Summary

This incumbent is responsible for providing solutions to equip the frontline. To ensure the frontline is best equipped with the tools and support required to secure transportation for America.

Duties

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This Public Notice - Contract Specialist (Direct Hire) position is located in the Mission Support, Contracting and Procurement Division, Transportation Security Administration, Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Duties include but are not limited to:

• Provide overall strategic planning for major acquisitions and ensures program/projects meet business needs for timeliness, functionality, and overall program efficiency and effectiveness. Provide recommendations to senior leadership on short term and long-range acquisition program activities, including problems encountered from compliance reviews and proposes solutions that may include training to reduce knowledge gaps for other contracting staff and improve overall COR performance.
• Direct the full range of contract administration actions required for the acquisition program, including issuing contract modifications, negotiating contract changes, exercising contract options, investigating and resolving contractor delays, conducting contractor performance appraisals, subcontractor surveillance, disposition of claims, and similar matters.
• Serve as the principal technical expert and point of contact for Contracting Officers on implementing broad contracting and acquisitions policies, directives, and procedures. Provide guidance and policy interpretations regarding contract administration issues. Provide guidance to less-experienced specialists, professional, managers, or administrative support staff, leading large project/program teams. Define and develop internal policies and procedures and recommend solutions to complex contracting issues.
• Review internal processes and acquisitions program activities to ensure transparency and accountability and leads teams that conduct ongoing assessments and evaluations of contract administration program activities to ensure compliance with broad contracting and acquisition policies, procedures, and requirements as well as overall strategic goals and objectives.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

1. You must possess U.S. Citizenship or be a U.S. National.
2. You must have reached the minimum age (18) at the time of application.
3. You must complete a favorable Background Investigation (BI).
4. Selective Service registration is required.
5. Financial Disclosure required.
6. You must comply with education and training requirements for this position.
7. You must follow and maintain FAC-C Professional requirements.
8. Direct Hire Authority will be used to fill this position.

Conditions of Employment (If applicable): You must comply with education and training requirements for this position see below:

• For all 1102 positions at I and Above:

Applicants seeking to meet the training requirements for GS-13 and above in accordance with the OPM 1102 Hiring Qualifications are required to provide the following required verification documents:- FAC-C (Professional) certification or equivalent

If you fail to meet the conditions of employment or any other pre-employment requirements, such as missing any of the scheduled appointments, the hiring agency may rescind their tentative offer of employment.

Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for TSA to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions.

Any offers of employment made pursuant to this announcement will be consistent with all applicable authorities, including Presidential Memoranda, Executive Orders, interpretive U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) guidance, and Office of Management and Budget plans and policies concerning hiring. These authorities are subject to change.

Qualifications

To qualify for the SV-J Pay Band (equivalent to GS-14), you must have four years of progressively more responsible experience in contracting or related positions. Applicants must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the SV-I (GS-13) in the Federal service.

Specialized experience MUST include all the following:

• Experience directing the full range of contract administration actions required for the acquisition program, including issuing contract modifications, negotiating contract changes, investigating and resolving contractor delays, conducting contractor performance appraisals, subcontractor surveillance, and disposition of claims.
• Experience interpreting complex policies and develop new approaches in solving difficult contracting issues.
• Experience planning for major acquisitions and ensure program/projects meet business needs for timeliness, functionality, and overall program efficiency and effectiveness.

Exceptions to Qualification Requirements (Applicable to Internal or Status Applicants Only): As of January 1, 2000, all GS-1102 employees who had continuously encumbered GS-1102 positions are considered to have met the standard for positions they occupy on January 1, 2000. Employees who occupy GS-1102 positions at grades GS-5 through GS-12 or equivalent will be considered to meet the basic requirements for other GS-1102 positions up to and including those classified at GS-12 or SV-H. This includes positions at other agencies and promotions up through grade GS-12 or SV-H. However, employees must meet specialized experience requirements when seeking another position.

Credit for experience is given based on a 40-hour workweek. Part-time experience is credited on a part-time ratio, i.e., working 20 hours per week for two months equals one month of experience. No additional credit is given for overtime.

National Service Experience (i.e., volunteer experience): 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.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office. Resumes must include the following:

• Narrative description of duties with start and end dates (including the month and year) for work experience.
• State the number of hours worked per week in a position (i.e. full-time or part-time). If part-time, state the total number of hours worked per week. If full-time, state 40-hours.
• Performance level (i.e. band or grade)

You must meet the qualification requirements for this position no later than the closing date of the vacancy announcement.

Education

In addition to the minimum qualifications described above, you must meet the following requirement(s) to be considered qualified for the position:

You must meet all requirements listed below (A, B, C and D), unless you are covered by an exception, or an individual training waiver is necessary:

A. Experience: Completion of all mandatory training prescribed by the head of the agency for progression to GS-13 equivalent (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. (see section D for specifics).

B. Education: 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. Training Requirements: Applicants seeking to meet the training requirements for GS-13 and above in accordance with the OPM 1102 Hiring Qualifications are required to provide the following required verification documents: FAC-C (Professional) certification or equivalent.

D. Specialized Experience is defined as experience which provides the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position.

For positions requiring positive education requirements, or if you are using education to meet all or part of the qualification requirements, you MUST submit a copy of your transcripts or an itemized list of college courses from an accredited college or university, which includes equivalent information from the transcript (course title, semester/quarter hours, and grade/degree earned) in your resume. The information must be provided with the application by the closing date of the announcement. If selected, the applicant must supply a transcript or certification of degree.

Additional information

This position will be filled through use of TSA's Direct-Hire Authority pursuant to TSA MD 1100.30-26. Under the Direct-Hire Authority, category grouping and Veterans' Preference does not apply.

Eligibility to apply for other Federal positions: TSA is an Excepted Service agency exempt from most of Title 5 United States Code, including regulations which apply to displaced Federal employees (CTAP/ICTAP) of other agencies, and employment with TSA does not confer "Competitive Status" that generally results from selection and service in Competitive Service agencies. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has established an Interchange Agreement, which allows most permanent TSA employees to apply and be considered for vacancies in Competitive Service agencies. Information from OPM on this or other Interchange Agreements is available at: www.opm.gov/

To ensure the accomplishment of our mission, DHS requires every employee to be reliable and trustworthy. To meet those standards, all selected applicants must undergo and successfully pass a background investigation as a condition of placement into this position.

TSA employees who are absent for the purpose of performing military duty may apply for any vacancies announced in their absence.

More than one position may be filled from this announcement.

If you are entering TSA employment on an appointment without time limitations, you must serve a basic trial period unless you have already met the requirement.

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 Competency Based 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.gov/hc/en-us/sections/[redacted]2-Reasonable-Accommodation-Information)

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Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Benefits

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

DHS offers competitive salaries and an attractive benefits package, including: health, dental, vision, life, and long-term care insurance; retirement plan; Thrift Savings Plan [similar to a 401(k)]; Flexible Spending Account; Employee Assistance Program; personal leave days; and paid federal holidays. Other benefits may include flexible work schedules; telework; tuition reimbursement; transportation subsidies; uniform allowance; health and wellness programs; and fitness centers. DHS is committed to employee development and offers a variety of employee training and developmental opportunities. For more information, go to the DHS Careers website and select "Benefits." Disabled veteran leave will be available to any Federal employee hired on or after November 5, 2016, who is a veteran with a service-connected disability rating