Contract Specialist (Direct Hire)

JobSummary

Direct-Hire Authority (DHA) is a hiring authority granted by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to address critical hiring needs or severe candidate shortages. For more information on the Department of Justice and the United States Attorneys' Offices, visit www.justice.gov/usao/. As needed, additional positions may be filled using this announcement.

LowGrade

11

HighGrade

12

PromotionPotential

12

SubAgencyName

Northern District of Alabama

OrganizationCodes

DJ/DJ09

Relocation

False

HiringPath

• public

MCOTags

TotalOpenings

1

AgencyMarketingStatement

Are you interested in a rewarding and challenging career? Join the U.S. Department of Justice! The Department of Justice (DOJ) leads the nation in safeguarding Americans while upholding constitutional freedoms. As part of our team, you'll contribute to a vital mission while advancing your career. Mission: DOJ is to uphold the rule of law, to keep our country safe, and to protect civil rights. Core Values: Independence and Impartiality. DOJ works each day to earn the public's trust by following the facts and the law wherever they may lead, without prejudice or improper influence. Honesty and Integrity. DOJ's employees adhere to the highest standards of ethical behavior, mindful that, as public servants, we must work to earn the trust of, and inspire confidence in, the public we serve. Respect. DOJ's employees value differences in people and in ideas and treat everyone with fairness, dignity, and compassion. Excellence. DOJ works every day to provide the highest levels of service to the American people and to be a responsible steward of the taxpayers' dollars.

TravelCode

1

ApplyOnlineUrl

https://apply.usastaffing.gov/Application/Apply

DetailStatusUrl

https://apply.usastaffing.gov/Application/ApplicationStatus

MajorDuties

• The duties and responsibilities for a GS 1102 11/12 generally include, but are not limited to, the following: Performing pre-award and post-award work on a variety of contract actions. Developing and documenting acquisition strategy for procuring supplies and services that may require a variety of specialized handling provisions, terms and conditions. Reviewing requisitions and determines appropriate contract type, competition requirements, contract vehicle and applicable FAR authorities. Preparing all solicitation documents necessary to support a variety of contract actions. Monitoring contractual milestones. Developing and maintaining familiarity with Government contracting procedures, business practices, the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) and other regulations, policies and procedures. Performing cost and price analysis, preparing contracts and executing award documents. Preparing statements of work and resolving non-complex problems in the pre-award and post-award phases. Reviewing technical and cost evaluation reports for accuracy and completeness. Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress.

Education

Basic Requirement: A. Completion of a 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree or higher with a major in any field. OR B. Completed 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. If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements, please see the statements below. Education must be reviewed and certified by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, in order for it to be creditable towards your qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from accredited institution. FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. You must show proof the education credentials have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. education program. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see the Department of Education website. If you are qualifying on foreign education, you MUST submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. Transcripts must be uploaded with your application to verify education. All documentation must be in English or include an English translation.

Requirements

Evaluations

Once the job opportunity announcement closes (at 11:59 pm ET on 05/03/2026, your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents) along with the results of the applied assessment. Qualified applicants who pass the assessment, which is used to determine proficiency, will be referred to the selecting official for consideration. The Hiring Official may select any qualified candidate. Veterans' preference is not applicable. When addressing the specialized experience statement, applicants must present evidence of the experience in their resume. If the specialized experience statement is repeated, in the applicant's resume, Human Resources will deem the applicant as ineligible. If you would like to preview the application questionnaire, please see: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12943162.

