Contract Specialist
US Department of Veterans Affairs, Hines, IL, United States
Contract Specialist
VA is one of the largest procurement and supply agencies of the Federal Government. Pharmaceuticals, medical supplies and equipment, subsistence, and other critical patient care items are procured and distributed to VA's health care facilities and other Government agencies comprising the largest health care delivery system in the country. Supply support is provided to VA activities, State Veterans Homes, Canteen Service, as well as other Government agencies. Help Accepting applications Open & closing dates 04/10/2026 to 04/15/2026 Salary: $106,437 - $138,370 per year Pay scale & grade: GS 13 Locations: 2 vacancies in the following locations: Golden, CO Hines, IL Remote job: No Telework eligible: Yesas determined by the agency policy. Travel Required: Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position. Relocation expenses reimbursed: No Appointment type: Permanent Work schedule: Full-time Service: Competitive Job family (Series): 1102 Contracting Supervisory status: No Security clearance: Not Required Drug test: No Position sensitivity and risk: Moderate Risk (MR) Trust determination process: Credentialing Suitability/Fitness Financial disclosure: Yes Bargaining unit status: No Announcement number: CCLQ-12931825-26-HLS Control number: 864639000 This job is open to
Federal employees - Competitive service Current federal employees whose agencies follow the U.S. Office of Personnel Management's hiring rules and pay scales. Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL) Federal employees whose job, agency or department was eliminated and are eligible for priority over other applicants. Land and base management Current or former employees of a base management agency. Veterans Veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces or a spouse, widow, widower or parent of a veteran, who may be eligible for derived preference Military spouses Military spouses of active duty service members or whose spouse is 100 percent disabled or died on active duty. Individuals with disabilities Individuals who are eligible under Schedule A. Peace Corps & AmeriCorps Vista Individuals who have served at least 2 years with the Peace Corps or 1 year with AmeriCorps VISTA. Special authorities Individuals eligible under a special authority not listed in another hiring path. Clarification from the agency
This job is open to current, permanent federal employees serving under career/career-conditional competitive service appointments or excepted service appointments eligible under an Interchange Agreement; persons eligible for non-competitive appointment under special appointment authorities; current or former employees eligible under CTAP/ICTAP or reinstatement; and veterans eligible to apply under Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA), and/or 30% or more disabled veterans. Duties
Performs the full range of contracting functions from the initial customer inquiries to market research, to development of solicitations, proposal evaluation, contract award, through contract administration and contract close-out. Contract administration functions include but are not limited to cost/price adjustments, consideration of time extensions, change orders, stop work orders, cure notices, show cause letters and contract close- out. Negotiates with offerors/contractors for best prices, terms and conditions, and explores new and innovative approaches to contracting. Responsible for all functions and issues all notices required by the contracts and finalizes close- out of the contracts and program Advises the Chief, Service Director, VA Medical Centers, VA Central Office officials and any other pertinent officials and/or customers on acquisition related matters and acts as a partner and consultant in purchase descriptions and/or statements of work. Prepares Determination and Findings, Price Negotiation Memorandums and source selection plans for negotiated acquisitions and solicitation documents. Implements program changes and provides advice on policy and regulations. Responsible for ensuring a good knowledge of all contracting programs and for having a well-rounded knowledge of the various programs and program offices that interact and affect the contracts under his/her area of responsibility. Provides advice, guidance and training to lower-graded personnel. Perform other duties as assigned Requirements
You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 You may be required to serve a probationary period Subject to background/security investigation Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements ( https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents ). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a one year probationary period or two year trial 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 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 one year probationary period or two year trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 04/15/2026. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-13 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-12. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. See the Required Document section below for more information regarding the SF-50s needed to verify time-in-grade. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Contracting Series, 1102, Individual Occupational Requirements: 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; AND 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. 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. When
VA is one of the largest procurement and supply agencies of the Federal Government. Pharmaceuticals, medical supplies and equipment, subsistence, and other critical patient care items are procured and distributed to VA's health care facilities and other Government agencies comprising the largest health care delivery system in the country. Supply support is provided to VA activities, State Veterans Homes, Canteen Service, as well as other Government agencies. Help Accepting applications Open & closing dates 04/10/2026 to 04/15/2026 Salary: $106,437 - $138,370 per year Pay scale & grade: GS 13 Locations: 2 vacancies in the following locations: Golden, CO Hines, IL Remote job: No Telework eligible: Yesas determined by the agency policy. Travel Required: Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position. Relocation expenses reimbursed: No Appointment type: Permanent Work schedule: Full-time Service: Competitive Job family (Series): 1102 Contracting Supervisory status: No Security clearance: Not Required Drug test: No Position sensitivity and risk: Moderate Risk (MR) Trust determination process: Credentialing Suitability/Fitness Financial disclosure: Yes Bargaining unit status: No Announcement number: CCLQ-12931825-26-HLS Control number: 864639000 This job is open to
Federal employees - Competitive service Current federal employees whose agencies follow the U.S. Office of Personnel Management's hiring rules and pay scales. Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL) Federal employees whose job, agency or department was eliminated and are eligible for priority over other applicants. Land and base management Current or former employees of a base management agency. Veterans Veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces or a spouse, widow, widower or parent of a veteran, who may be eligible for derived preference Military spouses Military spouses of active duty service members or whose spouse is 100 percent disabled or died on active duty. Individuals with disabilities Individuals who are eligible under Schedule A. Peace Corps & AmeriCorps Vista Individuals who have served at least 2 years with the Peace Corps or 1 year with AmeriCorps VISTA. Special authorities Individuals eligible under a special authority not listed in another hiring path. Clarification from the agency
This job is open to current, permanent federal employees serving under career/career-conditional competitive service appointments or excepted service appointments eligible under an Interchange Agreement; persons eligible for non-competitive appointment under special appointment authorities; current or former employees eligible under CTAP/ICTAP or reinstatement; and veterans eligible to apply under Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA), and/or 30% or more disabled veterans. Duties
Performs the full range of contracting functions from the initial customer inquiries to market research, to development of solicitations, proposal evaluation, contract award, through contract administration and contract close-out. Contract administration functions include but are not limited to cost/price adjustments, consideration of time extensions, change orders, stop work orders, cure notices, show cause letters and contract close- out. Negotiates with offerors/contractors for best prices, terms and conditions, and explores new and innovative approaches to contracting. Responsible for all functions and issues all notices required by the contracts and finalizes close- out of the contracts and program Advises the Chief, Service Director, VA Medical Centers, VA Central Office officials and any other pertinent officials and/or customers on acquisition related matters and acts as a partner and consultant in purchase descriptions and/or statements of work. Prepares Determination and Findings, Price Negotiation Memorandums and source selection plans for negotiated acquisitions and solicitation documents. Implements program changes and provides advice on policy and regulations. Responsible for ensuring a good knowledge of all contracting programs and for having a well-rounded knowledge of the various programs and program offices that interact and affect the contracts under his/her area of responsibility. Provides advice, guidance and training to lower-graded personnel. Perform other duties as assigned Requirements
You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 You may be required to serve a probationary period Subject to background/security investigation Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements ( https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents ). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a one year probationary period or two year trial 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 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 one year probationary period or two year trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 04/15/2026. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-13 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-12. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. See the Required Document section below for more information regarding the SF-50s needed to verify time-in-grade. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Contracting Series, 1102, Individual Occupational Requirements: 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; AND 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. 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. When