1 Job in Gaithersburg, MD
US National Institute of Standards and Technology is Hiring a Contract Specialist Near Gaithersburg, MD
Duties
ZA-II
Perform the full range of pre-award and post-award Contract Specialist duties that are commensurate with their grade level and experience in support of one or more of the NIST locations. Procure products and services which may include competitive and noncompetitive contracts for a wide variety of requirements such as IT (hardware, software, and services), technical services, commercial laboratory equipment, and many others.
ZA-III
Perform the full range of pre-award and post-award Contract Specialist duties that are commensurate with their grade level and experience in support of one or more of the NIST locations. Procure products and services which may include competitive and noncompetitive contracts for a wide variety of requirements such as IT (hardware, software, and services), technical services, commercial laboratory equipment, and many others. Mentor other Contract Specialists. May be delegated authority to serve as a warranted Contracting Officer (CO) for work within their area of responsibility, including, in some cases, serving as CO for contact specialists within their area of responsibility.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- U.S. citizenship
- Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service
- Suitable for Federal employment
- Completion of Confidential Financial Disclosure, Form OGE-450
- Bargaining Unit Position: No
Qualifications
A 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with a major in any field;
OR
Completion of 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 the basic qualification requirements above, an applicant must meet the criteria below:
ZA-II
Applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-7 level. Specialized experience is defined as experience with acquisition regulations in support of acquisition management such as reviewing acquisitions for compliance with regulations and policies, reviewing acquisitions for accurate and complete documentation, and/or monitoring awards to ensure effective administration and prompt payment in accordance with established guidelines.
OR
Masters or equivalent graduate degree
OR
LL.B or J.D.
ZA-III
Applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 (ZA-II for NIST). Specialized experience is defined as experience awarding and administering acquisitions using the Federal Acquisition Regulation and applying acquisition regulations with minimal supervision and support such as reviewing acquisitions for compliance with regulations and policies, reviewing acquisitions for accurate and complete documentation, and/or monitoring the awards to ensure effective administration and prompt payment in accordance with established guidelines.
Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done. We will credit all qualifying volunteer experience in your application.
The qualification requirements in this vacancy announcement are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook.
Applicant Reconsideration
Education
This position has an education requirement. Transcripts must be submitted to validate that the education requirement has been met. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package. However, an official copy will be required prior to a final offer of employment.
Education completed outside of the U.S. must be evaluated by an accredited organization to ensure that it is comparable to education received in accredited institutions in the U.S. Click here to view a listing of accredited organizations from the Department of Education's website. A copy of the foreign education evaluation (containing the results with a course by course listing) is required with your application.
Additional information
This position is covered under NIST's Alternative Personnel Management System (APMS). The APMS is a pay-for-performance system with excellent HR flexibilities to help NIST recruit and retain top talent. Find out more about the APMS here!
- Your application package may be shared with other selecting officials at NIST for similar opportunities and additional selections may be made from this vacancy.
- Click all links in this vacancy announcement to view additional information or instructions.
- All documents submitted for this announcement must be legible in order to make qualification or eligibility determinations.
- A probationary period may be required.
- This position requires the filing of an OGE-450 Confidential Financial Disclosure Report within 30 days of onboarding and annually thereafter.
NIST strives to build a flexible and encouraging work environment to bring out the best in our employees. To help our employees balance responsibilities at home and at work, NIST offers a variety of work-life flexibilities such as:
- Telework
- Flexible work schedules
- Paid parental leave
- Paid vacation
- Sick leave
- Family-friendly leave
- Childcare subsidy program for qualifying families
- Child and elder-care resources
- On-site childcare center
- Lactation spaces
- Wellness programs
- Fitness center
- Employee assistance programs
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.
Review our 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.
We will review your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documents to assess your qualifications for this position. Please be sure that your resume and supporting documents include detailed information to support your qualifications for this position. Failure to provide sufficient and/or legible evidence in your resume or supporting documents may result in a "not qualified" determination. You MUST also selected at least ONE eligibility (i.e., how you wish to be considered) in order to receive consideration for this position.
REFERRAL
All applicants that meet the minimum qualifications will be referred to the selecting official for consideration. Under Direct Hire Authority, applicants are not rated and ranked and veteran's preference does not apply.
CTAP or ICTAP eligibility: If you are a displaced or surplus Federal employee eligible for the Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP), you must be determined eligible and rated as well-qualified to receive special selection priority. "Well Qualified" means that in addition to meeting the minimum qualification requirements and selective placement factor(s), if applicable, you must receive a score of 85 or higher. Please review the following site regarding required documents to support CTAP or ICTAP eligibility and additional information regarding this authority - CTAP/ICTAP Eligibility
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.
Review our 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.
The documents required vary based on how you're applying (i.e., as a veteran or disabled veteran, current or former Federal employee, etc.). Please review the Required Documents for this position to find out if there are any documents required with your application. Failure to submit required documents, based upon how you apply, may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package.
A COMPLETE APPLICATION INCLUDES: 1) A resume, 2) vacancy question responses, and 3) submission of any required documents. Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, or if the documents submitted are illegible you may not be considered for this position (or may not receive the special consideration for which you may be eligible).
