Defense Finance and Accounting Service Logo
Position Title
SUPERVISORY CONTRACT SPECIALIST
Agency
Defense Finance and Accounting Service
Announcement Number
ML-12744279-25 Opens in new window
Open Period
Friday, June 6, 2025 to Friday, June 20, 2025
For preview purposes only. To apply, please return to the USAJOBS announcement and click the Apply button.
Eligibilities
The following section is used to determine your eligibility for appointment in the Federal Government or Status for referral consideration. Please indicate by your responses all categories of eligibilities for which you would like to be considered. You will only be considered under eligibilities that you select. If you are not able to select at least one of the eligibilities below, you are not eligible to be considered for this position.

NOTE: You must submit the required documentation to verify EACH eligibility you select. Failure to provide the required documents will render you not eligible for consideration.

See instructions under the "How to Apply" tab for submitting documentation.
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1. Of the locations you selected, please select your "most" preferred duty location. (This may be used to manage initial interviews.) (limit characters)
2. Are you a current, permanent Career or Career-Conditional employee of the agency hiring for this position in the competitive service AND have permanently held a grade below the target grade of this position? (SF-50 block 24 must be a "1" or "2") (limit characters)
3. Are you a current, permanent Career or Career-Conditional employee of the agency hiring for this position in the competitive service AND have permanently held a grade at or above the target grade of this position? (SF-50 block 24 must be a "1" or "2") (limit characters)
4. Are you a veteran who is currently an employee of the agency hiring for this position on a permanent Veterans Recruitment Appointment (VRA)? (SF-50 block 24 must be a “1” or “2” AND block 34 must be a “2”). (limit characters)
5. I am a military spouse who is currently married to my active duty sponsor. I am exercising my preference eligibility for positions within the local commuting area of my sponsor's current duty station.  I certify that I have not accepted nor declined a permanent, continuing Federal appropriated or non-appropriated fund position in the local commuting area of our current duty location. 
NOTE 1:  Military spouses are eligible for one permanent noncompetitive appointment using their preference eligibility for the duration of the active duty sponsor's assignment to a permanent duty station, as long as the military spouse has not declined or accepted a permanent Federal or non-appropriated fund position in the commuting area of the sponsor's current duty location.  If you certify that you have not used your preference at your sponsor's current duty location and it is discovered to be untrue, you may be subject to loss of MSP and possible disciplinary action. 
NOTE 2:  You must include a copy of the Military Spouse PPP Self-Certification Checklist along with the documents identified on the checklist to verify your eligibility for MSP.
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Preferences
1. Select the location(s) you want to be considered for. You must choose at least one location. (limit characters)
There is a time-in-grade (TIG) requirement for this position for applicants who have held a General Schedule (GS) position in the previous 52 weeks. These applicants must meet TIG within 30 days of the closing date of the announcement. Your answer to this section will indicate you possess the time in grade requirement or if it does not apply. Please answer the following question(s) by selecting the most appropriate response.
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2. There is a time in grade (TIG) requirement for advancement to this position. Have you completed one year in a position at, above, or equivalent to the GS-13 level? Please indicate the appropriate response below: (limit characters)
3. This section is used to determine if your current performance rating is acceptable for further consideration. All current federal employees must have a minimum performance rating of at least Fully Successful (or equivalent) to be considered for placement. Current federal employees who have a current unacceptable performance rating will be excluded from consideration. NOTE: Failure to select one of the below responses will render you ineligible for further consideration.

If you are a current Federal employee, was your most recent performance rating of record (that is, the rating recorded in your official personnel folder) at least Fully Successful (or equivalent); OR a Pass rating on a Pass/Fail scale? Even if you have not received a rating of record in the past 12 months, you should still indicate your most recent performance rating of record.
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4. Are you a retired Federal employee receiving an annuity from the Office of Personnel Management? NOTE: If you answered yes to this question, attach a copy of your retirement Standard Form 50 to your application. (limit characters)
5. Are you a current or former (within last five-years) Executive Branch political appointee; Schedule C excepted service appointee (confidential, policy or transitional role), or non-career or limited appointee in the Senior Executive Service (SES)?

