by Kathryn Troutman
Catonsville, MD | October 26, 2021

October 26, 2021 | Washington, DC.

Are you managing or preparing contracts for any kind of business? Real Estate, Retail, Facilities, Construction, Wholesale – any kind of contracting? DOT is hiring! All states in the U.S.! With the Build Back Better initiative, many jobs and contracts will be out there.

Check out the DOT programs and projects here: https://www.transportation.gov/infrastructure.

The qualifications for the job do NOT require specific government contracting knowledge.

Look at the USAJOBs Vacancy Announcement here:
https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/586972100

This job is open to the PUBLIC. That means U.S. citizens.

Open and closing dates: Dec. 19, 2020 to Dec. 18, 2021. Still time to apply!

Salary: $64,009 to $118,603 per year.

Relocation will be reimbursed: Yes, Permanent Change of Station (PCS), Relocation, and Recruitment Incentive authorization varies by position/selection.

Location: Negotiable after Selection, United States – Many vacancies US-Wide.

Duties: You will serve as a Contract Specialist and may support any of the programs and offices across DOT. You will award, administer, and close out contracts to support these programs and may procure complex studies; technical & professional services; professional training services; specialized equipment; or IT supplies/services. These programs administer large dollar, multi-year contracts; financial assistance agreements; task/delivery orders; inter/intra-agency agreements; and purchase orders.

The agency will be recruiting Contract / Procurement Specialists from all industries. The paragraph below about the Ideal Candidate is great. However, if you do not have knowledge of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), you should apply anyway. DOT is recruiting.

The ideal candidate for this position will have a solid background and experience in the award and administration of contracts using the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) specifically Parts 8, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16. He or she would possess expertise in the award of a wide variety of contract types to include firm-fixed-price, time-and-materials and cost reimbursement for the acquisition of professional and technical services, as well as research and development, and in conducting price analysis and detailed cost analysis. It is recognized that the breadth and depth of experience will vary by grade level of the candidate. It is considered favorably although not required for the individual to have knowledge and familiarity working with inter-agency acquisitions and/or grants and cooperative agreements.

To qualify for the GS-11 on Experience, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-09. It must include: Experience awarding and administering Delivery/Task Orders and Purchase Orders.

To qualify for the GS-11 on Education alone, you must have 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or equivalent doctoral degree. You can also qualify based on a combination of higher level graduate education and experience. This must be fully supported by your resume and transcripts, provided with your application.

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.

Qualifications for GS-12 and GS-13 positions are listed in the announcement:
https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/586972100

The Direct Hire Authority (DHA) will be used to fill these positions. DHA is a special hiring authority created to help agencies fill vacancies under certain circumstances, such as filling critical skills gaps or a severe shortage of candidates. It is a faster way to get hired by Uncle Sam. Average hiring time can be 2 weeks to 50 days!

Kathryn Troutman is the Founder and President of Resume Place, Inc., a Federal Career Consulting business located in Baltimore, MD. Her firm specializes in writing and designing professional federal resumes, as well as consulting, coaching and education on the federal hiring process. She is the author of many best-selling federal career books, including the Federal Resume Guidebook, 7th Ed.

Resume Place’s Federal Career Consulting

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Kathryn Troutman’s Federal Career Books

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Troutman is an enthusiastic and knowledgeable media guest, appearing on:

• Beverly Jones’s Jazzed about Work on NPR’s WOUB
• Carol Fishman Cohen’s 3, 2, 1 iRelaunch (Relaunching Your Career)
• Mark Miller’s Repurpose Your Career
• and numerous times on Mike Causey’s Your Turn show on Federal News Network

Her business, The Resume Place, had been featured in The Washington Post. To hear interviews of this top federal jobs expert, click here.