The purpose of this classification is to coordinate procurement activities for complex goods/services, high technology acquisitions, buildings, roads, and/or construction projects for County departments, ensuring compliance with applicable purchasing policies/contracts and requirements governing quality, quantity, timeliness, and reasonable cost.

Supervises, directs, and evaluates assigned staff, processing employee concerns and problems, directing work, counseling, disciplining and completing employee performance appraisals; conducts interviews and makes hiring recommendations; coordinates staff training.

Interprets, applies, and ensures compliance with state/local purchasing contracts and all applicable laws, rules, regulations, standards, policies and procedures; initiates any actions necessary to correct deviations; monitors new/proposed legislation for potential impact on County operations; confers with legal department regarding insurance and legal issues.

Serves as liaison between user departments and vendors in relation to purchasing functions; visits sites to gather information, analyze operations, become familiar with commodities used, and discuss product usage; coordinates communications between user departments and vendors.

Processes a variety of documentation associated with department operations, within designated timeframes and per established procedures; prepares complex proposals, formal contracts, bids, and quotes for goods/services; expedites time-sensitive requests or documentation.

Negotiates contracts for various professional services and/or construction projects; solicits bids or quotations from appropriate vendors; works with department staff to write bid specifications; determines need/type of insurance and bonding required for proposals; prepares construction bid documents and requests for proposals; prepares advertisements for publication; coordinates and facilitates pre-bid conferences; conducts bid openings and receives, logs, tabulates, and evaluates bids and quotations; conducts pre-qualifications to determine contractors’ capability to provide equipment or service; manages proposal evaluation process and serves on Selection Committees; provides supervisor and/or departments with bid tabulation results and recommendations of lowest responsive/responsible bidder; presents bids to Board of Commissioners as required; negotiates pricing, terms, and conditions of potential contracts; prepares contracts for signature.

Manages the award process; advises user departments through bid/award process; receives, reviews, and recommends changes to department recommendations to ensure legality/equity of awards in accordance with federal, state and local purchasing guidelines; compiles agenda requests for Board of Commissioners and furnishes information to clarify agenda items.

Develops and maintains volume contractual agreements; evaluates and determines need/feasibility for contract or price agreements; determines whether a contract or price agreement should be renewed, re-solicited, or discontinued based on department feedback, usage information, market analysis, and forecasted future requirements.

Ascertains annual needs for County contracts; prepares related bids and award contracts; negotiates and monitors County contracts for cellular telephone and paging services; monitors County contract for natural gas services.

Performs contract administration; administers purchase orders, price agreements, and contracts; compiles contract documents for complex commodities, construction , and services; reviews bonds and certificates of insurance to ensure compliance with all requirements; monitors stages of contract execution; facilitates resolution of vendor/contractor performance problems in relation to contracts/agreements.

Performs project management; coordinates and monitors work of contractors and consultants; schedules construction work; reviews progress reports; reviews payment requests from contractors and approves as appropriate.

Prepares, receives, analyzes, interprets, and processes requisitions for purchase orders; reviews for completeness and accuracy of information; determines appropriate method of procurement; researches potential vendors and price options; locates sources for unique/unusual items; negotiates pricing, terms, and conditions of potential purchases; verifies/assigns appropriate accounting codes and verifies availability of funds for each item.

Assigns/issues purchase order numbers; enters purchase order data into purchasing system; mails/faxes purchase orders to vendors; maintains follow-up system to expedite orders; processes edits, voids, errors, corrections, or other changes to purchase orders.

Establishes and maintains qualified product/vendor lists; researches each vendor’s capability to provide the commodity/service; compiles and maintains current bidder/source lists of vendors by commodity/service.

Evaluates and documents performance of vendors providing annual contracted services or contracted construction services.

Communicates with vendors regarding order placement, product information and pricing, order follow-up, resolution of problems/discrepancies, and other issues.

Communicates with department representatives regarding purchase of goods/services, purchasing guidelines, availability of goods under contract, or other issues; assists departments in determining their needs; serves as liaison between vendors and user departments.

