Contracting Officer - Senior Level

WE ARE THE NRO

For sixty years, the NRO has developed, acquired, launched and operated the satellites that are the foundation for America’s advantage and strength in space. Using a diversified architecture of spacecraft, NRO collects and delivers the best space-based intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance content on the planet.

Learn more at NRO.gov.

Basic Eligibility For A Position With The NRO
 

• This position is open to current federal employees only. May be eligible for a relocation incentive.
• You must be a U.S. Citizen
• You must be 18 years of age or older
• You must be able to obtain and maintain a TS/SCI security clearance
• You will be subject to pre-employment and periodic drug testing
• You will be subject to pre-employment and periodic polygraph examinations

• This position is open to current federal employees only. May be eligible for a relocation incentive.
• Federal government employees MUST currently be at the grade level or higher as indicated in this announcement. This is NOT a promotion opportunity for current Federal government employees. If selected for the position, Federal government employees will transition laterally at their current grade level and step.
• Federal applicants who exceed the advertised grade may voluntarily request acceptance at the lower grade per IAW DoD 1400.25 Volume 2006.
• The NRO is only accepting external applicants for this job announcement. Current NRO Cadre employees should apply internally.
• This position does not qualify for the appointment of a reemployed federal annuitant IAW DoDI 1400.25 Volume 300.

• Serve as the contracting officer responsible for pre-award and post-award functions involving complex, highly specialized MSA activities.
• Procurement of major acquisitions related to services and support contracts for multi-discipline, operationally relevant intelligence in the IC.
• Manage all aspects of the functional area of contract management, including contract formation, solicitation, negotiations, cost and price analysis, award, contract administration, termination and closeout for a variety of contracts.
• Responsible for executing any or all procurement administration of the resultant contracts.
• Perform all necessary acquisition functions in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and other agency-specific guidance.
• Plan, develop and establish long-and-short-range procurement plans, strategies and approaches for overall acquisition projects.
• Advise program office officials in procurement planning meetings of the procurement objectives to be used and explore new or innovative contracting approaches to arrive at equitable contract management.
• Consistently build productive relationships internal and external to NRO in support of mission execution and customer service. Provides insight into various aspects of NRO and the IC. Participates in cross-functional activities, and builds professional network
• Provide guidance and summation documentation, which enables ADF-SW Leadership to draft and disseminate guidance to the ADF-SW workforce. Ensure that written communications is in alignment with the NAM, FAR, and NOTIP guidance.
• Routinely meet with ADF-SW Leadership to provide contractual guidance, contract policy insight, and contractual decision impact awareness from both a tactical and strategic perspective.
• Engage with NRO Headquarters and ADF-SW Leadership on questions and concerns related NOTIPS and the ADF-SW site posture.
• Manage an extensive contract portfolio comprised of multiple contract types that ensure ADF-SW, and enterprise mission requirements are met. Subsequently, engage with contractor contracts personnel to ensure schedule, budgetary, and mission related deliverables are achieved in accordance to agreed upon terms.
• Assist mission partners in meeting expenditure rates in accordance to directorate and component thresholds. Provide timely and accurate responses/actions that enable mission requirements to be met.
• Compose well-written acquisition documents and briefings that highlight both the positive and negative aspects of the acquisition in correlation to the phase of the acquisition cycle.
• Analyze mission requirements in coordination with leadership, COTR, legal, audit, security, and resource partners to determine the appropriate acquisition approach.
• Serve as a lead negotiator, planning the negotiation strategy, coordination strategy with the negotiation team and leading the negotiations conducted with contractors to reach a fair and reasonable position for all parties involved.
• Lead and/or participate in the source selection process for competitive acquisitions.
• Perform detailed analysis of all elements of costs in contractor proposals.
• Serve as designated CO with signature authority to enter into and bind the government to contracts subject to established dollar threshold when required or as delegated.
• Monitor and ensure contractor performance in accordance with all terms and conditions of the contract.
• Negotiate and issue contract modifications driven by technological advances, upgraded operational requirements and other changes characteristic of the type of contract/program involved.
• Facilitates and oversees complex or mission-critical source selection efforts to include both informal and formal competitive source selections; concurs with final source selection determinations; and approves source selection documentation. Develops and implements approaches to manage risk across the organization, and presides over debriefs.

