Supervisory Contract Specialist - DIRECT HIRE
About This Position
This position serves as the Supervisory Contract Specialist and is responsible for the procurement and related administration activities of the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (GLS). This includes, but is not limited to performance measurement, acquisition planning, operations, contract management, oversight of acquisition certification programs, supply inventory, and warehousing.
Qualifications
To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must (1) meet the Education Requirement for the series, (2) provide a copy of transcripts for verification, AND (3) meet the specialized experience requirements for the grade at which you are requesting consideration. To qualify for the GS-13, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-12, it must include: Experience providing technical advice or assistance with long-range and/or day-to-day planning. Experience reviewing full cycle of contracting documents for compliance with procurement regulations and/or directives.
Experience providing guidance to project delivery teams involved in major acquisitions such as: construction, architect-engineering, environmental services, or general supplies and services. To qualify for the GS-14, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-13, it must include: Experience leading, mentoring, and supervising a team of Contract Specialists with varying degrees of experience. Experience formulating and administering policies and procedures to ensure compliance with federal acquisition regulations, organizational standards, and best practices.
Experience independently providing guidance to project delivery teams involved in major acquisitions such as: construction, architect-engineering, environmental services, or general supplies and services. KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas: Contracting/Procurement - Knowledge of various types of contracts, techniques, or requirements (for example, Federal Acquisitions Regulations) for contracting or procurement, and contract negotiation and administration. Manages Human Resources - Plans, distributes, and monitors work assignments; evaluates work performance and provides feedback to others on their performance.
Customer Service - Works with clients and customers (that is, any individuals who use or receive the services or products that your work unit produces, including the general public, individuals who work in the agency, other agencies, or organizations outside the Government) to assess their needs, provide information or assistance, resolve their problems, or satisfy their expectations; knows about available products and services; is committed to providing quality products and services. Written Communication - Writes in a clear, concise, organized, and convincing manner for the intended audience. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional, philanthropic, religious, spiritual, community, student, social).
Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment.
You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. For additional information about applying to Federal positions, please click on the following link: https://www.opm.gov/frequently-asked-questions/employment-faq/federal-hiring/how-do-i-apply-for-federal-jobs/ All applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
Major Duties
As a Supervisory Contract Specialist, you will: Serve as Chief of the Contracting Office (COCO) for the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (GLS) including carrying out all the responsibilities and delegations described for the COCO in the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Transportation Acquisition Regulation (TAR), and Transportation Acquisition Manual (TAM). Demonstrate confident acquisition leadership across the full range of pre-award and post-award functions, from simplified acquisitions to highly complex contracts, with a concentration in construction and architectural and engineering services, delivery and/or purchase orders, and interagency and intra-agency agreements.
Serve as the senior procurement authority and subject matter expert, providing strategic guidance and exercising operational oversight across the acquisition lifecycle, including acquisition planning; solicitation development; proposal evaluation; cost and price analysis; contract award, administration, financing, modification, termination, and closeout; control of Government-furnished property and materials; and supply inventory receiving and warehouse management in accordance with applicable statutes, regulations, and policy. Provide expert technical advice, guidance, staff coordination, and consultation to leadership and program stakeholders on acquisition strategy, regulatory compliance, and procurement best practices. Supervise and develop acquisition personnel by setting organizational goals, assigning and reviewing work, resolving complex issues, evaluating performance, ensuring workforce certification compliance, and aligning training to strengthen professional capability.
Supervise and develop acquisition personnel by setting organizational goals, assigning and reviewing work, resolving complex issues, evaluating performance, ensuring workforce certification compliance, and aligning training to strengthen professional capability. The ideal candidate is a seasoned acquisition leader with mastery of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and a proven track record of managing complex procurement cycles, particularly in construction and architectural/engineering services. We are seeking a strategic professional ready to serve as the Chief of the Contracting Office (COCO), providing expert guidance to senior leadership while mentoring a team of specialists to maintain a culture of compliance and efficiency.
The successful candidate will possess a FAC-C Professional Certification and demonstrate the executive presence necessary to represent the GLS in high-level procurement matters.
Conditions of Employment
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT: As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance the organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
SELECTIVE SERVICE: Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for the Selective Service. GOVERNMENT TRAVEL CARD: This position involves travel. A government contractor-issued travel card will be issued and must be retained for official business only.
PROBATIONARY PERIOD: Applicants may be required to successfully complete a one-year probationary period (unless already completed). SUPERVISORY PROBATIONARY PERIOD: New supervisors must complete a 1-year probationary period (unless already completed). CERTIFICATION: FAC-C Professional Certification is required to be obtained within 6 months from the date of hire, if the applicant is not already FAC-C Professional certified.
