Contract Specialist

You must meet the Basic Education Requirements AND the Specialized Experience to qualify for the Contract Specialist position, as described below. Please read these requirements carefully. Basic Education requirement: A 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with a major in any field; OR 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. Exceptions: Employees in GS-1102 positions will be considered to have met the standard for positions they occupy on January 1, 2000. Employees who occupy a GS-1102 positions at grades 5 through 12 will be considered to meet the basic requirements for other GS-1102 positions up to and including those classified at the GS-12. This includes positions at other agencies and promotions up through grade 12. However, they will have to meet the basic requirements and specialized experience requirements in order to qualify for promotion to a higher grade, unless granted a waiver under Paragraph D. Specialized Experience requirement: In addition to the basic requirement, to qualify for this position you must have at least 52 week of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-9 which is the next lower grade level of the normal line of progression of this position in the Federal government. Specialized experience is experience that is related to the work of this position and has provided you with the competencies required for successful job performance. Examples of qualifying specialized experience for the GS-11 Contract Specialist includes the following: Experience working with acquisition regulations, contract law, and procedures applicable to acquisition and contract administration including change orders, supplemental agreements, terminations, claims, and close out of contracts. Experience working with various types of contracts, including firm-fixed price, firm-fixed price with economic price adjustments, and cost reimbursement; and contract methods to include simplified acquisitions, sealed bidding, negotiations, cost sharing, multiple awards, commercial items and special provisions. Experience with contract administration principles and practices sufficient to monitor contractor performance and compliance with all terms and conditions of the contract. Experience with negotiation techniques sufficient to negotiate prices, terms and conditions, contract modifications and settlements. Proficiency using an electronic Contract Writing and Management System and ability to fully solicit, award, and administer contracts. OR 3 full academic years of progressively higher graduate education OR Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in one or a combination of the following fields: accounting, business, finance, law, contracts, purchasing, economics, industrial management, marketing, quantitative methods, or organization and management. OR You may qualify on a combination of education and experience. To combine education and experience, the total percentage of experience at the required grade level compared to the requirement, as well as the percentage of completed education compared to the requirement must equal at least 100 percent. Only graduate level education (in the required areas) in excess of the first 18 semester hours (27 quarter hours) may be combined to be considered for qualifying education.