Contract Specialist

Direct-Hire Authority Overview

Direct-Hire Authority (DHA) is a hiring authority granted by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to address critical hiring needs or severe candidate shortages.

• Perform pre‑award and post‑award work on a variety of contract actions.
• Develop and document acquisition strategy for procuring supplies and services that may require specialized handling provisions, terms, and conditions.
• Review requisitions and determine appropriate contract type, competition requirements, contract vehicle, and applicable FAR authorities.
• Prepare all solicitation documents necessary to support various contract actions.
• Monitor contractual milestones.
• Develop and maintain familiarity with government contracting procedures, business practices, and the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR).
• Perform cost and price analysis, prepare contracts, and execute award documents.
• Prepare statements of work and resolve non‑complex problems in the pre‑award and post‑award phases.
• Review technical and cost evaluation reports for accuracy and completeness.

Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as training and experience progress.

• Applicant must be a United States Citizen or National.
• Initial appointment is conditioned upon satisfactory pre‑employment adjudication, including fingerprint, credit, tax checks, and drug testing. Continued employment is subject to a favorable background investigation.
• Applicant must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable.
• Selected candidates may be required to complete a one‑year probationary period.
• Applicant must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

• Basic Requirement A:
  Completion of a 4‑year degree (any major) or higher.
• Basic Requirement B:
  Completed at least 24 semester hours in accounting, business, finance, law, contracts, purchasing, economics, industrial management, marketing, quantitative methods, or organization and management.
• Submission of official or unofficial transcripts is required to verify basic qualifications.
• Specialized
  
  Experience:
  
  One year of experience at the GS‑09 level with pre‑award and post‑award functions, including price/cost analysis, negotiation, and administration of contracts.
• Education for GS‑11:
  PhD or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher graduate education in relevant fields. Alternatively, a combination of graduate education and specialized experience may satisfy the requirement if combined equals 100% and graduate education exceeds 2 years.
• Specialized Experience for GS‑12:
  One year of experience at the GS‑11 level with advanced contracting duties.
• Must attain and retain at least a Level 1 Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting (FAC‑C).

The Department of Justice offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes paid vacation, sick leave, holidays, telework, life insurance, health benefits, and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System.

Because Direct Hire Recruitment Authority is used, traditional Veterans' Preference rules do not apply. Qualified preference eligibles will be given full consideration for this position and may submit supporting documentation.

Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must certify registration with the Selective Service System or be exempt under law.

Applicants who are current or former political appointees must disclose this information; failure to do so may result in disciplinary action.

Federal agencies provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. Applicants requiring accommodation may contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations are made on a case‑by‑case basis.

The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non‑merit factor. More information can be found here: https://(Use the "Apply for this Job" box below)..

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.