Contract Specialist
$78KHigh match
High demand
Live · Guide v1.06C091 · Career GuideValidated · Lightcast Labor DataUpdated · Q2 20262026 Cohort Active
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USAF · 6C091Career Guide · Operations · VWC.CG.6C091.R.04
6C091 · USAF · EnlistedContracting
Contracting
Specialist.
Air Force 6C091 (Contracting Specialist). 360 hours of formal training translate to 4 validated civilian career pathways with salary bands of $72K–$105K. Sourced from DoD training data and Lightcast labor signals.
Training hours360DoD pipeline
ACE creditACEUp to 6 semester hours recommended in business administration
Tech roles4mapped to your code
Civilian pathways4validated
Cert coverage2/6direct + partial
/ 01 · Tech Roles
Roles your code maps to.
Industry tech roles your 6C091 background maps to — picked from BLS-anchored occupations using your training, cognitive skills, and systems experience.
Sort · Match descending
/ 02 · Skill Bridge
The gap, named.
What 6C091 training already gave you, and the specific gaps to close — not a generic checklist.
Already have08
- 01Procedural Compliance→ Understanding and implementing security frameworks and compliance standards (e.g., ISO 27001, NIST).
- 02Adversarial Thinking→ Identifying potential vulnerabilities and risks in systems and processes.
- 03Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS)→ Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)
- 04Automated Business Services System (ABSS)→ Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle)
- 05Contract Writing System (e.g., Procurement Automated Data and Document System (PADDS))→ Contract Management Software (e.g., Coupa, Ariba)
- 06Wide Area Work Flow (WAWF) / Electronic Data Access (EDA)→ Electronic invoicing and payment platforms (e.g., Tungsten Network, Taulia)
- 07Joint Contingency Contracting System (JCCS)→ Emergency Procurement Software
- 08Federal Procurement Data System - Next Generation (FPDS-NG)→ Market Research and Spend Analysis tools
To learn08
The concrete gap to bridge — specific to the roles above, not a generic checklist.
+Security frameworks (ISO 27001, NIST)+Vulnerability scanning and penetration testing basics+Systems analysis methodologies+Data modeling and database concepts+Agile methodologies (Scrum, Kanban)+Project management software (e.g., Jira, Asana)+SQL for data querying+Data visualization tools (Tableau, Power BI)
How VWC fits
Vets Who Code is a free, full-time software engineering accelerator for veterans, active duty, and military spouses. We close the fundamentals — terminal, web platform, AI tooling, portfolio projects — so the rest of this list becomes specialization, not square one.
See VWC Programs →/ 03 · Civilian Pathways
Where your code lands.
Procurement Manager
$105KGood match
Growing demand
Skills to develop
- — Supply chain management
- — Project management
Compliance Officer
$72KModerate match
Stable demand
Skills to develop
- — Industry-specific regulations
- — Auditing
Logistics Manager
$85KModerate match
High demand
Skills to develop
- — Supply Chain Management
- — Inventory Control
/ 04 · Hidden Strengths
What the code built.
Cognitive skills your 6C091 training built — and where they transfer in civilian work.
Procedural Compliance
Strictly adhering to government regulations, directives, laws, and contracting policies when preparing solicitations, reviewing bids, and awarding contracts.
Transfers to
Meticulously following established protocols, legal requirements, and industry standards to ensure accuracy, consistency, and risk mitigation in operations.
Adversarial Thinking
Evaluating bids and proposals, negotiating terms, and mediating protests requires anticipating potential challenges and conflicting interests from contractors.
Transfers to
Analyzing potential risks, identifying weaknesses in proposals, and strategically planning for negotiations by considering various viewpoints and potential opposition.
Resource Optimization
Maximizing the use of commercial items and practices, determining the most appropriate contracting methods and contract types, and ensuring adherence to delivery schedules and prices to achieve cost-effectiveness.
Transfers to
Identifying opportunities to streamline processes, reduce waste, and improve efficiency by leveraging available resources, technologies, and best practices to achieve optimal outcomes.
After-Action Analysis
Analyzing award actions, assessing contractor compliance, and resolving claims/disputes to identify areas for improvement in future contracting activities.
Transfers to
Evaluating project outcomes, identifying lessons learned, and implementing corrective actions to improve processes, mitigate risks, and enhance future performance.
/ 05 · Non-Obvious Matches
Roles the recruiter won't suggest.
Adjacent civilian roles your training maps to that conventional military-to-civilian advice tends to miss.
Compliance Officer
SOC 13-1041You've been ensuring contractors comply with regulations, laws, and policies. Now, as a Compliance Officer, you can use those skills to develop, implement, and monitor compliance programs within organizations.
Adjacent · MatchPurchasing Manager
SOC 11-3061You've been managing and administering contracting functions, including preparing solicitations and negotiating contracts. As a Purchasing Manager, you can leverage these skills to oversee the procurement of goods and services for organizations, ensuring cost-effectiveness and quality.
Adjacent · MatchProject Manager
SOC 11-9199You've been supporting all functions of contingency operations and developing program plans. As a Project Manager, you can apply these skills to plan, execute, and finalize projects according to strict deadlines and within budget.
Adjacent · Match/ 06 · Training & Certs
What you trained on.
Academy
Contracting Apprentice Course
Lackland AFB, TX360hHours
9wkWeeks
ACECredit
Up to 6 semester hours recommended in business administration
Topics · 7
- Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)
- Contract Types and Methods
- Solicitation Preparation and Evaluation
- Negotiation Techniques
- Contract Administration
- Simplified Acquisition Procedures
- Contingency Contracting
Partial coverage · 2
- Certified Professional Contract Manager (CPCM)70%
Study specific aspects of commercial contract law, advanced negotiation techniques, and current trends in supply chain management.
- Certified Federal Contract Manager (CFCM)80%
Focus on updates to the FAR (Federal Acquisition Regulation) and DFARS (Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement). Review recent case law impacting federal contracting.
Recommended next · 04
- Project Management Professional (PMP)Adjacent
- Certified Government Financial Manager (CGFM)Adjacent
- Lean Six Sigma Green BeltAdjacent
- Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM)Adjacent
/ 07 · Systems Translation
What you ran, in their words.
Military systems you operated and their civilian equivalents for your resume.
| Military System | Civilian Equivalent | Domain |
|---|---|---|
| Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) | Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) | Operations |
| Automated Business Services System (ABSS) | Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle) | Operations |
| Contract Writing System (e.g., Procurement Automated Data and Document System (PADDS)) | Contract Management Software (e.g., Coupa, Ariba) | Operations |
| Wide Area Work Flow (WAWF) / Electronic Data Access (EDA) | Electronic invoicing and payment platforms (e.g., Tungsten Network, Taulia) | Operations |
| Joint Contingency Contracting System (JCCS) | Emergency Procurement Software | Operations |
| Federal Procurement Data System - Next Generation (FPDS-NG) | Market Research and Spend Analysis tools | Operations |
/ Translator · Live
Translate 6C091 into a resume that ships.
Pair this guide with the VWC AI-powered translator: drop in your service record, get back ATS-optimized civilian resume language tuned to the tech roles above.