCorps); as well as work for other community-based philanthropic and social organizations. 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. Limit your resume to no more than two (2) pages. If more than two pages are submitted, only the first two pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility and qualifications.

Education

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Foreign education must be reviewed by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see the Department of Education website. DO NOT email or mail in any of your application documents. Documents will not be accepted outside of the online application system. Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating. How You Will Be Evaluated

USAHire: To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. Minimum Qualifications: Once the application process is complete, the Human Resources Office will review the first two pages of your resume and supporting documentation to determine whether you meet the minimum job qualifications. Rule of Many Rating Procedure: You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above. Once the application process is complete, your resume, supporting documentation, and questionnaire/assessment responses will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications. If you are minimally qualified for this job, your responses to the USA Hire Assessment rating assessment(s) will be scored. You will be ranked in score order plus any Veterans' preference points. All candidates who score above a predefined cut score will be referred to the hiring manager for consideration. All applicants tied at the cut line will be referred. If additional candidates are needed, groups of three per vacancy will be referred. Application of Veterans' Preference: If you are a preference eligible candidate, you will be listed ahead of non-preference eligibles with the same score. Preference eligibles with a compensable service-connected disability of 10 percent or more are listed at the top of the certificate in the order of their ratings unless the job is scientific or professional at the GS-9 grade level or above (or equivalent). Simultaneous Listing: Candidates may be referred simultaneously on multiple certificates for which they are interested, eligible, and within reach. If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses you provided in your online questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation before the vacancy closes, you may be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified', or your score may be adjusted accordingly. Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics): Accountability Arithmetic/Mathematical Reasoning Attention to Detail Customer Service Decision Making Flexibility Influencing/Negotiating Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Learning Reading Comprehension Reasoning Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork Career Transition Assistance Programs: To receive selection priority for this position, you must: 1) meet the eligibility criteria; and 2) be rated "well-qualified". You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date (10/23/2026) of this announcement. To preview the Assessment Questionnaire, click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13087378. Other Information

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional similar vacancies across DOE. For general information on government-wide Telework polices visit: www.telework.gov. If selection is made at a lower grade, promotion up to the full performance level may be made without further competition. However, promotion(s) will depend on the performance of the incumbent and are not guaranteed. Applicants may request Reasonable Accommodation (RA) when applying or competing for a job due to a medical condition or to exercise religious beliefs. If you need reasonable accommodation in the application or selection process, please contact the Agency Contact listed on this vacancy announcement. USAHire Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire CompetencyBased Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. (https://appsupport-usastaffing.opm.gov/hc/en-us/sections/45063131363475-Reasonable-Accommodation-Information) The selectee for this position may be eligible to receive a recruitment or relocation incentive. You will need to sign an employment agreement to be eligible for this incentive. Permanent Change of Station (PCS) costs are not authorized. This position may be eligible for creditable service towards annual 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. DOE 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. Salary negotiation may be available for those candidates who are new to Federal service. Salary: The salary range indicated in this announcement will be adjusted to include locality payment for selected duty location. General Schedule locality pay tables may be found under Salaries & Wages. Lakewood, CO: $56,262 - $108,251 Remaining locations fall under Rest of US: $50,460 - $97,087