Contracting

What does the Contracting career field do?

Contracting professionals are responsible for efficient and effective use of taxpayer dollars to meet the Department of Defense and Air Force national defense missions. Contracting professionals are mission-focused business leaders who research, award, administer, and close out contract actions for commodities, services, and construction using simplified acquisition procedures, negotiations, and other approved methods. Contracting members use automated contracting systems, Microsoft Office programs, and other information technology to prepare, process, and analyze transactions and products. Finally, contracting members provide business leadership to all levels of supervision and perform duties as buyers, negotiators, administrators, and warranted contracting officers who support all functions of home station missions and contingency operations. Related DoD Occupational Subgroup: 155100.

Duties and responsibilities

• Contracting professionals are required to perform a wide range of business functions including, but not limited to: research contracting requirements to determine the best course of action on procuring the commodities, services, and construction required to enable execution of assigned missions. Formulates business strategy and produces documentation to build a historical file of all matters dealing with the acquisition of the requirement sufficient enough to protect the Air Force from litigation. Obtains and analyzes data on industry trends and recommends a course of action to varying layers of leadership and a wide range of units as appropriate.
• Researches applicable Federal, Department of Defense, and Air Force guidelines to ensure contractual actions and documentation meet requirements from cradle to grave. Establishes courses of action based on applicable laws, regulations, and professional business judgement. Researches and applies applicable provisions and clauses in order to protect the government and the Air Force.
• Performs electronic commerce and electronic contracting utilizing available information technology and web-based systems and works directly with interested parties to determine the best value to the government. Produces various contract documents including but not limited to: determinations and findings, justification and approvals, contract award document, abstracts, memorandums for record, and contract payment records. May also perform evaluation of bid pricing, review of contracts prior to award, determining contractor responsibility, post, amend or cancel solicitations, mediation of protests, and contract award negotiations.
• Conducts site visits to determine adequacy of contractor compliance and customer satisfaction. Interviews contractor employees to determine labor law compliance. Trains and monitors quality assurance personnel, and determines appropriate actions in instances of nonperformance of an established contract. Contracting members may be required to resolve claims, disputes, and appeals, and may perform termination of contracts and negotiate and administrate termination settlements.
• Provides contingency contracting support at CONUS and OCONUS locations in support of Air Force, joint U.S., and allied forces. Develops and manages contingency contracting program plans.

Specialty qualifications

The following outlines minimum requirements for remaining within an acquisition coded position. IAW DoDI 5000.66 Section 5, enlisted contracting personnel must adhere to the Department of Defense Acquisition Professional Development Program (APDP) standard, by achieving the “Contracting Professional Certification” within the identified grace period. Additionally, the minimum requirements as well as the typical chronological order for award of upgraded AFSCs is as follows:

• 6C011 (Helper) – AFSC assigned while students are attending the Air Force Contracting Apprentice Course.
• 6C031 (Apprentice) – Awarded upon completion of the Air Force Contracting Apprentice Course.
• 6C051 (Journeyman) – Requires possession of AFSC 6C031, a minimum of 12 acquisition-coded months on the job training from the date of enrollment in 6C051 upgrade training, completion of the 6C051 core qualification tasks found within the 6C0X1 Career Field Education and Training Plan (CFETP).
• 6C071 (Craftsman) – SSgt-selects or higher are authorized to enter into upgrade training for this skill level. Requires possession of AFSC 6C051, a minimum of 12 acquisition coded months on the job training from the date of enrollment into 6C071 upgrade training, completion of the 6C071 core qualification tasks found within the 6C0X1 CFETP.
• 6C091 (SEL) – Requires possession of AFSC 6C071, minimum rank of SMSgt, and member must have completed the Air Force Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy or sister service equivalent.

For award and retention of 6C0X1 AFSCs:

• Members must maintain local network access IAW AFI 17-130, Cybersecurity Program Management and AFMAN 17-1301, Computer Security.
• Commanders may disqualify enlisted members in cases where members are convicted by court-martial or receive non-judicial punishment for: Category 1, 2, or 3 crimes (NOTE: Categories of offenses are described and listed in AFMAN 36-2032, Military Recruiting and Accessions.), dereliction in the performance of duties involving contracting activities, misappropriation of government funds or property, financial irresponsibility, committing acts of misconduct relating to or engaging in falsification of legal documents, or failure to exercise sound leadership principles with respect to morale or welfare of subordinates, peers, leadership or customers.

