Summary
This position is part of the WAPA Headquarters, Department of Energy. As a Contract Specialist, you will be responsible for pre- and post-award functions on simplified and complex, multidisciplinary supply, service, and construction contracts and agreements in support of Western's mission responsibilities.
**This is not a remote position. The selectee will be required to be physically present at one of the duty location(s) identified.**
This job is open to

• Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)
  Federal employees who meet the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee.
• The public
  U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Clarification from the agency
This is a Direct Hire Public Notice. Please read this Public Notice in its entirety prior to submitting your application for consideration. ALL U.S. Citizens
Duties
As a Contract Specialist, some of your duties will include:

• Plan, negotiate, lead, award, and administer simple and complex procurements inclusive of all types under the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR).
• Serve as a business consultant to program officials for procurement planning; assist with development of procurement objectives; coordinate actions within required regulations, policies, directives, and goals; conducts market research, prepare and maintain acquisition plans, appropriate milestone charts, and related schedules; comply with socio-economic programs, determine contract type and acquisition methodology to be employed.
• Plan negotiation strategies, coordinate procurement actions with necessary personnel and executes necessary procurement awards to support the mission and operational needs of the Agency.
• Perform all aspects of contract administration. Responsibilities may include incremental funding, preparation of rate and cost adjustments, redirection of effort, coordination of time extensions, incorporation of change orders, issuance of stop work orders, issuance of cure notices or show cause letters, processing claims, settling disputes, termination for convenience or cause, monitoring of Government property reporting, direction of Contracting Officer Representative (COR), approval of payments, final payment, and contract close-out.

Requirements
Conditions of Employment

• 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.
• You will be required to successfully complete a one-year probationary period.
• THIS POSITION IS IN THE BARGAINING UNIT: 1151
• This position is designated as Essential and the incumbent will be considered mission-essential personnel in the event of Continuity of Operations (COOP) or Emergency Response situations.
• Certification at Contracting Level Ill via the Federal Acquisition Institute (Federal Acquisition Contracting-Certification (FAC-C), or the Defense Acquisition University (Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) is required upon selection and must be maintained. Current federal employees certified at Levels I, II, or III of the legacy FAC-C program will automatically be certified in the FAC-C (Professional). Employees transitioning from DoD with an active DAWIA certification will be eligible for an equivalent FAC-C (Professional), subject to meeting FAC-C (Professional) experience, continuous learning requirements, and obtaining approval from the DOE ACM. NOTE: You must submit a copy of your certification/proof of training showing you meet the FAC-C/DAWIA requirement with your application. Failure to provide this information may result in your being removed from further consideration.
• Incumbent must be able to obtain and maintain a Contracting Officers Warrant with 12 months from the date of hire.
• Incumbent must submit a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report, OGE Form 450, upon selection and annually thereafter.
• Incumbent may be placed in a 24/7 on-call status during emergency situations.
• Incumbent must have a valid and current State driver's license.
• 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.

Qualifications
Qualification requirements in the vacancy announcements are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook, which contains federal qualification standards. This handbook is available on the Office of Personnel Management's website located at: https://www.opm.gov/policy.
BASIC REQUIREMENT :
Completion of all mandatory training (FAC-C/DAWIA) 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 this experience meets the specialized experience described below; and, I have a 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree, that includes or is 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.
AND
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the next lower grade level in the Federal Service. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular competencies/knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. This experience need not have been in the federal government.
Applicants must have one year (52 weeks) of specialized experience at the GS-12 grade level or equivalent pay band. This experience includes all the following:

• Planning, negotiating, awarding, and administering procurements inclusive of all types under the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR).
• Conducting market research, preparing acquisition plans, and determining contract types and acquisition methodologies.
• Performing as lead negotiator or facilitator using various funding arrangements and negotiation techniques and applying strategic and innovative methods to meet procurement objectives and acquisition plans.

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.
"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.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS: Work is sedentary. Occasional business travel may be required.
WORK ENVIRONMENT : Work is usually performed in an office setting.
NOTE: As of February 1, 2023, the FAC-C certification program has transitioned to a single-level FAC-C (Professional) requirement:

• DOE is adopting a single level of certification with foundational training and an examination, Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting (FAC-C) Professional. New hires without certification shall follow the FAC-C (Professional) requirements. Detailed information on core curricula courses is available at https://www.fai.gov/certification/fac-c/new-fac-c-professional
• Current federal employees certified at Levels I, II, or III of the legacy FAC-C program will automatically be certified in the FAC-C (Professional).
• Employees transitioning from DoD with an active DAWIA certification will be eligible for an equivalent FAC-C (Professional), subject to meeting FAC-C (Professional) experience, continuous learning requirements, and obtaining approval from the DOE ACM.

Education
This vacancy specifically states that certain educational requirements must be met (also known as a "positive educational requirement"), you must provide documentation supporting any education claims in your application. Education must be obtained from an accredited institution 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.
Additional information
The U.S. Department of Energy fosters a diverse and inclusive workplace and is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

• 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
• 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.