Agencies must request OPM approval to appoint the following current or former (within five-years) Executive Branch political appointees to permanent competitive service, non-political excepted service, or career SES positions:
https://www.opm.gov/FAQs/QA.aspx?fid=023f2059-dff7-4307-89b4-c553c218af1d&pid=08248d29-d26e-44b6-9988-57655358d509
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6. To be eligible for Military Spouse Preference (MSP) under this vacancy announcement, you must have appointment eligibility under one of the following authorities and submit the appropriate, required documentation to verify your eligibility. Please select one or more eligibilities that apply to you. (limit characters)
7. To exercise your PPP application based preference as a Military Reserve and National Guard Technician, Military Reserve and National Guard Technician Receiving Disability Retirement, or Retained Grade Preference Eligible under this vacancy announcement, you must have appointment eligibility under one of the following authorities and submit the appropriate, required documentation to verify your eligibility. Please select one or more eligibilities that apply to you. (limit characters)
Assessment 1
Please accurately identify your level of training or experience when completing this questionnaire.  Your responses will be evaluated and verified based on your submitted resume.  Ensure that your resume accurately describes the level of education and/or experience claimed in the assessment questionnaire.  Later steps in the selection process are specifically designed to verify your stated level of experience and demonstrated capability. By continuing in the application process, I acknowledge that my self-assessment questionnaire score may be reduced, and I may lose consideration for this position if the work experience described in my resume does not support my responses to the assessment questionnaire. (limit characters)
1. To qualify for this position you must meet one of the basic requirements described below. Please select the option that best describes you. (You MUST submit copies of your proof of education if selecting option A; failure to submit required documents by the close of the announcement may result in an Ineligible rating.) (limit characters)
2. From the descriptions below, select the letter that corresponds to the highest level of education and/or experience that you fully possess and demonstrates your ability to perform the work of a Supervisory Contract Specialist at the GS-14 grade level. Select only one letter for each item. (limit characters)
For each item, select the one response that most accurately describes your current level of experience and capability using the scale below. (limit characters)
3. Draft Pricing Memorandums, review and edit Technical Evaluations, and draft Best Value Decision Documents. (limit characters)
4. Experience monitoring a (COR) contracting officer representative program, contractor performance, and enforcing contractor compliance with contract requirements. (limit characters)
5. Experience drafting Acquisition Strategies, Solicitation Instructions, Pricing Memos, and Best Value Tradeoffs that are onsistent with public law, regulations, policy, and other guidelines. (limit characters)
6. Provide Contracting Officer (or higher level) oversight to contract specialists awarding contracts using competitive negotiated procedures.
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7. Provide proactive business advice on requirements documentation based on analysis of requirements and performance based approaches to find the best solution to satisfy mission requirements.
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8. Build support for ideas and initiatives with key stakeholders inside/outside the organization. (limit characters)
9. Justify the need to negotiate or award the contract without full and open competition or, in a multiple award scenario, without providing for fair opportunity based on business strategies and market research.
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10. Negotiate agreements on matters involving differing perspectives or positions and successfully persuade others to accept findings, recommendations, changes or alternative viewpoints.
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11. Negotiate terms and conditions (including price) based on the pre-negotiation objective and give-and-take with the offer or to establish a fair and reasonable price.
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12. Prepare for negotiations/discussions by reviewing audit and technical reports, performing cost or price analysis, and developing pre-negotiation positions to include identifying potential tradeoffs. (limit characters)
13. Request resources based on analysis of needs and other relevant factors, including organizational goals, priorities, and funding projections.
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14. Work with leadership, customers, and stakeholders to anticipate and assess their needs; provide complex information to them; and resolve complex or non-routine problems, questions or complaints. (limit characters)
15. Write statements or position papers concerning the impact of new or proposed policies or other changes on existing programs and operations.
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16. Communicate with a variety of individuals (e.g., contract specialists, customers, leadership, etc.) to explain procurement procedures, regulations, and processes.
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17. Provide clear and convincing oral presentations to superiors and other officials of results of programs, studies, or evaluations of plans. (limit characters)
18. Submit agency level responses to data calls and suspenses from OUSD (AT&L) or other similar oversight body.
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19. Write standard operating procedures (SOPs), agency policies, desk guides, or other technical materials.
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20. Assess program objectives or performance goals to ensure subordinate staff is results-driven.
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21. Coach a team in identifying problems and solutions using a variety of problem solving techniques in order to improve the performance of an organization and advance program outcomes. (limit characters)
22. Monitor or report on the status of work to ensure quality and adherence to regulatory requirements (limit characters)
23. Resolve conflicts arising at the agency level due to competing objectives, limited resources, or differing perspectives. (limit characters)
24. Review performance of subordinate employees on both technical and administrative matters to ensure efficient utilization and professional development of employees.
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25. Track completed work, team accomplishments and time expended to produce workload reports (limit characters)
Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s). (limit characters)
26. Do you certify, to the best of your knowledge and belief, all of the information submitted by you with your application for employment is true, complete, and made in good faith, and that you have truthfully and accurately represented your work experience, knowledge, skills, abilities, and education (degrees, accomplishments, etc.)? Do you understand that the information provided may be investigated? Do you understand that misrepresenting your experience or education, or providing false or fraudulent information in or with your application may be grounds for not hiring you or for firing you after you begin work? Do you also understand that false or fraudulent statements may be punishable by fine or imprisonment (18 U.S.C. 1001)? (limit characters)