The position is a Lead Contract Specialist assisting the Chief Acquisition Officer in planning, directing, and coordinating all activities for a variety of supply and service contracts. Serves as an acquisition team leader and interacts professionally with a variety of functional program specialists such as accountants, attorneys, economists, statisticians and other subject matter experts to prepare and coordinate the Government position, and conduct negotiations with the contractor. Reviews program acquisition requests and the clarity of "scopes of work", selects the best acquisition method and ensures adequate understanding of instruction and performance characteristics. Serves as a principal contracting advisor to the program management office, and represents the agency as the program's contractual authority at conferences and meetings. Meets with representatives of commercial firms, manufacturers and educational institutions to ensure open competition, and to negotiate contract terms, conditions and modifications for goods or services. Negotiates for services that are new, lack precedent, and involve difficulty in defining the scope of work to be performed. Negotiates forward-pricing rate agreements and other cost or pricing arrangements and analyzes all applicable elements such as various expense pools, labor rates, contractor business volume forecasts, economic conditions, business trends, union agreements, local labor markets and inflation rates. Performs continual planning to integrate the actions involving contractual obligations and responsibilities of both the Government and the contractor. Ensures that the organization's strategic plan, mission, vision, and values are communicated to the team and integrated into the team's strategies, goals, objectives, work plans and work products and services. Prepares reports and maintains records of work accomplishments and administrative information, as required, and coordinates the preparation, presentation and communication of work-related information to the supervisor. Researches, learns and applies a wide range of qualitative and/or quantitative methods to identify, assess, analyze and improve team effectiveness, efficiency and work products; Supports program area customers by providing guidance and assistance in drafting statements of objectives (SOOs), statements of work (SOWs) performance work statements (PWSs), and the conduct of acquisition planning and market research activities. Read the full job description.