Team Lead Contracting Officer at United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) (2019-03 – Present)
Acquisition team leader and unlimited warrant holder within the Office of Procurement of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, under the Chief Financial Officer. Lead an acquisition team consisting of a group of 3 contract specialists. Group is responsible for acquisition planning, award, and administration of a variety of acquisition solutions involving highly specialized procurements of significant importance to the agency.
Provide customer service to the various program offices, serving as the source selection authority for new award evaluations, and reviewing, approving, and signing all contracts and modifications that are administered under the team.
- Devise strategy and lead negotiations with the authority of an unlimited warrant.
- Provide acquisition planning, market research, and procurement package development guidance to the agency-wide enterprise business product line team.
- Review requests for procurement packages for 80+ information technology contracts.
- Decide best fit or alternative solutions when selecting contractual vehicles and Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO) procedures (RFO Part 8, 12, 15, and 16).
- Provide supportable research analysis from Federal Acquisition and Agency Acquisition Regulations.
- Assist division chief with assigning contract actions to acquisition team contract specialists.
- Evaluate price proposals utilizing cost and price analysis techniques to determine whether price and costs are allocable and reasonable.
- Provide on-the-job training for multiple GS-12 and GS-13 contract specialists within the acquisition team.
- Lead internal tiger teams responsible for improving acquisition policy and processes, including the office's review and approval matrix, and its policy for cybersecurity compliance.
- Develop and execute acquisition and strategic plans, determined appropriate and compliance use of special clauses and terms/conditions applicable to solicitations, and the sources to be solicited.
- Administer agency responses to GAO and agency level protests, including issuing contracting officer statements, communicating with agency and private sector lawyers, and drafting/finalizing agency corrective action plans, if necessary.
- Serve as the USPTO representative on the Department of Commerce's Procurement Innovation Lab Council, developing the agency's Procurement Innovation Plan.
- Serve as a USPTO representative at Small Business conferences in the Washington, D.C. area.
Division Chief at United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) (2021-04 – 2021-08)
Acted as the Supervisory Division Chief for the Policy & Compliance Division within the Office of Procurement of the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Led and supervised division consisting of policy writers, small business specialists, training specialists, and data analysts. Responsible for division's policy writing and implementation for the Office of Procurement, as well as maintaining compliance of all policy from USPTO and the Department of Commerce.
Created, coordinated, and delivered training for entire acquisition community within the agency. Led division's internal and external audits, met agency Small Business goals, training goals, and performed data analysis to support various initiatives within Office of Procurement.
- Reviewed procurement memorandums written for the implementation of new policy or updating existing policy.
- Provided training to the Office of Procurement on the education and re-education of the Patent and Trademark Acquisition Guidelines (PTAG) on applicable policy related to the agency and DOC.
- Represented USPTO on the Department of Commerce (DOC) Acquisition Council - Brainstormed and drafted new policy to improve efficiency and maintain the relevance of all policies at DOC and the USPTO.
- Supervised and coordinated with audit liaisons in response to internal/external OIG and A123 audits.
- Supervised and led the Small Business specialist in determining strategies related to meeting agency-wide and OCFO Small Business goals.
Contract Specialist at United States Department of Education (2014-10 – 2019-03)
Completed a three-year developmental program for highly skilled entry-level contract specialists into leadership positions through two primary contracting groups (Programs, Operations, or Education Sciences) within the Contracts and Acquisitions Management (CAM) office. Spent the final year of the program as a member of a contracting team within CAM, awarding and administering contracts on behalf of the Department, and negotiating changes to contracts and approved payments.
- Solicited and administered modifications, close-out of purchase orders, and contracts.
- Developed, implemented, and reviewed contracting plans for pre-award, post award, price/cost analysis and a wide variety of procurement activities.
- Provided technical/business advice, guidance, and legal interpretation in all areas of contracting.
- Led negotiations and planned negotiation strategies, saving the agency over $5 million per year.
- Developed and implemented acquisition plans for pre- and post-award contracting functions including cost/price analysis.
- Analyzed requirements, recommended revisions to statements of work (SOW) or specifications and decided on the type of contract and associated milestones and procurement plans.
- Developed special clauses and terms and conditions applicable to solicitations.
- Determined competitive range in negotiations with multiple offerors.
Assistant Manager at Enterprise Holdings (Rent-A-Car) (2013-09 – 2014-10)
Completed Enterprise Holding's 2013-2014 Mobility Management Trainee Program, which provided training in customer service, sales & marketing, finance, and operations. Managed a team of 15 employees and directly responsible for branch financials and assets.
- Developed, implemented, executed, and maintained an operation plan and maximized profitability and effective marketing/sales for a 300-car branch
- Utilized cost control and profit and loss statement analysis to develop and manage branch financial decision making.
- Executed business plans with aggressive marketing strategies to generate new business.
- Developed relationships with Insurance Agents, Body Shops, and Corporate customers for referrals.
