Contract Specialist in Kaiserslautern, Germany

Summary See below for important information regarding this job. Responsibilities Performs cradle-to-grave contracting actions including: acquisition planning, solicitation, evaluation and cost/price analyses, negotiations, contract award, modifications/amendments, terminations, closeouts, and contractor performance reviews. Performs Pre- and Post-Award functions for a wide variety of highly complex procurements and contracts that are unusual, unique, non-routine or otherwise difficult to accomplish. Performs market research, identifies potential vendors, evaluates offers, performs comparative price analysis for reasonableness, and recommends award of contracts. Negotiates settlements for contractual changes. Negotiates equitable adjustments and supplemental agreements to delivery or performance time and prices, and execution of supplemental agreements for reduced or additional requirements. Provides guidance or training to lower grades, new hires or others as necessary. Serves as a Warranted Contracting Officer based on the needs of the assigned Supply Chain. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications To qualify for a Contract Specialist your resume and supporting documentation must support: A. Basic Contracting Requirement: A.) A baccalaureate degree from an accredited educational institution authorized to grant baccalaureate degrees OR B.) a current civilian employee in DoD or member of the Armed Forces, who occupied an 1102 position, contracting officer position, or comparable military contracting position with authority to award or administer contracts above the simplified acquisition threshold on or before September 30, 2000 are excluded from the requirements of “A” above. B. Contracting Officer Requirement: Must possess at least two years of experience in a contracting position. C. Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience that equipped you with the particular competencies to successfully perform the duties of the position, and is directly in or related to this position. In addition to meeting the Basic DoD 1102 Requirement above, to qualify for the GS-11 grade level, specialized experience must be at the GS-09 grade level or equivalent under other pay systems in the Federal service, military or private sector. To qualify for the GS-12 grade level, specialized experience must be at the GS-11 grade level for a period of at least one year or equivalent under other pay systems in the Federal service, military or private sector. Applicants must meet eligibility requirements including time-in-grade (General Schedule (GS) positions only), time-after-competitive appointment, minimum qualifications, and any other regulatory requirements by the cut-off/closing date of the announcement. Creditable specialized experience includes: GS-11: With assistance, applying contracting principles, laws, statutes, regulations and procedures applicable to procurement/contracting actions. Soliciting offers to procure a variety of requirements ranging from standard to specialized supplies or services. Applied knowledge of acquisition planning. With assistance using negotiation techniques to procure services, equipment and/or construction products. Communicating through written communications and discussions with vendors/customers. GS-12: Applies and adapts contracting principles, laws, statutes, regulations and procedures applicable to procurement/contracting actions. Soliciting offers to procure a variety of requirements ranging from standard to specialized supplies or services. Performing acquisition planning. Independently negotiates to procure services, equipment and/or construction products. Communicating through written communications and discussions with vendors/customers. NOTE: To apply for the GS-12 level, you must have completed at least one full year at the GS-11 level. D. Education Substitution: Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. Education must be from a college or university accredited by an organization approved by the U.S. Department of Education. See http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/Search.aspx. If using education to meet basic qualifications, YOU MUST SUBMIT A TRANSCRIPT as supplemental documentation. To qualify based on education in lieu of specialized experience, you must possess: GS-11: Three (3) years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a PhD or equivalent Doctorate degree. Such education must be from an accredited college or university, and must demonstrate the knowledge, skills and abilities to do the work. GS-12: There is no education substitution at this grade level. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional, philanthropic, religious, spiritual, community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Education Applying for GS-11 only: Are you using your education to qualify? You MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. Unless otherwise stated: Unofficial transcripts are acceptable at time of application. GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours that your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school’s definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study. 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 a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. Additional Information ADDITIONAL OVERSEAS INFORMATION: For an explanation of the overseas entitlements, please review the information in the following link: http://www.dla.mil/Careers/Programs/overseas.aspx. U.S. citizens overseas under ordinarily resident status are not eligible for appointment under the Status of Forces Agreement. Ordinarily Resident is defined as a U.S. citizen who is locally resident; and, has legal, permanent resident status within the host country; and, is subject to host country employment and tax laws. Pay Retention will be extended to an eligible employee who applies through a formal recruitment program and is selected for a position at an overseas location. https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/140025/1400.25-V536.pdf For Important General Applicant Information and Definitions go to: http://www.dla.mil/portals/104/documents/careers/GenAppInfoDef.pdf Reasonable Accommodation Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended and Americans with Disabilities Act 1990 as amended, that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a reasonable accommodation in your online application. Requests for Reasonable Accommodations for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for Reasonable Accommodation must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for Reasonable Accommodations are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a Reasonable Accommodation, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Reasonable_Accommodations_for_USA_Hire INFORMATION FOR VETERANS is available at: http://www.dla.mil/Careers/Programs/veterans.aspx. As of 23 December 2016, Military retirees seeking to enter federal service in the Department of Defense now require a waiver if they would be appointed within 180 days following their official date of retirement. DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE: The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) established a Drug-Free Federal Workplace Policy. All applicants tentatively selected for DLA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with DLA for a period of six months. This policy extends to random testing for the use of illegal drugs by employees who occupy testing designated positions defined as sensitive in Section 7(d) of Executive Order 12564. The Defense Logistics Agency’s Drug Free Workplace Plan’s drug testing panel includes testing for the following illegal substances: marijuana, cocaine, opiates (codeine/morphine), 6-Acetylmorphine (heroin), phencyclidine, amphetamines (amphetamine/methamphetamine), methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA), oxycodone, oxymorphone, hydrocodone, and hydromorphone.