Our mission is simply stated: ERS offers competitive benefits to enhance the lives of its members. Each team member across the agency contributes to our ongoing success. ERS is open for business five days a week, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, to meet customers where they need us: in person, on the phone, in their communities, and online. ERS currently offers opportunities that include flexible work schedules.

ERS is seeking Contract Specialist to perform moderately complex (journey to senior level) contract management work and is responsible for the timely coordination and delivery of all agency solicitations through all phases of development: pre-development, research and content development, pre-publication/publication/post-publication, evaluation, finalist recommendation, contract award, and post-contract award. Work involves routine/complex procurement, contract, and project management activities and coordination responsibilities to ensure key stakeholders are involved in the development and evaluation activities for each solicitation. Assists in managing projects. Works under considerable supervision of the Procurement Managers, Assistant Director and Director of Procurement and Contract Oversight (OPCO), with limited latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment.

Essential Responsibilities include, but are not limited to

Development Activities (Research, Content, Scheduling, Project Planning)

• Oversees, develops and reviews all solicitation documents and appendices for publication. Reviews and develops content for solicitations using established best practices methods including researching resource materials, by identifying provider resources and describing services to be rendered.
• Leads, develops, reviews and coordinates standardized processes for upcoming solicitations utilizing standard project management practices, tools, methodologies, and templates. Engages agency stakeholders in content review and development; coordinates updates to content based on stakeholder feedback.
• Identifies project planning objectives, determines feasibility of project scope, develops project plans and coordinates project plan milestones.
• Develops project ensuring alignment with strategic goals and assists with governing the integrity of project schedules and milestones tracking across multiple initiatives.
• Identifies potential project risks and develops appropriate mitigation and contingency plans of action and successfully implements them, if necessary.
• Coordinates and oversees agency-wide kickoff meetings for all key stakeholders and coordinates agency's evaluators from appropriate divisions.
• Creates, develops and reviews project in ERS’ procurement portal (Euna Procurement) for use during solicitation development and evaluation by procurement, evaluators and vendors.
• Establishes project prioritization frameworks and directs the scheduling of critical path activities to optimize resource allocation and ensure timely delivery.

Publication Activities

• Reviews, develops, and coordinates the timely posting of all required notifications including Electronic State Business Daily, Contract Advisory Team (CAT), Legislative Budget Board, etc.
• Reviews and coordinates the submission of all required notifications and documents to ESBD, CAT, Euna Procurement, etc.
• Performs and reviews the functions necessary for the successful launch of the solicitation’s publication (i.e., template development, finalize appendices, etc.), including any necessary supplemental data.
• Establishes document security and provides access to information from requesting vendors.
• Monitors ERS’ procurement mailboxes; processes and coordinates the timely delivery of vendor notifications and responses to vendors (i.e., announcements, responses to vendor inquiries, etc.).

Response Evaluation Activities

• Coordinates clarification response process.
• Oversees the evaluation of information supplied by respondents and supports the negotiating of contract specifications.
• Assists in developing various evaluation matrices used to score or grade vendors’ proposals.
• Assists in developing and manages clarification request process.
• Assist in performing quality control reviews of vendors’ proposals to ensure compliance with solicitation, legal and regulatory requirements.
• Coordinates meetings, in-person and video conference interviews, site visits, reference checks and similar presentations, as necessary, and records minutes as required.
• Ensures evaluation scoring summaries for all Subject Matter Experts (SME) are up-to-date and accurate.
• Ensures reference checks are completed, as necessary.

Contract Award Recommendation Activities

• Assists in the coordination of meetings with Executive Office and agency stakeholders with regard to vendor selection.
• Assists in developing and reviewing recommendation documentation that may include Board Recommendation, preparation of Public Agenda items, Board PowerPoint slides, or other like documentation.

Contract and Post-Contract Award Activities

• Assists in working with the Office of the General Counsel to finalize the clarifications, appendices, exhibits, and other documentation that constitute the Contract.
• Processes all post-award vendor mail notifications (contract selection decision, responses to vendor inquiries, etc.).
• Facilitates a lessons learned session with key stakeholders to identify opportunities for process improvements and address best practices.
• Assists in scheduling post-contract award vendor conference calls, as necessary.
• Assists with coordinating meetings, gathering information and materials regarding any bid protests.

