DNR Executive Director's Office Purchasing Agent III - Procurement

Pueblo Community College; Denver (CO); Hybrid; USD 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical and Dental plans

Strong retirement plans (PERA)

Paid life insurance

Disability coverage

Employee Wellness programs

Flexible Spending Accounts

Health Savings Accounts

11 paid holidays + vacation and sickle

Job summary

The Colorado Department of Natural Resources is seeking a procurement professional to oversee solicitations, contracting, and vendor agreements within the Executive Director's Office. You will ensure compliance with the Colorado Procurement Code and Fiscal Rules while supporting divisions across DNR.

Responsibilities include developing specifications, conducting pre-bid meetings, evaluating proposals, and guiding teams to award cycles that maximize competition and transparency.

Responsibilities

• Assist DNR divisional staff to acquire all necessary goods, services, and construction services in a timely and cost-effective manner.
• Make procurement decisions at the department level by interpreting and analyzing needs, specifications, data and circumstances; to clarify State and federal procurement requirements.
• Determine optimal method of procurement and develop prepare and publish various solicitation documents, including documented quotations, formal invitations for bids, requests for proposals, requests for qualifications, and requests for information.
• Convene and manage review teams in order to evaluate bidder proposals and qualifications to make negotiated purchases and awards.
• Provide professional purchasing expertise, counsel and assistance to divisional staff. Provide additional customer service to divisions for questions related to DNR and statewide procurement standards and procedures.
• Provides technical guidance to customers using CORE.
• Help to develop purchasing processes and schedules, and make the judgments and decisions implicit in these activities based on professional discretion.

Job description

This posting is only open to residents of the State of Colorado at the time of submitting your application.

Consider joining the dedicated people of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources. It’s our mission to manage and conserve Colorado’s natural resources for the benefit of people today – and tomorrow. That means we have to balance development with conservation so the state we all love provides similar opportunities for our children and their children.

We invite you to explore our website at https://dnr.colorado.gov/about-us to find out more about the work we do to manage Colorado’s natural resources for today – and tomorrow.

The State of Colorado believes that equity, diversity, and inclusion drive our success, and we encourage candidates from all identities, backgrounds, and abilities to apply.

In addition to offering rewarding, meaningful work, we offer:

• Medical and Dental plans
• Strong, flexible retirement plans including PERA Defined Benefit Plan or PERA Defined Contribution Plan, plus pre-tax and Roth 401K and 457 plans
• Paid life insurance
• Short- and long-term disability coverage
• Employee Wellness programs
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Health Savings Accounts
• 11 paid holidays per year plus generous vacation and sick leave
• Flexible work schedule options and remote-work options
• Career advancement opportunities throughout the State system
• Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.

Department of Natural Resources, Executive Director's Office

The Executive Director’s Office (EDO) within the Colorado Department of Natural Resources (DNR) exists to manage and supervise the activities of the Divisions within DNR in the development, preservation, and enhancement of Colorado’s natural resources for the benefit and enjoyment of its citizens – both now and in the future. EDO combines and manages the administrative, operational and performance functions of all DNR divisions, including the EDO.

The purpose of the work unit is to manage all aspects of procurement including solicitations, contracting using purchase orders, formalizing agreements and vendor agreements for the Department. These activities fall under the Group II Purchasing Delegation from the Colorado Department of Personnel and Administration to the Department of Natural Resources, as well as individual delegations from the State Controller for no-risk and low-risk contract approvals. The unit ensures that all procurement activities are in compliance with the Colorado Procurement Code, Fiscal Rules, and applicable policies, procedures and guidelines.

• Assist DNR divisional staff to acquire all necessary goods, services, and construction services in a timely and cost-effective manner.
• Make procurement decisions at the department level by interpreting and analyzing needs, specifications, data and circumstances; to clarify State and federal procurement requirements.
• Determine optimal method of procurement and develop prepare and publish various solicitation documents, including documented quotations, formal invitations for bids, requests for proposals, requests for qualifications, and requests for information.
• Convene and manage review teams in order to evaluate bidder proposals and qualifications to make negotiated purchases and awards.
• Provide professional purchasing expertise, counsel and assistance to divisional staff. Provide additional customer service to divisions for questions related to DNR and statewide procurement standards and procedures.
• Provides technical guidance to customers using CORE.
• Help to develop purchasing processes and schedules, and make the judgments and decisions implicit in these activities based on professional discretion.

Solicit Commodities, Services, Construction and Professional Services

Review purchase requests for various factors, including completeness, if requisite pre-reviews and pre-approvals are necessary and have been obtained, fair and reasonable pricing, compliance with required rules and policies, and urgency. Determine the most effective method of procurement that will provide the requested commodities/services/construction when needed, while maximizing competition and complying with relevant laws and rules. Formulate, solicit, analyze, evaluate and award solicitations, which includes developing and/or reviewing the proper specifications with applicable terms and conditions and sending to the appropriate vendors to obtain maximum competitions. Convene and direct pre-bid meetings between users and bidders when required. Coordinate vendor questions, provide answers and clarifications to solicitation requirements. Lead teams of program and subject matter experts and guide individual teams through the evaluation of multiple proposals, including interaction with vendors to ensure that proposals are fully understood. Award solicitations in compliance with procurement rules and regulations to the lowest responsible bidder or best value proposal based on the recommendation of an evaluation team. Announce the ranked order of qualified professional services consultants resulting from a Request for Qualifications issued under Colorado Statutes.

Review and Approve Purchase Orders

Review purchase orders and small dollar grant awards submitted by procurement liaisons within the DNR divisions, evaluating purchase order requests for compliance with required pre-reviews and pre-approvals, procurement and fiscal code, rules, as well as federal, statewide and department policies and guidelines. Make determinations if the purchase order is in compliance and meets fair and reasonable pricing requirements. Work with division procurement liaisons in order to bring deficient purchase order requests into compliance. Approve purchase orders and small dollar grant awards.

Reference and Outreach to Division Staff

Provide guidance and counsel to employees throughout the Department’s divisions, particularly procurement liaisons, contract administrators and program/project managers, by analyzing problems, interpreting laws and statutes, researching best practices and seeking information from the State Controller’s Office, Attorney General ‘s Office and State Purchasing Office. Train department staff on procurement rules and regulations and processes. Assist agencies in setting up efficient procedures for processing purchases, managing purchasing needs, and monitoring vendor performance. Work with division procurement liaisons and program managers to gain understanding and support of accountability and responsibility, even when there are unique problems and/or circumstances. May conduct