2E03
PAY RANGE: EP20
PROCUREMENT SPECIALIST 2
GENERAL DEFINITION
This is technical procurement work at the full performance level in a central procurement agency or in the Department of Aviation. An employee in this class develops purchasing specifications and standards, purchases an assigned group of general commodities, or manages services, supplies, and equipment (SS&E) or public work construction bids and contracts, or develops, modifies, and monitors contract processing procedures for professional services. Work includes ensuring the accurate processing of commodity requisitions or public work bids involving a variety of capital funded construction and/or renovation projects. This class is differentiated from lower-level classes by the wider range of assignments and the ability to make assignments and provide guidance to lower-level specialists. Contact with departmental officials, vendors, contractors, and the general public is a significant aspect of the work. Work is performed under the general supervision of a technical superior.
ALLOCATING FACTORS: (The following conditions must be met for a position to be allocated to this class.)
1. The position must either (1) develop purchasing specifications and standards and purchase general commodities; (2) manage public works construction contracts; or (3) develop, modify, and monitor contract processing procedures for purchasing professional services.
2. The position must have responsibility for performing analytical and evaluative duties in the City's central procurement agency or in the Department of Aviation.
3. The position must have responsibility for interacting with contractors, the public and other officials to resolve procurement related issues.
TYPICAL EXAMPLES OF WORK (ILLUSTRATIVE ONLY)
ALL ASSIGNMENTS
Reviews requisitions or public works contracts for content and conformance to specifications; reviews and interprets specifications; distributes bid invitations; tabulates and analyzes bids; issues emergency and confirming orders; makes bid award decisions; maintains a qualified bidder list and related purchasing functions which entail unusual responsibility or difficulty; confers with departmental administrators for problems, such as late deliveries; checks vendors' and/or contractors' ability to perform services; corresponds with and interviews suppliers of bids and awards.
Uses digital system to enter, retrieve and revise information on requisitions, bids and purchase orders using various departmental database systems; may generate or alter spreadsheets or other quantitative and qualitative data analysis tools.
Confers with officials of City departments concerning their requirements for materials and equipment; recommends type and quality of commodity catalogs, and technical publications and participates in professional organizations to become familiar with sources of supply, industry standards, commodity features, and other information.
Gathers information from all available sources necessary for the writing of purchase specifications; writes commodity specifications
Researches applicable standards and tests developed by private and public agencies; adapts and rewrites standards to meet City needs
Explains and interprets specifications and standards to vendors and user agency officials; obtains necessary approvals
Prepares reports of studies made and conferences held; conducts correspondence with user agencies, vendors, governmental purchasing officials, and other agencies to obtain information; maintains required records
May assign work to lower level technicians; advises lower level technicians on different purchasing problems
Performs related work as required
PERFORMS DUTIES IN ONE OF THE FOLLOWING ASSIGNMENTS
GENERAL COMMODITIES ASSIGNMENT
Follows prescribed procedures for purchasing general commodities including, but not limited to, information technology equipment and services, automotive and service contracts, food and janitorial supplies, fuel and electrical equipment, hardware and construction materials, medical and institutional supplies, and office and laboratory equipment.
Conducts surveys to determine user agency needs for usage for common-use items to simplify and standardize commodity types; develops standard specifications outlining usage requirements necessary to purchase different models and grades of commodities; may assign identification numbers to commodities.
Confers with City and department officials, technical experts, and consultants to develop and analyze Request for Proposals for specialized services and commodity contracts; may prepare contracts from proposals for vendors with specialized experience, professional skills and technical innovation; seeks guidance from Law Department personnel in preparation of contracts.
Performs analysis of general commodities and cooperative contracts according to prescribed procedures.
PUBLIC WORKS ASSIGNMENT
Performs long-range purchase planning and analysis for construction contracts; follows the prescribed procedures for processing concession contracts and public works contracts for departments involved in capital construction work.