Contract Specialist III performs the essential functions as a Contract Specialist II in addition to:

• Performs administrative and technical support work with regard to development activities (research, content, scheduling, and project planning), publication activities, evaluation activities, bid recommendation activities, and contract/post-award activities for moderate to high-risk solicitations.
• Finalizes and reviews evaluation summaries, as necessary.

Other Duties and Responsibilities:

·Escalates critical issues for timely resolutions; negotiates time and resource commitments for project teams.

·May develop and assist in the preparation of administrative reports, studies, PowerPoint presentations, and specialized research projects.

·May assist with updates and maintenance of program policies and procedures.

·May serve as an administrative resource for the Division.

·Performs other duties as assigned.

·Attends work on a regular and predictable schedule in accordance with agency leave and attendance policies.

·Complies with all applicable agency policies and procedures, including safety and standards of conduct

Required Minimum Qualifications: Your application for employment must reflect how you meet each of the following minimum qualifications:

1. To qualify as a Contract Specialist II: Graduation from an accredited senior high school or equivalent and 60 semester hours of college credit. Qualifying experience beyond the minimum required may substitute for education. To qualify as a Contract Specialist III: Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university. Qualifying experience beyond the minimum required may substitute for education.

2. Two (2) to three (3) years (depending on classification level) of advanced writing experience. Education may substitute for up to two years of the writing experience requirement.

Preferred Qualifications: Your application for employment should reflect how you meet the following preferred qualifications:

3. Professional work experience as an auditor, paralegal, technical writer, or other similar roles.

4. Experience with SharePoint.

5. Experience with Adobe.

Additional Information:

• CTCD certification. Individuals who do not have this certification must obtain it within six (6) months of hire date. Must maintain valid certification for continued employment in position.

• CTCM certification. Individuals who do not have this certification must obtain it within nine (9) months of hire date. Must maintain valid certification for continued employment in position.

PLEASE NOTE All submissions should contain complete job history entries, which includes job title, dates of employment, name of employer, and a description of duties performed as related to the position you are applying for. Resumes lacking sufficient detail, such as a summary of experience in lieu of progression of work history may not meet minimum qualifications.

Other Information: In accordance with state law, authorization for telework may not be awarded to an employee as a condition of hiring. As an agency process, new employees complete a 30 day fully onsite period before evaluation for a telework agreement. This position may require access to privileged, confidential, or sensitive data. ERS will conduct either a TXDPS or FBI criminal history check on all new hires. For more information about this policy inquiries can be made to employment@ers.texas.gov. Please note: Internal applicants in the same salary group and classification as the posted position are eligible to receive an increase in salary where applicable up to the posted maximum.

ERS does not sponsor or assume sponsorship of an employment visa.

Military Occupational Specialty Codes:

Veterans, Reservists or Guardsmen with experience in the Military Occupational Specialty (https://hr.sao.texas.gov/Compensation/MilitaryCrosswalk/MOSC_PropertyManagementandProcurement.pdf) along with the minimum qualifications listed above may meet the minimum requirements and are highly encouraged to apply. Please contact Human Resources at employment@ers.texas.govwith questions or for additional information.

How to Apply: Ready to join the dedicated, customer-focused team at ERS? Submit the following to the ERS Human Resources Office:

A State of Texas Application for Employment submitted online through CAPPS Recruit.

·Use the link below to create a CAPPS Recruit account and build your profile on the “My JobPage” tab in the upper left corner of the screen.

·https://capps.taleo.net/careersection/327/jobsearch.ftl?lang=en

·Once your profile is complete, click on the “Job Search” tab in the upper left corner of the screen to view available career opportunities and submit your application.

Applications submitted through Work in Texas:

If you apply for an ERS position via Work in Texas https://www.workintexas.com/vosnet/Default.aspx, you will also need to complete a supplemental questions form. For more details, refer to the instructions in the email you receive from CAPPS Recruit.

Please contact a Human Resources representative if you need assistance or require accommodation during the application process.

Email: Employment@ers.texas.gov

Web: www.ers.texas.gov

Relay Texas TDD: (800) 735-2989

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/employees-retirement-system-of-texas/