Overview
The Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA) is a private, nonprofit corporation headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, just outside Washington, DC. IDA’s mission is to answer the most challenging U.S. security and science policy questions with objective analysis leveraging extraordinary scientific, technical, and analytic expertise. IDA operates three Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDC’s).

Responsibilities

• Responsible for the purchase of items, materials, and services of a technical and specialized nature.
• Manages the consultant agreements from proposal development through close-out. Required to negotiate consultant agreement language, pricing, terms and conditions, deliverables, and schedules. Prepares and documents cost/price analyses, representations and certifications, and ensures applicable Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and Defense FAR Supplement (DFARS) flow-down clauses are included in agreements.
• Applies advanced knowledge of procurement practices in the review of procurement documentation, including those prepared by Buyers, and approves all purchase orders consistent with approved signature authority. Ensures documentation is compliant with applicable FARs, DFARS, and IDA Procurement Policies and Procedures.
• Prepares Requests for Quotations (RFQs) and Proposals (RFPs), detailing specifics of requirements; evaluates responses for compliance, interpreting specifications such as detail and technical terms or properties to ensure that required configurations or services can be met. May guide Buyers in preparation of RFQs and RFPs.
• Develops reliable sources of supply and compiles cost and quality comparisons of items, materials or services; prepares market surveys/analysis and provides recommendations based on findings concerning product quality, available vendors, cost effectiveness and delivery terms. Stays abreast of market product development in order to locate new sources of supply and considers vendor socio-economic classifications to assist corporate efforts in meeting small business goals.
• Selects and guides Buyers to obtain qualified vendors to meet complex procurement requirements; reviews vendor status in terms of inventory and access to special order items, competitiveness and reliability; obtains competitive pricing; negotiates pricing and terms and conditions.
• Leads the review of procurements that require Headquarters and government contracting officer approval. Ensures that file documentation is accurate and complete according to IDA Procurement Policies and Procedures and applicable FARs and DFARS. Coordinates contracting officer approval, providing detailed knowledge of procurements as necessary to obtain contracting officer approval.
• May act as the Small Business Liaison Officer for the corporate Small Business Program. Assures subcontracting methods that allow fair and equitable opportunity to SB, SDB, VOSB, SD-VOSB, HUBZone and WOSB firms. Analyzes data and prepares required reports, detailing plan progress bi-annually and annually to executive level management as well as to government sources.
• Analyzes Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA) data and reports applicable procurement actions to government sources.
• Prepares for various government audits to include Contractor Purchasing System Review (CPSR). Compiles data and generates reports detailing the activities of the purchasing department.
• Interfaces with division points of contact to provide guidance and solutions to satisfy procurement requirements.
• Seeks knowledge of best practices continuously in procurement to ensure IDA’s procurement posture keeps pace with industry standards and IDA management expectations. Participates actively in business modernization efforts to improve and streamline procurement processes.
• Keeps the manager abreast of departmental issues.
• Performs other duties as required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business preferred with six years progressively responsible work experience in purchasing and negotiation procedures with defense contractors; or equivalent work experience.
• Extensive Knowledge of FARs and DFARS as they apply to government contractors.
• Ability to analyze data using price trend analysis and cost factoring and to apply results to current market and proposals.
• Computer experience with software such as MS Excel, MS Word, as well as other Microsoft applications, and Deltek Costpoint. Familiarity with automated reporting tools is also desirable.
• Ability to work under pressure of deadlines and deal with all levels of staff and management with tact and diplomacy.
• Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing with all levels of personnel.
• Ability to obtain and maintain necessary security clearance.
• US citizenship is required
• Successful completion of a criminal background check is required.