State of Maryland

A DGS Procurement Officer Trainee is the entry level of professional work within the Department of General Services in the procurement of equipment, services, construction, supplies, information technology and other needs, which must be obtained through the competitive or negotiated procurement process. Employees in this classification are responsible for soliciting, evaluating, negotiating and awarding statewide contracts according to State procurement laws, procedures and regulations, as well as maintaining contracts by assuring compliance with terms and conditions. Employees in this classification learn to review, monitor and audit procurements of other State agencies. Employees in this classification do not supervise other DGS Procurement Officers, but learn to regularly give guidance and direction to Agency Procurement Specialists, Control Agency Procurement Associates and support staff.

Employees in this classification receive close supervision from a DGS Procurement Officer Supervisor or other designated administrator.

Positions in this classification are evaluated by using the classification job evaluation methodology. The use of this method involves comparing assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work sections of the class specification.

The DGS Procurement Officer Trainee, DGS Procurement Officer I and DGS Procurement Officer II are differentiated on the basis of degree of supervisory control exercised by the supervisor over these employees. The DGS Procurement Officer Trainee performs duties under close supervision, the DGS Procurement Officer I performs duties under close supervision at times and under general supervision at other times depending on the complexity of the specific duty being performed, and while the DGS Procurement Officer II performs the full range of duties and responsibilities under general supervision.

Learns to provide instruction, direction and guidance to contract and procurement personnel statewide in all aspects of the procurement process by attending agency pre-bid or pre-proposal conferences, meeting with agency procurement staff to discuss results of procurement analyses and conducting formal and informal training for agency procurement staff in State procurement laws, regulations, policies and procedures;

Learns to assist with and manages statewide contracts after award;

Learns to reviews, analyze and approve contract documents from other State agency procurement personnel for content and format, to ensure adherence to State procurement laws, regulations, policies and procedures, and to prevent duplicate and unnecessary procurements;

Learns how to determine basis for awards and evaluation criteria;

Learns to develop contract specifications including performance and acceptance standards, payment terms, contract management elements, contract modifications, contract renewals and advertisement requirements in accordance with State procurement procedures, laws and regulations for the procurement of all necessary services, supplies, equipment, real estate, construction, indefinite quantity contracts, facilities maintenance and commodities;

Learns to manage statewide indefinite quantity contracts;

Learns to conduct pre-bid/pre-proposal conferences, site inspections, explain procurement requirements, establish procurement procedures, and schedules, participate in, and conduct offerors’ discussions and contract negotiations;

Learns to examine bid proposals to determine issues of responsiveness and responsibility and need for additional information;

Learns to conduct bid openings for competitive procurements to determine whether offerors are qualified to be selected for award and may recommend proposals for awards;

Learns to manage the advertisement of procurement opportunities, distribute specifications to vendors, conduct vendor conferences, receive and secure bid or proposals, oversee the evaluation process and contract award;

Learns to assist with or conduct debriefings;

Learns to negotiate the most favorable prices, terms and conditions for noncompetitive sole source and emergency procurements;

Learns to research materials and provides testimony regarding Board of Public Works items;

Learns to prepare documents for Board of Public Works contract approval;

Learns to prepare minutes of pre-bid/pre-proposal conferences, addenda to Requests for Proposals (RFP)/Invitation for Bids (IFB) and answers written questions from potential bidders and offerors;

Learns to compile data and prepare routine and non-routine reports as required for use in evaluating State procurement activity;

Learns to provide testimony in bid protest disputes;

Learns to evaluate contractor’s performance against terms and conditions of contracts and recommends corrective actions, such as the application of damages, withholding of payment or termination of contract;

Confers with Assistant Attorney General’s Office regarding bid irregularities, contract disputes, protests or appeals and Public Information Act requests;

Verifies Certificates of Insurance, Bonds and references for compliance with contract requirements;

Verifies Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) participation;

Prepares documents for Board of Public Works (BPW) contract approval;

Receives assistance and guidance from higher-level DGS Procurement Officers in the performance of procurement related functions;

May provide advice and guidance to paraprofessional support staff, including Control Agency Procurement Associates;

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of the theories, principles and practices of public procurement administration;

Knowledge of government procurement laws, regulations, policies and procedures;

Knowledge of contract and specification writing techniques;

Skill in conducting procurements;

Skill in using computers and appropriate software to prepare contracts, specifications and procurement documents;

Ability to review procurement contracts for compliance with State laws and regulations;

Ability to construct, review and recommend approval of procurement-related agenda item submissions to the Board of Public Works;

Ability to provide guidance and training to State agency staff in State procurement laws, regulations, policies and procedures;

Ability to monitor State agency compliance with State procurement laws, regulations, policies and procedures;

Ability to prepare accurate and complete contracting and purchasing documents;

Ability to conduct pre-bid conferences and explain procurement regulations and procedures;

Ability to work and complete assignments under strict timelines;

Ability to communicate effectively with all levels of officials both inside and outside the agency.

Experience: Four years of professional or paraprofessional contract management or procurement experience.

Notes:

1. Candidates may substitute the possession of a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university for the required experience.

2. Candidates may substitute any of the following written certifications, obtained through passing an examination for the required experience: Certified Public Manager from the National Association of Purchasing Management; Certified Professional Contracts Manager from the National Contract Management Association; Certified Public Purchasing Officer or Certified Professional Public Buyer from the Universal Public Purchasing Certification Council (National Institute of Governmental Purchasing, Inc. or National Association of State Purchasing Officers).

3. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a commissioned officer in Contracting and Industrial Management classifications or Contracting and Industrial Management specialty codes in the Procurement field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required experience.  

Class specifications are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies. Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.

This is a Skilled Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Skilled Service positions. Some positions in Skilled Service classifications may be designated Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.

This classification is assigned to Bargaining Unit G, Engineering, Scientific and Administrative Professionals classes unit. As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual,      supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded from collective bargaining. Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.

Employees in this classification are eligible to receive overtime compensation. An employee who works more than the normal workweek is entitled to be compensated for that overtime as provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 8-305.

This classification is one level in a Non-Competitive Promotion (NCP) series.  NCP promotions are promotions by which employees may advance in grade and class level from trainee to full performance level in a classification series. In order     to be non-competitively promoted to the next level in a NCP series an employee must: 1) perform the main purpose of the class as defined in the Nature of Work section of the class specification; 2) receive the type of supervision defined in the class specification, and 3) meet the minimum qualifications of the classification.