Contract Specialist

This is an open announcement to solicit candidates to fill positions using AFRL's Direct Hire Authority and is accepting applications from 1 Oct 2024 until 30 Sep 2025.

The DO-02 position aims to develop technical expertise leading to an unlimited contracting officer’s warrant. This involves honing skills related to contract development/management, negotiation, and oversight. 

The Air Force Research Laboratory contracting organization supports multiple Directorates across the lab.  Its mission encompasses the discovery, development, and integration of cutting-edge warfighting technologies.  The ultimate goal is to enhance the capabilities of our nation’s air, space, and cyberspace forces. 

Key Skills and Abilities:

• Serves as a business advisor providing advice and guidance, ensuring all business aspects of the acquisition are considered, including risk and incentivization. 

• Review requirements package for adequacy and compliance with administrative, regulatory and procedural requirements.

• Researches, interprets, analyzes and applies procurement guidelines, policies, regulations, impacting a cross-section of programs. 

• Plans, develops and establishes the acquisition strategy for the overall program, functions as the lead negotiator throughout the process. 

• Establishes milestones for coordination through functional leadership and support organizations/agencies. 

• Develops solicitations and contracts ensure consistency with key supporting documents, ensures appropriate use of required documentation and inclusion of appropriate clauses/provisions/terms and conditions. 

• Performs pre-award and post-award functions involving a variety of contract types. Negotiates and prepares contracts/agreements/instruments and supporting documents for all actions. Analyzes price and cost elements.

• May be required to serve as a Contracting Officer.

• Represents the organization with a variety of installation and functional area organizations. Researches and determines or recommends appropriate actions, provides interpretation of issues that impact organization, installation, command, or agency and prepares detailed responses. Conducts training to improve acquisition practices, implement new regulatory requirements, explain policy changes, promulgate lessons learned and clarify procedures.

• Must meet the for the 1102 occupational series defined in Title 10: 10 USC 1724: Contracting positions: qualification requirements (house.gov)
• Must have at least one year (52) weeks of specialized experience at the next lower grade level in the Federal system
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a security clearance
• United States Citizenship 
• Males must be registered for Selective Service,see www.sss.gov.
• This position is an Acquisition Professional Development Program (APDP) position. The selectee will have 24 months to meet APDP requirements or a waiver must be obtained.  
• Position may be subject to random drug testing 
• In accordance with the Ethics in Government Act, 1978, employee is required to file an OGE Form 450, Confidential Financial Disclosure Report, upon appointment and will be required to file annually.
   

• Knowledge of governmental contracting principles, policies, and procedures
• Knowledge of business practices and market conditions applicable
• Knowledge of government and agency-specific guidelines and business practices, including statutes, regulations, policies, and procedures that cover different contract types.
• Skills in applying contract price/cost analysis techniques to a variety of pre-award and/or post-award procurement actions.
• Ability to communicate both orally and in writing.
• Has held a Contracting Officer’s warrant, Air Force preferred

(Requisition # 50280)

• This position may require travel.
• Incentives may be offered.
• PCS costs may be authorized.