Assistant Contracts Administrator

AGRICULTURE - A Cornerstone of Washington's Economy

The Washington State Department of Agriculture has been serving the state for more than 100 years. Through service, regulation, and advocacy, we keep agriculture viable and vital in Washington State, while protecting consumers, public health, and the environment. We work extensively with farmers and ranchers, but our responsibilities – from ensuring food safety to environmental protection – touch the lives of millions of people locally, nationally, and abroad.

The agency includes 780 employees approximately and grows close to 1,000 employees at the peak of seasonal work. To learn more and view additional openings, please visit our Employment Page.

The Administrative Services Division provides support services for the Washington State Department of Agriculture.

What to Expect

Some of the various responsibilities within this role:

Contract Administration

• Communicate to agency personnel policies, procedures, and regulations for developing and processing bids, contracts, and statements of work (SOW).
• Perform contracts administration to include bid preparation, bid awards, contract negotiation and drafting, securing signatures, post signature administration through contract close out, enter data into contracts management system, technical contract support, price analysis, and assist programs in managing contract compliance with state or federal funding.
• Determine that specifications are adequate for commodities used and determines which vendors available best meet agency needs.
• Maintain electronic files for contracted services.
• Plan, coordinate and perform annual renewals for contracts.
• Coordinate and prepare solicitations when appropriate.
• Facilitate and/or evaluate bids and proposals, and award bids.
• Review contract terms and recommended processes and MOU language.
• Oversee or prepare the review, negotiation and approval of new and existing contracts or agreements for agency programs, and modify contracts when conflicts arise for assigned contracts.
• Oversee the negotiation, administration, and termination of contracts, agreements, leases and letters of understanding for assigned contracts into which agency programs the agency.
• Share responsibility with Contracts and Procurements Program Manager for development of and interpretation of law, regulation, policy, procedure, and task for the preparation and management of leases, acquisitions, contracts, and orders.
• Assist Programs to assure compliance with contract terms and conditions.
• Assist staff with interpreting and ensuring compliance with federal requirements when contracting with federal finds.
• Ensure new staff who need contract training take appropriate course levels.
• Run quarterly contracts training report to verify training compliance.
• Maintain data for agency WEBS and ECMS users.
• Participate in agency electronic signature projects.
• Ensure documents get routed and fully signed via electronic signature platform.

• Communicate to agency personnel policies, procedures, and regulations for developing and processing Purchase Requests, Supply and Equipment Orders (POs) for equipment, furniture, supplies, goods and services.
• Oversee and process agency staff's purchase requests within WSDA's automated Supply & Equipment System (S&E) into Purchase Orders (POs).
• Interact with agency Division Coordinators and other agency staff to clarify procurement needs.
• Apply and enforce WSDA's procurement policies and procedures for all purchasing actions and provide input when policies and procedures need to be updated.
• Maintain agency signature (Expenditure Authority) list of authorized purchases across the agency.
• Utilize knowledge of agency signature (Expenditure Authority) policy, authorized order approvers, and proxies when processing purchase requests.
• Review purchase request and supporting documents for accuracy, completeness, and adherence to State purchasing policies and procedures.
• Confirm the appropriate use of Department of Enterprise Services' state mater contracts for procurements.
• Recommend alternative purchasing options when appropriate.
• Coordinate with Department of Enterprise Services', Department of Corrections, and State Printer while procuring goods and services to ensure correct purchasing policies and procedures are followed.
• Make sourcing decisions based on knowledge of procurement and supply practices.
• Verify state contract pricing, bid pricing, or competitive pricing is accurate for POs.
• Issue POs for goods and services using S&E system, purchasing charge cards, and vendor's online ordering system.
• Contact vendors regarding order status, damaged shipments, and any other irregularities, resolve issues and negotiate acceptable settlements including revisions to invoices, as needed.
• Conduct research for new sources of supply and contact potential vendors for product information.
•  Identify whether purchased goods are inventoried per WSDA's inventory policy and procedure, and assign asset tag numbers to fixed assets, as needed.
• Work with programs to complete equipment inventory forms.
• Coordinate and complete physical inventory count of agency assets at least every two years to maintain compliance with OFM requirements.
• Ensure all division asset counts balance with agency accounting records.
• Update CAMS records to reflect new, disposed, and changed assets.
• Monthly reconciliation report on agency inventory totals based on depreciation.
• Reconcile purchasing charge cards to bank statements and vendor invoices on a weekly basis and alert finance if any fraudulent activity is suspected.
• Remain current on procurement laws, rules, regulations, best practices, and trends.
• Interact across all levels of the agency and escalate issues to manager level as needed.
• Write and maintain procedures manual for work duties.
• Provide input and comment on drafts of purchasing policies and procedures.
• Prepare and conduct internal purchasing training on purchasing process, inventory, and other related procurement topics.
• Maintain staff training database on required procurement training through WA State Learning Center.

