State of Maryland

A Contract Administrator Trainee, DBM is the entry level of professional contract management work in the Department of Budget and Management (DBM). Employees in this classification learn to administer and ensure contractual compliance of contracts under the Office of Personnel Services and Benefits (OPSB). Employees in this classification learn the administration of all phases of a contract lifecycle which involves planning, organizing, and executing contract development, negotiation, performance monitoring and compliance, vendor management, change management, close-out and other activities associated with the contract management process. Employees in this classification do not supervise other positions.

Employees in this classification receive close supervision from a Contract Administrator Supervisor or other designated administrator. Employees in this classification will be expected to travel throughout the state of Maryland to conduct visits and on-site audits of records, documents, and operations of vendors.

Positions in this classification are evaluated by using the classification job evaluation methodology.  The use of this method involves comparing the 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 Contract Administrator Trainee DBM, Contract Administrator I DBM, Contract Administrator II DBM, and Contract Administrator III DBM are differentiated on the basis of degree of supervisory control exercised by the supervisor over these employees. The Contract Administrator Trainee DBM learns to perform duties under close supervision.  The Contract Administrator I DBM performs duties under close supervision.  The Contract Administrator II DBM performs the duties under close supervision at times and under general supervision at other times depending upon the complexity of the specific duty being performed. The Contract Administrator III DBM performs the full range of duties and responsibilities under general supervision.

Learns to manage assigned contracts throughout the contract lifecycle by planning, organizing, and executing pre-award, award, and/or post-award activities;

Learns to track and monitor vendors performance to ensure deliverables are satisfactorily met in compliance with contract specifications, special provisions, terms, and conditions;

Learns to review and analyze contract requirements and applicable State, federal and local laws, regulations, policies, and procedures to ensure contract compliance and quality assurance by identifying deficiencies and working with vendors to resolve issues and mitigate risks;

Learns to prepare, conduct, and examine performance guarantee and quality assurance reviews, and make recommendations for liquidated damages assessments and corrective actions such as withholding of payment or termination of contract;

Learns to process invoices, ensure proper and timely vendor payments, and assist with the implementation of fiscal controls necessary to ensure contract spend does not exceed maximum ceiling;

Learns to participate in procurement solicitations including preparing contract scope of work, preparing Board of Public Works (BPW) agenda submissions, attending pre-bid/pre-proposal conferences, responding to vendor questions, and participating on evaluation committees to determine contract awards;

Learns to prepare contract renewals, modifications, and task orders;

Learns to confer with State agency officials, contractors, and applicable parties to administer contract compliance reviews, communicate outcomes and trends, and address and resolve contract-related issues;

Learns to create new audit methodologies, manuals, and guidelines for new compliance and quality assurance reviews, and edits existing audit manuals and guidelines annually;

Learns to develop and implement standard operating procedures (SOPs) manuals, policies, procedures and systems for agency contract management activities and processes;

Learns to provide training and consultation to agency personnel regarding contract management, vendor management, compliance, and applicable contracting laws, regulations, policies, and procedures;

Performs other related duties.

Ability to learn contract management principles and practices; Ability to learn government procurement and contracting laws, regulations, policies, and procedures;

Ability to learn the principles and practices of management and public administration;

Ability to learn auditing principles, procedures, and techniques;

Ability to review and analyze contract documents and submissions for required content and proper format;

Ability to resolve practical and complex contract issues relating to contract compliance, modifications, progress and payments, and other similar issues;

Ability to research discrepancies in accounting and budgetary data and making necessary adjustments;

Ability to provide guidance to agency staff in contract or procurement laws, regulations, policies, and procedures;

Ability to monitor modal agency compliance with enterprise level contract or procurement laws, regulations, policies, and procedures;

Ability to use personal computers to prepare related contract documents;

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

Ability to work and complete assignments under strict timelines;

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees at various levels of State government and private sector vendors;

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

Education:   Graduation from an accredited high school or possession of a high school equivalency certificate.

Experience: None.

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 and 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 not assigned to a bargaining unit, as indicated by the designation of S (Supervisor), M (Manager), T (Agency Head), U (Board or Commission Member), W (Student), X (Used by Agency or Excluded by Executive Order), or Z (Confidential).  As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial, and confidential employees are excluded collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded 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.