Contract Specialist - Vaihingen, Germany

Job Summmary

This position is located in Defense Information Systems Agency, DITCO-Europe, (PS51). -Initial review of applicants will occur 7 days after the announcement opens.-Additional reviews of applicants will occur at the 30 and 60 day cutoff and the closing date of the announcement. Review Dates of Applications Received Before or On: 24 DEC 2024 17 JAN 2025 16 FEB 2025 18 MAR 2025

Who can apply

1. Federal employees - Competitive service

Job Duties

• Serves as a contract specialist, but may be required to obtain a warrant based on mission needs.
• Primary responsibilities include solicitation preparation, proposal evaluation, cost/price analysis, negotiation, contract preparation, source selection, contract award, and contract administration.
• Contract requirements range from routine commercial off the-shelf products and services to extremely complex state-of-the-art telecommunication systems, often requiring site surveys and special construction of facilities.
• Serves as an advisor to customer and project management personnel in procurement planning meetings.
• Conducts pre-solicitation/pre-proposal/pre-award meetings with telecommunication providers and foreign government telecommunication agencies to ensure a clear understanding of contract requirements is presented to all prospective contractors.
• Incumbent prepares and/or reviews solicitations for Inquiry/Quote/Order (IQO), Request For Proposal (RFP), and Request For Quotation (RFQ) procurements.

Requirements

Qualification

Time in Grade: For entry at the GS-11 level, status applicants must have served 52 weeks as a GS-09 or higher grade in the Federal Service. For entry at the GS-12 level, status applicants must have served 52 weeks as a GS-11 or higher grade in the Federal Service. Basic Education Standards for positions in the 1102 series: A. Bachelor's degree from an accredited education institution authorized to grant baccalaureate degrees All applicants must provide a copy of your transcripts. Failure to provide this information will result in disqualification. Education Exemptions: The education requirements listed above apply only to individuals entering DoD 1102 positions on or after October 1, 2000. Current DoD employees or Armed Forces members, who occupied GS-1102 positions or contracting positions with authority to award or administer contracts above the simplified acquisition threshold in an Executive Department on or before September 30, 2000, are exempt from meeting this requirement. Failure to provide SF-50 or career brief (for Armed Forces members) dated prior to October 1, 2000 will result in disqualification (this includes DISA employees). Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services at the time of application. National Association of Credential Evaluation Services. Additional information may be found at: https://www.dau.edu/back-to-basics. Specialized Experience: For the GS-11, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent in level of difficulty and responsibility to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service, or comparable in difficulty and responsibility to GS-09 if outside the Federal service, is required. Your resume MUST demonstrate experience applying contracting procedures under supervision sufficient to negotiate, award, and administer contracts with telecommunication providers both government and commercial. Specialized Experience: For the GS-12, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent in level of difficulty and responsibility to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service, or comparable in difficulty and responsibility to GS-11 if outside the Federal service, is required. Your resume MUST demonstrate experience negotiating, awarding, and administering Inquiry/Quote/Order (IQO), Request For Proposal (RFP), and Request For Quotation (RFQ) contracts to acquire telecommunication services and IT products and services. Candidates must describe how their experience meets the specialized experience requirement within the body of their resume. In addition to meeting the specialized experience requirements, qualified applicants must also possess the quality of experience as it relates to how closely or to what extent an applicant's background, recency of experience, education, and training are relevant to the duties and responsibilities of the announced position. Candidates must clearly demonstrate the possession of knowledge, skills and abilities, or competencies necessary to successfully perform the work of the position at the appropriate level to be qualified for the position. Applicants must describe how their experience meets the competencies within the body of the resume. No separate statements addressing KSA's or competencies are required. Competencies:Communication, Contracting/Procurement, Influencing/Negotiating, Issue Changes and Modification, and Proposal Evaluation Qualification and time-in-grade requirements must be met within 30 days after the closing date of this announcement.

Education

SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION FOR EXPERIENCE AT GS-11 LEVEL: Three full years of progressively higher level graduate education or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree. There is no substitution of education for specialized experience at the GS-12 grade level Graduate Education: To qualify for GS-1102 positions on the basis of graduate education, graduate education in one or a combination of the following fields is required: accounting, business, finance, law, contracts, purchasing, economics, industrial management, marketing, quantitative methods, or organization and management. To be creditable, education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. You must report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions that are recognized by the U.S. Department of Education Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services at the time of application. National Association of Credential Evaluation Services .