HowToApply

To apply for this position, you must complete the online application questionnaire and submit your supporting documentation. Your complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 05/03/2026 to receive consideration. The application process is as follows: Click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application. Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process. You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application. Essay Questions: The following four narrative questions provide an opportunity for you to highlight your dedication to public service for the hiring manager and agency leadership (or designee(s)). While your responses are not required and will not be scored, we encourage you to thoughtfully address each question. Please provide a response of 200 words or less to each question (see the application questionnaire). You will be asked to certify that you are using your own words and did not use a consultant or artificial intelligence (AI) such as a large language model (LLM) like ChatGPT or Copilot. How has your commitment to the Constitution and the founding principles of the United States inspired you to pursue this role within the Federal government? Provide a concrete example from professional, academic, or personal experience. In this role, how would you use your skills and experience to improve government efficiency and effectiveness? Provide specific examples where you improved processes, reduced costs, or improved outcomes. How would you help advance the President's Executive Orders and policy priorities in this role? Identify one or two relevant Executive Orders or policy initiatives that are significant to you, and explain how you would help implement them if hired. How has a strong work ethic contributed to your professional, academic or personal achievements? Provide one or two specific examples, and explain how those qualities would enable you to serve effectively in this position. NEED HELP? If you need help with USAJOBs or the application process, please see the USAJOBS Help or Application Manager Online Help websites which includes information on managing your account, creating an application, uploading documents, etc. Reasonable Accommodation: To request reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please contactNorthern District of Alabama at Theresa.Bossard@usdoj.gov or for 205-244-2072 assistance.

WhatToExpectNext

You will receive e-mail notifications as your application status is updated by DOJ. However, you can also see your application status any time by logging in to your USAJOBS account and looking on the "Applications" page. Click the position title to expand the display for each application in the list. We strive to extend a final offer of employment within 90 days from the close of this announcement. Additional selections may be made from this announcement within 90 days. Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs: The Fair Chance Act prohibits Federal agencies from requesting an applicant's criminal history information before the agency makes a conditional offer of employment. If you believe a DOJ employee or Federal contractor acting on its behalf has violated your rights under this Act, you may submit a written complaint within 30 days of the date of the alleged non-compliance directly to Theresa.Bossard@usdoj.gov. Note: In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201(b) certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance Act.

RequiredDocuments

It is your responsibility to carefully review the list of required documents below and submit the necessary documentation based on your eligibility. Resume Resume - All Applicants: You must submit a resume (a two page or less resume is required) containing the following pieces of information for each job entry listed in your employment history: Official position title, Employer name and contact information, Start and end dates (including month and year), Indicate full-time or number of hours worked per week if part-time, A list of duties performed and accomplishments. CTAP/ICTAP eligibility documentation - If you are a displaced Federal employee claiming eligibility under CTAP or ICTAP, you must submit: A copy of the agency notice (i.e., letter of intent to separate, separation notice, or agency RIF letter), Your most recent performance appraisal, and Most recent SF-50 showing current/former position, grade, promotion potential, and duty location.

Benefits

BenefitsUrl

https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/benefits/

OtherInformation

This announcement is being advertised under an agency specific OR a government-wide Direct-Hire Authority approved by OPM for filling vacancies when a severe shortage or critical hiring need exists. Veterans Preference and other Category Rating procedures do not apply to this announcement. Applicants must meet all qualification requirements of the position. The hiring office may interview and select any qualified candidate of their choosing from the qualified pool. See OPM, Direct Hire Authority for more information. Career Transition Programs (CTAP or ICTAP): These programs apply to Federal and/or DOJ employees who meet the definition of surplus or displaced from a position in the competitive service. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: Be rated well-qualified for the position based on the competencies listed above; and submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. Well-qualified is defined as having knowledge, skills, abilities, and/or competencies clearly exceeding the minimum qualification requirements for the vacancy. Probationary Period: As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary 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: 1) your performance and conduct; 2) the needs and interests of the agency; 3) whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and 4) 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. EEO Statement/Policy: The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor. More information can be found here: https://www.justice.gov/jmd/media/1425556/dl?inline. DOJ Reasonable Accommodation Statement: Federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. The DOJ Reasonable Accommodation policy can be found here: https://www.justice.gov/jmd/reasonable-accommodation#policy Selective Service: If you were born male, on or after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. Additional information is found at: www.sss.gov.

KeyRequirements

WithinArea

False

CommuteDistance

0

ServiceType

01

AnnouncementClosingType

01

AgencyContactEmail

Theresa.Bossard@usdoj.gov

AgencyContactPhone

205-244-2072

SecurityClearance

Not Required

DrugTestRequired

True

PositionSensitivitiy

High Risk (HR)

AdjudicationType

• Credentialing