We are looking to fill Contract Specialist, GS-1102-7/9, positions in the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Click on "Learn more about this agency" for more details!

You will have the exciting opportunity to work in a trainee position, learning how to review federal contracts, sharpening your analytical skills, working on special projects, and so much more!

Duties

• Analyze requests for contracts for completeness, adequacy of scope of work, availability of funds, compliance with set laws, regulations, and policies.
• Review requisitions and determine appropriate method of procurement, i.e., formal advertising or negotiation.
• Determine appropriate method of procurement, prepare required findings and determinations, schedule procurement plans, and perform all pre-solicitation duties prescribed by regulation and rules.
• Prepare and issue solicitation documents.
• Prepare recommendations for award, documenting reasons for decisions including justifying basis for not recommending lowest bidder.

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen or National to apply for this position.
• You must possess a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale.
• You must meet all program, qualification and education requirements.
• You will be subject to a background and suitability investigation.
• You must sign a Pathways Participant Agreement before starting employment.

Qualifications

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS: You must be ELIGIBLE and QUALIFIED in order to be referred to Hiring Managers.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS: Am I considered a Recent Graduate?

GPA Requirement: You must possess a cumulative GPA of 3.0 on the unweighted 4.0 scale upon completion of your academic degree or certificate program. (GPA 2.95 is rounded to 3.0 and 2.94 is rounded to 2.9.)

To be eligible as a Recent Graduate:

• Individuals who within the previous 2 years, completed a qualifying associates, bachelors, masters, professional, doctorate, vocational or technical degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution. Therefore, you must have completed your educational program no earlier than June 12, 2022. Veterans who were precluded from applying due to their military service obligation, begin their 2-year eligibility period upon release or discharge from active duty. Eligibility for veterans cannot exceed 6 years from the date on which they completed their degrees (or certification). Therefore, veterans must have completed their educational program no earlier than June 12, 2018.
• To verify your eligibility as a Recent Graduate, you must submit the following at the time of application: A copy of your unofficial transcripts from the educational institution you attended attesting to your possession of the required education. Your unofficial transcripts must reflect: (1) your name; (2) overall grade point average (GPA); and (3) Degree Type (e.g., Bachelor's, Master's, etc.) and Degree Major; AND (4) the date your Degree was conferred. Failure to submit proof of degree/certificate completion at time of application will result in the withdrawal of your application from consideration for this position.

To be eligible as a Degree Candidate for Spring 2024:

• Individuals who are degree candidates for this current semester/term, i.e. Spring 2024, scheduled to complete a qualifying Associate's, Bachelor's, Master's, Doctorate, professional, vocational or technical degree or certificate program AND degree/certificate has not been conferred at time of application.
• To verify your eligibility as a Degree Candidate for Spring 2024: you must submit the following at the time of application: A copy of your unofficial transcripts from the educational institution you attended attesting to your education completed to date. Your unofficial transcripts must reflect: (1) your name; (2) overall grade point average (GPA); AND (3) Degree Type (e.g., Bachelor's, Master's, etc.) and Degree Major. If referred and selected, you must submit an additional unofficial transcript that confirms the date your degree was conferred before an Official Offer can be made. Degree must be conferred by June 30, 2024. Failure to submit proof of degree/certificate completion will result in the withdrawal of your application from consideration for this position.

Note: For those applying as Degree Candidates for Spring 2024, you will be required to submit an additional transcript that confirms the above major or course requirements and the date your degree was conferred. Degree requirements must be completed during the Spring 2024 semester and the degree must be conferred by June 30, 2024. Failure to submit proof of degree/certificate completion will result in the withdrawal of your application from consideration for this position.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS: Do I qualify at the GS-07 or GS-09 Grade Level?

In order to qualify for the GS-07, you must meet one of the following:

• Specialized Experience: You must demonstrate in your resume at least one year (52 weeks) of qualifying specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 grade level in the Federal government, obtained in either the private or public sector, to include: 1) reviewing requisition packages, and 2) preparing a variety of written materials.- OR -
• Substitution of Education for Experience: You may substitute education for specialized experience at the GS-07 grade level by possessing at least one full year of graduate-level education. One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours should be considered as satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement. Part-time graduate education is creditable in accordance with its relationship to a year of full-time study at the school attended. - OR -
• Superior Academic Achievement: A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university AND one of the following provisions of superior academic achievement:
• A grade-point average of "B" (3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale) for all completed undergraduate courses or those completed in the last two years of undergraduate study. For example, 2.95 is rounded to 3.0, and 2.94 is rounded to 2.9.
• A grade-point average of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale for all required courses completed in your major field of study, or those required courses in your major completed in the last two years of your undergraduate study.
• Rank in the upper one-third of your class in the college, university, or major subdivision.
• Membership in a national honor society (other than freshman honor societies) recognized by the Association of College Honor Societies. - OR -
• Combination of Experience and Education: Equivalent combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and experience may be used to meet total experience requirements at the GS-07 grade level. The percentage of your total qualifying experience the education must equal to 100% to qualify for this grade.

In order to qualify for the GS-09, you must meet one of the following:

• Specialized Experience: You must demonstrate in your resume at least one year (52 weeks) of qualifying specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 grade level in the Federal government, obtained in either the private or public sector, to include: 1) preparing written documentation for proposals; and 2) reviewing or interpreting procurement rules, regulations, or policies.- OR -
• Substitution of Education for Experience: You may substitute education for specialized experience at the GS-09 grade level by possessing a Master's Degree or equivalent graduate degree or at least 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D. - OR -
• Combination of Experience and Education: Only graduate education in excess of the amount required for the GS-07 grade level may be used to qualify applicants for positions at the GS-09 grade level. Therefore, only education in excess of one full year of graduate-level education may be used to combine education and experience.

ALL TRANSCRIPTS are required at the time of application to verify satisfactory completion of the educational requirement related to substitution of education for experience and combination of experience and education. Please see "Required Documents" section below on what documentation is required.

Click the following link to view the occupational questionnaire: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12421492