Summary
Serves as the VHA Member Services liaison and advisor on contract related services focusing on critical services, product acquisition and other facility support services required by project managers, program managers, upper management and stakeholders on all aspects of procurement for a wide variety of items and functions. Renders expert contract pre-award and post-award expertise to all VHA Member Services stakeholders.
Duties
Serves as the liaison and advisor on contract-related services, focusing on critical services, product acquisition, and facility support for VHA Member Services stakeholders. Develops procedures, policies, and supporting artifacts to ensure procurement activities comply with Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR), VA Acquisition Regulations (VAAR), and other federal procurement laws. Coordinates with internal and external stakeholders (e.g., Network Contracting Activity, leadership, CORs, logistics) to develop and execute acquisition strategies. Provides training to facility Contracting Officer's Representatives (CORs) on procurement policies and new processes/procedures related to federal procurement. Independently develops and reviews procurement documentation such as performance work statements, cost benefit analysis, gap analysis, sole source justifications, quality assurance surveillance plans (QASP), market research, and independent government estimates. Manages division-wide procurements, negotiates performance requirements, and standardizes equipment, supply, and service requirements in support of facility strategic acquisition plans. Establishes and maintains controls to ensure contracts are executed according to terms, monitors procurement processes, and resolves problems in contract administration. Advises on contract negotiations, modifications, change orders, supplemental agreements, and participates in negotiation as required. Coordinates and reviews vendor evaluations, monitors contract expenditures, and reports on deviations from contract terms to ensure compliance and timely completion of contractual actions. Produces required documents for internal and external audits, collaborates with executive leadership and stakeholders to correct deficiencies, and may serve as Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) or Alternate COR. Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level. Work Schedule: Monday thru Friday - Tour of duty based on business needs. Remote: This position is not authorized for Remote work. Telework: This position may be authorized for Telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Virtual: This position may be authorized for Virtual Work. Virtual Work eligibility is for current VA employees that are already subject to the return to in person work mandate in their current position. Definition of Virtual work: Employee works outside of original hiring duty station at VA-owned or leased space. Return to Office (RTO): RTO mandates are in affect and selectees will be required to report to in person work unless they have an approved exemption already in place. Position Description/PD#: Acquisition Utilization Specialist/PD555240 and PD842430 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized. Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized.
Requirements
You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required. 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. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-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, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
Education
There is no educational substitution at this grade level. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.
How you will be evaluated
Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following Competencies for this position: Acquisition Strategy Attention to Detail Contracting/Procurement Cost Benefit Analysis Customer Service Flexibility Influencing/Negotiating Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Learning Pre-Solicitation Reading Comprehension Reasoning Self-Management Strategic Thinking Stress Tolerance Teaches Others Teamwork Your experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. 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; religions; 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. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.