Contract Specialist

Major Duties and Responsibilities

• Assists in the procurement of contract requirements which are often among the most complex and difficult procurements conducted by agency, frequently involving critical and/or sensitive program efforts and multi-million-dollar funding commitments. Services include such efforts as construction, A&E, IT support services and a variety of others in accordance with FAR Part 8, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16.5.
• Assists in reviewing procurement requisition packages, analyzes the requirement, recommends revisions to Performance Work Statements or specifications as necessary, and decides on the type of contract, milestones, and holds acquisition strategy meetings with the program officials. Assists in reviewing justifications for sole source and other required clearances and assists the program officials with preparing and/or finalizing documentation, as needed.
• Assists in conducting market research and prepares report to include industry trends, small business designations identified, and recommendation for set-asides and/or exclusions.
• Assists in preparing solicitation documents. Incorporates most updated Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) clauses and provisions, requirements for technical proposals with appropriate weighing factors, testing procedures, cost escalation factors, cost data requirements, and socioeconomic programs. Solicits proposals from prospective contractors.
• Assists in analyzing proposals for conformance with the solicitation. Performs cost or price analysis, including review of cost breakdowns to determine reasonableness. Coordinates the establishment of a technical evaluation committee to determine acceptability of technical proposals. Obtains required pre-award surveys to establish contractor responsibility and obtains audits and pricing reports to develop negotiation strategy.
• Assists Government in Negotiations with potential contractors. Recommends award to contracting officer via award determination memorandums, and ensures all proper procurement package, solicitation, technical evaluation, and award documentation is reviewed, finalized and uploaded in the PRISM contract writing system.
• Assists in the administration of contracts, including performance of termination actions, until final delivery and payments are completed and the contract is closed and retired; or works directly with the Contracting Officer's Representative to ensure effective monitoring of contractor's performance through telephone conversations, correspondence, reports, vouchers, and visits for status of contract performance, scheduling, problems that have arisen and proposed solutions, verification of deliveries, and similar activities.
• Interprets contract provisions for contractors and for program officials, and provides appropriate advice and guidance. Negotiates contract modifications.
• Prepares initial agency position on protests from unsuccessful bidders and renders or recommends a decision on claims arising under the contract.
• Assists with preparing written or in-person debriefings.
• Assists in conducting post-award conferences; resolves performance deficiencies; conducts all required actions with respect to contract termination; and prepares all supporting documentation (e.g. D & F's, Sole Sources Justification).
• Assists Government in full range of contract administration duties and responsibilities for assigned acquisitions including but not limited to modifications, addressing the Contracting Officer of any issues. Assists in evaluating proposed contract modifications, analyzes cost and price proposals with respect to modifications, contract changes, and claims; negotiates and prepares contract changes, modifications, and claim settlements.
• Assists in performing price/cost analyses. Analyzes commercial pricing practices applicable to the commodities and the latest economic developments pertaining to
  • increased material, labor, or transportation costs as reflected in the current price indexes. Analyzes cost and pricing data submitted by offerors to substantiate direct and indirect costs and profit. Determines reasonableness of prices or bids offered.
• Knowledgeable of federal procurement laws, Federal Acquisition Regulations, and federal contracting online resources.
• Experienced and assists in preparing contracts for closeout.

Personnel Requirements

Required Object, Credentials and Experience

• Must have 5 or more years of relevant experience in accordance with the major duties and responsibilities listed above.
• Minimum 5 years or more of demonstrated proficiency and experience in pre and post award acquisition functions in accordance with FAR Part 8, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16.5.
• Minimum 5 years or more of advanced knowledge of Federal and Departmental procurement regulation; Comptroller General and Board of Contract Appeal decisions, OMB Directives, Executive Orders, and other outside directives and court decisions, which affect the procurement process sufficient to determine the applicability of all if the above to individual procurement problems.
• Minimum 5 years or more proficient knowledge of Federal contracting law, regulation, policies and precedents, and related principles, policies, and procedures sufficient to plan, lead, review, or audit the most complex procurement functions.
• Knowledge of the regulations and techniques of source selection sufficient to conduct a selection.
• Skill in promoting e-commerce, and supporting the use of automated acquisition systems, contractor performance evaluation systems, electronic invoicing systems, and other electronic systems facilitating the agency's move to paperless contracting.
• Working experienced in the past having FAC-C level I or II (preferred)

Education:

• Must have a bachelor's degree (Master's Degree preferred) in Business Administration or 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.

Location: