Contract and Procurement Specialist II (OCFO - Procurement Division)

Description

OFFICE OF CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER - PROCUEMENT DIVISION

Contract and Procurement Specialist II

Be a Part of the City You Love!

The Office of the Chief Financial Officer - Procurement division is accepting applications for a Contract and Procurement Specialist II position.

Position Summary

The Contracting and Procurement Specialist class includes positions that involve managing, supervising, performing, or developing policies for professional work to acquire or procure supplies, services, and construction, or research and development by purchase, rental, or lease through delivery orders, purchase procedures, formal advertising or negotiation procedures; the evaluation of contract price proposals; and the administration or termination and close out of contracts. The work requires knowledge of policies and procedures for delivery orders, purchases, commercial supply sources and common business practices related to sales, prices, and discounts, units of measurement, deliveries, stocks, and shipments.

Key duties and responsibilities of Contracting and Procurement Specialists include (1) soliciting, evaluating, negotiating, and awarding contracts with commercial organizations, educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, and State or local governments for furnishing products, services, construction or research and development to the City of Detroit; (2) administering contracts by assuring compliance with the terms and conditions of contracts, including resolution of problems concerning the obligations of the parties; (3) terminating contracts by analyzing, negotiating, and settling claims and proposals; (4) analyzing and evaluating cost or price proposals and accounting systems data; (5) planning, establishing, or reviewing contracts, programs, policies, or procedures; (6) formulating and administering policies and procedures to insure achievement of City socioeconomic goals, such as those affecting small business, labor surplus areas, and disadvantaged business firms; (7) developing acquisition strategies and directing or managing procurements; and (8) providing staff advisory services in one or more of the specializations in this occupation.

Examples of Duties

• Formulates procedures, policies, and guidelines for bid proposals and procurement of goods and services, including preparing estimates for use in selecting vendors or subcontractors
• Participates in researching and writing specifications and preparing time, cost, material, and labor estimates for items to be purchased
• Purchases the highest quality merchandise at the lowest possible price and in correct amounts
• Reviews catalogs, industry periodicals, directories, trade journals, and Internet sites, and consults with other department personnel to locate and forecast necessary goods and services, requirements, inventory levels, and pricing
• Develops acquisition strategies and directs or manages procurements
• Analyzes price proposals, financial reports, and other data and information to determine reasonable prices
• Investigates sources of supply for certain commodities and obtains information on new products to meet designated needs
• Reviews requisitions for accuracy of description of products and services; makes referral to departmental specifications for acceptance or modifies departmental specifications and award criteria
• Approves requests for proposals, quotations, and the issuance of formal purchase requisitions
• Confers with engineers, architects, owners, contractors, and subcontractors on changes and adjustments to cost estimates
• Consults with clients, vendors, personnel in other departments, or construction foremen to discuss and formulate estimates and resolve issues
• Negotiates, renegotiates, and administers contracts with suppliers, vendors, and other representatives
• Terminates contracts by analyzing, negotiating, and settling claims and proposals
• Maintains and reviews computerized or manual records of items purchased, costs, deliveries, product performance, and inventories
• Evaluates and monitors contract performance to ensure compliance with contractual obligations and to determine need for changes
• Monitors changes affecting supply and demand, tracking market conditions, price trends, or futures markets
• Studies sales records and inventory levels of current stock to develop strategic purchasing programs that facilitate Contracting and Procurement Specialist access to supplies
• Analyzes blueprints and other documentation to prepare time, cost, materials, and labor estimates
• Prepares estimates for use in selecting vendors or subcontractors
• Interviews vendors and visit suppliers' plants and distribution centers to examine and learn about products, services, and prices
• Prepares cost and expenditure statements and other necessary documentation at regular intervals for the duration of the project
• Sets up cost monitoring and reporting systems and procedures. Reports should include assessment of cost effectiveness of products, projects, or services, tracking actual costs relative to bids as the project develops, and develop progress reports
• Provides staff advisory services
• Prepares purchase orders, solicits bid proposals, and reviews requisitions for goods and services
• Monitors and follows applicable laws and regulations
• Prepares estimates used by management for purposes such as planning, organizing, and scheduling work
• Researches, analyzes, and evaluates suppliers based on price, quality, selection, service, support, availability, reliability, production and distribution capabilities, and the supplier's reputation and history
• Writes and reviews product specifications, maintaining a working technical knowledge of the goods or services to be purchased
• Works with bidders, contractors, and other vendors to resolve difficulties which arise during and after the procurement and/or sales process
• Monitors shipments to ensure that goods come in on time and resolve problems related to undelivered goods
• Monitors expenditures to ensure all purchasing is conducted in compliance with City approved policies and procedures
• Arranges the payment of duty and freight charges
• Performs special projects and other duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications

Education

• For all Contracting and Procurement Specialists it is a requirement to have completed bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university, with major course of work in business or public administration, finance, purchasing or a closely related field.
• Contracting and Procurement Specialists with a Master in Business Administration, Master in Accounting, or other appropriate and related courses of study meet the minimum experience required for Contracting and Procurement Specialist II.

Experience

• For selection, appointment to a Contracting and Procurement Specialist level II or higher, in addition to the minimum education requirements, more progressive levels of experience are required based on the following:
• Contracting and Procurement Specialist II - at least two (2) years of experience
• Contracting and Procurement Specialist must demonstrate proficiency with integrated word processing and spreadsheet functions.

Licensing and Certifications

• Possession of a Certified Professional Public Buyer (CPPB) and/or Certified Purchasing Manager (CPM) may be substituted for one (1) year of Contracting and Procurement Specialist II experience.

• Possession of a CPPB and/or CPM is preferred, but not required.

