Small Business Liaison Officer

POSITION SUMMARY: The Small Business Liaison Sourcing Officer will play a key role in developing and expanding our sourcing group to secure government and military-related production contracts. This role involves identifying and engaging small business suppliers, ensuring compliance with government procurement requirements, and driving strategic sourcing initiatives. This role will conduct in-depth market research, analyze category trends, assess supplier capabilities, and manage sourcing events to optimize supply chain efficiency for government contracts.

Responsibilities:

Key Responsibilities - Small Business Liaison Officer (Government & Military Sourcing)

• Develop and implement sourcing strategies that align with government and military procurement standards, ensuring compliance with FAR (Federal Acquisition Regulation) and other relevant policies.
• Identify, vet, and onboard small business suppliers to enhance contract eligibility and diversify the supply base.
• Lead, coordinate, support and facilitate Small Business Program Reviews conducted by the SBA and DCMA, as well as any other audits of the program
• Participate in outreach to small business concerns by participating in small business fairs, training, and education programs.
• Maintain vendor master database and ensure the accuracy of Small Business concerns NAICS codes and business size standards and classification
• Build and maintain relationships with government agencies, prime contractors, and industry partners to strengthen sourcing opportunities.
• Monitor and assess supplier performance, risk, and compliance to ensure alignment with government contract requirements.
• Stay up to date on regulatory changes affecting government sourcing, procurement policies, and small business requirements.
• Coordinate with internal stakeholders to streamline procurement processes, improve efficiency, and meet contract performance goals.
• Lead sourcing events, RFPs, and contract negotiations to secure competitive pricing and long-term supply chain stability.
• Evaluate and analyze price proposals, financial reports, and other critical data to determine fair and competitive pricing for supplies and services.
• Participate in cross-functional teams to develop Requests for Information (RFIs), Requests for Proposals (RFPs), source plans, service contracts, supply agreements, and authorization processes.
• Oversee shipments to ensure timely delivery of goods in accordance with government timeline requirements and resolve issues related to undelivered goods.
• Consult with vendors and visit suppliers' facilities to assess their capability to meet the demand.
• Attend industry events such as meetings, trade shows, conferences, and seminars to network with professionals and stay informed about industry trends.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.
• Travel up to 50%

Qualifications:

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, Procurement, or a related field preferred. Equivalent work experience in government contracting and supplier diversity may be considered.

Experience:

• 5+ years of experience in government contracting, procurement, or supplier diversity, preferably in a small business or subcontracting environment.
• Knowledge of FAR (Federal Acquisition Regulation), DFARS (Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement), and small business subcontracting plans.
• Experience developing and managing supplier relationships with small, disadvantaged, veteran-owned, HUBZone, and women-owned businesses.
• Ability to analyze and interpret contract requirements to ensure compliance with government procurement regulations.
• Proven ability to conduct market research, supplier outreach, and capability assessments to build a compliant and competitive supply base.
• Strong negotiation skills with a track record of coordinating with prime contractors, government agencies, and industry partners.
• Proficiency in supplier qualification, risk assessment, and performance monitoring for government and military production sourcing.
• Experience resolving vendor discrepancies, contract issues, and ensuring supplier performance meets contract specifications.
• Knowledge of Laws and Regulations governing small business utilization.