ADDITIONAL SALARY INFORMATION:
Folsom, CA: $114,332 - $148,636Lakewood/Loveland, CO: $114,970 - $149,465
Phoenix, AZ : $108,012 - $140,419
The following locations fall under Rest of U.S. Salary of $103,409-$134,435:
Billings, SD
Bismarck, ND
Huron, SD
Montrose, CO
Salt Lake City, UT
Watertown, SD

• Benefits
  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.
  Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
This position is announced under a government-wide Direct-Hire Authority (DHA) for CONTRACT SPECIALIST positions in the 1102 series. Under the DHA, applicants who meet the Education and Qualification requirements listed in this announcement will be referred for consideration. Veteran's Preference, category rating, and traditional rating and ranking of applicants does not apply under the DHA process.
Appointments made under the DHA are processed as "new" appointments. Current Federal employees may be required to serve a new probationary period (5 CFR 315.802(b).
Successful candidates will possess the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):
CONTRACTING/;PROCUREMENT
ACQUISITION STRATEGY
INFLUENCING/NEGOTIATING
Career Transition Assistance Programs: If you are eligible for career transition assistance, such as ICTAP or CTAP, you must meet the Education and Qualification requirements to be referred for consideration.
You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date (12/31/2024) of this announcement.
To preview the Assessment Questionnaire, click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12417287

• Benefits
  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.
  Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
• Required Documents
  As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.
  To apply for this position, you MUST provide a complete application package which includes:
  
  • Your RESUME showing all relevant work experience (paid and unpaid) including: duties performed; full name and address of the each employer; start and end dates (month/day/year); work schedule (part-time, full-time, number of hours if intermittent); salary; and any completed education and training (program title, subject area, number of hours completed, and completion date).
  • Transcripts, if specific educational requirements are indicated in this job announcement.Unofficial transcripts or any report listing institution, course title, credits earned (semester or quarter hour) and final grade is acceptable. It is your responsibility to provide adequate proof that you meet the educational requirements.
  • Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program documentation, if applicable(e.g., Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; and most recent performance appraisal.) For more information see the OPM Guide to Career Transition.
  Failure to submit any of the above mentioned required documents may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted.
  If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
  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.
  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 to Apply
  Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section. A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the announcement closing date to receive consideration.
  The application process is as follows:
  
  1. You must have a login.gov account to sign into USAJOBS: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/account/.
  2. To begin the application process in USAJOBS, click the Apply Online button.
  3. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all required and supporting documentation.
  4. You must click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 pm (ET) on the announcement closing date.
  You may update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period by returning to your USAJOBS account, select Update Application: https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.
  To verify the status of your application, during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account; applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each application status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
  If you need help with login.gov or USAJOBS (e.g., account access, Resume Builder) visit the USAJOBS Help Center: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/
  If you experience difficulty applying on USAJOBS, after clicking the Apply Online button, or you are experiencing a significant hardship hindering your ability to apply online, the Agency Contact listed in the announcement can assist you during normal business hours. If you receive any system error messages, take screenshots if possible, to aid technical support.
  Agency contact information
  Kimberly Hicks
  Email
  khicks@wapa.gov
  Address
  WAPA Headquarters
  12155 W. Alameda Pkwy
  Lakewood, CO 80228
  US
  Next steps
  Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. The status of your application will be updated in USAJOBS as it is evaluated.
  You can check the status by logging into USAJOBS. You may also sign up to receive automatic emails anytime the status of your application changes by logging into your USAJobs Account and editing the Notification Settings.
  You will be contacted directly if an interview is required.
• Fair and Transparent
  The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
  
  • Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
  • Criminal history inquiries
  • Reasonable accommodation policy
  • Financial suitability
  • Selective Service
  • New employee probationary period
  • Signature and false statements
  • Privacy Act
  • Social security number request

Required Documents
To apply for this position, you MUST provide a complete application package which includes:

• Your RESUME showing all relevant work experience (paid and unpaid) including: duties performed; full name and address of the each employer; start and end dates (month/day/year); work schedule (part-time, full-time, number of hours if intermittent); salary; and any completed education and training (program title, subject area, number of hours completed, and completion date).
• Transcripts, if specific educational requirements are indicated in this job announcement.Unofficial transcripts or any report listing institution, course title, credits earned (semester or quarter hour) and final grade is acceptable. It is your responsibility to provide adequate proof that you meet the educational requirements.
• Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program documentation, if applicable(e.g., Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; and most recent performance appraisal.) For more information see the OPM Guide to Career Transition.

Failure to submit any of the above mentioned required documents may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
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.
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 to Apply
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section. A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the announcement closing date to receive consideration.
The application process is as follows:

1. You must have a login.gov account to sign into USAJOBS: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/account/.
2. To begin the application process in USAJOBS, click the Apply Online button.
3. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all required and supporting documentation.
4. You must click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 pm (ET) on the announcement closing date.

You may update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period by returning to your USAJOBS account, select Update Application: https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.
To verify the status of your application, during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account; applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each application status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
If you need help with login.gov or USAJOBS (e.g., account access, Resume Builder) visit the USAJOBS Help Center: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/
If you experience difficulty applying on USAJOBS, after clicking the Apply Online button, or you are experiencing a significant hardship hindering your ability to apply online, the Agency Contact listed in the announcement can assist you during normal business hours. If you receive any system error messages, take screenshots if possible, to aid technical support.
Agency contact information
Kimberly Hicks
Email
khicks@wapa.gov
Address
WAPA Headquarters
12155 W. Alameda Pkwy
Lakewood, CO 80228
US
Next steps
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. The status of your application will be updated in USAJOBS as it is evaluated.
You can check the status by logging into USAJOBS. You may also sign up to receive automatic emails anytime the status of your application changes by logging into your USAJobs Account and editing the Notification Settings.
You will be contacted directly if an interview is required.
Fair & Transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

• Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
• Reasonable accommodation policy
• Criminal history inquiries
• Financial suitability
• Selective Service
• New employee probationary period
• Signature and false statements
• Privacy Act
• Social security number request