• There may be requirements for some positions that Contracting and Procurement Specialists have the CPPB and/or CPM.

Equivalency

• Equivalent combinations of education and experience that provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities will be evaluated on an individual basis.

Supplemental Information

Evaluation Plan

• Interview:70%
• Evaluation of Training, Experience &Personal Qualifications:30%
• Total of Interview and Evaluation T.E.P:100%

Additional points may be awarded for:

• Veteran Points: 0 - 15 points
• Detroit Residency Credit: 15 points

LRD: 05/03/2024

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

At the entry-level, knowledge requirements might include basic professional knowledge of:

• Principles, guidelines, terminology, and processes of contracting and procuring goods and services
• Methods of competitive bidding and the sources of supply
• Technical knowledge of a variety of commodities and services for an assigned specialty area
• Processes used in competitive negotiations for specific services
• Report writing techniques to present factual information clearly
• Current markets and trade conditions
• Regulations and procedures of state governmental purchasing, leasing and/or selling (includes real estate)
• Business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources

At the intermediate level, knowledge requirements might include detailed, intensive knowledge of:

• Commonly used contracting methods and contract types relating to the performance of pre-award, post-award, and/or contract price/cost analysis functions when the contract actions are well defined and well presented
• Familiarity with business practices and market conditions applicable to program and technical requirements sufficient to evaluate bid responsiveness, contractor responsibility, and contractor performance
• Specialized areas to analyze difficult contracting issues and identify alternative courses of action, modify standard contracting procedures and terms to satisfy specialized requirements, and solve a variety of contracting problems, including those requiring significant departures from previous approaches

At the advanced level, knowledge requirements might include comprehensive knowledge of:

• Contracting methods and contract types to plan and carry out long-term pre-award and/or post-award procurement actions
• Procurement principles and technical or program requirements to plan and manage or make decisions or recommendations that significantly affect the content, interpretation, or development of complex, long-range, or interrelated agency policies or programs concerning the management of procurement matters
• The procurement functional area sufficient to apply experimental theories and new developments to problems not susceptible to treatment by accepted methods
• Business strategy and program or technical requirements sufficient to perform or direct in-depth evaluations of the financial and technical capabilities, or the performance, of the contractor
• Regulations and procedures of state governmental purchasing, leasing, and/or selling (includes real estate)
• Methods of competitive bidding and the sources of supply
• Arithmetic practices used in business (e.g. discounts and warranties) sufficient to compare prices on recurring types of procurements
• Algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications
• Practical application of engineering science and technology.
• This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services
• Structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar
• Enterprise resource planning systems for finance, budget, general ledger, human resources, and other management systems and software program

Skilled In:

• Use of personal computers - use of Microsoft Office (e.g. Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint) and other office suite software packages
• Use of Excel (e.g. Pivot Tables, Vlookup, Hlookup, charts, tables) and other financial management software packages functionality
• Use of large, complex, multi-departmental financial systems, and demonstrate the knowledge required to interpret resulting financial and accounting reports, summaries and budgets
• Interpersonal skills to interact effectively with personal contacts in a business-like, customer service oriented manner, and maintain favorable public relations
• Presenting concise financial information to a variety of audiences
• Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making
• Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems
• Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things
• Using mathematics to solve problems
• Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents
• Talking to others to convey information effectively
• Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions
• Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times
• Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one
• Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job
• Managing one's own time and the time of others

Ability to:

• Collect, quickly interpret, and analyze information from a variety of sources, apply criteria, draw conclusions, and develop recommendations, guidelines, and policies
• Maintain records and prepare reports and correspondence related to the work
• Plan, set priorities, and organize numerous work assignments to meet tight and often conflicting deadlines
• Read and understand information and ideas presented in writing
• Work tactfully and effectively with employees, supervisors and managers, and with elected and appointed officials and senior staff in assigned departments and agencies
• Develop cost-benefit and business case analyses by consolidating information, identifying relevant data, and making logical assumptions to provide insight and recommendations with minimal errors regarding cost savings, long-term cost, best supplier, and capability
• Participate in decision-making sessions, provide guidance, and advise a number of department leaders on legal and regulatory requirements, purchasing policies, the interpretation of data, potential roadblocks, and project timeline
• Evaluate goods and their substitutes, and weigh price, quality, and other factors affecting purchasing decisions
• Negotiate for the best goods and services for the lowest price and best terms
• Apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense
• Identify and understand the speech of another person
• Listen and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences
• Communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand
• Make mathematical computations to determine selling price, discounts, percentages, volumes, weights and measures, reorder quantities, and related statistics
• Work as part of a team

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• The work is characterized as sedentary.
• Typically Contracting and Procurement Specialists sit comfortably to do their work, interspersed by brief periods of walking, standing, bending, carrying of papers and books, and extended periods requiring the use of computer terminals to accomplish work objectives.

WORK ENVIORNMENT

• Work is performed in a comfortable office environment which is appropriately lighted, heated and cooled.
• The work environment contains no significant hazards.
• Some work may require walking and standing in conjunction with travel to and attendance at meetings and conferences away from the work site.
• The Contracting and Procurement Specialist may encounter individuals that are upset.

During extended periods each year, Contracting and Procurement Specialists may be required to work considerable overtime.

Candidates considered for placement in this classification may be subject to a Criminal Background Investigation based on the requirements of the position.

The above statements describe the general nature and level of work performed by employees assigned to the class. Incumbents may be required to perform job-related responsibilities and tasks other than those stated in this specification. Specific job duties may vary from position to position. The City of Detroit is an Equal Opportunity Employer. No applicant for employment shall be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, or other criteria prohibited by City, State, or Federal law.