Principal Contract Administrator (Acquisition Management Services)
- Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
- Los Angeles, California
- Full Time
Performs complex work in support of contract administration activities for Metro's acquisition of goods and services.
Recruitment Timelines: Interviews are projected to be scheduled for the week of September 8, 2025. These dates are subject to change. We encourage you to monitor your governmentjobs.com profile and emails for the latest updates.
- Leads the planning, development, and execution, including reviews and comments, on Request for Proposals (RFPs) and Invitation for Bids (IFBs), as necessary
- Meets with internal and external clients to anticipate requirements
- Establishes evaluation criteria
- Prepares packages for advertising, printing, and distribution
- Conducts pre-bid and pre-proposal meetings to answer questions and set schedules
- Receives bids and proposals, acts as chairperson on bid/proposal evaluation team, and makes awards recommendations and formalizes awards
- Prepares various contract award letters and notices
- Responds to bid and proposal award protests
- Participates in initial contractor and consultant conferences
- Conducts negotiations as necessary
- Completes final draft of contracts
- Responsible for contract management activities after award
- Liaises with Metro's vendors and internal clients
- Maintains all records associated with an acquisition
- Supports Metro's diverse and economically disadvantaged programs, as well as other initiatives as assigned
- Reviews and approves invoices and payments
- Negotiates and approves change orders, task orders, contract work orders, and contract modifications
- Coordinates escrow agreements
- Attends progress meetings to review contract issues, set payment schedules, and make adjustments to contract administration
- Monitors contract compliance
- Assists in developing claim strategies designed to minimize damage assessment and effect on schedules
- Arranges and participates in final inspection and prepares closeout documents
- Prepares monthly status reports, summaries, and other correspondence
- Briefs management on assigned projects and give oral presentations as applicable
- Provides guidance and assistance to lower-level employees
- Communicates and implements safety rules, policies, and procedures in support of the agency's safety vision and goals; and maintains accountability for the safety performance of all assigned employees
- Contributes to ensuring that the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) policies and programs of Metro are carried out
May be required to perform other related job duties
A combination of education and/or experience that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the essential functions of the position. Additional experience, as outlined below, may be substituted for required education on a year-for-year basis. A typical combination includes:
Education
- Bachelor's Degree in Economics, Business, Public Administration, or a related field; Master's Degree in a related field preferred
Experience
- Five years of relevant experience performing complex contract administration work; some positions in this class may require specialized experience in area of assignment
Certifications/Licenses/Special Requirements
A valid California Class C Driver License or the ability to utilize an alternative method of transportation when needed to carry out job-related essential functions
Professional certification from National Contract Management Association (NCMA), American Production and Inventory Control Society (APICS), Institute for Supply Management (ISM), or equivalent preferred
Preferred Qualifications
Preferred Qualifications (PQs) are used to identify relevant knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) as determined by business necessity. These criteria are considered preferred qualifications and are not intended to serve as minimum requirements for the position. PQs will help support selection decisions throughout the recruitment. In addition, applicants who possess these PQs will not automatically be selected.
The following are the preferred qualifications:
- Experience developing and executing Requests for Proposals (RFPs) and Invitations for Bids (IFBs) for multi-million-dollar solicitations.
- Experience analyzing market trends and performing cost and/or price analysis for goods and services.
- Experience leading negotiation plans, executing change orders, and administering contract modifications.
- Experience applying and administering applicable local, state, and federal laws, including Buy America provisions, and interpreting rules, regulations, and policies pertaining to public procurement.
Knowledge of (defined as a learned body of information that is required for and applied in the performance of job tasks)
- Theories, principles, and practices of public procurement, supply chain management, contract administration and/or practice of public agencies
- Applicable local, state, and federal laws, rules, regulations and policies pertaining to public procurement
- Financial and mathematical analysis, and statistical research
- Theories, principles and practices of project management
- Principles of supervision
- Applicable business software applications
Skill in (defined as the proficient manual, verbal, or mental utilization of data, people, or things)
- Performing complex contract administration and management work
- Planning, organizing, and coordinating the work of an integrated project team to perform contract administration functions
- Interviewing and evaluating contract proposal respondents
- Acquiring and analyzing information and resources, identifying problems, and making decisions in support of Metro's goals
- Exercising sound judgment and creativity in making decisions
- Determining strategies to achieve goals
- Influencing, mediating, and negotiating
- Communicating effectively both orally and in writing
- Interacting professionally with various levels of Metro employees and outside representatives
Ability to (defined as a present competence to perform an observable behavior or produce an observable result)
- Serve as liaison across the organization to enhance, improve, and develop policies and procedures
- Think and act independently
- Meet tight time constraints
- Handle highly confidential material
- Represent Metro before the public
- Prepare comprehensive reports, contracts, specifications, correspondence, RFPs, and IFBs
- Perform cost analysis
- Understand, interpret, and apply laws, rules, regulations, policies, procedures, contracts, and budgets
- Overseeing, training, and motivating assigned staff
- Travel to offsite locations
- Read, write, speak, and understand English
Special Conditions
The physical demands described are representative of those that must be met by the employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Metro provides reasonable accommodation to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Working Conditions
Typical office situation
Close exposure to computer monitors and video screen
Physical Effort Required
Sitting at a desk or table
Operate a telephone or other telecommunications device and communicate through the medium
Type and use a keyboard and mouse to perform necessary computer-based functions
Communicating through speech in the English language required
(KM)