Additional information

TDY Travel: Frequent Tour length: 36 months Telework availability will be based upon the mission requirements and supervisory determination Current Federal employees within CONUS who are selected through a formal competitive recruitment process for a lower graded position overseas may be afforded pay retention if their pay would otherwise be reduced. Pay retention may be granted to employees already in the overseas area if the recruitment efforts had been extended outside the overseas command involved and the individual selected will have to PCS. Locality rates of pay will not be used for pay setting when transferring to the overseas area. Eligibility for foreign-area allowances such as Foreign Post Allowance and Living Quarter Allowance will be determined at the time of hire. U.S. citizens in Germany under ordinary resident status are not eligible to apply for appointment under Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA). A one year probationary or trial period may be required. Management has the prerogative to select at either grade level. This recruitment provides promotion opportunity to target position without further competition when selectee is eligible and recommended by management. However promotion is not guaranteed and no promise of a promotion is implied. Current Department of Defense employees who accept this position will have statutory return rights to the same grade they held prior to accepting this position. We may use this announcement to fill additional vacancies within 90 days of the closing date. Moving costs MAY be paid. They MUST be paid if a DISA employee is selected for the position. Recruitment, relocation, or retention incentives MAY be authorized..The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 makes certain reimbursements/payments taxable. For information on these changes and the Relocation Income Tax Allowance (RITA), for which some appointees are eligible, click here. No-fee passport required. US Government civilian personnel who have not received their no-fee passport prior to departing CONUS may enter Germany using a tourist passport. Civilian personnel cannot enter Germany on ID card and/or travel orders. For more information on veterans' preference click here. Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (to verify your registration status click here). The Department of Defense (DoD) policy on employment of annuitants issued March 18, 2004 will be used in determining eligibility of annuitants. This position is subject to the limitations imposed by the DOD Priority Placement Program. Military Spouse Preference (MSP)/Family Member Preference (FMP) - Candidates claiming MSP/(FMP) must include a copy of sponsor's permanent change of station orders authorizing movement of spouse to the overseas command or other appropriated documentation that support the preference. Additional documentation may be required prior to granting the preference. Family members of locally hired DoD civilian employees are not eligible for Family Member Preference.:For more information regarding qualifications requirements please click here. All applicants are encouraged to apply electronically. If you are unable to apply on-line, you may contact 317-212-0454 for assistance.

Get More benefits details at https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/benefits/

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Once the application process is complete, a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the assessment questionnaire to determine if you are qualified for this job. The numeric rating you receive is based on your responses to the questionnaire. The score is a measure of the degree to which your background matches the competencies required for this position. If, after reviewing your resume and or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. The Assessment Questionnaire takes approximately 15 minutes to complete and collects information on your education, training and experience related to the following critical competencies: Communication Contracting/Procurement Influencing/Negotiating Issue Changes and Modification Proposal Evaluation You can preview the Assessment Questionnaire here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12630743 Criminal History Inquiries- If you apply to this position and are selected, we will not ask about your criminal history before you receive a conditional job offer. If you believe you were asked about your criminal history improperly, contact the agency @ [email protected]

