Summary This position is located in the Architect of the Capitol (AOC), Office of the Chief Engineer, Design and Construction Acquisition Division, Design and Construction Branch. The selectee performs a variety of duties in connection with the functions and responsibilities of the division for inviting competitive bids and negotiated proposals and entering into contractual agreements between the AOC and private concerns for acquisition of supplies, materials, equipment and services. Responsibilities This is a career ladder position requiring the incumbent to progressively perform more independently to develop the experience required to reach the full performance level. Duties quoted at the GS-11 level. Major Duties: The selectee will be responsible for all aspects of the contracting transactions from initiation to recommendation of award for the central procurement of commodities, services or construction in support of the AOC. Post Award Duties Performs the full range of contract administration actions required for the acquisition. With the assistance from the Contracting Officer, reviews contractor performance through site visits, email correspondence and telephone conversations, as appropriate, to ensure compliance with the technical, financial and delivery aspects of the contract. Assists the Contracting Officer in the issuance of “cure” or “show cause” notices when the contractor is not in compliance with the terms and conditions of the contract. Pre-Award Duties Assists the Contracting Officer with the preparation of both formally advertised and negotiated solicitations and contracts for significant, specialized procurements, to include all related documentation, for the procurement of A/E services, construction and construction management (CM) support services required by the AOC. Establishes close liaison with personnel in the various jurisdictions within the AOC campus that are responsible for all phases of the procurement process, including those who define requirements, prepare specifications and solicitation documents, assure legal sufficiency, administer awarded contracts, receive A/E services, construction and CM support services or make contract payments. Reviews procurement requests, with input from senior Contracting Officers, to determine the best method of procurement, whether advertised or negotiated and contract type, taking into consideration urgency of need, nature of A/E services, construction and CM support services required, AOC policies and procedures, applicable acquisition laws, regulations and policies. Reviews specifications for clarity and completeness of language and detail to assure a comparable basis for competition and to detect obvious errors in technical detail. Drafts solicitations and contracts, both formally advertised and negotiated, nontechnical specifications, delivery or performance requirements, inspection instructions and all other special and standard clauses for review by the Contracting Officer. Performs analysis, with input from senior Contracting Officers, to determine completeness and responsiveness of bids in the case of Invitations for Bids (IFBs) and compliance of offeror’s proposals with solicitation requirements in the case of Request for Proposals (RFPs) or Request for Quotation (RFQ). Communication Develops relationships between DCAD senior staff, AOC senior staff, program office staff, Members of Congress and their staffs and contractors to achieve mission critical requirements. Works with senior leadership, project executives, technical experts and contractors involved in the procurement process. Writes coherent and compelling documents and memorandums as required. Performs other duties as assigned. Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be able to pass a drug test. Your resume and question responses must demonstrate the job-related KSAs. You must meet the definition of specialized experience. Must possess FAC-C (Professional) certification or equivalent experience. To be employed by the Architect of the Capitol in a paid position, an individual must meet one of the categories below: A citizen of the United States; A person who is lawfully admitted for permanent residence and is seeking citizenship as outlined in 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)(B); A person who is admitted as a refugee under 8 U.S.C. 1157 or is granted asylum under 8 U.S.C. 1158 and has filed a declaration of intention to become a lawful permanent resident and then a citizen when eligible; A person who owes allegiance to the United States (nationals of American Samoa, Swains Island, and the Northern Mariana Islands, and nationals who meet other requirements described in 8 U.S.C. 1408); or A person who is currently an officer or employee of the Government of the United States. Qualifications You must meet the United States Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) qualification requirements (including specialized experience and/or educational requirements) for the advertised position. You must meet all eligibility and qualifications requirements by the closing date of the job announcement. Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualifications Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions. It is available for your review on the OPM web site: OPM qualification standards Specialized experience: is experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level. For the GS-09: Candidates for the GS-09 grade level must have at least 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower (GS-07) grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position must demonstrate at least 2 of the following: Knowledge of formal advertising and negotiated bid procedures sufficient to obtain supplies, equipment and services. Reviewing contractor proposals and bids, conducting analysis and making recommendations on award. Reviewing requests for procurement and analyzing the requirements, recommending revisions to the statement of work or specifications as necessary and deciding on the type of contract, milestones, and procurement