Responsible for contract staff support ensuring compliance with appropriate laws, rules, policies, regulations and authorities. Facilitated procurement activities including requirements gather, solicitation development, posting, evaluations and selection of successful bidder for a contract award. Provide consultation services on contract and vendor management issues to the Executive Sponsor, Deputy Director, CFO, CIO, Project Manager, Contract Managers and Project Teams.for the agencies major initiatives.

As the Enterprise Program Management Office (EPMO) Contract & Procurement Officer I was responsible to manage and execute complex high value IT procurement needs along with contract and legal support associated with the agency's largest strategic initiatives, including: Business and Technology Modernization (BTM) now called DRIVES; Central Issuance System (CIS); and Prorate & Fuel Tax (PRFT). These major projects are a multi-biennia effort to improve the agency’s business rules and processes along with modernizing the supporting IT systems.My responsibilities included: providing expert consultation services, administration and central oversight of the agency's major strategic initiatives for their procurement and contracting activities. Ensuring agency risk was managed through compliance with state and federal law, policy, administrative rules and Executive Orders as well as operational efficiencies, effectiveness and best practices for public procurements. Responsible for managing the project budget, reviewing contracted deliverables for completeness and resolving issues when necessary. This position required working directly with the Director of the EPMO, the Chief Information Officer (CIO), business experts and program area stakeholders to ensure needs, strategies, timelines and impacts are communicated effectively. Serve as a liaison with the Department of Enterprise Services (DES), the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO), the Attorney General’s Office (ATG), and other authorizing agencies, to execute the requirements of specialized and/or complex procurements and to seek guidance or recommendations when required.I served as the principal advisor to the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), the Director of the EPMO, and Executive Sponsors for the agency’s major strategic initiatives along with key stakeholders concerning legal risks and development of tactical and strategic acquisition plans.

Responsible for ensuring statewide agency compliance with rules and policies related to the agency’s procurements and contracting for client service, personal service, and purchased goods and services, as well as Interlocal agreements and data sharing agreements. Served as the primary consultant with lead agency responsibility for complex IT procurements, including those with Level 3 oversight. Served as team lead with administrations and programs on competitive procurements. Prepared, approved and released competitive procurement documents including RFQQ, RFP and RFI for large-scale IT procurements and expenditures. Advised and assisted program managers in the administration of contracts and in the handling of conflicts, disputes, protests and other contract problems. Responded to public disclosure issues and requests, prepared for legislative hearings, briefed executive management on issues, applied federal legislation, and conducted protest and appeal hearings on contested matters. Developed and provided contract training and related activities for contracts managers.

Served as the Lead Contracts Administrator/Legal providing professional level support to all divisions in the administration of contract services. Provided advice and assistance to agency executive staff, program managers and contract managers in the analysis, evaluation and compliance with all applicable contracting authorities, statutes, policies and regulations. Provided technical expertise and analysis in the acquisition of goods and services, including the solicitation, preparation, negotiation and finalization of contracts for the procurement of goods and services, sole source and competitive personnel services, reimbursable services and interagency agreements. Prepared, approved and released competitive procurement documents including RFQQ, RFP and RFI for large-scale IT procurements and expenditures. Handled contract disputes, conflicts, protests and other contract issues. Served as the agency liaison with other state agencies in the contracting process. Served as the principal contact and consulted with the Assistant Attorney General (AAG) on the handling of complex terms and conditions or other legal issues, obtaining AAG approval as to form for all contracting documents. Developed and provided contract training and related activities for contracts managers.

Administered a statewide land management program for over 150,000 acres of state park land. Supervised a professional staff of land acquisition agents. Responsible for all agency land transactions, including property acquired, sold, leased or encumbered by the Commission. Responsible for an acquisition program totaling $150 million adding over 31,000 acres of park land, a 25% increase in park holdings during my tenure. This included the identification of potential properties, development of funding requests, appraisal contracts, and direct negotiation with landowners, city planners, county land use planners and environmental coordinators. Provided assistance to park planners regarding potential land use issues related to park lands. Negotiated the application and issuance of licenses and permits for the special use of park land. Prepared agenda items and reports on projects for presentation to the Commission. Responsible for drafting, negotiating, execution and monitoring of government contracts and other legal documents. Developed and managed a statewide land inventory.

Opened a law practice after admission to the Washington State Bar. General practice of law including but not limited to the negotiation of contracts and ownership transactions. Responsible for organizing, directing & managing of client’s legal matters ranging from contract disputes to domestic cases. In 1985-86 served as the Assistant City Attorney prosecuting misdemeanor cases before the City and District Courts.