Assists in resolving invoicing issues; matches invoices with purchase orders; reviews invoices for accuracy, researches discrepancies, and forwards for payment.

Conducts market analysis and informs user departments of market trends/conditions; compiles departmental usage data; analyzes price/availability of various products and their impact on County operations.

Maintains hard-copy and computerized files/records of contracts, purchase orders, and other purchasing activities.

Assists in conducting County surplus auctions.

Provides input regarding development or revision of policies/procedures relating to purchasing/procurement activities.

Compiles and/or monitors various statistical or administrative data; conducts research and makes calculations as appropriate; performs cost/price analysis; prepares reports and/or maintains records.

Conducts research and assists with special projects as assigned; researches potential equipment/materials for inclusion in annual contracts.

Prepares or completes various forms, reports, correspondence, logs, requests for proposal, bid documents, addendum, bid tabulations, contracts, activity reports, expedite reports, purchase requisitions, purchase orders, bidder lists, source lists, bid advertisements, open encumbrance reports, agenda requests, tables, spreadsheets, or other documents.

ADDITIONAL FUNCTIONS

Performs general/clerical tasks, which may include answering telephone calls, typing documents, making copies, sending/receiving faxes, filing documentation, processing incoming/outgoing mail, or mailing bid packages.

Provides assistance to other employees or departments as needed.

Performs other related duties as required.

Associate’s degree with course work emphasis in Purchasing, Procurement, Business Administration, or a related field; supplemented by four (4) years previous experience and/or training that includes contract administration, purchasing, procurement, and personal computer operations; or any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience which provides the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities for this job.

BENEFITS PROVIDED BY FORSYTH COUNTY TO FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES:

Personal Leave Accrual

Personal leave shall be accrued as follows:

0 – 1 Year - 12 days per year - 3.68 hours per pay period
1 - 4 Years - 20 days per year - 6.16 hours per pay period
5 - 14 Years - 25 days per year - 7.70 hours per pay period
15+Years - 30 days per year - 9.24 hours per pay period

Observed Holidays

New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veteran's Day, Thanksgiving (2), and Christmas (2).

Medical Insurance
The Forsyth County Board of Commissioners offers employees a choice of two medical plans offered by Aetna and a plan offered by Kaiser Permanente.

• Aetna Choice POS II - $2000 Individual Deductible (Basic Plan)
• Aetna Choice POS II - $1000 Individual Deductible (Plus Plan)
• Kaiser Permanente HMO- $0 Individual Deductible

Dental Insurance
The Forsyth County Board of Commissioners offers two dental plans from Delta Dental:

• Base $1,000 Plan
• Buy-Up $1,500 Plan

Vision Insurance
The vision plan offered by Forsyth County Board of Commissioners is administered by Aetna and will offer office visit copays for exams, as well as copays for lenses, frames, and contacts.

Basic Life & AD&D Insurance
The Forsyth County Board of Commissioners recognizes the importance of basic life insurance for all of its employees. The Board provides term life insurance and accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) protection for each full-time employee. This is a County-paid benefit.

Disability Insurance – Short Term and Long Term
100% paid by Forsyth County. Eligibility begins date of hire.

Short Term Disability – 60% of weekly earnings to a maximum of $1,000.00 a week. Eligibility begins 14 days after an accident or sickness and has a benefit period of 24 weeks.

Long Term Disability – 60% of monthly earnings to a maximum of $5,000.00 a month. Eligibility begins at 26 weeks to coordinate with the end of Short Term benefits and continues 24 months (Own Occupation).

Additional Life Insurance and AD&D
Rates vary based on amount of coverage selected. Additional life insurance may be purchased for employee, spouse, and children.

Retirement Plan (401K)

Fully vested at five years of employment – 20% graduated vesting annually. Eligible to begin contributions immediately upon hire.

6 mos to 3 yrs – County matches 100% of a max 5% of employee gross contributions

3 yrs to 10 yrs – County contributes 5% of base salary & County matches 100% of a max of 5% of gross employee contributions

Over 10 yrs – County contributes 5% base & County matches 100% of a max of 5% of gross employee contributions & County matches 50% of next 5% of gross employee contributions