Applicants must submit a copy of any current certification and/or transcripts with their application. The employee must meet the continuing acquisition education requirements required by FAITAS. PLEASE
NOTE: This announcement establishes an open continuous one-month vacancy announcement. Given our continuing need for top professionals in this field, we will review applications after the first 14 days of the vacancy opening for early consideration. Then after, applications will be reviewed on an as needed basis.
Education
Basic Requirements for GS-13 and Above Contract Specialist: A. Completion of all mandatory training prescribed by the head of the agency for progression to GS-13 or higher level contracting positions, including at least 4-years experience in contracting or related positions. At least 1 year of that experience must have been specialized experience at or equivalent to work at the next lower level of the position, and must have provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the work of the position.
B. A 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree, that included or was supplemented by at least 24 semester hours in any combination of the following fields: accounting, business, finance, law, contracts, purchasing, economics, industrial management, marketing, quantitative methods, or organization and management. C.
Exceptions: Employees in GS-1102 positions will be considered to have met the standard for positions they occupy on January 1, 2000. This also applies to positions at the same grade in the same agency or other agencies if the specialized experience requirements are met. However, they will have to meet the basic requirements and specialized experience requirements in order to qualify for promotion to a higher grade, unless granted a waiver under Paragraph D.
D. Waiver: When filling a specific vacant position, the senior procurement executive of the selecting agency, at his or her discretion, may waive any or all of the requirements of Paragraphs A and B above if the senior procurement executive certifies that the applicant possesses significant potential for advancement to levels of greater responsibility and authority, based on demonstrated analytical and decision making capabilities, job performance, and qualifying experience. With respect to each waiver granted under this Paragraph D, the senior procurement executive must document for the record the basis of the waiver.
If an individual is placed in a position in an agency on the basis of a waiver, the agency may later reassign that individual to another position at the same grade within that agency without additional waiver action.
How You Will Be Evaluated
DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE: PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume/application does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s).
Your resume must contain sufficiently detailed information upon which to make a qualification determination. Please ensure that your resume contains specific information such as position titles, beginning and ending dates of employment for each position, average number of hours worked per week, and if the position is/was in the Federal government, you should provide the position series and grade level. All applicants: For this announcement, applicants may be reviewed to determine if they meet the basic qualifications for this position, specifically the educational requirements.
Applications that are verified to meet the basic qualifications may be referred to the selecting official.
Applicants will not be rated or ranked. Veteran's Preference does NOT apply. Please ensure that your work history provides enough details to support your answers.
You may preview questions for this vacancy.
Additional Information
The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Transportation and its Operating Administrations from requesting an applicant's criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201 certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance to Compete Act.
Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to the Department of Transportation by email at, [email protected]. To learn more, please visit our page at: The Fair Chance to Compete Act | US Department of Transportation This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if similar vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate. Qualified CTAP/ICTAP candidates receive priority and will be referred to the hiring manager.
How to Apply
You must submit a complete application package (including resume, vacancy questions and supporting documents) no later than 11:59 pm (EST) on the closing date of the announcement. To begin, click the "Apply Online" button on the job announcement posting.
Follow the directions to register, submit all required documents and complete the assessment questionnaire.
You may review your saved application(s) at https://help.usajobs.gov/ If you are having difficulty applying online, please contact the DOT Automated Staffing Office via email at: [email protected]
Required Documents
RESUME: In accordance with the OPM memorandum titled Merit Hiring Plan, dated May 29, 2025, resumes with a maximum of two (2) pages in length will be accepted as part of your application. These should be legible and in a readable font size. A determination of your eligibility and/or qualifications will be based only on those two (2) pages.
Your resume MUST contain specific information that can be used to make a qualification determination, including employment beginning and ending dates for each position, whether employment is Full-time or Part-time, or average number of hours worked per week, and position titles. If the position is/was in the Federal government, you will need to provide the position series and grade level. The resume should show relevant experience and education, as well as support the required specialized experience.
For assistance with the resume builder, please visit: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to TRANSCRIPTS are REQUIRED as there is a stated education requirement for the series. The transcripts need not be official, but must show that you meet the stated education requirements, including specific major or class requirements. DISPLACED EMPLOYEES: If requesting consideration under the Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or Interagency CTAP program (ICTAP), you must meet the standards for this vacancy and provide all of the following documents: your most recent performance appraisal, the proof of eligibility letter from the Agency, and your most current SF-50, displaying current series and grade.
Displaced employees may be eligible for ICTAP or CTAP priority consideration. For more information, please review the OPM Employee's Guide to Career Transition. Failure to submit any of the required documents by the closing date of the vacancy will result in your removal from consideration for this position.
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