Reviews concession public works contract specifications for content and adherence to bidding process such as Office of Economic Opportunity requirements, wage rate and tax regulations and standard contract requirements and supplements.
Attends monthly capital committee meetings to discuss with officials of other City departments problems with public work projects.
Performs analysis of public works commodities and cooperative contracts according to prescribed procedures.
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES ASSIGNMENT
Confers with departmental engineer, operations, maintenance and other technical personnel to develop detailed specifications to acquire materials, supplies, services and equipment; serves as a liaison to central agency for procurement; ensures proper compliance in contract processing procedures for purchasing professional services; works with requestor to get exact technical requirements and information; administers performance tests and translates request into technical purchase specifications or requests for proposals; seeks proposals and bids from vendors and suppliers; prepares requests for proposals or qualifications for professional services; works with contractor to resolve procurement problems, such as delays and execution of contracts.
Performs related work as required.
REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES
KNOWLEDGE OF:
• large-scale centralized purchasing methods and procedures
• large scale purchasing and procurement methods and procedures for the professional services assignment
• the various grades and qualities of commodities and services available and of their source of supply as required by work assignment
• purchase specifications writing
• the standards, principles, practices, methods and techniques of purchasing
• commodity cataloging, purchasing inspection and warehousing operations as required by work assignments
• the markets, market practices, pricing methods and differentials as they apply to appropriate commodity groups
• the City's purchase and requisition procedures
• the laws, rules and regulations governing the purchase of municipal commodities as required by work assignment
• public contract award practices and regulations as they apply to public works projects as required by work assignments
• engineering and architectural terminology typically found in construction contracts if required by work assignment
• standard office computer software packages, such as word processing, spreadsheets and databases, as required by work assignment
• project management principles of scheduling, communication and legal compliance
• contract management principles of best value selection, monitoring, and supplier diversity
ABILITY TO:
• apply proper descriptive terminology to requisitions for commodities and/or services
• write, interpret and explain purchase specifications
• learn City of Philadelphia buying and bidding procedures
• gather and analyze facts
• prepare reports and make recommendations in a timely fashion
• evaluate bids/contracts for general commodity and/or construction contracts
• supervise the maintenance of records and handle correspondence
• establish and maintain effective working relationships with suppliers and the general public
• schedule bid and contract events
• assist in negotiations related to change orders and contract related dispute resolution
MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE (The following statement represents the minimum training and experience standards which will be used to admit or reject applicants for tests. Applications submitted by candidates for this class will be reviewed based on training and experience requirements as approved on 4/23.)
OPTION 1:
EDUCATION:
Completion of a bachelor's degree program at an accredited college or university.
AND
GENERAL EXPERIENCE:
One year of experience in the field of purchasing.
AND
SPECIFIC EXPERIENCE:
One year of technical procurement experience as a Procurement Specialist 1.
NOTE: Additional experience may substitute for the education requirement on a year for year basis.
OPTION 2:
EDUCATION:
Education equivalent to completion of the twelfth school grade.
AND
GENERAL EXPERIENCE:
AND
SPECIFIC EXPERIENCE:
One year of experience as a Procurement Specialist 1.
NOTE: Certification from an industry accepted supply chain management/purchasing professional association may substitute for one year of the education requirements or general experience requirements for both options to qualify.
Or any equivalent combination of experience determined to be acceptable by the Office of Human Resources that has included the specific experience described above.
PHYSICAL AND MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS
Ability to physically perform the duties and to work in the environmental conditions required of a position in this class.
Class Established - 8/69
CSC - 8/69
Ad. Board - 9/69
Spec. Revision:
CSC - 2/99
Ad. Board - 4/99
Spec. Revision:
CSC – 8/16
Ad. Board – 10/16
Spec. Revision:
CSC – 6/18
Ad. Board – 7/18
Latest Spec. Revision:
CSC – 3/23
Ad. Board – 4/23
JA