Contract Specialist

This position is in the Office of Air and Radiation, Office of Program Management Operations, Acquisition Policy. About: Office of Air and Radiation.

This is an office-centered position*--you must physically report to the duty station stated in this announcement on a regular basis.

*Work-from-home flexibilities may be authorized as described in the Benefits section.

Qualifications:

In addition to the educational requirements, we are looking for at least one year of specialized experience related to this position as described below:

To qualify for the GS-13 level, you need to have at least one year of full-time experience equivalent to the GS-12 level defined as analyzing procurement activities, policies, or procedures; making recommendations on acquisition management or planning; and applying price/cost analysis techniques to evaluate contractor proposals.

Your answers to the online assessment will be used to evaluate your competencies in the following areas: 1) Knowledge of procurement principles, procedures, and processes; 2) Skill in applying program measurement techniques; 3) Ability to evaluate regulatory or enforcement programs; 4) Knowledge of administrative policies and procedures; 5) Ability to advise on acquisition management activities; 6) Skill in contract management; 7) Skill in written communication; 8) Skill in oral communication.

Current EPA Employees: In addition to the requirements above, you must have (and will be required to maintain) a Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting (FAC-C) or Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) in Contracting Certification Level II.

Applicants Who Are Not Current EPA Employees: You will be required to obtain and maintain a Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting (FAC-C) or Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) in Contracting Certification Level II.

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.

If you have part-time work experience, read this: EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures.

Responsibilities:

You will:

• Conduct management studies and analyses of organizational procurement activities to assess compliance with established policies and procedures, identify areas of improvement, and develop corrective actions;
• Advise program officials in procurement planning activities as well as the development and oversight of acquisition proposals and agreements;
• Serve as a contracting officer for the Office of Air and Radiation’s Headquarters program offices;
• Develop and present training and guidance materials related to the management of acquisition activities.

You will spend more than 50% of your work time on contracts, grants/cooperative agreements, and/or interagency agreements.

One or more positions may be filled (in the organization advertised and/or in other organizations), if appropriate to the position.