Purchasing Support Specialist

Overview: Empower AI is AI for government. Empower AI gives federal agency leaders the tools to elevate the potential of their workforce with a direct path for meaningful transformation. Headquartered in Reston, Va., Empower AI leverages three decades of experience solving complex challenges in Health, Defense, and Civilian missions. Our proven Empower AI Platform® provides a practical, sustainable path for clients to achieve transformation that is true to who they are, what they do, how they work, with the resources they have. The result is a government workforce that is exponentially more creative and productive. For more information, visit www.Empower.ai. Empower AI is proud to be recognized as a 2024 Military Friendly Employer by Viqtory, the publisher of G.I. Jobs. This designation reflects the company’s commitment to hiring and supporting active-duty and veteran employees. Responsibilities: Empower AI is seeking a motivated Purchasing Support Specialist to analyze requirements, evaluate vendors, and prepare compliant purchase actions for pre-approved IT materials on an enterprise IT Customer Support Services program supporting a Department of War agency. All purchases run through the Government's Request to Initiate Purchase (RIP) process under a materials-only T&M CLIN with a not-to-exceed ceiling, so the specialist evaluates each request for completeness and eligibility, compares vendor quotes and determines the recommended source with price reasonableness documentation, decides when the expedited process applies, analyzes consumption data for bench stock replenishment, and identifies restrictive supplier terms for referral. The role learns Federal procurement compliance from the ground up alongside the Procurement Analyst and the Government's approving officials. This is a salaried, FLSA-exempt position in which you will independently analyze situations, determine the appropriate course of action, and exercise discretion and independent judgment on matters of significance to the program and its customers. THIS IS A HYBRID ROLE BASED IN QUANTICO, VA (RKB) WITH REMOTE WORK ELIGIBILITY AND UP TO 10% OF TRAVEL INVOLVED. JOB DUTIES: Analyze IT materials requests to determine completeness, specification clarity, and alignment with pre-approved categories, and prepare Request to Initiate Purchase (RIP) packages with justifications, quotes, and supporting documentation for Government approval. Solicit and evaluate vendor quotes, compare pricing, terms, delivery, and compliance, determine the recommended source, and prepare price reasonableness documentation using Government-approved procurement vehicles when directed. Assess the urgency of break/fix and mission-critical requirements, determine when the expedited RIP process applies, and prepare expedited RIPs with justification within 24 hours of requirement identification. Analyze bench stock consumption data and requester input to determine replenishment needs and prepare the consolidated replenishment RIP for Government concurrence. Track every RIP action through the acquisition lifecycle, identify delays and risks to delivery, determine follow-up actions with vendors and approvers, and maintain the RIP tracker for the monthly RIP Status Update. Review commercial supplier agreements and license terms, identify potentially restrictive or non-compliant provisions, and refer them with analysis to the Procurement Analyst and Contracting Officer prior to purchase. Place approved orders, monitor delivery, evaluate receiving discrepancies with logistics, determine resolution actions with vendors, and assemble invoices and receipts supporting reimbursement documentation. Analyze spending against the IT Materials CLIN NTE ceiling, maintain procurement files and vendor records, and recommend process improvements to procurement standard operating procedures. Qualifications: REQUIREMENTS : Bachelor's degree and 0 years of related experience (an Associate's degree with 2 year…

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