Purchasing Specialist

FUNCTIONAL PURPOSE:

Solicits, negotiates, administers, and settles significant contracts and purchases for services, supplies, and equipment, including informal purchases.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Performs market surveys to determine availability of products and producers; monitors industry factors related to purchase of items, such as strikes, shortages, and inflation; analyses market trends and the impact of socioeconomic considerations; reviews industry publications and meets with industry representatives to obtain information.

2. Develops new purchasing sources based on projected needs; resolves specification problems which limit competition; modifies contract clauses which discourage potential bidders from participating; works with contractors and potential bidders to identify possibilities for expanding competition and decides the best time to issue solicitations.

3. Prepares solicitations which include determining economical order quantities, market conditions, delivery requirements, production capabilities, specifications required, and preaward samples; determines specific contract language and clauses, best type of contract, minimum or maximum order limitations, method of award, transportation and delivery, and publication and distribution of solicitations; incorporates requirements for technical proposals with appropriate weighting factors, testing procedures, escalation factors, and cost-data requirements.

4. Evaluates offers and determines responsiveness of bids and responsibilities of offerors; coordinates with technical specialists on bid samples and evaluates protests and mistakes in bids; obtains preaward surveys; coordinates the establishment of a technical evaluation committee to determine acceptability of technical proposals.

5. Performs price analysis, using commercial pricing practices where possible and economic developments relative to increased material, labor, or transportation costs as reflected in price indices; evaluates cost and pricing data and determines reasonableness of prices offered.

6. Plans and conducts negotiations on price, technical requirements, terms, and conditions of the contract; obtains audits and pricing reports where needed to develop negotiation strategy.

7. Awards contracts within delegated contracting authority or recommends award to contracting officer on contracts outside delegated authority; performs contract administration.

8. Provides technical direction and guidance on purchasing activities.

9. May oversee the activities of lower level employees, when assigned.

10. Coordinates the development of purchasing programs and plans; provides procedural guidance and review of proposal evaluation factors and criteria.

11. Has frequent contact with representatives of private contracting firms and government agencies.

REQUIREMENTS:

1. Knowledge of postal, federal or commercial purchasing regulations, policies and procedures.

2.Ability to communicate both orally and in writing sufficient to develop and present briefings, and to conduct general business meetings.

3.Ability to conduct research and analyze data.

4.EDUCATION/CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENT: Applicants must possess one of the following degrees or professional certifications: 1. A baccalaureate or post-graduate degree from an accredited college or university, that included or was supplemented by at least 24 semester hours in any combination of the following fields: supply chain management, accounting, business, finance, law, contracts, purchasing, economics, industrial management, marketing, material management, logistics and inventory control, quantitative methods, or organization and management. 2. Certified Professional in Supply Management (CPSM) qualification or Certified Purchasing Manager (CPM) from the Institute for Supply Management (ISM). 3. Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM), Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP), or Certified in Integrated Resource Management (CIRM) from the American Production and Inventory Control Society (APICS). 4. Certified Professional Contracts Manager (CPCM), Certified Commercial Contracts Manager (CCCM), or Certified Federal Contracts Manager (CFCM) from the National Contract Management Association (NCMA).