RESUME: All applicants are required to submit a resume by either creating one in USAJOBS or uploading one of their own choosing. Cover letters are optional. To receive any credit for relevant experience, please list the month/year and number of hours worked for experience listed on your resume. We suggest you preview the online questions, as you may need to customize your resume to ensure that it supports your responses to these questions. Please refer to the Resume Guidance on how to build an effective resume.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
Click 'Apply' and we'll walk you through a four-step process on how to attach a resume and any required documents. While working an application, you may review, edit, delete and update information. You must complete the online application process and submit any required documents by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time the closing date of the announcement unless an applicant cut off has been identified (see the SUMMARY section, as appropriate). If an applicant cut off has been indicated, the announcement will close by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on the date the cut off number has been met.Once your application has been submitted, you will receive a confirmation notification by email. Your application will be evaluated by the Human Resources Office to determine your eligibility for the position. After the evaluation is complete, you will receive another notification regarding the status of your application.
NEED HELP?
-If experiencing any difficulties with the online application process (anything after you have clicked the 'Apply Online' button): please contact the Agency Contact listed on this announcement between normal business hours (8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. ET). If receiving any kind of error message, please be ready to provide a screenshot or at a minimum, the error message text and number. If necessary, we will provide you with a technical support number for further assistance.- If having trouble with USAJOBS (searching for jobs, account password/profile issues, or Resume Builder): please visit the USAJOBS Resource Center. We regret that we are unable to support any issues with USAJOBS, as this service is not maintained by the NIST.
- If experiencing a significant hardship which hinders your ability to apply on-line, please contact the Agency Contact listed on this announcement prior to the vacancy closing date and during normal business hours to discuss your situation.
Agency contact information
Sarah Sadler
Phone
301-975-6296
Email
sarah.sadler@nist.gov
Address
Acquisition Management Division
100 Bureau Drive
Gaithersburg, MD 20899
USNext steps
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your 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/.
We will update applicant statuses when:- A qualification determination is made. If found not qualified/eligible, no additional updates will be provided.
- Applications are referred to the selecting official.
- A selection decision has been made.
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
- Reasonable accommodation policy
- Financial suitability
- Selective Service
- New employee probationary period
- Signature and false statements
- Privacy Act
- Social security number request
Required Documents
The documents required vary based on how you're applying (i.e., as a veteran or disabled veteran, current or former Federal employee, etc.). Please review the Required Documents for this position to find out if there are any documents required with your application. Failure to submit required documents, based upon how you apply, may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package.
A COMPLETE APPLICATION INCLUDES: 1) A resume, 2) vacancy question responses, and 3) submission of any required documents. Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, or if the documents submitted are illegible you may not be considered for this position (or may not receive the special consideration for which you may be eligible).
RESUME: All applicants are required to submit a resume by either creating one in USAJOBS or uploading one of their own choosing. Cover letters are optional. To receive any credit for relevant experience, please list the month/year and number of hours worked for experience listed on your resume. We suggest you preview the online questions, as you may need to customize your resume to ensure that it supports your responses to these questions. Please refer to the Resume Guidance on how to build an effective resume.
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.
This job is open to
The public
U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
Clarification from the agency
U.S. Citizens
Job Summary
Full Time
$88k-113k (estimate)
04/18/2024
06/17/2024
The job skills required for Contract Specialist include Purchasing, Accounting, Federal Acquisition Regulations, Economics, etc. Having related job skills and expertise will give you an advantage when applying to be a Contract Specialist. That makes you unique and can impact how much salary you can get paid. Below are job openings related to skills required by Contract Specialist. Select any job title you are interested in and start to search job requirements.
The following is the career advancement route for Contract Specialist positions, which can be used as a reference in future career path planning. As a Contract Specialist, it can be promoted into senior positions as a Contracts Administrator IV that are expected to handle more key tasks, people in this role will get a higher salary paid than an ordinary Contract Specialist. You can explore the career advancement for a Contract Specialist below and select your interested title to get hiring information.
If you are interested in becoming a Contract Specialist, you need to understand the job requirements and the detailed related responsibilities. Of course, a good educational background and an applicable major will also help in job hunting. Below are some tips on how to become a Contract Specialist for your reference.
Step 1: Understand the job description and responsibilities of an Accountant.
Quotes from people on Contract Specialist job description and responsibilities
A contract specialist performs various administrative duties that are essential to the successful management and execution of contracts on behalf of organizations.
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Evaluate or monitors contract performance to define necessity for amendments or extensions of contracts, and compliance to contractual obligations.
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Step 2: Knowing the best tips for becoming an Accountant can help you explore the needs of the position and prepare for the job-related knowledge well ahead of time.
Career tips from people on Contract Specialist jobs
The most successful contract specialists have a strong knowledge of business financial best practices, an understanding of contract law, and possess a strong attention to detail.
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Excellent analytical skills are crucial to the effectiveness of contract specialists.
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Be familiar with contract review, drafting and negotiation skills.
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Develop communications that can break through.
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Negotiate with suppliers to draw up procurement contracts.
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Step 3: View the best colleges and universities for Contract Specialist.
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