Attorney Advisor (Contracts) – REMOTE

Summary

This position is established to provide advice and representation on a full range of Federal Procurement, non-procurement contract, grant, cooperative agreement, and fiscal law issues. The employee primarily works on procurement issues from initial acquisition planning through contract termination or completion, including litigation of protests & appeals. Other general law practice is required as assigned.

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Duties

As an Attorney Advisor, you will:

• Provide legal advice, guidance, and legal services to operating units within the Maritime Administration on matters relating to matters relating to: Contract and procurement issues from initial acquisition planning through close out, including the review of solicitations, awards, modifications, justifications & approvals, determinations & findings, statements of work and all related contract documentation.
• Legal problems presented including interpretation of various Federal statutes and regulations applicable to federal procurements in general, including the Federal Acquisition Regulations and Department of Transportation and Maritime Administration regulations and directives. 
• Advise on the sale of non-retention vessels in the agency’s National Defense Reserve Fleet under applicable laws, leases, and BRAC dispositions for maritime purposes. Formulates legal opinions and recommends appropriate solutions or alternative course of action.
• A wide range of contract administration issues, including contractor claims, requests for equitable adjustment, extraordinary contractual relief, breach of contract, labor problems, excusable delays, inspection & acceptance problems, cost disallowances and terminations for default, convenience or cause. Closely works with program and acquisitions offices to analyze and resolve such claims including management of litigation and settlement discussions.
• As assigned, serves as counsel in proceedings before the General Accountability Office, the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals, and other administrative tribunals of the Federal Government. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to: litigation strategy; the conduct of discovery, including depositions, interrogatories, requests for production, and subpoenas; preparation of appropriate pleadings, motions, notices, stipulations, memoranda, briefs, and exhibits; testimony, both written and oral; attendance at status calls, pre hearing conferences, and hearings; examination and cross examination of witnesses; and organization and participation in alternate dispute resolution proceedings and argument.
• As assigned, serve as Agency counsel to the Department of Justice in proceedings before the federal courts relating to agency contracts and other matters. Assistance includes, but is not limited to: development of litigation strategy and tactics, the preparation or assembly of administrative records, discovery documents, and other documentation required by the litigation; preparation of appropriate pleadings, motions, notices, stipulations, briefs, and exhibits; attendance at status calls, pretrial conferences, trials, and arguments; participation in settlement negotiations and review of Department of Justice settlement recommendation analysis.
• Represent the MARAD in meetings with other primary operating units in the Department and occasionally with other Government agencies.
• Perform research on other general law issues or handling other litigation as assigned.

The ideal candidate will provide advice and representation on a full range of issues relating to the Office of Chief Counsel, with a particular focus on the issuance and administration of federal procurements and MARAD contracts.

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Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S.Citizen and eligible for consideration.
• Submit application and resume online by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date.
• This is an Excepted Service position.
• Required documents must be submitted by the closing date.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT: 

• SELECTIVE SERVICE: Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered for Selective Service.
• TRIAL PERIOD: This is an Excepted Service position. This job will be filled by an alternative hiring process and is not in the competitive service. Applicants selected for an excepted service position may be subject to a two-year trial period.
• ETHICS/CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT: All employees are subject to the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch, set out in Title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations, section 2635, including restrictions on owning financial interests that may conflict with performance of their duties. Some employees, like those involved in contracting or regulating non-Federal entities, are subject to Executive Branch Financial Disclosure requirements set out in Title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations, section 263.
• PCS/RELOCATION/RECRUITMENT: Permanent Change of Station (PCS), Relocation, and Recruitment Incentive authorization varies by position/selection and a service agreement may be required.
• POSITION SENSITIVITY AND RISK: Varies by position and will be based on the position to which appointed.
• REMOTE WORK: This position may be eligible for remote work, which does not require reporting to the agency worksite location on a regular basis. If selected for a remote work location, you will be required to sign a remote work agreement detailing agency remote work policy requirements, working conditions, and expectations for the position.

Qualifications

To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must meet the specialized experience qualifications for the grade at which you are requesting consideration.

To qualify for the Grade 12, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-11 it must include:

• The candidate for the Attorney Advisor (Contracts) position in the Office of Chief Counsel, Division of Litigation and General Law, must have experience with Federal contracts and fiscal laws and regulations, the Competition in Contracting Act of 1984, the Contract Disputes Act of 1978, the laws relating to bid protests and the basis for challenging contract awards, and the Federal Acquisition Regulations sufficient to analyze the factual and legal issues presented to determine what further facts are needed and what legal references are applicable.