Mandatory requirements for Non-prior service Airmen or Airmen who are being reclassed into 6C0X1:

• For entry into, award of, and retention within these AFSCs of paragraph 3, members must:
• Demonstrate the ability to speak distinctly and communicate effectively in writing.
• Never have been convicted by court-martial and never received non-judicial punishment for dereliction in the performance of duties involving contracting activities, larceny, misappropriation of government funds or property, or financial irresponsibility.
• Have no record of disciplinary action (Letter of Reprimand [LOR], Article 15 or court-martial) for committing acts of misconduct relating to or engaging in falsification of legal documents or documented failures (LOR, Article 15, or court-martial) to exercise sound leadership principles with respect to morale or welfare of subordinates, peers, leadership, or customers.
• Never have been convicted by a civilian court of a Category 1, 2, or 3 offenses, or exceed the acceptable number of Category 4 or 5 offenses. Category 3, 4, or 5 traffic offenses alone are not disqualifying. NOTE: Categories of offenses are described and listed in AFMAN 36-2032, Military Recruiting and Accessions.
• See attachment 4 for additional entry requirements.

Mandatory requirements for first term and career Airmen retraining into the 6C0X1 AFSC:

• Cross Trainee applicants must be E-5 or below and cannot possess a promotion sequence line number E-6 prior to initial official notification of attendance to the Air Force Contracting Apprentice Course. Waivable for ANG through ANG Contracting CFM.
• Those seeking to cross-train into Contracting must have an interview with the nearest permanently assigned SEL of a numbered contracting flight or contracting squadron. The cross-training candidate must obtain a written endorsement from the contracting SEL for entry into the AFSC 6C0X1. While not mandatory, it is recommended that members considering retraining into the 6C0X1 career field, provide a letter of recommendation from their Unit Commander or equivalent as a part of their retraining package. If an SEL of a numbered contracting flight or squadron is not available, the 6C MAJCOM Functional Manager must review and endorse the cross-training approval package. All 6C0X1 retraining packages must be reviewed and approved by the 6C0X1 Career Field Manager. NOTE: Numbered flight SEL or squadron SEL MUST possess the Contracting vector for SEL in order to endorse the individual.
• In order to qualify for an interview, members must meet the following criteria:
• Member must have a current and passing Fitness Assessment at the time of the interview with the contracting SEL.
• Member must complete the Contracting Retraining Assessment.
• Member must have the ability to speak distinctly and communicate effectively in writing.
• Must not have been convicted by court-martial nor received an Article 15 for the past 3 years and can never been convicted by court- martial nor ever received an Article 15 for dereliction in the performance of duties involving contracting activities, larceny, misappropriation of government funds or property, financial irresponsibility, or committing acts of misconduct relating to or engaging in falsification of legal documents.
• Applicants can never been convicted by a civilian or military court of any Category 1 offense and can never have been convicted by a civilian or military court of other Category 2 offensive involving violence, theft, or a crime of sexual nature. No convictions by a civilian or military court of other Category2 or 3 offense within the past 3 years, nor exceed the acceptable number of Category 4 or 5 offenses. Category 3, 4, or 5 traffic offenses alone are not disqualifying. NOTE: Categories of offenses are described and listed in AFMAN 36-2032, Military Recruiting and Accessions.
• See attachment 4 for additional entry requirements

Civilian career paths

Comparable civilian careers for this field pay roughly $35,330–$134,180 per year (median salaries; varies by role and location):

• Administrative Services Managers: $98,890
• Billing and Posting Clerks: $39,590
• Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks: $42,410
• Budget Analysts: $78,970
• Construction Managers: $97,180
• Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs: $47,110
• Financial and Investment Analysts: $83,660
• Financial Managers: $134,180
• First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers: $58,450
• Government Property Inspectors and Investigators: $71,100
• Logisticians: $76,270
• Logistics Analysts: $76,270
• Management Analysts: $87,660
• Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists: $65,810
• Office Clerks, General: $35,330
• Procurement Clerk: $44,740
• Purchasing Agents: $66,690
• Purchasing Managers: $125,940
• Supply Chain Managers: $96,390
• Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers: $96,390
• Wholesale and Retail Buyers: $66,690