Contracting Specialist

Intelligence Careers; Fort Meade (MD); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

NSA Fort Meade, MD seeks an Entry-Level Contracting Specialist to support acquisition activities for warfighters worldwide. You will learn NSA contracting processes, FAR compliance, and DAWIA requirements while working with technical experts.

Responsibilities include market research, preparing RFPs/RFQs, evaluating proposals, negotiating terms, and ensuring contract compliance. Daily use of Excel and Word will assist in analytic spend planning and performance tracking.

Qualifications

• DAWIA contracting certification within 24 months of employment.
• Advanced Excel and Word skills used daily for analytic support.
• Familiarity with FAR and NSA contracting policies.

Responsibilities

• Conduct market research.
• Prepare and issue Requests for Proposal (RFPs) and Requests for Quote (RFQs).
• Evaluate proposals from potential contractors/vendors.
• Negotiate contract terms with selected contractors/vendors.
• Evaluate procurements for funding, legal, and program compliance.
• Prepare and award contracts with supporting documentation per FAR and NSA policy.
• Administer contracts including modifications and payment processing.

Skills

Excel

Word

Tools

FAR/DFARS familiarity

Job description

Contracting Specialist - Entry Level (Maryland)

Fort George G. Meade Complex, MD
Pay Plan: GG , Grade: 07/1 to 09/10
Open: 2026-10-09, Close: 2026-10-15

Job Posting: 1263983

Responsibilities

• Conducting market research
• Preparing and issuing Requests for Proposal (RFPs) and Requests for Quote (RFQs)
• Evaluating proposals from potential contractors/vendors
• Negotiating contract terms with selected contractors/vendors
• Evaluating procurements to ensure compliance with funding, legal, and program requirements.
• Preparing and awarding contracts with supporting documentation in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) and NSA policy.
• Administering contracts to include issuing modifications and ensuring payment is issued.
• Solving complex and unique challenges that arise throughout the life of a contract
• Interfacing with various levels of personnel, management, and organizations throughout the Agency.
• Meeting frequently with vendors and government technical experts to discuss contract cost, schedule, and performance.
• Completing training in federal acquisition to become certified in Contracting under the Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) within 24 months of employment.
• Utilizing Excel and Word at an advanced level on a daily basis to provide analytic support on assigned contracts.
• Monitoring contractor performance and ensuring services are delivered in accordance with contract terms and identifying opportunities to improve contract performance and reduce contract cost.
• Collaborating with technical experts to establish clearly defined contract tasks; validating those tasks are within the contract scope and cost parameters.
• Generating cost estimates using historical data and future projections in an effort to build accurate and reliable spend plans.
• Serving as part of a Source Selection Team and often times serving as the Source Selection evaluation lead or as an administrative lead/liaison with industry.
• Presenting status updates on expenditures, delivery timelines, and contractor performance to senior executive leadership.
• Partnering with finance and mission experts to ensure long-term contracts are properly funded and contract modifications are approved in a timely manner.
• Forecasting requirements for future contracts and meeting with mission to draft pre-solicitation documents.
• Reviewing contract invoices and collaborating with vendors to resolve any errors or issues prior to payment authorization.

This position requires a DAWIA (Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Acct) professional certification in Contracting. A training plan will be put in place to allow the required certification to be achieved within 36 months of employment.

Job Summary

Start a career where you learn to become an acquisition professional supporting the protection of our warfighters around the world, enabling and assisting operations on land, in air, at sea, in space, and within the cyber domain. Contracting Specialists at NSA acquire the technology, services, and supplies that enable NSA's mission. Contracting Specialists work as part