Document Requires:-

FOR THIS JOB ANNOUNCEMENT THE FOLLOWING SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS ARE REQUIRED AS THEY APPLY STATED BELOW AND MUST BE RECEIVED BY THE CLOSE OF THE ANNOUNCEMENT. NOT ALL DOCUMENTS WILL APPLY TO EVERYONE. Transcripts (Required) - This position has positive education requirements; you must submit all of your transcripts. The absence of this information will result in an ineligible rating. SF-50 - (if applicable) Notification of Personnel Action for current or former federal employees- All applicants to include current agency employees must provide your most recent SF50 or the SF50 reflecting Career/Career-Conditional tenure and the highest grade held on a permanent basis. Veterans Preference Documentation (if applicable): You must submit a copy of your DD Form-214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty", showing the dates of active duty service, type of discharge and the character of service. Alternatively, If you are a current military member in active duty service and do not have a copy of your DD Form-214, you must submit a written documentation (certification) from your branch of service certifying that you are expected to be discharged or released from active duty under honorable conditions no later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted with your application for this position. The certification should also include your rank, dates of active duty service and what they condition of discharge is thought to be. If claiming 10-point preference and/or are a 30% or more Disabled Veteran, you must submit both a DD Form-214 or expected discharge documentation as described above AND a copy of a letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) or your branch of service certifying the presence of service-connected disability and indicating the percentage of disability If you are claiming eligibility based on 10-point derived veterans' preference (i.e. a spouse, widow/widower, or parent of a veteran claiming veterans' preference when the veteran is unable to use it), you must also submit a Standard Form 15 (SF-15) "Application for 10-Point Veteran's Preference" and any required documents indicated on the SF-15 to substantiate the claimed preference. ICTAP Eligible (if applicable) - A copy of the RIF separation notice and SF50 if available. 4. Military Spouse Preference (MSP) Eligible: Military Spouse Preference applicants, must be selected and placed at the highest grade level for which they have applied and been determined best qualified up to and including the full performance level. You must include a completed copy of the Military Spouse PPP Self-Certification Checklist dated within 30 days along with the documents identified on the checklist to verify your eligibility for Military Spouse Preference. Click here to obtain a copy of the Military Spouse PPP Self-Certification Checklist. 5. Military Reserve (MR) and National Guard (NG) Technicians PPP Eligible: MR and NG technicians PPP applicants must be selected and placed at the full performance level if determined well qualified. You must include a completed copy of the Military Reserve and National Guard Technician PPP Self-Certification Checklist to verify your eligibility for Military Reserve and National Guard Technician preference. Click here to obtain a copy of the Military Reserve and National Guard Technician PPP Self-Certification Checklist. 6. Military Reserve (MR) and National Guard (NG) Technicians Receiving Disability Retirement PPP Eligible: Click here to obtain a copy of the Military Reserve and National Guard Technician Disability PPP Self-Certification Checklist. 7. Retained Grade PPP Eligible: Retained Grade PPP applicants, must be selected and placed at the full performance level if determined well qualified. You must include a completed copy of the Retained Grade PPP Self-Certification Checklist to verify your eligibility for Retained Grade preference. Click here to obtain a copy of the Retained Grade PPP Self-Certification Checklist. Your complete Application Package (containing the above required documents) must be received no later than 11:59 pm Eastern Time on 03/18/2025. WARNING: Failure to submit a complete application package including any required documentation by 11:59 PM (EST) on 03/18/2025, or at the time of application for announcements with an extended closing date, may result in an ineligible rating and loss of consideration. To verify that your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, select Application Status and More Information. The Details page will display the status of your application. It is the applicant's responsibility to verify that information entered, uploaded is received, legible and accurate. HR will not modify answers submitted by an applicant.

How to appy this Job

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package. See required documents below. Your Resume Your resume MUST include the following information for each job listed: Job title; duties (be as detailed as possible); month & year start/end dates (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008); and full- time or part-time status (include hours worked per week). Read more about what should I include in my federal resume? at USAJOBS. DO NOT include the following information: Classified or government sensitive information; Social Security Number; Photos of yourself; Personal information, such as age, gender, religious affiliation, etc.; or encrypted and digitally signed documents. Read more about what should I leave out of my resume? at USAJOBS. A complete Assessment Questionnaire Other required supporting documents: (SEE BELOW FOR MORE INFORMATION ON REQUIRED SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS) Click 'Apply Online' to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to complete the assessment questionnaire and upload required documents. Please ensure you click the Submit My Answers button to submit your application. Check application status by logging into your USAJOBS account, clicking Application Status, then More Information for this position. Return to an incomplete application by logging into your USAJOBS account and clicking Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.

Apply Online

Next Step after Apply

Once the online questionnaire is received you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. The occupational questionnaire and the resume that you submit will be used to assess your qualifications for the job, and to identify the best qualified applicants to be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interviews. We will notify you of the outcome after each of these steps has been completed. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation. (317) 212-0454 [email protected]