• Develop and implement strategies needed to assure that goods and services are available.
• Attend or facilitate pre-bid session and document key elements of the negotiation and agreement in the contract file.
• Coordinate the procedures and tasks for the preparation of efficient solicitations and acquisitions.
• Review and update Contracting and Procurement Policies.
• Coordinator with DES, OMWBE and other agencies to improve supplier diversity. Ensure bidding opportunities are available to diverse vendor communities.

• Serve as a backup to the Contracts and Procurement Manager when out of the office.
• Provide limited administrative and budget support to Financial Services and Facilities staff in relation to janitorial contracts.
• Share responsibility for yearly contract reporting.
• Consult and communicate with AAG's as necessary.
• Participate in developing contract management strategies in collaboration with AAG's.

Who should apply?

Professionals with:

• A Bachelor of Arts degree involving major study in business administration, public administration, business law, commerce, mathematics, statistics, economics, or closely allied field.

OR

• A Master's degree in one of the above academic disciplines may be substituted for one (1) year of experience. A law degree from an accredited college or university approved by the Washington State Bar Association may be substituted for two (2) years of experience and education. 

• Additional qualifying experience may be substituted year for year, for education.

• Three (3) years of experience in negotiating, administering or terminating government contracts, contract property management, contract cost or price analyses or contract compliance administration.

Preferred/Desired Qualifications:

• Basic proficiency using Microsoft Office software applications and products including Word, Excel, and Outlook; able to creat, edit, modify, save, and delete documents and spreadsheets.

• One of the following professional certifications:

  • Certified Professional Public Buyer (CPPB)

  • Certified Public Purchasing Officer (CPPO)

  • Certified Purchasing Manager (C.P.M)

  • Certified professional in Supply Management (CPSM) or other related certifications.

Employee Benefits

• A healthy work/life balance, which may include flexible work schedules, and teleworking.
• WSDA provides an excellent benefits package beyond traditional benefits. State employment offers Dependent Care Assistance, Flexible Spending Accounts, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, Tuition Waiver, Deferred Compensation, Employee Recognition Leave; click here for more information.
• 12 paid Holidays & Vacation and Leave Accruals.
• All Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) required will be provided by the agency. 

How to apply 

You must complete your careers.wa.gov profile and answer the supplemental questions. In addition to completing the online application, and supplemental questions applicants must attach the following documents to their profile to be considered for this position:    

· A resume detailing experience and education

· A cover letter describing how you meet the specific qualifications for this position

· Three professional references 

By submitting these materials, you are indicating that all information is true and correct. The state may verify information. Any untruthful or misleading information is cause for removal from the applicant pool or dismissal if employed.

If you are having technical difficulties creating, accessing, or completing your application, please call NEOGOV toll-free at (855) 524-5627 or email support@neogov.com.

The initial screening will be solely based on the contents and completeness of your application and the materials submitted. All information may be verified, and documentation may be required. Applications received via e-mail will not be accepted in lieu of applying through the state's on-line recruitment system.

Equity at WSDA

The Department of Agriculture recognizes, appreciates, supports, embraces, and respects all cultural identities and backgrounds while we collaborate in authentic ways. We hire amazing people that share in the commitment to our Pro-Equity Anti-Racist (PEAR) strategic plan, our Healthy Environment for All (HEAL) Act implementation plan, and our unique needs and desires for belonging, respect, and inclusion. We value the growth and development of our team members by providing equitable access to resources and opportunities for continuous learning, improvement, and advancement.

We strive to hire, cultivate, and retain a productive and dedicated workforce that reflects the communities we serve while we are committed to a workplace that celebrates our differences and supports equal opportunity employment and inclusion regardless of race, creed, color, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, marital status, families with children (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sex, sexual orientation, gender identity diversity, age, status as a protected veteran, honorably discharged veteran or military status, status as an individual with the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with disabilities or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state, and local laws.

Contact Us

Should you have any questions regarding this position or the online application, contact the Human Resource Office at Recruitment@agr.wa.gov.

Prior to a new appointment into the Department of Agriculture, a background check including criminal record history will be conducted. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment but will be considered in determining the applicant's suitability and competence to perform in the position. 

The Human Resources Division may use referrals from this recruitment to help fill future similar vacancies for up to six months.

Veteran's Preference: Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications and wish to claim Veteran's Preference MUST attach a copy of their DD214, or other verification of military service. Please blackout any personally identifiable data such as social security numbers. For additional information on Veteran's Preference and guidance on how to determine if you are eligible, click here. 

Persons with a disability, who need assistance with their application or need this announcement in an alternative format, may call 664-1960 or toll free (877) 664-1960. TTY users should first call 711 to access the Washington Relay Service.

For more information about the Washington State Department of Agriculture, visit us at www.agr.wa.gov.