To qualify for the Grade 13, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-12, it must include:

• The candidate for the Attorney Advisor (Contracts) position in the Office of Chief Counsel, Division of Litigation and General Law, must have at least one year of full-time legal experience post-graduation in Federal contracts and fiscal laws and regulations, the Competition in Contracting Act of 1984, the Contract Disputes Act of 1978 with particular reference to the context of federal contract litigation, the laws relating to bid protests and the basis for challenging contract awards, and the Federal Acquisition Regulations sufficient to relate these matters to the Agency and discern any potential conflicts or difficulties between the two or more areas of law presented by actual matters assigned to the employee.

To qualify for the Grade 14, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-13, it must include:

• The candidate for the Attorney Advisor (Contracts) position in the Office of Chief Counsel, Division of Litigation and General Law, must have at least two years of full-time legal experience post-graduation, during which time the candidate must have experience in Federal contracts and fiscal laws and regulations, the Competition in Contracting Act of 1984, the Contract Disputes Act of 1978 with particular reference to the context of federal or admiralty contract litigation, the laws relating to bid protests and the basis for challenging contract awards, and the Federal Acquisition Regulations sufficient to relate these matters to the Agency and discern any potential conflicts or difficulties between the two or more areas of law presented by actual matters assigned to the employee.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas:

• Communication Written Communication-Writes in a clear, concise, organized, and convincing manner for the intended audience. Interpersonal Skills–Treats others with courtesy, sensitivity, and respect. Considers and responds appropriately to the needs and feelings of different people in different situations.
• Problem Solving–Identified problems, determines accuracy and relevance of information; uses sound judgment to generate and evaluate alternatives, and to make recommendations.
• Technical Competence–Uses knowledge that is acquired through formal training or extensive on-the-job experience to perform one’s job; works with, understands, and evaluates technical information related to the job, advises others on technical issues. Influencing/Negotiating–Persuades others to accept recommendations, cooperate, or change their behavior; works with others towards an agreement, negotiates to find mutually acceptable solutions.

For all types of 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; religious; 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.

For additional information about applying to Federal positions, please click on the following link: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-policies/#url=e4

All applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Education

MANDATORY EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS:

In order to qualify for this position, candidates must have successfully completed a full course of study in a school of law accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) and have a professional law degree, and must currently be a member in good standing of the bar of a State or Territory of the United States or the District of Columbia. 

Additional information

PLEASE NOTE: 

The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Transportation and its Operating Administrations from requesting an applicant’s criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201 certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance to Compete Act. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to the Department of Transportation by email at, [email protected]. To learn more, please visit our page at: The Fair Chance to Compete Act jobsnear.net US Department of Transportation

This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if similar vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.

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• Benefits
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• A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
• Review our benefits
• Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE: PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume/ application does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s). Your resume must contain sufficiently detailed information upon which to make a qualification determination. Please ensure that your resume contains specific information such as position titles, beginning and ending dates of employment for each position, average number of hours worked per week, and if the position is/was in the Federal government, you should provide the position series and grade level

For this announcement, all applicants will be reviewed to determine if they meet the basic qualifications for this position, specifically the educational and specialized experience requirements.

Applicants will not be rated or ranked.

All applications that are verified to meet the basic qualifications will be referred to the selecting official.

The answers you select in the on-line process must be substantiated in your application package. If upon review, it is determined that your described work history, competencies, and/or supporting documents do not support your answer choices, you may not be referred to the selecting official. Please ensure that your work history provides enough details to support your answers.

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How to Apply

You must submit a complete application package (including resume, vacancy questions and supporting documents) no later than 11:59 pm (EST) on the closing date of the announcement.

• To begin, click the “Apply Online” button on the job announcement posting.
• Follow the directions to register, submit all required documents and complete the assessment questionnaire.
• You may review your saved application(s) at https://help.usajobs.gov/

If you are having difficulty applying online, please contact the DOT Automated Staffing Office via email at [email protected].

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Agency contact information

Automated Staffing Office Automated Staffing Office

Phone

000-000-0000

Fax

000-000-0000

Email

[email protected]

Address

DOT, MARITIME ADMINISTRATION

Submit Application and Documents Online

1200 New Jersey Ave SE / HAHR – 50

Washington, District of Columbia 20590

United States

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Next steps

You may check your application status by logging into USAJobs.com (Select “My USAJobs” and click “Applications”. Within two weeks of the closing date, a Human Resources Specialist will evaluate your application. Qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager. Appropriate veteran’s preference will be applied. If you are selected for an interview, the hiring agency will contact you directly. Once the position is filled, we will notify all applicants of their final status.

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