• DoD Professional Certification Level.
• Ability to obtain an NRO Tier III Warrant in accordance with the NAM prior to PCS.
• Extensive knowledge of Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) and NRO Acquisition Manual (NAM).
• Experience with FAR Part 15 Competitive Source Selections.
• Have strong organizational, attention to details and analytical skills.
• Demonstrated proficiency in the negotiation, award and administration of a variety of complex contracts and/or nontraditional acquisitions.
• Demonstrated knowledge of contract vehicles: award/incentive fee contracts, and cost-plus/firm-fixed price.
• Demonstrated strong critical thinking skills to problem-solve.
• Ability to work closely with customers/partners to ensure contractual obligations are fulfilled in compliance with the terms of the contract, and applicable laws and regulations.
• Demonstrated experience facilitating or overseeing complex or mission-critical source selection efforts to include both informal and formal competitive source selections; experience with final source selection determinations; and experience approving or reviewing source selection documentation. Developed and implemented approaches to manage risk across the organization, and presided over debriefs.
• Demonstrated experience facilitating interactive and productive engagements with stakeholders, peers, senior leadership, and industry partners regarding acquisition planning, milestones, procurement priorities, and risk management.
• Extensive knowledge of price and cost analysis.
• Demonstrated experience consulting as a trusted advisor to formulate expert analysis/solutions, interpretation of complex requirements and contract actions, best business practices, and all phases of the acquisition planning and execution process from the pre-award and post-award phase.
• Ability to adapt to both innovative methods and comprehensive expertise in the NAM and FAR, or any applicable DoD supplements to multiple acquisition programs, to produce desired outcomes for the organization, and supported activities.
• Must be a self-starter, a problem solver, and be able to work independently.
• Ability to work collaboratively with site senior leadership.

• Current or prior holder of NRO Warrant or CIA Warrant.
• Knowledge of NRO's procurement system (EPX), regulations, policies, and procedures.
• Knowledge of NRO's budgetary process, federal and agency fiscal cycle, funding practices, and legal requirements.
• Proven ability to build, lead, and work with teams of people with diverse multi-agency backgrounds and perspectives.
• Demonstrated strong leadership qualities in management and organizational planning.
• Significant space, space-related, Acquisition Category I or equivalent contracting experience.

• Overtime Statement: MAY be required to work other than normal duty hours, which may include evenings, weekends, and/or holidays.
• Travel Statement: MAY be required to travel in military or commercial aircraft to perform temporary duty assignments.
• Financial Disclosure: MAY be required to file an OGE Form 450, Confidential Financial Disclosure Report, upon appointment and will be required to file annually.
• This is a Defense Acquisition Work Improvement Act (DAWIA) position: Employees Grades 14 designated in Critical Acquisition Positions, must meet appropriate certification requirements IAW the DAWIA within the designated grace period (Professional - 3 years) after accepting the position. As a Critical Acquisition Position (CAP), unless specifically waived by the appropriate Component Official (i.e., the Director of Acquisition Career Management for the Component, the Service Acquisition Executive, or the Service Secretary) or if the employee is "grandfathered" under 10 U.S.C. 1736 (c) (1), the following are statutorily mandated requirements (Reference 10 U.S.C. 1733 and 1737). 1. Employee must have 4 years of acquisition experience.
• DoD 5000.52 requirements: The employee must meet DoD 5000.52 requirements as applicable to the duties of the position. Note: The position serves as a Contracting Officer (CO), which requires the employee co achieve a certificate of appointment after successfully passing a Warrant Board.

• An applicant with a disability needs an accommodation to have an equal opportunity to apply for a job.
• An employee with a disability needs an accommodation to perform the essential job duties or to gain access to the workplace.
• An employee with a disability needs an accommodation to receive equal access to benefits, such as details, training, and office-sponsored events.

You can request a reasonable accommodation at any time during the application or hiring process or while on the job. Requests are considered on a case-by-case basis. Please send your request to [email protected].

Privacy Act Notice

Privacy Act Notice (PL 93-579): We use this information to determine qualifications for employment. This is authorized under Title 5 U.S.C. 3302 and 3361.

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