plan. Incorporating provisions such as cost accounting standards, requirements for technical proposals with appropriate evaluation factors, testing procedures, cost escalation factors, cost data requirements, and socioeconomic programs. -OR- 2 full academic years of progressively higher level graduate education or masters or equivalent graduate degree or LL.B. or J.D. -OR- Equivalent combinations of education and experience. For the GS-11: Candidates for the GS-11 grade level must have at least 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower (GS-09) grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position must demonstrate 3 of the following: Knowledge of formal advertising and negotiated bid procedures sufficient to obtain supplies, equipment and services. Reviewing contractor proposals and bids, conducting analysis and making recommendations on award. Reviewing requests for procurement and analyzing the requirements, recommending revisions to the statement of work or specifications as necessary and deciding on the type of contract, milestones, and procurement plan. Incorporating provisions such as cost accounting standards, requirements for technical proposals with appropriate evaluation factors, testing procedures, cost escalation factors, cost data requirements, and socioeconomic programs. -OR- At least 3 full academic years of progressively higher level graduate education or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree. -OR- Equivalent combinations of education and experience. ** Selective Placement Factor: All applicants must have a FAC-C (Professional) certification or equivalent experience. Education In addition to meeting the specialized experience requirements for this position, applicants must possess the following: Basic Education Required: A. A 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with a major in any field. -OR- B. 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. EXCEPTIONS: Employees in GS-1102 positions will be considered to have met the standard for positions they occupy on January 1, 2000. Employees who occupy GS-1102 positions at grades 5 through 12 will be considered to meet the basic requirements for other GS-1102 positions up to and including those classified at GS-12. This includes positions at other agencies and promotions up through grade 12. However, employees must meet specialized experience requirements when seeking another position. Special Instructions for Foreign Education: Education completed outside of the United States must be deemed equivalent to that gained in conventional/accredited U.S. education programs to be acceptable for Federal employment. Qualifying education from colleges and universities in foreign countries must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part of foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree. You must provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course by course listing if selected. Transcripts are required upon selection. Additional Information Welcome Veterans. The Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) gives veterans' preference rights in the legislative branch to certain veterans as applied by the Congressional Accountability Act. Veterans' preference is applied on this vacancy announcement. If you are a veteran and have been separated under honorable conditions, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 or other proof of eligibility; SF-15, if applicable; and Department of Veterans Affairs documentation of disability, if applicable. For more information, please visit OPM vet guide If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System. If you are exempt from registration under Selective Service Law, you must provide appropriate proof of exemption. Please visit the Selective Service System website for more information. DRUG TESTING: The Architect of the Capitol (AOC) is a Drug Free Workplace. As part of the AOC’s suitability assessment, a candidate tentatively selected for a position who is not currently an AOC employee is required to submit to screening for illegal drug use. Satisfactory completion of a drug test is a condition of employment with the Agency. A candidate must test negative prior to being eligible for appointment into a position. We will schedule, provide and cover the cost for the drug test. The selectee(s) under the vacancy announcement for this position is subject to a criminal record check by the U.S. Capitol Police and satisfactory adjudication to be eligible for employment at the Architect of the Capitol. The Architect of the Capitol is an E-VERIFY Participant. E-VERIFY is an Internet-based system that compares information from an employee's Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to data from U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Social Security Administration records to confirm employment authorization in the United States. If you are selected for this position, the documentation that you present for purposes of completing the DHS Form I-9 will be verified through the DHS "E-VERIFY" electronic system. For more information on E-Verify, please visit http://www.dhs.gov/files/programs/gc\_1185221678150.shtm The Architect of the Capitol is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information and/or disability. This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. Moving expenses are not authorized. Relocation expenses are not authorized. Probationary Period - A newly appointed selectee is subject to the completion of a one-year trial/probationary period, regardless of whether or not a trial/probationary period has been completed previously with the Architect of the Capitol or another Federal agency. This vacancy announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies in any of the jurisdictions of the Architect of the Capitol. All application materials become the property of the Architect of the Capitol. Note: Please be advised that federal retired annuitant candidates may only be considered as a temporary employee if the role can be filled in that capacity.