Contract Specialist

Applications close on November 20, 2026.

Summary

The Library of Congress shares its vast collections of books, manuscripts, photographs, maps, audiovisual materials, and priceless artifacts to cultivate curiosity and spark imagination. We engage, inspire, and inform Congress and the American people with a universal and enduring source of knowledge and creativity. We seek highly talented professionals to join a vibrant and collaborative community. Your work here will have lasting impact on the Library and its users well into the future.

Duties

• This permanent position is eligible for 100% distant or local telework. The salary range advertised is for the Washington, DC area and may be adjusted based on the geographic locale of the selected applicant(s). Selectee(s) will not be eligible for relocation expenses in the event the Library determines the position is no longer suitable for distant telework. This announcement has an APPLICATION LIMIT of 200 applications. Therefore, applicants should apply as soon as possible. PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT THIS VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT WILL AUTOMATICALLY CLOSE AT 11:59 PM EST ON THE DATE THAT 200 APPLICATIONS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED UNDER THIS POSTING. If the 200-application limit is not met, the job announcement will close at 11:59pm, on Friday, November 20, 2026. Applicants need to ensure they provide all supporting documentation at the time they apply to the vacancy announcement. This position serves as a Contract Specialist in the Contracts and Grants Directorate (CGD), Office of the Chief Operating Officer (COO), at the Library of Congress (LOC) and reports to the Supervisory Contract Specialist. The Contract Specialist plans and carries out assignments, and exercises judgement in the selection of supporting data, industry sources and contracting techniques to be followed within established procedures for a number of Service Units within the Library. As the Contract Specialist, you will: Be responsible for all aspects of the contracting transactions from initiation to recommendation of award for the procurement of recurring of supplies and services. The contracts may range from the micro purchase level to several millions of dollars and vary from simplified acquisitions to moderate complexity. Analyze and prepare negotiation documentation for routine modifications to contracts. Evaluate contractor's financial status and profit and loss statement, balance sheets, and other financial data. Administer a group of contracts which may involve supplies, furniture, furnishings, and technical equipment and which require cost/price analysis and price redetermination when contract actions are well defined and well precedented. Modifications may also include equitable adjustment due to changes subject to the Service Contract Act, and the exercise of contract options. In recommending any negotiation action, must comply with FAR and LCR regulations. Monitor contractor's performance on basic contract, regulatory, and statutory provisions through telephone conversations, correspondence, reports, vouchers, and visits. Conduct routine analyses of contractors' financial and management systems and facilities for ability to perform and for compliance with Government or contractual requirements. Check the status of contract performance and work closely with a Senior Contract Specialist in recommending approving progress payments; reviewing and providing recommendations on contractor proposals resulting from change orders, scheduling changes, and problems that have arisen and proposed solutions; verifying deliveries, and similar activities. Conduct initial research and prepares timely draft responses to Congressional inquiries, Freedom of Information Act requests, or other sensitive correspondence. Provide resolution of routine contracting problems through investigation and interpret contract provisions. Assist team leader to develop procurement objectives in terms of competition and price range, and construct the contractual vehicle including use of pricing arrangements, subcontracting policy, set- aside policies, and similar considerations. Perform other duties as assigned. The position description number for this position are 433679, 433677, and 433676. The salary range indicated reflects the locality pay adjustments for the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan area. The incumbent of this position will work a Compflex, Flexitime, or Maxiflex work schedule. This is a non-supervisory, bargaining unit position. Relocation expenses will not be authorized for the person(s) selected under this vacancy announcement.

Qualifications

Applicants must have had progressively responsible experience and training sufficient in scope and quality to furnish them with an acceptable level of the following knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of the position without more than normal supervision. GS-09 Ability to manage and monitor contracts.** Knowledge of Federal contracting laws, regulations, principles, and procedures to develop and issue solicitations and contracts.** Ability to communicate in writing.** Ability to interact collaboratively with others. Ability to communicate effectively other than in writing. GS-11 Ability to manage and monitor contracts.** Knowledge of Federal contracting laws, regulations, principles, and procedures to develop and issue solicitations and contracts.** Ability to communicate in writing.** Ability to interact collaboratively with others. Ability to communicate effectively other than in writing. GS-12 Ability to manage and monitor contracts.** Knowledge of Federal contracting laws, regulations, principles, and procedures to develop and issue solicitations and contracts.** Ability to communicate in writing.** Ability to interact collaboratively with others. Ability to communicate effectively other than in writing.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment Library of Congress employees are prohibited from using illegal drugs, including marijuana. The Library is part of the Federal Government and abides by federal law, so regardless of individual state or District of Columbia laws, marijuana use is illegal, considered criminal activity, and can affect your employment at the Library. In addition, past or current drug use and activities (e.g., selling or distributing) may deem you ineligible for employment.

Education

There are no education requirements for this vacancy.

How to apply

Please carefully follow all instructions under the How to Apply tab to ensure you are considered for the position. Please note, there is no page restriction to your resume, and you are allowed to upload a resume longer than two pages in the resume section within the application process. When the application system prompts, please proceed to the agency site to complete your application. You are required to apply online for this announcement. We are unable to accept mailed or emailed documents. You must complete the entire application process, including submission of all documents BEFORE this announcement closes. To do so, complete the following steps. Step 1: If you do not already have one, create a resume and upload it to your profile in the "Resume" section. Although you must enter your Social Security Number for USAJOBS, this information will not be provided to the Library of Congress. Step 2: Review the Job Announcement. We recommend you go to the end of the Qualification and Evaluation section of the job announcement to preview the online questions that you will answer in Step 4. You may wish to customize your resume to ensure that it supports your responses to these questions. Step 3: Click on the "APPLY ONLINE" button to the right of this announcement. Follow USAJOBS' instructions to access your account. You will be redirected to the Hiring Management website to complete the application process. If this is your first time in Hiring Management, you will be asked to answer questions related to your eligibility for Federal employment. You will be able to update this information and save it to our account for future announcements. Step 4: Once you have completed the eligibility questions, you will be taken directly to the vacancy application questions. Answer all questions honestly and thoroughly. Step 5: Hiring Management offers one option that will electronically attach your documentation to your online application once you finish answering the questions in the job announcement. You may electronically upload a document directly from your computer to your application. Be certain to review your complete application for confirmation of the document uploaded and click on "Finished" to be returned to USAJOBS. IMPORTANT NOTE: If you have multiple documents of the same kind, e.g. 2 undergraduate transcripts from different schools or 2 SF-50s, etc., be sure that they are all in the same file on your computer. If you try uploading them individually, only the last one sent will be visible in our system. If you have any questions about this information, please contact the person on this announcement BEFORE the closing date. Step 6: Click on "Finish" after you have completed your application. Once you have submitted your application, you can check your status online through your Hiring Management or MY USAJOBS account. Your complete online application and any required supplemental documentation (e.g., SF-50, etc.) must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) on the closing date of the announcement. It is your responsibility to ensure that all documents are received on time and that the materials are readable. Failure to do so will result in your application being excluded from consideration for this announcement. If you are experiencing any technical difficulty with the online process, you MUST CONTACT THE POINT OF CONTACT FOR THIS ANNOUNCEMENT BEFORE THE CLOSING DATE. For all technical issues please contact jobhelp@loc.gov , no later than 4:00pm EST of the Closing Date. REQUESTS FOR EXTENSIONS WILL NOT BE GRANTED.