Senior Federal Contracting & Acquisition SME

Position Summary: Provide specialized Federal acquisition expertise to assess HBCU contracting readiness, strengthen institutional procurement capabilities, and advise on Federal solicitation responses, acquisition compliance, contract administration, and NIH contracting opportunities.

Key Responsibilities:

· Assess HBCU institutional readiness to pursue and manage Federal contracts.

· Evaluate acquisition processes, proposal-development capabilities, administrative infrastructure, and contracting compliance.

· Provide technical guidance on Federal acquisition regulations, solicitation analysis, teaming arrangements, and contract management.

· Identify institutional capability gaps and develop targeted contracting-readiness recommendations.

· Support PEI Accelerator activities, Federal acquisition guidance, and NIH Contracts Handbook development.

Required Qualifications:

· 7+ years of relevant experience, including substantial hands-on Federal contracting responsibilities.

· Documented professional experience supporting at least one specifically identified HBCU.

· Direct experience with Federal RFP/RFQ responses, contract proposals, acquisition planning, negotiations, or contract administration.

· Strong working knowledge of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), procurement lifecycle, and Government contract compliance.

· Experience evaluating organizational contracting capabilities and recommending operational improvements.

Preferred Qualifications: NIH/HHS acquisition experience, FAR Parts 19 and 26, biomedical research contracting, HBCU acquisition-readiness initiatives, and Federal acquisition training.

Mandatory Screening: Federal grants administration experience alone is insufficient. Candidates must demonstrate verifiable Federal contracting experience, identifying specific agencies, contracts, and responsibilities.