Contract Specialist
We are seeking a Contract Specialist to support the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) Office of Acquisition in Norfolk, VA. In this role, you will provide day-to-day federal contracting support across the acquisition lifecycle, helping MARAD’s ship operations and mission programs execute accurate, compliant & timely contract actions under the guidance of senior acquisition staff. This is a part-time opportunity ideal for retired federal Contracting Officers and other experienced federal acquisition professionals. Apply today! RESPONSIBILITIES
I. Acquisition Planning & Pre-Award
- Support acquisition activities for Maritime Administration (MARAD) contracts supporting Ready Reserve Force (RRF) vessels, training ships, and other fleet needs throughout the contract lifecycle
- Assist with market research and data gathering to inform acquisition strategies, contract types, competition approaches, and schedules
- Draft core acquisition documents such as Statements of Work (SOWs), Performance-based Work Statements (PWSs), and Quality Assurance Surveillance Plans (QASPs) using templates and senior staff guidance
- Contribute to proposal evaluations by assembling pricing data and documenting price, cost, and technical evaluation inputs for the source selection record
- Maintain and update Microsoft Excel pricing workbooks using pivot tables, lookup functions, conditional formatting, and other formulas to support ship management services contracts
- Build and refine spreadsheets and basic calculators that help Administrative Contracting Officers (ACOs) and Contracting Officer’s Representatives (CORs) track billing, pricing adjustments, and invoice approvals
- Assist in developing Independent Government Cost Estimates (IGCEs) by collecting historical purchase information, market research, and comparable acquisition data from other agencies
- III. Solicitation & Source Selection
- Prepare draft sections of Requests for Quotations (RFQs), Requests for Proposals (RFPs) and combined synopsis and solicitations using approved templates and checklists
- Verify inclusion of required terms and conditions and route solicitation packages for funding confirmation and legal review
- Support informal and formal source selections by setting up evaluation tools, distributing proposals, tracking scores and compiling documentation for Source Selection Decision Memoranda (SSDMs)
- Coordinate with evaluators and the Contracting Officer (CO) to schedule meetings, capture action items and prepare discussion materials for communications with offerors
- Assemble award packages for task orders, delivery orders, and stand-alone contracts, and prepare supporting COR documentation for senior review
- Enter contract and modification data into the FPDS-NG and the Voice of Acquisition (VOA) system, and confirm accuracy against source documents
- Prepare draft documentation for option exercises and other post-award contract modifications for review by senior acquisition staff
- Track contractor performance issues, discrepancy reports, and closeout actions, and maintain related logs and e-files
- Use the ESC-PRISM contract writing system to create, route, and track procurement requests, awards, and modifications under senior staff direction
- Retrieve and compile acquisition data from ESC-PRISM and FPDS-NG to support reporting requirements
- Maintain electronic contract files in SharePoint by ensuring documents are properly stored, labeled, and accessible
- Create user-friendly spreadsheets, trackers, and basic job aids in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint to support contracting and program staff
- Follow MARAD acquisition policies, procedures, and templates, and flag inconsistencies or needed updates to senior staff
- Stay current on key changes to the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Transportation Acquisition Regulation (TAR), Transportation Acquisition Manual (TAM), and related guidance as communicated by senior acquisition personnel
- Participate in acquisition team meetings, take notes, and action items
- Provide administrative and coordination support to senior acquisition staff
- At least five (5) years of operational experience in Federal Contracting
- Knowledge of Federal contracting law, regulation, policies, and precedents, and related principles, policies, and procedures sufficient to plan, lead, review, or audit the most complex procurement functions
- Knowledge of Federal and Departmental procurement regulations (e.g., FAR & TAR)
- Knowledge of the regulations and techniques of source selection sufficient to conduct a selection
- Skill in promoting e-commerce, and supporting the use of automated acquisition systems, and other electronic systems
- Skill in Microsoft Excel/pricing
- Customer service-oriented, responsive, and accessible
- Strong organization and multitasking skills
- Excellent professional writing skills
- FAC-C (Professional) or DAWIA (Professional) certification (both formerly “Level III”) required
- Norfolk, VA, 23505
- Telework available
- U.S. citizenship is required as it supports the U.S. federal government
- U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)
- Minimal travel may be required
- Flexible days & hours
- Employment Classification Eligibility — Exempt
- Not eligible for relocation benefits
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