CONTRACT SPECIALIST

Contract Specialist

Plans & executes contracting strategies to meet program objectives for complex requirements, analyzing difficult or controversial issues & recommending courses of action for long- & short-term contracts with tight timeframes

Advises technical personnel on PWS/SOW/SOO & data requirements

Reviews requisitions for adequacy & compliance with administrative, regulatory, & procedural requirements & market practices

Serves as contracting authority & business advisor to management, customers, & contractors on market conditions, industry practices, specifications, legal requirements, & socioeconomic issues

Leads acquisition planning with program, technical, legal, & finance stakeholders to develop market research, strategies, milestones, evaluation/source selection criteria, & incentive/award-fee provisions

Interprets laws & regulations, evaluates financing & incentives, justifies contractual approaches, selects procurement methods & contract types, & reviews complex or unique requirements (e.g., specialized services, A/E, environmental)

Identifies small business set-aside opportunities, promotes participation by small & socioeconomically disadvantaged firms, reviews/signs limited-competition justifications, manages procurements with complex socioeconomic factors, source selections, special terms, unfavorable markets, limited competition, difficult scopes, legal constraints, & rigid deadlines, & resolves issues limiting competition & small business participation

Obtains required clearances & approvals, conducts site visits & pre-proposal/pre-bid conferences, & serves as point of contact

May supervise staff (assigns work, participates in hiring, approves leave, trains, evaluates, addresses conduct) & ensures EEO in personnel actions.

Oversees pre-award procurement of services, supplies, construction, & A/E. Researches, interprets, & applies regulations, industry practices, market trends, GAO/Comptroller General decisions, public law, case law, & precedents

Develops & structures solicitation terms, clauses, tailored provisions, & price schedules, & selects sources

Prepares solicitations, amendments, & contracts; evaluates quotes/bids/proposals & determines acceptability based on financial & technical analysis

Formulates & executes negotiation strategies, including negotiable elements (price, discounts, packaging, payments, transportation, delivery), prepares pre-negotiation positions, & conducts negotiations

Obtains & reviews subcontracting plans & final proposal revisions

Prepares or oversees final contracts including required clauses, special provisions, incentives, & post-negotiation memoranda

Documents selection decisions & justifies awards

Enters actions into contract writing systems, issues or recommends awards, issues post-award notices, conducts debriefings, prepares protest responses, & implements corrective actions

Manages post-award contract performance, including appointment & oversight of CORs & the COR program

Evaluates contractor performance for compliance with terms, schedules, metrics, & quality requirements; conducts site visits; addresses labor standards issues; expedites performance for mission changes; monitors Government-furnished property; & issues change orders

Analyzes complex administration issues (disputes, labor violations, claims), assesses claim reasonableness, recommends resolutions, & negotiates/prepares modifications for technical or quantity changes, options, & related issues

Tracks performance trends, documents past performance, & applies remedies (correction, re-performance, price reductions, consideration)

Prepares administrative changes & termination actions, issues cure/show-cause notices, determines damages, & recommends termination when warranted

Reviews invoices for completeness, allowability, rates, & compliance, approves/denies payment, ensures contract files are complete & free of pending actions or litigation, & signs modifications within warrant authority to enable closeout

Provides advice, guidance, & training on contractual language, legal responsibilities, & acquisition/business matters; interprets & clarifies contract language, regulatory requirements, & business opportunities

Prepares correspondence, reports, memoranda, & briefings supporting contractual actions & recommendations

Leads or participates in special projects & initiatives, establishes milestones & goals, researches issues, & recommends actions or policy/process improvements

May serve as Government Purchase Card (GPC) Program Coordinator (liaison with bank & higher headquarters, compliance oversight, guidance, training, monitoring, reviews, reporting) &/or System Administrator for automated acquisition systems (user support, reporting, data transfer, system responsiveness, troubleshooting, & oversight using data/reporting trends)

Other duties as assigned (temp, minor, or incidental)