Contract Specialist

This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT. The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications will be March 18, 2026. Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as-needed basis.

Build Tomorrow's Grid: Lead Complex Acquisitions at Bonneville Power Administration Join the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), a leader in the nation's energy sector, and take a pivotal role in modernizing the region's power infrastructure. As a Contract Specialist, you will not just be managing paperwork; you will be the business expert at the center of complex, multi-million dollar projects that keep energy flowing to millions of Americans. This is a career opportunity for a skilled acquisition professional to tackle challenging, mission-critical work with tangible impact.

As a Contract Specialist, you will: Lead Procurement Strategy: Serve as a business advisor, analyzing project requirements and developing innovative procurement plans for complex construction, cutting-edge technology, and specialized professional services. Conduct High-Stakes Negotiations: Act as the lead negotiator, securing favorable terms and ensuring best value for the government on multi-year, high-dollar contracts with industry partners. Perform In-Depth Cost and Price Analysis: Dive deep into contractor proposals, analyzing complex cost breakdowns and market data to determine fair and reasonable pricing for unique and specialized projects.

Manage the Full Contract Lifecycle: Take ownership of contracts from cradle to grave, guiding them from initial planning and award through performance monitoring, modification, and successful closeout. Develop Creative Contracting Solutions: Move beyond the standard playbook by devising innovative contractual provisions and financial arrangements to meet the needs of unique procurements where no precedent exists. Resolve Complex Contractual Issues: Act as the primary point of contact for resolving disputes, interpreting contract provisions for technical experts, and preparing the agency's response to contractor claims and protests.

Administer Major Infrastructure and Technology Projects: Directly manage the acquisition of critical assets, including high-voltage substation facilities, specialized scientific studies, and enterprise-level IT systems. Drive Contractor Performance: Proactively monitor contractor progress, resolve performance challenges, and work with technical representatives to ensure projects are completed on time, within budget, and to specification.

In accordance with Executive Order 14170, applicants are encouraged to respond to four short, free-response, essay questions in the questionnaire. Answer to these questions is not scored or rated.

Your answers will be reviewed by the hiring manager and agency leadership if you are referred for selection consideration. When you apply you will be asked a series of questions to determine your eligibility for employment and your qualification for this position specifically.

You must answer all of these questions completely and truthfully. Key Requirements: You must be a United States Citizen. This employer participates in the e-Verify program. Males must abide by Selective Service registration requirements.

You will be required to report in person to the official duty location. Conditions of Employment: Selectee will be required to complete the Office of Government Ethics Standard of Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OFGE450e) within 30 days of employment and annually. All newly employed BPA AWF members in the GS-1102 career series will be enrolled in the FAC-C certification program through FAITAS.

This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT. The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications will be March 18, 2026. Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as-needed basis.

This vacancy has a positive education requirement. In order to be rated as qualified, you must provide copies of your college transcripts. Education must be obtained from an accredited institution recognized by the U.S.

Department of Education. See Department of Education Accreditation Search to verify school accreditation. Foreign education must be reviewed by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

For special instructions pertaining to foreign education and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see the Department of Education website.DO NOT email or mail in any of your application documents. Documents will not be accepted outside of the online application system. Failure to provide copies of your college transcripts may result in a rating of "Ineligible".

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

This position is announced under a government-wide Direct-Hire Authority (DHA) for Contract Specialist positions in the 1102 series. Under the DHA, all applicants who meet the Education and Qualification requirements listed in this announcement, at the grade level they are applying, will be forwarded to the Selecting Official for consideration. Veteran's Preference, category rating, and traditional rating and ranking of applicants does not apply under the DHA process.

Minimum Qualifications: Once the application process is complete, the Human Resources Offices or Subject Matter Expert (SME) will review your two-page resume and supporting documentation to determine whether you meet the minimum job qualifications. If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses you provided in your online questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation before the vacancy closes, you may be rated 'ineligible' or 'not qualified'.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics): Attention to Detail Compliance Contracting/Procurement Technical Competence If you are eligible for career transition assistance plans such as ICTAP or CTAP, you must meet the Education and Qualification requirements listed in this announcement to be referred for consideration.

You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date (06/01/2026) of this announcement. To preview the Assessment Questionnaire, click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12900305

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional similar vacancies across DOE EEO Policy: USAJOBS Help Center | Equal employment opportunity policy Reasonable Accommodation Policy: Employees or applicants may request Reasonable Accommodation (RA) for assistance, when applying or competing for a job or performing a job due to their medical condition or to exercise their religious beliefs. If you need reasonable accommodation in the application or selection process, please contact the Staffing Specialist listed on this vacancy announcement. USAJOBS Help Center | Reasonable accommodation policy Veterans Information: USAJOBS Help Center - Veterans Veterans and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Telework: https://www.opm.gov/telework/ Selective Service Registration: http://www.sss.gov/ - Who must register: https://www.sss.gov/faq/#who-needs-to-register Hiring incentives may be authorized for a highly qualified candidate based on budget availability and in accordance with federal regulations. BPA strives to ensure a safe and positive work environment. We also understand the importance of work/life balance and offer a variety of programs and policies designed to create more flexible, responsive work environments supportive of commitments to community, home and family members.

BPA also supports employees' overall wellness through its Be Well program, which helps employees adopt healthier lifestyles and feel better about their work/life balance. The program supports five key areas of life: career, community, financial, physical and social.?

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section. A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the announcement closing date to receive consideration.

The application process is as follows: You must have a login.gov account to sign into USAJOBS: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/account. To begin the application process in USAJOBS, click the Apply Online button. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all required and supporting documentation.

You must click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 pm (ET) on the announcement closing date.

You may update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period by returning to your USAJOBS account, select Update Application: https://login.usajobs.gov/Account/Login. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed. To verify the status of your application, during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account; applications will appear on the Welcome screen.

The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each application status means, visit: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/application/status. If you need help with login.gov or USAJOBS (e.g., account access, Resume Builder) visit the USAJOBS Help Center: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to If you experience difficulty applying on USAJOBS, after clicking the Apply Online button, or you are experiencing a significant hardship hindering your ability to apply online, the Agency Contact listed in the announcement can assist you during normal business hours.

If you receive any system error messages, take screenshots if possible, to aid technical support.

To apply for this position, you MUST provide a complete application package which includes: Your two (2) page RESUME showing all relevant work experience (paid and unpaid) including: duties performed; full name and address of each employer; start and end dates (month/day/year); work schedule (part-time, full-time, number of hours if intermittent); salary; and any completed education and training (program title, subject area, number of hours completed, and completion date). Information on how to create a federal resume https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/account/documents/resume Cover Letter, optional, expressing additional information not covered in your resume. Transcripts, if specific educational requirements are indicated in this job announcement.

Unofficial transcripts or any report listing institution, course title, credits earned (semester or quarter hour) and final grade is acceptable. It is your responsibility to provide adequate proof that you meet the educational requirements. Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program documentation, if applicable (e.g., Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; and most recent performance appraisal.) For more information see the OPM Guide to Career Transition.

Failure to submit any of the above mentioned required documents may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted.