Supervisory Contract Specialist

Duties

Exercises supervisory personnel management responsibilities. Provides supervisory responsibility for subordinate members of the Army National Guard (ARNG) and the Air National Guard (ANG) for the entire state. Supervisory duties constitute at least 25 percent of the time. Advises and provides counsel to employees regarding policies, procedures, and directives of management. Selects or recommends selection of candidates for vacancies, promotions, details, and reassignments in consideration of skills and qualifications, mission requirements, and EEO and diversity objectives. Develops, modifies, and/or interprets performance standards. Plans the overall approach to meet contracting program objectives for procuring a wide variety of requirements. Performs market research/analysis to determine availability of the requirement; analyzes market trends, commercial practices, conditions and technological advances and determines the sources to be solicited. Determines the appropriate method of procurement using a wide range of contracting methods and contract types. Selects appropriate contracting approaches, techniques, and procedures to solve a variety of acquisition problems. Analyzes contracting issues and recommends best course of action. Performs acquisition planning, develops market research, acquisition strategy, milestones, evaluation/source selection criteria, and/or incentive or award fee provisions, as applicable. Exercises latitude in dealing with problems arising during the pre-award phase of the procurement action. Plans, oversees, and carries out the work, selecting the approaches and techniques to be used, and determines actions to be taken on assigned contracts. Uses judgment in interpreting guidelines, in adapting procurement procedures to specific situations and in recommending solutions to problems encountered. Provides business advice and assistance to technical personnel involved in the development of the performance work statement/statement of work/statement of objectives or data requirements. Reviews requisition packages for adequacy and compliance with administrative, regulatory, and procedural requirements and consistency with current market practices and conditions. Reviews procurement requests to determine whether, based on market analysis, the requirement can be performed by small businesses; actively solicits Small Businesses and a wide range of socioeconomic groups. If appropriate, initiates action to have all or part of a procurement set-aside exclusively for small business/socioeconomic performance. Procures a wide variety of services, commodities, and/or construction. Applies all statutory requirements including regulations, policies, procedures, business and industry practices, market trends, Government Accountability Office (GAO) and Comptroller General Decisions, public law, case law, and precedents to all acquisitions. Contracts assigned may contain a variety of unique attributes such as special handling provisions or other specialized terms and conditions, unfavorable market conditions, and limited competition or sole source requirements. Ensures the price schedule is properly structured, prepares the solicitation, determines sources to be solicited, issues solicitations and amendments, and determines the acceptability of offers based on an analysis of financial and technical information gained. Obtains and reviews subcontracting plans as required. Executes post-award contract performance management actions on assigned contracts. Provides business advice and guidance to technical personnel and others on contracting work and prepares correspondence. Performs other duties as required.

Qualifications

MINIMUM Requirements for GS-13

1. Completion of all mandatory training 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. (AND)
2. 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. (AND)
3. 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.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: One (1) year of work experience equivalent to at least GS-12 level that demonstrates the following knowledge, skills and abilities:

1. Knowledge of contracting principles and procedures applicable to preaward and postaward actions sufficient to award and administer contracts for services, supplies, and construction to the extent of contract authority.
2. Knowledge of applicable business practices and market conditions sufficient to identify potential contractors and to evaluate bid responsiveness, contractor responsibility, and performance.
3. Knowledge of contracting types and methods, including formal advertising, contract negotiations, fixed price contracts, cost reimbursement contracting, and use of special provisions to plan and carry out contracting assignments, conduct contract negotiations, and meet and deal with business and/or government officials.
4. Ability to resolve contractual problems relating to cost adjustments, delivery schedules and to negotiate in sole source environment.
5. Knowledge of contract termination procedures sufficient to review and analyze settlement proposals, technical evaluations, and contractor claims; recommend allowable costs; and negotiate settlements with contractors.
6. Knowledge of cost and price procedures and techniques to evaluate bids or offers on the basis of competition, historical costs, reports from auditors or technical specialist.
7. Ability to analyze contractor cost breakdowns regarding labor, materials, overhead and profit, or other evaluation criteria available. Supervising a staff of Contract Specialists engaged in substantive professional, technical, and administrative work.
8. Ability to manage, supervise and perform duties that include developing state policies and procedures for work involving contracting/procurement of construction, supplies, and services using formal advertising or negotiation procedures for all Air/Army National Guard organizations of the state as well as recommending policy affecting/influencing National Guard acquisition policy.
9. Ability to accomplish long/short term planning, scheduling, assigning, coordinating, reviewing, and approving work of subordinate contracting personnel (full-time and/or part-time workforce and Drill Status Guardsmen) engaged in solicitation, negotiation, award, and administration of negotiated and sealed bid high-dollar contracts for supplies, construction, and A/E services as well as for personal performance of the more difficult/controversial contracting actions.

Education