Contracts Specialist ; CS​/DLS - Project

Overview

Contracts Specialist 3 (CS3/DLS) - Project

This is a project position funded through 10/30/2030.

Join a high-impact team supporting Washington’s Rural Health Transformation Program, a major effort to strengthen access to care in rural communities. The Contracts Specialist 3 is ideal for someone with strong contract development, negotiation and stakeholder coordination skills, who is comfortable handling complex, grant-funded agreements in a fast-paced public sector environment. Washington residents will benefit from telework flexibility while applying their legal analytical skills to make a difference statewide.

All HCA employees will apply an equity lens to their work, which may include but is not limited to all analyses of core business and processes.

Within the Office of the Chief of Staff of HCA, the Division of Legal Services (DLS) provides the people, processes, and expertise to reduce risk while meeting the agency’s strategic goals. Within DLS, the Office of Contracting and Procurement (OCP) is managed by the agency’s Contracts Administrator. This position reports directly to the Contracts and Procurement Manager – IT / Operations and may, at times, take direction directly from the Contracts Administrator or other Contracts and Procurement Managers within OCP as necessary.

The Contracts Specialist 3 supports Washington’s Rural Health Transformation Program, a major initiative that utilizes up to $1 billion in funding to strengthen rural health care access, workforce capacity, and long-term sustainability. The position works within the Health Care Authority’s contracting and procurement team to manage complex, and sometimes politically sensitive state and federal contracts, to help move the program forward.

CS3’s help ensure the right contracts are planned, negotiated, and managed so public funding is used responsibly and effectively for rural programming and across the agency.

This position is eligible to telework but is occasionally required to travel or report on-site to meet business need
. The default assigned work location of all Health Care Authority (HCA) positions – both on-site and telework eligible positions – is within the State of Washington. This position reports to Olympia, WA
. Frequency of onsite work will vary based on business and operational needs. HCA has currently suspended the ability to support out-of-state telework.

• Independently initiate, manage, and complete complex HCA contracts and grants by coordinating with program stakeholders and internal program staff.
• Resolve issues that arise during the contracting process, including but not limited to disputes, protests, liquidated damages, and excess costs.
• Oversees the preparation, review and negotiation and approval of new and existing contracts or agreements for the Department, modifies contracts when conflicts arise.
• Collaborates with program/project management staff on developing the contents for competitive contracts. Independently writes, and/or provides technical advice for RFP’s, RFQ’s, RFQQ’s, etc.
• Approves and/or develops the contents for – and manages the process of – advertising for competitive contracts via the agency Internet, and WEBS. Develop work plans for contract solicitations.
• Independently writes and/or provides technical advice for the Statement of Work (SOW), contract deliverables, contract amendments, and other contract documents.
• Negotiates (language, deliverables, time frames, and cost) contracts and agreements verbally and in writing by interacting with vendors, internal staff, and other state agency staff to award contracts for needed services.
• Manages and facilitates protest debriefings with non-successful bidders.
• Independently reviews and/or approves contract requests and determines applicable regulations.
• Serve as a liaison to state agencies such as DES, OFM, OCIO and CTS and contractors regarding various programs.
• Maintains the official repository of contract records.
• Advise junior Contract Specialists with contracting and procurement subject matter.
• Provides technical assistance to internal and external constituents and stakeholders…